1) The Foundry District is launching a weekly music party in Inspiration Alley called Thursday On the Rocks, in which you can tinker with arts and crafts (materials are available on picnic tables set up in the Yard), drink beer, and listen to live bands. The inaugural bash features psychedelic pop band the Hendersons with area blues dude Matt Tedder performing an acoustic set. The event’s 18+, lasts from from 8-10pm, and it costs $7 at the door. Not familiar with the Foundry District? Drive to 200 Carroll and look for the murals. Here’s a The Hendersons video:
2) File the Last Afronauts under “science fiction funk material” – the only dude I recognize in this video is Wanz Dover (operating the buttons and knobs), but this drums-noise-vocals trio will be doing an early set at Off the Record West (715 Magnolia) Thursday evening, followed by a Wanz Dover DJ Set. In terms of selectors, Wanz (aka Blixaboy and the frontman of the Black Dots) is pretty much a record nerd’s record nerd, so even when he’s spinning what he probably thinks of as “basic,” it’s gonna be the best, grooviest soundtrack you could hope for. If you can’t dance to his jams, the only viable excuses are that you are injured or couldn’t make it out. Here’s an audio-only video for a Last Afronauts song:
3) Huh. Thursday seems to be happenin’ night this week. There’s a Laugh Your MASS Off comedy show at MASS that night that’s free, starts at 9pm, and stars JT Habersaat with Brad LaCour opening the gig. Bring your drinking hat and chuckling pants, and don’t be one of those dicks who tries to troll the comedians while they’re onstage. Please wait until they’re done with their sets and off stage before you inflame their social anxiety with your unsolicited critiques and witticisms. In this video, JT talks about Jack In the Box:
4) Here’s a cool show for Friday night: the Kessler (1230 W Davis, Dallas) is hosting soul powerhouse Har Mar Superstar who’s doing an all-Sam Cooke set. If you’re unfamiliar with HMS, just imagine Paul Giamati as a sweaty R&B singer with a badass voice and indefatigable stage presence, and that’s pretty much it. Sudie opens the show with her operatic, electronic pop music. I dig both of these performers a lot. Tickets are $18 and doors open at 6:30, with Sudie’s set starting at 8:30. Get down with this rad Har Mar Superstar jam:
5) Lola’s Trailer Park is hosting an all-day tribute to Troll, the beloved, dearly departed tattoo artist who was a fixture on West Berry Street in the days when that neighborhood was still a nightlife/counter culture destination. Called Grasshopper Campfire, the party starts at 1pm, and it’s basically an excuse to get together with a bunch of Troll’s friends, family, and the diaspora of his tattooed tribe to share stories, drink beer, eat barbecue (Heim BBQ will be there to fix you a plate if you’re inclined to purchase one) and remember a man whose larger-than-life presence in the lives of hundreds of people is sorely missed but never forgotten. At 8pm, Troll’s favorite band, Holy Moly, will take the Trailer Park’s stage and get rowdy, and at midnight, Lola’s Saloon features Troll’s second-favorite band, Darth Vato (see the disclaimer at the bottom of this), who will fumble around their back catalog in a way that Troll usually seemed to find entertaining. The event is family friendly until Holy Moly takes the stage, after which your kids can stay as long as you don’t care if they hear drunk people dropping F-bombs and singing about drugs. The party part of the day is free, and general admission to the music portion of the night is $10. Here’s Holy Moly doing a Primus cover:
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.
