Rigor Mortis was old-school metal before school was old ... or something.
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Local songsmith Jason Eady celebrates the release of his new full-length, tonight (Wed), at the White Elephant.
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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A D V E R T I S E M E N T
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HearSay
Here’s another disco version of our local music column.
By HearSay
First off, Halloween is for children. More specifically, it’s for children’s parents to continue subsidizing Disney chairman Robert Iger’s yacht collection. Second, if you’re an adult who likes to play dress-up on the weekend of October 31, then please extend some common courtesy to the rest of us and sate your cross-dressing fantasies by donning your sister’s clothing in the company of your friends and in the confines of one of y’all’s houses. And stay there. Please.
But (sigh) if you must go out in public and have neither the time nor the good sense to change back into street clothes, you’d better be wearing something cool. As local tastemaker beyond peer, HearSay offers a short style guide. In the pile of non-cool costumes, you can brusquely throw: anything store-bought, anything too referential (if explaining your costume takes more than two or three words, then you’re trying way too hard to be hipster-snobby), anything that has anything to do with Napoleon Dynamite — only because everybody in the world is going as a character from the movie this year — dead celebrities, and visual puns. (Last Halloween weekend, I ran into a very sweet, very nice, very harmless young lady who was wearing nothing but a slip and Sigmund Freud-faced slippers. No, I’m not kidding.) Here’s what’s cool: Pirates, vampires, and aliens. Period. Except if you happen to look eerily similar to Victoria’s Secret/Sports Illustrated supermodel Marisa Miller: Then by all means, please wear as little clothing as possible.
I admit: The nightlife does get kind of boring around here, and a tiny masquerade not only never hurt anybody but actually helps break up the monotony of weeks and weeks of the same faces in the same godforsaken joints. The change o’ pace warrants a few raised glasses. In costume or not, try to make time on Saturday to stop by Halo (3051 S University Dr, FW; 817-923-HALO), where ska- and reggae-influenced trio Darth Vato is playing what stands (on wobbly legs) to be a fun, beer-soaked show. For a less youthfully sybaritic, more grizzled and ghoulish affair, swing by Axis (120 S Main St, FW; 817-870-AXIS), where probably the most legendary North Texas metal band, Rigor Mortis, is having a reunion show of sorts (with Gammacide and Rotting Corpse). During the 1980s, when hair metal was all the rage, Rigor went in the opposite direction and churned out the kind of thrash/death metal that united shredders with punkish skateboarders. Though Pantera was the “it” band at the time, Rigor got signed first, by Capitol Records, in 1987. As for youngsters who can’t wrap their tiny brains around what the Fort Worth-Dallas scene looked like then, maybe these names will sound familiar: Ministry, Gwar, The Burden Brothers, Speedealer — they’re a few of the extremely popular, somewhat contemporary bands whose line-ups eventually included former members of Rigor, including guitarist Mike Scaccia, bassist and vocalist Casey Orr, and drummer Harden Harrison. Young’uns, be forewarned: At Axis, there will be a lot of codgers in attendance (HearSay included), pointing at the stage frantically when Rigor’s on and shouting in your ear, “That’s how it’s done, you young punk! You don’t know shit!”
In the non-local music scene universe this weekend, please — for the love of Steve Reeves — do yourself a favor and find your way to the Ridgmar Movie Tavern (6801 Ridgmar Meadow Rd, FW; www.movietavern.com/ridgmar) for midnight showings of The Rocky Horror Picture Show, hosted by Fort Worth’s very own TRHPS troupe, Los Bastardos. Bring water pistols, newspaper, toast, rice, toilet paper — it’s all good. The best part: You can dress up any way you like and not piss me off!
Bluebonnet’s in Bloom
Bluebonnet Circle, near TCU, is in the midst of changing identities, from a glorified circular driveway that rings a partially grassy area and is lined by the Oui Lounge and Tiff and Andi’s Place (and within drunken shouting distance of the Poop Deck Lounge) to a real, genuine park, like a place parents wouldn’t be ashamed and/or afraid of taking their kids to. The switch has been in the works for about the past year. By holding various festivities, including concerts and charity runs, the nonprofit organization that is overseeing the transition — Bluebonnet Circle Inc. — has raised about $3,000. For that clean, bird poop-free park bench you passed out on last night after saying, “Oui,” too often at the lounge, you can thank Bluebonnet Circle Inc.
Sound like a miniature version of the redevelopment of West Seventh Street in the Cultural District? A little, except for several major differences, especially a.) the fact that Bluebonnet neighbors and small business owners are behind the change in their ’hood, not fat-cat developers with dollar signs for eyes, and b.) the average family income of the Bluebonnet area, according to Bluebonnet Inc., is more than $49,000 per household. While the family income of West Seventh has undoubtedly picked up since redevelopment began, you can bet your ass that the few shantytowns that are still standing indicate how non-affluent the Cultural District corridor once was. The moral of the story: By being grassroots, Bluebonnet Inc. is naturally opposed to chain establishments, and, by being surrounded by a large swathe of Cowtown’s upper crust, the organization won’t be able to raze the neighborhood to make room for ’em.
As part of Bluebonnet Inc.’s fund raising, the area’s inaugural Fall Festival in the Park will take place Saturday, from 11am ’til 7pm. In an interesting, unique, kinda cool twist, the event will be family friendly and not lame. In addition to hay rides, art for sale, face painting, sidewalk chalk art, and a pumpkin patch, the Fall Festival will also have food and beer vendors (sweeet) and offer local, original music, including Howitzer, Myles & James’ Jazz Jam, Eden Automatic, Standard Transmission, Scott Mann, Andrew Pelham, Swilley, and BluePrint. Original local music, beer, food? I’m so there, dude.
Local Round ’Up
Congratulations once again to “The Good Show,” the killer weekly modern rock-slash-comedy radio program (on KTCU/88.7-FM, Sundays from 9pm ’til midnight) that recently turned five and keeps getting better. The hosts — chief Tom “-foolery” Urquhart, along with Chris Bellomy, Tony Diaz, and Neil “The Bad Show” Schnell — threw themselves a party at the Black Dog Tavern last weekend and saw a pretty good turn-out. Featuring performances by The Dirt Blazers, Sunday Drive, and Goodwin, the event raised awareness of the program — and a few bucks for charity. Here’s to another five, 15, 50 years. ... Though Cory Watson is frontman of one of Texas’ most beloved Next Big Things, Black Tie Dynasty, the waifish tenderoni is also apparently one helluva contemplative, groovy, old-school singer-songwriter. A scratch recording of some of his solo tunes has yet to reach my desk, but I have on the good word of a couple of local musos that his stuff is pretty kick-ass. Chatterton’s Kevin Aldridge swears by it, and we all know that Kevy-Kev can do or say no wrong. Check Watson out tomorrow (Thu) at the Highlands Café, 9661 Audelia Rd, Ste 105, in Dallas (214-349-CAFÉ/2233). ... There are a lot of decent music stores around here, but they’re all a tad on the enormous side. Not so Sessions Music, a newly created retail joint that will offer repairs, vintage appraisals, and clinics, and will sell instruments on consignment, in addition to providing lessons from seasoned area pros. The place, run by local pro and fellow Fort Worth Weekly employee John Zaskoda, is located at 5113 White Settlement Rd and opens to the public in early November. As an added bonus, Sessions also wants to sell North Texas-local c.d.’s and merchandise. Interested musos can contact Zaskoda at 817-570-9082. ... Here are two solid country-ish shows: One is country like your dad knew it. The other, country like your dad’s dad’s dad’s did. The pickin’-and-a-grinnin’ bluegrassy outfit, the Electric Mountain Rotten Apple Gang, plays a full-on show next Sat, Nov 3, at the Wreck Room (3208 W 7th St, FW; 817-348-8303). Tonight (Wed), smart Americana songsmith Jason Eady celebrates the release of his exquisitely wrought full-length, From Underneath the Old, at the White Elephant (106 E Exchange Av, FW; 817-624-8273).
Contact HearSay at hearsay@fwweekly.com.
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