We started off the week with the Triple Door's Movie Monday series, and now we've got a great recommendation for your pre-weekend jam: starting this Thursday {and continuing through September}, KEXP's own Greg Vandy will be hosting second Thursdays at The Royal Room in Columbia City as part of his American Standard Time showcase series. The nights will feature live performances and DJ sets by Greg himself, along with on-stage chats and artist interviews. Killer! If you haven't been, The Royal Room is a cool, intimate space with a low stage, full food menu, and an all-around good vibe. Plus, attendance is free — the venue just asks that you pay what you can via donation envelopes on your table for the bands.

We're particularly excited about this week's installment, as the series kicks off with headliner Kevin Murphy of The Moondoggies. While this won't be a Moondoggies show — he's billed as Kevin Murphy and the Allman Butters — we'd be remiss not to mention how stoked we are on the band's upcoming release, Adios I'm A Ghost {out August 13th on Hardly Art}. If you've been turned into KEXP lately, you've likely caught wind of one of the singles, "Red Eye," a short, catchy jaunt that showcases everything we love about this band: gorgeous harmonies blended with straight-forward chugging guitars, served with a heaping side of sad bastard:

Yes, we know — The Moondoggies are a bearded band from Seattle — but they're much more than that, and you're doing yourself a disservice if you've been pigeonholing them as such. You can read more about why we heart these dudes so much here, and PS, if beards are what it takes to make this kind of killer business, BRING ON THE BEARDS. Seriously.

{8pm start, donation suggested, all ages before 10pm. Gravel Road opens. You can see the Moondoggies in their full incarnation at the Tractor Tavern in August, tour dates and more info here.}