Respectable Raging

The alarm dutifully pummels your gourd, rousing you from a peaceful slumber. You stand up, rub your eyes, and have a minor cranial meltdown. Then you beg for five more minutes in the sack. You consider smashing that clock when your eye catches the calendar: It's April 8, and you have to prepare for the Champions of Rock show!

A good suggestion would be copious, undignified amounts of caffeine and nicotine. Once properly stimulated, you check the flier: Truckstop Coffee, Nothing Rhymes with Orange, Hearts over Rome, Fashionista, Secret French Kissing Society, Eversinceve, and, to top it all off, the Freakin' Hott. Your mind wanders. Who do you want to see first? Truckstop Coffee and its alt-country sound; those mavens of new wave glam punk, Fashionista; or that hot freakin' girl who's in the Freakin' Hott. "Wowzers!" you exclaim. "This should be a splendid evening of the best rock goin' this side of the Mason-Dixon." Then when it seems like this night can't get any better, you wet yourself with the notion that the fun doesn't have to stop at last call. April 9 hails the release of Boxelder's new EP and another night at Respectables! Holy Hanna Barbera, when will the madness end? Thank you, alarm clock friend, thank you!

The Champions of Rock battle-of-the-bands contest starts at 8 p.m. Friday, April 8, at Respectable Street Café, 518 Clematis St., West Palm Beach. Tickets for this 18-plus show cost $7. Call 561-832-9999. Boxelder celebrates the release of its new EP with a free show at 9 the following night, Saturday, April 9, also at Respectables.