XL Music

Recommended: Music

Thursday, March 02, 2006

THURSDAY

I Love You But I've Chosen Darkness. This is the record release show for the band's excellent new album on Secretly Canadian. This could be the breakout the band deserves. With Glass Family and Horse Plus Donkey at Emo's. 603 Red River St. 477-EMOS. — Joe Gross

Mi and L'au. She's Finnish, he's French, but they speak the same musical language, one that's marked by quietude and solemnity. Their debut album, recorded in a log cabin in the Finnish woods, is the sound of two people singing for each other and nobody else. Backstage at La Zona Rosa. 612 W. Fourth St. 472-2293. — Jeff Salamon

THURSDAY AND FRIDAY

Benefit for Kirk Rundstrom. This singer and guitarist from Split Lip Rayfield has esophageal cancer, and these two shows aim to help defray the costs of treatment. Tonight's show features the White Ghost Shivers, Small Stars, Gatesville and Damnations. Friday's show features Honky, Hellapeno, Onion Creek Crawdaddies and the Meat Purveyors. Continental Club. 1315 S. Congress Ave. 441-2444. — J.G.

FRIDAY

Ariel Pink. Avant-garde pop, a little folk, a little lo-fi, a little laptop. With Belong, the Weird Weeds at Emo's. 603 Red River St. 477-EMOS. — J.G.

Buckethead. Yes, it's that arty, wanky guitarist who once served with Guns N' Roses, known for the KFC bucket on his head. La Zona Rosa. 612 W. Fourth St. 472-2293. — J.G.

Maria Schneider Orchestra. She studied with Bob Brookmeyer, did her apprenticeship with Gil Evans and is conversant with plenty of Latin music, which perhaps gives you a clue as to why Schneider is considered to be the most exciting big band composer and arranger working today. Hogg Auditorium, West 24th Street and Whitis Avenue, 477-6060. — J.S.

SATURDAY

Chris Whitley Tribute. Predicting nights of musical magic is not an exact science, but I'm pretty sure this show for the Houston-born Whitley, who succumbed to lung cancer in November, will be one of those concerts where you get chicken skin and shed a few healing tears. What a lineup, including Shawn Colvin, Charlie Sexton, Vernon Reid, Doug Pinnick, Alejandro Escovedo and the Barbwire Project. The Glenn at the Backyard, 13101 Texas 71 W., 263-4146. — Michael Corcoran

The Doobie Brothers. The '70s AM rock vets play at One World Theatre. 7701 Bee Cave Road. 329-6753. — J.G.

Buddy Guy. 2001's 'Sweet Tea' was this blues legend's finest album in years — gutbucket, rough and gorgeous. Stubb's. 801 Red River St. 480-8341. — J.G.

MONDAY

Haram. What do hard-core kids play after hard-core? Why, heavy emopunk, of course, just like the kind bands such as Hoover, Sleepytime Trio and Hose.got.cable use to make. Fortunately, this band of folks formerly with Majority Rule, Pg. 99 and City of Caterpillar have the tunes and rage to back it up. Emo's. 603 Red River St. 477-EMOS. — J.G.

TUESDAY

OK Go. Damian Kulash is an awfully smart guy; his arch lyrics wouldn't sound out of place on a 10cc album. But on its second record, 'Oh No,' his band crunches as hard as AC/DC — partly thanks, one suspects, to the ministrations of Franz Ferdinand producer Tore Johansson. Live, even if OK Go don't live up to their exacting studio frenzy, they can always lean on Kulash's way with a couplet. Emo's, 603 Red River St., 477-EMOS. — J.S.