Stone Sour is back with a new album and there is a listening party for it here in Austin this Tuesday at Red Eyed Fly. Stone Sour is fronted by Corey Taylor, who also is a vocalist for Slipknot. They are harder radio rock with some agnst and heavy riffs mixed in. If you haven't heard them, and like hard rock that isn't too rip your face off, give Stone Sour a listen. Here is their new video for their single"Say You'll Haunt Me" off of their new album Album Secrecy:
Something even better for those of you who attend the listening party....
The Red Eyed Fly agreed to give away a pair of tickets to see popular '90s alt-rockers, Sponge, who are playing this Thursday. I'm hoping to check it out.
The Action Design is band I met and discovered in 2008 after they did their first real tour. I remember they played an outside show at Red 7 with Under The Gun. The first thing I noticed was that the singer was front woman "Agent M" from Tsunami Bomb. The guitar player was also from Tsumani Bomb. While The Action Design is pretty good, I was bummed to see Tsunami Bomb was no more.
The Action Design still have punk elements to their music, but they went a more indie-electro route with their sound. It's not the indie-electro stuff you'd see all over the indie mags or blogs, but more Alt Press style if that makes sense. The group is currently on tour supporting their album "Never Say". Check out the video for their single "Landmines" here:
Also on the bill are one of my favorite local bands, the dance punk rockers Zlam Dunk. La Snacks is the headliner. Get to Mohawk at 10:00pm to catch the whole show and get your responsible drink on. To learn more about The Action Design, check out my interview with the band from SXSW 2009.
Jacksonville, Florida's own Red Jumpsuit Apparatus will be here at Emo's for what is the last good (touring) rock show this year. Touring to support their latest album, Lonely Road. Released in the early part of the year, Lonely Road hasn't received the critical praise that previous records have. After setting the standard high for themselves with Don't You Fake It, they have been consistent in terms of quality but never as good as that first album. Still, they are a force to be reckoned with and are totally relevant in terms of today's "scene", pun intended.
I've never had the chance to see them live so I'm looking forward to seeing them Tuesday with Fit For Rivals, another Jacksonville, Florida band I've had on my radar. Check out the video I posted below to give them a look and listen. The lead singer looks like the offspring of Joan Jett.
Opening will be local rock outfit, Go Action Team, who go on at 8pm. Tickets are $15 in advance and Emo's is located at 603 Red River for those of you coming in from out of town for this one. Be sure to purchase advance tickets here: TicketWeb
If you've never seen Horse The Band live, you're clearly afraid of intense shows and kids going absolutely ape shit. The L.A. based electro-prog screamo outfit is something else. To compare them to someone local or familiar, imagine Built By Snow and Zlam Dunk having a child who is constantly on Red Bull and won't sit still. Their Nintendo samples and "fuck the system" attitudes are a definite ear turner. I've read some write ups where they've been described as "Nintendocore". There are no casual fans of Horse The Band, which is one reason I love them.
What can get lost in the whole insanity that is their live show is the fact that they are creative dudes. They took a genre that tends to have cookie cutter crap bands and found a way to be original. Horse The Band is something I'd listen to regularly, but I'd go see them live any day. Fair warning to anyone who hasn't seen them live before, they do often play in their tighties.
Horse The Band
Currently Horse The Band is touring to support their October release, Desperate Living. It is very "Nintendocore" and falls in line with something Fall of Troy or Attack Attack would have made, only with their own distinct sound. You need to give it a listen, even if just to satisfy your curiosity about "Nintendocore". While you're listening to the songs on their MySpace, read the part in their bio about labels and what they think of tour managers. Hilarious.
Also playing at Emo's Tuesday is one of my local favorite, Zlam Dunk. These young dudes from San Marcos are bringing the dance back punk to the forefront of the Austin scene. They haven't been around long, but they've been around long enough to make some noise. Having made their name playing along side other young bands like Driver F, Zlam has developed a loyal fan base. They're so loyal in fact, that they travel to every show and constantly scream and chant along. See them on Tuesday as an added bonus. They leave to go on tour soon, so catch them at Emo's if you can. In fact, catch them on this video my good friend Ajay Miranda shot in fall of 2008. They kick azz.
To check out the complete line up and purchase tickets, visit the post for this show on Do512 HERE.
The Dayton, Ohio based Christian metalcore band that shares the same name as that terrible book is bringing they're high energy live show to Emo's Tuesday. The Devil Wears Prada (TDWP) was the one bands that I did not get to see at Warped Tour this past summer, much to my disappointment. Besides As I Lay Dying or maybe Underoath, no band with an openly "Christian" tag or identity has held my attention. TDWP are not preachy or cheesy, or trying to be something they aren't. Ok so they did cover of the Big Tymers song "Still Fly" for a pop-crunk album of some sort, but I choose to block that out. Overall, TDWP just do their thing their way and do it well.
Don't let their bright t-shirts and young faces fool you. TDWP is metal. Their particular brand of metal is "metalcore", which refers to heavy metal with punk rock elements and with heavy emphasis on melodic breakdowns. The drums are still played at lightning speed, and the vocals still sound very metal but with a little more screaming. That's the short version for those of you who don't follow the genre or are unfamiliar.
The Devil Wears Prada has been touring to support their current release, With Roots Above and Branches Below. It's their first album on Ferret Music, as the band's previous albums were released on popular hardcore label Rise Records. While I still prefer 2007's Plagues, With Roots Above and Branches Below is a solid album from beginning to end. Besides being constant road warriors, that album is why the band's stock has risen this year and has fans old and new thirsty for a new album in 2010.
The Devil Wears Prada (photo by Gordie Ball)
Tuesday, Emo's should be packed. I'd be shocked if the show wasn't sold out at this point. This is their last Austin appearance for quite some time. In 2010 they will be touring with Kill Switch Engage and there aren't any Austin stops on that calendar. In fact, only Houston and Dallas get tour stops. It shocks me to not see San Antonio listed, as both bands made appearances there in 2009 on Warped and Mayhem Fest.
The Devil Wears Prada's touring mates are some heavy hitters in their own right in terms of fan base. All That Remains, Story of The Year and Haste The Day are a good fit to play under TDWP and the hardcore kids should love it. For me they are hit or miss, but I'm going for TDWP. So should you.
For more on The Devil Wears Prada, visit the following link:
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:
I just got word that Warren G is not performing at Emo's tonight. I had planned on going and I know many of you had as well. You know we were all jammin' Warren G back in the day, so I am really bummed about it. Word is that his people are wanting to reschedule. I hope they do. I have never seen him live before and it would be a middle school dream come true for me. I guess I will catch ya'll out on Red River tomorrow.
This Tuesday night, October 13th, it all goes down at Momo's. World Music Night is also promoter Brandon Badillo's Birthday party. Badillo is the owner and driving force behind his Bemba Entertainment Company. Badillo turns thirty, which we all know is the new twenty. Most known for his Souled Out shows at The Victory Grill and Xemumba Fest, Badillo is making quite the name for himself with World Music Night at Momo's on Tuedays nights. Last month(also coming up in November) Charanga Cakewalk was the main draw every Tuesday.
One of my favorite local Latin groups is playing Badillo's birthday bash, La Guerrilla. A great Latin fusion band, La Guerrilla is the next new thing in the local scene. With a new album on the way and more local notoriety, they are well on their way for a big 2010. Check out La Guerrilla live here on this clip Austin Vida shot at Mohawk this summer.
There are many other great bands on the line up for Tuesday. For more info on the show, checkout the post on Do512 here for more details.Get there early though, as the show starts at 7:30 and is free...but do make a donation as those are welcomed.
Ocote Soul Sounds make their return to Austin tonight at Momo's with headliner Charanga Cakewalk as part of the KUT World Music Night. I first saw them live this year at Pachanga Fest back in May. Ocote's live set is really something, given all the talented musicians and great songs they have. Pictured above are Ocote members Martin Perna and Adrian Quesada. While both members are part of Ocote, both are members of other great bands here in Austin and Brooklyn.
Adrian Quesada is a guitarist for the Latin super group, Grupo Fantasma and the ultra funky Brownout. I know he's been busy lately with all the promoting of the latest Brownout album, Aguilas y Cobras. Be sure to pick that up if you haven't already as it is awesome from beginning to end. Tonight we'll get another look at Quesada with Ocote Soul Sounds.
Martin Perna seems to be a jack of all musical trades and down with every hip circle there is. A baritone saxophonist with the New York Afro-Beat funksters Antibalas, Perna has jammed with everyone in the sun. He's a founding member of Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings as well as being a classmate of Tunde Adebimpe who fronts TV On The Radio.
In case your curiosity has been sparked now, check out this live video of Ocote Soul Sounds from Fiesta gardens this past May. I also posted for you a couple of helpful links about Ocote Soul Sounds and tonight's show.While you're there be sure to pick up their new album, Coconut Rock.
For more on tonight's show, check out the show's post on Do512 here.
I have no intention of going out tonight as I have been feeling under the weather since yesterday, but you should go out. If you're not going to see Charanga Cakewalk at Momo's, then you should head over to the uber hipster hangout known as the Beauty Bar for some drinks and dancing with DJ Scorpio and friends. I'll post some links for you to check out, but do check out the poster collection these dudes have using old vintage soft core images. I love their posters, easily the best in town.
EZ Action Tuesdays info:
Location: Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th right by the I-35 Bridge and Red 7.
Hosted by DJ Scorpio, featuring DJ Trey Lopez and DJ Czech 1. Get there at 10 and stay until 2. Dance to some underground glam and dance music. Drink Lone Star and forget about working Wednesday morning.
It's a Tuesday in September, which means you need to get to Momo's around eight o'clock to catch Austin's own, Charanga Cakewalk. Headed by musical genius, Michael Ramos, Charanga Cakewalk is a Latin Fusion band that can play just about anything from Latin jazz, cumbia, norteno, salsa, you name it. Momo's is a great little spot right above Katz's Deli on 618 West 6th Street. Other performers tonight include Federico 7 and The Hashashins at at 10pm and The Reddies at 11pm. It is World Music Night sponsored by KUT and it's only $7 to get in. This show is worthy of a Saturday, so take advantage while there are still some Tuesdays left in September. Bring your dancing shoes as you won't be disappointed.
My Tuesday concert pick is Austin's own jazz sensation, Kat Edmonson. Edmonson first caught caught my attention last year with a viral YouTube video for a song called "Be The Change". She is a staple around Austin, usually at places like The Elephant Room. The Elephant Room is one of Austin's few well known jazz spots on South Congress.Tonight Edmonson plays a 7:00 show at Vino Vino, a hip little wine bar on 42nd & Guadalupe Street.
If you haven't heard Edmonson's music, you're missing out. Her voice often gets labeled as "kitten like". It certainly has a sultry old school jazz sound, reminiscent of a modern day Doris Day. Once an American idol contestant (or reject), she is now a rising star. She's been invited to play jazz festivals all over the country and received lots of great reviews for her latest album, Take To The Sky.
I just recently downloaded Take To The Sky, and I have listened to it on many evenings while writing or relaxing at home to a good book. I absolutely love her cover of The Cure's classic, "Just Like Heaven". Her rendition of "Lucky" is a close second favorite of mine. The track from the video I mentioned earlier, "Be The Change" is not on Take To The Sky. That is why I chose to post that for you here along with some helpful links to get familiar with Kat's music.
For more on Kat Edmonson, visit the following links:
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.
