Free Week is Here: Part the Fifth

There are still a few days left in the longest Free Week in the history of Austin music. Yesterday I gave you recommendations for Tuesday and Wednesday of this week. In those post, I'll give you my highlights for the final three days of Free Week. I'm going to warn you right now that there are lots of great shows at lots of great venues so you could end up running all over town. On the other hand, Free Week is all about local bands so, just keep track of who you missed and catch them later in the year. Alright, so let's get down to business. My top recommendation for Thursday night is that you catch Major Major Major at Hotel Vegas. They are playing the headlining set so expect them to start late in the evening.



Other Thursday night highlights include:

• Cheap Curls, The Sour Notes and Holy Wave at Red 7
• Frank Smith, Lean Hounds and Missions at Mohawk
• The Couch and The Pons at Club DeVille
• Guns of Navarone, Wiretree and Whiskey Shivers at Holy Mountain
• Equals and My Education at Beauty Ballroom

Friday night doesn't have as many highlights as Thursday night but there is still some great music worth checking out. My top recommandation features many of the bands who were playing at different venues on Thursday night all performing in one space. Head on over to Rainey St. for Frank Smith, The Sour Notes, Grand Child, and Black Books at The Black Heart

Other Friday night highlights include:

• The Laughing at Red 7
• Zorch, The Boxing Lesson, Boyfrndz, Blackstone Rangers, Residual Kid at Holy Mountain
• Riverboat Gamblers and East Cameron Folkcore at Mohawk
• The Midgetmen and The Gary at Club DeVille

Saturday is the final day of Free Week 2013 and it also features my highest recommendation. Red 7's inside stage features some of my favorite Austin indie-pop acts all performing on one stage. Arrive early because Tiger Waves are kicking things off and they are not to be missed. Also, sharing the bill on the inside stage will be, Hundred Visions, Oh No Oh My and TV Torso.

If for some reason you're not planning to attend the inside show at Red 7 on Saturday my second pick for the night is the Mohawk's inside showcase featuring performances from The Sour Notes, The Couch, Shivery Shakes, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, The Plastic Habit

So, there it is my top picks for the end of Free Week 2013. I hope you had a chance to hear some of your favorite local artists and maybe discovered some new favorites.

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Contest: Here We Go Magic with Oh No Oh My

Photo Credit: Gregory Mitnick

I'm sure many of you are still experience an ACL Fest hangover but everyone knows that the best cure for a hangover is a hair of the dog that bit ya. Also, it's time to get back in the saddle and experience what's really great about Austin, I'll give you a hint it has nothing to do with standing in a field amongst tens of thousands of people to watch a 90's stalwart. No, what I'm referring to is the intimate experience of being face to face with an up-and-coming artist in a small venue. Well, tomorrow night is the perfect time to experience exactly what I'm talking about. Emo's is presenting a show at the Parish with Here We Go Magic Wednesday night and I want you to be there. Tickets are still available and they'll be cheaper today than tomorrow. HOWEVER, I get to put one person on the guest list with a +1. Will it be you? As usual, the rules are simple: Send an email to Contest[at]austinbloggylimits[dot]com with "HWGM" in the subject and you name in the body along with a reason why you should get on the list.


Here We Go Magic - How Do I Know video via YouTube.

One of my favorite local bands, Oh No Oh My, will be playing the support slot so be sure to show up early enough to hear them play. I love their brand of indie-pop and I think you will too. Oh, and one more note about Here We Go Magic you should pick up A Different Ship on vinyl while you're at the show. Even though it's not fancy and it's not 180 grams it is one of the best sounding pieces of vinyl I've bought all year. Secretly Canadian knows what's up. Also, that record is fucking awesome so you should have it in your collection anyway.

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SXSW 2012 Preview: Locals Only

It's ironic that a festival that takes place here in Austin sees Austin bands so under-represented both at official SXSW showcases and in online coverage. I myself, have featured bands from all over the globe in the month leading up to SXSW but this will be the only post in which I highlight local talent. I could hypothesize about why this is so but for me, it's because I live in Austin and I can see Austin bands throughout the year. However, lots of you reading this right now don't live in Austin and you should see some of our bands while you're in town. Hell, you should listen to these bands if you're not going to be in Austin at any point in the near or distant future. If you're in Austin tonight, I HIGHLY recommend you head over to Hotel Vegas for this fantastic showcase of local talent:

The party above the break features Austin bands who are not official SXSW registrants and there's nothing wrong with that. As I mentioned, there really aren't very many Austin artists who are granted official status at SXSW but here are a few who are playing official showcases, in no particular order:


Ume - Captive video via YouTube

I've been writing about Ume for several years now. They write really fantastic, tight rock tunes and how can I not mention that their lead singer is a beautiful blonde who shreds on guitar? They releases a new record a couple of months ago so if you haven't seen them play lately then you haven't seen them play. Here's where you can catch them during SXSW 2012:

TUESDAY, MARCH 13

• 10 pm Campfire Trails @ Bat Bar | 218 E. 6th

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 14

• 5 pm Sea Now! + Popantipop Party @ Brew Exchange | 706 W. 6th
• 6:50 pm Purveyors of Rock Audioperv Party @ Peckerheads | 402 E. 6th
• 1:00 am Modern Outsider Official Showcase @ Trinity Hall | 401 E. 6th

THURSDAY, MARCH 15

• 5 pm Brooklyn Vegan Party @ Hotel Vegas/Volstead Lounge | 1500 E. 6th

FRIDAY, MARCH 16

• 4:25 pm Berklee College of Music Showcase @ Friends | 208 E. 6th
• 6:15 pm Exploding in Sound Party @ Grackle | 1700 E. 6th

SATURDAY, MARCH 17

• 2:45 pm Thrillcall Party @ Whole Foods Rooftop | 601 N. Lamar Blvd.
• 5:40 pm Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Show @ Casa Chapala | 101 San Jacinto Blvd.

SUNDAY, MARCH 18

• TBD Thrasher Magazine's Death Match @ Scoot Inn |1308 E. 4th

Love Inks - Rock On video via YouTube

I'm new to being a fan of Love Inks but I am definitely a fan and I think they are hitting the scene at the perfect moment. Their sound is disaffected, minimalist, female-fronted synth-pop. Not too light nor too dark and I fully approve. If that doesn't sell you on this Austin band then we can't be friends. Find them here:

TUESDAY MARCH 13

• 8:00pm KVRX Official Showcase @ Trinity Hall | 401 E. 6th St.
• 10:00pm All Tamara's Parties @ Cheer-Up Charlies | 1104 E. 6th St.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14

• 3:00pm East Side Tone Sessions Episode Two @ East Side Tone | 301 Chicon St., suite F

THURSDAY MARCH 15

• 5:00pm Lucy the Poodle, $2 Shows and Connect the Dots present Emerald City Limits @ Spiderhouse | 2908 Fruth St.
• TBA Brooklyn Vegan and M for Montreal present Hotel Vegan @ Hotel Vegas | 1500 E. 6th St.
• 9:00pm StyleX/Charming Charlie Official Showcase @ Victorian Room at the Driskill | 604 Brazos St.

SATURDAY MARCH 17

• 6:00pm @ Waterloo Records | 600 N. Lamar
• TBA Reverb Party @ Dirty Dog Bar | 505 East 6th St.

You might remember Nakia from NBC's The Voice. That show introduced him to the world outside of Austin but those of who have lived here are already familiar with this soulful blues-crooner. You only have a couple of chances to see him perform but one of those chances is in Austin's best sounding room:

TUESDAY MARCH 13

• 1:00am City of Austin Free Showcase @ The Parish | 214 E. 6th St.

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14

• TBA The Guitartown/Conqueroo Kickoff Party @ The Dogwood | 715 W. 6th St.

THURSDAY MARCH 15

• 6:30am KGSR Live Broadcast @ Great Room at the W Hotel | 200 Lavaca St.

I feel like Oh No Oh My are one of Austin's most over-looked bands. They write indie-pop gems that are radio-ready yet they aren't on the radio. I feel like I have written about them every SXSW since I started this blog. Hopefully this is the year that sees them take-off. Watch them here:

THURSDAY MARCH 15

• 12:00am Official Nicodemus Agency Showcase @ The Whiskey Room | 503 E 6th St

SATURDAY MARCH 17

• 8:00pm The Show @ Continental Club | 1315 S. Congress Ave

Pure X - Surface video via YouTube

Pure X used to use the moniker Pure Ecstasy, which implies a much happier sound than you will hear at one of their shows. They are a band who have been grinding out shows for a few years with little to no attention until last year. They put out one of the best local LPs in 2011 and if you don't see them in Austin, chances are you'll see them in your town at some point soon. This is where they'll be this week:

WEDNESDAY MARCH 14

• 11:15pm Official Dummy XO Showcase @ Barbarella | 615 Red River St.

SATURDAY MARCH 17

• 1:00pm Mess With Texas @ 1100 Warehouse | 1100 E. 5th St.
• 5:15pm The Fader + Converse Fort | 1101 E. 5th St.

I've only highlighted five of the numerous Austin bands you could and should see while you're here in town. If you're in an Austin band and you're reading this and you're sad that I didn't include you; don't be sad, there's always next year. Also, people have short attention spans if I wrote about all of the great Austin bands they only would have read about the first five or so anyway.

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You're on the Guest List

What started with a single club (whose original location is now closed) has spread throughout the Red River district and beyond. That's right, as you should know by now, it's FREE WEEK! Think of it as a small-scale local music festival with Austin bands playing for free at all sorts of venues, I didn't write about the first two days of free week but let me highlight a couple of shows to round out your week. Tonight, I recommend you head on over to Skinny's Ballroom to check out Leatherbag. Skinny's is fairly new to Austin's music scene so this will be a great way to welcome them into the free week fold.


Leatherbag - Living in the Dark video via YouTube
Lo
On Wednesday night I would head over to ye olde Beauty Bar where the Manateam Group will be hosting a split showcase with the folks over at Giant Steps. You'll find 5 up-and-coming Austin groups at this showcase, including Tactics.



I'd also recommend you check out Equals' headlining set over at Antone's Wednesday night. That's the benefit of free week, you can hop around and see sets from several band and several venues without paying a cover!



Thursday night, I'm all about Antone's as I love those indie-piano-popsters of Oh No Oh My. I somehow neglected their album, People Problems, when I was doing my local, best of round-up last month so I want to be sure to highlight their headlining performance this week.


Oh No Oh My - So I Took You via YouTube

Friday night has a ton of great shows, you really can't go wrong no matter where you end up. You could see OBN III's at Beerland. You could also head down the street to the Mohawk for a set from Calm Blue Sea. Travel slightly north and east for Zlam Dunk at The Annex at 1808. Get your post-rock on at the Scoot Inn with Markov, with La Snacks on the same bill. If you haven't been to Emo's east Riverside location yet, you can see Quiet Company and Speak there on Friday night. Or you can stay slightly off the beaten path and enjoy the cozy confines of Lambert's for a set from Mice and Rifles.



Saturday night also has as great line-up of performances including a couple of repeat sets at different venues. If you don't cram yourself into the hostile armpit that is Beerland, on Friday night for OBN III's then I highly recommend you catch their Saturday night set at the lovely Mohawk. Also, if you missed Quiet Company's at Emo's East on Friday night they play, the very intimate, Swan Dive on Saturday night. Bloggy favs, TV Torso will be playing the Ringo Deathstarr at Beauty Bar, Fresh Millions at the Parish, What Made Milwaukee Famous at Antone's, Megafauna at Flamingo Cantina, La Snacks and The Cocker Spaniels at Skinny's, and Guns of Navarone at Scoot Inn.



Sunday night is your final night to not pay a cover charge, bringing 7 nights of free-ness to a close. I don't recognize as many bands playing Sunday but you can find free music at: Mohawk, Antone's, Red 7, ND and Beerland. So, there you have it, FREE WEEK! If you want to see more info, I always like to use Show List Austin. You can also find a great write-up by our brothers of the blog over at Ultra8201. Have fun out there, don't drink and drive and make sure to tip your bar-staff.

By the way, almost every link I posted for these bands will bring you to their Bandcamp page where you can listen to their latest releases. Enjoy!

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SXSW 2011 Preview LOCALS ONLY: Oh No Oh My

I have loved Oh No Oh My ever since they were called Oh No! Oh My!. I feel like they don't play here in Austin enough and that they should be way more famous by now. Their music is so pleasant, so full of indie-pop goodness that I'm just surprised they don't have a lot more buzz. They have a new album, which they just toured Europe to support and they are back on Texas soil in time for SXSW. They are only playing a few times but you should make an effort to see them, even if you're a local. Pretty much, I'm a sucker for some good keyboard sounds, and harmonies, mix all of that with jangly rhythm and vests and I'm sold!


Oh No Oh My - Live at the Ghost Room video via YouTube

It looks like the first place you can see Oh No Oh My is Opal Divine's Freehouse for the Pigeon Publicity presents Pigeon's Posse party. They're scheduled to hit the stage at 3:15pm on Wednesday for that set.

Their show listing on the official site gets a bit jumbled, so it's kind of hard to tell but it from other sources it looks like Oh No Oh My's next gig is their official showcase at Maggie Mae's Gibson Room Friday night.

After that you can catch them at another free day party on Saturday. This one is happening at Ghost Room for the New Granada day party. They're scheduled for a 4:30pm set time at this event.

According to Oh No Oh My's F*c*book page, these are all of their SXSW shows but who knows maybe they'll add more?


Oh No Oh My - Another Tune From the Ghost Room video via YouTube

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Oh No Oh My Album Release Show

Well kiddies, I'm VERY happy to report that one of my, absolute, favorite local-bands is having an album release party/show tomorrow night and YOU'RE invited! Don't you feel special? Oh No Oh My fill a void in my heart where indie-pop used to go. Remember back in the day before bands wanted to sound shitty and call themselves lo-fi? Yeah, me neither. In any case there are still indie-rock bands that write clever, melodious tunes that you carry in your head and your heart for days after hearing them, Oh No Oh My is one such band.


Oh No Oh My - Live at the Ghost Room video via YouTube

The show will take place at theMohawk on the inside stage, which is nice because I think this bout of chilly weather is supposed to continue. None of the info I have found on the show seems to list how much it will cost to get in but I can tell you that Shiner will be $3? I would guesstimate that the cover will be around $10 but you can't buy tickets in advance and the inside area is small so I'd arrive early. Also, bring enough money to pick up the new CD! After this Friday night show at the 'Hawk, Oh No Oh My head off to Europe for a three month tour so let's make this a home show to remember. (I wish I was heading to Europe for 3 months)


Oh No Oh My - Another Tune from the Ghost Room video via YouTube


The Ugly Beats will be taking the 11:00pm set, right before Oh No Oh My on Friday night with The Laughing starting things off at 10pm. You should catch these other two, great Austin bands as well but if, for some inexcusable reason, you miss them, no worries they're not running off to Europe...yet.


The Laughing - Runner video via YouTube

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Pomegranates with Oh No! Oh My!

Hey kids, Saturday night at the Mohawk you've got to catch my favorite Austin band playing with Ohioiansians (<--I made that word up), Pomegranates. Oh No! Oh My! make wonderful indie-pop songs and they have been largely over-looked in Austin's music-scene of late. Pomegranates also make wonderful, clever, jangly, indie-pop that will be tattooed on your brain for days after you see them perform. If you click their name above you can download a bunch of free tunes from that page. Expect to hear some new tunes as they recently released a new album, called One Of Us. Holla! You can pick up a copy of their latest LP, here OR at a local retailer. The show at the 'Hawk Saturday is on the inside stage so it will be a late one, it will also be much warmer than an outside show. It's all ages too, so you can bring your under-aged girlfriend perv.


Pomegranates - Whom/Who video via YouTube

Oh No! Oh My! haven't released any music for the last two years but they are playing lots of tunes from their upcoming LP, People Problems, which is due out next year. Hopefully they'll be making a lot more waves with that release as I think their sound is ridiculously accessible and at least deserves some serious licensing deals. Perhaps we'll hear their tunes featured in an upcoming season of Gossip Girl or something? Here's one of their new(ish) tunes I captured the last time I saw them perform.


Oh No! Oh My! - Live at the Ghost Room video via YouTube

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Quiet Company + Oh No! Oh My! = Bloggy Love

Whatcha doin' Friday? I'll tell you what you SHOULD be doing. You should be checking out TWO of Bloggy's favorite Austin indie-pop bands splitting a bill at Ghost Room. I have only seen a couple of shows at Ghost Room but I really like their set-up. It's an intimate room with good acoustics and a very decent sound rig. There's also an area for lazy people (like me) to sit and still see the band quite well. My homeslices at Quiet Company will be playing the headlining slot but make sure you show up early enough to catch Oh No! Oh My! as well. Both of these bands make me ponder why they're not more famous by now. They both write beautiful, accessible, indie-pop songs that will appeal to a large audience they just need to hit the right ears.


Quiet Company - It's Better To Spend Money Like There's No Tomorrow Than Spend Tonight Like There's No Money video via YouTube


It looks like Oh No! Oh My! go on at 11:00p with Quiet Company doing their thing around midnight. Might I mention, I appreciate that Ghost Room lists set times rather than just telling us when the doors open. People like me, who try to go to more than one show a night when they're downtown need to know when the bands go on. I suppose most venues prefer you hang out and spend money on marked-up liquor while you wait for the band you want to see and I can't blame them for that. They gots to earn a living too.

There doesn't seem to be a legit video for I Painted Your House but I really want you guys to hear it, so I'm going to post this faux-video instead.


Oh No! Oh My! - I Painted Your House video via YouTube

By the way, Quiet Company has lots of cool videos on their official site that you might want to check out. They just released a beautiful EP of love songs called, Songs For Staying In and there are videos for each of the tracks so you can preview before purchasing.

Speaking of EP's I really hope Oh No! Oh My! has a new EP for me to buy. I've pretty much worn out my copy of Dmitrij Dmitrij.

By the way if you're reading this Quiet Company and I know you are, will you please upload ONE of your new videos to YouTube, that's my preferred way to embed video. My computer hates Vimeo. Although the next video of yours I embed will be one that I shoot myself at the Ghost Room. In the meantime, for those of you who aren't in Quiet Company, you can check out Nakia covering my favorite track from the Songs For Staying In EP below.


Quiet Company - Jezebel video via YouTube

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Another Saturday Night in the ATX

So, like last night, there are several good shows for you to catch tonight if you feel like going out. My first pick for tonight takes place at the Mohawk's Outside stage. Au Revoir Simone will be playing the headlining spot tonight, with one of my favorite, local, acts starting things off, Oh No! Oh My! will be followed by The Antlers.


Au Revoir Simone - Dark Halls video via YouTube

Free Mp3 courtesy of a backdoor at Au Revoir Simone.com, thanks.

Free Mp3 ---> Au Revoir Simone - Backyard of Our Neighbors


You should probably be purchasing the Oh No! Oh My! EP by now.


Oh No! Oh My! - I Painted Your House "video" via YouTube

My second pick for you to check out tonight is a bit heavier, ok WAY heavier than Au Revoir Simone. It's happening over at Red 7 and features L.A. noise-punks Mika Miko with local bad-asses the Strange Boys. Mika Miko come out of the whole L.A. Smell Scene that birthed HEALTH and No Age+ so that gives you an idea of what you can expect. the Strange Boys are somewhat in the same vein as Harlem they do nugget's-esque 60's, British-ish, psychedelic-ish, garage-pop-py. It's quite enjoyable.


the Strange Boys - Drugs Iggy Drugs video via YouTube

If you're not really feeling either of those shows you can always hit up Emo's Outside stage for Girl in a Coma with local space-cadets the Boxing Lesson. Like I said, tonight doesn't have as many "heavy-hitters" as last night did. As far as I can tell none of these shows are buzzy enough to be sold-out as of yet. But, don't forget dear reader, the volume of band-hype is not necessarily proportional to the band's talent/the enjoyability of a band's performance.


the Boxing Lesson - Dark Side of the Moog video via YouTube

Oh it looks like Crystal Antlers are playing Emo's inside stage, opening up for the Constantines. I feel like Crystal Antlers just played here recently but that's often the case in Austin. I saw Passion Pit at Emo's on Wednesday and they were also here 3 months ago during SXSW. Also, Animal Collective was here last night and aren't they playing ACL Fest in October? Actually I may have made that up. Yeah I totally made that up. But there will be lots of other animal bands at ACL Fest including, Arctic Monkeys and Grizzly Bear. Yay animal names!


Crystal Antlers - Andrew video via YouTube

By the way, Constantines are on one of my favorite labels, Arts & Crafts so their cred. just jumped up in my book.


the Constantines - Our Age video via YouTube

Another by the way, just for the record, Grizzly Bear will be here in Austin in less than two weeks, they were also here for SXSW and they will ALSO be here for ACL Fest. Keeping in mind that each of the times they were here they played at LEAST two seperate performances each time! Catch 'em at Waterloo Records before you catch 'em at the Parish room on June 16th.


Grizzly Bear - Fine For Now video via YouTube

This is why SXSW is nice, they talk about how they love Beach House and now they're playing with Victoria from Beach House why the eff not?


Grizzly Bear w/Beach House - Two Weeks video via YouTube

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New Loxsly CD Y'all

So, I noticed that Loxsly are playing the Mohawk Friday night. It's a CD release party for Tomorrow's Fossils. The songs you'll find below come from the bands previous release, Flashlights, which was a highly-acclaimed four song EP. Needless to say a new, full album from Losxly has a lot of Austinites waiting with baited-breath from Friday's show. It looks like tickets will be in the form of a cover at the door, which is generally $5-$10(ish). Also, it should be noted that this is an Outside show...sweet.

I always wonder about the people who bought those condos directly across from the Mohawk/Club Deville/Stubb's. Do they hate their lives due to noise? Or love their loves...due to bad-ass downtown access? But I digress, find out who else is on the bill after the jump...

Free Mp3's courtesy of Loxsly.com, thanks.

Free Mp3 ---> Loxsly - Lamprey Eels

Free Mp3 ---> Loxsly - Virgin Isles

Corto Maltese are definitely a band to be on the look out for in '09. They've been getting some higher-profile Austin gigs as of late...oh yeah and their music's good too. Don't believe me? Ask the internets, these guys have been blogged about by way-cooler blogotrons3030's than me. Check it out, they kick ass...


Corto Maltese - Providence video via YouTube

Oh No! Oh My! are another wave-making band in town right now. They brand of lovely twee-pop has been delighting locals for a while now and they are now on the verge of stepping into a much bigger scene with their latest EP, Dmitrij Dmitrij. I think this might be my new, favorite song. I <3 it.


Oh No! Oh My! - I Painted Your House video via YouTube

Booher and the Turkeyz and TV Torso round out the bill Friday night but to be honest I don't really know much about them. I did notice that when you search "TV Torso" you do get some Sound Team results? Even if the other two bands are awful, which I highly doubt, it's still going to be a good show. Besides I'd venture to guess the other two acts are playing the inside stage during set changes for the outside stage. That's an uncomfirmed, and vicious, rumor though so tell all your friends. XOXO Gossip Girl.

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