1) Retro-metal band The Sword is playing tonight (Friday) at Gas Monkey Bar and Grill (10261 Technology Blvd, Dallas). They have a new album. It’s decent, better than the last one, and they’ll still probably play the best tracks off Age of Winters and Gods of the Earth. I dunno. I used to really like the Sword, to the point of owning three different t-shirts, one of which was purchased at a show I drove all the way to Houston to see. My interest has waned, but if I were free Friday night, I’d probably go to this show. Tickets to the all-ages show are $20, and the opening act is another, similarly throwback-oriented rock band from Tulsa called the Shelter People. Doors are at 7, show starts at 8, punch and pie. This is the title track from the new record (Used Future), featuring the band rendered as a 16-Bit RPG game: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kx7pOi2KADE.

2) Grizzled, legendary troubadour Ray Wylie Hubbard plays Arlington’s Levitt Pavilion (100 W Abram, Arlingfun) at 8pm tonight. I didn’t find any info about ticket prices, so I suppose this is a free show. Here he is singing about playing music, with references to gear and Austin clubs: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RTbvf3a56UM

3) On Saturday, Lola’s (2736 6th St) has a benefit for the Danielle LeBlanc Foundation, an organization that helps battered women. The cover is $10 and the all-ages event starts at 5pm, with a lineup that includes Idol Job, Project 432 (all the way from Denver), Bum Lucky, Lost Art, and Israel Gonzales. Here’s a live video of Bum Lucky: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=83wmynBSsy8

4) The Bearded Lady (1229 7th Ave) is celebrating its fifth anniversary on Saturday with plenty of beer and three live bands: post-punk trio Phantomelo, Ween-influenced, nerd rockers Lindby, and veteran ska/punk/reggae jackasses Darth Vato (see disclaimer below). Show is 21+, free, and starts at 5pm. Phantomelo needs an official video, because I feel like I’ve posted this video a few times already: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QD0vQEGMilg

5) Also on Saturday: folk artist Jacob Furr is playing a full-band set at Fort Worth Live along with Louisiana-based songwriters Clay Parker and Jodi James. Doors are at 6, and the show starts at 7. Tickets are $8. Jacob Furr knows a Gordon Lightfoot song: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X0kmxUyq-Eo

FULL DISCLOSURE/WRITER BIO ALERT: per editorial suggestion, in addition to writing about music and other shit for the FW Weekly, I am an investor in a venue/bar called Main at Southside, colloquially known as MASS. I also bartend at the Boiled Owl Tavern, a bar that also hosts shows a few times a month, as well as Off the Record, which is a bar/record store that hosts DJs several nights a week. Since I’m on the subject of warning you against what may be perceived as icky self-promotion and/or conflicts of interest, I play bass in the following bands: Son of Stan and Darth Vato.