Viva! Lady Gaga & a mariachi band sing "Born This Way"

Someone captured this classic moment of Lady Gaga celebrating her birthday in L.A. at Bar La Cita. This is the kind of golden footage YouTube was made for.

New music video from Ahmad Ali Lewis: "Nig Can't Tell Nunt"

I follow Cypress Hill's B-Real on twitter, which is where I saw this music video by Ahmad Ali Lewis. As I do with all of B-Real's tweets, I check the links to see what he's posting or talking about. He posted this music video so I gave it a look and listen. I'm so glad I did.

Besides being one of the best hip hop songs I've heard lately, I learned Ahmad Ali Lewis is the same Ahmad that created one of my favorite hip hop songs of all time back int he '90s, "Back In The Day." Ahmad sounds way different now, but that's to be understood as the dude is older now. He's still lyrically on point and a great story teller. That's the kind of hip hop I always loved, not this bullshit you hear today. I'm now eagerly awaiting for Ahmad's album which drops in August according to his twitter. If he puts it out on vinyl, I'll trip.

In the studio with Bright Light Social Hour part 2

Austin's Bright Light Social Hour is in the studio recording their first full length LP. The band made this video to solicit help from fans. The whole campaign is called "Jack's Moustache", referring to bass player Jack O'Brien's awesome porn 'stache. You can learn more about the whole campaign on the official Jack's Moustache blog here:

http://www.jacksmoustache.com/

Mark Austin goes acoustic at Oxygen

My favorite new discovery at this year's South By Southwest festival was Irish rock band, The Minutes.They are three piece, no frills rock and roll throwback of sorts that kick ass live. Of course I follow them on Facebook and came across the video posted above of lead singer and guitarist, Mark Austin, playing acoustic. I had not seen anything acoustic from them yet so I thought I'd share this with you guys. They were part of this year's Oxygen line up and  already got a positive review. More positive things are in store for them once their record comes out this fall. A vinyl for yours truly would be good. To learn more about the minutes, check out my interview on Red River Noise here:

Q&A: The Minutes

New music video from Gasoline Silver: "Indianapolis"

Gasoline Silver is a three piece indie-garage band from Minnesota. Having just formed in 2009, there isn't too much out there on these guys, but you will be seeing more from come September when their debut release comes out. Gasoline Silver is Ron Franklin on vocals and guitar, Andy Hertel on drums and Josh Misner plays synthesizer and tambourine. Check out their music video for their lead single "Indianapolis" here:

Guilty Pleasure: "Dear Dictator" remix video

Saint Motel is one of the many Los Angeles based indie bands I have received multiple press emails about. I'm just not that into them at the moment but I will say that I think they have real potential to be the next big indie band that we soon forget about shortly there after. That's the indie market for the most part.

Today however, I got a heads up about a new Saint Motel music video for a Sam Sparro remix of their song "Dear Dictator". It sounds like early eighties new wave-pop that MTV used to play when I was a kid. You could also say it sounds like something you'd hear at Barbarella. When I first heard it, I thought of the group ABC. Check out the dancing hipster dictators in the music video here:



If you like the song, you can download it here for free: RCRDLBL

The Pretty Reckless at Warped Tour in San Antonio

The more people I tell about me going to Warped Tour again, the more I get asked who I am going to see that I haven't seen before or I get asked who is worth seeing. While I am not going to leak who I'm interviewing or writing about specifically, I can say I am deathly curious about Gossip Girl actress, Taylor Momsen, and her new band. They are called The Pretty Reckless and don't fit the typical Alt Press-Warped Tour stereotype. I can see why her label wanted them to do Warped being that the majority of the attendees are younger and probably watch Gossip Girl. Their EP is also sold in Hot Topic, another big plus for playing Warped. Still, putting aside the whole actress gone rocker tie, I am objective when listening to all music regardless of who makes it. I can say that honestly expected WAAAYYY worse. In fact, it is not that bad. It will be interesting to see the over all response and what the blogosphere says post Warped. Check them out for yourself in this video for their single "Make Me Wanna Die":

Looking forward to new Brandon Boyd solo stuff

Incubus frontman, Brandon Boyd, will be releasing a new solo record titled "The Wild Trapeze" in July. I guess this will have to do, but I'd much prefer a new Incubus record. I like the song posted in the video above though, so it will be interesting to hear to entire album.

Emma Watson in a video is a big deal?

So the chick from Harry Potter gets in a music video with her boyfriend and the blogoshere goes crazy. I don't get it. Emma Watson is in the music video for One Night Only's single "Say You Don't Want It" off their upcoming album coming in August. The kids they love this though, so I figured I'd share it here.

Courtney Love at Ames Hotel in Boston

I saw this online today. This clip is of Courtney Love performing an acoustic set at Ames Hotel in Boston for radio station WFNX. Before performing her song "Boys On The Radio", she tells the audience a made up story about her reason for being tardy to the event. She's so silly.

New Dead Prez Mixtape: 'Revolutionary But Gangsta Grillz'

To celebrate their tenth anniversary, one of my favorite hip hop groups, Dead Prez, is giving away their newest mixtape away for free on their website. Titled Revolutionary Gangsta Grillz, the duo spit fire over some popular Drake beats. I'm enjoying it already and real hip hop fans will too. Check out this cool teaser video I saw on YouTube. "All the bullshit hop hop they sellin' is going to start a rebellion in the real world".



To download your free copy of the mixtape, visit http://www.deadprez.com/.

New Kylie Minogue video is an underwear-gasm

I've had dreams that were kind of like this, but there wasn't the smoking hot Kylie Minogue at the top of the underwear pyramid. Maybe now there will be. This video for her new single, "All The Lovers", looks like one sexy Fruit of the Loom commercial. 

More Gaga Covers: "Speechless" by The Material

If you have been on YouTube recently, you can't not come across another Lady Gaga cover song.Most are terrible amatuer attempts at YouTube fame, but occasionally some are pretty good. The last one I posted was from indie singer-songwriter, Lissie. She had a band and guitar for that one.

This one is just a voice and a piano. It comes from one of my favorite pop-punk bands, The Material. Some may have caught them on MTV a few years ago or maybe even played their songs on the video game Rock Band. I saw them at The Red Eyed Fly in 2008 and have followed them ever since. The video above is lead singer Colleen and Jon (who normally plays guitar) on piano. It just goes to show, everyone goes Gaga for Lady Gaga.

Mini-cam Fun: Ollin and Bombasta in San Antonio

So this past weekend was my birthday weekend. As usual, I spent part of it in San Antonio and part of it here in Austin. I have friends and family in San Antonio I like to hang with. It is my second home. I admit that is has been too long since I last went down there for a show. Shame on me, as I know better than anyone that San Antonio has some serious musical talent.

I've written or blogged about Pinata Protest and Girl In A Coma, but that is just the tip of the ice berg in terms of San Antonio based bands I like. On Friday night I checked out another one of my favorite San Antonio bands, Bombasta, at The Limelight. They brought their from friends from Ollin (pronounced like O-leen) from East L.A. to play this show and some other Fiesta Week gigs.

Mini-cam Fun: Authority Zero, Voodoo Glow Skulls, Left Alone and Thieves

This past Sunday night was crazy on Red River. There was this big Adult Swim party-carnival-concert thing happening. When I arrived downtown it felt like a Saturday night. I wasn't there for any of that though. That's stuff isn't for me. I was there to see a punk rock show, a damn good one at Emo's indoor. Playing were Thieves (local opener), Left Alone, Voodoo Glow Skulls and Authority Zero. I captured some cool clips from my mini-cam. Here are some clips in order the bands appeared. Check them out.

Mini-cam fun at World Music Night: Taina Asili live at Momo's

I try to make it out to Momo's every Tuesday night that I can. They have a very cool thing happening there on Tuesday Nights. Promoter Brandon Badillo of Bemba Entertainment and KUT 90.5 put on "World Music Night". Many of the artists include local Latin music and touring acts. Latin is only a small part of it as I have heard Balkan music, Indian, Italian influenced music and other stuff I probably can't pronounce. Well this Tuesday I popped into Momo's to meet a new intern I was interviewing. I ended up staying to check out Puerto Rican poet and singer-songwriter, Taina Asili and her band, La Banda Rebelde.

Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Orchestra totally smash!

Adrian Younge and the Black Dynamite Orchestra have been featured on Wax Poetics recently and played at the Scoot Inn during SXSW. How they flew under my radar, I don't know. I'm super pissed at myself for missing this band. Will someone please bring these guys back around to Austin?!!!!!!!!

Inspired by the Blaxploitation movies of the 1970s,  musician Adrian Young (not the guy from No Doubt) is a Wax Poetics artist. He and his crew there took Sundance by storm with above performance. I first saw this video below that made me look them up. Turn it up loud!

Lissie: Best "Bad Romance" cover

Eat your heart out Lady Gaga. As much as I secretly go "GaGa" about "Bad Romance", I love Lissie's version posted above. It is not a happy pop song when you sit and listen to the actual lyrics. I don't think the bottle service club goers of the world care when they hear it at the velvet rope clubs, but it does have a darkness to it. Lissie absolutely knocked it out of the park with this one. Here I thought "Wedding Bells" was her best cover.

Fun With My Mini-Cam: White Denim at Antone's

So last night I was at Antone's because one of my favorite Austin bands, White Denim, was playing and it was cheap. Thanks to Do512 for hooking that that up for only five bucks. I think that and the fact White Denim rocks your face off brought in the packed house last night. When I got there people were lined up outside waiting to get in. I'm glad to see White Denim drawing that kind of crowd. The funny thing for me though, was that people were in line while the lead singer was starring at all of them as he was outside by the door having a smoke. Perhaps it is because people have only heard them and not seen them that no one seemed to notice. Maybe they just don't get amped like I do about that stuff. I tend to be a bit of fan boy sometimes.

For those of you not familiar with White Denim, you need to watch the video above and the ones I uploaded to my YouTube Channel. What makes this band for me is the soulful, old school rock and roll voice of the lead singer. When you combine that with high energy indie-garage rock, you have a winner. The guy may look like a dorky hipster of sorts, but he got soul I tell you. If you like what you hear, go to Waterloo Records and purchase the their album Fits which comes with a bonus disc. The bonus disc is White Denim's Explosion album. It's not as good as Fits, but you might as well get them both while supporting local talent.

Fun With My Mini-Cam: In Situ Sound

As I prepare and wait for next week's Austin Vida Indie Showcase, I was looking through my old mini-cam files and found this clip of showcase artist, In Situ Sound, that I took during Free Week. I am really feeling this band right now and that is exactly why we (Austin Vida crew) chose to spotlight them. For more info on the showcase with Hydra Melody, check out our Facebook page here: Austin Vida Indie Showcase on Facebook.