Nada Surf Play La Zona Rosa

Photo Credit: José del Río Mons

In lots of ways Nada Surf were the canary in the coal-mine of the music industry. They had big success early in their career on a major label at a time when people couldn't steal music so easily. They had a ubiquitous summer hit with loads of radio airplay and lots of MTV love. The problem was their big hit, Popular didn't sound like anything they had made before nor after. In fact, it was a novelty hit of sorts and the band's follow-up The Proximity Effect did not have the same popular success. After that point Nada Surf had to re-learn how to sell records and earn money in the ranks of the do-it-yourself indie world. They took the lessons they learned from the their career bottle-rocket in the major label world and they changed their approach. They continued to hone their pop-songcraft sensibilities but without the money and muscle of a major label they started doing more promotional footwork. They played more radio shows, they did more meet-and-greets, they accepted more interview requests and they worked their own merch table at shows to have more face to face with their fans. In short, they created a model for how to be a successful indie-band for every band that came after them. I'm not saying every indie-band does these things but they should. Get yourself a ticket and see what I'm talking about in action at La Zona Rosa Friday night.


Nada Surf - When I Was Young video via YouTube


The Stars are Indifferent to Astronomy is the fifth independently-released full-length from Nada Surf and it contains some of their finest work. The progression from Let Go to this point has been quite evident. Each album explores similar themes but the songwriting continues to mature, the hooks become more polished and the lyrics more relatable and less-obtuse.

If you're reading this and you have no idea who Nada Surf is, or your only knowledge of them is the song Popular PLEASE go listen to The Weight is a Gift. I know it sounds hyperbolic and cliche' but I would, literally, not be writing this right now if it weren't for that record. I won't get in to the details on that point but I will emphasize how important that record is to me and my life.

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Schoolboy Q at Red 7

Tomorrow night, Red 7 will be visited by Schoolboy Q. For those of you who don't know, Schoolboy Q is part of the same California hip-hop collective that gave the world Kendrick Lamar, A$ap Rockyand Ab-soul. I don't really understand why they are called "Black Hippys" but that's what they want to call themselves and that's their business. Schoolboy Q's latest record, Habits & Contradictions, is full of trunk-shaking bass songs about doing drugs, having sex, envy and money. In other words, it's not re-inventing the wheel when it comes to hip-hop subject matter but there is no denying Q's flow. His rhymes are clever his cadences switch from Houston-slow to Chicago-quick and all the while the beats represent a new generation of west-coast artists influenced by old N.W.A. records. There are flute samples, string arrangements but also barebones drum and bass beats. I'm not going to pretend like I relate to what Schoolboy Q is saying but of all of the Black Hippy rappers he has the most commercial-ready songs. His single, Hands on the Wheel is a total jam and should really be soundtracking your summer by now.


Schoolboy Q - Hands on the Wheel video via YouTube

There are no advanced ticket sales for tomorrow night's show, so arrive at the door with cash tomorrow. I don't know what the cover will be but I'd say it's in the ballpark of $15ish. You might want to plan on spending money at the merch table too, since Schoolboy Q has been releasing mixtapes for over three years now, chances are there will be some at the venue that you haven't had a chance to see or hear before.

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Review: Dr. Dog at Austin City Limits

Tonight I had the privilege to see Dr. Dog tape a set for, the legendary, Austin City Limits television series. I'm going to be honest when I tell you that I have not been keeping up with Dr. Dog's last couple of releases. I enjoyed everything I knew of their music and even saw them perform inside End of an Ear in 2006. Well, I can assure you that they have developed immensely since that performance six years ago. Tonight they proved why they deserve a booking on ACL TV. Dr. Dog have become a fierce distillation of American Rock 'n Roll music. It seems perfectly fitting that this band would be based in America's birthplace, Philadelphia, it would not surprise me in the least to learn that these gentlemen sneeze American flag guitar picks and fart the Star Spangled Banner. Dressed in, what I can only describe as, a hodgepodge of thrift store finds complete with ridiculous hats, and sunglasses they took the stage like a band with something to prove. They performed like torch-carriers at the American-Rock Olympics and they refuse to let that flame die.


Dr. Dog - Lonesome video via YouTube

I could hear moments of all sorts of great American music in Dr. Dog's set tonight. I heard 3-part harmonies, which were reminiscent of Crosby, Stills and Nash, I heard the simple, driving psychedelic-blues of of the Grateful Dead. There were elements of The Delaware Destroyers and the southern-fried blues-rock of Lynard Skynard as well but it all came together in a completely contemporary and exciting way. Several of their songs sounded so instantly classic that I found myself wondering if they were covers or originals.

Tonight's Austin City Limits taping by Dr. Dog made me want to revisit all of their records both old and new. They had the crowd singing along, pumping their fists, jumping up and down and, generally, losing their minds. The floor was packed to the gills with fans, several of whom stood outside in 100+ degree temperatures for hours in hopes of scoring the elusive stand-by tickets. Tonight's show was also simulcast on the web allowing viewers from all over the globe to enjoy the performance from home. I'm sure it wasn't quite as thrilling to watch in front of the computer screen but with a set that spanned their career and clocked in at over 90 minutes Dr. Dog certainly did not disappoint. In fact, I expect they will win themselves lots of new fans when the episode airs in November. They were six men who became a single, cohesive rock monster and they made a new fan out of this blogger. Look for the episode on your local PBS this fall.


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Tristen Returns to Austin

Photo Credit: Eddie Mills

There are times, as a music blogger, when I find myself questioning, "Why this artist and not this artist?" As in, how come The Shins are a big name but The Helio Sequence continue to dwindle in obscurity. Why Bon Iver but not every other singer-songwriter with a falsetto? Tristen is an artist who should be a household name. She is a fantastic song-crafter, a wonderful performer and she has loads of personality. She's everything Lana Del Ray is not, yet she's not as famous. If you have read this site with any sort of regularity you may be tired of me writing about Tristen but each time she passes through Austin I will do my best to spread the word. I implore each and everyone of you to go to the Swan Dive Saturday night and hear for yourself. Tristen has been touring with a full band and she was opening for Justin Townes Earle on his recent tour. The band is going to be tighter than ever. Tickets are still available and if you buy them now they will only set you back $7. I know going downtown on a Saturday night is not an ideal situation but if you miss Saturday night's show, you're really missing out.


Tristen - Special Kind of Fear video via YouTube

Playing the support slot Saturday night will be one of Austin's best homegrown bands, Follow That Bird. I don't know about you but it's been WAY too long since I've seen Follow That Bird. I'm guessing they've got lots of new material since they were recording in Marfa earlier this month so, make sure you arrive early enough to catch their set.



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Robyn Returns

Swedish pop princess Robyn returns to ACL Live tomorrow night. I had the opportunity to see her last performance in the venue a little more than a year ago and it was one of the most fun shows I've ever been to. Imagine a room full of gay men, fun women and open-minded dance music fans shaking their asses and singing along to every word of every song and your almost there. Robyn performs with a live band, she wear crazy outfits and she does the cutest dance moved. You just want to pinch her little cheeks and then put her in your pocket. Tickets for tomorrow night's show are still available but I feel like they will be gone before doors open so get on it! Also, I should mention that if there are still standing floor tickets available you should definitely get those. I know that it can be nice to have an actual seat for a show but you won't want to sit down through a Robyn performance.


Robyn - Call Your Girlfriend video via YouTube


The current Robyn tour is still in support of her 2011 release Body Talk. If you still haven't heard it, you really should it's non-stop dance-floor-fillers that will have you singing along at the top of your lungs. It's also great driving music. This stop in Austin is a warm-up date before Robyn hits the road with Coldplay. Her most recent Austin appearance was in support of Katy Perry. In other words, this is one of your only chances to see a headlining set from Robyn in the near future (or near past) so be there!

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Lil Kim at Emo's East

<-Click for tickets

I became a Lil Kim fan the moment I heard her on the Junior M.A.F.I.A. track Get Money back in early 1996. By the time she dropped her debut album Hard Core later that year, I was hooked. It was a little shocking to hear such filthy rhymes coming out of such a beautiful petite woman, but I think that  only served to make me love her more. I mean, how could I not be enamored with somebody who built an entire song chorus around the phrase "I don't want dick tonight, eat my pussy right"?


Lil Kim - Keys to the City featuring Young Jeezy video via YouTube

Her provocative (and often downright filthy) lyrics have always been combined with hot beats and big producers like Puff Daddy, Jermaine Dupri, Kanye West, Swizz Beats and Timbaland. It's been a hot minute since her last full-length album (2005's The Naked Truth), but that is excusable since she had to spend some time away in jail and then focus on a much higher level of mainstream visibility by being cast on ABC's "Dancing With The Stars."

While we await a new album and a book about her incarceration, Lil Kim has been working hard at relaunching her music career. She has a new mixtape called Tax Season and she's been out on the very well-received Return Of The Queen tour that is making a stop at Emo's tomorrow night. According to reviews, she has been delivering fan favorites like The Jump Off, How Many Licks? and even Lady Marmalade, so you can expect some old school jams along with her new material.

With rumors swirling of a tour with Missy Elliott & Eve to follow after this one, this Emo's show is a rare opportunity to jump off with the Queen Bee right here in Austin. Get your tickets while you can.




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Interview: Here We Go Magic

Photo by Christaan Felber

With the help of super-producer Nigel Godrich, Here We Go Magic have released the best album of their career. In the past month they have played a successful set at Bonnaroo and managed to pick-up a hitchhiking John Waters while touring in support of A Different Ship. That tour will be here in Austin next week when the band plays the Parish on Tuesday. Tickets are still available at the moment but Here We Go Magic are riding so much buzz at the moment, that I wouldn't be surprised if the show sold-out by this weekend. I sent Luke from Here We Go Magic some interview questions in preparation of the show, which you can find below the jump.


Here We Go Magic - How Do I Know video via YouTube


Was your experience working with Nigel Godrich vastly different from
your previous studio experiences?

Yeah, I had never worked with a producer before.

What is your writing process like?  Do you write as a group on the road
or do you take time to yourself during road breaks?

I take time by myself and then show it to the band usually. I usually just write on a classical I have.

What are some of the themes being explored on this latest record?

Simplicity, both musically and lyrically.

Is your writing inspired by specific personal experiences or is it a
more esoteric sort of inspiration?

I guess more esoteric, I just let it sort of come to me and then I usually realize it's something I was already thinking about anyway.

Are you compelled to read your own reviews or do you try to avoid them?

Try to avoid them but sometimes I can't help myself

What music have you been listening to lately?

• Captain Beefheart-Clear
  Spot
• Marvin Gaye-Here My Dear

.

Marvin Gaye - Sparrow via YouTube

Your songs have always had a very cinematic quality, are you inspired
by film-making?

Not really, I'm a visual artist so that's probably where
that comes from.

If you could have your music in films, what genre or director would you
most like to be paired up with?

Both dead but Fellini or Kubrick.

What are some of the day-jobs you worked in the past?

Plasterer, house-painter, muralist, janitor at a mall, landscaper, fudge maker, waiter, host, mover, barista.

What interview question are you most bored by/tired of?

Desert island questions.

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FFF7 Guess the Fest

Without a doubt FunFunFun Fest is my favorite centralized music festival. It's all of the best of SXSW without all of the walking, line-standing, planning, and corporate rim-jobs. It's like Austin City Limits Fest without all of the lawn chairs, babies, soccer-grandmas and Andy Langer-types. It's a place where crust-punks, indie-nerds, and candy-ravers can all let their body odors co-mingle while they eat Kebabalicious. To me, it is the best representation of today's Austin music scene. It gathers bands from around the globe with all of their hard-to-place genres (sub-genres) and puts them on stages named for colors rather than corporations. One of my favorite things about the festival is the split stages. Rather than have to wander from stage to stage between sets, most of the stages are 2 in 1, which means there is little-to-no break time between sets on any stage.

With all that being said, FFF7 has launched the first of their interactive elements this year. Head over to the Guess the Fest site now, login with your Facebook account and take 20 stabs at who you think will play this year's fest. They have some great prizes for the folks with the most correct guesses including PIP passes, and even round-trip tickets to this year's fest from any major U.S. city. I am not affiliated with the festival and I have no idea who will be booked but it's always exciting to guess. I'll post my guesses after the jump. For now enjoy this video from one of my wish-list bands, whom I SERIOUSLY doubt will be booked for FFF7 but perfectly embodies the spirit of the festival.


Django Django - Storm video via YouTube

Alright, so here are my guesses. Some of these artists, like Django Django and Team Me, I don't seriously think will get booked. Peaking Lights is a band that I don't really enjoy or "get" but I still think they are serious contenders for booking. All of the rest of my guesses are one part wish list and one part guess list. Who did you guess?



Discounted early sale tickets will be released in a couple of weeks so stay tuned here, or the official FFF7 site.

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Planning Ahead: Ticket Link Extravaganza

It's a new month, which means it's time to plan ahead and get all of the concert tickets you can before all of the good shows are sold-out. In this planning ahead post you'll want to scroll all the way to the end because there are a lot of really great shows in September and even October that I expect will sell-out months in advance. One of the Godspeed You! Black Emperor shows has already sold-out but there are still a few tickets for the other one.

The way this post works is simple. Click the name of the artist to go to a ticket or event page, if clicking the artist's name takes you to the artist's page that means there aren't advanced tickets (29th St. Ballroom events) or the event is free (The Young at End of an Ear). If the event is struck-through) it means the event has already sold-out but I still wanted to include it. For a couple of the events the tickets aren't on sale YET but I still linked to the event page for when the tickets do go on sale. This is true for FunFunFun Fest as well as the upcoming Grimes and Beach House shows. Both Grimes and Beach House go on sale June 15th. As usual, this list is not comprehensive and isn't, necessarily, an endorsement of an artist or venue, all events are subject to change. This is merely meant to be helpful. It takes me a lot of time to create these posts so I appreciate when you share this. I started the list with shows happening tomorrow (and beyond), you'll find those after the break but there are still tickets available to some great shows tonight as well:

• YACHT / Love Inks at Mohawk
• Riff Raff at Beauty Ballroom
• Gillian Welch at Stubb's
• Alpha Rev at Parish
• The Rocketboys at ND
• Ume at Red 7 (Inside)
• Fourth Grade Nothing / Cruiserweight / Markov at Red 7 (Outside)

YACHT - Le Goudron video via YouTube

Saturday, June 9th

• Prefuse 73 at Beauty Ballroom
• The Head and the Heart at Stubb's
• The Impossibles at Mohawk

Sunday, June 10th

• The Head and the Heart at Stubb's
• The Impossibles at Mohawk

Monday, June 11th

• Cave Singers at Red 7
• The Temper Trap / Crocodiles at Stubb's
• Flesh Lights at 29th St. Ballroom

Tuesday, June 12th

• The Cribs at Parish
• The Young at End of an Ear

Friday, June 15th

• What Made Milwaukee Famous at Beauty Ballroom

Saturday, June 16th

• The Young at 29th St. Ballroom
• SORNE at Swan Dive

Tuesday, June 19th

• Here We Go Magic at Parish
• Lil Kim at Emo's

Here We Go Magic - How Do I Know video via YouTube

Thursday, June 21st

• Robyn at ACL Live

Friday, June 22nd

• Jonathan Richman at Mohawk

Saturday, June 23rd

• El-P at Mohawk
• The Heavy at Red 7
• Tristen at Swan Dive
• Loudon Wainwright III at Cactus Cafe

Sunday, June 24th

• Loudon Wainwright III at Cactus Cafe
• Candlebox at Emo's

Tuesday, June 26th

• Lower Dens at Parish

Thursday, June 28th

• Prince Paul at Beauty Ballroom
• Howard Jones at ACL Live

Friday, June 29th

• Nada Surf at La Zona Rosa
• Scars on 45 at Stubb's
• The Bad Plus at Antone's

Saturday, June 30th

• The Men at Red 7
• Kashmere Stage Band at Antone's
• Fire Fest at 7000 US Highway 183 South
• Scott Biram / Lydia Loveless at Highball

Monday, July 2nd

• Friends at Mohawk

Friends - Mind Control video via YouTube

Friday, July 6th

• Z-Trip at Belmont

Saturday, July 7th

• oOoOO at Beauty Ballroom
• Dream Theater at ACL Live
  

Monday, July 9th

• King Tuff at Mohawk

Tuesday, July 10th

• Bass Drum of Death at Mohawk

Thursday, July 12th

• RJD2 at Belmont

Friday, July 13th

• Blind Pilot at La Zona Rosa

Wednesday, July 18th

• Neon Trees at La Zona Rosa

Thursday, July 19th

• Frank Ocean at La Zona Rosa
• Tenacious D at Austin Music Hall

Friday, July 20th

• Iron & Wine at Paramount Theater

Friday, July 27th

• Glass Candy at Mohawk

Wednesday, August 1st

• Sixpence None The Richer at Antone's

Thursday, August 2nd

• Dirty Projectors at Emo's
• The Coathangers at Red 7

Dirty Projectors - Gun Has No Trigger video via YouTube

Friday, August 3rd

• Obits / Mind Spiders / Flesh Lights at Red 7

Saturday, August 4th

• Races / Saint Motel at Stubb's

Saturday, August 18th

• Ghostface Killah at Beauty Ballroom

Saturday, August 11th

• Aesop Rock at Mohawk

Tuesday, August 14th

• Langhorne Slim / Jessica Lea Mayfield at Parish

Thursday, August 16th

• Shonen Knife at Red 7

Saturday, August 18th

• Crosby, Stills & Nash at ACL Live

Thursday, August 23rd

• Willie Nelson at The Backyard

Sunday, August 26th

• Chris Isaak at ACL Live

Wednesday, August 29th

• Lightning Bolt at Emo's

Thursday, September 6th

• Yeasayer at Stubb's

Friday, September 7th

• Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at Mohawk
• Dead Can Dance at ACL Live

Friday, September 14th

• Swans / Xiu Xiu at La Zona Rosa
• Twin Shadow / Niki & the Dove at Mohawk
• Paul Oakenfold at Emo's

Twin Shadow - Five Seconds video via YouTube

Wednesday, September 19th

• Adam Ant at Emo's

Thursday, September 20th

• Beach House at Emo's
• The Walkmen at Stubb's

Sunday, September 23rd

• Psychedelic Furs at Emo's

Tuesday, September 25th

• Guided By Voices at Emo's

Wednesday, September 26th

• Charles Bradley at Antone's

Saturday, October 6th

• Grimes at Beauty Ballroom

Tuesday, October 9th

• Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Mohawk

Wednesday, October 10th

• Godspeed You! Black Emperor at Mohawk

Friday October 12th-Sunday October 14th

• Austin City Limits Festival at Zilker Park

Friday, October 19th

• Norah Jones at ACL Live

Wednesday, October 31st

• Leonard Cohen at Bass Concert Hall
• RAC / Classixx / Dirty Vegas at ACL Live

Friday, November 2nd-Sunday, November 4th

• FunFunFun Fest at Auditorium Shores

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Rubblebucket at Beauty Ballroom Tonight

Alright, so I already mentioned tonight's Rubblebucket show at Beauty Ballroom in my Chaos in Tejas post but I wanted to be doubly-sure you were aware of tonight's show. I'm not going to re-hash everything I've already posted about Rubblebucket, I'll just say get tickets, have fun.


Rubblebucket - Down in the Yard video via YouTube



Rubblebucket - L'Homme video via YouTube

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