Porschia Porschia
Shine Bright with La Luz.
It's been two whole days now, and, somehow, there are still some folks reeling from Grammys-related fallout.
Sure, this Sunday's awards was filled with three hours of tribute performances, predictable winners, snubs and a few notable no-shows (what's up, Justin Bieber?), but all that's to be expected from just about any awards-type show. More notable was all the posturing and the embarrassing moments of egotism — like when country star Taylor Swift prematurely assumed she'd won the Album of the Year award.
But maybe you didn't tune in to watch the Grammy folks announce their somewhat predictable list of honorees. No worries if not. Really: There's so much more interesting music being made out there than just that run-of-the-mill, radio-ripe major label stuff.
Take the list of bands performing around town tonight, for instance.
Phil Anselmo and the Illegals at Trees
Phil Anselmo is something of a legend in the heavy music community — and especially around these parts, thanks to the roughly 15 years he spent fronting the iconic Arlington groove metal outfit Pantera. But, these days, Anselmo's up to something new. Last summer, after nearly 30 years fronting some of the biggest metal bands in the world, Anselmo wrote and recorded his first solo album under the name Phil Anselmo & The Illegals. For its part, the band's Walk Through Exits Only is a mixture of the groove, thrash and punk-tinged grind metal subgenres that the performer has dabbled separately in with some of his past outfits, all mashed together and delivered with a brand of unbridled aggression that likely surprised even some of Anselmo's most devout followers. Check out our interview with Anselmo here for more information on this show. — Cory Graves
Lucius at Dada
This quintet, which has quickly garnered praise from both NPR and The New York Times, will be touching down in Dallas tonight. As such, though this indie-pop band of friends only just recently released its debut album, Wildewoman, the hype is already quite real. Expect a crowd filled with high expectations at this one. — Porschia Paxton
Jake Bugg and Albert Hammond Jr. at House of Blues
The 19-year-old Bugg has already released two critically acclaimed albums and is said to be churning out a third. So, OK, he's productive. But the question remains: Is he the next Dylan? Sounds like it, at least. A guy who knows a thing or two about meteoric rises — Strokes guitarist Albert Hammond Jr. — joins him on the bill. — PP
La Luz and Pure Bathing Culture at Three Links
Sonically, the chemistry between these two bands on this bill is pretty clear: Each of these young, buzzing acts boasts a breezy, borderline surf-y vibe. Perfect timing, then, to see them in the dead of winter! Actually, yeah, that works: Consider this bill your escapist option for the night, as La Luz comes to town riding high off the October release of its Hardly Art debut, It's Alive and Pure Bathing Culture does the same for its August-released Moon Tides, each of which sound as if they could've — or perhaps should've — been released some 30 years prior. — Pete Freedman
Destruction Unit at Rubber Gloves
This vibrant outfit from Phoenix, known for its intense songs and spell-binding live presence, plays Denton tonight in support of the two albums it released this past year alone. What should you expect once you walk in the door? Well, their press kit says they were once referred to as “more of a horror movie” than a band, and The Guardian calls their guitar onslaught “one of the more entertaining uses of the electric guitar… we've heard in recent times.” Stymie and Vaults of Zin open. — PP
La Luz cover photo by Angel Ceballos. To find out what else is going on today, this week and beyond, check out our events page.
