Fancy a Trance or Taking a Chance?

I’ll assume that, since I didn’t see any of my readers who I know at the Kieran Hebden and Steve Reid show last night, you all got together for the Why? show. Let me know how it was. You definitely missed a banging set over at the Great American. Hebden dropped much funkier, groove-driven stuff that appeared on his most recent LP as Four Tet. Unfortunately, this was the first time that I’ve ever had to complain about the sound at the Great American. The sound guy had Hebden up way too loud, so that it seemed to be more of a Kieran Hebden featuring Steve West lineup, which was quite disappointing. It only became a problem when Hebden dropped some nasty bass or just got plain loud on the decks, which he did often. Once I recognized that there was nothing I could do and just decided to be Zen about it get into the groove, it was a great show. And I always love picking up a free copy of XLR8R magazine. Enough with the past, on the future:

Saturday, April 1, 2006
Helio Sequence and Band of Horses
Mezzanine
Free

Saturday, April 1, 2006
Band of Horses
Amoeba, 2:00 p.m.
Free

I mentioned the show at Mezzanine previously and told you to RSVP. Did you? Even if you didn’t you can still go with someone who did, apparently according to the response to my RSVP. If you attend this show you will (1) see an amazing rock drummer (1/2 of Helio Sequence) who also tours with Modest Mouse breaking it down, (2) see a buzz band (Band of Horses) who recently dropped an LP, Everything All the Time, which is garnishing great reviews for its country-tinged indie-rock and (3) receive free beer (Pilsner Urquel and Peroni) from 9:00 to 11:00 p.m., according to that RSVP response again. If you don’t feel like hitting up the Mez that night, head over to Amoeba at 2:00 p.m. to see Band of Horses.

Saturday, April 1, 2006
Mammatus and The Grey Daturas
Hemlock Tavern
$7

The only time I have seen Mammatus, when they opened for Up-Tight at the Hemlock, the Corralitos quartet sent my friend and I into trance with their psychedelic stoner rock. And who doesn’t like to be put into a trance? Its freaking awesome. Its their record release party, so go support the semi-locals. Another heavy psych rock band, Australia’s The Grey Daturas open, and this is one of the bands I wanted to see at SXSW but missed. Now’s my chance. And yours. Mmmm…. Trance….

Saturday, April 1, 2006
Kid Koala
Independent
$17

At this price, I’m hesitant to recommend this show. I’ve seen Ninja Tune DJ Kid Koala a few times, and when he is on, he’s freaking on. He definitely has the skills on the turntables to blend together all sorts of crazy samples (see: a song based around sneez samples), into something beautiful and he’s one of my favorite scratchers. But I’ve also seen one show where he just did mash-ups and fooled around. But everybody has an off-night now and again. Feel like gambling? Then check it out, because when he is at his best, he’s well worth seeing, even with a $17 price tag.