Totally NOT ACL Fest: Part 1

ACL Festival starts this Friday for many people but for some of us it starts next week and for some others amongst us, it doesn't start at all. Intrigued? You should be because this post is all about all of that stuff that isn't ACL Fest (part 1).

Let's start with tonight, shall we? Sure it's only Wednesday and it really has nothing to do with ACL Fest but I still want to talk about the fact that Unknown Mortal Orchestra are playing the Mohawk tonight for $14. Also, while some intern is trying to hunt down 500 humidifiers for Lionel Richie's tent compound, the OBN III's will be rocking so hard you won't even be able to think about the government shutdown. OBN III's will hit Beerland's stage sometime before the bar closes. Expect this one to be packed to the gills, loud and one of the best rock and roll experiences in your recent life.


OBN III's - No Enemies video via YouTube

Thursday

Tomorrow night is the, sort of, unofficial start to ACL Fest. Courtyard Hounds are playing the Continental, Queens of the Stone Age are taping a set for ACL TV and the official ACL Late Night Shows also start Thursday.

You know what else goes down on Thursday? Our friends over at Knuckle Rumbler are presenting Art Disaster no. 16. This event takes place at both Red 7 and Holy Mountain and will only cost you $5 at the door. It's even cheaper if you RSVP, $3 for access to over a dozen bands, in two venues, on one night.

Friday

Friday night has at least three highlight shows, some would say more. First of all The Helio Sequence and Menomena are touring together and they'll play the Mohawk. You can go for the cost of a $15 ticket. Buy one now because this show is going to sell-out at any moment. Both of these bands are fantastic, I would call this a double-headliner.

Just down the street at Beerland you can catch A Giant Dog. If you're coming from the Mohawk show, there should be more than enough time to catch all of The Helio Sequence and all of A Giant Dog's set as well.

Ty Segall will be back in Austin Friday night. It was only a month ago that he played the Mohawk but this time he is touring with Fuzz so don't expect to hear a set of Ty Segall songs at Red 7 Friday night. Expect a show from Fuzz with Ty Segall on the drums.

Saturday

Saturday night I might head back to Red 7 for Black Milk on the outside stage and Houndmouth on the inside stage. Those are separate shows with separate tickets so if you're balling on a budget you might choose based on personal taste.

My other Saturday night highlight is gAyCL 2013. All you really need to know about this event is that it takes place at Cheer-Up Charlies and that it's really fun. To me this event is as much a party as it is a concert. You should only go if you want to have lots of fun Saturday night.

Sunday

Sunday night, bitch please. I'm going to bed.

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Ty Segall Returns to the Mohawk

Ty Segall might love the Mohawk as much as we do. He'll be returning to perform on the Mohawk's outside stage tomorrow night and tickets are still available, for now.

Last Tuesday night Kurt Vile & the Violators played the 'Hawk and the show sold-out by the time the doors were open so plan ahead. I'd also advice you to arrive early if you are a music fan who is actually interested in hearing the performances taking place on the stage. If you're just going to the show to say you were there or you want to catch-up with some friends and chat feel free to arrive late and stand near the back. Or, you could just say you were there even if you weren't and go someplace else to chat? That would be cool, I'll say you were there if anyone asks. Oh, and before you hand your cell phone to a stranger and ask them to take a picture of you while the band is playing, you might want to ask yourself, "Will this stranger take my phone and throw it from this balcony into the street?" Because, you know? He might. Not every stranger is friendly and not everyone wants to hear you talking or take your picture. Also, if you're just going to look at pictures of yourself on your cell phone while the band is playing, you don't need a better place to stand than someone who is actually watching the show. I know, it's futile to hope/expect the majority of an audience at a concert to listen to the performance they paid for but maybe if I just put that thought into the universe via The Secret it will come true. Praise Oprah.


Ty Segall - Sleeper (Live on KEXP @Pickathon) video via YouTube

Music fans, I'm speaking at you again. When I say arrive early, I mean be there by 7:30 at the latest. First of all, you'll have better access to the good parking but also because all of the support acts tomorrow night are worth seeing. Expect Hidden Ritual to hit the stage around 7:30, with Holy Wave on around 8:30ish and Ty Segall by 9:30 or 10:00 at the latest. These times are just estimates so don't blame me if the schedule is different, I'm just trying to help!

Since you're already downtown and you already paid for parking, cab, biked it there whatever you might as well stick around and catch three more bands on the Mohawk's inside stage. You already paid to see Low Times, Deep Space and The Rips. You can find these bands on the intimate area inside the venue behind the bar area. Just listen for the deafeningly loud rock 'n roll.


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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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Ty Segall + White Fence at the Mohawk

Photo Credit: Ruthie Swanson

Ty Segall Band will be playing the Mohawk tomorrow in what promises to be one of the most talked-about shows of the month. As a solo artist, Ty Segall has been extraordinarily prolific releasing numerous albums but it wasn't until last year's Ty Rex album of T. Rex covers that people really started to pay attention. Since then there's been some revisionist history of his popularity but regardless of when people started to pay attention they are certainly paying attention now. Ty's set at FunFunFun Fest last year was one of the most lauded of the festival. He and his band are known for putting on a high energy set that melts both brains and faces. The upcoming release of, Slaughterhouse, will be Ty's first release to include his full touring band. I listened to it earlier this week and I can tell you it is some heavy shit y'all. His sound has always had one foot in psychedelic and one foot in classic rock. Slaughterhouse dives head first into a pool of the 13th Floor Elevator by way of Black Sabbath. Tomorrow night's show is sure to feature some of these sludgy psychedelic jams. It's also sure to sell-out. In fact it may be sold-out by the time you're reading this but you can click for tickets just cross your fingers when you do so.


Ty Segall - Where Your Head Goes video via YouTube



It should be noted that tomorrow night's show at the Mohawk is not simply the Ty Segall Band. It is Ty Segall Band WITH White Fence. Ty and White Fence released a collaborative record, Hair, which is much greater than the sum of its parts. Hair sounds like a collection of songs that were re-discovered after being left out of a Nuggets box set. It makes you want to wear paisley pants and quit your day-job to start smoking reefer full-time.


Ty Segall + White Fence - I Am Not a Game video via YouTube

This is an outdoor show with two opening acts. Memphis band, Useless Eaters should start around 9pm with local band, Rayon Beach taking the earliest support slot tomorrow. It is Friday night downtown so leave early because parking is going to be scarce and costly. See you there!

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