WE ARE THE CHAMPS – PREVIEWING THE WEEK OF JANUARY 28, 2008

Neil “The Real Deal” Higginbotham (Diggin’ Bottom)

Over the past year or so I have had the unparalleled pleasure of becoming acquainted with one of the finest indie rock powerhouses to which this fair city could hold claim. With strains of Guided by Voices, Sebadoh, Mudhoney, and etc etc etc etc etc, Lazy Horse delivered non-stop jams with a hearty dose of rock and roll gymnastics. Lead by heir to the throne of Pollard Neil Higginbotham, backed by the magnificent Katy Poland on drums and kicked into high gear (literally) by Charles Larrabee (ex-Mathletes), Lazy Horse pound out the drinkdrankdrunkiest of rough and ready indie rock and roll. Along the way they sloughed off the barnacles and changed the game with the acquisition of Jake “Snakey” Hayward (Monocles, Guitars) on bass. Perfection achieved, the time seemed prime for that step into the big leagues…but unfortunately it wasn’t meant to be.

I always blamed this city’s indifference on the assumption that nobody cared about the sweetest and purest of indie rock, you know, that mid-nineties sound. But as it turns out, good ol’ Lazy Horse were merely ahead of their time as is evidenced by a stroll past an Urban Outfitters display.

Exhibit A: Lohan

Exhibit B: Click here and check out the Neil-Jake collaboration Fizzy Bubelch doing a sweet little take on Sebadoh's "Happily Divided" (Called "Happy Times" here.)

Even though the times may finally be catching up with these killers, this week sees the final two shows by the best band you never saw. But there’s still time change that, time for this city to redeem itself! I recommend with every stitch that you go to Rudyard’s this Thursday night to see this band that cannot be forgotten. Go to this show and then go back and tell your friends what you heard and bring them to Boondocks on Monday (with Lenny Briscoe and some other special guests).. You. Will. Not. Be. Sorry.

I would also like to recommend emailing secretsaturdayshows@gmail.com for the secret location of the first post-Shady Tavern Secret Saturday Show which is going on Saturday (duuuuuuuh) during the day. It features Mathletes, sings, Time Machine Veterans, Sew What, some band that you can’t do internet searches for and many more.

And here’s the rest…

WEDNESDAY JANUARY 28, 2009

listenlisten at The Mink – The fact that few bands in this town boast such beautiful instrumentation is just one of the reasons to attend this after party for Coffee

THURSDAY JANUARY 29, 2009

Los Campesinos with Titus Andronicus at Walter’s – Ok, so maybe you already bought tickets to this and think you can’t see Lazy Horse, well, it’s Rudyard’s those shows always start later. You can go to both.

Los Campesinos at Cactus (5:30PM) – If you didn’t buy tickets to the show come out and have some free St. Arnold’s at a sure to be killer in-store.

FRIDAY JANUARY 30, 2009

Tax the Wolf, Ellypseas, and We Are Halffnelson at Aztecas - Margaritas, nachos, and rock and roll sounds like a great combination!

Hell City Kings, American Fangs (EP Release!), Arcane Flowers, and The Backalley Sluts at Rudyard's - Bring some soap because you know things are gonna get dirty!

Wild Moccasins at Cactus (5:30PM) – What a great week for in-stores!!!

Fucked Up, Iron Age, The JonBenet, and Black Congress at Walter’s – John Baldwin highly recommends that you go see Fucked Up.

SATURDAY JANUARY 31, 2009

MV+EE, Linus Pauling Quartet, and Wols Rudyard’s– I’m pretty ecstatic about these Ecstatic Peace-ers doing their thing Saturday night. A perfect post SSS activity.

Ume CD Release with Bring Back the Guns and Woozyhelmet – I swear I’ve seen this line-up on a Proletariat flyer…

Larry Gatlin and the Gatlin Brothers at The Grand 1894 Opera House – Galveston means you’re one day closer to Houston!

SUNDAY FEBRUARY 1, 2009

Ska Fest at The Meridian – Is 2009 the year that ska re-breaks? How crazy is it that the Slackers are now considered “elder-statesmen” of the rocksteady sound?

Annihilation Time, No Talk, ANS at Rudyard’s – Come see what these dirty dudes do when they’re not keepin’ it on the “DL”.

Pasadena is Burning featuring B.L.A.C.K.I.E. vs. Cop Warmth, The Sporatics, Giant Princess, sings, Trainwreck Albania, and The Caprolites at Omar’s House (5109 Eula, Pasadena) – Those kids in Chemical City really don’t need us to get things done, do they?

MONDAY FEBRUARY 2, 2009

Broken Social Scene at Numbers – The retroactive indie rock supergroup.

The Killers with M83 at Verizon – Come for the M83 stay for the $12 Bud Light!

TUESDAY FEBRUARY 3, 2009

The Appleseed Cast, Hungry Villagers, and Golden Cities at Rudyard's - Having a Rudz Burger while blasting off through the aural cosmos is surest bet for Tuesday night.

That should keep you busy, right?