I normally don’t normally do big preview guides for festivals or concerts, but I feel like this time is pretty special. Boomslang is a three-day festival taking place this weekend in Lexington, KY that ranges over several venues all across town. The logistics of the festival are deceptively easy, so I figured I’d get my suggestions out there so you can make sure to hit up everything you want and regret nothing on Monday.

So just make sure you have your tickets and get ready to have a great time!

Friday – Oct 9

MP3: Rachel’s – The Last Light

Now, setting aside the kickoff events on Thursday, everything gets going on Friday with a show by Rachel Grimes at the Second Presbyterian Church at 5pm. I never knew that much about her previous group, Rachel’s, but all the WRFL kids loved them. A week or two ago I checked out her album Selenography and liked what I heard. Great way to start stuff off.

MP3: Atlas Sound – Recent Bedroom

Up next is one of the best bills Lexington’s had in a long time. Casino vs Japan opens up the Buster’s show at 7pm and is followed shortly by Atlas Sound at 7:45. That show was moved from an after-midnight afterparty to the opening of the show, so don’t forget! Getting both those bands was a big deal — last time Casino vs Japan played, people came in from as far away as Texas!

MP3: Mission of Burma – That’s When I Reach for My Revolver

In what is surely the best last-minute addition in the history of late additions, Mission of Burma will hit the stage also on Friday night at Buster’s. Go pick up Signals Calls and Marches and prepare yourself for a show you won’t want to miss.

MP3: Faust – Lauft… Heisst Das Es Lauft Oder Es Kommt Bald… Lauft

And finishing up the night’s main show is Faust! I can’t claim to be an expert on this krautrock group, but I’m pretty excited for the show. I mean, at least you know it’s going to be like no group you’ve ever seen before. If a band playing simple rock music you’ve heard a million times sounds like hell to you, make sure to wind up at Faust. You’ll thank yourself later.

For the after parties, you now have three options. You can hit up Al’s Bar and see Attempt and Big Fresh, go to the Void to see The Butchers and Psychedelic Horseshit or head to Natasha’s to see Sapat and Grails’ Zak Riles. If you’re into distorted freakouts, go with the Void; if you dig experimental music, go with Natasha’s; and if you just want to unwind with fun pop music, make your way to Al’s Bar.

Read the rest after the break

Saturday – Oct 10

The great news about Saturday is that there’s a clear path to the day with very little conflict. Yeah, there’s some fun extra stuff going on like the Boomslang Carnival, but the music is pretty well spaced out.

Start the day off by visiting CD Central to see Wussy and The Rainjunkies play a free instore at 1pm. We’ll be grilling out and having fun at the store, so come say hey!

Then continue the CD Central-love by attending an experimental listening party done by two guys who work there, Everyone Lives, Everyone Wins. They’ll be playing a studio session at WRFL and having a public experience at the Hop Hop garage. They have over a dozen radios tuned to various frequencies around 88.1FM and will have a third member there to manipulate the sound live. I know they put a lot of work and time into transforming that space, so go show them you care. Hey, if nothing else, it’s free!

MP3: Burning Star Core – Beauty Hunter

Then head over to Buster’s to catch a great show with a lot of local heavy hitters. David Pajo’s band Papa M will be on hand to open things up at 6pm. He just finished up playing guitar for the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, so it’ll be nice to hear him playing his own music again. After catching Bardo Pond, go off to the Buster’s side stage to soak in the sounds of C Spenser Yeh’s Burning Star Core.

MP3: The Black Angels – Doves

The Black Angels will be closing out the Buster’s show with a highly-anticipated show. I’ve caught them at least once before and can tell you that they pack as much of a powerful punch live as you’d expect from their records.

MP3: These United States – I Want You to Keep Everything

And as much as I hate to say it, the choice for the Saturday afterparty is clear. These United States will be back in town to play a show with Invaders at Al’s Bar. Go give them a hero’s welcome to start off their upcoming tour.

Sunday – Oct 11

Sunday is a nice wind-down day that should be as relaxing as the best Sunday afternoons always are. Start things off with a cookout at the Void where you can catch CROSS and a few other bands playing for free. Then head over to Buster’s parking lot to take in a day of experimental music and presentations. Quick note: when I said the day would be “relaxing” I was clearly not talking about the Hair Police’s set. That will be jarring and awesome.

MP3: Os Mutantes – A Minha Menina
MP3: Os Mutantes – Bat Macumba

Then that night will be the show I still can’t believe we got. Os Mutantes will take the stage in a psych-rock, tropicalia explosion. Seriously, if you’re even remotely on the fence about this show, take the dive and go see them. Not only are they fantastic (go buy their self titled album), but you will almost definitely never get this chance again. Lexington totally used up all her good karma to pull in this show.

Then go wind down by seeing a show by one of the guys who put this all together, Bedtime are playing at Al’s Bar with Tight Leather (reunion??) and Kurt Vile.

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