1) Two big shows on Friday, the first of which is a local act: Cut Throat Finches headlines Shipping and Receiving (201 S Calhoun), where they’ll be releasing their new album Polite Conversation. If the video for “New Age” (Polite Conversation’s first single, posted at the end of this listing) is any indication, the new record is full of rollicking, root-flavored rock ’n roll, informed with some hot sports opinions on the state of American discourse. If you’re into the Old 97s, you’ll dig CTF’s songs. Austin-livin’ indie rockers Darkbird are also on the bill, along with OG Chat Rat/singer-songwriter Taylor Craig Mills. Doors are at 8, show starts at 9, and the cover is $10. Here’s that video:
2) The other big show on Friday night is at Lola’s (2736 6th St), and features one of my all-time favorite bands, veteran American ska band and Moon Ska Records founders the Toasters. They’ve been chunking the upbeats for almost 40 years, and while other second-wave ska bands might have lost their footing with some lackluster albums (the Specials in the ’90s unfortunately come to mind), the Toasters have remained perennial awesome. Cover to this all-ages show is $10, and another long-running, ska-influenced band, local favorites Sally Majestic get the party going, with help from another local ska band called Madaline. Doors are at 8, music starts at 9. This is the Toasters playing my favorite tune in 2009:
3) Eh, why not one more for Friday, especially when it’s the Bellamy Brothers??? These princes of ’70s, ’80s, and ’90s country gold will be at Southern Junction Nightclub and Steak House in Irving (101 N Rogers Rd, Irving), and besides playing classic hits like “Let Your Love Flow” and “If I Said You Had Beautiful Body Would You Hold It Against Me?” they’ll be hawking (or their merch person will, anyway) Let Your Love Flow: the Life and Times of the Bellamy Brothers, their new autobiography. Doors are at 6, and the show starts at 10:30; tickets are $15. Here they are playing “Redneck Girl::
4) Cinematic songwriter Clint Niosi is releasing his new album Daedalum on Saturday night at Arts 5th Avenue (1628 5th Ave), and he’ll be performing the record along with a full band, so expect a lot of atmospheric sounds. Also on this bill: jazz-pop duo Tortuga Redfro (see this week’s music section for a mention of who they are) and classically trained musician/songwriter Morgan Wright. Doors are at 6, music’s at 7, cover is $10. All-ages, I presume. Familiarize yourself with Clint Niosi’s music with this video for “New Light,” off his 2012 album For Pleasure and Spite:
5) Close out your weekend with the Fibs, Rose Garden Funeral Party, and Maestro Maya at another Dreamy Life-curated bill at Three Links (2704 Elm St, Dallas) on Sunday. Doors at 8, show at 9, cover is $5-$7. File under punk, post-punk, guitar effects pedals. Rose Garden Funeral Party is a force to be reckoned with. That singer has some powerful pipes!
FULL DISCLOSURE/WRITER BIO ALERT: per editorial suggestion, in addition to writing about music and other shit for the FW Weekly, I am an investor in a venue/bar called Main at Southside, colloquially known as MASS. I also bartend at the Boiled Owl Tavern, a bar that also hosts shows a few times a month, as well as Off the Record, which is a bar/record store that hosts DJs several nights a week. Since I’m on the subject of warning you against what may be perceived as icky self-promotion and/or conflicts of interest, I play bass in the following bands: Son of Stan and Darth Vato.
