* Against the Grain, fresh off a tour supporting legendary hardcore band The Meatmen, will play Tuesday, July 26 at Brothers Lounge, 3812 Farnam St. The Detroit band will be joined by local punk band the F**king Party, who just returned from their own summer tour. The show is $5 and starts at 9:30 p.m.
* Baby Tears have spread their notorious name all the way east to Beantown. Alternative weekly the Boston Phoenix named the group the best new band from Nebraska in its yearly “Best New Bands In America” feature, which selects one band from each state. The article gushed over the band’s scant digitally-available recordings, stating that “shambolic presentation only accentuates the damaged urgency of Baby Tears’ rock-noise (as opposed to noise-rock), each tune a glorious musical loss of composure.” The New England paper also nodded in the direction of Lincoln’s Pharmacy Spirits, who inhabit dark vibes similar to Baby Tears.
* Omaha expatriate Cass Brostad is returning to the area with some new songwriting friends in tow. Brostad, now living in Austin, Texas is leading Charles Mason and Mandy Rowden through Nebraska on what they call “the Guided By Vices” tour. The trio will play the Barley Street Tavern, 2735 North 62nd St., Tuesday, August 9; and the Zoo Bar, 136 North 14th St. in Lincoln, Thursday, August 11. They will be joined by Bad Country and Family Gram in Omaha and All Young Girls Are Machine Guns in Lincoln.
* Local hard-rockers Emphatic are adding to their homecoming celebration with a special acoustic in-store at the Old Market location of Homer’s Music, 1210 Howard St. The band, who released their big, major label debut album Damage earlier this month, are set to play Stir Cove at Harrah’s Council Bluffs Friday, August 19. It is part of the Carnival of Madness Tour, which features Theory of a Deadman, Alter Bridge and Black Stone Cherry. Emphatic will play their in-store the day before the Stir Cove date on Thursday, August 18 at 6 p.m.