‘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.
Washington indie rock band pleases Mohawk crowd Jan. 30 with tunes from new album ‘Young People’s
Washington indie rock band Deleted Scenes rocked Mohawk Jan. 30 to a small yet pleased crowd.
Deleted Scenes recently released their sophomore album "Young People's Church of the Air," a followup to their first album entitled "Birdseed Shirt." The band is comprised of vocalist and guitarist Dan Scheuerman, bassist and keyboardist Matt Dowling, drummer Brian Hospital, and guitarist, keyboardist and disc jockey Dominic Campanaro.
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 newest band to come onto the Austin music circuit is The Couch, an Austin-based band with roots at Texas State University in San Marcos. The Couch will release their debut album "Old and Touchin' Blue" on December 14th on the outdoor stage at Mohawk in Downtown Austin. The band brings a much needed revival to the scene with smart lyrics, deep-blues vocals and some hard-pounding drums — something that will garner them plenty of affection at their release party.
Digitalism to play several shows across US, including Austin, in promotion of their new EP ‘Circles’
Digitalism is an electronic duo from Germany currently touring in support of a new EP "Circles" which is set for release on Dec. 6 via V2/ Cooperative Music/Downtown. Their second album "I Love You, Dude" was released over the summer culminating with The Hard Festival Tour where they were a featured act.
Folk-rock musician to host CD release party with full band Dec. 8 at Mohawk
Some music is so sweet sounding and soulfully sincere that you can really kick back, relax and be confident that it will elicit nostalgic feelings and good vibes. Austin musician Seth Sherman's compositions and brazen songwriting definitely convey this sense of reminiscence and a variety of emotions.
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.
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.
Industrial style music veterans deliver album number 13
Returning to the electronic scene, industrial music innovators Skinny Puppy just released their thirteenth album "HanDover." With a musical catalogue spanning nearly thirty years, they follow up their 2007 album "Mythmaker" in prime form, dispelling any question of fading into irrelevancy.
Austin band Wild Child dishes new album “Pillow Talk” at release party Oct. 27
There has been quite a buzz and following about Austin-based, indie-folk, pop group Wild Child. This group has an amazing vocal duo, Kelsey Wilson and Alexander Beggins singing simple and beautiful lyrics, and a six-piece band that plays instruments ranging from drums, banjo, strings and many more.
Spiraling songwriter Tom Brislin pursues solo album to be released end of 2011
Popular music these days often is swash of catchy lyrics and melodies and hardly exhibits any tactful insight or skilled composition. Repetition and samples of already famous riffs rule the airwaves and pop stars are a dime a dozen, but when you stumble upon an ingenious artist like Tom Brislin, it makes their music all the better.
Dancing fans lively at sold out Toro Y Moi, Bass Drum of Death show
Young, dancey music lovers from all over Austin crammed into the sold-out Mohawk Saturday, Oct. 8 for Toro Y Moi's chillwave, electronic pop performance. Garage-rock band Bass Drum of Death opened the show, and second act Unknown Mortal Orchestra canceled due to car troubles in Dallas.
With over twice as many bands on the bill as last year, Vagabond Collective hosted their second annual Wild Frontier Fest on Sept. 10-11 at Emo's. The two-day festival featured indoor and outdoor shows and live screen printing where masses of concert goers turned up.
Former one-man-band Daniel Francis Doyle kicked off his fall 2011 tour with a full band at his Sept. 1 show at Mohawk. The indoor stage was surrounded by fans to see Doyle, and the rest of the bill. Transmography opened the show followed by Seth Sherman, Doyle then the Dikes of Holland.
The moment Tje Austin's red skinny jeans and PUMA shoes appeared on the TV screen, I knew it was time for his audition on NBC's The Voice, the new singing competition that judges solely on contestants' voices. He wore a similar look the first time he walked into my house in response to my roommate ad last year. Austin has always (continued)
The politics behind the music in the "live music capitol of the world" is something tourists rarely see. A new documentary, Echotone, which opens April 24 through 27 at the Alamo Drafthouse Ritz, sheds some light on how city ordinances and other decisions directly affect the Austin music scene.
Andrea Sykes knew she wanted to help Japan the moment she learned of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami. "As soon as I heard about it, [I thought,] ‘Oh a benefit,'" said Sykes, an ACC commercial music management major. "I'm just going to do it.
Jessie Torrisi and The Please, Please Me switch instruments during live show to create lively carnival-style vibe.
By day, she is an Austin Community College journalism professor, but at night, she is a rock star. Jessie Torrisi is the lead singer in Jessie Torrisi and the Please, Please Me. (continued)
New album presents final recordings, songs from former band member.
East Cameron Folkcore (continued)
Eric Merino finds passion through rapping messages
Austin-based quartet prepares to release Dinner in the Dark to the masses
Rehearsal at the Astoria provides bands with practice space open to public
With the holidays now over, school is back in session, and everyone is settled in for the new year. February became a busy month for five local bands. Each band, all from different genres, are debuting albums to the masses. Accent sent out reporters to find out more.
Shapes Have Fangs asked the Twitterverse "Are we dead?" in December 2010. Months later, they seem to have answered their own question with a resounding "Hell no!" by releasing Dinner in the Dark. This local band's debut is a gritty, lo-fi escape from the hi-gloss popular fare oozing from your car radio.
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.
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.
Austin City Limits (ACL for friends) music festival happened on Oct. 2-4 at Zilker Park. But who doesn't know that? With the number of billboards all over downtown Austin and on the pedicabs (those little carriages ridden by actual people that look too much like slave work, despite the green initiative), only the most distracted Austinites and temporary residents were not aware of the concert until the first week of October.
"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.
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.
We Are The Lottery League gives local musicians 24 hours to mix match their members into all new...
Johnny Sarkis and Mike Wiebe's We Are The Lottery League gives local musicians 24 hours to mix and match their members into all new bands with unusual names and interesting results. "That's the whole game," Erick Sanger said, a participant of the first Austin We Are The Lottery League. "Lottery league is like a box of chocolates. You never know what you're gonna get."
Various musical acts from Austin representing multiple campuses will perform in the first ever Austin Community College Music Showcase. The event is free to students and general public and will take place on April 21, at 3 p.m. at the South Austin Campus Courtyard.
Austin has been home to a thriving electronic music scene for over a decade, but it has remained under the radar ever since Austin's only electronic dance station went bust about 10 years ago.
Austin indie rockers team up with local legend/acid casualty for his first new album in 14 years
Legendary local guitarist and psychedelic rock pioneer Roky Erickson's new album walks the line between the past and the present. With the help of Austin indie rockers Okkervil River, True Love Cast Out All Evil is a tame blend of rock ‘n' roll tracks coming from a calm, more relaxed Roky, with some of the same accents that have always been a part of his music.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
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.
"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.
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.
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.
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.
Books, live music, theatre showings, films and events/features to be on the lookout for.
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.
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.
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.
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.
This spring was a tough time to be a pirate. On April 16, the French Navy captured a Somali pirate mother ship, striking a harsh blow against those scourges of the Adriatic Sea. The following day, a Swedish court found the four men behind the infamous Pirate Bay file sharing web site guilty of contributory copyright infringement, levying a heavy fine and a year in prison against all four.
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.
"Because I Feel That Way Too" is the newest sophomore release from Chris Hawkes. Released on April 22, 2009 Hawkes performed his songs at the CD release show at The Parish. For someone who normally reviews indie pop albums, watching this Americana singer was a welcome change.
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.
"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.
Youthful quartet tells a story with their sound
Sarah Vasquez Staff Writer Austin's Chief Rival could easily be identified with more prominent names such as Explosions in the Sky and Black Angels, but what makes this band stand out from the rest is their age. With the youngest member being 14 years old, these musicians haven't graduated from high school yet.
Dear Ticketmaster: Hey Ticketmaster, how's it going? Pretty good, I bet. It's almost summer and music fans across the country are getting ready to shell out big bucks for outdoor festivals, U2 concerts, and, of course, all the big reunion tours. Can you believe Phish is finally back together after five longs years? I know! But despite being in the midst of a rapidly worsening economic depression, concert tickets are more expensive than ever.
Shawn Hinojosa Staff Writer I've got to give Plain White T's credit. It's hard for a band who's built their career on being imitative to truly come up with an inventive concept for their tour, and they did. The hour and a half set was split up into "acts", called the Three Part Harmony Tour.
Right Of The Dial; The Rise Of Clear Channel And The Fall Of Commercial Radio is a non-fiction account of Clear Channel's meteoric rise from a local radio station to one of the largest media conglomerates in the country. Written by Alec Foege and published by Faber and Faber, Right Of The Dial will be available on April 14.
Words by Shawn Hinojosa Loney Dear A lot of little indie pop gems have come stateside from Sweden over the past couple of years, and Loney Dear are one of them. Their melodic charm resonated with me after witnessing them for the first time in mid-February opening for Andrew Bird.
The Underground Kingz hailing from Port Arthur, Texas have been a ubiquitous presence in Texas rap music since their debut album "Too Hard To Swallow" was released in 1992, when group members Pimp C (Chad Butler) and Bun B (Bernard Freeman) were just teenagers.
During spring break this year, I put my 9 to 5 sale's job on hold and took to the bars to work the SXSW music festival. I love being an Austinite during spring break. The college students leave for the warm beaches, and the out-of-towners invade the streets by the thousands for SXSW.
Mississippi born, and Houston raised, legendary and influential producer, rapper and trend setter, known as Dope E or Murdoq, has been residing here in the Capital City, and playing shows of a different nature than fans of his are probably used to. On Feb.
Real local coverage by real locals
Hi. I'm Sarah Vasquez and I've written for the Accent's Life & Arts section for the past year. This is my fifth year attending South by Southwest Music Festival but this year I get to fully experience the festival with the help of the paper.
Real local coverage by real locals
I don't think there's a week I look forward to more in any given year than SXSW. As an avid music lover and aspiring photographer, SXSW is bliss.
A couple hundred people filed into the walkways of Waterloo Records and waited in anticipation of Lykke Li's arrival. Fans rummaged through the record store for an hour and a half, biding time before her free in-store appearance on Feb. 19, preceding her sold out performance at Antone's later that night.
Asobi Seksu, the band's name translates to playful sex, made a huge impact on New York City's indie scene with their second LP "Citrus," released in 2006. Asobi Seksu's latest effort, "Hush," will be released Feb. 17 and is rich with dreamy melodies and soaring vocals.
In Ben Kweller's 2006 self-titled effort, traces of alt-country were present, but now with the release of 2009's "Changing Horses," his transformation to a beer-guzzling, barbeque-cooking, rockabilly persona has now taken form. Ben Kweller burst onto the Dallas local music scene as a teenager in 1994 with the trio and grunge-rock band cult-favorite Radish.
English songwriter Polly Scattergood will be releasing her debut album, "Other Too Endless," on Mar. 9, and her single by the same name will be released Feb. 23 on Mute Records. With her sometimes overly emotional voice, Scattergood gets an A for effort, but a C on her delivery.
Franz Ferdinand is back with a new album, "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" (released late in Jan.), although listening to it doesn't seem like there was any time or style change in between their previous recording, "You Could Have It So Much Better" (2005). The songs from "Tonight: Franz Ferdinand" could be played right after the preceding album's tunes, and it would sound like one continuous release.
On Jan. 24, 2009, Built by Snow along with friends Hollywood Gossip, The Bubbles, and The McKenzies shared the stage at Club Deville to celebrate the release of Built by Snow's "MEGA." After a week of summer weather, the 40 degree night didn't freeze the band's, and fans' celebratory mood.
Austin Community College's Jazz Ensemble and director for the Ensemble, Dr. Tom Husak, were invited to Washington to perform at a 2009 presidential inaugural gala. Special Assistant to the President for External Affairs at ACC, Linda Young, was invited to serve on the committee for one of the inaugural galas in DC and secured the jazz band's invitation.
Hassidic rapper Matisyahu returned to Stubb's Nov. 11 since recording his 2005 "Live at Stubbs," album. He performed old favorites as well as the new songs that were featured in the October 20 EP "Shattered" (Epic Records). "Shattered" gives listeners a sneak peek into the 2009 upcoming full-length album "Light," which includes many special guests such as Sly & Robbie, Norwood Fisher (Fishbone) and Ooah (Glitch Mob).
"Day & Age," the new Killers album will assure their fans that they are ready to head back to the dance floor. This most recent release from the Las Vegas group is a pop album that is neither apologetic, nor cliché; every song offers something new that fans will surely rejoice over.
Von Iva's show at Beauty Bar on Nov. 21 was what every live show should be: full of energy, entertaining, and fun. No one was able to restrain themselves from shaking their rump along to the gritty disco tunes by this trio. Bands need to learn and take notes on Von Iva.
Shawn Hinojosa Staff Writer Music flooded the heart of downtown Austin on Nov. 8-9 as nearly 100 of the world's premiere independent rock, punk, hip hop, DJ, and comic acts performed in the third annual Fun Fun Fun Fest at Waterloo Park. The Northeast was well represented as Brooklyn's The National and Connecticut's Clap Your Hands Say Yeah headlined the main stage, while Philadelphia's satirical punk band Dead Milkmen reunited to play their first show in four years.
Sarah M. Vasquez Staff Writer San Francisco-based Low Red Land who have described themselves as "rock/indie/hyphy," are currently on an American tour behind their new album "Dog's Hymns," which was put out by Thinker Thought Records on Sept. 23. When first listening to Low Red Land's debut self-released album "Weight of Nations," they definitely stood out as a rock band.
Pink stands out among pop divas because of her bold attitude and bigger than life personality. She is responsible for hits such as "Don't Let Me Get Me", and "Who Knew." It should be expected that she would crank out more catchy pop tunes with her latest release, "Funhouse.
New location with better atmosphere proposed
The Backyard Amphi-theater may have a hope of resuscitation. According to an Apr. 22 press release, "Direct Events has proposed a plan to the City of Bee Cave, and is working to secure their approval to develop a new Backyard in a new location that will not compromise the atmosphere of the venue.
Sounds Under Radio inks contract with Epic
For musicians, getting a record contract will always trump getting a college degree. But members of Austin band, Sounds Under Radio, have gotten both. Take a late-night stroll along almost any street in downtown Austin, and you are sure to hear at least a few of the countless musicians who pour their hearts out in bars, coffee shops and on street corners each and every night.
Heavy-hitting bands aren't hard to seek out these days, but a band with the unique flavor of Christian grindcore, a touch of old-school bluegrass and a smidgen of Tejano are just too rare of a find these days. Local misfits, Near Miss proudly wear the label with smiles and a record deal to boot.
Now that the streets have been emptied of the thousands of South by Southwest bands and attendees and refilled with students, my ears are functioning again, and the hangover has worn off, it's time to take a look back on this year's SXSW Music Festival. Things kicked off on Wednesday, March 14 all across the city.
Austin-based bands, Riverboat Gamblers, Lomita and Kissinger, will have music videos showcased at this year's SXSW Film Festival. Lomita's video for "Broken Boy," off of their album, Downtown Mystic, uses the different sequences of the song to reflect the nature of the couple who are the main focus of the video.
Every March, since its inception in 1987, thousands of enthusiasts, musicians and industry representatives have flocked to Austin to attend the annual South By Southwest Festival. Despite its tremendous success, however, many Austin bands, booking agencies, and clubs are feeling left out of Austin's most famous festival.
Every year before South by Southwest, I take time out to sit down and sort through all the bands I have befriended on MySpace, visit various websites such as www.showlistaustin.com and Red Gorilla Festival, and make a calendar of all the free shows I want to see.
Amongst the countless singer/songwriters in Austin, there is a star that shines brightly by the name of Brad Skistimas. With the birth of his band Five Times August, he brings the vocal sounds of John Mayer and the guitar gift of Dave Matthews to the microphone.
Even without doors to open, Austin's newest music venue was still able to host its inaugural show. Patrons and news teams waited anxiously outside the new Austin Music Hall for a charity event Nov. 26 benefiting the SIMS and HAAM Foundations, while the city inspector made final passes through the structure.
Second album back from retirement raises bar
Jay-Z has been in the game for more than a while, much longer than the typical hip-hop or rap artist. His work has only gotten greater with time. His last album Kingdom Come had me cranking the bass up in my car. Not just anyone can be a gangster. He's the OG.
I'm not usually one to judge an album the first time I hear it. Yet, listening to KT Tunstall's sophomore album Drastic Fantastic, I can feel the dreaded sophomore album slump setting in. You know, the curse of an artist's second album never being as good as their first.
When you're someone who has a wide range of musical tastes such as I do, you tend to be very picky about what your favorite bands release after you've followed them for a long period of time. If you know The Shins, then you know that they'll give you nothing but the best.
It is no joke. Murdocks will be releasing a new album "Roar" on April 1, 2008, three years after the previous release "Surrenderender". Murdocks, consisting of vocalist/guitarist Franklin Morris and two newly inducted members, bassist Kyle Robarge and drummer David T.
Stubbs Wednesday, March 12 @ 8 p.m.
Nicole Atkins' first single, "Neptune City," introduced her powerhouse voice to listeners. Growing up in Neptune City, New Jersey, Atkins relied on her history of the small town to portray what it was like to be isolated in her rural childhood hometown. Currently on her first headlining tour, Atkins added Austin to her destinations after being invited back to participate in this year's SXSW festival.
Recently, Radiohead made the statement many fans had been patiently waiting for. Jonny Greenwood, the band's lead guitarist, posted on the band's blog, "Dead Air Space", that their upcoming album was finished and was going to be available exclusively on the internet, as a listener-names-the-price bargain.
I met the band at Progress Coffee on Fifth Street, just east of I-35. They walked in, each one looking like a blues song waiting to happen. With the influx of the live music cliche in Austin, Ring Shout is like a breath of fresh air. Their music, reminiscent of an afternoon on the eastside, sounds like artists of a past generation, due in part to the fact that nobody makes music like this anymore.
After the disbandment of the Riddlin' Kids, singer/guitarist Dustin Stroud was jamming with a buddy, Joe Flagger, and decided to call-up drummer Ben Benitez (Rubberhed) to jam out an idea. "We had this idea that we wanted to all play together and just play fun songs.
Emo's Annex Wednesday, March 16 @ 10:00 p.m.
It's only been a few months since Secret Lives of the Freemasons played in Austin, but it was three years ago that they were selected to play an official SXSW showcase. "We are so looking forward to getting back to South by Southwest," said Secret Lives' drummer, Travis Moss.
The music underground in Austin is constantly growing and at this rate, downtown is still spinning around in circles trying to find the right mix of modern technology and melodic undertones. Sweet singer-songwriter I Am Her (aka Sophia Hernandez) delivers this combination in a category all her own.
Fire and Water are the first two installments of Thrice's The Alchemy Index, a four-EP collection focusing on the four elements of nature: fire, water, air and earth. Each EP focuses on a specific element and portrays it through music. Of the two releases, the Fire EP, akin to the 2002 release Illusion of Safety, represents a sound any Thrice fan might recognize.
After five years and three teasingly short EP's, Austin's The Boxing Lesson finally delivers their first full-length album, Wild Streaks and Windy Days. The album is a combination of moving psychedelic lyrics, punctuated by droning shoe-gazer riffs. A perfect example is the haunting, "Dark Side of the Moog," where the synthesizers and guitar duet harmonically, characterizing a new blend of music best described as "rock-gazer".
I first came across The Hanks during South by Southwest in 2007. Drummer Shane Mayo skated over to me in confidence that I would like his band and had me listen to an MP3 player loaded with their then-released album, "Your New Attraction." He was right. I was then handed a handwritten flyer with the upcoming shows they were playing that week and a complimentary comic strip.
Tony's Southern Comfort Food 1201 E. 6th St. One of my favorite restaurants. It's conveniently located on the east side of I-35 when I want to get some time away from the chaos of Sixth Street. I have yet to find another great home-cooking restaurant that doesn't affect my poor college kid budget.
Emo's Lounge 603 Red River St. Emo's definitely lives up to its reputation during SXSW and I don't blame them. What other venues provide great lines every day of the week for all ages? I especially like the Emo's Lounge shows. They mainly showcase local bands that are trying to get their name out but have great potential.
University of Texas professor and museum employee, Clay Shorkey, lead a tour and played the original 1915 Edison Phonograph while he sang along to a tune from the legendary Texas artist Vernon Dalhart. Shorkey said, "The Texas Music Museum is about the history and culture of Texas through its music.
Sarah Vasquez Staff Writer When judging a book (or in this case, a CD) by it's cover, my initial conclusion to what Margot and the Nuclear So and So's, "Not Animals" was going to sound like was another artsy, folksy experimental band that would drone me to sleep.
Lauren Reed Staff Writer Mike and the Moonpies recently recorded a much anticipated live EP entitled "Catalina" at the Troubadour in Lockhart, to be released Christmas day 2008. The album features guest artists, Joey Thompson of The Archibalds and Steve Malone of Frank Smith.
At first, I was turned off by these guys. The music wasn't something I normally enjoyed. Their songs seemed unstructured. There were no choruses or verses that repeated, and they were too progressive for my then-pop rock comfort zone. Regardless, I was constantly catching one of their live shows, and they eventually grew on me.
John Wesley Coleman, a former Austin Community College student, is a man of many talents. Wesley, one of Austin's commonly seen faces and well-known for performing while inebriated, has expanded his talents by exploring the art of comedy. Wesley performed at Antone's Records during their 21st anniversary party Aug.
(U-WIRE) It's hard being the greatest, a title Cat Power, née Chan Marshall, certainly vies for with every delectably slinky album she records. It's even harder to top The Greatest, her most significant accomplishment to date. Unfortunately for Marshall, her second collection of covers, Jukebox, fails to do so despite its many strong moments, reminding an audience once awestruck by her flawless and daring last release just how bittersweet it is.
Austin Community College will host its third annual "Hip Hop Into College" at the Eastview Campus on March 24 from 11 a.m. until 3 p.m. This event will showcase local talent and offer free health screenings. This year's host will be Lady Legacy, an ACC student studying commercial music management, who also does work as a youth advocate, guest speaker, and rap artist among many things.
Group test their right to freedom of speech
The Dixie Chicks are the basis for a recent documentary film entitled "Shut & Sing," and I urge everyone to go see it if possible. I'm here to talk about how I think they were treated. The group was called un-American, communists, and other words not suitable for print.
is a member of the 
Official Music Sponsor: 
Get Connected