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A last ditch vacation before school starts prevented me from my usual weekend rounds but I trust that the Early Day Miners and Fatlip were both stellar additions to your star-studded weekend. So, in order to fulfill my duties, I did what I rarely do – venture out on a Wednesday, and true to form, Baton Rouge was in effect. I started with an opening set by Keller’s Remorse at the Spanish Moon. Don’t know Keller or what he’s remorseful for, but his pain comes out in exacted doses of metallic power rock. One searches for phrases to describe their all over tightness, (“tight as a coffin” comes highly recommended by a Google search) but man, it’s a well oiled machine. They maintain a consistent residence at Click’s, so should you need the dents of your day knocked out, I highly recommend Keller and his amped remorsefulness for the job.

Next, I dropped in at SoGo Live where, contrary to popular perception, everything was alive and kicking. I got there for the DJ set as that Lil Jon/Usher joint hit the speakers as a woman dragging her friend to the packed dance floor uttered the title to this entry. I spend my evening hours mostly in the indie rock band sector, so it’s been a while since I felt the thump-thump of the dance floor, whereas the current state of pop-rap seems rather disposable to me sounds timeless and perfect in that right environment. Kinda how, when in the right circumstances, disco is perfect music. For a moment there, it was my jam too.

The Michael Foster Project hit the stage shortly before my disco buzz wore off, and if you haven’t ventured out to see them in their regular Wednesday night deal at SoGo, you should. They expand the funky brass band concept almost into a full orchestra with a drummer and two percussionists, pulling everything from jazz complexity, Southern University marching band power to a touch of the Indestructible Sound of Soweto afropop. It made me forget that I was missing Big Sam’s Funky nation that weekend too.

Finally, I poked my head in on Largely Ironic Karaoke at Red Star, which is a more rough and tumble take on the traditional a pageantry of karaoke.

When I heard a gang attempt “Kashmir” I felt confident that there was to be no “Send in the Clowns” on the docket, which kills each and every karaoke I’ve been to.

OOH GIRL,HERE’S YOUR JAM

Wednesday, August 9: The aforementioned Michael Foster Project will be at SoGo Live.

Thursday, August 10: The Clientele with the great Lakes will tear up the Red Star. Outlaw Nation brings their “dirty Reggae soul” to Chelsea’s. In Every Nightmare, Ghosts in Lowlights, Battle!, Harloe and justinbailey at the Darkroom.

Friday, August 11: The Planning Fallacy are having their CD release party at the Darkroom. The Melters with K-Flux is at Red Star. Pine Leaf Boys are at Chelsea’s. Nuevo Hippie Cover Band is at North Gate Tavern. Meriwether is at the Caterie.

Saturday, August 12: Skip Heller is at Chelsea’s. Werewolf is at North Gate Tavern and Anisette and Break or Burn is at the Caterie. The Darkroom is having a “Benefit for Byron” featuring the Quartering, Downtown Fiasco, Seasons of Betrayal and Downtown Nightmare.

Want more suggestions for live music this weekend? Click here.