I'm not gonna front like I'm some die-hard fan of the band, Swans but I do know that their latest album, The Seer, is catching a lot of buzz. I also know that many of you, who read this site on a regular basis are fans of Swans and would like to hear their newest songs performed live. Well, you're in luck as they will be appearing at La Zona Rosa this Friday night. Tickets are still available and I honestly haven't heard if it's close to selling out or not but based purely on the web-buzz I'd expect it's selling quite well.
If you're planning on grabbing yourself a ticket to the Swans show be sure to arrive in time to catch Xiu Xiu. I feel like they aren't the perfect match for Swans, they're a definitely more avante and keyboard-driven but I also think an audience that's can appreciate Swans will appreciate Xiu Xiu. Their latest record is called Always and you can listen to the title track now on Soundcloud.
There are so many great shows coming up in the next couple of weeks, I wasn't sure whether to write one long post featuring all of the highlights or several short ones. I went with the latter. I am really excited to see Twin Shadow again at the Mohawk this weekend. Originally, the band was going to play Friday night only but that show sold-out so fast they added another show Saturday night. If you didn't get tickets to Friday night's show, you're in luck because there are still a few left for the Saturday night show. I'd act fast if I were you though because this show will sell-out at any moment. Also, if you haven't listened to Twin Shadow's latest record, Confess I recommend you do so.
Twin Shadow - Patient video via YouTube
For those of you who are financially challenged, you can try to get into Waterloo Records for Twin Shadow's free in-store performance at 5:30pm on Saturday. However, if you don't have tickets to either Mohawk show you're going to miss one of my favorite bands from SXSW 2012 in, Niki and the Dove. Their album Instinct is personal, ethereal, music with electronic textures and lush melodies. Niki is an electro-pop Stevie Nicks for a new generation and their live set is not to be missed.
It's Friday, which means it's time to shake the work-week off with some really loud live music and some really cheap beer. Per usual there are a lot of options for you to consider. My number one recommendation for this evening is Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti at the Mohawk. It will be the perfect opportunity for you to play hipster-bingo (jorts are the free space.) Also, Ariel Pink's latest record Mature Themes is pretty damn good and for the cost of an $18 ticket they put on a great show.
Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffitt - Only in My Dreams video via YouTube
A bit later and a bit closer to dirty 6th, you can find Tennessee noise-troubadour Pujol at Stubb's inside stage. He's promoting his latest LP, United States of Being, which carries the torch for Nashville's lo-fi, garage-rock revival scene. Tickets for Pujol are only $8 and this is the perfect opportunity for those of you who are inspired to pull their fingernails out with pliers when you hear Ariel Pink. Pujol is ACTUAL ROCK MUSIC and he/they will inspire you to start your own band and drop out of school. Sorry Mom!
Still haven't found your musical niche? Don't fret Johnny, Red 7 is hosting Iceberg-rockers The Album Leaf. The first time I saw The Album Leaf they were supporting Sigur Rós at one of their first U.S. shows. It was the perfect pairing. Tonight The Album Leaf are supporting Tycho, whose latest release Dive has been receiving lots of critical praise. Tycho tours with a fully-immersive visual set-up too so if you're looking to get psychedelic Red 7 is the place for you. Also, they have Strongbow ON DRAFT! Tickets for Tycho with The Album Leaf are a mere $12, so more expensive than Pujol but cheaper than Ariel Pink.
You could also go full-on psychedelic starting in the late afternoon just north of UT. 29th St. Ballroom is hosting the Psychedelic Light and Sound Festival and you're all invited! There are a bunch of bands on a bunch of stages so, I'm just going to be lazy and link to it rather than listing them all here.
Perhaps you'd rather hang out with a more "grown-up" crowd and avoid the whole Red River/6th Street scene altogether. You're in the mood for an $8 Bud Light? Perhaps, you'd like to pre-game at a Wine Bar that sells gourmet pizza and has valet parking. Don't front, I got you on that too. Dead Can Dance are playing ACL Live tonight and you can still snag yourself a $40-$120 ticket.
Locavores, I haven't forgotten you either. I know that as an Austin music blogger I'm not supposed to blog about Austin musicians, which is why I'll mention The Black and White Years show at the Parish (they're actually from Dallas.) They'll be sharing the bill with Waldo & the Naturals as well as The Baker Family, Shakey Graves and The Dalles. Tickets are only $7 and proceeds will benefit your local music scene. The downside is you'll have to battle dirty 6th on a Friday night.
So, there you are several acceptable things to do with your time and money on this fine Friday evening. Stay safe out there kids!
There is a lot going on in Austin tomorrow night and I expected a lot of those events to be sold-out by now. You're in luck though, because they're not! Now, you just have to decide what you do and don't want to see. Price point could be an issue here as the events available vary greatly in their cost.
I fully expected tonight's Yeasayer show at Stubb's to be sold-out but alas there are still some tickets available. This show will set you back $25 but you also get to see Daedalus as well as an after-show inside featuring The Sour Notes.
Yeasayer - Longevity video via YouTube
Maybe you think Yeasayer is over, or you don't love paying $8 for domestic lite beers while sorority girls take pictures of themselves and talk loudly through a set. Well, don't worry there are more events for you to enjoy! Akron/Family return to Austin to play Red 7 with Smoke and Feathers. This show promises to have cheaper drinks fewer sorority girls but probably equal parts talking. Also, if you're a hipster-hater then this isn't the show for you. Oh, if you're a hipster-hater you should probably just move and/or shut up and get over yourself. Tickets for the Akron/Family show will only set you back $12.
Perhaps psychedelic noise isn't your thing, AND you think Yeasayer is sooo 2010 well, first of all you're a dick, secondly there is still an acceptable option for you! Those, I don't get it, internet-"sensations" Turquoise Jeep play the Mohawk with Neiliyo. Tickets for Turquoise Jeep are also $12 and people love them so, it wouldn't surprise me if this show sold-out.
Tomorrow night is a big night for local-band Markov. It's a big night because they are playing a support slot for a band they love, The Bronx but it's also a big night because they are celebrating the release of their new EP, The Flatlands. The Flatlands is six songs of melodious, driving, post-hardcore music that seems to go by in a flash. It's the perfect stop-gap between records and definitely shows growth from the band's previous release, This Quiet, which was already one of the best local releases of 2010. If you're looking for something to do Friday night, Markov at Red 7 is the thing to do. Tickets are only $12 if you buy them today but they'll be $14 tomorrow and don't underestimate fans of The Bronx, it's quite possible this show will be sold-out tomorrow.
Markov - Red Ocean video via YouTube
If you're trying to plan out your Friday night, I'd try to get to Red 7 by 9:30 for Markov's set. Also, it's an outside show so plan accordingly.
I had a discussion with some co-workers the other day about the re-birth of Red 7. Not only is the remodel logical and beautiful with much better sound but their booking is much more diverse than it was in the past and I am totally on board. This week, they have shows worth attending almost every night of the week and no two shows are alike. Tonight they have Wild Nothing, tomorrow they have Tanlines and Friday night they'll have The Bronx with Markov. Since I already wrote about tonight's Wild Nothing show, I want to focus on tomorrow night's show featuring Tanlines. For those of you who attend Tuezgayz, you've been aboard the Tanlines train for a year or more. For the rest of you a ticket to tomorrow night's show is a preview of FunFunFun Fest.
Tanlines is a duo from Brooklyn who play dance-able, experimental pop tunes. Their music uses lots of Caribbean percussion and is the perfect soundtrack to a summer dance party.
If you missed out on your chance to buy tickets to tomorrow night's sold-out Tanlines show at Red 7 don't worry single and multi-day tickets for FunFunFun Fest are still available. Also, the support acts Love Inks, Learning Secrets) are both local and play Austin quite frequently. Sure, it's cool to see a band play an intimate space but for dance acts it can be more fun to see them play with a huge crowd of fellow dancers. Oh, I almost forgot Tanlines are also scheduled to DJ a FunFunFun Fest Nites event so you can still have your intimate moment, even if you can't get in to Red 7 tomorrow.
First of all may I say that I find it "intriguing" that ACL Festival has rebranded their aftershows as Late Night Shows. I'm not going to explain that further, either you see what I'm getting at or you don't. Regardless, the pre-sale tickets went on sale to those of you who are on the e-mail list as of yesterday and some of those pre-sales already sold-out. You can find the full line-up of Late Night Showshere but I'm going to highlight the best according to Bloggy after the break.
The Weeknd - The Party & The After Party video via YouTube
As I mentioned above if you want the full line-up click the link above these are just my personal highlights. If you're interested in going to any of these shows click the name of the artist and do it fast because tickets are flying out the proverbial door.
So there you have it, of the 27 Late Night Shows these are the ones that I approve of. Get your tickets now, they should all be on sale this moment. Afghan Whigs is probably already sold-out by the time you finish this sentence even though they went on sale at 10am. Good luck!
Generally, I like to preview a show just a few days before it happens because I feel like you have a short attention span and it helps to have a gentle reminder. In this case, I'm giving you a full week because I think the show will sell-out and if it doesn't then it should. Next Wednesday you have the chance to catch one of the buzziest acts of 2012 at Red 7 in the form of Wild Nothing. The new record from Wild Nothin comes out next Tuesday and based solely on the singles, it's going to be a monster. It's part Real Estate, part DIIV and part Cut//Copy. In other words, it's fucking brilliant and I can already tell you right now that it's going to make my top 10 list for best albums of 2012. Don't take my word for it though, stream the whole record via Soundcloud now. You'll find it embedded after the jump. While you're listening, you'll want to grab yourself some $10 tickets to next Wednesday night's show, you can thank me later.
Wild Nothing - Paradise video via YouTube
As I mentioned Nocturne will be released via Captured Tracks next Tuesday. I pre-ordered the limited edition pressing on light blue vinyl and if it looks half as nice as the 7" for Shadow then you might want to consider doing the same.
This Sunday, August 19th at Fiesta Gardens, the second annual FunFunFun FestAqua Olympics will take the city by storm. This is just one of the many ways in which Fx3 sets itself apart from other Austin festivals. It isn't just a one weekend event where you stand in a field and watch some bros jam out on their guitars, it's a community happening. Not only that but the Aqua Olympics is a chance for people to win tickets to the festivals, PIP passes and to experience the wonders of the taco cannon, which is also my favorite, new euphemism for a penis. As in, "Hey baby, check out this taco cannon..."
If you're interested in taking part in this year's Aqua Olympics you can pre-register on the Fx3site or you can show-up to Fiesta Gardens at 4pm on Sunday and register in real life. Here's the schedule of events:
4pm: Opening Ceremonies & Registration
5pm - 8pm: Water Events
8pm: MORE FUN
FunFunFun Fest - 2012 Water Olympics video via YouTube
Here's what you can expect if you choose to attend Sunday's festivities:
Competitions:
Tug-o-War Across The Lake
*A commemorative Tug-O-War will start at 6:30pm. Austin Mayor Lee Leffingwell will be anchoring the South side while City Councilman Mike Martinez anchors the North side.
Seeing Fang Island at the old Emo's inside was one of my favorite concert experiences of 2010. I was going through a rough patch in my personal life and their brand of anthemic, smiling guitar sounds matched with the crowd's exuberance was exactly what I needed in that moment. Someone, either in the band or in the crowd brought a Unicorn piñata, which has nothing to do with anything but it always stands out in my memory of that show.
Well, this Friday you have the opportunity to make your own Fang Island-related memories. They'll be playing the Mohawk's inside stage and tickets are only $12. Fang Island won't take the stage until around midnight so plan accordingly, take a disco-nap in the afternoon and too get too drunk to stay awake. Their latest record Major was released a week or two ago and it picks up right where they left off. I would say the biggest distinction between this album and their last is the vocals. There is a lot more singing on Major, which I think will only increase the community atmosphere of the live experience. There are still lots of hooky, overdriven guitar parts, keyboards, thumping bass and driving drums with melodies to spare. I don't know this for a fact but I would surmise that the album's title refers to "Major Key," which I believe is the secret to their uplifting sound.
Fang Island - Sisterly video via YouTube
Can't make it to Friday night's show? Don't worry you have a second chance to form Fang Island-related memories. Saturday, they're gonna be on a mother effin boat! Tickets for the boat party are $25 but there will be kegs of Dos XX and burgers on board. I went to one of these last year and I have some words of advice. Firstly, you should know it costs money to park your car, so car pool, secondly, it's going to be REALLY hot so wear a swimsuit. This is Texas, even the fat and ugly need to get in the water sometimes so people aren't going to get all judgey if you don't look like a model. Besides, if people want to get all judgey they won't have the balls to do it to your face so who cares, we're not in High School people. They will probably have burgers and hot dogs but the people making them to the people eating them ratio is highly imbalanced so eat before you leave or bring a snack. Also, make sure to bring some $1's for tipping. Lastly, don't forget your sunscreen, hat, sunglasses and all that sort of stuff you're going to be floating in the water, which means 360 degree sun all up in your business.
