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In case you weren't aware, St. Patty's day is around the corner. For seven years, the countdown has been kicked off by Flogging Molly with a celebratory Green 17 Tour. And this is no ordinary tour. Standard Flogging Molly shows are intense - but Green 17 lets the band celebrate St. Patty's day each night - resulting in an unprecedented evening of musical chaos.

And strangely enough, Green 17 is kicking off in Dallas on the 8th. We're so Irish. Plus, they're hitting Houston the day after, so we Texans are banking. If that isn't enough - they'll also be debuting material from the new album due out in May. Trifecta.

Swagger (2000) and Drunken Lullabies (2002) remain two of my favorite albums, and Float (2008) rocked us with their ever-evolving sound that remains true to the celtic traditions in which Flogging Molly believes. Each album shows the band growing a little more and the new one is set to include more punk and even delves into blues. Written in Detroit, at the home of Dave King (vocals/guitar) and Bridget Regan (fiddler), it's not surprising the album will center around the recent economy (or lack thereof). Dennis Casey (guitarist), in an interview with AltPress, mentions that "this record definitely has the theme of the struggle of life. The whole element of working for a living, people without jobs, people losing their homes — that is all tied into the narratives of the record."

If, like me, you find it hard to wait till May to hear the new sound, enter your email above to grab a FREE single from the new record; which they recorded in Asheville, NC with Ryan Hewitt (Red Hot Chili Peppers, The Avett Brothers). Then, buy your ticket for next Tuesday the 8th at House of Blues for $40 with fees. Houstonians can click here for Wednesday the 9th. Above is the video for "Punch Drunk Grinning Soul", from Float, to prepare you for a night of epic mayhem.

Tomorrow, Houston temporarily gets even more badass, from the moment the Drive-by Truckers cross into our city limits till the moment they leave. You’ve got two chances to check out one of the hardest-working bands in the business, who over the course of 14 years have carved out a reputation as some of the best songwriters and performers in alt-country. Their three-guitar blitzkrieg is now supplemented by keyboardist Jay Gonzalez, who joined the band prior to the recording of their latest album, The Big To-Do. As part of the promotion for the record, the band released webisodes explaining either the lyrical or musical origins of most of the songs. Check out the webisode for my favorite song off of it, “Drag the Lake Charlie,” and head to Cactus tomorrow at 3:30 and House of Blues tomorrow night. Snag your tickets here!

I love that the DBT’s are forming relationships in the jam world… almost as much as I love the lyric: “I’m almost out of Valium, courage, and self-respect.”

I'd be a bad Spring resident if I didn't do my part to spread the word about the only decent music event that's within 5 minutes of casa del Bacon. The Texas Crawfish and Music Festival, now in it's 24th year, is being held over the upcoming three weekends on the fairgrounds of historic Old Town Spring. In addition to enjoying over 70 bands on 3 stages, you can also grub-down on 70 TONS of delicious crawfish and other cajun food, ride some carnival rides, and pick up Grandma's X-mas gift from a variety of unique Old Town Spring vendors. Tickets are only 7$ per day when purchased in advance and 10$ a day at the door. This upcoming Saturday stands out as the best day to attend - with Hayes Carll, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Robert Ellis and the Boys, and Sideshow Tramps. Check out the full weekend-by-weekend lineup after the jump

Steel Train will be taking the stage on March 23rd at the handsomely remodeled Waiting Room in Omaha, NE. The show is only $10 and the beer is also reasonably priced, so for a great night of music on a budget, Steel Train would defiantly be worth taking in. For those of you who aren't familiar with the band, they are put into the indie rock genre. I see where they get that classification, but personally notice more of the 60's psychedelic and folk influence in their music, which is never a bad thing. And did I mention that they are praised for their live shows and jam sessions? All of these factors are sure to sprawl out on stage next Tuesday in a collision of decades sure to please the mind, body and soul. Opening for the New Jersey quintet will be It's True and Holly Miranda. Unfortunately, I will just be returning from SXSW and will be unable to make it, but hopefully some of you folks can!

Austin bound,
The Toastman

Akron/Family, Warpaint and Buxton at Walter's On Washington
Doors at 8pm; Show at 9pm
Tickets are $10 at the door

One of our favorite groups to come out of Austin, The Sour Notes, will be hitting up Houston's Rudyard's Pub for the release of their latest LP, It's Not Gonna Be Pretty, with support from Spain Colored Orange and tour mates Row Zero. They kicked off their tour last night in Austin, and will be traversing the south and east coast for the next week-and-a-half. They've loaded up their new (old) van, Jacque, and have willingly committed to reporting back to BOT while on the road. We plan to feature words and pictures from The Sour Notes over the course of their winter tour, so hopefully some crazy adventures pan out.

The other day, I had the chance to have a bit of a discussion with frontman Jared Boulanger about The Sour Notes' latest album and their impending tour. He had tons to say about it all, so feel free to scope the interview, and a listing of their tour dates after the jump.

moe. at the House Of Blues.
Doors at 7pm, show at 8pm.
Tickets are $20.

Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, Portland Cello Project and David Shultz and The Skyline at Warehouse Live.
Doors at 8:00, show at 8:30.
Tickets are $15.

One of Dallas’ most beloved musicians is playing the Granada Theater this Saturday, and, given my longtime man-crush on Old 97’s frontman Rhett Miller, there’s no way I’m going to miss the chance to see him play at the best venue in his hometown. Bring it on I-45, I've got plenty of tunes and Diet Mountain Dew to combat your suckiness. Rhett will be joined by several other Dallas favorites: Salim Nourallah, the O’s, and Shibboleth (as part of the VIP performance). Even better, the show benefits the Breathe Easy Foundation, which is a charity for cystic fibrosis. The event aims to raise money and awareness about this life-threatening genetic disorder affecting over 70,000 people worldwide.

VIP tickets are just 75 bucks, and get you 30 minutes of Shibboleth and 30 minutes of Rhett Miller acoustic. Regular tickets are only $25, so snag ‘em while you can. Check out the video here for more information, then buy your tickets to a great concert supporting a charity you can feel good about!

Rhett Miller at the Granada (graphic courtesy of the Granada Theater)

Rock Out For Peace at Last Concert Cafe
Show starts at 3pm, and runs until after 2am.
Tickets are $10

Set Times:

Elaine Greer: 3:15 PM - 3:50 PM
Deux Frupis: 4:00 PM - 4:30 PM
The Cadences: 4:40 PM - 5:05 PM
The Scene: 5:15 PM - 5:45 PM
Doghouse: 6:00 PM - 6:30 PM
Listen!Listen!: 6:45 PM - 7:20 PM
Two Star Symphony: 7:30 PM - 8:00 PM
Free Radicals: 8:10 PM - 9:10 PM
Chase Hamblin: 9:20 PM - 9:50 PM
Sideshow Tramps: 10:00 PM - 11:00 PM
D.R.U.M.: 11:10 PM - 12:00 AM
Nosaprise: 12:10 AM - 12:40 AM
Room 101: 12:50 AM - 1:15 AM
Smoke and Feathers: 1:25 AM - 2:30 AM