Music Recommended

Pay attention kids, because the shows are coming at you like a meteor shower and there's only one place to go for cover; the clubs. Electric Lounge is one of several shelters that has a couple of hot ones on its hands on consecutive nights. Friday,
ex-Spaceman 3 astronaut Jason Pierce flies in from another galaxy with his bubblegum trance trio, Spiritualized. Trippy droning never sounded so happy. SXSW '95ers Polara open with their Caroline rock. Saturday, brace yourself for another British flag on our moon when Supergrass bring their Oasis-do-the-Beatles pop to the Lounge, on a bill that includes more across-the-pond popsters The Daisies, and Replacements-rockers the Figgs. Bring the aircraft carrier and helicopters, the modules have hit the water.

JUDE COLE, MICHELE SOLBERG

Cactus Cafe, Friday 20

Mr. Cole hasn't only been around the block, he built it. Work with Del Shannon, The Records, and Moon Martin highlights his resumé. In the late Eighties, he recorded three LPs for Warner Bros., scoring two hits. Now with more creative control at Island, he's just released I Don't Know Why I Act This Way , a brilliant LP that pulses with the same genius guitarist-cum-songwriter savvy as Robbie Robertson, Daniel Lanois, and Adrien Belew. This will be a night of big, powerful music in a small, powerful room. - Joe Mitchell

IVAN NEVILLE, LEE PERSONS

La Zona Rosa, Friday 20

When you come into this world with a name like Neville, there's only one thing you can plan on doing with the rest of your life, so the multi-talented Ivan Neville has dedicated himself to the pursuit of funky, rockin' soul music, and though we have no idea what the second-generation Neville has in mind for this show, that there's a show at all at La Zona Rosa is enough to draw us in.

MOSE ALLISON

Cedar Street, Friday 20 & Saturday 21

Ah Mose, venerable ol' Mose. We are honored, sir, that a jazz legend of thy statue has taken shine to our humble township. The years have been kind with your visits, and Cedar Street, hub of the wobbling West End Arts district, is a new conquest we're happy to concede you. Woo us then, sir, with the black and white waltzing maidens of your piano.

DANGEROUS TOYS, CONTRADICKS

Back Room, Saturday 21

Whoa! What's happened here? What's changed? Oh. Everything has. Perhaps that's why these local boys, once doomed to haunt the sunset strip in eternal mid-Eighties metal limbo, have risen from the grave more times than Elizabeth Taylor. With their new DMZ burner, the r*tist 4*merly known as dangerous toys, Jason McMaster and crew have blowtorched their whole previous sound, and created some craven industrial, metal-angst-grunge beast that's friggin' scary. One of this year's most surprising albums, and probably one of the best. Boys, you've done us all proud.

DAVE ALVIN/PHIL ALVIN

Antone's, Saturday 21/ Sunday 22

All the way from the Southern California desert trek the Alvin Brothers - a journey to which they've become accustomed. What a shame they aren't playin' together. Friday, the Derailers open for their producer Dave on an evening that brings together black leather roots-rock, and crew cut 'n' clean C&W. Saturday night, brother Phil rouses his latest incarnation of the Blasters, who go head to head with two other blasting bands, San Diego's wild and ride 'em Beat Farmers, and Bruce & the E Stre - er, Butch Hancock & the Health & Happiness Show. Now, if we can just get Dave and Phil on stage together. How 'bout it guys?

TRIPPIN' IN AUSTIN

Chicago House, Sunday 22

Peg Miller sez it's official (see the entire Music section), and that it's out of the Chicago House space by the first. There's time for tears later, right now it's time to raise a few dead presidents to pay for evacuation costs. So, cable access show Trippin' in Austin is taping a couple last unplugged gigs that'll feature Abra Moore, Quartropaw's Beth & Jason, Alise Clar & Phil Rheinstein, and Miller's "pick to click," J. P. Allen.

SPEAKING CANARIES

Emo's, Wednesday 25

Well, no wonder. No wonder The Speaking Canaries, a band on Cleveland's finest indie, SCAT (the nice folks that brought you Guided By Voices) - an indie distributed by indie landowner Matador - sound more like Van Halen than some dorky tweak-rock band: It's Pittsburghian guitarist Damon Che, who's pulled a Grohl by coming out from behind the drum-kit of his former kick-ass, guitar-grueling band Don Caballero, to front his new kick-ass, guitar-grueling band, The Speaking Canaries. Let's see if it flies live and at Emo's.

MERL SAUNDERS

White Rabbit, Wednesday 25 & Thursday 26

Like Jerry Garcia, Merl Saunders creates a parallel universe with his music - only he does it with synthesizers not guitars (their album together, Blues From the Rainforest, is still magic). Nice to see that Saunders has found such a friendly place to land as the White Rabbit, which should be just the right atmosphere for his other-worldly space blues. Like Phish and MMW, two nights o' fun.

GARY PRIMICH

Continental Club, Thursday 26

Man, everyone in Austin is releasing great albums, and harpcat Gary Primich's new one, Mr. Frost is no exception. Charlie Musselwhite, look out!

ALSO PLAYING:

Friday: Joe Rockhead, Steamboat

Saturday: My Life With the Thrill Kill Kult, Eve's Plum, Big Stick, Liberty Lunch; Los Pinkys, Jovita's

Sunday: Red Aunts, Emo's

Monday: Finis Tasby, Antone's

Tuesday: Down, Cotton Mather, Hole in the Wall

Wednesday: Ponty Bone, La Zona Rosa

Thursday: Professor & Maryann, Barnes & Noble