(4/29) Violent Soho at Emo's

Thursday night when all you faux hipsters will be wearing your best Urban Outfitters to Stubb's for the Phoenix concert, I'll be at Emo's watching one of my favorite new bands, Violent Soho. These Aussies are out to prove grunge and anything Sonic Youth(ish) still kicks ass. Speaking of Sonic Youth, they are even on Thurston Moore's label, Ecstatic Peace! Records. They are touring to support their self titled album before making their way to Lalapalooza this summer. Violent Soho will be playing with Austin's own, The Boxing Lesson and Red Falcon. Now watch this video, turn it up and get your face rocked off!

More Gaga Covers: "Speechless" by The Material

If you have been on YouTube recently, you can't not come across another Lady Gaga cover song.Most are terrible amatuer attempts at YouTube fame, but occasionally some are pretty good. The last one I posted was from indie singer-songwriter, Lissie. She had a band and guitar for that one.

This one is just a voice and a piano. It comes from one of my favorite pop-punk bands, The Material. Some may have caught them on MTV a few years ago or maybe even played their songs on the video game Rock Band. I saw them at The Red Eyed Fly in 2008 and have followed them ever since. The video above is lead singer Colleen and Jon (who normally plays guitar) on piano. It just goes to show, everyone goes Gaga for Lady Gaga.

New Interview: Ana Tijoux

Chilean MC and Nacional Records artist, Ana Tijoux, is the best thing to happen to hip hop since Cypress Hill. On the eve of her U. S. debut album dropping on Tuesday, 1977, I sat down with Tijoux to talk about who she is. Of course we chatted about the album, but I wanted to know why a Chilean MC gets it right when so many American rappers don't, still thinking auto tune effects and Lil Wayne remixes make good songs or albums. Tijoux is classic, 90s style, in every since of the word. Learn more about the M.C. who may have made my favorite hip hop album this year. I can tell you it will be between her 1977 album and Cypress Hill's new one, Rise Up.

Read my interview with Ana Tijoux here: http://tinyurl.com/2vrodt2

New video from The Brute Chorus: "Could This Be Love"

Europe, particularly the U.K., is an indie force not to be messed with. Every time I like a new indie band, which I try not to as indie freakin' everywhere these days, it seems they are European. Is it the cold weather and terrible food that breeds this creativity? Is it the fact that they are more open to different sounds and genres than American audiences? Hard to say...Well I found another good indie-ish type band with from U.K. that has a little rockabilly-garage rock feel. They are called The Brute Chorus.

New Classic Wednesdays: Hip Hop at Mi Casa Tamales & Cantina

I thought this was interesting. Austin has a new hip hop night and new venue getting in the mix. This new hip hop residency of sorts is called "Classic Wednesdays". The goal is to build the independent hip hop scene in Austin while combining it with classic '90s style hip artists like A Tribe Called Quest and Nas. Some new independent hip hop of the same back packer type flavor will be mixed in as well according to the promoters. It should be interesting for those who love hip hop in Austin. The rest of the details are on the poster you see above.

(5/24) Ximena Sariñana at Stubb's

My dear Ximena Sariñana, Mexico's best pop star and talented actress, is finally coming to Austin. I was super excited when I got the news this week. She will be performing at Stubb's indoor on May 24th. Latino or not, you need to get familiar with Ximena Sariñana. Trust me.

Mini-cam Fun: Ollin and Bombasta in San Antonio

So this past weekend was my birthday weekend. As usual, I spent part of it in San Antonio and part of it here in Austin. I have friends and family in San Antonio I like to hang with. It is my second home. I admit that is has been too long since I last went down there for a show. Shame on me, as I know better than anyone that San Antonio has some serious musical talent.

I've written or blogged about Pinata Protest and Girl In A Coma, but that is just the tip of the ice berg in terms of San Antonio based bands I like. On Friday night I checked out another one of my favorite San Antonio bands, Bombasta, at The Limelight. They brought their from friends from Ollin (pronounced like O-leen) from East L.A. to play this show and some other Fiesta Week gigs.

Mini-cam Fun: Authority Zero, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Left Alone and Thieves

This past Sunday night was crazy on Red River. There was this big Adult Swim party-carnival-concert thing happening. When I arrived downtown it felt like a Saturday night. I wasn't there for any of that though. That's stuff isn't for me. I was there to see a punk rock show, a damn good one at Emo's indoor. Playing were Thieves (local opener), Left Alone, Voodoo Glow Skulls and Authority Zero. I captured some cool clips from my mini-cam. Here are some clips in order the bands appeared. Check them out.

New Interview with Carrie Rodriguez

(photo by Sara Wilson)

I got to finally meet and talk to Carrie Rodriguez last week. I've waited a long time. She lives in Austin now and will be playing with full band this weekend at the soon to be defunct Cactus Cafe. She'll be performing on both Friday and Saturday, April 16th-17th. She is one of the few Americana type artists I actually listen to, other than maybe Band of Heathens. We talked about here move back to Austin, her new covers album, touring with Alejandro Escovedo and growing up in Austin.

Read my full interview on Austin Vida here: http://tinyurl.com/y5xox98

4/12 Tumbledown returns to Austin

Ballad Of A Factory Man/Mike Herrera's Tumbledown from mike herrera on Vimeo.

The pun and western outfit lead my MXPX's Mike Herrera, Tumbledown, is playing Monday night at Mohawk. I saw these guys at Emo's last year. It was a fun show. You need to check them out. Tumbledown is the kind of country and Americana I do like. Cory Branan opens.

Album Review: Vinyl Dharma EP

Vinyl Dharma is a five-piece indie-electro outfit from the Rio Grande Valley in South Texas but has called Austin home for the past few years. After making an immediate entrance into the Live Music Capital’s local scene and capturing national attention on MTV2, Vinyl Dharma recently released what may be the best EP the Austin indie music scene has yet to embrace. The six-song, self-titled EP may be Austin’s best kept secret.

Read the full review here on Austin Vida.

Mini-cam fun at World Music Night: Taina Asili live at Momo's

I try to make it out to Momo's every Tuesday night that I can. They have a very cool thing happening there on Tuesday Nights. Promoter Brandon Badillo of Bemba Entertainment and KUT 90.5 put on "World Music Night". Many of the artists include local Latin music and touring acts. Latin is only a small part of it as I have heard Balkan music, Indian, Italian influenced music and other stuff I probably can't pronounce. Well this Tuesday I popped into Momo's to meet a new intern I was interviewing. I ended up staying to check out Puerto Rican poet and singer-songwriter, Taina Asili and her band, La Banda Rebelde.

Pachanga Fest 2010 line up & artists to watch

So this year's Pachanga Fest line up was announced this week and I liked what I saw. It is now a two day festival, taking place on May 21st and May 22nd. They kept the variety of musical genres that they have always had since the festival's inception in 2008. Other than it being a celebration of Latino musicians, that variety of genres is what makes Pachanga one of my favorite music festivals. There really is something for everyone, not just Latinos.

Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Orchestra totally smash!

Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Orchestra have been featured on Wax Poetics recently and played at the Scoot Inn during SXSW. How they flew under my radar, I don't know. I'm super pissed at myself for missing this band. Will someone please bring these guys back around to Austin?!!!!!!!!

Inspired by the Blaxploitation movies of the 1970s,  musician Adrian Young (not the guy from No Doubt) is a Wax Poetics artist. He and his crew there took Sundance by storm with above performance. I first saw this video below that made me look them up. Turn it up loud!

Bassekou Kouoyate & Ngoni Ba come to Stubb's on April 17th

photo by Thomas Dorn

Bassekou Kouyate is Malian musician who has jammed with the likes of Bonnie Rait and Bono. Of course Bono, right? Since 2005, Bassekou has led Ngoni Ba, the first-ever group built around four  ngonis, a string instrument made of wood or calabash with dried animal (often goat) skin stretched over it like a drum. They are all played by his family members. Bassekou Kouoyate & Ngoni Ba will be in Austin for a show on April 17th at Stubb's (indoor).

(4/8) Los Lonely Boys return to Antone's

This Thursday, the Los Lonely Boys return to Antone's. They are on their "Acoustic Brotherhood" tour, partly supporting their 1969 EP. I really don't listen to their records too much, but I do enjoy their live show. Everytime I've seen them in concert, they never disappointed. Want to see them for free Thursday?

"Sweet Carrie" by Nightwaves

I like this song. It came to me as one of those random press release emails that flood my inbox everyday. The song is from the band Nightwaves and is called "Sweet Carrie". It's kind of a poppy electronica song that reminds me of radio friendly synth pop. Check it out.

Moenia to play Houston and Dallas in April

The legendary and iconic Mexican rock stars, Moenia, will be playing two shows in Texas in April. While I am bummed that they don't have a show in Austin, I am willing to travel to see them. I have been a fan for about ten years and am super stoked at this opportunity to see them live.

New interview with Nancy Silva Project

I just published my new interview with San Antonio band, Nancy Silva Project. They just got signed recently and are one of my "bands to watch for" for 2010. They do make it to Austin on occasion and are worth checking out live. They look very dark and goth, maybe even metal-ish, but they are melodic modern rock that's ready for mainstream rock radio. Check out my interview with band on Austin Vida here:

Meet San Antonio's Nancy Silva Project

Still Bill: A Tribute to Bill Withers at Momo's

One of my all time favorite old school soul songs is "Ain't No Sunshine" by the great Bill Withers. I credit my dad for introducing me to Withers at a young age. I think Withers often gets lost in the shuffle these days with all the other fantastic soul artists of his era, but there isn't a person alive that doesn't know and love "Lean On Me". Some of his other classic hits include "Just The Two of Us" and "Lovely Day". Now you know who Bill Withers is right? Yeah, that guy...

Clips from last night at Stubb's: Vinyl Dharma & Sexy Marvin

Vinyl Dharma has got what we industry types refer to as "it". They sounded so tight and together last night. No disrespect to Vinyl Dharma, but I don't remember them sounding so good. I have high expectations for these Rio Grande Valley transplants. Team Dharma!



Our headliner last night was none other than Sexy Marvin from Monterrey, Mexico.They have some Coldplay and Interpol elements to them. I am so glad my crew and I were able to bring them (thanks Vivo Alternativo & GoHispano) because otherwise, I'm not sure anyone else would have. After last night, I plan on getting these guys back in the future and bring Austin more great music from Mexico and Latin America. There are some real gems that Austin needs to hear. I can't share my iPod with everyone after all.

Ocote Soul Sounds every Tuesday in April at Lambert's

What is up with Tuesday nights being better for live music than most other weekdays? Here in Austin it seems Tuesdays may be the new Friday. April proves this with the announcement of Ocote Soul Sounds Tuesday night residency at Lambert's.