Voxtrot bid Austin adieu last night to a comfortably packed crowd at Emo's outside area. You could definitely feel the love in the crowd from the opening notes to the closing notes. Everything Voxtrot did had people clapping, pogoing and generally participating in a way, which is, sadly, rare in this city. It certainly wasn't a sad, boo-hoo, farewell to Voxtrot. The evening had the vibe of a quirky 5yr class reunion for kids who were, previously, home-schooled. Like a Wes Anderson movie crossed with a John Hughes movie starring me and a bunch of other hipsters who hate hipsters. I looked around and everyone was dancing like Molly Ringwald looking totally blissed-out and nostalgic. Even the group of too-young sorrority girls knew every word to every song and sang along like we didn't pay to hear the band. All in all, a good time was had by all but don't mourn Voxtrot they left us with some amazing music to keep exploring.
Voxtrot - Whiskey & Water video via YouTube On the official Voxtrotwebsite there is a note that reflects where this break-up came from. It's drawn-out, articulate and beautiful (of course) but this section really stood out to me today after seeing the final show. I think it perfectly captures the energy of the experience.
I've come to realize that there really isn't any cause for disappointment. The fact is, the songs still exist, and the music of Voxtrot lives on as a sovereign entity which, outside of all criticism, positive or negative, belongs to the guys and me, and to everybody who ever loved it or believed. Taking into account every person I've met, every place I have visited, every emotional exchange I have ever had with a listener, there is absolutely no room for regret.
I actually opened this post with the second to last song from Voxtrot's set for short-attention span purposes and I'm closing the post with the second song they performed from their set. If this post is your first introduction to Voxtrot the EP, Raised By Wolves would certainly be a good jumping off point. Or, if like me, you've been a fan for quite some time this has that nostalgic appeal already and it's only 5yrs old. Thanks for the tunes Voxtrot.
I feel like the word epic has lost its meaning at this point but that is the word I heard the most when I asked people what they thought of Bassnectar at Stubb's Saturday night. To be honest, it's pretty fitting. I've seen Bassnectar three times now and each show has had an amazing end-of-the-world energy. People dance like they may never dance again and it's largely an involuntary response to the mean, driving, bass sounds that assault you throughout the show. Even if you want to be a wallflower the bass will make your clothes dance on your body. I literally sweat my earplugs out, which has never happened to me before but it was just that kind of crazy.
Now, y'all know I like to try and record two complete songs when I go to shows so I have a little visual document for myself and for you too. However, Bassnectar at Stubb's isn't really ideal for that sort of thing. The bass was clipping the sound and losing all the high end and the hardcore dancing creates lots of crowd jostling. I did manage to shoot one song in it's entirety but it's sort of a cool-down song so it's not going to seem as intense as the picture I've painted so far. In fact, the video has only been up 1 day and already someone has bitched about me choosing this particular song. Whatever, it's better than their video from the show, 'cause they ain't got one. Also, he's remixing Jonsi'!?!?! Of Sigur Ros fame!!!Enigma remixing Sigur Rós?!?!?!?!
Bassnectar remixes Jonsi'Bassnectar remixes Enigma's remix of Sigur Rós' - Sæglópur video via YouTube
I posted a couple of clips from the Bassnectar show on the Bloggy F*c*book page too. There's even a minute long clip of a Sleigh Bells remix. You know I love me some Sleigh Bells. He also said it was his first time playing that for an audience, that's what's up.
Well y'all, I wanted to post another video but alas I have no more for you. Shortest post ever.
Dearly beloved, we will gather at Barbarella tomorrow to join many men and many women in sweaty, dance-floor shakin ', bliss. That's right it's a Sunday night dance party in honor of the one, the only, Jenn Peen of the Peen Scene a lady never reveals her age but let's just say it's a milestone and all of Austin's bloggeratti will be in attendance. Lucky for you, you're people who know people so you're invited to get down with some loud-ass music, low-priced drinks and it will be your time to rub elbows with all of us cool bloggy, scenester-types. Make sure you bring your dancin' shoes 'cause Jenn likes to get down on that dance-floor and no one likes a wallflower. Things kick off at 10pm at Barbarella tomorrow night. If you would like to RSVP, which I recommend, you may do so at the Facebook event page and/or you can check out the listing on Do512. Here's a little taste of what you may or may not hear at Barbarella tomorrow night.
If you've ever rolled with the Peen Scene before then you already know there's also going to be a sanctioned after-party for the post 2am crowd, 'cause that's just how we get down in the Austin blogosphere. Bloggy has to work at 5:30am Monday so I may wake up early for work and hit the after-party before I go in. We'll see how that plan comes into fruition. I may be that drunk dude at work on Memorial day...or at least one of those drunk dudes at work. Info for the after-party happs can be found on both Facebook and Do512 but chances are when you're all sweaty and drunk at Barbarella around 2am you'll notice a mass exodus heading Southeast to the former Music Gym.
I neglected to mention that these are hip-hop themed parties so you actually may not hear Sleigh Bells you're more likely to hear some raunchy, dirty-south hip-hop jamz. Get trill y'all!
Clipse featuring Pharrell - Mr. Me Too video via YouTube
Alright maybe that Clipse track wasn't the perfect example of a sweaty, hip-hop banger but you get the idea.
Let me preface this with some disclaimers, I do not know any of the 3 Charlies who make up C3 Presents. I have no affiliation with Austin City Limits Fest or it's subsidiaries. I'm just a dude who waits tables and writes this little website.
So, with all of that said, let's start guessing about the ACL aftershows shall we? If you have been a fan of this site from the beginning, and I know you have, then you might remember that Bloggy is anti-festival. I don't mind if they occur and I'm cool with YOU going but the idea of standing in a field with 10's of thousands of people to watch M.I.A. on a giant screen is not my idea of a good time. For me, it's all about the aftershow. Wouldn't you rather see Manu Chao at Stubb's, as opposed to Zilker?
Here we go, Bloggydamus' first and most definitive pick for an ACL Aftershow is one part wish, one part rainbow and one part logic. That's right, it's a three-prong approach. I'm calling the National at Stubb's the night before they play the fest. I would prefer they play the Parish but I'm not going to get picky. I just need to hear High Violet and cry into my Lone Star.
This is the part where I had planned to embed a new song but apparently The National are part of the Sony "family" of artists who would rather you buy the video instead of hearing the song on my site. SOOOOOOO, here's one of my favorite older tracks, and actually the first song that turned me onto the National in the first place.
Find more Bloggydamus picks after les break. A big part of my logic in choosing who will/won't be playing aftershows is based on who has or hasn't recently gigged in Austin (not counting SXSW). So, by that logic the following artists WON'T be having aftershows:
LCD Soundsystem (S)Norah Jones Yeasayer Beach House Local Natives
Also, I don't think the top 2 (or 3) tiers of artists will be playing aftershows although I would LOVE to see M.I.A., The Strokes and Muse play clubs in town. M.I.A. at Barbarella? Yes, please.
My next bet for who WILL be playing an aftershow is: Broken Bells. Sure they played SXSW this year but I still have a feeling that we will be seeing them in aftershow status. Also, a Matt and Kim aftershow is HIGHLY likely as they are so well-received here in Austin.
PS. I would put money on members of the Eagles playing secret gigs at places like Momo's or some other dad-bar but you'll have to be there already to get in...assuming you'd want to get in to hear Don Henley play a solo, acoustic set.
Don Henley - All She Wants To Do Is Dance video via YouTube
Let me know what you think in the comments but if you are just commenting to correct spelling/grammar errors I will use your IP address to come to where you are and cut you.
Some of my favorite blogger-types have teamed up with one of my favorite local record labels to showcase some of Austin's most talented artists at Stubb's tonight. Obviously, this is going to be an inside show as I can't see these up and coming artists filling the amphitheater...YET. Autobus Records is home to two of Bloggy's favorite locals, Sunset and Brazos. Sunset won't be performing tonight but you can catch the beautiful songcraft of Brazos. Full details about tonight's Do512/Covert Curiosity event can be found here. In the meantime you should soak in this Brazos song.
So, to be honest I am not YET familiar with most of the artists showcasing tonight, but I do know it will cost $7 to get in and that includes free Lone Star till it runs out. So, that's always nice, however as someone who also works in the service industry might I add that the tip is NOT included in your FREE drink. Make it rain people.
Mark David Ashford seems to be the 2nd tier headliner tonight so let's check out his sound shall we?
Wow, I really liked that song. See people this is why you have to go tonight, Autobus has some amazing songwriters and performers and the intimate feel of Stubb's inside stage will be the perfect setting to hear what these artists are really talking about. Unless you get too distracted by the free beer and can't managed to STFU. But that's neither here nor there.
Weird Weeds - Atlas/We're Gonna Die video via YouTube
Are you feeling the vibe of this label yet? These videos on represent three of the artists who you'll get to experience this evening. Also, I haven't even mentioned the fact that Martin Crane from Brazos will be doing a solo set to lead in to the Brazos set, which should be pretty much amazing. Here's one more BloggyCam vid for the road.
Well y'all, it seems a little less than timely to talk about a show I saw on Sunday but you know what? I'm going to talk about it anyway, so there. I saw Minus the Bear at La Zona Rosa Sunday night and was quite impressed. They played with tons of energy and the packed crowd was loving every minute or it and singing along to most of the tunes. I actually got to meet the band before the show and they are pleasant, down-to-earth human beings as well as being good musicians, which is always nice to learn. It was a pretty crazy experience for me actually because I have never had an "All-Access" pass to a club show it was cooky watching from side/backstage. I also got to chat with poet, Thax Douglas for a while before he read his Minus the Bear poem on stage. He was such an interesting person who really drew me in from the moment we made eye contact, we had great conversation and he brought me backstage to introduce me to the band. All in all a good time was had by all. Here's the video I shot of the song, "My Time" from Sunday night at La Zona.
Minus the Bear - My Time video via YouTube In other exciting concert news, I saw Fang Island last night and the only thing disappointing about that show was the audience. The band was spot-on tearing through their syncopated riffs and giving me chills throughout their short set. They only played for about 30-40 minutes but you know what? Their entire album is 34 minutes long so I wasn't super-surprised. The audience wasn't as energetic as I had hoped they would be but it's not like everyone was talking or booing they were just politely listening in that Austin hipstery way that we do. Fang Island closed with a cover of a Mariah Carey song, which was very well-received considering the rock-show atmosphere.
I've only included 2 of the 5 videos from these two bands that I've uploaded this week. So, if you want to see more from Minus the Bear and Fang Island you should start with the Bloggy YouTube but I have also added the song Daisy by Fang Island exclusively to the Bloggy Facebook page so "Like" it already won't you?
Remember that venue The Backyard and how they built a strip mall around it and they ended up getting squeezed out even though they were there first? Well guess what? There's a NEW The Backyard and according to their website it's only 3 songs from downtown Austin. Unfortunately due to road congestion it may take you a couple of albums to get home. Believe me the trip out to Bee Cave is worth it. Or is it Bee Caves? I can never get it correct.
If you feel like checking out that new venue, tonight is be the night to go. The Green Steam Circus is rolling through town tonight! Check out the full spectrum of what this party is all about with this handy-dandy widget.
The free sampler, which the widget refers to features an album's worth of free music from the artists who will be showcasing at the Circus tonight including: a Bassbin Twins' mix set and a never-released remix by Klever as well as favorites by White Ghost Shivers, Lions, Abney Park, and Los Banditos.
The idea of being able to park at the Backyard is so exciting the fact that there is a cool event as well is just a bonus. The last time I went there was in 2007 and my car got effed up and then I almost fell on the journey back to my car but that's probably 'cause I was drunk. Of course I was the passenger, Bloggy does not promote, condone, or accept drinking and driving. Also, bring some MF earplugs y'all chances are they have a new soundsystem they'll want to show-off. I know I would.
Also, how cool is it that these party runs the spectrum from White Ghost Shivers to the Bassbin Twins?
My favorite local, doom-rock outfit, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth has a new album coming out in June. Lucky for us, we can buy Peaced about a month earlier than our European counterparts for we live in Austin, or at least I do, I don't really know where you're sitting. Anyway, here in Austin, at Beerland, tomorrow night the Lil Dinos will be kicking off their tour. In celebration we'll get some beer (when in Beerland, do as the Beerlandites) and we'll pick up their newest album so we can rub it in people's faces. Oh how we will laugh and gloat.
By the way, if tomorrow night is your first time seeing When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth BRING EARPLUGS!!! Seriously, you are not too cool to hear things in the future and trust me, in the grand tradition of Spinal Tap their gear will ALL be on 11. Also, without earplugs the sound will wash out, which is sort of part of the effect but it's nice to hear notes. Here's a VERY dark video I shot of the Lil Dinos at Red 7 during Free Week. Incidentally, this song is on the new album.
When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth - Selected for Jerry Duty video via YouTube
I also wanted to mention that those of you who are already familiar with When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth may not have realized that they are no longer the huge sprawling collective they once were. They have focused their sound and their roster. This updated press photo should give you all of the relevant info.
Well kiddos, you can't paw through the booklet or smell the vinyl sleeve YET but you can officially own your own digital copy of Sleigh Bells LP, Treats. They were one of my bands to watch during the SXSW 2010 preview and watch them I did. Even with only a 3 (possibly 4) song set Sleigh Bells brought the house down at the I Am Sound Records party. I shot the first two songs they played with the BloggyCam from on stage, if you look closely at the beginning of the video for Treats you can see that Alexis is about a foot away from me. That was also the show where I met the Peen Scene *le sigh* I love them.
Sleigh Bells - Treats video via YouTube The blessing and the curse of shooting bands at SXSW is they are usually showcasing new material so you have to wait for the full album. Turns out the songs I shot are the opening and closing tracks of the LP. The self-titled track above the break is the album's closer and this next one is what opens the album. Kind of worked out perfectly, didn't it? Judging by the view count someone somewhere has found this video and they're sharing it.
The Parish is the perfect venue to hear the Album Leaf perform in Austin; I'm glad that booking happened. End of post.
Just kidding...obviously. My favorite way to discover a band is to hear them live and then find out who that was later. Way back in the historic early aughts, many, many blog years ago, there was a band from Iceland called Sigur Ros. These Icelandic lads made their way across the great Atlantic Ocean bringing chilly songs that make Bloggy cry (in a good way). Well, guess who their opening act was on their first East Coast tour? That's right it was the Album Leaf. When their set started, the entire venue went completely silently for almost 40 minutes before exploding into applause. Many fans were won that night. Will you be the next?
Tomorrow night at the Parish let's get a beer and maybe cry a little (hopefully in a good way), maybe dance a little (in an awkward way) but let's try to STFU while the band is on ok? Tickets are still obtainable, don't abstain from purchasing them.
In a way, tomorrow night's bill at the Parish is a split-headliners bill. Sea Wolf aren't an opening band, their an experience you shouldn't miss. At the core of their sound you'll find quality songwriting, built around that, could be any number of sounds, textures, musicians, or space. You can always expect some beautiful, well-crafted tunes and memorable melodies, you'll be humming on the way home when Sea Wolf plays your town.
By the way, since I mentioned Sigur Ros above the break I should mention that it would have been nice to see Jónsi while he was in the U.S. He played Terminal 5, in New York, on Friday and reading people's tweets was giving me withdrawals. Is Texas too hot for Jónsi?
