Austin Music Source: Weekend music picks: The Shears, Jon Dee Graham, The Pixies

By Peter Blackstock and Deborah Sengupta Stith, Feb. 27, 2014,  on Austin360.com, at http://m.austin360.com/weblogs/austin-music-source/2014/feb/27/weekend-music-picks-shears-jon-dee-graham-pixies/

The Pixies's Frank Black performs with the band at the Austin Music Hall on Wednesday, Sept. 22, 2010

FRIDAY

The Shears CD release at Stubb’s. Electronic indie act the Shears has been kicking around the edges of the Austin club scene since 2010. The band produces edgy dance tracks that swell with shimmering synths and stylized vocal loops and bang with fuzzed-out bass and electronic drums. Excellent soul-rock-hip-hop fusion act the Digital Wild and indie rockers Mobley open. $6. 9 p.m. 801 Red River St. stubbsaustin.com — Deborah Sengupta Stith

Jon Dee Graham Birthday Show at Strange Brew. What better way to celebrate your birthday than to play a show with your kid? Migrating a few miles south from their Travis Heights/Continental Club home base, Jon Dee Graham plays an acoustic show at 8 p.m. before his teenage son William brings his monthly “Strange Nang” youth brigade onstage. It’s the second weekend in a row they’ve shared a bill, following last Saturday’s appearance at the Folk Alliance convention in Kansas City. $8. 8 p.m. 5326 Manchaca Road. strangebrewloungeside.com. — Peter Blackstock

Also: Country superstar Vince Gill plays a benefit for Austin Smiles at the Austin Music Hall. … Houston dream rockers the Tontons, who seem destined for a 2014 breakout, play a free in-store at Waterloo Records. … Get your free dance on as Table Manners Crew’s Kid Slyce drops in on King Louie at the Volstead. … A host of Austin’s top garage rockers including Flesh Lights, Church Shoes and the Zoltars gather at Hotel Vegas for Liz Burrito’s Birthday. … Audrey Scott’s ethereal vocals lift the indie pop of Sick/Sea at Flamingo Cantina. … Longtime Orange Mothers bandmates Ethan Azarian & Jeff Johnston were iced out of their late-January reunion gig at the Cactus, so they rescheduled for this Friday.

SATURDAY

2nd Street Soundcheck. As if we don’t have enough chances to hear Bob Schneider in town. Ah, but this one’s free! And outdoors, on what should theoretically be a balmy pre-spring afternoon and early evening. Perhaps of greater interest on the bill is Leagues, a Nashville band making waves with Christian pop music behind the vocals of former alt-country rising star Thad Cockrell. Also playing are Broken Anchor, Digital Wild, Black Milk, Zeale and East Cameron Folkcore. Free. 1 p.m. to 8 p.m. Second Street between Colorado and San Antonio streets. 2ndstreetdistrict.com/soundcheck. — P.B.

The Pixies at Austin Music Hall. Look, I love “Monkey Gone to Heaven” as much as the next lady who came of age in the ‘90s and no doubt the band will play it at this show. However, it’s worth noting this Pixies tour comes with a fair amount of emotional baggage. Bassist and founding member Kim Deal left the band shortly before the recording session that produced the band’s latest releases, a pair of EPs uncermoniously titled “EP-1” and “EP-2.” The EPs dropped to withering reviews. Nonetheless, the band hired another female bassist named Kim (Shattuck) and set out on tour. A few months in, Shattuck was released. The band, who finally admitted the loss of the first Kim was kind of a big Deal (sorry), is continuing the tour with a new female bass player, Paz Lenchantin. Breezy California rockers Best Coast open. Technically sold out. 7 p.m. 208 Nueces St. c3concerts.com. — D.S.S.

Jamgasm 2 Super Session at the Carousel Lounge. I’ll admit the idea of a “Jamgasm” made me cringe, as it conjured unfortunately amorous images of Phish and Widespread Panic sensuously noodling. But some of the players on the bill for this show, structured as a 12-hour improvisational jam with a myriad of musicians swapping in and out, represent the city’s top tier of jazz talent. Chris Maresh, Brannen Temple, Ephraim Owens — those guys are monster musicians. Brazilian Space Project? Word Jazz All-stars? Could be cool. The event is likely to produce at least a few unforgettable moments. It’s also a benefit for long-running Austin cultural institution DiverseArts. Noon to midnight. 1110 E. 52nd St. See the event Facebook page for more details. — D.S.S.

Also: Adventurous electronic artist Four Tet digs into everything from folk to grime for his tasteful mixes at the Mohawk. … Celtic punk band Dropkick Murphys drops by Stubb’s with Memphis rockers Lucero and Brit sextet Skinny Lister. … Virginia jam-band fave Keller Williams won’t sell you a house, but he might pack it at Emo’s. … Top local singer-songwriters Jimmy LaFave and Ray Bonneville share a double bill at Strange Brew. … Psychedelic shoegaze label the Fuzz Club brings the Sour Notes to the Lost Well. … Quirky rockers La Snacks celebrate 10 years and drop a new album at the Spiderhouse Ballroom. … Holy Mountain hosts a night of Latin fusion with Como Las Movies and La Buena Vida. … Local band So Long, Problems celebrates the release of their debut disc “Ashes in the Rearview” with Ben Ballinger at the Blackheart. … Hole in the Wall welcomes the grand spectacle of the Gay Sportscasters with openers the Hares.

SUNDAY

South Austin Brewery second anniversary with the Lost Gonzo Band. Best known for backing Jerry Jeff Walker during his 1970s heyday, the Gonzos also made a handful of albums under their own name, helping to define the outlaw-country sound that led to Austin becoming a hub for outlaw-everything. On their Facebook page, they reveal that they almost ended up calling themselves the Bluebonnet Plague. Tex-Mex country-funk outfit La Tampiquena opens. $25 (includes souvenir glass, beer ticket). 2 p.m. to 7 p.m. 415 E. Saint Elmo Road, Unit 1D. southaustinbrewery.com. — P.B.

Also: New Orleans jazz outfit Jon Batiste & Stay Human puts a sophisticated spin on pre-Mardi Gras festivities at the Paramount. … Local indie band She Sir plays a 6 p.m. record-release in-store at End of an EarBy Nick McGregor, on 2.24.14 | 9:21 am, on the Austin CultureMap at austin.culturemap.com/news/entertainment/