Ava Luna Return to Austin

It's been several months since I last laid ears upon Ava Luna in our fair city. Their off-kilter rhythms, white-boy soul and gorgeous harmonies charmed my pants off the last time I saw them and if you haven't seen them perform live then tomorrow night is the perfect opportunity. Austin has a new non-venue, venue that's in a warehouse on the east-side. The Museum of Human Achievement is a communal artist space, rehearsal room and a great place to throw a party. In other words this event is somewhat on the low. For all intents and purposes Ava Luna is playing a warehouse-party. You can bring your own booze but don't get too cray y'all! We want to be able to enjoy this space at least through SXSW and the sooner "the man" finds out about this off-the-grid fun it's over. Since this isn't an official concert, there aren't true "tickets" however you can throw some cash down in advance to be a part of the party. I recommend you get your Eventbrite ticket now because the price goes up tomorrow.


Ava Luna - Ice Level video via YouTube

Ava Luna is based in Brooklyn and their latest LP is called, Ice Level. The title track was one of my favorite songs of 2012. Their sound is something like Dirty Projectors with more accessibility and more overt R&B influences. They are a 7-piece band that usually tours with 3+ singers who are soulful and incredibly on point.

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Ava Luna Return to the Mohawk

Ava Luna return to the Mohawk's inside stage tonight in support of their latest album, Ice Level. If you are unfamiliar with Ava Luna, I would call them a more accessible Dirty Projectors. Their music is R&B-influenced avante-pop with thick bass grooves and male-female harmonies. Tonight, they will cram 7 people onto the Mohawk's tiny inside stage and they will pump out some of the slickest, sexiest grooves you've heard from an indie-rock band in years. Tickets are only $10 and you can expect Ava Luna to take to the stage around midnight.


Ava Luna - Wrenning Day video via YouTube

Arrive early tonight to catch Wild Moccasins and Lean Hounds. The doors open at 9pm and Lean Hounds go on at 10pm. Also don't forget, it's a Tuesday night, which means the parking meters are free and it's Tuezgays. So, drink cheap and dance your ass off at Barbarella before and after Ava Luna's set. It's just up the road and you're already downtown. Make a night of it.

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SXSW 2012 Preview: Ava Luna

I had the chance to see, Brooklyn-based, Ava Luna perform on the Mohawk's inside stage about a week ago and they instantly because a band I wanted to highlight for SXSW 2012. Like most contemporary bands, their sound doesn't fit neatly into any one genre but you can hear influences of R&B, soul, indie-pop and some avant/experimental tendencies as well. They perform as a 6-piece, with 3 people doing vocal parts, often with crisp, clear harmonies reminiscent of The Dirty Projectors. One of the things I was most struck by at the Mohawk was how the band doesn't hide their vocals, there were no crazy effects on the mics and they weren't buried in the mix. Most of the songs are sexy, with driving beats, great bass-lines and sensuous vocal parts. The lyrics can be quirky but I think it really works for their sound and shows off the band's personality. They have a series of singles and EPs out right now but still no full length LP.


Ava Luna - Clips video via YouTube

As I mentioned yesterday, the problem with starting these preview posts so early is it makes it difficult to tell you when and where to check out the bands I'm highlighting. So, I'm leaving it up to you to check the official SXSW site as well as, Show List Austin, and/or Do512. In the meantime, you can check out Ava Luna on Spotify, or if you're not down with Spotify I've embedded several of their songs, including their latest single Wrening Day, from Bandcamp.









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Interview: Twin Sister

Long Island indie-popsters Twin Sister will be here in Austin at the end of the month and tickets are almost sold-out. Normally, I do these preview posts closer to the actual show date but I want you to be at the Mohawk on the 29th so, I'm posting about the show today. Neo-whiteboy-indie-soul group, Ava Luna will be playing the support slot so I encourage you to arrive early and catch both bands because they're both fucking awesome. That's right, I said it.


Ava Luna - Clips video via YouTube

I had the chance to send some questions to Andrea from Twin Sister, which you can find below the break.


Twin Sister - Kimmi In a Rice Field video via YouTube

• What are some other monikers TWIN SISTER tried out before choosing TWIN SISTER?

Vampires, Dreaming Kids

• If the members of TWIN SISTER were to choose non-musical professions, what might those be?

I would work in an Aquarium or be an Art Director.

• What band names would have decorated your notebooks/lockers/bumpers in High School?

Smashing Pumpkins, NIN, Björk, Space Robot Scientists. I think I use to do this a lot more in Middle school and like, the beginning of High School. Then I started tacking up flyers for our local acoustic shows.

• Did you grow up in a musical house-hold?  If so, what music were/are your parents really into?

When I was really little and my parents were still into their early 20s, my father used to play guitar with his friends and my mom was really into dance. So, I had Pink Floyd, Blondie, Bob Marley, Neil Young, Michael Jackson, Salsa, Merengue, Madonna.

• What are some of your choices for a "guilty pleasure" playlist?

• Katy Perry - "Last Friday Night"
• Michelle Branch - "All You Wanted"
• Ne-Yo - "Closer"
• Vanessa Carlton - "A Thousand Miles"
• Katy Perry - "Teenage Dream"
• Vanessa Carlton - "Ordinary Day"
• Ke$ha - "TiK ToK"

• What have you been listening to lately?  Do you have any favorite LP's from 2011?

• Roy Orbison, the "Crying" cassette
• The Best of Bowie cassette
• Kate Bush, "The Whole Story" cassette


I think my favorite from 2011 is Björk's "Biophilia." So far, I haven't been listening to enough new music, just old music. I have to wait until this new music is old.

• What were some of your favorite films that you saw last year?

Harry Potter and the Deathly Hollows Part 2 and The Borrower Arriety

  The Borrower Arriety - Official English Trailer video via YouTube
• If you were to make the analogy of band as a family,what roles would your various members play?  Who are the parents in the van?

Dev is dad that pays the bills and makes sure that the modem is still giving the house internet. I'm (Andrea) the mother I guess, too busy with make up and hair to pay attention to my kids, but I'll still take them to the doctor. Eric is my favorite son, little stinky brat that does everything right and kisses mummy's buns. Bryan is my stoner son, that is locked in his room listening to music, being all creative and having a good time with his friends and stealing mama's liquor! Gabel is a friend of my son, and I'm sleeping with him behind my husband's back.

• What's the biggest/most common myth about touring?

It isn't like a road trip, it's fun and work. I never have enough energy, time or money to really enjoy every place I visit. I still haven't spent more than a few hours in Paris. WTH? If you want to become an alcoholic it's perfect! I hate paying for drinks when I come home.

• If you could collaborate with any artist(s), in any medium, in any time period, who would it be, when and what would you be working on?

1940s, Walt Disney, Cartoon production cells.

Twin Sister - Bad Street video via YouTube

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