SXSW Records

The Explosives

Three Ring Circus reinforces the notion that Austin's early punk/New Wave scene was so concerned about image it often overlooked talent. The Explosives dive-bombed the late-1970s acts at local punk palace Raul's with estimable credentials – Cam King was one of San Antonio's progressive country visionaries, and Freddie Krc drummed with Jerry Jeff Walker – then took the trio's proficiency cross-country. With bassist Waller Collie, the threesome blasted out songs so steeped in Team Beatles 1960s garage rock that their dusting-off on this CD/DVD package in 2010 is sheer pleasure. Some tunes reflect the era's politics ("Fortress Europe") and love of a nonstop beat ("Summertime Come"), vocal harmonies swinging from sweetly yearning to sneering with attitude ("Tommy and Toni"), but the real gems lie in the jungle beat of "Headhunter" and DVD extras with live footage and a memorabilia slide show. (Sat., 10:10pm, Austin Music Hall.)