Gulf Brew is this Saturday. With all the free beers a college student, artist, connoisseur or drunk could ask for, the fun doesn't end when, like the circus, the tents fold up and leave town. There is always an afterparty somewhere.
Grant Street Dancehall is one of the sponsors for Gulf Brew. Toby Dore, manager of Grant Street, says they have a lot of big things in store the next few months and shows like this are evidence.
Dax Riggs was born on the same soil as John "Cougar" Mellencamp and had the good fortune to be brought back down to Houma to be raised. He played in the band Acid Bath, a seminal and growling band with all members hailing from South Louisiana that went on to acclaim. Years after their breakup they are still held as sacred bastions of all things metal. Dax went on to several bands after Acid Bath, most notably Dead Boy & the Elephantmen. Now living in Austin, Riggs is frequently back with his feet in the Delta mud to perform and Saturday night he leads the charge with a solo performance.
Lafayette darlings The Botanist bring their brand of psychedelia tempered on a diet of gumbo and Popeye's biscuits. Their sound is like Casper the Friendly Ghost, often spooky yet friendly as a heavy metal porch swing. They released the album About Ghosts last year, actually, and have been touring extensively to support it.
The third and final on the musical roster is a band from Austin called Smoke and Feathers. Also described as hard rocking, soulful psychedelic, Smoke and Feathers is infused with lots of organs and haunting vocals with heavy guitar riffs, like a Texas tea made by Billy Gibbons.
All in all, the night reads like a pulp noir of Southern Gothic proportions. Pretty cool.
$8 in advance through the Grant Street website here to buy tickets, $10 at the door the night of if you have your Gulf Brew wristband and $15 without. A lot of bars and clubs have specials the night after Gulf Brew with a wristband so don't be one of those drunken dummies who rips theirs off and into the street, okay, litterbug?