Long live the '90s!!!! Sponge is coming to Austin to play a show at Red Eyed Fly this Thursday.This is one of the most underrated bands of the early '90s. I discovered them in middle school on a random visit to CD Warehouse one day (remember those?) in the used section. I picked up the album Rotting Pinata for the title and popped it into the CD players they used to have out at these listening stations. I instantly fell in love with it. Later I heard them in the movie Chasing Amy and haven't heard much from them since. Still, Rotting Pinata is one my top one hundred lists for best albums of all time.
I didn't think I'd ever get to see Sponge in concert, but now I get to sort of see them. The lead singer, Vinnie Dombroski, is the only original member. Still, I'm so there. Still wondering who Sponge is or can't remember who they are? Listen to "Plowed" here from the YouTube clip. It's a classic:
Advance tickets are available for the show on Frontgate Tickets here.
Austinist Indieroke returns tomorrow, September 9, to The Mohawk for a special Interpol edition. You can hear the new Interpol record and the karaoke party takes place inside where you can sing select Interpol songs to win some pretty cool prizes, including a vinyl copy of the new record. Vinyl is always delicious. See full details on the Austinist here.
Mother Falcon has been on my list of bands to see here in Austin for a long time, but I have to be in the mood to see something really relaxing in order to see them. When I go see a show, I usually need that live show experience to amp me up and get my blood flowing. If you read any of my online publications, you know that I always go see the hard stuff live and the listen to the slow stuff I review at home. I may make an exception Thursday night as this will be the last chance I have to see Mother Falcon before I start work for the fall semester.
For those of you who are unfamiliar with Mother Falcon, they are orchestral indie collective of young musicians. When I mean collective, I mean collective. Here is the list of members and which instruments they play:
Laura Andrade - Cello
Rita Andrade - Viola
Italo Benavides - Cello
Diana Burgess - Cello
Kira Bordelon - Violin
Clara Brill - Violin
Nick Calvin - Cello
Maurice Chammah - Violin
Yun Du - Violin
Nick Gregg - Vocals, Cello, Mandolin, Guitar
Austin Harris - Violin
Tamir Kalifa - Vocals, Accordion
Matt Krolick - Trumpet
Gilman Lykken - Bassoon
Josh Newburger - Violin
Claire Puckett - Vocals, Guitar, Piano
Matt Puckett - Vocals, Saxophone, Glockenspiel
Luke Stence - Bass
Isaac Winburne - Saxophone, Percussion, Piano
I often describe them to folks as sort of a young Balmorhea. These kids are amazing musicians and The Parish really is the ideal venue for them. The Parish has the sound, lighting and aesthetics suited for a small orchestra. Catching them Thursday night would also be good because they may be performing new songs off their new album they are currently recording. I'm looking forward to hearing it whenever it does come out. This Thursday's show is also the last show with their original line up. To get a better idea of what Mother Falcon looks and sounds like, watch this live video clip of them performing at Mohawk.
Doors are at 7:00pm. Advance tickets for this show are not available. Admission is $8 at the door. All ages are welcome. Also on the bill with Mother Falcon are Battle Bend and Little Lo. For complete details, visit The Parish online here.
One of my favorite "getting late and close to bed time" listens is the Belly Of The Lion album by Ola Podrida. I was at their first live show last year at Mohawk with Balmorhea. It was quite the experience and also some of the most beautiful music I have ever heard. Frontman Dave Wingo is a talented dude, playing both guitar and banjo to go along with that soothing singing voice. If you have not heard Ola Podrida (Spanish for "bad or rotten" wave) then you should definitely give it an honest listen. Check out the video for Ola Podrida's single, "This Old World":
Tickets for this Thursday's show will be sold at the door. Tickets are only $7 dollars for 21+, $9 for minors as it is listed as an all ages show. Dana Falconberry and Bosque Brown are also on the bill. Arrive by 10:00pm to see the whole show. Don't be that guy (or woman) that only shows up for headliners.
Thursday night when all you faux hipsters will be wearing your best Urban Outfitters to Stubb's for the Phoenix concert, I'll be at Emo's watching one of my favorite new bands, Violent Soho. These Aussies are out to prove grunge and anything Sonic Youth(ish) still kicks ass. Speaking of Sonic Youth, they are even on Thurston Moore's label, Ecstatic Peace! Records. They are touring to support their self titled album before making their way to Lalapalooza this summer. Violent Soho will be playing with Austin's own, The Boxing Lesson and Red Falcon. Now watch this video, turn it up and get your face rocked off!
One of Austin's biggest blogs, Ultra 8201, is having their 4th anniversary showcase Thursday. Congratulations to them first of all. Keeping up with a blog isn't the easiest thing to do, so doing it for four years is something to indeed celebrate.
This year's anniversary bash has a pretty good local line up of indie favorites. I only recently saw New Roman Times and left wondering why I hadn't seen them way sooner. Better late than never I suppose. New Roman Times is this sort of new wave-indie band based here in Austin. For fans of that genre, I suggest checking them out.
The Authors and Politics round out the bill Thursday at The Ghost Room. For those of you in Austin, it is the old Gingerman. As sad as it was to see the Gingerman go, I'm not mad at the fact that Austin has a new live music venue in that part of downtown. The Ghost Room is located at 304 W. 4th.
Also for the hipstery cool kids, Annie Ray will be doing the photo booth. Not my thing, but it is there if you want it for the Facey Spaces and tweet pics. For more details, visit Do512 HERE.
My Austin Vida crew and I are giving away two tickets to this show. If you haven't checked out Morakestra and are an indie lover, it's time to get with the program. Details HERE.
Austin indie rockers, Frantic Clam, will be playing their EP release show at Beauty Bar Thursday night. The EP is serving as a teaser EP for an upcoming album entitled Lolita. Perhaps some of you got a chance to check out these guys during Free Week. My apologies go out to Frantic Clam as they were one of the few bands I missed. However, I will be checking them out Thursday night as should you.
There are plenty of other reasons to head to Beauty Bar, like FREE COVER before 10pm and FREE Treaty Oak rum starting at 10pm. Bands supporting Frantic Clam on this bill include Motel Aviv, The Pons, Candi and the Strangers and DJ Czech One. For you hipster types who love photo booths, there will be some of that too on hand provided by Trevor Ray Thompson. I'll be there for the music thanks.
Here's a little taste of Frantic Clam for you...a little something I found on YouTube.
For more on Frantic Clam, visit them on Double Stereo here. Full line up details and a discounted cover available on Do512 here.
Suzanna Choffel in shiny pants (photo by Todd Wolfson)
In the midst of all the A-List Red River bands playing tonight, there is a special treat happening tonight at The Parish. Tonight one of my absolute favorite local artists, Suzanna Choffel, ventures out of Momo's for once to play a venue on 6th. Not only that, it's a Free Week show! For those of you who are too cool to venture off Red River, drop the ego and head to The Parish where it's warm.
I have had the opportunity and privilege of seeing Choffel many times as she is an Austin music staple. She is a great live performer and her style mixes jazz, folk, world music sounds and even R&B. I don't know what color her eyes are, but she is what they refer to as "blue eyed soul". Often compared to Nelly Furtado, Choffel has wide appeal and enough edge for Red River. So after the Longhorns stick it to those 'Bama girls, bundle up and head to The Parish. For those outside of Austin or those not yet familiar with Choffel because you live under a rock, check out the following clip from M.E. Television. Thank me later.
Also at The Parish tonight is Sounds Under Radio, which is a decent radio-rock band with hint of ambient indie. We're talking lots of crunchy guitar riffs, spacey noises, floating notes and heavy bass lines. You may want to hang out after Choffel is done, especially since it is free and warm.
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.
Thursday night I'll be at The Parish checking out Austin based indie-psychedelic group, Amplified Heat. I have been meaning to check these dudes out for while now, but just never got around to it for one reason or another. Shame on me, I know.
I love what I have heard from these guys so far, as they remind me of my dad's record collection. He listens to a lot of Cream, Vanilla Fudge, some Deep Purple and Iron Butterfly. What Hacienda does for old school indie, Amplified Heat do for psychedelic '70s style rock. I bet the Woodstock generation would totally dig these dudes as well.
Amplified Heat (photo by Todd Wolfson)
Amplified Heat is Jim, Chris & Gian Ortiz. They are signed to the Austin label, Arclight Records. Arclight also has one of my favorite local metal bands, Pack of Wolves. That speaks well for Arclight if you ask me.
Anyway, I'm stoked about this show as should you be. The Parish has great sound and an indoor venue on the second floor, so a little warmth should be nice in this cold spell we're having here in Austin. Show up early and you'll be able to check out more local goodness from The Strange Attractors and Smoke and Feathers.
For more info and to purchase tickets, visit the following link:
Tonight begins the first round of ACL Aftershows. Most of the time you'll see only the headliners in the fliers and media listings around town. That's too bad really, because some of the openers will be some of the best bands you may ever see. Take for instance tonight at Emo's where headliner The Walkman and even co-headliner Blitzen Trapper are listed all over the place in huge lettering or pictured. The real gem for me on tonight's show is Baltimore indie group, Wye Oak. They open for The Walkman tonight as part of an official ACL Aftershow. Indie-folk lovers, hipsters, wannabes and music bloggers will all love Wye Oak.
Wye Oak is comprised of childhood besties, Andy jack and Jenn Wasner. Wye Oak are on Merge Records, home to heavy hitters M. Ward and Lou Barlow. The first album I picked up on from them was 2008's If Children. I remember hearing a song or two from that album on one of the KUT or NPR programs I listen to regularly. I loved their music instantly as I have an affinity for spacey guitar notes, ambient indie and female indie vocalists.
Early reviews of If Children brought many comparisons to the group, Ya Lo Tengo. I'd have to agree, only Wye oak has female vocals. Not all the songs on If Children were to my liking, but I kept "Please Concrete" and "Family Glue". This year, Wye Oak released The Knot on Merge Records. A much better albumin comparison to If Children, The Knot It is everything that was wrong or dull about the rest of If Children done right. There's more feedback, violin, great vocals, pedal steel and a hint of psychedelic. The Knot has also received great reviews and is sure to be another taste maker favorite.
As I mentioned before, Wye Oak opens for Blitzen Trapper and The Walkmen tonight at Emo's. For you out of towners, Emo's is on 603 Red River, where it meets or intersects with 6th Street. There are two entrances to Emo's, an outside stage entrance and an inside stage entrance. Wye Oak play the outside stage. Get there at 9:00. Tickets are $22 advance plus any fees. If you're looking to head out tomorrow night but are not sure where to go with all the great shows happening all over town, head to Emo's outside stage.
Here is the video for the first song I ever heard from Wye Oak off their If Children album. It's called "Please Concrete". Be sure to check out the links below for event info and Wye Oak links.
Tonight at Emo's, everything is happening. While Ra Ra Riot may be what's going on outside, the real show happens on the inside stage and for a lot cheaper. Returning to Austin are two fantastic touring acts, Girl in a Coma (San Antonio) and Killola (Los Angeles). The local opener is a cool band called Your Kisses Cause Crashes.
Now anyone who knows me personally, or reads Ian's Music Blog regularly, knows I am a fan of Girl in a Coma. Yesterday I published a conversation with Phanie Diaz, drummer for Girl in a Coma, online at Austin Vida. We briefly chatted about what GIC does when in Austin and why they love it so much. There is also some great live video from their June show at Emo's you can check out. Thanks go to my Austin Vida crew, Angela and Ajay, for setting that up. Visit the Austin Vida Blog or check the post about it below. Girl in a Coma's great and there isn't much more I can say at this point. They are set to go on stage around midnight.
The other reason I'm stoked about the show tomorrow is the chance to check out Killola again. I saw them in 2008 on a random weeknight at Red 7 with The Action Design. That night I was there to see The Action Design and zero previous knowledge of Killola. Fronted by the talented and beautiful Lisa Rieffel, Killola is a high energy garage band with hints of new wave and punk. To date, their live show is still one of the best I've seen from an unsigned band. Watching Lisa Rieffel perform is like watching the bastard love child of Deborah Harry and Belinda Carlise.
Their live show isn't the only thing that impresses me about Killola. They are a DIY marketing machine like no other. They embrace of the digital era we are in has certainly paid off. They have a website, Myspace, a blog, a podcast, YouTube Channel, and free downloads. In fact, they offer their entire I Am The Messer Album free to fans. That's how I got it. According to their website bio, they had 30,000 downloads within the first three months. That number is way higher now as months have passed since its release. What a great way to build your fan base, and a loyal Killola tattooed fan base at that. Ever see this symbol K)) ? Killola understands what record companies don't and they will succeed as a result. I'm definitely on team Killola.
While we are on the subject of Killola, they just released their new video a couple of days ago on YouTube. The video is for their song "Cracks in the Armor" off their upcoming new record. It is like a Muppet Sponge Bob mixed with rock and roll. It's kind of weird, but it's a great track. Check Lisa out and tell me you don't see a young Deborah Harry.
For more information on tonight's show with Girl in a Coma and Killola, click here.
Let the indie hipsterdom ensue at Mohawk tonight. Austin's own The Lemurs and Louisiana's Giver's will be gracing the stage. I admit, I know nothing about Givers other than what was on their Myspace page. Apparently it is a collaboration of several Louisiana improv musicians who look straight out of the pages of American Apparel or the Urban Outfitters catalog. Their music sounds interesting though and I'd be curious to hear it live. The female lead singer, Tif Lamson, sounds very soulful and out of place in a lo-fi indie pop band like this.
What I can tell you is that The Lemurs are a Red River favorite here in the indie circles. Having been featured on M.E. TV here in Austin and just about all the ad rag grab and go papers I can think of, The Lemurs are not short on local exposure. It's for good reason, as their live show is worth seeing. I don't think their album sounds as good as their live show, but Million Little Bits is a good pick up for anyone. Let me suggest that you make the pretentious vinyl purchase which come with the mp3 downloads. There is still no better way to listen to music than on vinyl. Tonight, The Lemurs at Mohawk is the best show in town. Give a listen to this great clip of their song "My Definition" from their M.E. Live taping.
The Lemurs will perform on the inside stage after the outside show, Cracker and Clem Snide. The Mohawk is located on 912 Red River and the inside show with Givers and The Lemurs starts around 11:55.
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.
One of Austin's biggest blogs, Ultra 8201, is having their 4th anniversary showcase Thursday. Congratulations to them first of all. Keeping up with a blog isn't the easiest thing to do, so doing it for four years is something to indeed celebrate.
Austin indie rockers, Frantic Clam, will be playing their EP release show at Beauty Bar Thursday night. The EP is serving as a teaser EP for an upcoming album entitled Lolita. Perhaps some of you got a chance to check out these guys during Free Week. My apologies go out to Frantic Clam as they were one of the few bands I missed. However, I will be checking them out Thursday night as should you. 
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.
Thursday night I'll be at The Parish checking out Austin based indie-psychedelic group, Amplified Heat. I have been meaning to check these dudes out for while now, but just never got around to it for one reason or another. Shame on me, I know.
