Want to go check out Gilberto Gil for free at Hogg Memorial this week? We are giving away a pair of tickets away on the Austin Vida Facebook page later today. If you don't see this time to win the tickets but still want to go to the concert, and you totally should, purchase advance tickets at the following link:
Most know Adam Green from his Moldy Peaches association. As put off as I was by that, I still opened his new Minor Love album and gave it a chance. After a handful of solo albums he released post Moldy Peaches, Green finally comes into his own on Minor Love. It was not the album I expected.
Friday night was yet another perfect night in Austin, Texas. The weather was cool, but not cold. With almost a full moon to light up the night sky and a few visible stars, the setting for a J. Tillman concert outdoors couldn’t have been any better if it were scripted in a Hollywood indie film. The drummer from Fleet Foxes was at the mic singing while playing guitar in front of a bunch of bearded hipsters wearing flannels and indie couples sitting down on the cold pavement floor of Mohawk.
In all my years of coming to see shows at Mohawk, I have never seen a show where most of the audience was sitting down in front of the outdoor stage. It was a nice change and appropriate for the type of live show Tillman and his backing band perform. It isn’t like anyone is going to be starting a pit or crowd surfing at this show. My only qualm with sitting on the pavement to watch the show was getting stuck in front of the only drunk idiot trio of wannabe hipsters who couldn’t shut up there for a while. Still, not even they could have ruined a great performance by Tillman.
photo by Mary Rehak
That being said, even I was taken by surprise at how much I enjoyed Tillman’s set. He played a good mix of his singer song-writer, coffee house folk I came to expect along with some pretty angsty sounding, ambient indie rock. You should have seen Tillman’s wild Rick Rubin-esque beard blowing in the wind and waving around as he aggressively strummed his electric guitar. Simply put, Tillman and company put a lot of the young post rockers I’ve seen to shame. Again, I thought he was all coffee shop and had no idea he rocked like that.
The other surprise of the night was how funny Tillman could be. It wasn’t like stand up funny, but more like nerdy music guy funny. He shared his story about his Waterloo Records music purchase with the crowd, as he played an in store earlier in the day there. Apparently, Waterloo’s owner gives performers a discount on purchases while there at Waterloo. According to Tillman, the owner wanted to see what he had purchased with his discount. Tillman assumed it was probably in hopes of seeing what great album or obscure vinyl he may have picked out, but Tillman only had a Battlestar Galactica DVD in hand. He stopped the story there, but that’s all that needed to be said really.
Tillman also made reference to Robbie Williams of all people, when thanking the audience for cheering a minute before a song was over. He wasn’t being snarky, but rather trying to communicate how awesome he felt to have people cheering while he was playing music and singing the way people do when they see someone like Robbie Williams. It just took us all by surprise to hear the name “Robbie Williams” come out of this awesomely bearded rock star’s mouth. Did I mention his beard was awesome?
photo by Mary Rehak
Overall, the best part of the show was the music. Having performed songs mostly from his latest album, Year in the Kingdom, Tillman reminded me how much more I like his music in comparison to Fleet Foxes. If I wasn’t so close to the stage to clearly see and hear Tillman, I would have sworn I was listening to the CD itself. He was that spot on vocally Friday night, only with a much fuller sound given he had his whole band backing him. Too bad no one was recording this for a live video. This would have been the show to do it. The sound…the setting…everything was perfect.
Set List from Friday Night's concert:
All You See
When I Light Your Darkened Door
No Occasion
Firstborn
Vacilando Territory
Vessels
Howling Light
Crosswinds
Though I Have Wronged You
Barter Blues
Master's House
There Is No Good In Me
New Imperial Grand Blues
This week on AustinVida my good friends Sarah Vasquez and Alysha Hernandez featured two great singer-songwriters, both Latino. I just wanted to share a little about these artists with you all and link you to the interviews. I do it to also show the wide variety of genres covered on Austin Vida, something I don't think anyone else really does in terms of Latino media based out of Austin.
The first interview is with Seattle based Vicci Martinez. She came through here last month sometime and performed at Momo's, a great venue for this type of genre. I got wind of her when I was reading something online one day and saw her name. Truth be told, I thought it was a friend of mine by the same name that I hadn't seen in years. I "Googled" her and came across a musician's MySpace page. Coincidentally, singer-songwriter Vicci had an Austin date on her tour schedule and the rest is history. She has a great voice, especially from someone who is so little. This girl has something. Give her a listen and check out Sarah's interview with Vicci Martinez.
Also on the singer-songwriter front this month on Austin Vida is Arthur Yoria. I have known about this dude for a while, but he hasn't blown up the spot like I think he's capable of. He is of Colombian descent but born and raised here in the U.S. He is a creative dude to say the least, but not in that weird sense where general audiences would be turned off. Some of my crew and I saw him at Momo's recently, at midnight on a Tuesday. It was the best Tuesday at midnight show I remember seeing. Yoria was like the Carrot Top of singer-songwriters, pulling out different instruments left and right.
Yoria uses some sort of music recorder mechanism that records sounds and loops that sound it records. He then creates another sound, records it and adds it to the loop. It makes him a one man band, literally. It is not something I haven't seen before, but it's been so long and the last time I saw someone do it live it didn't impress me like Yoria did. Watch this video all the way through to get the idea.
Click the link below to read the Arthur Yoria interview by Alysha Hernandez on Austin Vida:
If you like what you hear, please check out the links on Austin Vida. While Vicci Martinez doesn't have anything on the books for Austin anytime soon, Yoria will be here again in December. See the article for details.
Fleet Foxes drummer, J. Tillman, is coming through Austin Friday night to do his solo thing at The Mohawk. The interest in Tillman is obviously The Fleet Foxes connection, but he has actually had solo stuff before joining Fleet Foxes. He music is more along the lines of indie singer-songwriter with a bluesy touch. It's definitely not something I could listen to while in traffic, but definitely when relaxing at home. His Year in the Kingdom album is a must have for not only Fleet Foxes fans, but anyone who loves good indie-folk stuff. Other than maybe A.A. Bondy, it is my favorite indie-folk album released this year.
Saturday at Mohawk marks the return one of my favorite bands of all time, Cursive, back to Austin. They haven't been here since SXSW in March. I wasn't sure they would make it back around this way, but they're coming Saturday. Their latest record, Mama I'm Swollen, is their best since The Ugly Organ. I reviewed it earlier in the year for Double Stereo, and don't have anything negative to say about it. That review turned several of my friend into Cursive fans, and they were people who I wouldn't have guessed would be into it. It just goes to show good music is good music, and that is all that matters sometimes.
Opening for Cursive is their touring mate, Capgun Coup. I know little of the band, but look forward to checking them out after listening to some of their music. It's like indie meets surf rock or garage. Speaking of listening to music, check out the latest video from Cursive. It's for their song "Let Me Up" off their current album, Mama I'm Swollen.
Indie-folk artist, A.A. Bondy, is not a household name. He will not be selling out stadiums or topping the Billboard charts anytime soon, but you will certainly like him if you listen to his music. If you already have Bondy’s first album, American Hearts, then you already love him. Now that I have heard Bondy’s latest album, I understand why that is.
A.A. Bondy’s sophomore album, When The Devil’s Loose, just became one of my new favorite albums. Released at the beginning of the month, I have listened to it for a around three weeks now. I kept listening for anything negative or imperfect that maybe I didn’t catch previously before I wrote about it. I refused to believe that albums this close to perfect exist anymore, as if it were something of the past. It’s like my dad says to me, “There’s music and then there’s music”. A.A. Bondy makes music.
At the beginning of When The Devil’s Loose, the acoustic guitar intro to “Mightiest of Guns” sound like musical rain drops. Not much else joins the guitar as Bondy begins to sing. His voice is that of a hip, indie rock band lead singer but with the Dlyan-esque warmth that great folk singers possess. He has that old school warmth that too many popular artists lack.
The title track, “When The Devil’s Loose” is my personal favorite on the album. It is a fantastic blues song disguised as indie-folk. Accompanied by a violin and floating guitar notes, it is difficult not to just lose yourself and not focus on whatever you were doing before the song started. Your mind just drifts.
For those who prefer more country or Americana sounds, “The Mercy Wheel” takes a page out of the classic Americana handbook without any twang or indie pretentiousness. There’s a beautiful piano accompaniment to Bondy’s somber and melancholy vocals. It saddens me to listen to it not just because of the lyrics themselves but it is the second to last song on an album you don’t want to end. From beginning to end, When The Devil’s Loose, is music at its absolute best.
Give a look and listen to A.A. Bondy on this great video I came across of Bondy performing "Mightiest of Guns".
Sunday night shows are best when they are calm, low key and not too rambunctious. That's what Fridays and Saturdays are for. After sleeping in, watching football and having dinner you should make it a point to go out on Sunday night. My show pick tonight is something different than what I've suggested previously, but something near and dear to my heart. My show pick tonight is Leticia Rodriguez and Azul at Kenny Dorham's Backyard, presented by Bemba Beat.
Being close to Dies y Sies, or Mexican Independence Day, Sunday's show is a great way to get in the spirit. Both Azul and Leticia Rodriguez bring traditional folk sounds of Mexico, a music that has connected the hearts of my family and I. Having danced with the Round Rock Ballet Folklorico for four years in high school, I have an affinity for anything tradicional Mexicano at a young age.
Azul began her professional singing career at the age of 15. Her initial musical influences began with the traditional Mexican folk music passed down to her through her parents. Her career eventually took her to San Antonio where she sang for Son del Sur which focused on traditional Mexican folk, and Jemaya, which mixed a message of racial unity with musical influences from Spain, The Caribbean, United States and Mexico. In 2003 Azul began focusing her career as a solo artist primarily on the conservation and development of Mexican folk roots with influences form a broad range of cultures. Through her soul, guitar and voice, Azul gives life and meaning to the narratives of Mexican history.
Leticia Rodriguez began her singing career as a backup singer for award winning singer/songwriters and brothers, David Rodriguez and Philip Rodriguez. In 2007 Mrs. Rodriguez began a band to revive the classical bolero compositions and musica tropical from the 1920's -1950's. With band members; guitarist and arranger Eric Calistri, Percussionists Ric Furley and Gerard Villanueva, and Mario Gonzalez for Bass. This popular local band will have you dancing to their traditional Mexican folk tunes.
Bemba Beat encourages you to bring a blanket and your friends. Kenny Dorham's Backyard is located on 1106 East 11th Street, Austin, Texas 78702. For more info on Bemba Entertainment, visit them online at www.bembaentertainment.com.
After a wild Saturday night and a Longhorns victory, Sundays are a great day to just chill (recover). The NFL season hasn't started yet so after Church or sleeping in, your Sunday should be relatively free. You could stay home and do laundry, or you could experience life in Austin, Texas the way you should...with live music. My show pick for Sunday is a special benefit concert featuring many talented singer-songwriters, including the talented Gina Chavez at El Sol y La Luna.
Gina Chavez (photo by Richard Bryant Photography)
Gina Chavez is a relatively well known folk rock artist whose influences include Ani Defranco, Patti Griffen and Julieta Venegas. In town she's performed everywhere from Jovita's on South First to the Nutty Brown Cafe. Normally she'd be playing shows to support her album, Hanging Spoons. Tomorrow is a little different.
Sunday night's benefit show is an effort to support a humanitarian like trip to El Salvador. The text from the Do512 post says it best I think:
"You might think it's CRAZY! To Pack up and leave a budding career in Central Texas for cold showers & chicken buses in Central America. To take your best friend & live out of a suitcase in El Salvador, where poverty and volcanoes are too big to miss. And for what? To teach kids and live with nuns for a year? Maybe you're right. It does sound crazy. THEN AGAIN, maybe you kinda wish you could COME WITH US..."
While my focus may be on Gina Chavez, there are many great performers on the bill with her. Latin At Heart and Haydn Vitera are certainly worth mentioning as they are all very talented musicians. It is like my mom used to say, "There's music and then there's music". Sunday night it is about the cause and the music.
For more on Gina Chavez, click on the following links:
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:
After a long day such as today, one thing I like to do is hang out with my lap dog and listen to some music. Now as much as I love Rage Against the Machine or Rancid, I just wanted something I could relax to tonight. I wasn't in the mood for country or jazz. As I looked through my Itunes, I remembered I burned some CDs the other day from someone else's music collection. The guy I borrowed the music from is really into Latin Alternative, a genre I figured out I have lots to learn about still. Well, one of the CDs I burned was by a woman out of East L.A. named Lysa Flores. This particular album I picked up was called "The Making of a Trophy Grrrl!".
I played the album with no expectations what so ever. I had never heard of her before yesterday, nor did I research her online the way I would with most artists. In fact, I am not sure why I picked up her CD to burn. It was just in a pile of CDs I grabbed to burn into my Itunes. I just wanted to hear some new stuff in this Latin Alternative genre. Once I clicked play on the album, I was immediately drawn in. It wasn't just background music anymore, as I actually began playing close attention to her voice, the lyrics, and the musicianship of it all.
So while I was listening, I "Googled" her and found both her website and myspace. According to her website bio ,she is a first generation Mexican American artist with three CDs to her credit. After looking through her pictures and listening to her music, she strikes me as the kind of person one would label or tag as "earthy" or "creative". There is definitely some element of Frida Khalo mixed with some Annie DeFranco.
Lysa Flores sings in both English and Spanish, which as a Latino I appreciate. While her English tracks are good, I think she sounds better in Spanish. Her song "En Que Te Falte" sounds like an early, raw Shakira. For those who don't know, Shakira was not always blonde and did not always sing in English. Before she "crossed over", she was more amazing than she is now. Now Flores is not the entertainer Shakira is, but certainly an amazing artist. Because I have no liner notes, I don't know who writes her songs but I imagine that she does most if it. Other noteable tracks I liked were "Novia" and "I won't forget you".
While doing more research online about Flores, I was disappointed that I did not see any Austin or even San Antonio dates coming up. In fact, there are zero Texas dates on her schedule thus far. Not chido Lysa. Not chido at all. Her album I just listened to is fantastic and it would be cool to see her live. Oh well, one day perhaps.
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.
Monday night I was at Stubbs thanks to 
