The Authors at Lambert's Tonight

One of my favorite local bands is playing one of the city's most over-looked venues tonight. You can catch local, power-pop-rock outfit The Authors upstairs at Lambert's BBQ and enjoy one of the city's great intimate performance spaces. The venue is next to city hall, placing it quite a distance from the hub-bub of the Red River District. I feel like its location means it is often overlooked but the sound is fantastic and the room itself is small so you get a very intimate experience. The show starts at 10:30 with a $5 cover charge, The Authors will be sharing the bill with Denton band, Western Giants as well as Ladycop who came all the way from Brooklyn just to rock out with you.


The Authors - Never Know video via YouTube


I'm not really sure what the set times will be tonight but I can pretty much guarantee that none of these bands will disappoint you so show up early and stay late. I'd especially make a point to see Ladycop simply because they made such a long journey for YOU.


Ladycop - January Tour Promo video via YouTube

Denton isn't as far to travel as Brooklyn but come on y'all we know how bad traffic on I-35 can be and Western Giants took the time to make that journey. I don't know as much about them, musically, but I do trust the taste of my friends over at Above the Radar, who booked them to play this gig.


Western Giants - VLog 1.8 video via YouTube

Just a little side-note to end this dispatch, if you haven't checked out The Authors LP, Get Haunted I highly suggest you do so. It was one of the best local releases of 2010 and I don't say that lightly.

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Videos from the Weekend

As you probably read on this very site, Saturday night had a lot of great shows. I was one of very few people who was on west 4th street for the Los Campesinos! show. I feel like that show wasn't promoted very well because there should have been WAAAYY more people there. However, I guess you have to factor in that there were lots of other good shows and La Zona Rosa is away from the Red River scene. For me, that's a very good reason to attend shows there but I understand other people's reluctance. In any case one of my favorite local bands, the Authors started things off. I feel like they fill a void in Austin's music scene. Their sound is reminiscent of Remy Zero, which is not a bad thing in my books. The song below is from their latest LP Get Haunted, you should probably buy it.


the Authors - Get Haunted video via YouTube


After the Authors was bratty UK alt-pop-punk rockers Johnny Foreigner. I had not heard their music before but they really blew me away. It was full of propulsive energy and a very youthful, bratty spirit. After their set I told the band that anyone who tours with a projector and a keytar is ok in my book. The song I captured is actually unreleased and was inspired by the band's last trip to the U.S.A.


Johnny Foreigner - Security to the Promenade video via YouTube

Finally, Los Campesinos! had the crowd pogo-ing, fist-pumping, and generally singing/shouting along to every song. This band really knows how whip a crowd into a frenzy and they do it all with a violinist, whoduhthunk?


Los Campesinos! - Straight In at 101 video via YouTube

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So Much Thursday Action

It should come as no surprise by now, that Thursday night is packed with good shows. I feel like every week I have to choose between several cool acts playing simultaneously across the city. The first thing I want to mention, since I haven't said anything all week, is that Jonathan Richman is playing his fourth, and final, night in Austin at the Continental Club. From what I've gathered Mr. Richman isn't viewed with the same status here in Austin as he is in New England. Back in Boston he's the shhhh. I also want to give a promotional shout-out to my bloggy-brethren over at Ultra 8201 who will be celebrating their bloggiversary over at Ghost Room. That show will feature three top-notch local bands: the Authors, Politics, with New Roman Times in the headlining slot.


New Roman Times - VCR video via YouTube


I'm always a fan of shows at the Parish Room, so I think my Thursday night will be spent there with the Fiery Furnaces. FF is one of those bands who I didn't like when I first heard them but eventually found myself humming their tunes and now it's full on love. I'm interested to see if their live performance will live up to the sounds of the albums. Their reputation precedes them in the live show category so I don't expect to be disappointed.


Fiery Furnaces - Even In the Rain video via YouTube

I also don't want to forget my homies in Quiet Company who seem to have a regular gig at Stubb's inside stage. They'll be sharing a bill with Whitman and Buttercup. I caught the latter at Jen Leduc's Beauty Bar birthday bash Friday night and thoroughly enjoyed their set. I'd call it power-pop with a dash of indie, not really jangly enough to be truly indie in my eyes though.


Whitman - The Wanting video via YouTube

Isn't that a lot of choices for a Thursday night? Keep impressing me Austin and I'll keep blogging 'bout it.


Jonathan Richman - Roadrunner video via YouTube


M.I.A. - Bamboo Banga video via YouTube

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