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Given the odds of ever being able to see The Jesus and Mary Chain live again, a definite sense of trepidation surrounded me before Tuesday night’s show at Houston’s House Of Blues. The stories of the Scottish band’s explosive, short, and often half-assed concerts are something of legend these days, and while I wasn’t expecting the Reid brothers to actually fight each other on stage, a part of me wasn’t all that surprised at the kinks the band was seemingly working out during the Houston show.

You can read another review on Rocks Off, but The Jesus and Mary Chain’s Houston show was, in my opinion, on par with a typical JMC concert experience. Fuzzy guitars played at ear-shredding volume? Check. Stopping a couple of songs because someone’s out of sorts? Check. Starting late? Check. William grumpy about something, forcing Jim to abandon the end of the show? Check.

However, despite the missteps during the House of Blues show–which I assume could bother the less-patient, especially given the steep ticket prices–The Jesus and Mary Chain played a blistering set of songs that was a good mixture of their catalog and showcased why they are a continued influence on today’s bands (any Black Rebel Motorcycle Club fans out there?). Sure, I could spend time fretting about what songs the band’s set didn’t include (“Darklands” and “April Skies,” for instance), but it was the songs I didn’t expect to hear–and had almost forgotten about–that made the show for me (“The Hardest Walk,” “Sidewalking”).

Granted, this comes from a long-time fan (my first introduction was picking up Darklands at a Ft. Worth Sound Warehouse in 1987), and with my earplugs I had no issues with the volume and thought the show sounded good overall. The Jesus and Mary Chain playing shows in 2012, apparently promoting its reissued and expanded albums, is simply what it is: a cash grab and a good way for long-time fans to get a bit of nostalgia in and for those who missed the band the first time around to see a bit of what they missed. The fact that I saw fathers with their small children, one of who told me it was their pre-teen daughter that asked to go to the show, drives home the band’s time-tested appeal.

The Jesus and Mary Chain plays an official South By Southwest showcase (sponsored by Paste) tonight (Thursday, 3.15.12) in Austin at The Belmont at midnight.

The fun starts today (Thursday, 3.15.12) at 11:30am with Kaiser Chiefs kicking things off.

The line-up also includes The Hood Internet (at 1:30pm), The Temper Trap, Semi-Precious Weapons, and Penguin Prison, among others.

Oregon’s A to Z Wineworks is also in attendance. Follow them on Facebook.

You can find more info on the party at the Hard Rock Hotels’ SXSW Twitter feed (#SXSWHRH).

If you’ve been at a live music event in Houston over the past few years you’ve undoubtedly run into Mark C. Austin. A photographer/promoter/social media maven/music lover, Austin has been responsible for helping get the word out about a lot of local acts and has organized a slew of shows over the years. His latest effort moves him into the realm of artist representation and management, as founder of The Convoy Group.

The Convoy Group is sponsoring a day party in Austin during 2012′s South By Southwest, which will be held tomorrow (Friday, 3.16.12) at Gypsy Lounge (1504 E. 6th St.) from 10am-6pm, and features a diverse Houston-focused line-up that includes Young Girls, Poor Pilate, Buxton, Folk Family Revival, Bang Bangz, Benjamin Wesley, Wild Moccasins, Chase Hamblin, Finnegan, Holy Fiction, The Tontons, Dave Wrangler, and more. This is a free event.

More information on The Convoy Group may be found at www.theconvoygroup.com or via Twitter.

Reptar hails from Athens, GA, a city that has been home to any number of influential indie bands over the years. The band played Houston late last month and was selected to play a showcase during South By Southwest 2012 in Austin, along with various day parties (including Filter‘s Showdown at Cedar Street). Reptar also recently played a Daytrotter Session, which is now available at daytrotter.com.

The band’s SXSW line-up includes:

Thursday, 3/15
2pm Cedar Street Courtyard (Filter party)
8pm IFC Crossroads House (Vice, 302 E 6th)
11pm The Deli’s Un/Off Party (The Gypsy Lounge, 1504 E 6th)

Friday, 3/16
2pm Paste party (Stage on 6th, 508 E 6th)
4:15pm Workaholics House Party (83 Rainey St.)

Saturday, 3/17
4pm Baeblemusic (Peckerhead’s, 402 E 6th)
6pm 40 Watt Club “Athens in Austin” 25th Anniversary Party (The Side Bar, 602 East 7th)

Reptar plays its official showcase at SXSW 2012 in Austin on Friday, 3.16.12, at 11pm at Buffalo Billiard’s (201 E 6th). Visit the band online at reptarmusic.com.

Scottish underground rockers The Jesus and Mary Chain plays a handful of shows in the U.S. this month, the first of which is tonight at Houston’s House of Blues.

I hope I hear “Darklands”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_w9sCTtZ9EA

Due to visa issues, the band was forced to reschedule earlier dates this week in New Orleans and Denton. New Orleans’ March 12 show has reportedly been rescheduled to September 5th, and The JMC plays 35 Denton for free on Wednesday, 3.14.12, with Ty Segall opening before heading to Austin for a slew of SXSW sets, including one at the Paste showcase on Thursday, 3.15.12.

On Friday, 3.16.12, and Saturday, 3.17.12, DaSouth.com Hip Hop Hope Unity Conference and CityTakers Weekend features performances from gospel hip hop artists and offers artist development workshops and networking opportunities during South By Southwest.

The first event is a kick-off concert on Friday at 6:30pm at the Horizon Worship Center in Austin (1006 E. Yager Ln. Suite 115-A), which features bigAL, Viktory, Gifted da Flamethrowa, k-Drama, Von Won, theBREAX, Frontline, Omega Sparx, K-Praize, Tre Nation, Chris Lee Cobbins, Peculiar Image, and more. Saturday morning at 10:30 is the DaSouth.com Hip Hop Hope Unity Conference and CityTakers Weekend, which takes place at The Carver Cultural Center (1165 Angelina St.), and includes Houston rapper Tre9, among others.

See the workshop schedule after the jump… 

10:30-11am Hip Hop Hope Unity Workshop
11am-12pm The Heart of Hip Hop Missions Workshop
12-1pm Panel discussion: “The Realities of Music Ministry”
1-2pm Lunch break / Fellowship
2-3:30pm DJ Skills Competition
3:30-4pm PMC Skills Competition

More information at dasouth.com and sketchthejournalist.com.

You can get a two-week festival pass for a mere $24, or pay $8 per day. Some of the more than 80 bands include Wheelchair Sports Camp (3/13), Jack Of Hearts (3/19), Mittenfields (3/12, also playing at Cactus Music at 5:30pm), Chris Bathgate (3/15), and Les Raquet (3/20).

For a complete line-up, visit the Super Happy Fun Land website or their Facebook page.

Houston’s Balaclavas are among the chosen few representing the Bayou City at this year’s South By Southwest 2012 in Austin, which kicks off next week. The band is known for its exciting, energetic shows and released one of Houston Calling‘s favorite local albums of 2011, Snake People, via Dull Knife.

You can listen to tracks from the album on Bandcamp, and check out Balaclavas live in Austin during SXSW at their official showcase at The Hideout on Saturday, 3.17.12, at 9pm.

Here’s a video from the band’s album release show at Mango’s:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lJXC8fxTZ0Q

Black Books have quickly made a name for themselves in the Austin area with impressive live shows and a respectable EP, 2011′s An Introduction To… I previewed the band in last year’s Houston Calling SXSW preview, and recently found out the band has been working on new material and will be performing shows in Austin during South By Southwest 2012, including an official SXSW showcase.

You can listen to the band’s latest song (“Out The Door”) at www.blackbooksmusic.com.

Black Books plays an official SXSW showcase on Tuesday, 3.13.12, at 10pm at Treasure Island. Check showlistaustin.com for other set information.