So Much Saturday Fun

There are so many great shows happening Saturday night, it's going to be like Indie-Rock Rosemary's Baby in Austin. Some of these shows will be sold-out by the time you're reading this, which should make your decision a little bit easier. Including that Twin Shadow show I mentioned the other day.

Let's start south of the river, at Emo's with Neon Indian's triumphant return to our fair city. He's still touring in support of Era Extraña but you can expect to hear some older tracks and possibly some unreleased new tracks. Tickets are still available and will set you back about $15.


Neon Indian - Fallout video via YouTube

Meanwhile, over on West 4th St. some of the best psychedelic-ish bands touring today are holding things down at La Zona Rosa. I'm not even a big fan of Ty Segall's records but his live show is one of the best things to happen to musical performance since the amplifier. Touring with Thee Oh Sees, and having Austin's-own Flesh Lights opening is like the first time Peanut Butter met Jelly. Break open your piggy bank though because drinks at La Zona are fucking pricey. However, tickets for this show are only $15 and for the amount of rockin' that's going to go down, that's a small price to pay.

Somewhere in a small town in the suburbs Passion Pit will be testing the limits of the falsetto whilst pumping out some sensitive dance numbers at The Backyard. At $35 for tickets to this show, you might need to borrow some money from your Mom, or better yet invite her along! Factor in the drive to Bee Caves and the severe traffic getting in and out of the venue and this show is looking more and more like a bummer by the minute. Sorry Passion Pit, we loved your first EP but we're not sure you're worth the hassle this time. For those of you whose mothers already bought them tickets, make sure to arrive early enough to catch The Octopus Project.

Back on West 6th street, just east of those douchey sports bars Antone's is hosting seminal, Boston, post-punk band, Mission of Burma. This show promises to feature a more mature crowd of people who probably know most of the words to most of the songs. Drinks are cheaper than at La Zona but not by much and you won't have to drive to Bee Caves, which is good but there's not a parking lot like at Emo's. Tickets for Mission of Burma are a cool $17.50.

So, there's several things you can choose from tomorrow night. It's not everything but it's a lot of things and if none of them appeal to you, you could always watch a movie at home...or at a friend's home for that matter. Happy weekending Austin!

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Neon Indian in Austin

Some of you may know that lead Neon Indian, Alan Palomo, once called Texas home. As far as I know the band is now based in Brooklyn but I'm calling Friday's show at the Mohawk a homecoming show. In addition to being a "homecoming" show, it's an album-release party! Neon Indian second LP, Era Extraña was released Tues. the 13th and is already a contender for album of the year lists. It expounds upon the textured, vintage keyboard-driven sounds of Psychic Chasms without simply retreading the same territory. This Friday's show was originally planned for the Mohawk's intimate, inside stage but was moved to the outside stage when the show sold-out in milliseconds. Unfortunately for those of you who didn't get tickets, the outside show is also, now, sold-out. On the bright side, you can still have an intimate performance experience late Friday night as those lil rascals over at Transmission Entertainment have rented out the Blazer Tag in South Austin for a neon-infused afterparty!

Neon Indian - Polish Girl video via YouTube

It only costs $10 for a ticket to the Blazer Tag aftershow, which will feature DJ sets by Alan Palomo as well as, local bad-asses, Learning Secrets. If you ARE interested in the afterparty you better snag a ticket NOW because Blazer Tag isn't a very big space and this is a very cool event. So cool in fact, if you're laser tag skills are on point you MIGHT win yourself passes to this year's FunFunFun Fest. That's right, not only is this a bad-ass show, it's a contest opportunity!

Neon Indian - Mind, Drips video via YouTube

The doors for the afterparty open at 11:45am and they're kicking you out by 4am. There is lots of parking so you should be good on that front but if you're not driving I recommend you order a cab when you buy your tickets. If you're going to both events, you can bus from the Mohawk to Blazer Tag with very little walking. Just hop on the last number 10 bus heading southbound, get out near the 7-11 at Ben White and walk west toward Blazer Tag. It should also be noted that there's a 24 hour Taco Cabana right down the street from Blazer Tag, if you're hungry at 4am.

Neon Indian - Fallout video via YouTube

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FunFunFun From Memory

So, yesterday was day one of FunFunFun Fest. I had been to the festival in '07 and had a great time and yesterday was no exception. It seems like every year the festival organizers add a few more thoughtful perks and areas in which to make the festival a uniquely enjoyable experience. This was the first year I have been granted the elusive media access as well so I'm going to talk to y'all about how that was. Oh, but I do want to apologize in advance for not having a camera with me yesterday, what the eff was I thinking right?

So I walked through the gates around 1:30 and was immediately pulled towards the Blue stage where Austin's own L.A.X. was pumping out the disco jams. The crowd wasn't very large at any of the stages at that point but the folks who were there for L.A.X. were definitely shaking their groove thangs. Toward the end of their set I decided to check out the whole media access thing so I walked toward a get to the right of the stage and walked behind the magic green fencing. As I walked through the gates L.A.X. was walking off stage and I got to give a high five and a little praise and this is when I knew it was SO on.


One of the most clever things about FunFunFun Fest is the whole P.I.P. ticket/wristband/badge scenario. Sure, I have a media pass so I can go backstage but folks with P.I.P. passes can actually get on the side stage and watch from the wings, which I can not. Isn't this a great idea for h-core music fans? They can hang backstage and mingle with their favorite artists just like us jaded media types. Today I plan to ask some of the artists how they feel about letting the masses in their private area. I'm guessing they don't mind because most of the artists I saw yesterday could be spotted on both sides of the fence. This is not your typical snob-fest these are salt of the Earth crusty punks types.

I feel like I still haven't found all the free schwag available to me as a member of the press but I will list you some of the things the P.I.P.'s and I have been secretly enjoying. For me the biggest perk is just that it's SOOOO much easier to move between stages from the backstage area so I spent all day hopping from stage to stage, also backstage porta-johns...THANK YOU! As far as free shhh, let's see, I'll just make a list: Sweet Leaf Tea, buttons, neckerchiefs and lip balm, free breakfast tacos, Red Bull, Bottled Water (Somewhat illusive), drink tickets, power outlets, energy bars, I feel like there is more but I'm blanking.


Neon Indian - Psychic Chasms video via YouTube

As far as mingling, I sat next to Alan Palomo of Neon Indian, Vega fame. He was making two lists of the equipment he was going to need for each of his two bands that were performing. I told him how the song Psychic Chasms from the Neon Indian LP of the same name, reminds me of the movie Flight of the Navigator. He seemed pleased with the comment but didn't necessarily understand the reference I think. I asked him when we can expect a Vega LP, he said probably next summer but the EP will see a re-release. Palomo also told me he'll be holed-up in the studio in January working on the Vega records with a very well known producer. I'm going to keep that on the low though, I don't want to jinx anything.


Flight of the Navigator - Music From the Film video via YouTube

I also chatted with members of Foot Patrol after their, killer, set on the Blue Stage. They had 7 +/- 3 members, all in various costumes that may or may not have been related. Apparently their band name is some reference to foot fetishism or insists or some shhh like that. All I know is I was watching the crowd as much as the band and they were drawing people in and those people were dancing. Sadly, our chat was somewhat insignificant it went something like this:

Me: "Hey I really enjoyed your set."
Them: "Thanks we had a lot of fun."
Me: "I could tell, you really drew a lot of people in."
Them: "Yeah."
Me: "Late"

I had a similarly awkward conversation with a Vivian Girl. I was behind the Orange stage watching Crystal Antlers and I look to my left and I saw the Red-Headed Vivian Girl with some tall, dark rocker dude, probably from Brooklyn, probably a band we know and <3 and I have this inspired moment.

Me: "Hey, aren't you a Vivian Girl?"
Her: "Yeah."
Me: "Oh."
***Both look back toward Crystal Antlers***

See people, this is why I'm a blogger and not a journalist haha. Speaking as a blogger I also would like to say that I'm surprised, given all of the little details that Transmission Entertainment thought of, that there isn't free Wi-Fi. To me that is the only, legal, thing that would make FunFunFun Fest a little better next year.

This post is getting out of control long, and I know your attention span is getting increasingly shorter (if you've even read this far) so here's a list of bands who I watched for at least 3 songs. I'll rate them with *.

* = That set was aight
** = That set was cool
***= That set was crazy good

L.A.X. **
Crystal Antlers **
Sugar and Gold **
Foot Patrol **
Times New Viking *
The Night Marchers **
Shonen Knife **
Vega ***
The Sword ***
MC Chris **
No Age **
Melt Banana ***
SSION **
Death **
7 Seconds **
Neon Indian **
Yeasayer **
Les Savy Fav **
Face to Face ***
Ratatat *
The Jesus Lizard **

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Japandroids, Neon Indian + Randomness!

How do y'all feel about Japandroids? I feel like they're one of those bands that I really want to like simply because their name is so clever but I'm not completely sold on them yet. Sure, it's jangly and it's a little Strokes-ish but I haven't found a hook that gets stuck in my head yet. Perhaps it will take a live viewing to fully appreciate Japandroids. I find it's often best to wait until you can see a band perform their material before making a final judgement call. For those of you who aren't digging on the Dirty Projectors catch 'em live and THEN listen to the record again. Sorry, that came out of nowhere. If you want to see Japandroids they'll be playing at Emo's Thursday night and the tickets'll set you back a cool $8.


Japandroids - I Quit Girls video via YouTube

Free Mp3 courtesy of Polyvinyl Records, thanks.

Free Mp3 ---> Japandroids - Young Hearts Spark Fire

Oh, and since I referenced the Dirty Projectors above just wanted to remind you that they are coming back to Austin AGAIN later this month. So, if you missed them at SXSW, or at Red 7, or at ACL fest then you can still catch them at Antone's on the 26th. As of the writing of this post tickets are still available.

In a completely unrelated note, local artist Alan Palomo's, Neon Indian LP, Psychic Chasms is finally out today. He'll be performing with/as his Neon Indian project as well as his Vega project at FunFunFunFest! I don't know about you but I'm definitely going to get my dance on at F3Fest this year.

Free Mp3's courtesy of Lefse Records, thanks.

Free Mp3 ---> Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer

Free Mp3 ---> Neon Indian - Terminally Chill

It feels like this Neon Indian jam has been out for awhile now but maybe you haven't heard it yet? I don't know.


Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer video via YouTube

I don't know about you, but I've been itching to hear the Psychic Chasms LP. See you at End of an Ear?

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Bands That Require Blogging

I feel like it might be almost passé to continue telling people about shows involving Harlem and White Denim. However, they are playing together tomorrow night at Antone's, it's a $15 ticket, just sayin'. I also wanted to mention, firstly, I've only been to Antone's once. I had a great experience, I saw Hot Chip, I liked the venue etc. but I did not notice an "upstairs" when I was there before. Apparently, there is an upstairs, and it's "VIP". But, the only thing you need to make you "important" is $50 because they sell tickets for up there at a separate price tier. I'm not judging, I'm simply intrigued and pointing out facts. If that area has it's own bar and bathroom then it might be worth it, or you know, if you want to achieve "baller-status" in the eyes of some _____ you wanna _______ and forget about.


White Denim - I Start to Run video via YouTube

I heard from one of the dudes at End of an Ear that one of the dudes from White Denim wasn't very happy with the mixing of their latest realease on FullTime Hobby Records, Fits. I'm not happy that I still can't buy Fits at End of an Ear. However, I must admit the sound on that YouTube video was outrageously flat/vacuous. That could be YouTube's fault too, or mine? Maybe my ears hear flat/vacuous? In any case, White Denim is all about leaving it all on stage and just being ridiculously tight and energetic. I like how they've gone from garage-punk/surf/pop into a more Captain Beefheart/Love/Psychedelic-Prog-70's thing. Oh, and for the record, the official U.S. release date for Fits is now October 20th. So, that's when I expect to find it at EofanE.


White Denim - Fits Album Teaser video via YouTube

You may also have noticed that White Denim is playing Antones and the Parish these days as opposed to the Mohawk. Probably has something to do with their former deal with Transmission Entertainment. Like, the fact that the deal is former. They are also, somewhat conspicuously, absent from the FunFunFun Fest line-up. Has Austin turned on White Denim? Bum bum bum... Oh snap! They're playing the Mohawk on Oct. 24th. Maybe there is not bad blood. But maybe there is! Bum bum bum...

The last time I saw Harlem was actually on the cover of Busted in Austin magazine at my local convenience store. Well, it wasn't the whole band, just 33.33% of it. It was for a drunk and disorderly, which if you've ever seen the band perform live, should come as no surprise. I always wondered if their drunk thing was a schtick or legitimate now I'm convinced it's performance art. Obviously.


Harlem - Someday Soon video via YouTube

You know who won't be, somewhat conspicuously, absent from FFFFest? Vega. You know who likes Vega? Bloggy.


Vega - Kyoto Gardens video via YouTube

You be may thinking, "Hey, that Vega song has similarities to a song I have heard by an artist by the name of Neon Indian". How very astute of you, dear reader, both names refer to projects by, Texas native, Alan Palomo. Wouldn't you know it, BOTH acts with be playing FFF. But will Mr. Palomo be getting two rider contracts? Maybe Transmission doesn't know it's the same guy? Don't worry A. Palomo if they ask I'll just point out all of the other factual inaccuracies in my blogging and say I was lying. Shhhhh.


Neon Indian - Deadbeat Summer video via YouTube

Now, if you're thinking, "Vega and Neon Indian share sonic qualities with songs I've heard from Ghost Hustler." Well, then you're probably just being a smarmy know-it-all and no one's interested. We're all full up here. Thanks.


Ghosthustler - Parking Lot Nights video via YouTube

Not to be confused with Ghostland Observatory.


Ghostland Observatory - Silver City video via YouTube

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