The midweek live music calendar looks more like a weekend lineup with everything from touring rockers to a harmonica player with a stellar resume. White Rabbit has Remembering Never, Ed Gein, Ligeia and Cherem Wednesday night, Matchbook Romance on Thursday with support from As Cities Burn, Maylene and the Sons of Disaster, Lorene Drive and Jonezetta .
Though Remembering Never just turned in a Warped Tour stint, the quintet from Fort Lauderdale, led by screamer Mean Pete, is staying on the road to promote its latest disc, "God Save Us." Few hard-core bands sing about frolicking puppies and butterflies, but Remembering Never comes in a cut above many of its peers because of smart, socially conscious lyrics delivered, of course, at maximum volume.
Matchbook Romance, from Poughkeepsie, N.Y., does a brand of hard-core punk that's nonetheless melodic. The band is working with its "Voices" CD.
For more rock, try Sam's Burger Joint Wednesday night for Big Wood, Right Road Lost, Straight Outta Junior High and Gagasdan. Straight Outta Junior High rolls in from the endless tour road by way of Omaha, Neb. The punk, etc., band has built a large and loyal following through near-constant touring, an energetic show and songs that are just plain fun. The band's latest disc is "Mongoloid Monarchy." Thursday at Sam's is blues jam night with the S.A. Blue Cats.
Fortress of Attitude, billed as "New York's only band of rock and roll extremists," is slated to work Thursday night at Jiggers.
Harmonica man Chris "Hammer" Smith and his Hammer Smith Blues Band know the blues. However, Smith, from Los Angeles, has serious harp chops that go beyond the 12-bar form. Smith's work has been heard on songs by a bunch of disparate musicians including Paul McCartney, Rickie Lee Jones, Dolly Parton and Camper Van Beethoven. The Hammer Smith band is set to work Thursday at Casbeers. Wednesday night at Casbeers there also will be blues when Claude "Butch" Morgan & the Happy Camper Jammers welcome guest guitarists Eddie Polanco, Frank Macias and Jonathan Fox.
Guy Forsyth knows how to play a lot of blues, but he also mixes in folk and more for a sound that's roots wrapped around lyrics that matter. Thursday night, Forsyth will work solo at Jack's Patio Bar with 5 Times August. There's also blues Wednesday night at Luna courtesy of Batman Chevy.
Wendy Colonna, a frequent Forsyth collaborator, will bring Louisiana-meets-Texas turbo-folk to Starbucks Hear Music Coffeehouse for an 8 p.m. show on Thursday. Elsewhere on the early midweek show front, country purveyor Dan McCoy will be at Water Street Oyster Bar at 6 p.m. Thursday. County Line I-10 has country rockers Big Blue Hearts at 8 Wednesday night. At Rolling Oaks Sports Bar & Grill it's Ryan Turner at 8 p.m. Thursday.
Midweek jazz action runs from eclectic to big band. Harmonious Monk , from Tulsa, will be at The Cove Wednesday night, at the Red Room on Thursday. Luna on Thursday will feature the swing-meets-bop of Denia Ridley & the Marc Devine Trio. The Primetime Jazz Orchestra will be at the Radius Café beginning at 8 Wednesday night. Thursday at 8 p.m. the Radius is the setting for a Celtic jam session. Wednesday night at the Red Room it's acoustic rock from The Molz and El Olio Wolof .
Jim Beal Jr.'s Night Lights covers the area music scene Wednesdays in S.A. Life and Fridays in Weekender. He also plays bass in the local band Miss Neesie & the Ear Food Orchestra. Send e-mail to jbeal@express-news.net. Beal is the host of the "Third Coast Music Network" show from 3-7 p.m. Thursdays on KSYM, 90.1 FM. San Antonio Express-News publish date July 26, 2006
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