Electric Lounge, Tuesday 23
Mermen guitarist Jim Thomas is a guitar savant. He picked up a guitar late inlife (30), found he had a natural affinity for it, and suddenly started spewing
forth the guitar immortals (Hendrix, Neil Young) he’d been hearing at the music
store he worked in. The results are A Glorious Lethal Euphoria, a
guitar album of mammoth proportions, whose obvious reference is surf guitar.
But if what the Mermen play is just surf music, then Hendrix was just a blues
guitarist. You ain’t never heard this stuff. Portland’s Seattle-sounding Nero’s
Rome support, and Austin’s own surfers, Death Valley, open.
THE VERVE PIPE
White Rabbit, Friday 19
Imagine if Live were a little more laconically jam-oriented like BluesTraveller, and Jethro Tull — kinda Dave Matthews. That would give you
Michigan’s Verve Pipe, who’ve recently been picked up by BMG (mandolin, strings
and all), and are expecting the big push sometime soon.
KRIS KRISTOFFERSON
Antone’s, Friday 19
Still some tickets left for both Kris Kristofferson shows at Antone’s Friday— the early, non-smoking show in particular. And say what you will about his
voice, but the songs are Texas through and through. We won’t even state the
obvious possibility of “special guests,” only that you can get tickets at
Antone’s Records.
TED RODDY
Split Rail, Friday 19
Brought to you by nice folks at the Black Cat comes Sixth Street’s newest club(actually it’s on Red River), the Split Rail. Maiden show happens Thursday 18
with Big Town Swingtet, and Merchants of Venus, but it’s the pairing of Ted
Roddy & the Talltops, and opener Rick Broussard that has us basking in the
shade of the roots-rock tree.
JAMES MCMURTRY
La Zona Rosa, Saturday 20
James McMurtry’s Where’d You Hide the Body landed on more than a fewTop Ten lists recently and it’s always a pleasure to find the somewhat
reclusive songwriter playing out in his hometown.
BICYCLE RACE
Electric Lounge, Saturday 20
They’re making records just for shows now? Apparently. This clear pieceof petroleum product called Peek-a-Boo Bicycle Rodeo, which sports the
talents of Stretford, Death Valley, Teen Titans, The 1-4-5s, Girl Robots, Kiki
Debris, Audrey, Spoon, and Lord High Fixers, features mostly Austin bands
singing about bicycles and all things wheely. Sounds like a good enough reason
for a show with all of the above save for Spoon and the Lord High Fixers.
KEPONE
Emo’s, Saturday 20
Okay, all you bottom-dwelling insects, Kepone is here to exterminate yourworthless, crawling butts — that’s why they’re named after an insecticide,
after all. They’ll do it with hard-edged, needling guitar, and marching rhythms
that come from the same label/stable where Bad Livers, The Jesus Lizard,
Pegboy, Mule, and Arcwelder are found: Quarterstick. The Reverb Brothers,
Polio, and Chevy Heston all support.
SEE YA, GRETCHEN PHILLIPS
Liberty Lunch, Sunday 21
Gretchen Phillips is moving to S.F. and you can say goodbye in a way that’llhelp pay her moving costs. Starting at 3:30pm at the Lunch, there’s a whole
day’s worth of entertainment from Phillips’ past and present, including former
bandmates (Laurie Freelove and Meg Hentges from Two Nice Girls; Kay Turner of
Girls in the Nose), influences (Moist Fist), and reunions (Joan of Arkansas,
etc.). Did I mention Kathy McCarty or Rob Jacks? Didn’t think so.
— Ken Lieck
MARK O’CONNOR, ERIK HOKKANEN
La Zona Rosa, Tuesday 23
They don’t come with a much better pedigree than fiddler Mark O’Connor. Havingstarted under the aegis of Stephane Grappelli and Texas legend Benny Thomasson
(whose guitarist son Gerry will be on hand here), O’Connor has gone on to
become one of Nashville’s most sought-after musicians, and one of world renown.
Well, now he’s in Erik Hokkanen’s home turf, and a cutting match is on. They’ll
be plenty of other fiddlers on hand to take note, and add to the sounds.
WILLIE NELSON
Hang ’em High Saloon, Thursday 25
Last week it was Asleep at the Wheel, then there was the From Dusktil Dawn/Quentin Tarantino after-movie mob scene, and this semana it’s uncle Willie. Seems the country cathedral (have you seen the size of this
place?) on Sixth Street is stepping up the pace, so bring on ol’ greybeard (no
offense, Willie).
DAS EFX, ONYX
Back Room, Thursday 25
Ruffneck hip-hop from the Rotten Apple will be on display as a thick lineup ofbeat junkies invade the Back Room. Das Efx “represents the real” with their
distinct styles of clever word play. Onyx swings grimy gutter ball with their
hyped expressions and visual tenacity. Group Home and Insane Clown Gang open. — Rashied Gabriel ALSO PLAYING
Friday: Dumptruck, Prescott Curlywolf, Liberty Lunch; Townes Van Zandt,
Cactus Cafe
Saturday: Lara y Reyes, Elephant Room
Sunday: Charlie Sexton Sextet, Steamboat
Monday: Hip-Hop Showcase, Emo’s
Tuesday: Christina Marrs’ Speakeasies, Ritz Upstairs
Wednesday: Lee Person, Pearl’s
Thursday: Chicago House Benefit, Electric Lounge
This article appears in January 19 • 1996 and January 19 • 1996 (Cover).
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