Monday, June 5, 2017
Music Picks: Shows To See This Week
Posted By Chris Conde on Mon, Jun 5, 2017 at 12:20 PM
The Birthday Massacre
Thursday, June 8
I don’t know if I was lost in The Birthday Massacre’s gothic synths or was singing along to vocalist Chibi’s lullaby-like melodies, but all of sudden my shoulders lunged over my dashboard and glass began to shatter seemingly in slow motion as my tiny Ford Ranger collided into an Escalade. Besides causing (thankfully, non fatal) car crashes in Texas, the Toronto based sextuplet have been actively producing their 80s pop-goth anthems since the early 2000s with their first release Imagica. When they first started getting big it was easy to write them off solely on their mall-goth Donnie Darko imagery but, upon listening I soon discovered that this group was chock-full of everything I loved about 80s goth music: sad pop melodies, triumphant synth progressions and beautiful vintage electronic drums. With Arm of the Universe, Ludovio Technique, $25, 7pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com — Chris Conde
Jeff the Brotherhood
Thursday, June 8
Jeff the Brotherhood, hailing from Nashville and repping the swell Infinity Cat Records, are one of the most prolific and most interesting straight up fuckin' rock acts out there today. Anchored by a dynamic duo of brothers, Jake and Jamin Orrall, Jeff the Brotherhood has released a slew of riff-heavy, crunchy, and toe-tingling rock since forming in 2001. The band's sound, which toggles between (or blends) punk, jazz, black metal, grunge, psych-rock, and garage-pop, is not only pretty damn unique, but it somehow seems better (more immediate, less predictable, and more organic) than what Jeff the Brotherhood's would-be peers are doing. In the live setting, where the band comes unhinged, imbibing huge doses of its own fuzzy and filthy rock medicine, Jeff the Brotherhood is truly a force of nature. $12.00, 8:00pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N St Mary’s St, papertigersatx.com. — James Courtney
The Hood Internet
Friday, June 9
Everyone loves a good remix or mash-up every now and then, right? If you haven’t heard the Hood Internet’s mash-up of The XX’s “Intro” and DMX’s “X Gon’ Give It To Ya,” you’re missing out on a seriously weird but strangely cohesive mashup. For a track typically used for action movies (Cradle To The Grave, Deadpool) it gives DMX’s lyrics a strange sort of depth and emotional edge. Since 2007, Aaron Brink (ABX) and Steve Reidell (STV SLV) have been releasing their mashups of popular indie rock and hip-hop songs through their website thehoodinternet.com, which over the years has slowly grown in popularity thanks to other mash-up artists like Girl Talk. Also on tour with the duo is rapper Showyousuck who, with Brink and Reidell, have an alternative hip hop group called Air Credits and have been slowly building a name for themselves in the underground rap community. $15, 8pm, Paper Tiger, 2410 N. St. Mary’s St., papertigersatx.com — CC
Goatwhore
Friday, June 9
Be it burning churches, occult symbols carved into arms, or actual photos of dead vocalists, the bands that fall under the umbrella of “extreme metal” almost always have pretty extreme imagery to go along with their music. Goatwhore isn’t any different. Fusing components of black metal with thrash and death metal, New Orleans-based Goatwhore have continued to tear through nearly two decades of blast beats, thrashing guitar riffs and vocals that range from low guttural growls to high pitched shrieking. While the quartet have definitely moved away from a blackened sound in recent years, Goatwhore will continue to be a name that is revered in the realms of extreme metal. With Anciients, $15-$18, 7pm, The Rock Box, 1223 E. Houston St., therockboxsa.com — CC
At The Drive-In
Friday, June 9
At The Drive-In’s performance at SXSW is definitely in my top ten fave shows of all time now. In this era of synth-driven indie pop, it was refreshing to see a high-energy rock and roll show from a band that’s become famous for going nuts on stage. Back in February, the El Paso boys announced that they were going back on tour, and much to ATDI fans worldwide, were also releasing a new album entitled in•ter a•li•a. If you haven’t listened to the record and you’re a fan of the band, stop what you’re doing (well, finish reading this obviously), and turn that shit on full volume. I won't say that it’s as good as Relationship of Command but all the components of a good ATDI record are there: Omar Rodriguez’ signature spasm guitar riffs and Cedric’s true to form shout/singing about something (whatever it is, it sounds cool). The only bummer is that the show has been sold out for several months now so if you haven’t been proactive about hunting down a ticket, you might want to light a candle and pray for a miracle or that your best friend breaks up with their ex so you can snag theirs. With Le Butcherettes, sold out, 7pm, Aztec Theatre, 104 N. St. Mary’s St., theaztectheatre.com — CC
Frontera Bugalú
Saturday, June 10
Unleashing Carnage Fest
Saturday, June 10
Does several hours of blood-curdling shrieks and violent, smashing drums sound like the perfect Saturday night? If so, you’re in luck this week. Dubbed “Unleashing Carnage Fest,” this night of metal and mayhem features bands from all over Texas that fall somewhere under the “extreme metal” category. Among the San Antonio acts making an appearance is Chaotic End, which matches echoey shrieks and black metal growls with furious guitar riffing of death, making a sound as tight as it is ferocious. Also on the bill are local grindcore bros Toluca, whose tracks range anywhere from 22 seconds to less than two minutes. But length doesn't matter much when the tracks are that intense. $10, 4pm, Fitzgerald’s Bar and Live Music, 437 McCarty Rd #101, fitzrocks.com — CC
The Old 97’s
Saturday, June 10
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