This was a rare moment captured on video and I just had to post it for all to see. Punk Rock's Godfather, Mike Ness of Social Distortion, joined Sharks onstage in Virginia recently to perform with them. Why is this a big deal you ask? Mike Ness hasn't performed with anyone for twelve years. The last person was Bruce Springsteen. That is a hell of an endorsement for Sharks.
Sharks is one of the bands I am looking forward to checking out at this year's Warped Tour. The English punk band is a serious up-and-comer in the U.S. punk rock scene and if you don't know them now, you will soon. I'll make sure of it.
Zlam Dunk are one of my favorite bands. I've followed them avidly since their early days. It still baffles me that they aren't bigger than they are or kicking everyone's ass on Warped Tour. Only youth, talent and a shit ton of energy drinks can birth such a high energy group of dance punks like these dudes.
Joe Sib is one of my favorite music personalities. He is co-owner of record label Side One Dummy Records, Wax frontman, and host of punk rock radio show "Complete Control" which airs in seven cities across the country including Austin alternative station 101X on Sunday nights.
This is the trailer for the new short film from Social Distortion for "Machine Gun Blues." I'm told to go to http://www.voxbloc.com/share/machine-gun-blues to demand the movie premiere and free show in Austin. The city with the most votes will win a free Social D performance and premiere of the short film "Machine Gun Blues." Whatever I have to do to get Social D back in Austin, I'll do. Mike Ness is my generation's Johnny Cash with ink.
I don't post a lot of SXSW related stuff on my blog, almost none at all actually. I like the festival just fine, but it is just that I think I'm so jaded that nothing excites very much anymore. If I was indie crazed or into free booze parties, then maybe I'd be more excited. That being said, I am pretty school girl giddy over the Fat Wreck Chords Showcase. Two words: "Screeching Weasel". 'Nuff said.
At least Mike Ness will be there at Stubb's tonight, the one original member of Social Distortion needed really. I thought my opportunity to see them live had long passed. I guess now I can check this off my bucket list later tonight. Too bad I have to go in to work tomorrow morning. Oh well, Social D is well worth it. See you at Stubb's folks!
The Denton, Texas based pop-punkers, Bowling For Soup, will be playing at The Parish this Saturday in Austin with The Dollyrots. We are giving away tickets on Red River Noise. Visit this link to find out how you can win a pair: http://tinyurl.com/29bpz98.
I recently sat down with Jason Devore, lead singer of punk rock out Authority Zero. He's a great interview and totally approachable. After over ten years of doing Authority Zero, it was nice to see he hasn't lost his passion despite all the changes with the band and record industry over the years. We talked a little about that and the new upcoming album from Authority Zero coming out in June called Stories Of Survival. Read the full interview here:
No Use For A Name is a punk band I've been a fan of since I was in high school, waayyyy back in the '90s. I saw them on Warped Tour and actually got to meet Tony Sly this year. In February, he came out with his first solo acoustic album called 12 Song Program. We talked about that amongst many other things. Check out the interview on our new website, Red River Noise here:
Here is the new cover art for the upcoming Gaslight Anthem album, American Slang, due out on June 15th. I know that's a ways away, but anything I can get from Gaslight Anthem is gold. I absolutely love this band. They posted a the new title track on their MySpace page.
Tomorrow when all the big music fest stuff starts, make sure to get up The Parlor North Loop for the best day party of your life! Some of my most talented writer and photographer friends are starting a new blog called "Red River Noise" and we're kicking it off with some a bang. Like a mixtape that never slows down, this line up is high energy. Form local heavy weights like Zlam Dunk and Bright Light Social Hour, to San Antonio sensation Hydra Melody and crazy touring acts, there is something for everyone cool.
I love Dirty Laundry and have a mad crush on Jemina Pearl. I hated the fact I had to miss her show at Emo's. Next time my dear Jemina...next time. I want a photo and an interview. If her "people" are reading this, let's make it happen next time.
With a Saturday full of great choices, it is only fit that my Saturday show pick is the one show with two big local heavy hitters in two different genres. Saturday night at Red 7, both Ume and The Riverboat Gamblers (RBG) take the stage. Both are headliners in their own genres, Ume being the indie headliner and RBG the punk rock headliner. When I saw this one come to my inbox, it didn't matter what else was going on that night. Only a Rage Against The Machine or At The Drive In reunion featuring all original members could steal this Red River thunder.
Many of you caught Ume during Free Week I'm sure, or have seen them before as they are an Austin blogger darling. Unlike most "blogger bands", Ume is worth some buzz. I am not as into them as many of the blogosphere is, but I dig their live show. I even own their Sunshower EP, which is worth picking up at the show Saturday. Check out Ume here in their official video for "The Conductor" which is on their EP.
Now while Ume is all the buzz and everything, I'm sold on tomorrow's show because I'm a huge Riverboat Gamblers fan. I last saw them in November at Fun Fun Fun Fest, but without guitarist Ian Macdougall on every song. A few of their friends and old members filled in for him. He was in a bad accident that had his arm in a cast. According to the band's MySpace and an article on Austin 360, MacDougall is ready to go. The whole band in fact, is ready to go on this summer's Warped Tour. They will be on the entire tour representing Austin, Texas punk rock once again and I couldn't be happier about it. Catch The Riverboat Gamblers now while they are in town. Check out their latest music video for "DissDissDissKissKissKiss" off their soon to be Red River classic, Underneath The Owl.
Also playing before Ume and RBG are Austin bands The Altars and Shapes Have Fangs. Get there early as this show will sell out.
Tuesday will take me to Austin's best hardcore venue, Red 7, for a pretty good pop-punk show of all things. A genre that really blew up in the '90s and got mainstream in the early part of the previous decade, pop-punk had a real strong hold in Austin a few years ago it seemed. Bands like Dynamite Boy, Riddlin' Kids and Tuesday's headliner, Cruiserweight, were a big part of that movement. Around ten years later, when all those other bands they played with in those days are making their reunion show circuit, Cruiserweight have sustained.
It is really refreshing to me that they have sustained. In a day where most local blogger blow hards and snobby Austin music media fail to acknowledge the relevance or existence of pop-punk, Cruiserweight remains. When I see them live now a days, I see myself in their young teen and early twenty-something fans. I was around that age when I first saw them live. Those same young teens and early twenty-somethings make me feel really old when I catch their shows now, but there are always a few old fans my age hanging around to make me feel less cool. I'm also glad to see front woman, Stella Maxwell, still battles on the dance floor at the end of every set. She hasn't lost a step or her passion. If you've never seen them live, you're missing out. You'll see me there as I'll be the old guy who knows the words to most, if not all, of their songs.
I'll be talking about Cruiserweight more later I'm sure, so I'll save my rants, raves and odes to Cruiserweight for another day and an actual publiction. I know they have yet another new record in the works, so maybe they will perform some of those. I'm crossing my fingers that they are. What I will bet the house on is that they play the following classics I've posted below. If you have never seen or heard of Cruiserweight, then I strongly encourage you to watch and listen to both as well as check them out for free on Tuesday night.
"Cautionary Tale" off their album This Undoubtedly Come Out Wrong
"Yellow Lights" off their album This Undoubtedly Come Out Wrong
Playing before Cruiserweightwill be The Anchor and Buffalo's own Lemuria who are on tour. Oh and I almost forgot, O'Pioneers. They are one of my favorite post-rock or post-punk bands (depending on who you ask) that I saw for the first time in 2008 when they opened for Less Than Jake. Get to Red 7 at 9:00pm so you can find parking and absorb it all.
Monday night is the first night that will bring me to Red 7, Austin's premiere hardcore venue. With nothing else that really interests me anywhere else Monday night, an old local punk rock favorite of mine headlines. Austin's own punk rock outfit, Head Panic, is a great band for punk rock lovers to check out. I admit I haven't seen them in over a year. The last time was at Room 710, may it rest in peace. I reviewed their album, America, on cdFuse in 2008 before it made the change to Double Stereo. It was one of the better, lesser known punk releases of 2008.
Fronted by the talented Phil Bracey, Head Panic is a punk band with a bi-coastal sound that incorporates dub, hardcore and ska. They sound like a '90s punk band actually, which is a good or bad thing depending on your personal tastes. They don't have huge mohawks or skinny jeans. They probably fall somewhere in between which makes them approachable to all sorts of punk fans. They are both political and fun, while always being a good live band to see. I don't think they have taken off locally they way I thought they would, but then again they do their fare share of touring regionally and nationally. Most of the shows I caught from them were at head Hunter's and Room 710. I hope they move into the bigger Red 7 level gigs that enable them to open for bigger touring acts so more people can get exposed to them. Check out this cool widget that has some of their music on it and give them a listen. If you like what you hear, head to Red 7 Monday night and enjoy Free Week.
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.
Yes! The best week of the year in the entire country and world even, is Free Week. I'll be previewing some bands and making show pics, but for now you need to check out the following link to Transmission's website about what they have going on. I can't wait!
Me with Death at Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009 in Austin, Texas
The biggest reason to be excited for me at this past Fun Fun Fun Fest was not Danzig or The Sword, but the resurrection of the iconic punk rock group Death. Seeing them live felt like being in a time warp. They were punk before punk was genre. Think Stooges getting Jimmy Hendrix as a lead singer. It's something like that. Anyway, as I was surfing around YouTube tonight I came across the live video that I have been waiting for since the festival ended. Here's the live video of Death performing "Politicians In My Eyes" at Fun Fun Fun Fun Fest 2009.
I know it's cold and we saw some snow Austin, but don't let that deter you from going out and having a good time tonight. As always in Austin, there is so much going on that is it isn't worth staying home if you can afford to go out. That's also the trouble living here...what to do? How does the average 9-5 working Joe know what to do or where to go any given night? Easy. I'll tell you.
For those of you who want to check out some local goodness, tonight is your night. It seems like there isn't the heavy hitting touring act to hang with all the Austin based talent Saturday. Again, another great reason I haven't left town and why I don't plan to. Sure Vallejo and Ryan Harkrider are playing at Antone's, Red Leaves play at The Beauty Bar, but that's too chill for a Saturday night if you ask me.
Tonight hardcore and punk rock lovers should be at Red 7 to catch Sober Daze as they open before Chicago based touring act, The Effigies. Known by many as Chicago's punk pioneers, this will be a rare opportunity to see these guys. Red 7 wouldn't just book anyone in front of them, so that should tell you something about the dudes from Sober Daze. I've said for a long time now that these guys have great potential and just kill it live. Lately they've opened for The Vandals, Fat Wrechords artist Dead To Me and now The Effigies. Start paying attention punk rock lovers. Soon you'll be seeing them headline and their cover charge will increase. This show is a great two for one, local goodness and a legendary touring act. Check out the rest of the line up and more details for this show here at Do512.
Also for the hardcore, Pack of Wolves play just around the corner from Red 7 at Mohawk. These Mexican metal heads have had quite the year. They released their debut album, Betrayer, on Arclight Records in spring, opened for The Sword in September and played Fun Fun Fun Fest last month. I'll say it once and I'll say it again. These dudes will be the next metal band from Austin to go major. I don't think they'll blow up like The Sword, but being nationally known and bigger tours are in the future for the wolves. What I am waiting for is their next record, which they are working on and is due out next year. If you love good metal, pick up the Betrayer vinyl which comes with a coded card to download the mp3s. It's good old school thrash with a little death metal touch on the vocals. It's one of my favorite local releases to come out this year.
To prove my point, check out these two videos. The first is their official music video for "Concession" off Betrayer. It's one of the better videos I've seen at the local level.
Here' an interview I did backstage at this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest last month with Pack of Wolves lead singer Trey Ramirez and drummer Adrian Carillo. Hopefully this can give you a little more insight as to what these dudes are about.
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.
