Young Mammals, Woozyhelmet, and SOMOSUNO rip up Mango's

You would think that having your headliners, Thee Oh Sees, cancel due to illness would have had the bookers at Flavored Wolf a bit down (especially since this was their inaugural show.) But talking to Andrew Ortiz, you wouldn’t know it.

“The way we figure it,” he said with a smile, “it’s better to have something like this happen on your first show and that way you just get it out of the way.”

That pretty much summed up the atmosphere at Mango's on Saturday; so Thee Oh Sees couldn’t play - who cares? We have two Houston veterans (Woozyhelmet and Young Mammals), Fernando of spazz-punk darlings Cop Warmth, and, while we’re at it, lets add a band from Austin who had a bad experience at another venue and just make the show free! It’s Houston! It’s a party! Who’s in?!

SOMOSUNO kicked things off with an energetic set that made the devil-may-care theme of the evening clear. Armed with a 13-year-old horn player and the debut of Jesus Sanchez (brother of Carlos and Jose Sanchez of Young Mammals), the band was a wild mish-mash of Latin, spazz-rock, agro-punk, '50s rock, surf, rap, and just about anything else you could think of thrown into a blender then topped off with an epileptic seizure.

Sure, bassist Jesus Sanchez hadn’t been with the band long enough to learn all the songs, and sure the band was a little rough around the edges, but they made up for it with good songs and a mountain of manic energy. If you spoke only English you’d miss half of Fernando’s hilarious stream-of-consciousness banter but, no matter; in any language SOMOSUNO are simply fun.

Austin’s Sunshine followed. The quartet had found themselves earlier that day with a less-than-kind welcome at another venue. Thinking better of it the band balked and the kind folks at Flavored Wolf added them to the bill. They played their set and people in the audience seemed to like it. The end.

Woozyhelmet brought back the manic energy with their set. The band’s smart, clever, and funny songs are always matched with a frantic energy that suggests the band was given a choice of Rock or Die. Simply picture the most grueling sporting event – the kind that leaves athletes collapsed from exhaustion – and you’ll get an idea of how this band approaches their performances. Ignore this band at your own peril.

It’s funny that Young Mammals (young as they are) are considered by some to be elder statesmen of the scene but, with Andrew Ortiz filling-in behind the kit, the band played through their set with no less youthful energy that they had back when they were in high school playing as The Dimes at Super Happy Fun Land. Young Mammals may opt for more happy and smiling performances over the teeth-grinding fury of Woozyhelmet but the music is no less clever, melodic, and energetic. A quick survey of the audience bouncing, singing, and dancing along to their set made this perfectly clear. A happy crowd, a full venue, great music, and cool autumn weather, bah, who needs a headliner, anyhow.

Craig Warmth shows of his cast.
Craig Warmth shows off his broken arm and
his new found ability to drink beer legally.

Jay Crossley and Dunnock show off their Houston Indie Rock gang signs.

SOMOSUNO prendiendo la vela under everyone's butts.

SOMOSUNO - No stage can hold us!

Ladies and Gentlemen, the SOMOSUNO dancers!

SOMOSUNO -call it SpasticLatinRapPunkRockJazzCumbiaParty Music

Austin's Sunshine found themselves much more welcome at Mangos.

Look at them! They make me sick! Fucking Hipsters!!!!!

Woozyhelmet - where music isn't just performance, it's a workout!

Woozyhelmet's Brandi DiPietro rockin' up the Rickenbacker

Some people sing along to Woozyhelmet,
others play beer bottle to Woozyhelmet - it's all good.

I'd love to say that Jay's red face was a Photoshop filter but no,
that's from screaming his ass off.
Shortly after this photo was taken, his head exploded.