Friday, March 21
Spazm 151/Wild Tribe/Steel Bearing Hand/Sin Motivo/Pissed Grave (RBC): I’m always a little apprehensive when a club reopens after a long hiatus with the same name, but at least in this case, it’s merely an acronym. Still, the Red Blood Club was a notorious place with a very stiff reputation for being the hardcore capital of Dallas proper. Can it repeat past glories? Time will tell on that, but I wouldn’t mind catching another Cheaters’ bust on a random evening. I was so proud to be from here that night. This lineup is a great way to start off, and the inclusion of the reunited Wild Tribe should make a lot of people happy, since they broke up about a year ago.
“Friday Night Live” (Hailey’s Club): Chris “AV the Great” Cole is one of the most enjoyable hosts in town, so I pretty much support anything he does. The next time I have a public speaking engagement, I’m just going to watch tapes of this guy. Stop by to see him in action.
Zhora/Ronnie Heart/Ice Eater (The Crown and Harp): The Crown and Harp could likely meet capacity with such strong names in the small confines of the place, so I would show up early. Though not as early as I was told to show up at last night’s Leif show. 8 pm? Who are you kidding? This isn’t the opera, man.
Def Rain/Party Static/Benjamin White/Travis Box (Texas Theatre): This is one of the better local music weekends I’ve seen in a moment and Oak Cliff in particular has a stronger showing than usual, though it speaks to an issue that it is often in unconventional venues. For more information, go here.
Martin Back (CentralTrak): CentralTrak never gets enough credit around town, or even an acknowledgment of existence in some famous cases. If you want to know why I love the place so much, this is a good example. UTD’s sparkling southern jewel has an experimental music series, just a short walk away from a certain cover band-adoring entertainment district. Dallas, you need this in your life, if only so that your big city friends don’t make fun of what a willfully cultureless country mouse you can sometimes be. It’s just unbecoming. Tonight’s performer is academic Martin Back, an experimental composer who invites audience participation. Familiar and similarly unconventional locals Lily Taylor, Jonathan Jackson, Andrew Miller will be assisting Back this evening.
Saturday, March 22
George Quartz/Hex Cult/Street Sects/Tommyboy (Ware:Wolf:Haus): This is part of the brilliant new “band in residence” initiative that the Ware:Wolf:Haus space has enacted, which is the brainchild of WWH’s Arthur Pena. The artist this time is George Quartz, and while it could be argued that Quartz’s act is the band-in-residence in Oak Cliff, period, the group’s bit has been tweaked to the point of genius, which is a word I usually try to avoid like an abandoned couch on the highway. Quartz has returned to the lofty sarcastic regalness of his last band, Faux Fox, and honestly it’s a height I wasn’t sure that he would ever reach again. This is Street Sects’ debut performance and I imagine we’ll be hearing more about them soon. Throw in one of the best* DJs and best* local bands and you have an actual event, not just the rumor of one.
Bludded Head/Bukkake Moms/Eat Avery’s Bones (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): I caught Bludded Head during South by Southwest at Arturo’s Bakery & Cafe, and while it was a typically strange setting, the group has a newfound focus and rage that is very striking. See them again if it’s been a while, as the dramatic lineup changes have finally been smoothly integrated.
Sunday, March 23
Prostate/The Funeral and Twilight/Filth/Corporate Park (Rubber Gloves Rehearsal Studios): Rubber Gloves has great shows all weekend, including Sunday, which features this balanced mix of electronics, free jazz, noise, and industrial music. So, of course it’s presented by House of Tinnitus, which I still miss unrequitedly.
*No, I will not qualify that today. It’s late. Go hear for yourself. You won’t regret it. For more to do in Dallas this weekend, go here.
Image: Zhora, performing live at Art Conspiracy 2013. Credit: Andi Harman.
