Last night's news that the APD has identified the prime suspect in the New Year's Eve attacks - and, apparently, several earlier assaults - provides a bit of emotional respite in anticipation of perhaps the biggest benefit show yet staged for Esme Barrera. The Statesman reports James Loren Brown, 25, was found dead in his North Campus home on January 12th. He has subsequently been linked by DNA evidence to a string of attacks last summer and is the prime suspect in the New Year's attacks, including the murder of Barrera. The police describe him as a "serial predator." more ›

Though she is, in fact, only one female (and a petite one at that), Screaming Females' lead singer Marissa Paternoster packs quite a vocal wallop. Her throat-shredder of a voice is front and center in this New Jersey trio's bombastic punk rock sound, backed by a chugging rhythm section and wailing guitar lines that are heavy on the wah-wah. Screaming Females, who along with Paternoster are Jarrett Dougherty on drums and King Mike on bass, got their start in 2006 with the self-released Baby Teeth album. The scorching punk aesthetic placed them firmly in New Brunswick's D.I.Y. basement punk scene, alongside such bands as The Bouncing Souls, Thursday and The Ergs!. more ›

Free Week hits its stride on Saturday with three separate shows at Emo’s Lounge, Emo’s inside stage, and the outside stage as well. more ›

The only downside of Emo's Free Week is that you have to decide which shows to attend. Some ambitious folks will move between the three venues and check out bits of several shows, but that requires, well, moving, and we're not into that. We'd rather grab five drinks from the bar, stake out a spot in front of the stage and spend all our available energy hollering "raaawwwkkk and roollllll" until we either pass out... more ›

Whether you think of it as a test run for SXSW, a belated Christmas present to local music fans, or an excuse to drink for seven days straight, Emo's Free Week kicks off today with a schedule of acts that reads like a who's-who of local punk, indie, and rock. As the showcases are all without cover, we'd recommend getting there early. Emo's Free Week January 2-8 603 Red River Tuesday, January 2 Inside:... more ›