Friday 31 January 2013 - The Footnotes (CD Release) * Churchwood * Eric Hisaw Band * DJ/LP

The Footnotes (Houston, TX)
https://www.reverbnation.com/thefootnoteshotx

Rick Eakens founded the Footnotes in New Mexico. The group has quartered in Texas and Nashville. The Footnotes do classic American roots rock with new sounds and styles. Two longtime friends have joined Rick to continue (and refresh) the tradition. Catch them at the nearest music joint.

Rick Eakens - guitar & vocals
Allan Gill - bass & vocals
Kevin Tate - drums

 

 

 

Churchwood (Austin, TX)
https://www.saustexmedia.com/CHURCHWOOD.html

Churchwood performs a vital and much-needed musical mission on their self-titled Saustex Records debut album: Saving the blues from the blahs and numerous other crimes and afflictions. Hailing from Austin, Texas, a city rightfully accused of being “The Boring White Blues Capital of the World,” the ingenious quintet kick the lazy butt of blues music into the second decade of the 21st Century and beyond.

And they do so with Bohemian panache, gonzo élan, punky ‘tude, bluesy grit and stunning musical mastery and imagination while keeping a firm rock’n’roll Vulcan death grip on the roots of the blues. The result is a sound that’s rife with the beef and the heart — if you get the drift — plus mind-expanded smarts and relentlessly wild and wooly soul.

The sonic scoop on Churchwood might best be expressed by a sampling of their song titles: The French symbolist poetics meets the rock’n’roll Burundi beat of “Rimbaud Diddley,” the mojo rising to a tempest of “Vendidi Fumar” (“I Sell Smoke”), and the soaring shredded shuffle of “Supermonisticgnositiphistic.” They take a funky ride through the backwoods blues with “Pontiac Flanagan,” invite you to “Melungeon In The Dungeon,” shuffle up to the gallows on “Pity The Noose,” and open a “Can O’ Worms” that stomps, swirls and snarls. “Ulysses” takes a country-blues trot across the Grecian delta, “Abraxas” burrows way down deep, and then it all comes to a full-throttle pummeling crescendo with a “Car Crash.”

 

Eric Hisaw Band (Austin, TX)
https://www.reverbnation.com/erichisaw

“Eric Hisaw’s songs are little vignettes from life on the road, stories written in the moments when emotions are acute, and he marries them to tunes which lodge quickly in the brain” John Davy - Flyinshoes Review UK
“Many people including millionaire rockstars, write and sing about working class life, but Hisaw has and edge on all of them, authenticity…this is powerful stuff.” - John Conquest, 3rd Coast Music

“Eric Hisaw’s songwriting is uncorrupted and bulletproof. He’s a check you can cash at the bank of cool.” - Ray Wylie Hubbard

“with the 10 just-about-perfect tales of hard-traveled and weary-hearted workingman blues… the journeyman songwriter, guitarist and singer delivers his first stone-cold masterpiece”. Richard Skanse - Lonestar Music

“Roots rocking Americana singer / songwriter Eric Hisaw is exceptional since his debut album “Thing About Trains” (2000) among my favorites. With “Ghost Stories”, this sympathetic outlaw Texas (originally from Las Cruces, NM) on his fifth full length album that has now been clean a top 10 hit in the Euro Americana Charts misappropriated. Hisaw camp programs including works in the good company of John Hiatt, Gilian Welch, Dave Alvin, Eileen Jewell and Grayson Capps and let one thing immediately clear: go! Once again he delivers with… Chuck Berry style rocker Johnston County, California Girl, Lonely Road and Don’t Live there Anymore may indeed fully expect Hisaw’s unique telecaster…sound feast…Can we speak here of an enjoyable masterpiece…sure!” Francois Braeken - Beale Street

 

Monday 27 January 2014 – A Couple Of Stand Up Guys Open Mic Comedy (Free!! doors 7:30pm)

A Couple Of Stand Up Guys (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/rudzopenmic

 

Formed in January 2012, it is a rotating group of comedic talent from the Houston area set on revitalizing the local comedy scene with new talent featuring the best of Comedy and Music culled from the Houston Open Mic scene. Currently the group is performing Bi-Monthly shows within the Houston area.
Our Free Comedy Open Mic Show Opens At 7:30. Show starts at 8:00

 

Saturday 25 January 2014 - Luxurata * TC5 * Laura Forster & The Severed Strings

Luxurata (Houston, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/luxurata

Get lost in the sonic rock and delicate melodies of this dual guitar band. The unique alt-pop/indie rock sound will leave you wanting more. Luxurata was formed in the spring of 2002 and consisted of long time musical collaborators Mike Porterfield (vocals & bass) and Brian Schack (guitar), Dave Darby (drums, formerly of Ruskabank). Texas guitar legend Harry O’ (from the famed Zealots) joined in 2011. The diverse musical background of its members comes together in the unique alt-pop/indie rock sound of the band. Compositions range from sonic guitar rock to delicate melodies.

 

 

The TC5 – (Houston, TX)

https://www.reverbnation.com/thetexascity5

Where Texas rock and the British Invasion meet is…The Texas City 5.

 

 

 

 

 

Laura Forster & The Severed Strings (Austin, TX)
https://www.severedstrings.com/

Laura Forster is making her debut into the world of music with her whimsical but soulful songwriting. Her songs express a great love for jazz, blues, soul and rock while weaving tales of emotional hardship and personal perseverance in to the mix. It’s easy to tell that Laura liberates herself as her commanding voice and rhythmic guitar braid together in moments of pure joy. “I am never more happy than when I am playing music.” She explains. “It’s like all of the things that I can never quite say with words alone suddenly make sense and I am set free.” Laura now hopes to bring that experience to her listeners with inextinguishable passion and energy. You won’t know what you’ve been missing until you hear it for yourself.

 

 

 

 

Friday, January 24, 2014 - Electric Frankenstein * Swingin Dicks * The Bulemics

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Electric Frankenstein (Wippany NJ)
https://www.electricfrankenstein.com/

Over 20 years, over 100 record releases, and more! EF has almost single-handedly returned rock to its most basic and savage roots, the way it was meant to be. They have been receiving international acclaim for their exciting brand of Punk Rock and Roll, done with the great intensity of such bands as the Stooges, MC5, Dead Boys, NY Dolls, Damned, Black Flag, Misfits, AC/DC, Kiss, Cheap Trick, Aerosmith, etc. In addition to playing the most dynamic, ravenous, and menacing rock you’ve ever heard, EF recognizes the importance of integrity. From giving proper nods to the architects of street-level rock (Iggy and the Stooges, Dead Boys, AC/DC), to fiercely supporting DIY labels to their constant efforts to put fans first ahead of profit, EF is championing the cause to bring Rock back to the people and out of the hands of corporations. EF aren’t young or pretty, and in case you haven’t noticed neither is Real Rock & Roll. EF aren’t here to be your girlfriend, they’re here to ROCK! While stupid critics might say ‘but, it’s only rock n roll, its nothing new’, EF fans are saying “Damn, right!” as they embrace the best of what’s loud, fast, and rules from the last 30 years distilled down to one single organism. EF are one a mission to revitalize Rock & Roll and save people from the boredom of “alternative music”. EF shows are intense, exciting, and inspiring.

EF have been well reviewed in such magazines as Kerrang, Metal Hammer, Terrorizer, Rock Sound, Alternative Press, Hit Parader, Seconds, Thrasher, Lollipop, Tail Spins, Rue Morgue, Maximum Rock N Roll, Flipside, Big Takeover, Paper, Aquarian Weekly, and countless European & Japanese magazines as well. NY Press picked EF as the “Best Punk Band in NYC”. EF have received top 40 commercial radio airplay in the USA, Top 5-10 on many American college radio stations, and were Number One on Belgian, Finnish, and Swedish, etc., national radio. EF has even been picked by the Frankenstein Society as the bands representing the release of the Frankenstein commemorative stamp for the US Post Office. Not only are they one of the top most featured bands in the music press (currently #2 out of the Top 500!), but they have a loyal fan following in over 15 countries, with many bands citing EF as an influence and covering EF songs, and drawing thousands at music festivals internationally. EF’s raw, powerful, and melodic Dead Boys meets AC/DC sound that has made them the Kings of High Energy Punk Rock N Roll!

EF has been on over 40 of the world’s best indie record labels (Sub Pop, Man’s Ruin, Estrus, Get Hip, Victory, Au-go-go, TKO, Junk, etc.), selling hundreds of thousands of records. They have appeared on many European music televison shows and have had their songs or artwork featured in many videogames, movies and tv shows, including X-Files, Dawson’s Creek, Signs, American Psycho 2, Flophouse, Tony Hawks Underground, and the occasional porno flicks as well. EF have since their inception been touring the US, UK, and Europe; often as headliner, even doing a sold out show at the Fillmore in SF and played to thousands at European festivals. EF played the 1997 Warp tour. They plan to tour Japan and Australia soon. EF have played with Danzig, Monster Magnet, Marilyn Manson, Hole, Social Distortion, The Misfits, Dead Kennedys, Dictators, Poison Idea, SOD, Joe Strummer, The Dwarves, Nebula, Orange Goblin, Electric Wizard, Turbonegro, Hellacopters, and many more. One of Joey Ramone’s favorites, EF can count many other bands as fans of their music as well (Jon Spencer, Metallica, Monster Magnet, etc.), and they have returned the favor via the popular “A Fistful of Rock & Roll” compilation series, produced by EF guitarist, Sal Canzonieri.

The EF invasion has begun with Dark Horse publishing a 160 page book on EF. In 2004, EF will have a world wide art gallery and book signing tour for the upcoming book, “Electric Frankenstein!”, as well as two fantastic EF clothing lines being done by Sourpuss Clothing and Lucky 13 clothing, and EF skateboards, toys, and videogames in the works too!

 

The Swingin Dicks (Dallas, TX)
https://www.facebook.com/theswingindicks

Newly Reformed Swingin’ Dicks. Addition of Barney McKinney on drums, (Dumpster, Four Days to Burn). Cameron(Hoodrat and Dryrub) on guitar. Hardcore Texas James on bass (Spazm 151, KegCharge, ect…..)

Fast music for fast women

Fast and furious! Not like Vin Diesel

The Barron- Drums
Dano - Vocals
Cameron - Guitar
Rich-Guitar
Hardcore Texas James-Bass/vocals
Plan B -Guitar

 

 

 

The Bulemics (Austin, TX)
https://www.thebulemics.com/

Although punk has always been known for its in-your-face attitude, not all punk bands are interested in fighting the power. Punk has had its sociopolitical agitators — the Sex Pistols, the Clash, and the Dead Kennedys were among early punk’s more famous protest bands — but there have been many punks who were mainly interested in having fun and keeping their listeners entertained (such as the Ramones and the Dickies). For the Bulemics, punk isn’t about getting a serious sociopolitical message across; it’s strictly a way to have fun, and their idea of fun is being as crude, tasteless, and offensive as possible. Thriving on shock value, the Bulemics love sick, twisted, dark-humored lyrics — Satanism, drug abuse, suicide, promiscuity, and violent crime are the sort of things that they routinely joke about in their songs. Of course, their over-the-top lyrics aren’t meant to be taken seriously, and the Texans’ fans (most of them anyway) have enough common sense to realize that.

The Bulemics were formed in Austin, TX in 1996, when alternative rock stations were playing a lot of emo/punk-pop bands like Green Day. But the Bulemics were never influenced by Green Day, blink-182, Fenix TX, or any of the other emo bands that were popular in the ‘90s and early 2000s. Their approach to punk is very old-school — as in late ‘70s and early ‘80s — and their sound is reminiscent of classic Los Angeles bands like the Circle Jerks, Black Flag, and the Germs. The Bulemics have also been compared to the Boston bands of that era, which makes sense because Boston’s early-‘80s punk bands (Jerry’s Kids, Gang Green, the Freeze, among others) were heavily influenced by West Coast punk. No one will mistake the Bulemics for a British Oi! band; their sound is strictly American.

Since 1996, the Bulemics have had their share of personnel changes; some might call them a revolving door. In 1999, their five-man lineup included Gerry Atric on lead vocals, Gabe Bulemic on lead guitar, Wes Texas on rhythm guitar, Mississippi Sweet Dick (whose real name is Craig Merrit) on bass and Hell Sancho on drums. In 2001, Gabe Bulemic left, while Atric, Sweet Dick, Wes Texas and Sancho remained; newcomers included lead guitarist Rusty Trombone took over lead guitar duty. In the ‘90s and early 2000s, the Bulemics’ full-length albums included Old Enough to Know Better, Too Young to Care on Junk, Blurred Vision and Twisted Thoughts on Man’s Ruin, and Talk Dirty to Me on TSB. They can also be heard on Man’s Ruin’s 1999 release Full on Hate Fuck, a split CD that contains eight Bulemics tracks and eight songs by the River City Rapists. The Bulemics’ fourth full-length album, Soundtrack to the Apocalypse, was recorded in 2001 and released in 2002 by the Philadelphia-based Steel Cage label. In 2013, the current lineup consists of Gerry Atric on vocals, Wes Texas on rhythm guitar, Ginchy on lead guitar, Rob Knob on bass, and Breadstick Von Bulemic on drums.

Thursday 23 January 2014 - Grand Old Grizzly * Johnny Beauford * Cowbell Kings

Grand Old Grizzly (Houston, TX)
https://grandoldgrizzly.com/

Grand Old Grizzly are a Texan-based band making new music with an old sound. With distinctive music that combines upbeat tempos, downbeat yet cheerfully sung lyrics and addictive melodies, Grand Old Grizzly’s self-titled first album is a rollicking journey through love, loss and life on the road.One of the best things about Grand Old Grizzly’s music is the raw energy contained within it. The instrumentals are sharp and clear and the vocals filled with emotion; the effect sounding as though the band is playing live in the living room rather than through the stereo’s speakers. This is clever production for a band whose talents lie in their music making abilities, needing no flashy editing or effects to impede upon an already effective sound.

Front man, vocalist and principal songwriter Will Thomas has weaved tantalising stories with his poetic lyrics throughout the album. From songs like the descriptive and lamenting Indecision – “My indecision led to her decision not to stay/She had a large outstanding balance we all knew she’d never pay”, to the reality questioning Sundowners – “Oh darling, what’s it like staring back at me?”, the album is full of nostalgia-tinged vignettes of central-western American life, of cold nights in small desert pubs, long stretches of open roads, wild women and stiff drinks.

One of the most remarkable aspects of Grand Old Grizzly’s music is that all the songs feel positive and upbeat, even if the lyrics are as desolate as can be. Albeit sung with a wry sarcasm and a very much tongue-in-cheek attitude in parts, the best examples of which can be found in popular song Morning and humorous Marvellistic Coward Band, this optimistic quality makes the album demand repeat listens. With playful bass-lines that are so unique they stick in your mind long after the record has finished, quick, light percussion and of course some necessary banjo strumming, each element comes together to create complex yet easy to listen to songs full of life.

The members of Grand Old Grizzly contain a wealth of musical talent and experience between them, a fact made clear on this collection of toe-tapping tunes made great by their complexities. This album is well worth a listen, but be warned: one listen may turn into two, then three, then permanent rotation as this addictive, contradictive, fun and philosophical music just doesn’t let up or let go.

 

Johnny Beauford (Dallas, TX)
https://www.stcaitrecords.com/artists/johnnybeauford/

Johnny Beauford (born November 24, 1984) is an American singer-songwriter, guitarist, and front man of Americana project The Jack Kerowax and long-time Dallas rock band bravo, max! Beauford currently lives in Dallas, TX where he writes and records with The Jack Kerowax, bravo, max!, and as an independent arist. He is known for his distinctive Americana style, soaring vocals, and narrative lyrics.

“Dallas troubadour Johnny Beauford might be one of the area’s most frustrating talents (in a good way). He toggles between a solo career and being part of Jack Kerowax and Bravo, Max!, but however his new music materializes, the wait is almost always unbearably long — and when he finally unveils a fresh collection of songs, as he does on the self-produced A Pig Eating Past Love, they whip by in 20 minutes, leaving the listener aching for more. Beauford’s appealing, wounded vocals convey lyrics that would be unsettling out of context against musical backdrops suffused with folk rhythms and lush instrumentals. The record will be digitally released Tuesday ( Love will also be for sale in physical form at Good Records), and Beauford will celebrate the LP’s arrival Jan. 18 at Three Links in Deep Ellum.” - Preston Jones, DFW.COM

“Vocalist and co-songwriter for one of the area’s most exciting bands, Dallas-based trio Bravo, Max!, Johnny Beauford is spilling over with songs — so much so that, just months after releasing Bravo, Max!’s debut LP, Dog’s Light, Beauford turned around and unveiled this seven-track EP. More spare and direct than Bravo, Max!, the self-produced Lo Fi finds Beauford trafficking in the kind of earnest Americana that dares you to turn away. Gifted with a keen sense of melody and an intriguing lyrical style, Beauford confirms his rightful place among the top tier of North Texas songwriters.”- Preston Jones, DFW.COM

 

Cowbell Kings (Houston, TX)
https://www.reverbnation.com/cowbellkings

Cowbell Kings plays shows of original country/rock/pop style music, with powerful hooks, bucking syncopated rhythms, strong vocal harmonies, and soaring exciting instrumentation. The band plays clubs, shows, also dance hall, country dance bars, private parties and ice house gigs doing well known country and rock’n’roll covers with many original songs scattered into the mix. Rick Ehrlich, lead guitar and vocals, Matt Elkins, bass and vocals, Bruce Ross guitar and vocals, and Ivan “Koop” Kuper on drums and vocals. The band was previously called More Cowbell Tx, but there are several Texas bands with similar confusing names; we have been promoted.

 

Tuesday 21 January 2014 – Bootown Presents Grown-up Story Time #63

Bootown – (Houston, TX )
https://www.bootown.org/

Grown-up Storytime: a late-night event where you send us stories, we pick the best ones, and assign them to a rotating crack-squad of expert story readers who show up the night of and wow our socks and/or pants off. It’s on a Tuesday – what else are you going to do?

Interested in submitting a story or reading someone else’s story?!? Email us at [email protected]

 

“…BooTown’s totally amazing, super original and completely hilarious show, Grown-Up Storytime.”
~ Lydia O’Neil of Examiner.com