TCB

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Bullet the Blue Sky

• Shortly after commanding a sold-out La Zona Rosa crowd to "Walk Idiot Walk," Hives frontman Howlin' Pelle Almqvist and his nattily dressed bandmates stopped by Beerland. Almqvist joined reunited NYC punk/R&B legends the Raunch Hands – featuring Stepbrothers guitarist Mike Mariconda – onstage, while his mates stood around modeling their white satin jackets. There's a Doobie Brothers joke here somewhere.

• 'Tis the season: Elysium hosts its third Island of Misfits Toy Drive Friday, with live music, DJs, oil wrestling (sweet!), and a silent auction. Admission is one new, unwrapped toy (suggested $20 value) or a minimum $5 cash donation. Sunday, Lovejoy's holds its own toy drive for the Austin Police Department's Blue Santa program from 2pm on. The Passed Out Fliers perform.

• Several bands who paid their dues in Sixth Street's blues trenches, including the Zach Parrish Band, Zak Perry Band, Appa's Blues Power, Gilson Viator, Joe Richardson Express, and Eric Tessmer Band gather at the Ritz Upstairs, 4pm Sunday, for a memorial concert for former Joe's Generic Bar owner Joe Bates, whose October murder remains unsolved. Admission is $5; proceeds benefit the SIMS Foundation.

• Local punk vixens the Winks recorded their debut full-length last weekend at the Bubble. Super Secret Records plans to release the album in February, with Italy's Rockin' Bones Records putting out a vinyl version. Catch a preview Saturday at Sound on Sound with Manikin (themselves launching a 7-inch) and the Video Screams.

• Ian McLagan & the Bump Band resume their Lucky Lounge residency 6pm tonight (Thursday) after a brief tour of the East and Midwest. McLagan "had 'em dancing in the aisles," says the Cleveland Free Scene.

• Keep an eye peeled for VH1's Velvet Revolver (Inside)Out, which premiered Wednesday. Among those shown auditioning for the vocalist job eventually filled by Scott Weiland are Sebastian Bach and Austin's Shandon Sahm, who sang his dad's "She's About a Mover," of course.