The Essence Music Festival continues tonight (Monday, 7.3.06), and features Maze, Frankie Beverly, Toni Braxton, Cedric the Entertainer, Charlie Wilson, & Keyshia Cole at Reliant Stadium.

Also tonight, Arthur Yoria plays a solo acoustic gig at Onion Creek. 8pm show. You should come out — not like you’re working tomorrow. It’s a holiday.

On Thursday, Bring Back The Guns plays with Danielson and Jana Hunter at Walter’s on Washington.

On Friday night, one of my local favorites The Contingency open for The Slow Signal Fade at Rudyard’s. This will be a great show. Also on Friday, my favorite local metal band Rhenium plays with Placid Blue, The Wheel Works, Velvet Brick, and Lazar Wolf at Fitzgerald’s.

Saturday marks the return of 61 Cygni, who have been on hiatus for a while. The group plays Rudyard’s.

On Sunday, it’s a toss-up. You can head to The Woodlands early to catch David Garza open for Damien Rice and Fiona Apple, or go downtown to the Verizon to see Poison and Cinderella. Yes, that Poison and Cinderella. Get your acid-washed jeans and cigarette lighters ready…

Other shows this week include:

Tuesday, 7.4.06

Mass Movement of the Moth/The Catalyst/Balaclavas @ State Street House (1815 State St.)
duneTX @ 702 (702 Dallas; 6PM)
American Eyes/Ivoryline/Isadora @ The Engine Room

Wednesday, 7.5.06

Georgia’s Horse/Nick Castro/Inoculist @ The Proletariat
Secret Agent Bill/Heptic Skeptic/The Drafted/The N Crowd/In Your Face @ Fitzdown
Honky Tonk Happy Hour, featuring Miss Leslie & Her Juke-Jointers @ The Continental Club
Emily & the Occasional Musicians @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

Thursday, 7.6.06

Danielson/Jana Hunter/Bring Back The Guns @ Walter’s on Washington
Anthrax/Neverset @ Warehouse Live
The Spazmatics @ Sammy’s (2016 Main)
Ellis Paul @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
Vinyl Dharma/Paul Sprawl/Chris Hamlett @ Super Happy Fun Land
Malcom Allen @ The Meridian
The Spinns @ Rudyard’s
Avenger/Catch 35/Echo Lost/Hollinwell Drive @ The Engine Room
Torque @ Sherlock’s (Clear Lake)

Friday, 7.7.06

Carolyn Wonderland @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
The Dead Science/Carla Bozulich/Anni Rossi @ Super Happy Fun Land
Pat Benatar & Neil Giraldo @ Verizon Wireless Theater
The Slow Signal Fade/The Contingency @ Rudyard’s
Soul on Fire/Sevenfold/Cinema of Fear/Zen Philosophy @ Fitzdown
Mankind Is Obsolete/Deus Machina/Iconoclast @ Club Middle Earth (6305 Skyline Dr.)
Shawn Pander/Lanky/Wendy Slaton @ The Engine Room
Rhenium/Placid Blue/The Wheel Works/Velvet Brick/Lazar Wolf @ Fitzgerald’s
Hamilton Loomis @ Sansone’s (14144 Westheimer)

Saturday, 7.8.06

Bobbindoctrin Puppet Theatre 10 Year Anniversary Celebration, featuring East Montrose Sterno Sippers & The Seximals @ The Meridian
Pale/Household Names (CD release)/1986 @ The Proletariat
ennifer and Amber Art Show, featuring Nine Volt, Natty Turner, & Balaclavas @ Helios
The Samples/The Handsomes/Jay Adams @ The Engine Room
LoneStar PornStar (CD release)/Sevrin/Feeding James/Full Service @ Fitzgerald’s
Lynyrd Skynyrd/3 Doors Down/Shooter Jennings @ The Woodlands
Superfun Yeah Yeah Rocketship @ Super Happy Fun Land
Soulhat/Sonnier Brothers/Doug Pinnick @ Warehouse Live
Sonic Visions: Focus, featuring Raj Pickens, Paige, Travis Ammons, Rudy Villareal, & Christopher Whaley @ Mojo Rising Coffeehouse (1600 Shepherd)
Bad Sun/Farm SC/Edge/Chaser @ Fitzdown
Terri Hendrix/Zac Brown @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck
61 Cygni @ Rudyard’s

Sunday, 7.9.06

Poison/Cinderella @ Verizon Wireless Theater
Fiona Apple/Damien Rice/David Garza @ Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion
From Boy To Martyr/Dead Letter Red/Jack In The Pulpit/While You Were Gone/Otenki @ The Engine Room
Bojones/All In Your Head @ Warehouse Live
Headwhurk/Porch Crowd/North/Notes @ Super Happy Fun Land
Sarah Dinan @ McGonigel’s Mucky Duck

Have a good week.

Now Playing: Porcupine Tree — Deadwing