Showing posts with label Planning Ahead. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Planning Ahead. Show all posts

Friday, September 19, 2014

Should I Leave the House Tonight?


Well, here we are. I'm dusting some digital cobwebs off of Austin Bloggy Limits because there's a bunch of good shows happening this weekend and if I don't post about them, I'll forget everything I wanted to see. Places you may or may not see me this evening include: Beerland, Hotel Vegas, Cheer-Up Charlies or My Couch.

All of these venues offer an array of positive reasons to attend the festivities they are hosting this evening. Beerland has Jonly Bonly, Trustees, Party Girl and Borzoi tonight. These bands may not be household names to you but they all offer the sort of visceral, authentic rock 'n roll experience I desire and deserve on a dreary night like tonight. Also, I've really enjoyed what I've heard from Put Together, the new LP from Jonly Bonly and I want to see those songs performed live.



Hotel Vegas also has a killer line-up tonight, which also features local bands with brand new records. Spray Paint's new LP, Clean Blood, Regular Acid, won't be released until next week but you can stream it right now via Stereogum and I have a feeling it MIGHT be available for purchase at tonight's gig. The Rebel is performing tonight in support of their new LP, K Rot, which you purchase online or in person right now. Tonight's Hotel Vegas gig isn't listed as an LP release show for John Wesley Coleman because he already did that but his latest, The Love That You Own is also a new release. Damn y'all! What's with all the new releases in September? All this talk of new releases made me lose track of the line-up, which also includes Ghetto Ghouls and Marriage. If you're accustom to very sterile, controlled concert experiences you should come to this show just so you can see how rock is supposed to be experienced.



Tonight's show at Cheer-Up Charlies ALSO features lots of great Austin bands with recent music releases. This show explores the more pop-music leaning side of Austin's rock music scene, which I'm also a big fan of. If my suggestions up to this point have seemed a bit "noisy" to your delicate aesthetic, then this venue might be a more appropriate choice for you this evening. There are THIRTEEN bands on the line-up for this event but at this point several of them have already performed. If I end up here tonight, I'll want to be there by 9:30 to catch Growl but the line-up is solid from top to bottom.



The fourth option I presented was My Couch, which features the ability to sit around in my underwear watching pre-recorded television, movies, access to pre-purchased beverages and snacks including alcohol. It does not require me to ride the bus, find a parking spot, deal with rain, make awkward conversation or walk. So, as you can see there are lots of excellent ways for me to spend my evening. What are you up to tonight? Should we do shots? Did you notice I started this post with the idea of highlighting stuff happening all weekend but then I only made it through tonight? You're welcome.


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Wednesday, August 13, 2014

Did I Fall Asleep?



Did I fall asleep? What's been happening with you lately? I feel like we never see each other, and it's totally my fault. I don't even know where to begin and I feel like in the interest of TLDR we should just pretend nothing happened and talk about today. That's what old friends do. You don't have to re-hash everything, you just pick-up where you left off. So, let's start there shall we?

The Both tour is back in Austin, this time they're playing the Mohawk. I expect by the time you're reading this, tickets will be sold-out but if they're not, you should get yourself some. The last time Aimee Mann and Ted Leo played Austin, they were at the Paramount- a much more austere setting. I'll be interested to hear people's thoughts who were fortunate enough to attend both the theater and club performances.


The Both - Milwaukee video via YouTube

Also on my radar this week: tomorrow night's ACL TV taping with Thao and the Get Down Stay Down, Friday night at Mohawk with Crocodiles, Tweens & Sweet Talk and Letting Up Despite Great Faults' album release show at Holy Mountain Saturday night.

Thao and the Get Down Stay Down's ACL TV taping tomorrow night will be streamed via YouTube starting at 8p CST. So, even if you didn't manage to get your hands on tickets, or even if you don't live in Austin you can watch tomorrow night's performance. You can also just grab yourself a ticket for TATGDSD's Saturday evening show at the Mohawk.

Speaking of the Mohawk, Friday night's show with Crocodiles, Tweens & Sweet Talk is the rock 'n roll medicine your body desires. Want to know why people love to see bands play loud rock 'n roll in small clubs? Spend $10 and swing by the Mohawk around 9:30 or 10:00 and you'll figure it out pretty quickly.


Tweens - Forever video via YouTube

This is a top to bottom great bill. So, don't show up late because you don't want to miss Sweet Talk and they're going on first.



Saturday night has several shows worth mentioning but I wanted to highlight Letting Up Despite Great Faults' show at Holy Mountain because it is an album-release show and I really dig, Neon, the new album. Tickets will only set you back $5 and the show is being presented by my friends at Austin Town Hall, Pop Press International & Side One Track One.



I'd also like to draw your attention to the line-up at Cheer-Up Charlies Saturday night, which starts with The Bad Lovers and finishes with A Giant Dog. Throw in some excellent food-truck grub, plenty of breezy outdoor spaces to relax and reasonably-priced beer and you pretty much can't go wrong.



I don't usually recommend shows on Sunday nights because I'm in my thirties and I get sleepy. However, this Sunday night Sylvan Esso is playing at Emo's and I plan on being there. If you want to be there too, get yourself a ticket and we can get up, get down with Sylvan Esso together.



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Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Contest: Eagulls & Twin Peaks at Red 7 Saturday



English-band, Eagulls return to Austin this weekend and they've got Twin Peaks in tow. If you did your homework before SXSW this year, then chances are you're already familiar with Eagulls. For those of you seeing their name for the first time right now, they are a post-punk band from Leeds that glowers at the audience while playing kick-ass tunes. Advance tickets will only set you back $10 but you have two opportunities to see them for free as well.


Eagulls - Possessed video via YouTube


First of all, you can catch Eagulls performing in my favorite record shop, End of an Ear, at 4pm on Saturday. It's an intimate space and a great opportunity to catch a band outside their natural environment. Not mention, it's a record shop and hello that's awesome.

Your other chance to see Eagulls for free in Austin this weekend involves participating in a very simple contest. I have run contests on this site before and people barely even participate so if you e-mail contest@austinbloggylimits.com with Eagulls in the Subject line and your name and age in the body of the e-mail your chances of winning will be really good. For real, no one looks at this website except you and the people other than you that are reading this probably have ticket giveaways on their own sites for this as well. That's right, it's you and the other bloggers in town reading this right now (Hey y'all) so just enter the damn contest.

By the way, in addition to being a great TV show, Chicago-based Twin Peaks is a good band and it would be lame if you missed their set. They have a new record coming out in August and I bet they are playing a lot of new songs on this tour. #conjecture



Incidentally, Twin Peaks will be back in Austin in the fall for FunFunFun Fest. Passes for #FFFfest are on sale now and this year's line-up is one of the best yet.

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Wednesday, April 30, 2014

Planning for Austin Psych Fest

Austin Psych Fest officially starts on Friday but you can ease into your psychedelic groove tomorrow night at both the Mohawk and Red 7. If you already purchased APF Weekend Passes then these events are gratis until they're full. If you didn't get weekend passes, there are still a few tickets left to the Mohawk but Red 7 is already sold-out. You can buy tickets or pick-up your wristbands starting at 5:30pm on Thursday over at Empire Automotive.

Since these shows are open to Austin Psych Fest Weekend Pass holders, you'll want to arrive early as the clubs will hit capacity well before the headliners go on. I also expect it won't be easy to jump from one venue to the other so you'll really want to study those line-ups. If you're trying to get the most bang for your buck, you should start at the Mohawk because they open their doors at 6:30. The first set at Red 7 won't be until 9.


Night Beats - Hidden Circle video via YouTube

Austin Psych Fest 2014 Spotify Playlist


So, let's go through the schedule shall we? I can already tell you there are going to be a couple of scheduling conflicts when you'll want to see two (or more) bands performing at the same time but last year it was really easy to move between stages and they timed the sets out in a way that was conducive to catching the majority of both sets. Below you'll find a list of artists I like. There are other artist playing who are not listed below, I may or may not like them but they didn't make this list. If you're really into them, that's cool. Maybe they're not listed because I haven't heard them, maybe they're not listed because I don't like them, maybe they're not listed because I got too psychedlic before I wrote this and forgot. Buyer beware and all that jazz.

Friday


Saturday

Sunday


Alright, I know these lists look a bit intimidating so here's three you can't miss for each day:

Can't Miss Friday

  • The Fresh & Onlys
  • Woods
  • Liars

Can't Miss Saturday

  • Jacco Gardner
  • Temples
  • The Horrors

Can't Miss Sunday

  • The War on Drugs
  • Toy
  • Mikal Cronin

I can't even tell you guys how excited I am to see The War on Drugs. They are a fantastic live band and I adore their latest record. If you only remember one thing from this giant list of bands. Remember The War Drugs. Listen to The War on Drugs. See The War on Drugs. Buy The War on Drugs.


The War on Drugs - Red Eyes video via YouTube

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Wednesday, April 23, 2014

ACL Festival 2014: Line-Up Reveal

It's been over 24hrs since the Austin City Limits Festival line-up was revealed, which means tickets are on sale now. It also means we've all had some time to reflect on the line-up and form thoughtful opinions. Just kidding, we all formed snap judgements within moments of the announcement and now we are sticking to our guns on that. In a nutshell, I feel like this year's line-up is as exciting or more exciting than in previous years. Clearly, I'm a big hater in a general sense so I'm not really the target market for ACL Festival. If you want to sell-out a big-ass music festival you can't book a bunch of "cool" bands that assholes like me enjoy, at least not exclusively. You have to book bands that people who listen to the radio will be excited about. You have to book a band for the kids and a band for the people who brought those kids. You have to make Bob Schneider fans happy AND AVICII fans happy at the same time. So with that all in mind I'm going back to my original point which is, this year's line-up is good.


Bad Rabbits - Get Up and Go video via YouTube


For my purposes, I feel like a discussion of the headliners is mostly irrelevant. I'm "excited" to see Outkast but after the Coachella reviews I'm setting my expectations pretty low. I'm excited to see Beck and I'm hoping he headlines either Friday or Saturday so the CapMetro Bus System doesn't fuck me with their shitty Sunday night bus schedule. Now's the part where I just list bands I like who will be at ACL Fest this year:


I promised myself I wasn't going to do one of those things where I single out one of the acts and question their worthiness but can I just point out that Lana Del Rey is the 7th name on the list. We live in a world in which LDR gets higher billing than The Replacements. Just putting that out there. Also, I'm really hoping Belle & Sebastian has an aftershow.

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Friday, April 18, 2014

Easter Shmeaster

It's Easter weekend, which means Jelly Beans, Chocolate Rabbits and something about Mel Gibson sugar tits jews? IDK much about religion because I worship indie-rock and my spirituality is based on that show Sliders with Jerry O'Connell. I can tell you that if you want to hit the town and listen to some live music there are several good options. Shivery Shakes are playing a SXSW Cares benefit with Big Bill and Templo X at Spiderhouse Ballroom tonight. Not only are those bands kick ass, it's a benefit show so you can enjoy some music while negotiating your white-liberal guilt complex. You can also just donate to the cause if you wish.



Tomorrow is Record Store Day, which means I won't be sleeping in because I'll be getting in line three hours before the record stores open like the rest of the nerds. Some of the shops are doing "events" but the shopping is event enough for me. I'm not going to get into all of the details but I'll tell you that End of an Ear has my heart and Waterloo Records is going to have the biggest selection. If you're good at shotgunning beer you should bring some over to Trailer Space Records and demonstrate your skills for a discount. Speaking of Trailer Space they have some kick ass bands playing pretty much every day and tomorrow is no exception.

For your Saturday evening there are lots of good choices but not all of them are available at the moment. Canadian smoke-monster, Trust is performing a sold-out set on Red 7's inside stage. I saw that motherfucker at SXSW and the set was pretty bonkers. RIYL: 80's Night at Elysium.

If you didn't get tickets for Trust but you're still in the mood for a touring act, The Sounds will be at Emo's on Saturday night. They have Ghost Beach and Blondfire with them so arrive early to get more for your money. Tickets are still available and it wouldn't really surprise me if you could just buy them at the door tomorrow.

Did I mention Reggae Fest is this weekend? No? I wonder why I didn't mention that.

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Wednesday, April 2, 2014

Planning Ahead: These Shows Might Sell-Out

There is nothing worse than the feeling you get when you find out you could have seen Joan Osbourne at the One World Theater the day AFTER she performed both an early and late set. I'd like to think, if God was one of us he'd be cool enough to give us the heads-up. So, it is with that sort of Christian spirit that I have combed through websites that are much more informative than this one to give you this seemingly simple list of shows that actually takes hours and hours of not-watching porn to complete. This isn't a comprehensive list of concerts, it is merely a list of shows that you should probably buy tickets for in advance if you want to be there to take blurry photos of the bands. There are shows listed here that I wouldn't want to attend but I think some of you might so I included them. Conversely, there are shows that you would like to attend that are not even on my radar and/or no thanks. This list is focused on shows with pre-sale tickets, when you click the name of the venue it will take you to the ticket purchase page or Facebook Event Page. Show List Austin and Do512 are good resources if you want something with a more comprehensive scope. With all of that in mind, here's a giant list of things you can do with your hard earned money.


Warpaint - Love is to Die video via YouTube

Thursday, April 3rd

Friday, April 4th

Saturday, April 5th

Sunday, April 6th

Monday, April 7th

Wednesday, April 9th

Friday, April 11th

Saturday, April 12th

Sunday, April 13th

Wednesday, April 16th

Thursday, April 17th

Saturday, April 19th

Monday, April 21st

Tuesday, April 22nd

Wednesday, April 23rd

Thursday, April 24th

Friday, April 25th

Saturday, April 26th

Monday, April 28th

Tuesday, April 29th

Wednesday, April 30th

Thursday, May 1st

Friday, May 2nd

Saturday, May 3rd

Sunday, May 4th

Monday, May 5th

Thursday, May 8th

Friday, May 9th

Saturday, May 10th

Thursday, May 15th

Friday, May 16th

Sunday, May 18th

Saturday, May 24th

Sunday, May 25th

Tuesday, May 27th

Thursday, May 29th

Friday, May 30th

Satuday, May 31st

Wednesday, June 4th

Thursday, June 5th - Sunday June 8th

Friday, June 6th

Saturday, June 7th

Saturday, June 14th

Monday, June 16th

Sunday, June 22nd

Friday, June 27th

Wednesday, July 2nd

Saturday, July 19th


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Friday, March 7, 2014

SXSW 2014 Preview

"Oh my God, is this the line?"

"Where's the end of this line?"

"This line is SOOO long!"

"Is this the VIP line?"

"Are you a VIP? I'm supposed to be in the VIP line?"

"My name should be on the list!"

"I have an email telling me I'm on the VIP list!"

"What is taking so long?!"

"Is this an RSVP party?"

"Do you know what we're standing in line for?"

"Is this the bathroom line or the drink line?"

"What's the free liquor here?"

"Oh my God! You look just like my friend! You don't know him but you look just like him!"

"What does THAT wristband mean?"

"Oh, I saw them play for like 20 people two years ago."

"Ugggh, this used to be so much cooler!"

"All they have left is the bean burritos! What the fuck?!?"

"This place is lame."

"These people are lame."

"This band is lame."

"WHO IS THIS BAND PLAYING RIGHT NOW?!?!"

"OH. I WANTED TO SEE THEM. THEY ARE PRETTY GOOD."

"WILL YOU TAKE A PICTURE OF ME WITH MY PHONE."

"THAT ONE MAKES ME LOOK FAT, CAN YOU DO ANOTHER ONE?"

"WHERE SHOULD WE GO AFTER THIS?"

"Who else has free beer?"

"It's so hot!"

"It's so cold!"

"What's the hashtag for this party?"

"Did you get in to Rachel Ray? The food was so good!"

"Did you get in to Lady Gaga?"

"Where do we get free Doritos?"

"Pro Tip."

"I'm a pro."

"Trust me, I've been coming here for years."

"$6 Lone Stars? That's ridiculous! I live here! You should have separate prices for locals!"

"They should have separate entrances for locals."

"I'm not cutting, my friend was holding this spot."

"Why is this line moving so slow!?"

"Ugggh! I hate hipsters!"

"Fucking hipsters!"

"Hipsters are ruining SXSW!"

"Iron Works is the best BBQ in Austin!"

"I love the sound of the banjo!"

"I want to learn to play the banjo!"

"That banjo player is so cute!"

"I was going to see this metal band from Myanmar but I got tickets to see Jimmy Kimmel. Snoop Dogg is going to be there!"

"Is it Snoop Dogg now or Snoop Lion?"

"I'm so tired!"

"I'm so hungry!"

"Where are we going?!?"

"Do you have a lighter?"

"Shiner Bock. Is that local?"

"What do you have that's local?"

"Do you have draft beer?"

"What's good? What do the locals get?"

"What's a cool, out-of-the-way place that only locals know about?"

"What's your Twitter?"

"I don't think I have a QR thingy?"

"Do you have a charger?"

"I need to find an outlet!"

"What's the Wi-Fi key?"

"Where's the afterparty?"

"Where's the after-afterparty?"

"Who's the surprise guest at the Fader Fort?"

"How do I get tickets to the Samsung party?"

"Where is Kelis' taco truck?"

"Where can I sit down?"

"Is that too far to walk?"

"How do we get a cab?"

"Do you have a number for a cab?"

"How long ago did you call the cab?!"

"Why won't these cabs stop for us?!?"

"You can't pee behind that dumpster!"

"You can't pee in that alley!"

"You can't pee on that building!"

"Have you seen BAND X yet?!?! They are so good! I think they're playing again, you HAVE to see them!"

"Are you going to Fader this year?"

"Have you been to Fader yet?"

"I got my Fader wristband but I don't know if I'm going to go this year."

"Fader is such a clusterfuck this year, it used to be so much cooler."

"Fader was better when it was west of 35."

"Remember when Kanye played Fader?"

"Remember when Kanye played the power plant?"

"Remember when Prince played at La Zona?"

"Remember when Justin Timberlake was here?"

"Remember when Snoop Dogg was here?"

"Ever notice how that one Lady Gaga song, sounds kind of like that one Madonna song?"

"SXSW was better before."

"I hate Rainey St."

"I hate Dirty 6th."

"I hate the eastside."

"The sound here sucks."

"This venue sucks."

"This free event sucks."

"This band is boring."

"I don't see what all the hype is about."

"Sounds like The Strokes."

"Sounds like Gang of Four."

"Sounds like The Stooges."

"Jumped the shark."

"Andy Langer's Facebook post."

"I saw on Twitter that the line is short over there and they have free Bloody Marys."

"Red Bull."

"Coffee."

"I don't know, someone just handed it to me while I was walking down the street and now I'm ingesting it. It's ok. I probably wouldn't buy it but I'm hungry/thirsty now so..."

"It's free, you just have to tweet about it."

"It's free, you just have to download the app."

"It's free, you just have to give them your e-mail address."

"It's free, you just have to pledge your allegiance to a bag of Funyons."

"It's free, you just walk a block in that direction."

"It's free, you just have to like them on Facebook."

"I just drove here with no plan of attack and no place to stay."

"My friend's lodging fell through and he needs a place to stay, do you know of any cheap places near downtown?"

"My girlfriend and I are thinking about moving here."

"My boyfriend and I are thinking about moving here."

"Well, I'm from L.A. and in L.A...."

"Well in Brooklyn..."

"Do they have ______ in Austin?"

"OMG, THEY DON'T HAVE ______ IN AUSTIN!?!?! _______ is HUGE in San Francisco. I can't believe you don't have _______."

"I thought everyone would be wearing cowboy hats."

"Do people here like Rick Perry?"

"How long does it take to get to Salt Lick?"

"Nope, I missed it."

"Nope, I was in line outside."

"Nope, I didn't hear about it until today."

"So bummed I wasn't there."

"I saw that on Instagram."

"I saw that on Twitter."

"Who have you seen so far?"

"Where are you coming from?"

"Where should I go tonight?"

"Who's going to be there?"

"Who's playing?"

"I don't know, my phone is dead."

"I don't know, I lost my phone."

"I don't know, I don't have any reception."

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SXSW 2014 Preview: SW/MM/NG



Each single SW/MM/NG released last year was better than the last and I liked the first one. The band has been around for several years releasing demos, singles and EPs but they only hit my radar in the fall of last year. With a touch of garage, a dash of psychedelia and enough melody to be a pop band this band will jangle their way into your cold, black heart if you let them. It doesn't look like you'll have too many opportunities to see SW/MM/NG at SXSW but the band is based in Fayettville, which leads me to believe they'll be coming back through Austin several times this year. If I lived in Fayettville I think I would try to be on tour at least 300 days a year.


SW/MM/NG - Some Dreams Come True video via YouTube

Did I say a few chances to catch SW/MM/NG? Well, it looks like there is actually only one and that's their official showcase. If you don't have official SXSW credentials, don't fret. SW/MM/NG's showcase is at Valhalla, which is quite large and I expect the cover will only be around $10 if you don't have official credentials. You can find the full line-up on the Old Flame & Bar/None Records Official SXSW Showcase presented by Revolution Songs Event Page.



Spotify Playlists



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Thursday, March 6, 2014

Doritos Doesn't Present: Saint Pepsi



SXSW film and interactive both start tomorrow, which means today is the unofficial start of the madness. Traffic is starting to thicken and the badge-selfies abound. Social media is abuzz today with the "news" of Lady Gaga appearing inside a 3-dimensional Dooreatoh covered in Stubb's legendary BBQ sauce. You may choose to point your attention at that glorious spectacle on the Thursday evening of SXSW Music or you could check out the Carpark Records showcase. Who knows, one of the artists you see at The Parish Underground Thursday night could be playing from the Takis stage in Stubb's Waller Riverwalk Amphidome at SXSW 2016, at which point you can roll your eyes and be like "Uggh! I hate what SXSW has become. It's like, so corporatized. What's the Snapchat for this party? I want Saint Pepsi to see my privates for 2 seconds. #PepsiStTakis" Or something.



If you have a badge or wristband for SXSW it shouldn't be too difficult to get into this showcase, if you're planning to hop around give yourself a 20 minute pre-set time cushion to anticipate standing in line after 10pm. Part of the reason I'm recommending this particular showcase is for my cash-line people. I expect the cover for this showcase to be around the $10 mark, which is pretty amazing considering you'll get to hear seven incredibly diverse acts in one place.

THE SHOW AT PARISH UNDERGROUND ON THURSDAY, MARCH 13
8pm Saint Pepsi (New York)

8:50pm Greys (Toronto, ON)

9:40pm GRMLN (Los Angeles, CA)

10:30pm Young Magic (New York)

11:20pm TEEN (NYC, NY)

12:10am Speedy Ortiz (Northampton, MA)

1:00am Cloud Nothings (Cleveland, OH)

My reasoning for highlighting Saint Pepsi, specifically in this post is because the whole Pepsi thing, worked with the whole Dorito thing I was trying to work. But also, I really genuinely love every single original track and remix I have heard from this artist. If you can't make it to the Parish Underground for the Carpark Records Showcase, you can also catch Saint Pepsi at the following times and places. It's possible that the saint will be playing more events than three mentioned in this post but that's what I found, so that's what I'm sharing with you.

  • Friday, March 14th | Flatstock Stage | Austin Convention Center Exhibit Hall 4 | 1:40pm
  • Friday, March 14th | Kitsune SXSW Showcase | The Madison | 1:00am

Spotify Playlists



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Wednesday, March 5, 2014

SXSW Preview: Solids



I'm sticking with the Canadian band theme today. I didn't know Solids were from Canada when I fell in love with their record. That seems to be a recurring theme in my life. If you're looking for a visceral rock experience then you need to pick up the band's album Blame Confusion and proceed to pogo in your living room. It's like unearthing an early 90's college rock record that would fit perfectly in a set with Yo La Tengo or Dinosaur Jr.

I have yet to see Solids in-person but I am particularly excited for that opportunity. The amount of energy they managed to commit to tape for their recordings is incredible and I have a feeling it's going to be all the more impressive in a live setting.


Solids - Haze Away video via YouTube

I feel like I don't really have a gage for how much buzz this band has because I'm so enamored with them myself. In my mind, they are one of the most sought-after acts of the festival but upon further inspection it looks like they have two unofficial gigs and one official gig.

Solids' official showcase is at Maggie Mae's on Thursday the 13th. The band goes on at midnight, right after No Joy as part of the M for Montreal showcase. I'm kind of surprised that they're not playing a Fat Possum showcase but for all I know, that's not a thing.

The unofficial events where you'll find Solids are both seriously kick-ass. Thursday during the day they play The Midgetmen's Jumpstart Texas at Side Bar. Their set at Side Bar will be followed by sets from Speedy Ortiz and Diarrhea Planet so, yeah this party is worth looking into. Click the link to RSVP.

The only other shot at catching Solids during SXSW 2014 is the Exploding in Sound Records party on Friday up at Hole in the Wall. This party is north of downtown so, you'll kind of have to commit to it for several hours but there are lots of great bands on the bill. Check here for the full line-up.

Spotify Playlists



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SXSW 2014 Preview: Seoul

For all of the artists I'm featuring in these individual posts this year, I fell in love with them blindly. That's not to say that all of these artists are "unknown" but they were largely unknown to me before I started listening to samples from all of the artists on the official SXSW showcasing artist listings. Just like last year, I ended up falling in love with a lot of Canadians. Maybe it's because I'm originally from Maine but apparently I'm drawn to sounds produced in Canada.

Montreal band Seoul describe themselves as "...an ambient-pop aggregate..." and who am I to disagree with them? You won't find their music on any of my Spotify playlists, as they do not have any songs on Spotify. I know, it's shocking but don't worry you lovers of streaming music you can still hear Stay With Us on Soundcloud. As far as I can tell the group has only released one song but that four minutes of smoothed-out, stoner-disco is all I need to convince me to see Seoul while they're in Austin.


Seoul - Stay With Us video via YouTube

I did some extra scouring of the internet to make sure I am right on this but it looks like you will only have two shots to see Seoul during SXSW. The band's official showcase is Friday, March 14th at the Velveeta Room. They play the first set of the Pop Montreal Showcase, which will also feature Jessy Lanza later in the evening.

If you're going the free route and/or you don't want to commit to a 7:45pm showcase at the Velveeta Room, Seoul are playing the Pop Montreal Day Party on the Thursday the 13th. The day party has an RSVP so click that link back there if you want to attend.

If you're thinking of paying your way into the official showcase on Friday night, I would venture to guess the cover at Velveeta Room will actually be under $10. Last year was my first time setting foot inside that place and I was really pleasantly surprised. It's a very intimate space, shaped like a rectangle with a small stage in one corner. If you're going the cash route, arrive early enough to see Seoul but don't leave before Jessy Lanza because that room is going to get packed-out with badges about an hour before her set and you'll never get back in.



Spotify Playlists



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Tuesday, March 4, 2014

SXSW 2014 Preview: Wet



SXSW showcasing artist, Wet makes pop music but it's not the music for the party and unless you live in England, you probably won't hear it on the radio. This is music for the after-party. It's pop but it's minimal, dreary pop. Pop music for a rainy day, or a wet day if you will. I would say those of you who enjoy London Grammar or Chvrches will probably want to check out Wet. So far, all they have out is a self-titled EP but I have a feeling there is a major label deal on the horizon. This isn't the next Lady Gaga or anything but England and AAA radio are going to go bonkers for this band. Also, their EP is out on Neon Gold Records, which has a pretty good reputation for making baby pop-bands into big pop-bands.



I have not seen Wet perform so, I'll be interested to see if they have any stage presence. Their official showcase takes place at Empire Auto on Saturday, March 15th. Their set will be in between a set from Tove Lo and a set from Haerts. If you like any one of these artists and you don't have official SXSW credentials, I recommend you get in the cash line outside Empire Auto early because your odds of getting in for around $10-$15 are pretty good if you get there around 7:00ish. If you have official credentials, check out the line-up for both the Neon Gold Showcase and the IHEARTCOMIX showcase, the venues are attached.

You don't have to wait for the last night of SXSW to see a set from Wet. They play Day 2 of the Spotify House on Tuesday the 11th. You can also find them on the Mohawk's inside stage on Friday the 14th for The Windish Agency and House of Vans Annual Day Party at 3:30p. Both of these parties are free with RSVP but they are also on the this official music party list so, if you have SXSW credentials you don't need to RSVP.

Spotify Playlists


photo credit: Wyn Herrick

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Monday, March 3, 2014

SXSW 2014 Preview: Drowners



My process for SXSW is to create a long Spotify playlist, including every artist playing the festival whose music is on Spotify. While making that long list, I create a short list of songs that jumped out at me. After I listen to that short list long enough, I start to migrate my favorite songs to the best of list. From there I narrow down my absolute favorites, which I am highlighting individually here.

I'm making Drowners the first band I feature for several reasons. The first reason is I love their record. Sometimes, when making those playlists, it can be tough to find the perfect song from an artist to include. With Drowners' album, I could have included any track and it would have made an impact on someone who has never heard the band before.


Drowners - A Button On Your Blouse video via YouTube

Based in New York, Drowners' lead singer is Welch and the band's sound is post-punk. They don't shy away from catchy melodies and their songs manages to evoke Manchester and New York simultaneously. Think The Smiths meets The Strokes and you're getting very close.

I suspect I will be one of many folks to highlight Drowners this year and you can also expect to see them in Austin again after SXSW. Given that the band is managed by C3, we can assume that they'll be playing ACL Fest this year. For now, let's focus on when and where you can catch Drowners at SXSW.

The band's only official SXSW showcase is Wednesday evening at 11:59pm. They are playing the Frenchkiss & Grand Jury Showcase at Half Step on Rainey St. If you don't have SXSW credentials arrive at the venue by 7pm at the latest and expect to pay a $10-$15 cover.

If you're going the unofficial route, it looks like Drowners are playing four unofficial events. HOWEVER, I can't find any details on when or where they will be at the moment. All I know, is their Bandintown listings show five SXSW appearances and one of those is their official showcase.

Spotify Playlists


Photo by: Pete Voelker

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SXSW2014: What to Bring

Whether you are a SXSW veteran or newcomer, whether you're going Platinum (like Kid Rock) or totally free (like Freedom Rock(Turn it up)), there are lots of things you're going to want to have on or near your person at all times. How much you carry sort of depends on what sort of person you are. I'm sure you could survive the entire festival armed with nothing more than some form of government issued ID. Personally, I would have a panic attack if I wasn't more prepared than that.

When I head downtown for SXSW, I don't really see my apartment again for at least 18 hours. That means, I have to be prepared for a variety of situations. Those of you who are veterans to the festival already know that there are going to be a lot of people trying to give you a lot of things that vary in their usefulness and desirability. Free Mophie Juice Pack if I tweet using your hashtag? Yes please! Free frisbee with your App's logo on it? I'm sorry sir, you no longer exist in my universe. Goodbye. Oh, and you can fuck right off with that flyer. Don't even try it!


I've broken things into three categories. Remember when you went to Summer Camp and you got that list of things to bring? I used to love those lists. The first list is your Must Haves. Now, admittedly the concept of a must have is very subjective so, let's assume that you're me for the purposes of this list. This is what you as me have to have. Ideally, we can cram all or most of what's on this list into a small messenger back or even fanny pack. That's right, I'm suggesting you wear a fanny pack. They're handy!

Must Haves

  • Government-Issued ID Card
  • Smartphone
  • Hand Sanitizer
  • Tissues/Napkins/Paper Towels
  • Handkerchief
  • Phone Charger
  • Sunglasses
  • Sunscreen
  • Hat
  • Comfortable Shoes
  • Analog Information Source
  • Cash ($1's & $5's for tipping)
  • Mints/Gum etc.
  • Earplugs (to muffle the people talking around you)
  • A General Sense of Appreciation and Awe
  • Food
  • Bus Pass/Bus Knowledge

I broke-up sunglasses, sunscreen and hat on my must-have but really you just need some combination of those things and that's mostly for those of you hitting the day-party scene. However, even if you're doing SXSW film there will be times in which you're standing in line in the sun so remember sun protection. Also, you're going to have your phone and charger with you but consider it a bonus if you find someplace to plug in your phone and/or you have cell-service. That's also the reason I suggest you have an analog information source. Don't presume you're going to be able to access digital information on your phone. Even if you have downloaded pdf files or screen-captured the info you want, your phone may die before you get to use that information.

I made sure to include food on the must-have list this year because it's easy to lose track of food consumption during the festival. When you're creating your daily schedule allow a couple of hour-long breaks for food. You're going to need something to soak up all of that alcohol. Austin's bus system is cheap and easy to use but it's going to be overcrowded and running WAY off schedule. Plan ahead, learn the routes that will get you to and from your bed and downtown. We have cabs, and Car2Go and Uber and all that but learning the bus is a great safety net in case all of those other options fail. Check out CapMetro online now. Access to bicycles is also outrageously handy during SXSW but it can be tough to find a spot to lock it up. This year we also have the option of the Austin B Bike. It's new to our city so I haven't tried it yet but I have a feeling I'm going to be taking advantage of this new service at some point during the festival.

It'd Be Nice to Haves

  • Spare Socks
  • Extra Phone Battery
  • Clean, Empty, Refillable Water Bottle
  • Hand Lotion
  • Emory Board
  • Eyeglasses Clean Cloth
  • Nail Clippers
  • Tooth Flossers
  • Lots of Cash
  • Kindle/Analog Book
  • Deodorant (Non-melting)
  • Travel-Size Mouthwash

The it'd be nice list is pretty self-explanatory. These are things that make the day a little bit nicer. The spare socks can be especially refreshing. I almost added "some form of portable seat" to this list because that's the one thing I'm always on the hunt for, someplace to put my ass. However, I feel like if I were in a crowded bar/venue and someone hit me with one of those folding stools while walking by, I might freak out on them. With that being said, I know that there will be a point next week when I'm standing in line fantasizing about one of those stupid camping stools.

Don't Haves

  • Jelly Shoes
  • Sandals (Even super-cute ones)
  • White Girl-Wasted in Daylight
  • General Disregard for Your Fellow Human/The Planet
  • Cell Phone Photos Using Flash
  • Cell Phone Video Shot Whilst Dancing
  • Selfies With Your Back to the Band
  • Conversations in Front of the Stage While the Band is Performing
  • Dudes With Ponytails
  • A Lack of Tip Money for Bartenders/Waitstaff

The don't haves list is mostly selfish and I admit the use of tenses and phrasing is suspect at best. However, each of these points is based on real life experience. Each one of these items made the list because I've seen people doing these things and it really harshes my mellow. I accept that I will have to deal with most of these violations and I will accept them in that moment but if this post prevents even one person from wearing Jelly Shoes then my job is done.

Spotify Playlists


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Wednesday, January 22, 2014

Planning Ahead: Don't Miss These Shows

In looking ahead at what artists we can expect to see in our fair city the first thing one should consider is SXSW. If you haven't been thinking about SXSW since Thanksgiving, you're clearly an amateur. If you're reading this from outside of Austin and thinking, "Maybe I should check out SXSW this year." It's already too late. If you are an Austin resident then I HIGHLY encourage you to fork out the $189 for a music wristband (On sale Feb 6th to Austin residents only.) That may seem like a lot of money since you can "...see all of the same bands for free at day-parties..." but trust me when I tell you it's a much different experience.

Day parties are great and I love free alcohol as much as the next functioning alcoholic but some of those things are an Absolut shit show. (You see what I did there?) Last year all of my SXSW highlights took place at official showcases. I still went to day-parties but I only went to ones I knew would run on time and have good sound. That narrows it down to roughly three day parties.

I started my list of upcoming event with next week. You're on your own for the rest of the week. If a listing has been struck-through it means the show is already sold-out. Sorry Vampy Weekend fans. Clicking the artist's name will bring you to their Facebook page so you can "Like" and "connect" with them. Clicking the venue name brings you to the ticketing and/or events page. These posts take me FOREVER so please share this with anyone and everyone otherwise it feels like a huge waste of time. This Beyonce video isn't even remotely related to this post. You're welcome.


Beyonce - XO video via YouTube

Monday January 27th


Tuesday, January 28th


Wednesday, January 29th


Thursday, January 30th


Friday, January 31st


Wednesday, February 5t


Thursday, February 6th


Friday, February 7th


Sunday, February 9th


Wednesday, February 12th


Thursday, February 13th


Friday, February 14th


Monday, February 17th


Tuesday, February 18th


Wednesday, February 19th


Thursday, February 20th


Friday, February 21st


Saturday, February 22nd


Sunday, February 23rd


Wednesday, February 26th


Saturday, March 1st


Monday, March 3rd


Wednesday, March 5th


SXSW


Friday, March 21st


Satuday, March 22nd


Friday, March 28th


Saturday, April 5th


Sunday, April 6th


Monday, April 7th


Wednesday, April 9th


Thursday, April 10th


Friday, April 11th


Sunday, April 13th


Wednesday, April 16th


Wednesday, April 23rd


Thursday, April 24th


Friday, April 25th


Friday, May 2nd - Sunday, May 4th



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