Photos By Jim Bricker

Buxton onstage Saturday night at Fitzgerald's

​Buxton packed them in upstairs at Fitzgerald's on Saturday night, playing the entirety of their brand-new, just-released LP, Nothing Here Seems Strange. Performing before an audience of family, scene mavens, new fans, old fans, people who had seen them playing house parties in the early '00s, and curious outsiders, the band made believers out of many and reaffirmed their might to everyone else.

All in all this past weekend was a great one for Houston music, with the new -- not on Washington -- Walter's, Fitz, Vinyl Junkie, and every venue in between boasting stellar bills. The night before on the same stage at Fitz, the Wild Moccasins and the Tontons made the walls sweat, with close to 700 strong in the building. Vocal Tontons cheerleader Bun B didn't make an appearance this time around.

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Photos by Groovehouse

The Kills' Alison Mosshart last night at the House Of Blues

​Relive last night's Kills concert with our slideshow.

Let it be said that the Kills' Alison Mosshart should not be lumped in with "chick" lead singers. She should go in that special box with people like Robert Plant, Iggy Pop, Jim Morrison, Lux Interior, and other feral lead singers who have stomped, terrorized, and titillated since the dawn of rock.

The Kills -- made up of Mosshart and guitarist Jamie Hince -- have always been hard to pin down, or at least describe for the uninitiated. There's damaged Bo Diddley passages, swatches of Lee Hazlewood and Nancy Sinatra's collaborations, and plenty of 21st century garage-grind to keep the haircuts happy. It's not so much pretty as much as it is industrial and shady. Did I mention it's catchy as hell when it wants to be? Even the duo's take on Patsy Cline's depressive "Crazy" sounded like a lullaby in their hands compared to their own cuts like "Nail In My Coffin".

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Photos by Jeff Balke

​Alabama Shakes doesn't like the "retro soul" label that often is attached to their brand of music. But, if their raucous set at Continental Club on Friday night is any indication, they should embrace it because they certainly owned it.

"Y'all gon' be alright," singer Brittany Howard told the packed midtown crowd about halfway through a rather abbreviated set of short, powerful songs. Her world-weary howl owes as much to Janis Joplin as it does to Otis Redding, but before seeing the Shakes, I was skeptical that Howard and her young band could live up to all the underground hype surrounding them. By the time the set was over, I was convinced.

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Photos by Barry Sigman

​When the 11-piece Tedeschi Trucks Band caravan rolled into Houston, it was with the fresh knowledge that Etta James - a musical hero of singer/guitarist Susan Tedeschi - has passed away earlier in the day. So it wasn't surprising that the group pulled out a tribute.

"We've got to do something for Etta!" Tedeschi said early in the set, as she put on her eyeglasses and a stand appeared with assumedly the sheet music for James' classic "I'd Rather Go Blind."

But halfway through the already heavy song emotions got the best of her, and Tedeschi shook her head with tears welling up in her eyes as if signaling the band to stop the number. But with an appreciative reaction from the audience - and the kind eyes support of husband/guitarist Derek Trucks - she finished the tune with gusto befitting the queen of Chess Records. It was a moment of unscripted and raw emotion from a professional and literal family whose strength is in their collective vision for the power of music.

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Photos by Jim Bricker

​Let us be clear from the very beginning -- this member of the Rocks Off Aftermath team isn't the most storied fan of The Mountain Goats. Though we'd heard of the legendary John Darnielle before, out first actual exposure to his music was in 2007 with Heretic Pride, and we were so struck by the power and majesty of his songwriting acumen that we found ourselves to be instant fans (though our affection pales in comparison to that of the band's quite passionate fandom). Nevertheless, we don't feel that it takes an obsessive acolyte to appreciate, respect, and adore how amazingly literate, liberating, and emotionally raw these songs are -- they're like Denis Johnson short stories set to music.

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Photos By Barry Sigman

​After reading Chris Gray's review of the last Glen Campbell show here in Houston back in September at the Stafford Centre, I was expecting the worst at Campbell's Friday night show at the Arena Theatre.

The country legend had been diagnosed with Alzheimer's a few months before the Stafford show, and had set out on a tour, complete with a brand new album of morose "end of the road" numbers, with his children as part of his backing band. Gray's review suitably conveyed the uncomfortable moments of watching a man whose memory was slowly deteriorating struggling through a live show, all the while still showing copious glimmers of the wit and musicianship he had displayed for decades.

I walked into the Arena Theatre on Friday night cringing, feeling like I was going to a somber going-away party, and also confused at how Campbell was back in town so quick, and still on a farewell tour at that. But nonetheless, I wanted to see Campbell one last time before he retreated into that sunset.

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​Tomorrow beginning at 10 a.m., a loud, raucous, event will take place in support of our music editor, Chris Gray, and it couldn't be more appropriate.

Chris Gray Day opens with breakfast with the Allen Oldies Band and closes just south of 2 a.m. with Horseshoe on the Continental Club stage.

Below is the full lineup of bands as well as links to purchase tickets and information on auction items and special events. We hope to see you all there in support of Chris and his family.

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​The lineup is finally set for this Saturday's concert benefitting Houston Press music editor Chris Gray and it's a doozy. Tomorrow, we'll give you a rundown of all the silent auction items and you'll be even more impressed. For now, let's focus on the bands.

The bonanza of bands gets started at 10 a.m. and runs until they throw us out (or 2 a.m., whichever you prefer. During the day, kids are allowed in the venues accompanied by a parent or guardian, but in the evening, the event is 21 and up.

The lineup was in part curated by Gray himself, from bands that submitted their info for the cause as well as a special appearance by native son Hayes Carll. A lot of these artists have an emotional connection with him, and he has covered many of them extensively for the Houston Press. These are our family friends in a sense.

You can purchase tickets for CGD or donate a little bit of cash at this Houston Press website, and this WordPress site is updated with the latest news on the benefit. Sadly, Bono has not returned my calls about U2 performing Achtung Baby in its entirety at the benefit.

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Photos By Groovehouse

Hayes Carll, Friday night at the House Of Blues

​This Friday night set effectively set the tone for my New Year's weekend. It was raucous, relaxing, and poignant, shoving us into the new year with a bit of twang and grit - as if I didn't already carry enough in my DNA.

With Hayes Carll closing, Robert Ellis in middle relief, and Charleston, South Carolina country duo Shovels and Rope opening the night, this was easily one of the best bills of the year. It doesn't hurt we had seen these artists maybe a cumulative twenty times in 2011, still leaving for surprises.

The coolest thing about Friday's set was the reverence I saw for the music, not at all the mall-chatter that you get at most smaller venue country shows in Houston. Blame the group's local ties, the inherent musical interest, or people conserving their jaws for Saturday night. Let's go with the first two.

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Robert Earl Keen
House of Blues
December 28, 2011

Photos by Barry Sigman

​It sucks when your college roommate is more successful than you. Heaven knows Rocks Off was pleased as punch to hear ours had ended up blowing merchant marines for salvia in Vladivostok (just kidding, Doug!), but Robert Earl Keen's old front porch pal from Texas A&M has always been the critical darling. Maybe it's bad form to bring Lyle Lovett up in an REK review, but the two are inextricably entwined in Texas music history. Both have brought it upon themselves, invoking each other in early songs and making it annoyingly difficult to make the argument that nothing of musical quality ever came out of College Station.

But while Lovett was an early darling of pre-Garth Brooks Nashville, Keen has been a songwriter's songwriter for decades, covered by everyone from Willie to George Strait. His influence, often ignored, is undeniable.

Admittedly, this might have something to do with the kind of crowds his shows attract. Keen continues to enjoy huge popularity within the Lone Star State. Lyle may have played the Kennedy Center, but no one is that sea of black-tied amiability were howling along to "If I Had a Boat." Keen's audiences are rowdy and fiercely loyal, testimony to both the man's enduring appeal and his skill at storytelling, both of which were on display last night at the House of Blues.

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