Mike Watt has come up with a novel new way to help promote the shows on his current tour — he’s giving fans the chance to post fliers for it in advance! If you wanna give a moment of your time to the former Minuteman, see hootpage.com/hootouroarstour2002.html and print out the flier for his show this Sunday night at La Zona Rosa with the always Pixies-ish Frank Black. After that, it’s up to you to keep from ending up in jail due to Austin’s ludicrous anti-postering laws… Not to be outdone, Paul Westerberg is touring for the first time in five years, and his tour consists entirely of in-store performances. The local stop is at Waterloo Records, May 5, with sources there telling us that all those who buy his new album Stereo prior to that date will get a ticket to the show… Bubbas can tell you that the Midnight Rodeo, down at 2201 E. Ben White, has been around for a couple of years now, but note that new manager John Baumann, formerly of Dallas (the club) has lately brought more Texan and/or generally more “hip” country acts to the venue. For instance, Lucky Dog artist Deryl Dodd pops in Saturday. The place is a proper dance hall that’s a little bigger than the Broken Spoke… Tonight (Thursday) is “Bands’ Night Out” at Mars Music, 7-9pm. The giant music chain store is offering free grub, demos of gear, coupons, a DiscMakers “Survival Guide,” and some free T-shirts if you get there in time… One Louvin Brother is better than none, so note that Charley Louvin headlines the Llano Country Opry tonight, Thursday, at the Lantex Theater, beginning at 7:30pm. Tickets can be purchased at the door… The man is gone, but the hooting continues: The Hole in the Wall presents a Waylon Jennings hoot night next Wednesday benefiting the SIMS foundation, with Dale Watson, Roger Wallace, Brigitte London, Damnations, Nathan Hamilton & No Deal, Redd Volkaert, Terri Joyce, Jack Ingram, Chris Wall and who knows who else… Finally, don’t forget that TV sets also make for fine pyrotechnic displays when thrown off of a high precipice. Hence, the Mojo’s Daily Grind gang are keeping alive an event from the Fringeware days with their fourth annual TV Smash. It starts with a bang Saturday at 2pm, with Horror Movie, Storm the Tower, Kids in Service to Satan, and Brown Stars providing tuneage to go with the breakage. Smashing!
This article appears in April 19 • 2002.