‘OH SNAP!’ music festival benefits scholarship fund in honor of drunk driving victim
"Oh snap! The lights went out!" someone yelled from the audience as the soaring melodies and infectious hooks of the Saturday night line-up of electro-rock bands at the OH SNAP! music festival Jan. 28 gave way to a cavernous silence. Indie band Little Lo was about 20 minutes into their set when the inconceivable happened: the festival seemingly blacked out the northern half of Sixth Street with rock ‘n roll.
Timothy Abbott and Arcana Mundi, never fall short of incorporating diverse sounds in their music. As a singer- songwriter for previous projects including, "Up Periscope" "Argument Client" "25 Smokin' Figurados" Abbott carries his past knowledge on to breed an album that's lyrical content speaks truth of overcoming futile relationships, dealing with loneliness from lost love and finding happiness when new love surfaces.
"This is music with no rules, or confinement to genre" Abbott said.
Rising Dallas indie electro- funk band to play La Zona Rosa, SXSW festival
As a soul and funk inspired indie-electro band that attributes some of its major musical influences to folk legends such as Simon and Garfunkel and Bob Dylan, Dallas band Ishi creates not only a unique sound, but an original atmosphere as well.
Ishi will bring their high- energy, funky-electro dance party to Austin for two shows this month. They opened for The Bright Light Social Hour at La Zona Rosa Feb. 10, and will play Feb. 15 at The Parish with Boombox. They have also confirmed a few undisclosed unofficial shows lined up during South by Southwest and will tour Texas and Oklahoma until then.
California singer-songwriter brings back classic country sound with debut album.
Jan. 17 marked the release of Carmel, California-based country musician Walter Rose's first full-length album. Rose is not yet well-known in the music industry, but with the release of "Cast Your Stone," that is sure to change.
The Austin Convention Center was crawling with creatures and costumes from all sorts of cult classic comics, movies and TV shows Nov. 11-13 for Austin's second annual Wizard World Comic Con. The disguises alone were enough of a reason to regret missing out on this year's ultimate nerd gathering.
Over 80 exhibitors and retailers sold comics, costuming supplies, toys, autographed memorabilia and more. Several artists and celebrities were on hand at booths all over the convention center ready to sign autographs, take photos, present artwork and even draw custom requests.
Relo working to release first full-length album ‘Childhood Obesity’ Spring 2012
Relo, a four-piece Dallas-based band asserting contagious, richly harmonious layers, has been likened to bands such as Radiohead, The Pixies and even the Deftones due to their quirky, complex multi-instrumental chord progressions.
Relo initially started as a project between Will Rakkar and Adam Sewell. Their union was instigated with the aid of a Craigslist ad written by Rakkar, who had never previously used the website apart from selling and purchasing.
Texas native Casey Donahew Band releases fourth full-length album ‘Double-Wide Dream’
Country Music singer and Texas native Casey Donahew and his band have released their fourth record "Double-Wide Dream" just two years after the release of their third album "Moving On." The new album was released Oct. 25 and it is, at the time of print, in the 81 spot on the iTunes Top 100 chart, and debuted at number 10 on the Billboard Country Album chart.
Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3’ breaks sales records
"Call of Duty: Modern Warfare 3" (COD: MW3) is the latest installment of the critically acclaimed first-person shooter series from developers Infinity Ward. Through the course of the past several years the "Modern Warfare" franchise has continuously broken sales records with a growing popularity, including this edition of the game.
The single-player game takes off like a freight train right out of the gate, violently throwing you into a world where the very future of America is in your hands. It seems you are always teetering on the brink of death in each level's beginning, whether by surviving helicopter crashes, collapsing buildings or the double cross of a rogue agent.
Fun Fun Fun Fest dusty, but thrilling with musicians, comedians, celebrities, more
A giant mass of what looked like hipster-gangsters and train robbers kicked around dirt and dust Nov. 4-6 at this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest (FFFF).
Over 150 diverse and engaging bands performed for the bandana-clad concertgoers at FFFF's sixth annual gathering, located at Auditorium Shores this year. The festival showcased musicians from a manifold of genres and styles.
Thrive Austin Festival entertains, encourages green living, social responsibility among community me
Live music, sustainability workshops and environmentally-themed carnival games put an entertaining spin on green living during the Nov. 11 Thrive Austin Festival held at the Pine Street Station in downtown Austin.
The festival, which was a collaboration among the Amala Foundation, the Sustainable Living Roadshow (SLR) and Go Local Austin, raised $3,000 for the Amala foundation, event organizers said. Amala is an international humanitarian service organization which runs youth summer camps and assists immigrant and refugee youth in Austin.
According to Amala Executive Director Ryan Jordan, as many as 3,000 refugees are relocated to Austin each year. Organizations such as Refugee Services of Texas refer many of the displaced youth to Amala.
"Amala endeavors to create a safe space for youth that have suffered abuse, war, neglect and religious persecution among other injustices," Jordan said.
This Will Destroy You Saturday 11/26 | 9:00PM Emo's This four-piece instrumental band from central Texas has been gracing the states with it's heavy, ambient, cinematic-instrumental bliss for the last seven years. Having gained increasing notoriety over the years, This Will Destroy You's stage presence is both scientific and trance-like.
New local band My Golden Calf releases poetic, intriguing debut album for free
Some live music performances can be so captivating, they stay lodged in your memories for months on end. Austin band My Golden Calf's powerful and clever lyrics, saturating rhythmic melodies and catchy tempos definitely have this effect on listeners. Their debut album, "Rituals To Make New," is now available on iTunes, Amazon and Spotify, and can be downloaded for free on their BandCamp website.
Jangly folksy-rock is one way lead vocalist and guitarist Dabney Dwelle describes the band's sound. Their unconventional, bluesy beats convey a sense of mystery and allure listeners to the stories contained in Dwelle's bewitching lyrics. They offer a more sincere and unique sound than many of the other thousands of indie rock bands out there.
Robyn Feb. 17, 8:00 p.m. ACL Live at the Moody Theater The girl who got big in the ‘90s for her hit "Show Me Love" is back with her trilogy album Body Talk. The Pulp Fiction Quote-Along Feb. 24, 7:00 p.m. Alamo Drafthouse Ritz "Oh I'm sorry, did I break your concentration?" One of Quentin Tarantino's most memorable films (with tons of hilarious and simply awesome quotes) will be showing at the Ritz.
That time of year is upon us where, once again, we are faced with the dilemma of what to get people for the holidays.
After delay after delay, the Playstation 3 exclusive Gran Turismo 5 (GT5) racing simulation video game was finally released on Nov. 24.
Shane O'Byrne broke his back lifting weights when he was in high school and changed his life plan of wanting to be a football player.
ACC dancer performs in Dance Choreographers’ Showcase
Gracefully leaping through the air in a tilt jump position and balancing on just his hands in a complex handstand position are just two of the ways dance major Alex Crank creates expression through movement by dancing.
Comic fans show up in costume at first ever Austin event
Austinites of all ages entered the Austin Convention Center to be greeted by iconic celebrities like the original Hulk, Lou Ferrigno, Billy Dee Williams who played Lando Calrissian in Star Wars Episode V and VI, and Ernie Hudson who played Winston Zeddemore in the Ghostbusters movies.
Mouse to star in Wii exclusive video game
"Disney Epic Mickey" aims to change how everyone views the iconic character Mickey Mouse by allowing players to engage long-forgotten Disney characters as Mickey in a world designed to resemble Disney World with a dark twist.
Accent captures fun at 5th annual festival
Transmission Entertainment pulled off another Fun Fun Fun Fest by actually providing all the fun, and the Accent multimedia team was there to document the event with pictures and video.
Four Lions movie puts hilarious take on sensitive subject
Four Lions centers around five (yes five, despite what the title implies) Muslims living in London who radicalize and formulate a plan to commit massive jihad during the London Marathon. Even though two of them have completed terrorist training with disastrous results, they manage to bumble through and carry out their plans.
Hard to assemble portable coffee maker makes smooth, desirable drink
Thursday nights, when the latest issue of the Accent newspaper has to be ready for print before the Round Rock Campus closes, it's a marathon to get the paper looking and written just right. The fuel that keeps the editing train running is a lot of coffee.
8-bit music, reminiscent of early "Zelda" and "Mario Bros." video game soundtracks, filled the air as local game enthusiasts attended SXSW's ScreenBurn and The Austin Chronicle's second annual Game On Austin event on Nov. 16. Game On Austin played host to a night of video game demos and tournaments from local video game companies at the Mohawk, a music venue on Red River Street.
Writer Julia Alvarez speaks as part of ACC’s Big Read
If this was written in the Dominican Republic during the time of President Rafael Trujillo, his government would have forced this article to praise his name. Instead, the focus will be on Julia Alvarez, who escaped the Trujillo regime with her family when she was a child.
Post-apocalyptic role-playing game Fallout: New Vegas adds features to familiar franchise
Set in the vast wasteland of the Mojave desert, Fallout: New Vegas, voted 2010's best role-playing game by IGN and Gamespot, debuts on Oct. 19 and is the latest installment in the Fallout video game series.
Massively multiplayer online role playing game makes its debut for Microsoft Windows
Final Fantasy XIV made its debut on the PC last month, and this massively multiplayer online role playing (MMORP) game is something to take in using all the senses.
"Although I support the public education system, each morning I grudgingly drive past three public schools in order to drop my kids off at the private school that they are currently enrolled in."
Davis Guggenheim, the director for the new documentary Waiting for Superman, said these words to open the film and one can't help but chuckle at the blatant contradiction.
An Austin Community College professor is probably the last person people think would take the feather boa out of the closet, put on heavy makeup and go to the nearest Rocky Horror Picture Show screening for a sing along party.
However, ACC religion adjunct professor Melinda Rothouse started rehearsing for a full-cast Rocky Horror Revue on August 2010.
"What is community college? Well you've heard all kinds of things. You've heard it is a loser college for remedial teens, 20-something dropouts, middle-aged divorcees, and old people keeping their minds active as they circle the drain of eternity." That's part of the opening speech given by Dean Pelton (played by Jim Rash) as he welcomes everyone, on and off screen, to the debut of NBC's tv show "Community.
Black Ops first in Call of Duty series set during Cold War era
Call of Duty Black Ops is the latest edition in the Call of Duty (COD) series making its return to PCs and gaming consoles worldwide on Nov. 9.
In November, everybody with access to a word processor and an overactive imagination is challenged by The Office of Letters and Light, a nonprofit organization based in California, to write a novel in one month.
Bros Peabodys created to honor former local band
"All these songs were written by Those Peabodys," Bros Peabodys singer/guitarist Jack Lewandowski announced, casting a waft of confusion in front of a thin crowd during an Oct. 29 performance at The Hole in the Wall. It was the band's final performance.
Let's face it. Video gaming is better in groups, and with the invention of online gaming, this has never been more true. Let's take a step backwards and get back to the true roots of video gaming: live tournaments.
Kids came to paint sugar skulls for the altar while their parents looked at the car and bike show and listened to live music.
Movies and video games
Fantastic Fest is celebrating six years of giving the cinephiles films that aren't normally in the biggest box office hit list. That is if they ever make it to the big screen. These are the films that usually come second to whatever is the latest Jerry Bruckheimer or James Cameron film.
Before Accent endures a week full of sitting in uncomfortable movie chairs, eye strains from the bright lights and sore thumbs from playing video games, Accent Life & Arts Editor Sarah Vasquez sorted through the list of the selected films while staff writer JasonWitmer listed the video games from the debuting Fantastic Arcade that caught their attention.
"Este vato" translates to "this dude". Just looking at the six-piece Spanish fusion band, you would think that they are just some regular dudes. They are unassuming and very approachable. But on stage, Este Vato is a fiery blend of rock, hip-hop, cumbia and reggae.
The Austin Gay and Lesbian International Film Festival, more commonly known as AGLIFF, presented its 23rd festival this year. It started in 1987 with four films and has grown to six days with over 150 films. The selection continues to grow and be more diverse every year. According to program director Jake Gonzales, this year's festival includes 68 films for the ladies and 65 for the men, "It's about time we got some gender equality around here."
Remember the old karaoke machines with a bad selection of music and those landscape images scrolling on the background of the lyrics? Forget that. You are in Austin, and in Austin, music is always great. Austin's karaoke scene is still a fetus if compared with the amount of local bands playing gigs around town. But only in a karaoke gig can a nobody win the crowd with an amazing performance or kill everybody in the room with a banshee scream.
Smashing Pumpkins w/ Bad City Sept. 20, 6:00 p.m. Stubb's Bar-B-Q Check out Billy Corgan's lovely bald head while listening to tunes from their latest angsty album, Teargarden by Kaleidoscope. Pixies Sept. 21 and 22, 8:00 p.m. Austin Music Hall They have been rocking since before most Austin hipsters where born.
As most people know, Austin is an eccentric town that offers a plethora of activities, ranging from live music, dancing, movies, to hiking and more. For those on a budget looking for a way to change things up, here are some examples of activities to do in Austin for under $5.
With a constant line out the door and blaring music that could be heard from a block away, Mohawk hosted a day long festival filled with over 20 bands that provided the perfect soundtrack for the sunny Sunday afternoon which later became a cool but sweat-filled night. The first Wild Frontier Festival, hosted by Vagabond Collective, showcased a handful of local talent.
The Intergalactic Nemesis is a true Austin original but what it is exactly can be hard to pin down. It's part radio show, part comic and now, according to show creator Jason Neulander, it is a "live-action graphic novel."
Earlier this week, Accent staff writer, Odin Amador caught up with evil mastermind Neulander to pick his brain about his project.
A young man moves on the stage, and sprays a can of paint in the air while dancing. He fluidly moves his way to the awning of a building, where he writes his name, but then gets chased away by the store's owner.
Rude Mechanicals is a local theater company that produces mostly new, experimental works. Created by six friends and UT graduates, it has been around since 1995 and has received over 150 local and national awards and nominations. The company is hotter than ever right now and gaining popularity nationwide. Two of the six artistic directors, Madge Darlington and Kirk Lynn spoke about the inner workings of Rude Mechs.
The current and, sadly, final tour of Phantom of the Opera that ran in Austin from March 17 to April 4 served as a magnificent curtain call for this long running show. From the opening scene, which is not truncated like it has been in the past, Bass Concert Hall seemed to be charged with energy. The staging and costuming is exquisite. Everything with this cast is right on cue and watching the chandelier rise from the floor to its location on the ceiling; you could feel that the audience was in for a real treat.
It's every actor's worst nightmare: You're on stage, in front of the audience, in the middle of a scene, and suddenly you can't remember your lines. You stammer and try to remember but fear and anxiety overwhelm you and keep your mind blank. Then you look down and realize you're naked.
The word "theater" brings to mind something along the lines of overacted Shakespeare or a high school play for most people, but Austin's Fusebox Festival is far more adventurous than that. Exploring the cutting edge, Fusebox is the type of experimental theater that expands the definition of what art and performance is.
Real local coverage by real locals
Ah, South By Southwest. That magic time of the year, when the first hints of spring hit the air and downtown Austin becomes a roiling pit of congested crowds, booming sound systems, and obnoxious out-of-towners. With so much going on, it can be pretty hard to get one's bearings. Luckily, Accent has got you covered.
SPEAK immediately got the Antone's crowd dancing through their shyness at a December show with their 80's reminiscent indie pop. These four baby-faced guys looked like they weren't born to enjoy that music when it originally debuted but the lack of black x's on their hands proved they are much older than their looks insinuate. Those young looking kids are really vocalists Troupe Gammage, guitarist Nick Hurt, drummer Jake Stewart and bassist Joey Delahoussaye.
Wanna get away for vacay but can't cough up the cash for a week in South Padre? Luckily, spring break is coming up quick, and even if you're not partying in close proximity to a Girl's Gone Wild film crew, you can still vicariously experience all the sun, fun, and debauchery of the beach from the comfort of your couch. From retro classics to campy carnage, here is a list of the top five spring break films for 2010.
Smile Smile's newest album Truth on Tape reveals an open letter from the heartbroken vocalist/guitarist Ryan Hamilton to the woman who caused these scars. His lyrics portray the hurt and longing of his former lover. They are accompanied by a simple acoustic piano backing or a head bopping ditty complete with a full band.The woman who is Hamilton's muse of these public proclamations is Smile Smile's keyboardist herself, Jencey Hirunrusm. Hirunrusm even provides backing vocals to the angsty lyrics written about her.
Spring Break Edition
Spring Break Edition What Not to Watch on DVD Couple's Retreat - Yeah, couples should retreat alright, from this film. The Box - Here's an idea; push the button, but instead of killing a stranger, it makes this movie go away. Cirque du Freak: The Vampire's Assistant - Just trust me folks, this one "sucks.
March 1 - Rust Never Sleeps Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 9:45p.m., $2
Perhaps the greatest musician to ever walk the Earth, Neil Young had a hot streak in the 1970s that hasn't been touched to this day. This rare 35mm screening capture Young at his zenith, playing solo and then going electric with Crazy Horse.
The name of the game
I've been playing video games competitively for as long as I can remember. I love the thrill of competition, so it's lucky for me that the competitive gaming scene is big in Austin.
I heard wind of a two vs. two Street Fighter 4 tournament at Arcade UFO (Austin's only coin operated Japanese arcade), and decided to go. I invited my friend Alec Garcia, a fellow gamer from Houston, to be my partner.
Horror classic gets enjoyable, but unnecessary, update
Well first off, to state the obvious, this is a remake. Not only that, but it is a remake of what many consider to be a classic. Lawrence Talbot (Benicio Del Toro) is an English born American actor who hasn't spoken to his family in years. While in London, he receives a letter from his brother's fiancée, Gwen (Emily Blunt,) imploring him to return to Talbot Hall to help search for his missing brother, Ben Talbot (Simon Merrills).
Dear John —
Typical Nicholas Sparks adaptation which means it's another hyper-sensitive chick flick.
Avatar —
This is what happens when you mix an old Kevin Costner film with a Saturday morning cartoon and a huge lump of environmentalism.
Feb 19 - Oscar Animated & Live Action Shorts Alamo South Lamar, 7PM
Come see this year's Academy Award nominated short films so you can impress your friends by having seen more than just the one with Wallace and Gromit.
Hyper-masculine action flick shows little love for women, minorities, or any semblance of decent fil
If you don't like the new film From Paris with Love, you had better pull out your wallet right now and make sure your ID says you're a U.S. citizen, because this film is nothing but star-spangled, terrorist killing, French hating, goatee wearing American pride. It's the cinematic equivalent of a Hummer with both "Support our Troops" and "No Fat Chicks" bumper stickers on it. John Travolta kicks so much terrorist/foreigner butt, he probably had to change out his American made work boots ten times during the shooting of this film cause they were getting so worn down from all the butt kicking!!!
District 13: Ultimatum makes good on its predecessor's promise to deliver parkour, Paris, and high octane, European action.In District 13: Ultimatum, the sequel to 2004's Parisian parkour action hit District 13, director Patrick Alessandrin works with the principle that if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Super cop Damien Tomasso (Cyril Rafaelli) and thug-with-a-heart-of-gold Leito (parkour founder David Belle) reunite to tackle the forces of corruption that, once again, threaten to wipe District 13, future Paris' walled off ethnic slum, off the map.
DREAM Act on display in Papers
Each year in the United States 2.8 million students graduate from high school. Of those 2.8 million, 65,000 lack the legal documents to do the things in life that many of us take for granted. These things range from obtaining a driver's license in almost all states, to having the legal right to work and even, dependent upon University policy, attend college. Texas is ahead of the curve on public policy, believe it or not, and some community colleges allow undocumented persons to attend school.
MAG invites you and two hundred and fifty five friends to play a game
In Texas, bigger is always better. So as a proud Texan, it should come as no surprise that I was eager to play Sony's new gigantic first person shooter – MAG (Massive Action Game) on Playstation 3.MAG allows two hundred and fifty-six players to play simultaneously online. This is huge news for gamers since previous games have been limited to about 16-32 players as the standard (with some games such as Battlefield 2 going as high as 64). MAG takes the futuristic shooter genre into uncharted territory by allowing a massive amount of people to play together in a beautifully rendered world.
Turn on any rap radio station in the country these days, and you're guaranteed to hear Lil Wayne's voice in a matter of minutes. Whether he's guest rapping for another artist, or scoring a hit on his own, Lil Wayne is everywhere. It should come as no surprise that Wayne has been flirting with rock music lately, first collaborating with Weezer and now making his official bid for rockstar status with his new record Rebirth.
Matador spotlights Austin garage but neglects city’s diversity
The Austin music scene is known for being The Live Music Capital of The World. Which means it can be tough to navigate due to an over saturation of great bands and worthwhile artists.That's why Gerard Cosloy, long time partner in Matador records, a prominent staple of 90's indie rock who put out releases from luminaries such as Pavement, Guided By Voices, and Yo La Tengo, finally decided to do something about it. Cosloy has been an Austin resident for the last six years, and this year he and Matador attempted to highlight the best rock and roll bands in the Austin bar scene with their Casual Victim Pile (an anagram of "Live Music Capital") compilation.
Models strutted their stuff on the Mohawk runway stage at Fashion Freakout! 3 on Feb. 5. Three local stores, Buffalo Exchange, New Bohemia and Phototype Vintage Design, pulled nostalgic looks from various decades. Some of the trends, including 80s Madonna-glam fashion and 70s country western style, were revamped for a more modernized look. Attendees cheered as models of both sexes rocked out in layered outfits that predominately featured lacy stockings, rock star teased hair, capes, cowboy hats and much more. Comedic Host Matt Bearden and doo-wop band, The Carrots, provided entertainment in between the different stores' showcases.
To celebrate the final Gadjo Disko, Austin's weirder residents filled La Zona Rosa to capacity on Feb. 5, leaving a line outside that stretched for blocks. The anything goes party has been a regularly occurring institution for the last two years, and for its final blowout Austinites put on their wildest outfits and got down at the packed event which featured live music, acrobatic antics, and bumpin Balkan beats and ethnic techno. Our community's abundant creativity could be seen in every costume on display and the fevered dancing could be scene in every corner of the venue. While it was sad to see Gadjo go, Saturday's festivities was a fitting end to an eccentric event.
Spoon has been one of Austin's hometown heroes for years. After vocalist Britt Daniel initially teamed up with drummer Jim Eno in 1993, the band quickly started earning critical praise from press and music fans for their easily accessible hybrid of indie and post-punk rock.
Spoon achieved commercial success as songs from their 2005 album, Gimme Fiction, provided the soundtrack to a variety of movies and TV shows. The involvement with popular TV shows like The O.C. and Veronica Mars, and movies such as 17 Again and Cloverfield attracted even more aficionados to Spoon's minimalistic rock.
Quality gets left behind in lack luster apocalypse action flick
Like so many modern films, Legion put its best foot forward, meaning its best scenes are in the preview. The film starts off well enough, but quickly tumbles into a bottomless pit, not of fire and brimstone, but of tedium.
Legion takes place in a world where God has abandoned hope for the human race, but Arch Angel Michael (Paul Bettany) hasn't. He disobeys orders and goes to Paradise Falls, a dingy little desert diner, where an unwed and unsympathetic, pregnant, chain smoking waitress is supposedly carrying the hope of humanity in her womb, although how or why is never explained.
Herzog’s latest twists a true story into an intense portrait of a madness and matricide
Roger Ebert has a rule that states "no movie featuring either Harry Dean Stanton or M. Emmet Walsh in a supporting role can be altogether bad." It's about time someone added Willem Dafoe to that list. In legendary German director Werner Herzog's latest film, My Son, My Son, What Have Ye Done, Dafoe uses his impressive abilities to be a stabilizing anchor in a purposefully unhinged film.
Dafoe plays it straight as Hank Havenhurst, an L.A. homicide detective struggling to comprehend what leads Brad McCullum (Michael Shannon) to murder his mother and enter into an armed standoff with the police.
The name of the game
This last January was a huge month for gaming due to all the fantastic single player titles that donned the shelves. To kick things off, Bioware released the highly anticipated sequel to their 2007 smash RPG hit, Mass Effect. Mass Effect made waves with its amazing storytelling and awe inspiring worlds, and this long awaited sequel surpasses its predecessor in both graphical and technical standpoints. The space-oriented action role playing game features a very flexible third person combat system, which combined with an interesting storyline and diverse side characters, makes this is a game you are going to want to pick up. Plus, you can have crazy alien intercourse, always a welcomed addition.
February 2010
Feb 2 - Frankenstein Meets the Wolf Man
Alamo Drafthouse Ritz 7PM, $8.50
Lon Chaney Jr. and Bela Lugosi go at it as the titular titans of terror. This classic restarted Universal Studio's monster movie franchise.
February 2010
Feb 2 - The Residents
Stubbs 8PM, $20/$23
Anonymous, experimental weirdos The Residents descend on Austin for a concert that promises to be anything but ordinary.
The Ivy League indie rockers return with another album of eclectic influences
In 2008, a band of clean cut Columbia University students came into prominence with a highly acclaimed self-titled debut. Calling themselves Vampire Weekend, the preppy ensemble took some elegantly clean indie rock, and then spiced it up a bit with a broad palette of ska and afro pop allusions, creating what they called "upper west side Soweto." But just like Paul Simon, the last epically "white" artist to mine African influences, controversy and backlash soon followed the initial tidal wave of praise.
Quintet blew the roof off of La Zona Rosa with 30 min. encore
Café Tacvba are celebrating their 20 year anniversary and stopped in at the ‘live music capital of the world' to play La Zona Rosa on Nov. 29. The City of Austin was one of the stops the quintet chose to play before ending their 2009 tour of the Americas.
The mayor, city manager and the police chief are slated to guest star in "The Nutcracker"
As a unique quirk, for the last 11 years, Ballet Austin has invited a local Austin celebrity to play the role of Mother Ginger in their production of "The Nutcracker." This year will feature Austin Police Department Chief, Art Acevedo on opening night, Austin City Manager, Marc Ott on Dec. 12, and Mayor, Lee Leffingwell on Dec. 19 to name a few.
Check out what is being released, showing, running or expected around the capital city.
BOOKS
"Faces of the Gone" is investigative reporter Brad Parks' debut crime/mystery novel. Being a fan of true crime fiction, but a discerning fan, this sounds like it will be a surprising debut for the 31 year-old Parks. Four dead bodies, Newark and the underbelly of the eclectic New Jersey city are elements that comprise the novels plot. The book will be available Dec. 8 from St. Martin's Press.
A complete deviation from the standard vampire fare saturating audiences.
The closing film for this year's Fantastic Fest was the upcoming Daybreakers (to be released Jan. 8) from the Spierig Brothers. It has been six years since they brought us the frenetic, high energy, low budget Undead (2003). Following up their fan-boy flick, that was decent for what it was, Undead had lots of laughs, over the top effects, while Daybreakers is better written, casted, and has a better plot.
"Truth, Love, War"
All Hail's first full-length album "Truth, Love, War" was over a year in the making. Following the previous EP, "Every Wealth" (2007), the band decided to take their time to record, rather than rush out a follow up album. The final result is evident, all they really wanted to do was make a great indie-rock album, and they succeeded.
Over-acted cut and paste sequel bores viewers, shames cult classic
The Boondock Saints II: All Saints Day may quench the thirst of loyal cult followers of The Boondock Saints (1999), but it might not quench the thirst for moviegoers who were looking for an improvement.
An abnormal holiday caper, comedy, horror, action, drama and noir film to spice up the season.
While the soundtrack for Silent Night, Deadly Night (1984) is quality, and the kill scenes are creative, if only they deviated a little from the Jason Vorheeves/Michael Myers damaged youth psyche that lay within the protagonist. Gratuitous breasts and an underlying positive message that squirmed from the decadence of the mid-80s, Silent Night, Deadly Night is...
Big action, but the movie lacks explanation.
If you felt déjà vu watching 2012 directed by Roland Emmerich (Stargate, 1994), you are not alone.
Emmerich also directed Independence Day (1996) and The Day After Tomorrow (2004). 2012 seems to be a remake of the latter with a few extras thrown in for color.
We find a cinematic adaptation of the late David Foster Wallace's Hideous Men..., posthumously.
Brief Interviews with Hideous Men is a wonderfully surprising and inventive collection of cinematic vignettes.
Following Hellblazer and Lucifer, Michael Carey’s Unwritten is disappointing.
With Michael Carey's most recent project, "The Unwritten," it seems he was abducted by aliens and replaced by an illiterate doppelganger. "The Unwritten," a series in progress, is being published by Vertigo, DC's seal for graphic novels intended for mature adults. The new series hit the shelves July 9, and is currently on its sixth issue.
November 23rd 2009
BOOKS
"Raymond Carver [A Writer's Life]" is a well researched, thoughtful and decade long effort in biography form, with the subject being Carver, one of the greatest American short story writers. The London Times claimed that Carver is "the Chekhov of middle–America." Authored by Carol Sklenicka the biography will be available Nov. 24 from Scribner.
Students and instructors display artwork in East Austin Studio Tour
Four groups of ACC artist showed their work at the eighth East Austin Studio Tours (EAST) at Graphic Glass Studios on East 5th street. The tour has extended from a two day affair into a nine day, two weekend event. Different art mediums, such as, ceramics, paintings, sculpture, and jewelry fabrication were featured within the tight range of studios in East Austin.
The Latin quartet is on the way to winning over the America's with layered sound.
Kalua is a melting pot of eclectic sound. The local quartet began playing in 2007, and Kalua's Hispanic roots influence their music with a mix of neo-folklore, reggae, and salsa, but their base rhythm is rock.
Tony Jaa delivers another action packed martial arts smorgasbord.
Ong Bak II: The Beginning is an excellent film.
The fighting and action scenes are truly spectacular. The acting and story is greatly improved from 2003's Ong Bak: The Thai Warrior.
Local duo offers eclectic substance.
The self titled album is confusing, but it is good and that is important. The eight tracks on "Ideal Soul Mart," initially sound like very simple garage rock that leads to toe tapping.
Austin mainstay and local innovator Daniel Johnston is still producing quality tunes.
After ‘Keep Austin Weird,' Daniel Johnston's ‘Hi, How Are You?' is probably the second most common touristy T-shirt slogan in town. Accompanied by a strange looking, bug-eyed frog, the crude drawing and chipper greeting is best known to Austinites as the mural on the corner of 21st and Guadalupe Street. Though they may drive past it regularly, many residents do not know what it is, why it is there, or who the heck Daniel Johnston is.
Raised in West Virginia, Johnston made Austin his home in the early eighties after dropping out of college and working briefly for a touring carnival. Austin's music scene has always provided refuge for unconventional artists and off beat creative types and Johnston, undoubtedly, falls into both categories.
Since 1974, the Texas Renaissance Festival has brought to life knights, pirates, fairies, gypsies, and other magical creatures and mingled with festival goers.
Under the Gaslight comes to ACC. All photos by Teodora Erbes.
A documentary, a period piece, a pulitzer prize winning novel and a comedy
The word festival conjures up thoughts of long lines, sport sandals and horrible, yet expensive food. The 16th Annual Austin Film Festival and Conference (AFF), fortunately, lacks most of these traits and depending on the film most lines were manageable, if not small.
Highball adds to the eclectic experience of Austin's movie culture
To refer to the Alamo Drafthouse as ‘just a movie theater' would be a gross oversimplification. Thanks to alcoholic beverage service, cult movie screenings, and grandiose interactive events, the Alamo Drafthouse has become an Austin institution and an integral part of what keeps this city weird. When Alamo founder Tim League announced that he was starting a new venture, a cocktail lounge/diner of sorts, Alamo patrons knew it would be anything but ordinary.
The Hess' deliver another hilarious teenage angst film, layered with camp
What do a flesh pocket, a defecating snake, and rocket equipped stags have in common? They are all contained in the hilariously campy, science fiction infused, teenage angst film "Gentlemen Broncos."
Books, live shows, theater and events/features to be on the lookout for.
Books, live shows, theater and events/features to be on the lookout for.
A l'interieur's and Martyrs offers something diferent from the typical American horror films
Though even casual moviegoers have noticed that Hollywood has run out of ideas, this drought of original thought has been especially devastating in the world of horror.
Things to do, places to go and where to find a fright
An overview of Austin's various attractions over the Halloween holiday and fall season.
Books, live music, theatre showings, films and events/features to be on the lookout for.
“The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee,” Zachary Scott Theater’s newest musical comedy gives audience members an enjoyable look into the heart of one of America’s favorite academic pastimes, the spelling bee.
A quick release following up to the unsuspected best seller "Pride and Prejudice and Zombies;" "Sense and Sensibility and Sea Monsters" was released on Sept. 15. The authors of the works are listed as Jane Austen and Ben H. Winters.
Bolero’s transcend generation gap, thrives in Austin’s cafes
Boleros are a tradition among the Latino culture. Using the universal theme of love, whether it be eternal love, unrequited love or lost love, the tempo of the bolero compliments the sincere emotion.
First place Chronicle short story winner transformed into award winning film after more than a decad
Death Rattle, a short film based on a dramatic short story sprung from the creative talent of ACC creative writing teacher Amparo Garcia-Crow and directed by A.J. Garces, has been stirring hearts and minds since it won first place in the Austin Chronicle’s Short Story contest in 1993 up to its exciting 2009 nomination in the Los Angeles Latino International Film Festival (LALIFF)
Its first competition was the San Antonio Film Festival, where it was chosen by jury selection for Best Director, a stunning achievement, punctuated by the fact that its competition was full-length films.
Neon Indian bridges the divide between two of Brooklyn’s most prominent musical scenes
The heart of Neon Indian's ethereal debut, "Psychic Chasms" to be released Oct. 13, beats to a subtle disco rhythm.
The States’ most recent release focuses more on the trio’s music than the layering of production
"We Are the Erasers" is the newest EP from Brooklyn's The States, available Sept. 22. After previously releasing two full length albums ("Multiply Not Divide" in 2006 and "The Path of Least Resistance" in 2007) full of high production, this record has five strongly-written songs with hints of an evolution of their distinct sound.
The Student Literary Gathering (SLG), held monthly at Austin Java, proved to be an event not only for ACC students, but also fellow Austinites with a yearning for literary prose.
Bringing together art, hip hop, and skateboarding, the "Hella Broke" art and music show is the catalyst that brought these three cultures under Red 7's roof on Sunday, Sept. 13.
"From the Calle Bucareli, in Mexico City, to murder, you must be thinking…But it's not like that at all, which is why I'm telling you this story…" These are the closing lines of the first lengthy paragraph of "The Skating Rink," Roberto Bolano's most recent translation by Chris Andrews released Aug. 28.
Gratuitous cocaine use, ambivalent sex, and the perpetual party have aggrandized, transformed and bled unobtrusively into this decade from the eighties and nineties. Unsurprisingly, Brett Easton Ellis' and Gregor Jordan's The Informers, a fictional mingling of fates in the world of 1984 Los Angeles portrayed in an adaptation splayed on the white screen, felt eerily pertinent.
If you haven't heard of Quiet Company, you soon will. Vocalist and main songwriter Taylor Muse has the ability to write a great hook. Using his personal experiences and issues, audiences will immediately become connected to their catchy power pop. Released in early March, the guys held CD release shows for their most recent album "Everyone You Love Will be Happy Soon" in Austin and another in San Antonio where they shared the stage with The Toadies.
In Austin last month (April 22 through 30), the International Film Festival Cine Las Americas hosted over 100 films shot in South, Central, and North America, and included the participation of several cinematographers from all over the world. Many of the films were based on true stories.
The second annual Lone Star State Jam invaded Waterloo Park on Saturday, April 25. The festival was presented by Young Texans Against Cancer and brought by 415 Productions. Thousands of concert goers came out to take on the heat for the country music, which featured some of the best artists from around the state.
With "Dance Mother", Telepathe pulled a 180 in accessibility, while simultaneously retaining the haunting echoes of their noisier work. Telepathe's first full length release "Dance Mother" shows a band who have grown drastically. I mean real drastically, like when Spock went through puberty super fast in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
"American Radical; The Life and Times of I.F. Stone" is a biography of the prolific investigative reporter, columnist, and college dropout who challenged McCarthyism unwaveringly. Written by The Nations London correspondent D.D. Guttenplan and published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux, American radical will be available on May 26.
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