1) I’m having laptop problems, and no that’s not a metaphor, but these listings are gonna be short. Brooklyn’s Bodega headlines MASS (1002 S Main)on Friday (tonight); local openers are War Party and Loafers, so obviously, this is a punk-oriented show. 18+, Doors at 7, cover is $15. Do yourself a favor and check that Bodega link. Their recorded material has a really bass-forward mix and I love it. Lyrics are dope as hell, kind of a talky-singing style that probably owes a debt to Peter Gabriel or B-52s, but the delivery actually reminds me of Cake, in a totally rad way. If you dig Parquet Courts you’ll love Bodega. And here’s a Bodega video:
2) On Saturday, Denton psychedelic rock band Sunbuzzed is the main attraction at the Double Wide in Dallas (3510 Commerce), with Corner Suns and proto-emo aspirants Caved Mountains in the middle and opening slots respectively. Doors at 9, 21+, cover is $10. This Corner Suns video has Sarah Jaffe’s vocals in it:
3) Also on Saturday: Vodeo and Picnic, Lightning at Magnolia Motor Lounge (3005 Morton). Dance rock, punkish blues-rock. Show starts at 10pm, 21+, cover is an undisclosed amount of money. Vodeo video:
4) Sunday at Lola’s (2736 6th Ave): ST 37, a prominent psychedelic band from (where else) Austin, who’s been at the trippy rock game for over 30 years. Wanz Dover’s jammy, live-drummed electro project, The Last Afronauts are in the middle spot, and the Fibs open the show. If you eat a gram of mushrooms, a sandwich, and drink maybe two beers, this show will be a fantastic, third-eye opening experience, but failing that prescription, it’ll still massage your brain in a good way. ST 37 at an outdoor street fair-type event in Austin:
5) Monday morning: you, in your car, jamming something you caught onto over the weekend. Lots of suggestions in the previous four listings. Sorry, this fucking machine I’m working on locks up every time I try to link a band, fix a misspelling, or do much of anything really, and I’ve had enough. Now I’m gonna have to go to goddamn Best Buy. Have a great weekend. Hope your technology doesn’t let you down or frustrate you!
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.
I came across Bodega over on Higgin’s FB page a week or so ago. I traced the vocal style more to the Beastie’s “Paul’s Boutique,” where you have not only a very limed pitch range within each cut but also from song to song. Also that feeling that the vocal is always strained up against it’s upper pitch limits. Not a criticism but it’s certainly an affectation.
All that said, it’s a cool little ar-punk record.