Kick off your weekend with an in-store performance at 5 p.m. by Electric Touch at Waterloo Records on Friday. Frank Smith continue as the headliners at Progress Coffee’s Residency series on Friday evening, and if you’re a fan of pure pop melodies, you surely must attend the Wild Weekend Power Pop Festival at The Mohawk on both Friday and Saturday. Emo’s offers up Oh No! Oh My! inside and Toko-Ri Get High at the Lounge. Beerland is stacked with a stellar lineup as well on Friday -- a bill consisting of Dixie Witch, Amplified Heat, and The Golden Boys should make for a fantastic psychedelic rock show....

With four albums under its belt, veteran Austin outfit Grand Champeen continues to chug away, churning out accessible melodies and catchy hooks aplenty via their Texas tinted powerpop tunes. Rolling Stone gave the band’s third record, The One That Brought You, three stars and Grand Champeen’s fourth full-length was released last year on In Music We Trust Records. The band formed in the late 90’s and the current line-up was consolidated in March of 2000....

If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump....

After releasing a couple of stellar EPs, Wild Sweet Orange dropped its debut full-length We Have Cause To Be Uneasy late last month on Canvasback Music. The band recently performed on the Late Show with David Letterman on CBS while you can hear their thoughts on Fox’s American Idol series here. The Alabama outfit rolls into town this Sunday (Tickets) to wrap up our weekend with poignant ditties that highlight Preston Lovinggood’s songwriting skills, and crunching compositions that emphasize the group’s inherent talent. A couple of local bands, Electric Touch and Jets Under Fire, get things going at this inside show at Stubb’s; doors at 8 p.m. The Hush Sound headlines Antone’s on Sunday in support of its March ‘08 release Goodbye Blues....

If you’re not driving to The Backyard to see Snoop Dogg live in concert twice this weekend, fear not, because you have plenty of alternatives to choose from on both Saturday and Sunday. But let’s not get ahead of ourselves....

Austinist Indieroke upstairs in The Green Room at The Mohawk is naturally our number one recommendation for a Friday night out on town but we cannot ignore the other quality shows in our fine city on the same evening. Beloved indie-rock outfit Wolf Parade hits the stage at La Zona Rosa nice and early in the evening so as to allow you to make the timely trek across downtown to The Mohawk for Indieroke after their set. The Canadian act is touring in support of their second full-length, At Mount Zoomer, released last month on Sub Pop Records....

The Warlocks’ bring their psychedelic rock variety to Emo’s (Lounge) on Friday night in support of last year’s Heavy Deavy Skull Lover. (Buy it here.) Singer and guitarist Bobby Hecksher’s brainchild, the California act’s music has morphed within the (broad) confines of psychedelia throughout the course of its career, with inherent melody, plentiful reverb, and Hecksher’s distinct vocal contributions tying it all together expertly. The Warlocks’ line-up has adjusted over time as well and the band is no longer the eight-piece creature it once massacred live audiences as. Instead, the band currently pillages on with fewer members and has just recently wrapped up a tour with Austin’s The Black Angels. Tonight, New York outfit The Vandelles and local space-rockers The Boxing Lesson get things rolling at Emo’s Lounge as a part of 101X FM's Next Big Thing series. The rest of Emo’s stays busy this evening as well, with RX Bandits and Portugal The Man on the outside main stage and Marked Men and The Hex Dispensers inside....

On Friday evening, The Austin Music Electronic GRID presents a two stage showcase at Karma Lounge featuring live electronic music and a number of DJs such as EXCEED, Happy PANJOMA, Shuttle Debris, riTch N, and Daetron Vargas. It all kicks off at 10 p.m. with a dance contest a midnight to boot! The winner receives $100 in cash but the contest is limited to 20 people -- sign-up is on a first-come, first-served basis. Contestants will have 30 seconds to impress a panel of judges, go-go girls (who will also dance through the course of the evening in various spots at the venue including a “human aquarium” saturated by black lights), and professional dancers. The prize money will be awarded to the winner at the end of the contest. Thirty seconds of fame with the possibility of hundred quid as well -- sounds like a win-win situation! Also on Friday, Within Chaos and The Destro metal up Red 7 -- both bands are scheduled to play OZZFEST 2008 in Dallas next month!...

As the beloved 4th of July weekend approaches, so does a mass quantity of live music to pick and choose from. Head to The Peacock on Thursday and check out local power-pop act Tribella. Comprised of former members of the Sarah Glynn Band and Echoset, the trio is working on their debut EP, due in August of this year....

Japanese outfit Boris derives its name from the opening track on the 1991 Melvins record Bullhead and much of its down-tempo drone-rock shares a musical border with the legendary Washington area act. Boris has released a number of stellar records since forming in the 90’s; their full-length studio album count per our math currently stands at 14. Their debut, Absolutego, originally consisted of one 60 minute title-track, but the U. S. release by Southern Lord Records a few years later featured an even longer version of Absolutego and included a bonus song. Highly experimental, extremely sludgy, sometimes psychedelic, and full of scorching riffs, the band has walked the fine line between different genres over the course of its career and employed an array of noise generating devices over time, resulting in a sometimes deranged, often convoluted sound that could be the soundtrack to many a scary movie or just your everyday angst. We are licking are chops already in anticipation of a belligerent performance this Saturday at The Mohawk. Torche and Clouds open with their respective brands of raucous rock. (Buy your tickets here.)...

If you didn’t get a chance to commemorate Hole in the Wall’s 34th Anniversary this past weekend, then you best show some love to two redoubtable local venues on Red River St. this coming weekend. Room 710 celebrates eight years of existence with a flurry of shows starting on Thursday all the way until their actual Anniversary day on Monday the 23rd. Beerland's 7th Anniversary bash is on Saturday. (Details after the jump.)...

The concept of the residency, so successful sometimes, so listless if you don’t get it right. Progress Coffee (500 San Marcos, Studio 105, 78702) presents its own version with a very simple mission statement -- “1 month, 2 bands, 3 bucks.” In June, Nic Armstrong (IV Thieves) headlines the residency with Shapes Have Fangs and Loxsly alternating as the opening bands. Shapes Have Fangs kick things off on this Friday (and on the 27th of this month) while Loxsly does the honors on the 20th. Each Friday, the music starts at 9 p.m. and lasts until midnight. July’s line-up boasts three excellent acts (in some combination) as well -- Brazos, {{{ SUNSET }}}, and Canopy. That’s equates roughly to 6 bands for $6 multiplied by 4 times a month minus 1 band each Friday over 2 months = badass. Or something awesome like that. And while you’re at it, why not grub a Fruit Cup or PB+J Panini -- Progress Coffee Menu....

Sure, there’s a dance party almost every weekend at Beauty Bar, but this Saturday’s line-up is something special. A trio of Texas based turntablists -- DJ Jester The Filipino Fist, Ernest Gonzales, and Bad Knives Dead Art (formerly known as Ceeplus Bad Knives and a.k.a Eric Castillo) should keep you on the dance floor all night long. We witnessed DJ Jester in all his glory a couple of months ago at The Mohawk and we can attest that a wide variety of genres and grooves can be expected. (Read our recent interview with DJ Jester here -- the Boca Burger Mobile story never gets old!) Gonzales has been lighting up San Antonio’s night life with his invigorating remixes and has also put out various releases, some under the Theory of Everything moniker although 2007’s While on Saturn’s Rings record was released under his given name, and demonstrated his versatility as a musician and producer. As for Castillo, he has been putting on cutting edge dance events in Houston, and has supplied the beats at past Austinist events to boot. Per the Bad Knives MySpace page, “Currently Cee's sought after, open minded dj sets involve creatively mixing, live editing, re-mixing, scratching and blending the diverse sounds of underground disco not disco, electro, indie rock, pop, fun hiphop, punk-post punk, no wave, rare groove funk/soul, and more.” Phew! Time to Get Busy then....

Breakaway Records, located at 1704 E. 5th St. (Ste. 105) next to Cafe Mundi, is throwing a massive shindig this Sunday as a part of its Grand Opening Party. Besides the awesome promise of free beer (for 21+ only!), entertainment will be provided by Waxploitation! DJs, The Sock Hop DJs, Ready Steady Go! DJs, Heart & Soul Soundsystem, the list goes on -- check out the flyer on the left for the full line-up. It all kicks off nice 'n early at 11 a.m. Also on Sunday, one time one-hit wonders, Chicago’s Local H rock out at Emo’s but may have to play second fiddle as the incredible energy and imminent anthems of local hot-shots Lions precede them at this concert. Local H’s new record Twelve Angry Months hit streets on May 13th....

What's happening in town this weekend? Take a look! ...

KOOP 91.7 FM has had a rough couple of years, dealing with accidents and arson. KOOP serves our city daily with quality programming and their mission “is to provide high quality, innovative, and diverse community-oriented programming to Austin with an emphasis on those communities that are ignored or under-served by mainstream media” (Read it in its entirety on their MySpace page.)...

Mason Jennings’ poignant folk-rock can be enjoyed at La Zona Rosa this Friday. In February of this year, Jennings signed with Brushfire Records and his first full-length for the label, In The Ever will be released on May 20th. Pre-order it here -- we especially enjoyed “I Love You and Buddha Too”, a reasonably cheerful track despite its weighty subject matter. Prior to teaming up with Jack Johnson's label, Jennings had joined forces with Glacial Pace Recordings, headed by Jennings fan Isaac Brock (Modest Mouse), who persuaded the Minnesota based artist to release his 2006 album Boneclouds on the Epic Records subsidiary....

Besides big shows like The Raconteurs at Stubb’s and Atmosphere at Emo’s outside stage (both concerts are on Friday as well as Saturday) and tonight’s Tapes 'N Tapes and White Denim at Antone’s, there are a number of other stellar events of interest in our city this weekend. Soundcheck Magazine’s Spring Showcase takes place at Buffalo Billiards on Friday with two expert songwriters in the spotlight -- Brother Will (Brothers and Sisters) shall be accompanied by a variant set of musicians for this gig while Micah P. Hinson (Le Diamant Brut) also puts in a shift, fresh off his recent European jaunt. Swing on by to catch their performances and enjoy a game of darts or shuffleboard to boot. Toppie Haynes and Chris Brecht round off the bill....

Kick off your weekend at End of An Ear with Ethan, Master of the Hawaiian Ukele's (Le Diamant Brut) poignant tales at 6 p.m. Light-hearted ditties like “If You’re Acting Like A Baby (How’re You Gonna Be Her Man)?” and “Out Of A Rut” are just two of the aural delights that can be found on his record, So Real. He plays another set at the 21st St. Co-op at 9 p.m. For late evening activities away from downtown proper, the United States Art Authority offers up 60’s style psychedelic folk from Brothers and Sisters along with a set by Love lovers Forever Changes. Headdress and Poor People round off this eclectic bill. The Continental Club is home to the wacky compositions of Pong and The Horsies while Cactus Cafe hosts veteran singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked. Southern rock, blues 'n metal from Amplified Heat at Trophy’s is another alternative....

This weekend culminates on April 20th, 4:20 even, and it’s no surprise than many of Austin’s inhabitants aim to celebrate this cultural holiday in fine fashion come Sunday. But before we get to that lofty milestone, local lawyer and musician Charlie Roadman hosts the Third Annual Marijuana Law for Musicians seminar on Friday at The Mohawk. The presentation is free and starts at 7 p.m. Come find out what you can get away with in Travis County and also sign up for a chance to win two free Radiohead tickets for their show in Dallas on May 18th....

Stay tuned for a full-fledged "4.20 special" Austinist Weekend Music Preview next week!...

Emo’s shakes things up this Friday with RJD2 and dälek bringing the beats and rhymes to what promises to be an innovative evening of hip-hop at the Red River venue. Also in the vicinity, The Ramonahs cover various Ramones classics at the Beauty Bar. The “All Drag Queen” tribute act debuted in Dallas in February to a sold out show and why should Austin miss out on this shenanigans! Firekills at Red 7, Demontuary at Room 710, The Ends at Headhunters, and The Hex Dispensers at Beerland offer further options in the area....

Cry Blood Apache drops its latest output in the form of Northern Travelers (on Ghetto Pagoda Records) this Tuesday. The EP will be available starting April 1st at Waterloo Records and End of An Ear, and also online at listen.to/crybloodapache. CBA formed in 2005; currently the trio consists of Jason Chrien, Ben Ellis (or “Kaspar Glass”), and Mitch Hinrichs (or “Hans Hinrich.”) So what exactly are the band's influences? According to bassist Chrien, “The three of us take stylistic cues from old-school reality television shows like Real TV and Max X. The low-fidelity presentation of those programs makes it clear the power immediacy has in art, regardless of medium. We apply a “hand-held” aesthetic to our music in tribute.” CBA's most interesting discography includes an Untitled CD Demo (2005) and a Self-Titled Cassette EP (2005) along with the Performing Diversion Acrobatics LP from 2006 and the Industry MixTape Vol. 1 EP from last year. CBA’s latest 4 song effort was recorded in January of this year, clocks in at just over ten minutes, and was produced by Chrien....

SXSW is done and dusted and we had a blast. But normal service is resumed this weekend in Austin with a number of appealing shows. Melodies and (so-called) punk go hand in hand these days in mainstream America, with Warped Tour fervor influencing one new generation of mall-punks after another. Bob Mould shaped at least a segment of the sound of pop-punk to come during his Hüsker Dü and Sugar days, and has churned out a versatile solo career as well. His performance at the 2005 Austin City Limits Music Festival was epic and you can witness the magic first-hand, up-close this Thursday when the Bob Mould Band takes centre-stage at Antone’s. Mould’s new record, District Line can be purchased here....

Kick off this weekend early on Thursday at Antone’s with music from Black Joe Lewis, Bankrupt and the Borrowers, and The Best Love In Town on the special occasion of The Versatile Syndicate’s “Launch Party.” The entity is now open for business, and their agenda is to aid any artist in pursuing their dreams and professional development via booking/tour management, consulting, live production, and so on. This event is a part of the Austin Music Foundation’s Love Austin Music Month and cover for AMF members is $5. The rest of us mere mortals can get in for $10. The shindig also marks AMF's 6th Birthday; free cake and food (courtesy of Whole Foods Market) and free 2008 She Rocks Calendars while the goodies last....

“Ever wanted to be a space ship pilot in an 8-bit Nintendo game?” With that subject title, the latest press release from local synth-pop outfit Built By Snow grabbed our attention well before we even ventured into deep space. The “rad dudes” rescue a princess in the brilliant video for “Underneath”, the first song on their debut EP Noise, eventually scoring cheeseburgers for their troubles. The video incorporates plenty of eye catching imagery and retro animation and the result is a hilarious conglomeration of pop culture influences....

Besides the wonderful events above, follow the jump for information on more weekend shows!...

Emo’s, as always, powers our evenings with a good amount of solid shows this weekend. Zookeeper and Zykos bring heartfelt indie-rock to the outside stage on Friday while Ume and Haunting Oboe Music take on the inside crowd with belligerent, experimental rock n’ roll....

The Invincible Czars have long had a knack for blending rock with various genres to create entertaining concoctions and unexpected inventions. From ska to metal, from jazz to country, a Czars live show twists and turns through a variety of rhythms and tempos, all while demonstrating their astute musicianship....

Also this weekend, the Zachary Scott Theatre Center kicks off its 75th Anniversary Season with George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. This special production is inspired by the city of New Orleans as well as the music of Ray Charles, Nina Simone, and Louis Armstrong, among others. The show runs for two weeks at the Austin Music Hall and you can purchase tickets here....