Tuesday is the new Friday. Every Tuesday for I don't know how long now, there have been more and more choices as as far as quality live music. Most cities would kill for half of these choices on a Saturday, much less a Tuesday. God bless Austin, Texas.
On Tuesday I foresee most of the 101X radio listeners at The Austin Music hall to see 311, as they are still somehow in heavy rotation for some reason. I liked them in high school...in the '90s. The '90s had better bands than 311, but that's a rant for another day. They're still a fun live show and I loved their first two albums.
For those of us darker or heavier 101X listeners, we'll be at Emo's for the No Control presents show featuring The Faceless, Dyeing Fetus, Beneath The Massacre, Suffokate and Enfold. That's two too many bands, but headliner The Faceless is what makes this show my Tuesday show pick.
The Faceless got on my radar because they toured with one of my favorite metal bands, The Black Dahlia Murder. They are classified as Death Metal or Progressive, I guess depending on who you ask. Their style is fast, death like screams that fluctuate in pitch and machine gun like drums. If you don't have an ear for metal, and yes there is such a thing, you might have trouble getting into it. The progressive label comes from their build ups and breaks that lead to an all out rip your face off explosion of metal goodness. The death part is usually in the lyrical content.
The Faceless (photo by Erik Kirk)
I hadn't heard much from them since that first tour with Black Dahlia really, except a couple of things in the metal mags here and there.They did put out Planetary Duality in 2008. That makes me wonder if they are still touring to support that or if they are playing new material yet to be released. That's a good reason to check them out I guess, to find out. They are going on tour with Black Dahlia Murder in Europe starting in 2010, so catch them now if you're on the fence about going. Most metal bands are best heard live, so get out the house, off the computer, off the "facey spaces" and go hear something angry. It's good for you.
Here's a cool clip I found on The YouTube where this guy posted the audio file for their song "All Dark Graves" but did it karaoke style with the lyrics. From what I can understand, the dude got them dead on. Give a listen to The Faceless:
Tuesday's show at Emo's is an early one. Get there at 7:30 as there are five bands playing. Emo's is located at 603 Red River. Tickets at the door are $18, but save a few and purchase advance tickets. Visit the following link to purchase tickets:
It is truly a new Austin now in comparison to when I moved here in 1995. There is even more traffic on I-35, ridiculous noise ordinances imposed on the Live Music Capital's best street, legendary venues gone the wayside and now one of Austin's music staples is playing his last show. Yes, Ten Time Austin Music Award Winner M.C. Overlord is playing his last show this Saturday. It is just another sign that the times, they are a changin'.
Originally from St. Louis, he moved to Austin in 1987. M.C. Overlord is known to his family and friends as Don Robinson. He once told me at a show sometime in the '90s when I was in high school that his name comes from a cartoon show called "Blackstar". Around that same time I remember buying his CD, House Funk, from him at that same show. The CD was not as good as his live show, particularly because he was one of the only local MCs at the time using a live band to back him instead of just a DJ. He wasn't going to be a superstar, this I knew even then. He was talented enough to give a good show and his magnetic stage personality was what made him exceptional. Everyone always had a good time at his shows.
The single most impressive thing to me about M.C. Overlord was not his sack of Austin Music Awards (10 strong) but rather what he did for local hip hop in a time where Austin, whether it wants to admit it or not, didn't exactly embrace local hip hop. He somehow played venues where only the white crowds would go see shows, like Steamboat and the club that used to be Bob Popular before it was Bob Popular. (If anyone knows the name, email me. I'm kicking myself for not remembering something I should know. I never went because I wasn't old enough, but lots of people used to talk about it back then.)
Recently, Overlord was part of "The Incomparable Boombox" who played every Tuesday at Lucky Lounge. I remember reading something about him leaving, but never followed up on it. I am just not interested in gossip like that. Even more recently, I saw flyers for him playing at The Dirty Dog Bar on 6th. Just the other day I heard him on 101X with Toby Ryan. Now I guess he's hanging it up. That's too bad, but it isn't like he didn't leave his mark on this town before "retiring". Austin and especially local hip hop artists owe him tons for the doors he helped open. For those who don't know or want a quick trip down Austin's memory lane, check out this video for M.C. Overlord's song "Remember". It is only fit.
Joining M.C. Overlord on Saturday will be St. Louis rapper, Nite Owl. According to Overlord's Myspace blog, fans who attend his last show will receive a free EP never before released material from the Austin M.C.There is no cover charge for the show. One2One Bar is located on 5th and Brazos St. Be sure and vote for it here on Do512.
No punk rock album release other than maybe a new NOFX record can get me as excited as a new album from Rancid. Let The Dominoes Fall, the band’s latest release, continues the punk rock excellence you’d come to expect from Lars, Tim, Matt and Branden. It isn’t the classic that And Out Came The Wolves is, but pretty close. Click here to read the full review I wrote for Double Stereo.
They're playing tonight at Stubb's with Rise Against and Billy Talent. Tickets are sold out so hit up Craig's List and the dudes outside holding up tickets.
Check out this video for "Last One To Die" off the new album Let The Dominoes Fall:
My man Chuck Loesch from No Control , Austin's metal authority, provided a guest review for us on Austin Vida. Chuck reviewed the new album from Pack of Wolves, Betrayer. If you dig pack of Wolves, check out the interview and live video we captured from their vinyl release show at Red 7. Many thanks to Chuck for what he does not only for metal, but for the Austin Music scene.
You can listen to No Control every Friday at 11 pm to 1 am and to Midnight Metal every night at midnight, of course on 101x.
Monday night I was at Stubbs thanks to 101x, a local alternative rock radio station here in Austin. I won tickets to see Rilo Kiley last week by texting in. It was completely at random. I am not one of those people who are professional radio contest winners. I confess that I had never heard Rilo Kiley's music before last Sunday. I only knew the name because my sister listens to them. I really tried winning them for her as she bought me a ticket to Rancid last week. Luckily for both of us I guess, I won. I couldn't have been happier now that I went.
The concert couldn't have fallen on a better evening. Stubbs Outdoor Amphitheater is the best place in the world in my opinion to see a concert....as long as its a nice weather that is. Yeah it was humid and hot, but it was beautiful none the less.
The first thing I noticed once at Stubbs was the ratio for girl to guy was probably about 7 to 1. I have never been to a show like that before. Most of the shows I go to are a bunch of dudes ready to go crazy and get in the pit, at least lately that's been the case. The second observation was that everyone there seemed to shop at Urban Outfitters and/or American Apparel. I'm not sure how I missed that memo about the dress code requirement. Last observation, I was way taller than everyone and I'm only 6 ft.
Before I could really notice everything else, opening act Benji Hughes started. Ironically, he was the one act I was looking forward to. I heard of him in an interview with Josh Shepard on Rock y Roll Radio. Josh is the music director over at M.E. Television and was a guest on the show that week. Host Paul Saucido asked Josh about what artist or group he liked most from SXSW or something to that regard. Shepard answered "Benji Hughes". I mean, here is a guy who must see so much stuff come through M.E. and he said Hughes was the one who stood out. I remember Shepard describing Hughes as something between Andre 3000 and Willie Nelson. Anyway, that's how I heard of Benji Hughes. When I saw his name on the bill, I couldn't wait to check this guy out.
Hughes had a short set, but he totally won me over. I thought he was funky. Looking at him I thought that Rick Rubin had a brother I didn't know about. His look is that of a biker with a long ZZ Top beard, which didn't match his sound. Hughes had sort of a deep voice with a slight rasp. It is definitely distinguishable. No one out there sounds like him that comes to mind. He is worth looking up and listening to. I doubt he will go mainstream, but I can see him getting more popular as he tours with Rilo Kiley. If he came back around to Austin, I'd go and take some people with me. I'd like to see their faces when they see what he looks like and then hear what he actually sounds like. My favorite song he did was "You Stood Me Up" because he mentions my birthday and its indie rock funky.
Following Benji Hughes was Thao With the Get Down Staydown. Kind of a long but I dig the name. Thao With the Get Down Stay Down was a indie rock folk band, fronted by Thao Nguyen. Thao has a great voice, which combined with the music itself reminds me of Edie Brickell. Feist also comes to mind, but only when talking about the voice. She also showed personality. I loved it when she told the crowd Austin was better than Dallas. She was also proud of her new dress she bought for the Austin show. The girls clapped for that, but I didn't care. I guess that's a gender difference. I just wanted to hear the music.
Now I love folk as much as the next guy, but I do have to be in the mood for it. The only folk artist I can ever be amped about anytime is Annie DeFranco. Monday night, I was just not feeling it. I wanted something louder and with heavier guitar. Thao's guitar was acoustic. The other guitar player was a bassist. Now understand I am not bashing Thao, but I could only listen to their music while chillin' at home late night relaxing. That's not a bad thing. I just don't think I was really the target for this genre. Kudos anyway Thao With the Get Down Stay Down.
Now comes the part about headliner, Rilo Kiley. I wanted to see what the buzz about them was all about. All I knew of them was what I sort of read in Spin magazine a while back. Spin said they were the next Fleetwood Mac. Despite knowing that, I had zero expectations before tonight and was just glad to be there. At that point, Stubbs was finally packed and crowded.
As they came out, a loud surge of screaming girls erupted. Beach balls also started floating or bouncing around here and there. It was also dark outside so the scene was officially set.
The whole make up of the band was very Fleetwood. The main singer, Jenny Lewis, was totally everyone in the audience's girl crush. I could totally see why. She is the beautiful indie girl next door who told me "no" every time I asked her out in high school. She is the indie poster girl of the current young generation. I think she looked like Kirsten Dunst a little bit, but a little prettier.
Even now I'm distracted by the aura that is Jenny Lewis. Getting back to the concert.....Rilo Kiley was exceptional. Jenny Lewis has a voice that really conveys the emotion of the songs she sings. I love that in singer. That is how it is supposed to be done. She was not the only singer. Guitarist Blake Sennett also took lead vocals on a couple of songs, hence completing the Fleetwood reference I remember from Spin. He was good, but Jenny Lewis is what gives the band its signature sound and over all vibe. There were several songs I liked, but since this night was my first Rilo Kiley experience, I couldn't tell you the names of all of them. After asking my sister and another girl next to me, I figured out my two favorite songs were "Silver Lining" and "Portions for Foxes". I dig the guitar on both of those and course the voice of Jenny Lewis. Kudos Jenny.
Since I didn't pay for the tickets, I feel obligated to pick up Rilo Kiley CDs next time I hit up Waterloo. I mean, I usually don't buy anything but vinyl when it comes to buying music. The only CDs I pay for are usually from local Austin artists I catch at a show. However, Rilo Kiley was just so good that I feel I owe it to them to show my appreciation for such a great concert. Check out a clip for yourself:
Ian is a graduate of Round Rock High School and attended St Edward’s University in Austin, Texas. In 2008 he joined the team at Double Stereo (formerly CD Fuse) as their Blog editor where he reviewed concerts, albums, and did interviews for the popular music site.In January 2009, he became the Editor in Chief for Austin Vida. In 2010, with the help of some of his most talented friends, he launched Red River Noise. "Ian's Music Blog" is also one of the few blogs selected to be a Do512 All-Star.
On any given night of the week he can be found in downtown Austin on 6th Street and the Red River live music district.
Tuesday is the new Friday. Every Tuesday for I don't know how long now, there have been more and more choices as as far as quality live music. Most cities would kill for half of these choices on a Saturday, much less a Tuesday. God bless Austin, Texas.
