TPTC DJ'ing at the Alex Arizpe Benefit Show - Red 7, Austin TX on Friday 6/25

Come out to Red 7 on Friday 6/25 for this benefit! I'll be DJ'ing inside (in the free room) while the benefit for Alex Arizpe happens outside! Here are the bands/times:

LJ All Stars: 8:30 - 9pm

Pretty Boys: 9:15 - 9:45

The Tie That Binds: 10 - 10:30pm

Latch Key Kids: 10:45 - 11:15pm

Blueprint: 11:30pm - 12:15am

Shaft El Groupo de Rock: 12:30 - ??

The benefit is for Alex Arizpe, alumnus of old Houston bands Badger, The Tie That Binds, Sore Loser, and Beast (among others), all of which have been featured on this blog. Alex was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, and this benefit show (as well as one the following day in Houston) were organized to help offset the costly treatment. It's definitely a worthy cause if you're a fan of any of the stuff we've posted on this blog. If you're a facebooker, RSVP for the Austin show HERE and/or the Houston show HERE.

I'll be spinning records from the era and other favorites - hopefully getting Texas Punk Treasure Chest co-contributor James to join me. Please come out!

-Mark

Blueprint reuniting for Alex Arizpe Benefit shows

It's been announced that there will be new benefit shows for Alex Arizpe, alumnus of Houston bands Badger, The Tie That Binds, Sore Loser, and Beast. When Alex was diagnosed with cancer in 2008, benefit shows were held in both Houston and Austin featuring a reunion of The Tie That Binds which helped raised money to offset the obviously costly treatment which Alex requires. 2010 brings the need for a second round of benefit shows, so his friends are once again stepping up to help.

The 2010 benefit show dates and lineups have been solidified, and both are worthy of your support:

June 25, 2010 - Austin, TX

Benefit for Alex Arizpe with:

Blueprint (reunion)

The Tie That Binds

Latch Key Kids

Pretty Boys

LJ All-Stars

Shaft

@ Red 7

June 26, 2010 - Houston, TX

Benefit for Alex Arizpe with:

Blueprint (reunion)

The Tie That Binds

Latch Key Kids

Pretty Boys

LJ All-Stars

@ Walters On Washington

RSVP on Facebook for the Houston show via the event invite HERE.

All of the bands Alex has been in have been posted on this blog, as well as the bands playing the benefit. If you've downloaded them, if you're already a fan, or if you just want to contribute, please help out by attending one of the benefit shows if you're in Houston or Austin this summer.

The Pretty Boys - demo

This band reminds me of Bob Ashley. I met Bob in Bryan/College Station, at one of the kickball shows (the one with Trigger and Carbomb). I had seen him around for years and knew who he was. He was the dude in the wheelchair that had a record label. I think he asked me about my Garden Variety shirt, got to talkin, and in the years before email, became instant pen pals. I remember (and still have) the first package I got from Bob. It contained a mixtape with some bands from Lake Jackson that he was either going to release records for, or had already released, and a letter that contained an answer to a question that I had asked in a previous letter.

The Question: "How do I start a record label?"
The Response: "Start Small"

The mixtape had a Boy Wonder demo, an Augustine Demo, and some others. But what got me excited at the time was the Pretty Boys Demo. Four songs of power pop similar to early Green Day, Right Turn Clyde, or 4th Grade Nothing. Lake Jackson punk. Members grew up to be other things, Terry (drummer) has been in several Austin bands (including Pretty the Quick Black Eyes, Markov).

Pretty Boys have recently gotten back together to play a few shows... And there might be some more. I got lucky to see them play a song with the singer from All last year.

Check here for any new news:

MYSPACE


Track Listing
1. Thirteen
2. Tempo
3. Orbatron
4. Soundtrack

DL: The Pretty Boys Demo