Show Preview: CHVRCHES

Chvrches return to Austin Friday evening playing a sold-out show at Stubb's. This is the group's second post-SXSW appearance and I'm excited to finally catch a full set. I saw them perform during SXSW but it was a day party at Stubb's so I didn't catch a full set and I didn't give them my full attention. The last time they were in town they played the Mohawk, which I'm sure was incredible but I had planned a vacation to my home-state of Maine. I know, my life is so hard right? I was bummed though. I bought my plane tickets and booked a hotel room long before the show was announced. We also missed The Postal Service with Ra Ra Riot in Cedar Park that week. *sad face*

That brings us back to this week. You can catch a live performance from Chvrches this evening on Jimmy Kimmel live. That's the Jimmy that's on ABC. For those of you with tickets, Chvrches are playing at Stubb's in two days. I really like their record, The Bones of What You Believe. If you didn't get tickets to see them this week, you should still check out their record. I think you'll enjoy it.


Chvrches - Gun video via YouTube

Thanksgiving approacheth, which means best-of-the-year lists are nigh as well. For me, it's the blurst time of year. I love it but it stresses me out. If I'm being real the lead-up to SXSW is way blurstier than this time of year though. Regardless, as soon as we get our first cold front I start to stress out about the records I still haven't listened to. There are records that I loved this year that will definitely be on my lists but then I have to think about how to "rank" things and which lists they will appear on. With that in mind, it's nice to get to see Chvrches again because I've been thinking about The Bones of What You Believe and how it compares with some of my other favorites this year. It will definitely be on my Best Albums of 2013 list but I don't know where or what company it will keep.

Arrive early on Friday for Basecamp. If you're down with sexy R&B vocals matched with chilled-out grooves topped lightly with skittering beats then you're going to love Basecamp. I'm a sucker for most things indie-R&B so I'm just hoping it's as impressive live as it is on record.


Basecamp - Rydia video via YouTube

Read more!

Don't Miss the Opener: Giraffage

I'm sure there is some name for the specific sub-genre of electronic that Giraffage creates but I'm really bad at remembering all of those sub-genres of sub-genres of electronic music. To me the bones of the music is R&B but it's buried under woozy, wobbly synthesizers, scattershot beats and the vocals are processed until they're barely recognizable. My first introduction to Giraffage was through his collaboration with XXYYXX on the track, Even Though. There is also a Teen Daze remix of that track, if you throw Mister Lies in the mix you'd have four of my favorite electronic/electronic-adjacent contemporary artists.

Giraffage is in town both Saturday and Sunday night supporting Phantogram. Tickets for the Saturday night show are sold-out but you can still buy tickets for the Sunday night show.


Giraffage - Close 2 Me video via SoundCloud

I don't mean to diminish Phantogram by featuring Giraffage more heavily. The last time I saw Phantogram they were fucking phenomenal and I'm sure the same will be true on this visit to Austin. If you're a vinyl collector, like I am, you'll want to pick up the newest EP from Phantogram at the merch table. It's a limited pressing and will only be available on this tour.


Phantogram - Black Out Days video via SoundCloud

I mentioned XXYYXX above the break, you can catch a set from him at FunFunFun Fest in roughly two weeks. If you haven't bought a ticket for FFF yet, you really need to try and get on that shit. Fun Fest is not just a clever name, it is literally fun. Also, if you were thinking of buying your 3-Day Pass online you might want to consider heading to your favorite record shop for that pass instead. If you buy a 3-day pass at participating local record shops before then end of October, the fest will buy you a $20 record by a festival artist. So, while purchasing online may be handy, it won't get you a free record.



Read more!

The Best Before Four: ACL Festival 2013 Preview

If you're going to spend the money to get a ticket to Austin City Limits Music Festival you should get your money's worth. Today, I've written a guide to highlight some of the artists who will be playing the festival before 4pm. Chances are you're already pretty familiar with the artists performing later in the day but there is a grip of talent hitting Zilker's stages between 11:15am and 4:00pm each day of the fest.

Let's start at the beginning shall we? The fact that Wild Nothing is scheduled to hit the stage at 11:15am on Friday is a crime against humanity. I know that SOMEONE has to be the first band but I really feel like it would have been wiser to flip Friday's schedule and Sunday's schedule for all bands playing before 4pm. Like many a festival attendee, I have to work my day-job on Friday. My job is cool so I only have to work a half-day but I still won't be at the park before noon on Friday. I know that there are many people who have similar situations.


Wild Nothing - Paradise video via YouTube

That being said, Wild Nothing is playing an Official ACL Late Night Show at the Parish this Friday evening, October 4th. Tickets to see Wild Nothing at the Parish this Friday night are no longer available. However, the bill also features Autre Ne Veut, whom I also adore immensely and their set is also early. So, props for giving these great early artists more chances to reach an audience and vice-versa.

Several of the artists featured in this post are playing bonus Late Night Shows. Check out this post for more details.

Friday

• Wild Nothing | 11:15a - 12:00p | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• Fidlar | 12:00 - 12:45 | Bud Light Stage
• Dana Falconberry (WEEKEND ONE ONLY) | 12:20 - 1:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Widowspeak ∫ | 12:45 - 1:30 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• Savages | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
• Thao & The Get Down Stay Downs | 1:30 - 2:30 | Bud Light Stage
• Courtyard Hounds | 2:00 - 3:00 | AMD Stage
• Shovels and Rope | 2:30 - 3:00 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Smith Westerns | : - | Stage
• Pinback | 3:30 - 4:30| Bud Light Stage

Saturday

• Parquet Courts | 11:30a - 12:15p | Bud Light Stage
• Max Frost | 12:00 - 12:40 | Austin Ventures Stage
• Dan Croll | 12:15 - 1:00 | AMD Stage
• Autre Ne Veut | 1:00 - 2:00 | Honda Stage
• Deap Vally | 1:00 - 2:00 | Bud Light Stage
• Haim | 2:00 - 3:00| AMD Stage
• Junip | : - | Stage

Of all of the artist featured in this before 4pm, Haim is the one with the most buzz coming into ACL Festival. The world has fallen in love with these sisters. This tour cycle will certainly be the last time Haim sets foot on a festival stage this early in the day. My personal highlight from this Saturday grouping is Autre Ne Veut but if you're more of a rock fan you might prefer to watch Deap Vally in the 1:00pm time slot.


Autre Ne Veut - Play by Play video via YouTube

Sunday

• Kodaline (WEEKEND ONE) | 12:00 - 12:45 | AMD Stage
• Smallpools (WEEKEND TWO) | 12:00 - 12:45 | Lady Bird Stage
• Foxygen | 12:00 - 1:00 | Samsung Galaxy Stage
• MS MR | 1:30 - 2:30 | AMD Stage
• Noah & the Whale | 2:30 - 3:30| Honda Stage
• Grouplove | 3:30 - 4:30 | AMD Stage
• The Lone Bellow | 3:45 - 4:30 | Austin Ventures Stage

This is what I'm saying about mixing up Friday's early line-up with Sunday's early line-up. I know I'm biased because I'm shaping this for my tastes BUT with this Sunday grouping, I would have Foxygen and MS MR play the 3:30 sets no matter what day you have them perform. Both of those artists are playing Late Night Shows though so there will be three chances to see them perform in Austin over the next couple of weeks.


MS MR - Think of You video via YouTube

You may have noticed that several of the artists I've featured in the post are playing at the same time. Usually at this time of day it's a bit easier to move from stage to stage. It also just come down to personal taste. For me, I'd rather listen to Grouplove than The Lone Bellow but if you're a singer-songwriter fan and/or not into synth-pop you'd be better off with the latter.

Listen to this Spotify Playlist of Austin City Limits 2013 Artists.

Read more!

Savages: ACL Festival Preview 2013

Savages is not just a clever name. These English ladies are snarling, shoe-gazing rockers whose songs build into guitar orgasms accentuated by banshee wails. If you've heard their name and you checked out the album but decided it wasn't for you, you're not getting the full picture. Until you feel the power of Savages in a live setting, you can't truly judge the songs. I did not worship at the church of Savages until I saw them perform at a SXSW day party. From the moment guitars were strapped on until the moment the house music came back on, I was transfixed. This band has "It". Whatever "It" is, you'll feel it in your bones when you see Savages perform at Austin City Limits Festival.


Savages - Shut Up video via YouTube

If you're attending planning to attend ACL Festival this year you will find Savages on the Honda Stage at 1pm Friday. Since that is such an early set time, I know a lot of people won't have the opportunity to have their lives changed by Savages, which disappoints me. Don't worry my friends, Savages are also playing at the Parish on Friday, October 11th. That's the opening night of the second weekend of ACL Fest. Tickets are still available and believe me when I tell you that it is worth the $16 it costs to get in the door.


Savages - I Am Here (live) video via YouTube

Obviously, if you were already planning to go to ACL Festival then you definitely need to see Savages set on the festival grounds but if we're being honest, the Parish show is going to be a better representation of what I love about this band. The think that is so impactful when you see them live is the band's presence and it's the way the sound overwhelms your senses. It feels like your heart is adjusting to the rhythm of the drums and when things get loud it's almost as if you can feel wind come out of the speakers. It's going to be great to hear theses songs echo across Zilker Park but there is something to be said about the feel of an intimate performance.

Listen to a Spotify Playlist featuring 50 artists to see at ACL Festival 2013.

Read more!

Tame Impala: ACL Festival 2013 Preview

I don't want to freak you out or anything but Austin City Limits Music Festival Round 1, is NEXT WEEKEND. I feel like I don't even know where to begin so I'm just going to focus on Tame Impala. Chances are, if you're hip to Austin Bloggy Limits then you are fully aware of, Australian band, Tame Impala but pretend for a moment that you are the typical festival goer. Uh oh, did he just generalize all festival goers? You're damn straight he did. I feel like the typical person who goes to ACL Festival year after year doesn't really care who is playing. They trust the curation skills of C3 Presents and/or they know they are going to have fun regardless of what's happening on stage.

I guess what I'm saying is your typical, non-music-blog reading, festival goer uses an event like ACL Festival for discovery. Jaded, douche-nozzles like me have seen the majority of these bands already by the time they get to the big stage so we're mostly just hoping the people around us will shut the fuck up long enough for us to hear this guitar solo. SPOILER ALERT: They won't.


Tame Impala - Mind Mischief video via YouTube

So, as a jaded douche-nozzle, one of the things I have grown to look forward to is seeing the crowd's reaction (or lack thereof) to artists whom I am already very excited about. For instance, seeing Cults win over a large group of people who had no idea who they were was pretty great.

This year, I feel like Tame Impala will be the discovery story for many a festival attendee. Stop rolling your eyes and hear me out. Tame Impala has only recently been added to many "alt rock" radio stations, which means your parents are only marginally aware of some of their songs. I saw Tame Impala when they played Stubb's but the really cool kids were at their Emo's Inside show when they toured Austin behind their first record. I really kick myself for skipping that show.

If you are unaware, or only marginally aware of, Tame Impala they need to be at the top of your must-see list. These guys are seriously kick-ass musicians and their sound is going to wash over the crowd like a fog of, 'Holy shit this band is fucking awesome!' That's a fog now.

I guess I kind of fucked up by featuring them first since they don't play until 6:30p on Sunday of ACL Festival but that is how important Tame Impala is to me, you, and the greater Austin metro region. So plan to grab something to eat on your way over to the Honda Stage and get yourself a good spot somewhere between the stage and the soundboard and then shut the fuck up for the duration of the set. It's as easy as that. Oh, and if you want, you can have these Aussies sign your tits (allegedly) at the Waterloo Autograph Tent at 4:30p on Sunday.

Read more!