1) San Diego riff lords Earthless play the Ridglea Room (6025 Camp Bowie) Thursday night. If words like “guitar solos,” “hard rock,” “stoner jams,” and/or “the cosmic nod” move your meter even slightly, DO NOT MISS THIS SHOW. It’s no secret that Earthless is one of my all-time favorite bands, so I guess I’m more than little biased, but they’re one of those bands everyone probably needs to see at least once – and on top of tapping into the higher mysteries via cosmic guitar sorcery, they perform in front of some trippy visuals. I can’t help it; their music affects me in a very primal way. Openers Here Lies Man play fuzzed-out funk that reminds me Swedish psychedelic fusion band Goat, which is another of my all-time favorite bands, so really, get there for the doors, stay until the amps cool down. The all-ages show starts at 7pm, and tickets are $15, available here online or at the door If you have an hour, here’s a full Earthless set from 2016:
2) MASS’s (1002 S Main) Friday night bill is anchored by Huffer and opened by Mountain Kid; I presume both are bookending the night to get people to watch the touring band, Austin-based Transit Method. All three bands are built on tight riffage, with the first two bands exhibiting prog-leaning song arrangements while Huffer treads this line between hard-charging garage rock and effects-heavy, shoegaze-inspired moments. Show is 18+, doors are at 8, bands start at 9, and cover is $7. This Transit Method song is pretty cool; it makes me imagine At the Drive-in trying to appeal to people who only listen to Metallica’s black album:
3) Here’s another show at MASS this weekend that’ll be a fun party: Lou Charle$ Birthday Bash, happening on Saturday night. As Fort Worth’s rap scene appears to be on the upswing, it’s rad to see this dude on the calendar, as he’s been in the game since the days when local rappers seemed to only get gigs at the Cellar or off-nights at the Grotto. Expect plenty of guest appearances. Cover to the 18+ show is $10 and the doors open at 8, with the music starting at 9. Here’s a video he put out last summer:
4) Also on Saturday: Austin’s indie rockers Quiet Company, headlining a show at the Tin Panther (937 Woodward). QC is one of those bands who throws down hard every time they play, delivering biting, impassioned social commentary along with hooky arrangements and melodies. The Rocketboys, Picnic Lightning, and Ansley Dougherty fill the opening slots, so expect each band to feed off each other’s energy, of which there will be plenty to go around. Lots of musicians up there workin’ hard, in other words, plus the excited vibe of all their friends stoked to be out and partying. Sounds like a good time! The cover is $10, the show is 21+, and the bands start at 9pm. This QC song is called “Seven Hells,” so maybe it references Game of Thrones’ stand-in for the Catholic church. Probably not, but it’s a cool video:
5) Here’s a fun music-oriented evening on Monday, June 18: the Boiled Owl Tavern’s (909 W Magnolia) is doing another Drag Karaoke Night. If you were there the last time the Owl hosted Drag Karaoke, you probably called in sick to work the next day due to a case of too much fun. All are welcome, so be bold, take some shots, and have a blast with this. 21+, starts at 9:30ish.
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.
