Central Track Contributor
Take a Second Chance with Charles Bradley.
A sacred night-time activity for the twentysomething crowd? Drinking. Actually, let me correct myself: That's just a sacred activity, period. Because day-drinking is pretty cool sometimes, too. Still, going out to the bar or a party at night? It can be a ritual, right alongside such other acts as seeing shows.
Also: Did you know that most venues tend to have bars inside them? They totally do. Turns out you really can kill two birds with one double whiskey and coke.
Let tonight be the night you realize that.
Charles Bradley and The Mehenan Street Band at Trees
As Charles Bradley belts out his songs, every ache and pain he sings of just grabs onto your essence — and tightly at that. This is a dude who feels the music he performs, and makes sure his audience is right there with him. This soul singer's life experiences certainly play a part in all of this: On;y recently did the 65-year-old earn his big break with Daptone Records; previously, he held various odd jobs, including one as a James Brown impersonator. Vocally, though, he sounds more like a reincarnated Otis Redding. Except, well, Bradley was only born seven years after Redding was.
Mayfest in Fort Worth
If you're beginning to think that there's a festival of some sort every goddamn weekend, well, you're kind of right. In MayFest's case, this means a four-day deal featuring live music, food and various activities, including a five-kilometer run and a duck race. Yes, I said duck race.
Alkaline Trio at House of Blues
Pop-punk is angsty, fast, and rich in wordplay. And, eight albums into their career, Alkaline Trio' pistons are still firing well on each the above cylinders. Sure, they may not be as young and angry as they once were. But old and cynical can be a decent look in the right lighting, too.
Ishi at Good Records
Before this popular local electro-disco outfit takes to the stage tomorrow night at the Granada Theater to celebrate the release of their anticipated sophomore LP, Digital Wounds, they'll perform a short, special in-store set at Good Records to slang some copies of the new disc.
Lisa Loeb at The Kessler
Show the hometown girl some love, then ask her to “Stay” and play an encore.
Shabazz Palaces at The Granada
…and the grand accomplishment of being first hip-hop act to be signed to Sub Pop goes to? Shabazz Palaces. And that's impressive feat, for sure. Still, this is Sub Pop we're talking about, a label that's been home to such stalwart acts Nirvana, The Postal Service and The Shins, just to name a very few. So perhaps it's not shocking, then, to learn that Shabazz Palaces isn't your quintessential hip-hop act. They've got some experimental out of left field songs, which kind of makes sense once you realize that one of their members was also a member of Digable Planets back in the early '90s. Anyway, folks looking for songs drowning in twerk and molly references need not attend this high-minded offering.
Bark In The Park at Rangers Stadium
For the eighth year in a row, the Rangers letting fans walk their dogs walk around the park. And here we thought Josh Hamilton's exit meant we'd be seeing less crap on the diamond.
DJ Rockula at Crown and Harp
DJ Rockula plays late '70s and early '80s punk — or, basically, a playlist featuring all the bands James Murphy name-checks during LCD Soundsystem's “Losing My Edge.”
Brush Prairie at Sundown
Here's something: Zia McCabe of the Dandy Warhols? She has a side project called Brush Prairie. They play covers of country classics from the likes of Parton and Cline. No “Accidental Racist” at this one.
