“Take a walk through the land of shadows/ Take a walk through the peaceful meadows/ Don’t look so disappointed/ It isn’t what you hoped for, is it?/ There’s a party in my mind/ And I hope it never stops/ I’m stuck here in this seat/ I might not stand up/ Other people can go home/ Other people they will split/ I’ll be here all the time/ No, I can never quit/ Everything is very quiet/ Everyone has gone to sleep/ I’m wide awake on memories/ These memories can’t wait.”—“Memories Can’t Wait,” the last song on side two of an album called Fear of Music.Okay, I know I’ve used this one before, but it’s important. Besides perfectly catching the dichotomy of feels that the holiday season often induces in its human celebrants, the song has significance as an artifact of a certain lifestyle that is directly related to rocanrol; from its defiant rejection of normative time-keeping to a glancing but still determined reverence of the past, this tune speaks in the language of the followers of rock music, even as the title of the larger work and some of the songs that follow imply that listeners should fear that same force. Put that in your concert-going pipe and inhale deeply as you head out, following further demonstrations of a similar creed.
Show Up!: Thursday
Tone Ranger
courtesy of the artist
I totally dig it when I run into a flyer fancily or frenetically filled with the names of bands to which I have not yet been exposed. Carrying out the disease vector metaphor one more step involves invoking infection, a thing which I will gladly do here in order to lay the news upon you all of a gig featuring Tone Ranger, Big Hen, The Dimensions and Karen. That’s because some of them are from Santa, yo: Alex Simon is the force behind Tone Ranger, an ambient dance project with neo-Western flourishes. Contrariwise, Big Hen might signal some sort of barnyard experimentalism as the ensemble features members of Bigawatt as well as the incomparable Henry Hutchinson of Chicharra. Meanwhile Karen, a relatively new disco-pop/psych duo, comprised of Jessica Chao and Amanda Dannae rounds out this bill which also features The Dimensions, who are rockers outta Flagstaff, Ariz. They are all playing at Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW) on Thursday, Nov. 29. The new happens on Thursday, rock hounds: be there or be more than 90 degrees in orientation. 8pm • $5 • 21+.
Show Up!: Friday Part I
Tropa Magica
courtesy of the artist
Zone Out is the name of one of the ubiquitously entertaining DJ nights held at Sister (407 Central Ave. NW) a known repository of hipsters and consequently, the ultra groovy music that emanates from the various electronic devices they utilize in their expansive interactions with the universe. That said, the highly danceable iteration of that event, happening on Friday, Nov. 30, also features los dos musicos mas mágico, Tropa Magica! Formerly known as Thee Commons, this unit de sonido is composed of David and Rene Pacheco. The two brothers rock it hard with cumbia rhythms distilled through a surfy sound that is as much audaciously Latino as it is transgressively punk. They’ve already caught the notice of LA Weekly and have appeared at Coachella and Tropicalia. Sounds like you oughta go to this one, carnales; it’ll be like a psychedelic Mexican carnival in the desert! I like that. 9pm • $5 • 21+.
Show Up!: Friday Part Ii
Silverstein
courtesy of the artist
If you had told me back in the ’80s—when I was in high school over at the golden city—that a whole band from California would name itself after the composer of the songs “A Boy Named Sue” and “The Cover of Rolling Stone” I swear I would have taken a mighty toke, waved my finger in the air like it was a flag and yelled Silverstein! … Then I would have laughed the hearty but worn guffaw of one who had to read and write an essay on The fucking Giving Tree, just to get a passing grade in English class. Anyway, I’m like totally smashed to pieces to discover that said ensemble will be playing, along with one of my very other favorite emo monstrosities, the wind up, cardboard empire scremo lads from Hawthorne Heights, at Sunshine Theater (120 Central Ave. SW) on Friday, Nov. 30. What follows at this show will be cosmically sad yet comically profound. That’s what emo is all about, I’ve finally discovered—after asking some emotionally fragile cis-gendered single males from the Heights that is. As Cities Burn, Capstan and Still Sad open. Laugh now, cry later, ese! 7pm • $20 • 13+.
Show Up!: Saturday Part I
Cowboys and Indian
courtesy of the artist
Saturday, Dec. 1 is a night of huge shows in the old Burke, so you might as well start at Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW) and work your way through the voluminous scene craftily, with the abandon of an ancient Greek wanderer in search of deities, delirium and perhaps even (gasp) the underworld or the suburbs of New Jersey. At the aforementioned home of rocket ships and rock music, a huge hootenanny to benefit Kim Mansfield is in effect, featuring the likes of local rocanrol warriors Sorry Guero!, the ever popular Red Light Cameras, Moonshine Blind, The Wads and a rare live appearance by one of this town’s best rockabilly units of all time, Cowboys and Indian. Go for the glory and stay for the meltdown as seis of this towns most trusted siren-sounding outfits urge you off the mast and into the transformative waters below. 9pm • $5 suggested donation • 21+.
Show Up!: Saturday Part Ii
Sun Dog
Steve Kefai
Over at Sister (407 Central Ave. NW) on Saturday, Dec. 1 meanwhile, there will be a rocking show in support of Corpus Arts, an underground, cool-as-fuck radical library and safe space that fosters queer cultures and literacies. The event will feature psychedelic sounds guaranteed to transport one into la jauja, a land free from anything you don’t like by the way—like it’s the ultimate safe space, mythologically speaking. Anywho, that’s the way psychedelia works, kids and helping experimenters get there in style is the object of the super spaced out, all-Burque bands playing that night. They include the legendary Sun Dog, a heroic ensemble called The Timewreckers and Nuzzzle. Everyone I talk to says this is going to be a night of chill jams, but I wouldn’t be surprised if at least a few of the patrons didn’t start floating around ecstatically, too. 9pm • $5 • 21+.
Show Up!: Saturday Part Iii
Eddie Money
courtesy of the artist
If none of that hocus pocus does its magic on you, dear listener—leading you to as of yet undreamt of sonic encounters—then you might as well head out to the Route 66 Casino Legends Theater (14500 Central Ave. SW) on Saturday night, Dec. 1 so that you can check out a dude named Eddie Money. He’ll be performing his legendary schtick, which includes performing chart-topping hits like “Two Tickets to Paradise” and also telling jocks that will make everyone you consider to be somewhat decent red behind the ears. I oughta know: I interviewed this character a few months ago and it was memorable. Dude is truly larger than life and no, he didn’t retire; though needle nose pliers never appear at his latest gigs, he still can belt it out. It’s totally worth it if you are down for a night of rocanrol history. 8pm • $29 to $59 • All-ages.
Show Up!: Monday
Minus the Bear
courtesy of the artist
Minus the Bear, a jet city indie rock band that leans heavily toward math rock with a notable experimental streak, makes a final appearance in the Duke City on Monday, Dec. 3 when the heady ensemble stops by the Historic El Rey Theater (622 Central Ave. NW) as part of their vaunted farewell tour. Known for challenging, complex but highly listenable tuneage, the quartet currently features Jake Snider, Dave Knudson, Alex Rose and Cory Murchy. Together they make sounds both esoteric and explosive, as anyone who has listened to albums like Planet of Ice and Infinity Overhead will tell you. Their gig in Burque is one of their final moments together: Minus the Bear plays it’s last gig in Hipsterville (Seattle) on Dec. 14. If you have not had an opportunity to jam meaningfully and menacingly to this outfit, do it now, please. 8pm • $25 to $47.50 • All-ages.
Show Up!: Wednesday
If you dig rocanrol of two varieties—local and fucking excellent—then combine these two kind flavas together for me home-piece—by going to the concert at Launchpad (618 Central Ave. SW) on Wednesday, Dec. 5. This show will feature some of the best in local rockers playing their hearts out for you. The bands on this mad midweek program include the illustrious Manhigh, featuring the amazingly musical Gambino family and former allucaneat drummer and all around badass Ray Gutierrez! Five Mile Float—another band that I have often demanded listeners get the hell out of the house to listen to live—are also on a bill that includes rock scene newbies Slow Caves, St. Petersburg and Moth Wings. What are you waiting for? Get thee out now before it really gets cold around Christmas! 9pm • $5 • 21+.
