Today (Friday, 8.29.08) marks the beginning of Rock The Bayou, which features a ton of hair metal bands from the 80s (view line-up here). It also features a side stage with tons of Houston rock bands, so that’s cool. Also tonight, The Octopus Project plays at Warehouse Live with Houston blues-funk band Electric Attitude and Diagonals.

Indian Jewelry, The Wiggins, Dizzy Pilot, and Cry Blood Apache play for $7 tonight at The Mink’s Backroom. This will undoubtedly be a great (and packed) show. Also tonight, The Hunger play at Scout Bar. And finally, Toadies play another reunion show at Verizon with The Riverboat Gamblers and The Lions, and Tom Petty & The Heartbreakers play at The Woodlands.

On Saturday (8.30.08), the fun continues at Rock The Bayou (which runs through Monday — see the ad at the right of the page for ticket info). Former Sunny Day Real Estate frontman Jeremy Enigk, whose solo albums are nice and mellow, plays at Walter’s with Elaine Greer and Omoreka. Excellent. Also on Saturday is Electric Touch’s CD release show at Warehouse Live with The Riff Tiffs and the Jud Johnson Band. If you buy the CD at Cactus (the band has an in-store Saturday at 4pm) you’ll get a free ticket to the show.

Also on Saturday, No Talk and Born Liars play Rudyard’s.