Austin Events: September 3 – 12
It’s Friday! As always, there are quite a few noteworthy music events happening this weekend. Now that the temperature has (temporarily) dropped, it’s a great opportunity to get out there and see some live music.
Here are this weekend’s best music events.
Friday, September 3rd
Sixteen Deluxe with STEREO IS A LIE, English Teeth, White Rhino
Check out some local talent at the ND at 501 Studios. Doors at 8 pm, tickets are $8. You can buy them here.
Rodrigo y Gabriela
The guitar virtuosos will be at Stubb’s tonight – this is sure to be a great show! Doors at 8 pm. Tickets are $40 (somewhat on the pricey side) and you can buy them here.
Alejandro Escovedo, David Garza, and Eve And The Exiles
Another chance to check out an Austin legend at the Continental Club, doors at 10 pm. Cover is $20.
Saturday, September 4th
Insomniac presents NOCTURNAL FESTIVAL : TEXAS
See the full lineup at Nocturnal Fest’s website and entry/ticket information here. Tickets start at $60 with VIP packages available. It all starts Saturday at 6 pm.
From the promoter:
Insomniac, the biggest promoter of dance music events and nightlife culture in North America, is bringing their Nocturnal Festival to Texas for the first time ever! This is a big deal folks. For the past fifteen years, Nocturnal has featured some the biggest names in dance music, attracting crowds that are up to 50,000 strong. This Labor Day Weekend, they’re going to show Texas what it’s all about.
Nocturnal Festival: Texas will take place on September 4-5 2010 at Apache Pass, a sprawling outdoor campground/venue in Rockdale, just 30 minutes outside of Austin. There will four massive stages with over 100 artists and performers, including everyone’s favorite party starter Girl Talk, low end extraordinaire Bassnectar, livetronica band The Disco Biscuits, hip-hop star Kid Cudi, top Dutch DJ and producer Laidback Luke, Pretty Lights, Lotus and a whole lot more.
Back to School Bash – Free Show! with Ringo Deathstarr, She Sir, New Roman Times, The White White Lights
A FREE show, featuring several cool local bands. What else do I need to say? It’s at Emo’s on Saturday, doors at 8 pm.
RocktheRepublic.com Presents: Blacklisted Individuals, Foe Destroyer, The Black and Blues, The Heart is a Lonely Hunter and Elec
This eclectic lineup of rock, rap, and funk is one of the most unique lineups I’ve seen in a while. It’s taking place at Momo’s, doors at 8 pm. Cover is $10 – a great deal.
The Murdocks, The Couch, Naysays, and Through The Trees
Check out this local lineup at The Parish on Saturday. Doors at 8 pm and the cover is $8.
Sunday, September 5th
Insomniac presents NOCTURNAL FESTIVAL : TEXAS
Day 2 of Nocturnal Fest. See Saturday for all the deets.
Heartbeats II: A benefit for Austin musicians health care
This all-day event is taking place at the ND at 501 Studios. For more information, check out their website. Doors are at 3 pm and the cost is $8 if you get there before 9 pm. After that it’s $10.
From the promoter:
Last year, Heartbeats was held at the Mohawk with over 300 attendees, 10 bands, and loads of fun. This year, the ND hosts 12 bands, six projectonists, 20 sponsors and your favorite radio stations…all working together to raise money to help Austin musicians get the health care they need.
Audio/visual contributors – Os Ovni, Pataphysics, Sleepover, No Mas Bodas, Low Red Center, The Formations, Music Learning Club, Darling New Neighbors, DD Dagger, Plutonium Farmers, FM Campers, Computer Jesus Refrigerator, and Baby Robots, Vid Kidz, Total Unicorn, Paul Baker, Lars Attacks, and How I Quit Crack.
Have a great long weekend everyone!
Austin Events: August 31 – September 2
Well, it’s about that time again. If you haven’t noticed by the increase in traffic, the rise in dudical broheims, or the continuous news cycle, school has started up for the year. And for yours truly, that means I’m going to be psychotically busy as I go into my last year of graduate school. For you, the loyal readers of AGMG (insert your snort here), I can’t promise that there will be tons of action going on, but I’m certainly going to try my best. I hope you’ll stick with me through the next 9 months, and if not, I hope you’ll at least wish me luck!
Because Austin Events post take so very long to create, I’m going back to an old format of splitting the post up a few days at a time, starting today. I’d still rather provide lots of information for you then just a list of events that you could have Googled yourself.
Here are Austin’s best music events for today through Thursday. Come back on Friday for the weekend’s events!
Tuesday, August 31st
Ben Kweller
One of Austin’s favorite kids comes back to play at Threadgill’s for a lengthy 2 hour set. Doors open at 8:30 pm, tickets are $20. Buy them here.
Downtown Live Featuring The Bright Light Social Hour
Local band Bright Light Social Hour is about to release their very first album. Take this increasingly rare chance to see them for FREE at the Belmont for the Downtown Live series. Doors at 7:30 pm.
Toni Price
Check out one of Austin’s legendary singer-songwriters at The Continental Club tonight. Doors at 6:30 pm.
Wednesday, September 1st
TITUS ANDRONICUS with YellowFever and Whitman
The indie band will be outdoors at Emo’s tomorrow, doors at 9 pm. Tickets are $12 and you can get them here.
The Strange Boys with Soft Healer, Rayon Beach
Austin rock band The Strange Boys will be playing indoors at Emo’s tomorrow night. Tickets are $10 at the door.
Thursday, September 2nd
KUT’s New Music Happy Hour Featuring the Happen-ins & The Sour Notes
Up-and-coming local talent is being showcased by KUT at La Zona Rosa. See these bands now! Doors at 5:30 pm and the cover is $5.
Red River Assault! on South Congress with Amplified Heat, Shapes Have Fangs and Honky
This should be a fun event at The Continental Club. Doors at 10 pm and the cover is $7.
KGSR’s Unplugged at the Grove with Paul Thorn
Another in KGSR’s series of FREE shows at Shady Grove. Be there at 8 pm.
The Authors “Get Haunted” Album Release Party
Here’s a chance to see three great Austin bands, as MoTel Aviv and Politics will also play at The Authors CD release party at the Mohawk. Doors at 5 pm. RSVP here for $5 entry, otherwise it’s $7 at the door.
Love @ 20, The Vettes, The Shears, and The Daze
More great Austin bands will be playing The Parish on Thursday. Doors at 8 pm, cost is $7.
The Eastern Sea and Tenlons Fort
Check out yet another line-up of Austin bands for FREE at The Cactus Cafe. Doors at 8:30 pm.
ACL Festival Pre/Aftershows Announced
For the past several years, many of Austin’s most savvy concert goers have bypassed the ACL Festival entirely in favor of a different ACL weekend experience. C3, the organization behind the fest, puts on a series of aftershows where some of the buzziest bands playing the ACL festival perform separate shows in venues around the city. The list of bands making the rounds this October was just released this morning and it’s one of the most extensive yet.
Whether you’re attending the actual fest or not, if you’re looking to prolong your ACL weekend experience, this year’s aftershow list also contains a number of preshows. Beginning on Wednesday, October 6, The Strokes will play at Stubb’s. Then a whole barrage of artists will play on Thursday, October 7, including Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears, Neon Indian, and Spoon. The aftershows continue on Friday and Saturday of the festival, with Mayer Hawthorne, Deadmau5, Givers, Monsters of Folk, GIRLS, Sonic Youth, and The Black Keys all scheduled to appear around town.
In total, 22 bands will play outside of the festival. Check out the full lineup of pre and aftershows on ACL’s official website. The presale for ALL SHOWS begins this Friday, August 27th at 10 am. Make sure you’re on the ACL email list to take part!
Yesterday, Sean, Joe Brown, and I came up to Dallas for the first of our shoots for a Live Nation/Sears project. We set up under a tent at the Superpages.com Center, the site of the Jack Johnson show. Little did we know that we would end up having front row views for an impromptu jam session between G. Love, Zach Gill of ALO, and Jack, crowded together on a tiny little stage in the middle of all the vendors.
A few years back, I was a big Jack Johnson fan. He has a great voice, an easy-going playing style, and really, he does “laid back” more convincingly than anyone else. Although his last couple of albums didn’t resonate with me, there was nothing not to enjoy about his mini-set with G. Love and Zach, two equally laid back – and equally talented – musicians.
The trio played some of their most popular tunes, which was a real treat for the medium-sized crowd who made it to the venue early to catch the openers. They started out playing “Girl I Wanna Lay You Down,” covered Bob Marley’s “High Tide Low Tide” (something Jack normally plays with Ben Harper), and ended with Jack’s “Mudfootball“.
With Zach rocking out on accordion and melodica, G. Love’s harmonica skills, and Jack’s guitar, it was cute to watch the guys interact for no other reason than pleasing the crowd. We didn’t stay for the main event, but these guys looked so comfortable and played so well together that I think it’s safe to say that this was probably a super-fun highlight of the night for the people who had the chance to catch it.
Austin Events: August 16 – 22
Monday, August 16th
Austin Fashion Week: Dean Fredrick – The Heist with LAX, Quiet Company & The Soldier Thread
A great FREE opportunity to see three of the best local bands in Austin right now. It’s tonight, doors at 9 pm, at the ND at 501 Studios.
Karnivool with Tides of Man, Nothing More, Dawn Over Zero
Alt rock at Emo’s tonight, doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $15 and you can buy them here.
Tuesday, August 17th
Filligar with Paper Shapes & Stunts
Check it out at Stubb’s, doors at 9 pm. Tickets are $8 and you can buy them here.
Downtown Live Featuring Quiet Company
Another FREE opportunity to see QC – this time it’s at the Belmont, starting at 7:30 pm.
The Young Maths
The Young Maths will play Mohawk tomorrow night, doors at 10 pm. Cover is $5, $7 for minors.
Wednesday, August 18th
Matisyahu with Nathan Maxwell & The Original Bunny Gang
Matisyahu is back to perform at Stubb’s for Live at Stubb’s Vol. 2, a successor to his original breakout live album. Doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $28 and you can pick them up here.
KGSR Blues On The Green: Raul Malo
This week’s FREE show at Zilker with Raul Malo should be tons of fun. Be there around 7:30 pm.
TV Torso with International Waters
A couple of local bands with notable members will play at Emo’s on Wednesday. Tickets are $5 and you can buy them here.
Ringo Deathstarr, Black Panda, BOATS!, Cassingles, Enlow
Check out Ringo Deathstarr at Beerland, doors at 10 pm.
Thursday through Sunday, after the jump.
Austin Events: August 3 – 8
Tuesday, August 3rd
Ariel Pink’s Haunted Grafitti
Check out Ariel Pink’s brand of noisy indie pop at Mohawk tonight. Doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $10 and you can buy them here.
Miniature Tigers, The Spinto Band with Michelle Armstrong, The Steps
It’s happening tonight at Stubb’s. Doors at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 and you can buy them here.
Alejandro Escovedo with The Sensitive Boys and Bill Carter & the Blame
One of Austin’s favorites is riding a wave of buzz following his new album. See Alejandro tonight at the Continental Club, doors at 10:30 pm. Cost is $15.
Wednesday, August 4th
Crowded House with Lawrence Arabia
Check out the legendary pop band at Stubb’s. Doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $35 and you can buy them here.
Here We Go Magic with Beach Fossils, Oh No Oh My
A line-up of indie pop at Emo’s. Doors at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 and you can get them here.
Bob Dylan
The enigmatic singer-songwriter will be at The Backyard tomorrow. Doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $45 and you can buy them here.
KGSR Blues On The Green: Charlie Mars
The FREE Blues on the Green artist at Zilker this week is Charlie Mars. Be there around 7:30 pm.
Thursday through Sunday, after the jump.
Album Review: Agent Ribbons
Chateau Crone – 2010
Chateau Crone is the upcoming sophomore album from Agent Ribbons, a trio of ladies originally hailing from Sacramento, but now calling Austin their home. The band consists of Natalie Gordon (vocals and guitar), Naomi Cherie (violin, cello), and Lauren Hess (drums, percussion), and together, they specialize in a sort of vintage sound with a few modern twists. Agent Ribbons can probably best be likened to minimalist baroque pop, but even that effort at genre-tagging is an overly complicated explanation of the utterly charming, delightful tunes contained on Chateau Crone.
The instrumentation on the album features quite a bit of 1960s-influenced electric guitar work and simplistic drum beats; then there are also fuzzy musical breakdowns and dramatic violin tangents (“Born to Sing Sad Songs”). All of this blends together in a disarmingly retro fashion, drawing you toward Agent Ribbons’ remote spot of sun-drenched antiquity. What’s interesting about the instrumentation is that there really is no clear influence to pinpoint on Chateau Crone. While there are very light shades of a few artists and sounds, like The Zombies, Neko Case, Beirut, and even ramshackle garage bands, Agent Ribbons have really worked to craft their own sound here. It’s been a while since an album didn’t immediately remind me of another band or artist.
Importantly, the music works so well because of the vocal tracks, one of the absolute best parts about Chateau Crone. Natalie has masterful control over her voice; it’s simultaneously sweet, alluring, and aching, and she has clever phrasing akin to Regina Spektor, but without ever becoming precious or indulgent. It’s just a pleasure to listen to her sing, and it’s been captured very well on this album. The delicately layered vocal harmonies (“Your Hands, My Hands”) are also a treat, as are the carefully designed lyrics touching mainly on love and heartache, and reaching beyond the self-confessional to the considerably tougher territory of descriptive storytelling.
As a whole, Chateau Crone sounds like the type of album you might hear being performed in a cabaret or small theatre. It’s performative while managing to be mellifluous and full of heart. The songs veer from poignant to sassy – and all are simply beguiling. Agent Ribbons has a real winner on their hands, an album that exists outside of much of modern music while still sounding very in the moment.
Chateau Crone will be released in October. Look for it online.
Austin Events: July 26 – August 1
Monday, July 26th
Maps & Atlases with Cults, The Globes
Indie art-rockers Maps and Atlases will play tonight at Emo’s, doors at 9 pm. Tickets are $10 and you can buy them here.
Robert Plant & The Band of Joy with Bettye Lavette
This is a big one, tonight at Stubb’s, doors at 7 pm. Tickets are sold out! If you’re in need, check out Craigslist.
Say Hello To The Angels, The Riot Scene, A Shattered Hope, Monsters Scare You!, and No Champions
The rock/punk show will be at Red 7, doors at 9 pm.
Tuesday, July 27th
Big Chicago Blues Show with Hubert Sumlin, Pinetop Perkins, Bob Stroger
Blues legends play Antone’s tomorrow night. Doors at 7 pm. Tickets are $12, $30-$40 for VIP. Pick them up here.
Bass Science, Truly Grimy, Fresh2Death, Nuggatron and Pharo
Check out this show at The Parish to get your dub-hop, experimental dance beat fix. Doors at 8 pm, tickets are $12. Buy them here.
WORLD MUSIC NIGHT (sponsored by KUT) with Amie & Sangeet Millennium, Cerronato, Mystic Moot
See some traditional Indian music, some Colombian cumbia, and some reggae all in one show. It’s happening at Momo’s, doors at 8 pm. Cover is $5, $3 with student ID.
Wednesday, July 28th
No Mas Bodas, Rescue Mission, Ichi Ni San Shi, Palit
Innovative lady-band No Mas Bodas headlines a post-punk experimental lineup at Beerland. Doors at 10 pm.
The Poison Control Center with Leatherbag, Minocran, Follow That Bird!
Indie tunes at The Parish. Cover is $7, $10 for under 21. Doors at 8 pm.
Los Lonely Boys
The Latin rock group hits up the Dell Diamond, doors at 6 pm. Advance tickets are $20 and you can buy them here.
The Sparta Philharmonic, Milk Thistle, The Sour Notes, and White Dress
Check out this FREE show at The Hole in the Wall. Doors at 9 pm.
Thursday through Sunday, after the jump.
Album Review: The Clouds are Ghosts
The Clouds are Ghosts – 2009
Local Austin band The Clouds are Ghosts, composed of four members from Beaumont, TX and Savannah, GA, formed in 2008 and released their first album, The Clouds are Ghosts, late last year. Ever since then, they’ve been making the rounds in Austin’s music venues to drum up support for their album. I recently had the opportunity to listen to their debut, and among the many Austin bands I have heard, The Clouds are Ghosts have a certain sound, drive, and professionalism that differentiates them from the pack. Based on this album, they’re definitely one of the local bands to watch.
The Clouds are Ghosts does not fit neatly into any one genre, but instead pulls elements from many different musical styles and combines them to dramatic effect. The band’s particular brand of drama at times recalls Bjork, Radiohead, and Blonde Redhead, with a shot of Queen tossed in for good measure. As a result, there’s a lot to unpack here – pieces of industrial electronica, space rock, evocative electro-acoustic instrumentation, emo synths, and passionate vocals. The prevailing theme on the record is mysteriously dark emotion with a melodramatic flair. Despite how heavy all of that sounds, it’s an intensely satisfying listen, one that will have you clicking play more than once to catch all the different components.
In fact, listening to the album and hearing those different components gives the distinct impression that this band’s aspirations exist in an entirely different plane altogether. They’re futuristic, but somehow nostalgic. They’re emotionally wrenched, but still uplifting. The album is conceptually scenic, but individual tracks are still covertly engulfing. The violin and (really quite beautiful) piano work create warmth, while the synths take it away. It’s a real feat to keep a distance as well as to compel, but The Clouds are Ghosts pull it off in spades. There is so much quality musicianship on this album, and Jason Morris is an extremely versatile and talented vocalist. While some tracks do stand out more than others, my recommendation is to listen to the album as a whole for full effect. The Clouds are Ghosts clocks in at under 34 minutes and it’s time well worth spending.
The Clouds are Ghosts are giving the album away for free on their website. Download it, check it out, and let me know your opinions.
