Sounds Good: Damn Yankees, Til Willis, Hank III, Allison Olassa & Hearts of Darkness

We’ve got lots and lots going on this weekend.

There’s plenty of music to go around, which I’ll get to in a sec.  But there’s also some other stuff to keep you out of trouble. Or get you into it.

For example, starting Thursday the team everyone loves to hate- the New York Yankees- roll into town to throttle our young Royals. 

Sporting KC plays Saturday at home against expansion Montreal after their much needed week off. 

Then there’s First Friday in the Crossroads, which is featuring free music and some art by a pro skateboarder.

And by the time Sunday rolls around I suggest you get your ass to Lawrence’s Burcham Park (it’s by the river) for a free show from some hipster bands like Robocopter, Johnny Booth, Ask an Adult, and Bloody Knives.  It’s BYOD (dog) and it’s also BYOB (beverages?) so long as it’s not in glass bottles.  Starts at 4:00.

Now on to my awesome and well-informed picks… 

Thursday, May 3rd
 
Til Willis with Mr. & Mrs. Dodge @ The Taproom in Lawrence
 
I’d never heard of Til Willis until a few minutes ago, but I listened to some of his stuff and it’s actually pretty rad in that bare and scratchy sort of way.  So what better venue than the sweaty low-ceilinged basement of the Tap Room?
 
Plus, you get to see which plaid flannel shirt Arthur Dodge will bust out for his opening set with female vocalist Mrs. Dodge.  I caught them a few months ago at the Lawrence Arts Center and thought that Mrs. Dodge kind of stole the show, in a non-flannel kind of way.   
 
Friday, May 4th
 
Hank 3 @ The Granada in Lawrence
 
Rather than take an easy Nashville career based upon his grandpa’s name and crank out pop country radio hits, Hank Williams III decided to do his own thing, dabbling in punk, metal, hillbilly, and of course some straight up country music, too.  His shows are usually a clashing of all these styles, performed in epic fashion.  And he always starts right on time, I’m told, so make sure you arrive early.
 
Normally, Hank plays an opening set of country tunes, followed by a set of hellbilly hellfire, and then ends with a full set of heavy and fast material taken from one of his other projects, the punk metal band Assjack.   
 
 
 
Saturday, May 5th
 
Hearts of Darkness, the Good Foot, and the Grisly Hand @ Crossroads in KC
 
This show is billed as a “Spring Dance” so… From what I can remember of the dances I attended growing up, there should be a bunch of dudes with way too much cologne on drunkenly macking it to the super drunk hot chicks that would normally never give them the time of day if they weren’t totally destroyed.  And maybe some vomiting in the corner of the gymnasium.  
 
Also, isn’t it kinda weird that all the bands have body parts in their names?  Creepy…
 
The Grisly Hand starts out the night pretty early at 7:30 with their roots alt-country thing, followed by the soul sounds of the Good Foot at about 9.  Then KC jewel HOD closes it out with their genre-smashing afrobeat world hip hop stuff.  If you haven’t caught HOD yet, you seriously owe it to yourself to check them out sooner than later. 
 

 
Olassa, Smile High Club @ the Barnyard in Lawrence

Haven’t tried the Barnyard Beer yet? C’mon folks! Admittedly, it’s kinda hard to find the secret underground bluegrass jam space. But if you’re cruising around Biemer’s Barbecue, near tha backside of the Merc, look for the big red barn doors and you’re good to go.

Allison Olassa is headlining this Saturday’s show, which I’m told could feature a little accordion, some pump organ, and songs about things other than “dudes.” In an interview with the LJWorld’s Richard Gintowt, Olassa said, “I try not to write about dudes. A lot of musicians write about their lovers, and sometimes I think that can get old. There is a good way to put it, I think, but it’s hard to capture.”

Allison plays with a handful of rotating local musicians, so this won’t just be a one woman show.