2/22/10 Free Show with Downtown Rulers Club at Continental Gallery

 

Alex Chavez of Dowtown Rulers Club

Two weeks ago I went up to the Continental Gallery on South Congress to checkout Downtown Rulers Club, the soul side project of Maneja Beto's lead singer Alex Chavez. It was the first time I have ever heard him sing anything non-Latin and in English. The dude is good. He got soul and so do his bandmates: Christopher Grady on bass, Jeremy Bruch on drums and Beto Martinez on guitar. All four members play for bands or artists you might recognize including Brownout and What Made Milwaukee Famous. 

Downtown Rulers Club is a semi-new new band and looking for a good spot for a weekly residency. Their show Monday night is free. They play at 9:30pm and put on a good show. That Continental Gallery space is small but has a good vibe to it. It is not The Continental but the second floor loft next to the tattoo place and The Continental Club. Check it out for free and have a good time listening to music that your momma would love. 

Visit the Downtown Rulers Club on Facebook here: Downtown Rulers Club Fan Page

Friday Night Show Pick: T-Brid and the Breaks with Brownout!

 

T-Bird and the Breaks

Dear Austin,

It is time to get some soul in your life with a splash of funk. By Friday you will have had a long week.  You will be in need of some good back ground music to compliment your alcoholism. The best thing to do for yourself this Friday night is head to Antone's for T-Bird and the Breaks and Brownout. Trust me, only a lack of a pulse will keep you from enjoying this show. These are two of my favorite Austin groups. I own the Learn About It album from T-Bird on vinyl and it is in regular rotation during my commute around town. Enough said. Take a listen to the new T-Bird single right here on this widget.



For more full details on this show, visit Do512 here:T-Bird & Brownout

1/29/10 Friday night show pick: Brownout at The High Ball

Friday nights in Austin are full of great shows to check out. This Friday is no exception. With that being said, I think avoiding the downtown riff-raf is the way to go Friday night. Austin Latin funksters, Brownout, perform at The High Ball on 1120 South Lamar. You will be hearing a lot about this place as it seems to have some cool things happening this year.

Joining Brownout, as if they aren't reason enough to go, are DJ Manny and Bigface. You may know them from DJ Dojo, the record store that they have DJ lessons at. They've spun all over town for years now. I last saw them at Beauty Bar before the Afrika Bambaataa set in 2008. It's been too long, I know.

Manny is known for his crazy DJ bicycle. If you've never seen it, it is quite impressive. Even more impressive is the crew from B-Boy City who are going to be doing some breakin'.

Check out this video to get an idea of what this whole crew is about in terms of vibe, sound, etc. There is nothing else like it in town that I know of, so treat yourself to some dope beats and funky rhythms.


Starlynx-House Rockers BIGFACE / TIGRE LIU / DJ MANNY from DJ BIGFACE on Vimeo.

More info here on Do512.

New Year's Eve Pick: Peligrosa, Brownout & Grupo Fantasma at Mohawk

Why on earth would anyone be anywhere else other than Mohawk on New Year's Eve in Austin? This show is soooo good that it is worth the drive up from San Antonio, Houston or anywhere else in Texas for that matter. Latinos stand up! This is your party. Of course everyone is invited, everyone with rhythm or soul that is. Three Austin heavy hitters fill the bill with funk, beats and cumbia rhythms that will keep you dancing all night long.

I am not normally big on New Year's Eve, only because the show's are too expensive for the quality of acts booked. Also, I am not big on photo booth parties. I like good live music and variety. I also love Mohawk. I'm not afraid to say it is my favorite venue, when we are talking about the outdoor stage. On a nice night, there's nothing better.

As far as the acts for the show, you should already be familiar with Brownout and Grupo Fantasma, as they share members and are Austin staples. You've seen them on M.E. and on blogs for years now. If you aren't getting down with either by now, it is time to reconsider what you are doing with your life. Here's a couple of quick videos for you to check out. If you want tickets, which I suggest buying in advance as this will sell out, there's a link for that also.

Grupo Fantasma:



http://www.grupofantasma.com/

Brownout:



http://brownoutmusic.com/#/NEWS

DJ Orion of Peligrosa All-Stars



http://www.peligrosablog.com/

The Mohawk is located at 912 Red River, at the corner of 10th in downtown Austin. For tickets, click here.  Feliz Año Nuevo, chorizo con huevo.

Album Review: 'Coconut Rock' by Ocote Soul Sounds

Ocote Soul Sounds is the combined musical genius of Adrian Quesada and Martin Perna. Both come from big bands, as in bands with lots of members and popularity, while coming from different worlds. Many of you may have seen them live recently with their friends, Thievery Corporation. They’ve played with some of the biggest names and most talented of musicians known and less known. With Coconut Rock, Ocote’s third release, they may have created something unique that holds its own that will make people forget about all of that.

Click here to read the full review on Double Stereo

Ocote Soul Sounds Return To Austin Tonight At Momo's !!!

Ocote Soul Sounds

www.myspace.com/ocotesoulsounds

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.

also...

Austin Vida interview with Martin Perna by Ajay Miranda (includes more live video!)

Saturday Night Show Pick: Brownout CD Release Show at Mohawk

Austin's Latin funk assassins, Brownout, will be bring the funk live tonight at Mohawk. Known to many as the little brother or side project of Grupo Fantasma, Brownout will be changing that perception after tomorrow. Their new album, Aguilas Y Cobras, is worth all the buzz it has been getting. Just yesterday afternoon I heard them on Horizontes on KUT. They mentioned that they will be going on tour out to the West Coast soon, so if you're in Austin you need to take advantage tonight. As great as their CDs are, the live show is even better.

Brownout

As for the show tonight, Brownout will take the stage around 10:00 PM, with Pong as the opener. The Mohawk is located on 912 Red River, right on the corner of Red River and 10th. You can't miss it. Be sure to bring a little extra cash not only for the bar, but also to pick up your copy of Aguilas y Cobras. It goes on sale to everyone nationwide on September 15th. Go to the show, get it tonight. C'mon...when was the last time your Saturday night was this funky?

Austin Vida Live: Brownout! from Austin Vida on Vimeo.

For More on Brownout, visit the following links:

Brownout Myspace

Aguilas y Cobras Review on Austin Vida

Aguilas y Cobras Review on Double Stereo

All The Funk You Need: Aguilas y Cobras by Brownout

Austin, Texas. What a great city for music. What many outside of Austin fail to realize is in between the madness of South By Southwest and ACL Fest, Austin has a plethora of locally based musical talent playing here on a daily basis. Austin is the city that is home to Spoon, Alejandro Escovedo, Black Joe and The Honeybears, The Sword, The Riverboat Gamblers and Grupo Fantasma just to name a few. Speaking of Grupo Fantasma, its funky little brother and Austin staple, Brownout, is releasing their new album this month. The follow up to Homenaje, the new Aguilas y Cobras album out does its predecessor by leaps and bounds.

Click here to read the full review on Double Stereo

New Videos on Austin Vida

This month on Austin Vida we have introduced a new feature. Our new music editor, Ajay Miranda, has captured some great video from some amazing Austin bands like Brownout, Del Castillo and Pack of Wolves. We also shot our first video pilot at La Rumba Disco on Riverside, featuring none other than Houston' Los Skarnales. Feel free to embed and share the videos from the Austin Vida Vimeo or You Tube. Thanks again to Ajay and thanks for reading the new Austin Vida.

Pachanga Fest Tickets One Day Special on Cinco De Mayo

Tickets for this year's 2nd Annual Pachanga Fest at Fiesta Gardens are on sale now. For today only, Cinco De Mayo, you can purchase five tickets for fifty dollars. Not a bad deal at all considering you will get to see headliners Mexican Institute of Sound, Michael Salgado, and local favorites David Garza, Brownout and more. Pachanga also marks the return of Maneja Beto to the stage after almost a year hiatus. Take advantage folks. Thanks for supporting Latin Music in Austin.

Click here to purchase tickets