Saturday, March 29, 2008

Riff Raff: Odds and ends in local music (March 23-29)

By Erin Rice

Bowling for Soup the movie

There's a joke to be made about Chris Burney and the big screen, but for this time, and this time only, we'll stay above the fray. Bowling For Soup are coming out with a DVD titled, Bowling For Soup: Live and Very Attractive. This masterpiece of modern music/cinema crossover will be featured at the AFI film festival on Monday, March 31 at 7:15 p.m. and Wednesday, April 2 at 10:15 p.m. The band will attend the March 31st screening with a Q&A to follow. If you've seen them live, you know what an energetic show they put on. No doubt the "docu-concert" will be similarly entertaining. Were I not boycotting the band because of their 2000 performance at my rival high school's grad party, I would go. But pain like that sticks with you.

Life after American Idol

Exciting times for The Afters. Most importantly, they make their second Riff Raff (lucky guys), but they are also getting a lot of play on Fox, literally. The band's song, "We Are the Sound," is the background music for American Idol commercials. According to a blog post, this commercial should run for a few weeks, so you have plenty of time to check it out. Avoid watching American Idol itself, however. Your brain cells are far too precious.

New album announcements

There are several albums either out or coming out soon from local bands.

• Rodney Parker and 50 Peso Reward release their album, The Lonesome Dirge on April 8, but celebrated a CD release party at the Granada last night. Hickory Wind deems it worthy of more than 50 pesos.
• The Hawkes (a little more country than alt-country) have finished their self-titled and will have pre-sale copies available today, Saturday, at the Brazos River Music Festival in Granbury.
• Pinebox Serenade, in all their folky, indie glory, will be releasing Let the River Take Them Home sometime in June or July. As soon as the artwork is finished up, fans will be able to pre-order the album from Devil's Ruin Records.
• Finally, Sling (one guess what genre they are) have released A Thousand Times Refuted. At the moment you can only pick up the CD at one of their upcoming shows, such as the Curtain Club on May 17. A Thousand Times Refuted will be available online soon.

The Feds' Matt Slider

Free Feds with your order of Red Jumpsuits. Ok? Go.

Tonight, Saturday, The Feds will be playing a FREE show behind the Mavericks Activity Center on the University of Texas at Arlington campus. They will be opening for a few unknowns called OKGO and The Red Jumpsuit Apparatus. Whoever they are.

And again with the Ingram

That CMT cannot get enough of Jack Ingram. His latest video, "Maybe She'll Get Lonely" is now up on CMT.com. No word yet on whether this video is country enough to be considered for the full-fledged country award category for next years' ceremony. Is it full on country? Is it just a tad off country? oh God, the confusion is overpowering!

Breaking up is common to do

When you live in a metro area with something like 2000 bands operating in it, there is sure to be a steady stream of those that don't work out. Band break ups are common, but I'm sure it hits everyone just as hard. Right. In any case, metal group, Disrespect, is broken up. News to us, but apparently not to them.

See more stories in:

• Arts > Popular Music