8 Cool & Cheap Weekenders: Another HPMA Deal, We Were Wolves, Ceremony, Etc.

By Chris Gray Fri., Jul. 20 2012 at 12:00 PM

Categories: HPMA, Only In Houston, Playbill

Photo by Jason Wolter

Texas Johnny, still cooler than musicians one-third his age

For the next few days, general-admission tickets for the Houston Press Music Awards showcase -- perhaps you may have heard us mention it recently -- are available at the two-for-one price of $10 through the Living Social network. Just thought we'd mention that.

DJs Ceeplus Bad Knives and Mr. Castillo host guest Travis Smith and their usual assortment of post-punk, disco, Italo, No Wave, and anything else you can dance to at Boondocks' "Slave to the Beat." No cover.

There was a time when it took two Beaumont bands six months to play here. Not so this evening, when Houston prog-punks The Dead Revolt anchor a spastic bill with like-minded area code 409 visitors We Were Wolves and Purple at Walter's. (It is still 409, right?)

Two great local roots-rock bands are playing across town this evening. If the Blasters are your idea of roots-rock, try the Hollisters at Blanco's. If Pearl Jam (with a little ZZ Top) comes to mind, try Runaway Sun at the D&W Lounge a little bit further east.

Rocks Off watched 24 Hour Party People recently, so since it's called "Ceremony" and features Glasnost and Factory Party -- as well as the brand-new Night Drive and Ceeplus and Damon Allen on turntables -- our guess is the party and art show at War'Haus Visual Studios has something to do with Joy Division/New Order/Factory Records. That doesn't exactly explain the whole "beach party" angle, but still, more than two dozen artists will show their works, plus food trucks and live body art!

The mostly gone (but never forgotten) American Sharks return to help Boondocks celebrate its 5th Anniversary Party with From Beyond and Texxxas. No cover, $2 PBR and Lone Stars, perhaps a lot of mayhem around closing time.

There's cool, and then there's Texas Johnny Brown playing for five bucks. Saturday night at The Big Easy.

Houston's Mikey & the Drags help San Antonio's the Rich Hands close out their tour (and the weekend) on a garage-rock sugar buzz Sunday at Walter's. Little Steven would approve.

Follow Rocks Off on Facebook and on Twitter at @HPRocksOff.