1.) So it’s supposed to get down to 32 on Friday. Shouldn’t bother you because you’re a loud, proud, tough-as-nails Texan, right?! That’s what I thought. Glad we’ll see you at 7 p.m. at Magnolia Green Park (1100 Lipscomb St., Near Southside) for the last Friday on the Green of the season. Featuring three exceptional Fort Worth acts –– headliners The Unlikely Candidates, who are wrapping up their debut major label recording; groovy popster Son of Stan, who’s just put out a spellbinding new EP; and the loud and rowdy War Party –– your final FOTG will have all of the amenities of previous installations (especially cold, frosty adult beverages) but with the added bonuses of pies a la mode, brownie fudge sundaes, and hot cocoa floats from Stir Crazy Baked Goods and Gypsy Scoops.
As always, admission is free.
2.) Among the seemingly millions of local bands pounding out hard rock, only Mothership seems to be doing the earnest April Wine/Motorhead-esque variety. Both the Dallas band’s 2013 eponymous debut album and brand-spankin’ new Mothership II could have come out in 1977. Everything –– from the skuzzy production quality to the cheesy lyrics and riffs –– is distinctly of that warped era. But it all works. Brilliantly.
In celebration of the new long-player, Mothership plays Friday at Curtain Club (2800 Main St., 214-742-2336) with Dallas monsters The House Harkonnen and two killer Denton outfits: Virgin Wolves and Idler.
3.) A blast from the past, Austin power-pop stylists Pompeii are back, playing Shipping & Receiving (201 S. Calhoun St., 817-343-6393) on Friday with two other exceptional similar-sounding outfits: Denton’s Cozy Hawks and Fort Worth’s Shadows of Jets.
Admission is $7.
4.) A sequel to How High is on the way, to be called, perhaps not surprisingly, How High 2, but before all that, the two weed-lovin’ stars, rappers Method Man and Redman, will drop by House of Blues (2200 N. Lamar St., 214-928-BLUE) on Sunday to perform with Cypress Hill’s B Real, some dude named Berner, and some dude named Mick Jenkins. The Smokers’ Club’s World Wide Rollers tour began last month and will wrap up 36 shows later on November 26 in New York City.
Admission is $34.75-61.91.
5.) The extent of my knowledge of Zen Buddhism comes from Big Trouble in Little China, when young, brash Wang Chi says, “A brave man likes the feel of nature on his face.” To which the older and wiser Egg Shen replies, “Yeah, and a wise man has enough sense to get in out of the rain!” Which is my way of saying there’s no shame in preferring the great indoors to Friday on the Green. Lovers of sweet, soulful Appalachian songcraft (and electrical heat) should mosey on over to Magnolia Motor Lounge (3005 Morton St., 817-332-3344) for a show by Knoxville’s The Black Lillies and Des Moines’ Dan Tedesco.
Admission is $15-90.
