Well, the weekend’s finally here, and with it comes some noteworthy shows. Some come from the SXSW overspill we told you about in this week’s paper, and others just come from our own backyard. Either way, there’s plenty for you to see out in DFWd this weekend.
Centro-matic, South San Gabriel, Robert Gomez
8 p.m., Saturday, March 8, at the Granada Theater
Will Johnson brought the house down at the Double-Wide a few weeks back when his solo show shared the bill with local songstress Sarah Jaffe. On Saturday, he brings back the full Centro-matic crew back around for a go at it on the Granada’s stage. Expect to hear a whole bunch of new songs from the upcoming Centro-matic/South San Gabriel double-album. And expect a whole bunch of people to show up alongside you to see this local favorite act perform.
Beach House, Papercuts, Mom
3 p.m., Saturday, March 8, at Good Records; 8 p.m., Saturday, March 8, at Hailey’s Club, Denton
Baltimore’s Beach House heads into the region this weekend en route to South by Southwest with a new record, Devotion, in tow. With a dreamy sound and a whole bunch of nuances found beneath the surface, this band ain’t an easy nut to crack, but it’s certainly one worth exploring. You’d be best advised to check out the mid-afternoon in-store at Good Records to see if it fits your liking before you head to Hailey’s to take in the full performance.
Pleasant Grove, The Drams, Doug Burr
9 p.m., Friday, March 7, at Sons of Hermann Hall
We’ve made no secret about our affection for Doug Burr of late, but he’s not why we’re checking out this lineup. We’re there for Pleasant Grove, which is claiming this as its last gig before singer Marcus Striplin heads to the greener pastures of New York City for a few months. The Drams, meanwhile, don’t do anything too remarkably unique—they’re a bar band, really, albeit a pretty good one.
Sean Kirkpatrick, The Great Tyrant, Death Is Not A Joyride
10 p.m., Saturday, March 7, at The Double-Wide
I don’t know too much about Austin’s Death Is Not A Joyride, but I do know that the other two-thirds of this bill—Sean Kirkpatrick and The Great Tyrant—are a match made in booking heaven. Basically, if you head to the Double-Wide tonight, you can expect some incredibly dramatic sounds. Kirkpatrick’s vocals and keys aren’t necessarily as over-the-top as The Great Tyrant’s Daron Beck’s, but they’re close. You’ll hear elements of Goth pop, elements of lounge acts and even a dash of show tunes-inspired fare from this pairing, which, if you’re up to the challenge, will take your mind one hell of a trip. -- Pete Freedman
What qualities does a pretty good bar band possess?
I'm guessing that uniqueness isn't one of them. And if that's the case, what qualities does a unique band possess? Just curious.
Posted at: March 7, 2008 9:41 PM