I distinctly recall admitting to my guilty pleasure in this band to the fine folks at Decatur CD as I approached the counter with a copy Queensryche’s classic Empire in my hands. In reflection, I don’t know if I needed to be that sheepish. Though they can easily be lumped in with the hair metal bands of the 80s (Geoff Tate did sport some serious aquanet looks), the music itself stood apart from the mendacity of bands like Great White and Cinderella. The sounds were a metal-tinged reflection of their progressive fore bearers and the commitment to ambitious theatricals built the bridge to modern behemoths like our own Mastadon. They are still making music and they visit the Masquerade this Friday.

In a special, cash only at the box office sale, you can get 2 tickets for 1 tomorrow between 10am and 7pm. Visit the Masquerade Box Office tomorrow and get two for $22.50 to see this under appreciated giant of progressive metal.

Queensryche – Jet City Woman
Queensryche – Operation Mindcrime

By Matt Jarrard

Next weekend the Strange Daze Festival will take over The Masquerade. Variety seems to be the theme for this festival with bands appealing to about any pallete preforming…genres range from prog, to surf, to electronic, to folky/country.

Numerous A-List approved bands are on the bill, and the $12 cover for both days (or $7 for one day) makes this a great bargain.  Here’s a few of the acts, with set times, who especially piqued my interest:

Saturday August 14

The New Whole Usuals (Nashville) 5pm – Hell Stage

Sealions 9pm – Hell Stage

Efren 9:30pm – Purgatory Stage

Stokeswood 12:45am – Hell Stage

Sunday August 15

The Young Republic (Nashville) 6pm – Hell Stage

Fishhawk 6:45pm – Hell Stage

Jungol 7:30pm- Hell Stage
Jungol – Two People

Dark punks Alkaline Trio and Nebraskan post-punks Cursive will be at the Masquerade tonight. Look for our review of Alkaline Trio’s latest on Epitaph Records, This Addiction, on Monday.

In the meantime, check out this video for the single “From The Hips” from Cursive’s 2009 release on Saddle Creek records, Mama, I’m Swollen.

One of our favorites of 2009, We Were Promised Jetpacks, will return to town this Thursday at the Maquerade.

We reviewed their 2009 debut LP, These Four Walls here. $10.

This track, “Roll Up Your Sleeves,” came off of the 2009 Fat Cat sampler.

Listen: We Were Promised Jetpacks – Roll Up Your Sleeves

Brooklyn based Yeasayer’s latest Odd Blood will be in record stores like Decatur CD and Criminal Records tomorrow.

For the digitally oriented, the download is available tonight via Amazon pretty cheap.

They play the Masquerade on Tuesday, April 6. Tickets are $15 in advance.

Listen: Yeasayer – Ambling Alp

Listen: Yeasayer – O.N.E

Two very different bands, two rather different rooms, one night, one venue. Two of our favorites are in town on Saturday night to play the Masquerade. We’ve written about both of them before, so follow the links for more details, but if there was one night to pay two covers and hope that you can catch at least half a show from both of these bands (while not breaking your neck on the stairs), then this is it.

The Gaslight Anthem will play Heaven leading a three band line-up with doors at 7:00 ($16 adv). Dirty Projectors are coming off a recent appearance on Austin City Limits to play Hell. They will play second on that two band bill with doors at 9:00 ($15 adv). Not to be missed.