Yay Friday! Whatcha Doin' Austin?

Wow, so we haven't talked all week! What's been going on, dear reader? Have you had a great week in indie-rock? There's definitely some good shows for you to check out this weekend. Tonight you could kick it classic-alt-styley with Living Colour at Emo's. You could also party down with the dude-bras and hipsters at the Mohawk for a little Best Fwends-hosted, possibly-awkward dance-party. For my money though, I'd hit La Zona Rosa for a great local bill featuring The Soldier Thread, Wideawake, and Alpha Rev. The Soldier Thread go on first so get there between 9 & 10 if you want to see them...and you do, want to see them.


The Soldier Thread - Run, Run video via YouTube

I was surprised and confused when I first learned that Alpha Rev was local to Austin, I was also surprised they played so often. Then I realized, that I was thinking of fellow indie-rockers Mercury Rev but there is no connection.


Alpha Rev - Stars of Wonder video via YouTube

Alpha Rev has been doing there thing for over a decade, last fall they signed with, Disney-owned, Hollywood Records. I'm not going to judge them based on their label, but it is a bit jarring to visit their label page and see the other artists on Hollywood. It also, pretty much, explains why I kept hearing Alpha Rev during commercial breaks on my fav Disney-owned answer to the CW, ABC Family.


Alpha Rev - Phoenix Burn video via YouTube

Oh and just to tie this whole thing together, that band Wideawake has actually had their music featured on the CW itself. Their tunes have been used on One Tree Hill, and even...wait for it...Dawson's MF Creek y'all. That's old-school, that's nostalgia-worthy, that's pre-CW that's when it was the WB. You know you still have a dancing frog doll kicking around somewhere.


Wideawake - Maybe Tonight, Maybe Tomorrow video via YouTube

If nothing I've mentioned so far piques your interest, you can always catch local-legend, Alejandro Escovedo at the Continental Club. The dude played with MF Springsteen y'all so expect lots of soccer-moms in attendance and/or creepy old guys w/young girlfriends. *shudder* He's playing the Continental tomorrow night too if tonight just doesn't work for you. BTW, did you know Sonic Youth released an official bootleg of their April '86 performance at the legendary Continental Club? Thanks Wiki, you have so much useless info that I need.

Here's another Soldier Thread performance, this one is a Radiohead cover.


The Soldier Thread - Videotape video via YouTube

Don't get me wrong, I love them BUT the snarky comment re:Best Fwends ie. the whole Awkward thing; check this out:


Best Fwends - Todd P. Comes to Austin Promo video via YouTube

That's all I'm sayin'.

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Friday Night Fights

Wow, so tonight features some major show action in Austin. At least 2 out of the 3 majors are already sold-out. I still haven't managed to find a way into the sold-out Animal Collective show at Stubb's and tickets are going for $40-$200 on Craigslist. Remember when Craigslist was cool? Back before it was over-run with scam artists and people who always want to send me their fake Nigerian Money Orders? That was cool. I may just go down to the show after 10pm and see if I can get a ticket at the door or something. Who knows? Gotta ticket?


Animal Collective - Brothersport video via YouTube

Isn't it crazy how quiet the crowd was for the build-up of that song?!?! It's from Norway. Yeah.


Yeah so there's the AC show at Stubb's with Black Dice.

Black Dice - Smiling Off video via YouTube

Then, a mere block away, and simultaneously occuring, is another sold-out show featuring Bonnie "Prince" Billy at the Mohawk's outside stage. I recommend making friends with the people who live in those condos that sit between Mohawk and Stubb's, unless they live on the side of the L that doesn't face either location. Who buys those places? Can you imagine having either: Club DeVille, Mohawk, Stubb's, or the Hospital/Interstate out your bedroom window? I suppose if you're a night owl it's cool, I actually saw people watching the Helio Sequence show at Mohawk from their balcony last night. Seemed like they had almost the same perspective I had from the Mohawk's rooftop deck from their balcony. But I digress. Watch a Bonnie "Prince" Billy video why don't 'cha?


Bonnie "Prince" Billy" - Cursed Sleep video via YouTube

Moving on to the third, and as far as I know not-yet sold-out show of the evening. The New York Dolls are going on after Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears rock Emo's outside stage tonight. I'm a big fan of local artists Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears and I am aware of the legendary status of the New York Dolls so I'm sure this is going to be a great show. However, through no fault of their own the New York Dolls are forever associated in my mind with former (e)M(p)T(y)V VJ Jesse Camp. Sorry NYD's. So anyway, if you want to check this show out here's the ticket link and it may, or may not , be sold-out by the time you click it.


Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears - Boogie video via YouTube

What's going on elsewhere within the AustinBloggyLimits for those of us who didn't get tickets to these sold-out-ish shows? Well there's always the other sold-out-ish show featuring Alejandro Escovedo, at Antone's. Here's the ticket link for that show which, again, may, or may not be of use to you at the time you read this. Or you can catch Unfortunate Heads at Lambert's, if that's more your vibe? Or hell, you can recession your ass at home with some movies you DVR'd from television too. That's cool if you dress uncomfortably and spring for fancy glasses from TJ Maxxed-Out-Your-Credit-Cards. Or maybe you can just play your music way too loudly and try to talk to your friends while texting and taking crappy cell phone pictures in the dark to re-create the concert experience in a different environment? Could be fun? Try to destroy your bathroom first for the full effect and possibly charge your friends to get into your intensely loud/dark/hot environment. For maximum authenticity mark your friend's dates, who are too young for them, with giant, black, permanent marker X's.


Alejandro Escovedo - Always a Friend video via YouTube

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Play Free, Bird!

Andrew Bird is playing the Paramount Theatre with Loney Dear tomorrow but you can see the Bird for free at Waterloo today. That's right the day before he plays his sold-out theatre gig he'll be taking to the tiny stage at Waterloo Records at 5pm today. If you're interested in checking it out I suggest getting there an hour early. The parking is quite limited at Waterloo and there are only a few aisles to stand in where you get a good view of the performance.

Later tonight I suggest you head on over to the Mohawk where you can catch Transmography, among others, at the 101X homegrown-series show. But if that's not your scene either you can catch Austin music legend, Alejandro Escovedo at the Cactus Cafe, on the UT campus.

Loney Dear - I Am John
mp3 courtesy of SubPop Records

Video after the jump...

Before I get to the videos I wanted to note that Andrew Bird allows his shows to be posted on archive.org. So there are tons of free, downloadable performances on that site.


Andrew Bird - Imitosis video via YouTube


Loney Dear - I Am John video via YouTube


Transmography - Calerpa video via YouTube


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Bonnawhat? Bonnawho?!?!

Holy crapezoid did you see the line-up for Bonnaroo this year?!?!



Even if you read that poster upside-down starting with the lesser-known artists, it's still a kick ass show. Congrats go out to the Austin artists and/or artists associated with the Austin scene who will be performing:

Alejandro Escovedo, (whom I expect to pop up in Springsteen's set)

Alejandro Escovedo - Always a Friend video via YouTube

Robert Earl Keen

Robert Earl Keen - Shades of Grey video via YouTube

Okkervil River

Okkervil River - Lost Coastlines video via YouTube

I'm also gonna claim Erykah Badu

Erykah Badu - Honey video via YouTube

and

St. Vincent

St. Vincent - These Days (Nico Cover) video via YouTube

even though they're actually part of the Dallas scene, so there!

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