1) About a thousand years ago, I saw the Dropkick Murphys and Bouncing Souls at a place in Deep Ellum called Deep Ellum Live. The Dwarves were also on that show, and for some reason, I have a memory of daylight still shining when they started their set. Isn’t that fascinating? But wait, there’s more! Besides the long-gone Galaxy Club, Deep Ellum Live was my most-frequented concert venue in Dallas, and I could list all the shows I saw there between 1996 and 2000, but I think I’ve vurped up more than enough uninteresting personal anecdotes before getting to the part where Deep Ellum Live was rebooted last year as Canton Hall (2727 Canton St, Dallas) and Municipal Waste, Toxic Holocaust, and some other metal band I don’t know called Haunt are playing there on Friday. Municipal Waste are throwback crossover thrash about beer and partying, Toxic Holocaust are throwback retro thrash/death metal the way that Leon Bridges’ initial incarnation was throwback ’60s R&B/Soul, and both bands are fucking awesome, even if you think Toxic Holocaust main dude Joel Grind’s aesthetic is sort of like a collection of thrash metal archetypes assembled into an almost cartoonish form. Like, if one of those bootleg toy designers I follow on Instagram wanted to make a thrash metal action figure, he could pretty much make the mold based on Joel Grind. I would probably fork over the $100 or whatever for that toy, especially if it glowed in the dark. Doors to that show are at 7pm, it’s all-ages, and tickets are $25-30. Huh. Haunt come from a city in California’s San Joaquin Valley called Fresno, which is an ugly craphole,in the way that only San Joaquin Valley crapholes can be. Why might that be interesting to you? Because ugly crapholes like Fresno tend to breed totally brutal bands, bruh. As such, I bet Haunt are fucking badass. Here’s a video on which you can base your opinion:
2) Oh shit, I need to get to my job soon. The rest of these are gonna be short. Friday night at MASS (1002 S Main), Dreamy Life Records and Music holds its first happy hour at its new location, the room at MASS that use to house the pool table and the Golden Tee. Picnic Lightning and Annie Void are playing, the show is free, and it starts at 6pm. This is a full Annie Void set:
3) Also on Friday: the first half of Fort Worth Live’s (306 Houston St) 1 Year Anniversary Show with Texacana artists Rodney Parker and Charlie Shafter. Doors to the 21+ show open at 6, music starts at 8, and cover is $6. Here’s Rodney Parker playing with his band, the 50 Peso Reward:
4) Oh heck, why not one more for Friday? Head to Magnolia Green (the big lawn bordered by Rosedale, Hemphill, Magnolia, and Lipscomb) for the last Friday on the Green concert of the year, featuring in order of opener to headliner, Cody Lynn Boyd, Dead Vinyl, Ansley, and Calhoun. The show is free and starts at 6pm, and the weather is supposed to be perfect. All-ages, bring a blanket to sit on, money for beer and food truck food, and if you see Megan Henderson, tell her and her Near South team thanks for putting on all these fun Southside events all year long. Here’s a Cody Lynn Boyd video:
5) Gonna round this list out with Fort Worth Live’s Saturday edition of their 1 Year Anniversary celebration, starring Reagan James and Izzy Jeffery. Support female musicians! Especially when the cover is inexpensive! These ladies have great voices and are talented songwriters, so your $6 will be well spent. Same deal as Friday night’s show: 21+, doors at 6, music at 8. Here’s Izzy Jeffery covering Patsy Cline: