Farewell, Emo's

The original Emo's is closing its doors for good tomorrow night. It has literally been at the center of my concert going-experience for the last half decade, so I'm going to miss it. Terribly. I'm just glad that I have so many good memories from witnessing a slew unforgettable shows in that dirty old building at 6th & Red River. Emo's was always a place where I knew I could just walk right in, see a lot of friends, and have a good time. The staff was always super cool and welcoming to me, and that is something I will never forget. That includes bartenders, door guys, management, and ownership. I also feel lucky to have been able to put together a concert at the original Emo's while it was still standing. I could go on and on about how sad its closing makes me, but we heard the rumors around this time last year, so I've had plenty of time to accept that things change and move on.

If you want to have one last night of drunken fun at Emo's, you better do it tonight or tomorrow. Tonight's show is pretty damn good, with Quintron & Miss Pussycat and the Mind Spiders. I'll be at this one for sure. If you want to read a little bit about the closing, check out some of the articles here and here. More memories here.

To commemorate the closing of this legendary venue, artist Lindsey Kuhn designed a series of posters for the final shows. Screen prints of the individual posters will be for sale at the shows, and at swampco.com, with the option to purchase the whole collection. Get them while you can. The final show is on on December 30th with Killdozer.

From Emo's:

For years Lindsey Kuhn designed and screened some of the most iconic concert posters for Emo's, many of which you can still find hanging throughout the venue today. Now he has put together a project to commemorate its closing - nine individual posters that when assembled correctly create an impressive master image. Each will be for sale throughout the rest of the month during the "Emo's Apocalypse," a farewell concert series at the original downtown venue featuring some of the most celebrated local bands from past and present. Collect all nine and maybe you can convince your hippie roommate to finally take down that tapestry he's had since college.

 Check out the 9-poster set below:

  

Larger:

Video: Wooden Shjips

"The steady driving rhythms are the elliptical motion machine driven by the often thick and distorted guitar lines, melodic and boundless. Where they may lead cannot be anticipated but following them is exhilarating. It is all about getting there, the destination, while the experience of getting there is an adventure. It is the guitar lines that guide both the listener and the band on the literal and metaphorical journey into the vastness. The ghostly vocals, obscured by dense layers of instruments surrounding them, are alluring with their airy mystery. This elusive quality further draws the listener in, while they attempt to grasp at their meaning. While indebted to both the psych music of the ‘60s and mid-‘70s, electric Neil Young, and even the induced travels of Spacemen 3, the Wooden Shjips’ music is modern and in every way their own." -Thrill Jockey

Video by Black Dice, from the new Shjips album West

New Year's Eve in Austin 

The Black Angels

Wooden Shjips

Ume

at Emo's East

Tickets

Wooden Shjips - "Lights Out" (Peaking Lights Remix)

Peter And The Easy Mtn.

Our old friend Peter And The Wolf (Redding Hunter) recently released a new album. The self-released album is titled Easy Mountain, and is available for purchase (digital and handmade CD) via bandcamp. He calls it a concept album about the art of hitting rock bottom. Hunter says about his song writing, "I carry a journal everywhere with me. I will stop in the middle of whatever I'm doing to write down an idea, whether it's something I think about, hear, observe, or whatever. It's my highest priority to make sure I capture these ideas, as the craft of songwriting is a lifelong pursuit."

Here's a promo video and one of the new songs:



Peter And The Wolf - "The Sunglasses Song"

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Video: Wheeler Brothers

Just in time for the holidays, some of the first video footage of UTOPiAfest has come trickling out. And it just happens to be video of the Wheeler Brothers performing their song "Home for the Holidays," from their debut album Portraits. The release was backed by Texas swing legend Ray Benson and his label Bismeaux Records.  The five piece band of Austin natives is on tour now, so catch them if you can.

• http://wheelerbrothersmusic.com/

The Echocentrics

The Echocentrics is a new band from Austin-based Grammy award winning producer Adrian Quesada, a member of Grupo Fantasma, and one of the minds behind bands like Ocote Soul Sounds and Brownout. He teamed up with Argentinean singer Natalia Clavier (Thievery Corporation) and Brazil-based Tita Lima, resulting in the laid back, and psychedelic-tinged album Sunshadows that was released in Spring 2011.

While writing the follow-up to Sunshadows, Quesada dissected some of Timbaland's music and turned into a collection of songs, equal parts desert-psychedelia, late 60s soundtrack, funk and soul. On Echoland, Tita Lima lends her sultry voice to a cover of Aaliyah's "We Need A Resolution", sang in Portuguese, and the ubiquitous Todd Simon (Mayer Hawthorne, TVOTR) provides a horn arrangement for Jay Z's "It's Hot". Recorded at Adrian Quesada's Level One Studios in Austin, TX with some help from Spoon's Jim Eno at Public Hi-Fi.

The Echocentrics - "We Need A Resolution" (Echoland: A Tribute To Timbaland)

Download the full EP at Ubiquity Records.

Also check out The Echocentrics' Daytrotter session, recorded at Big Orange Studios in Austin.

http://www.theechocentrics.com/

Gary Clark Jr.

Gary Clark Jr was born and raised in Austin. He's been performing in clubs around Austin since he was a teenager, and vwas embraced early on by the legendary promoter Clifford Antone, owner of the blues club Antone's. Through Clifford's connections, Clark sat in with and learned from a wide variety of modern-day guitar greats. He's been voted the Best Blues Musician and Best Electric Guitarist in Austin, and called the most talented Texas guitarist since Stevie Ray Vaughn.

Gary Clark Jr's popularity has skyrocketed over the past couple of years, strengthened by performances at the Austin City Limits Music Festival, Bonnaroo, and Eric Clapton's Crossroads Guitar Festival. He also released the highly acclaimed Bright Lights EP earlier this year on Warner Bros. Records.

Rarely does an artist explode onto the music scene with the force and impact of a comet. But when it does happen — as it did when 26-year-old singer-guitarist Gary Clark Jr. delivered an incendiary debut performance of his song “Bright Lights” at Eric Clapton's 2010 Crossroads Guitar Festival last June — the result is magical. Funky, hip, and badass, Gary Clark Jr. is a rocking soul man for a new generation.


Weaned on John Lee Hooker, Lightnin Hopkins, and T-Bone Walker, Clark fuses his deep blues influence with a love of classic hip-hop and contemporary soul. His voice weaves between a melodic lilt and a seasoned blues howl with his guitar licks dancing and dodging between and behind the beat as if the essence of Snoop and Dre loom in his head by way of the Mississippi Delta. The virtuosity Clark displays, and the tone he rings from his cherry-red Epiphone Casino guitar, put most modern rock shredders to shame.

Gary Clark Jr.- "Don't Owe You A Thang"

His next performance in Austin will be at Antone's on New Year's Eve. Tickets are on sale here. Below is footage from his recent appearance on the late show with David Letterman:

http://www.garyclarkjr.com/

Balmorhea

SerialBox Presents: BALMORHEA
This is a multi-cam, multi-track, live, one-take performance video featuring Balmorhea. No pick-ups, over-dubs, or comps. What you see and hear is one time through, mistakes and all. Directed by Ryan Booth. For the full session with more songs, interview, images, and artwork, visit serialboxpresents.com

Balmorhea is a band that doesn't fit into only one category. They're instrumental, but not post-rock. They're as comfortable playing in the Renaissance cathedrals of Europe as they are in smokey American bars. They're music scales from the personal to the communal. It's meant to be experienced in equal parts solitude and community. Balmorhea has achieved the elusive goal of any artist: finding their "voice." When you describe their music to someone who hasn't heard it before, you don't describe a litany of other bands, you simply say, "you'll have to hear it for yourself." Balmorhea sounds like, well, Balmorhea. 

Balmorhea's next performance in Austin will be on Friday, January 13th at The Parish.

• http://balmorheamusic.com/

Bill Baird

A long time ago, Bill Baird was in a band called Sound Team. When that band was done, he began creating and performing under his own name, as well as under the moniker Sunset, which then became Blank Fritz. Under any name, Baird is one of Austin's most prolific songwriters. It seems he is always creating something. There have been five full-length Sunset albums, multiple limited edition tour releases, a seven inch, and a number of Bill Baird solo albums.

I became a card-carrying fan in 2009 when Sunset released a brilliant album called Gold Dissolves to Gray. You can name your own price to download that album, along with most of his back catalog, at blankfritz.bandcamp.com. You should also check out his web site, and read his blog. It's full of interesting stuff. Here are some excerpts:

--- Hello. My name is Bill Baird and all my stuff resides in Austin, TX but I travel around a lot. Austin feels more like home than most places, what with all the nice, creative people residing there and the nice places to swim and the strong coffee, but it's still smack dab in the middle of Texas, which is a strange place to live for somebody who questions what they're told.

--- I've had all sorts of strange jobs for all varieties of pay. Worked for a moving company in Alaska, drove the kiddie train in Zilker Park, got fired from Texas Monthly for setting the copy machine on fire, valet parked cars at Dave and Buster's for exactly one day, got fired from Domino's Pizza for eating an order (but not before delivering a pizza to Michael Bolton), got fired from Austin's Pizza for attempting to start a recycling program, got fired from a temp job in an accountant's office for calling Creed's music "dogshit," did two stints as a telemarketer (quitting both times in an existential fit), and, most recently, been working at The Texas School for the Blind and Visually Impaired, working with kids. It's pretty inspiring work.

--- Baby Blue is my recording studio and DIY event space. Here is a recent profile in Made Loud magazine. Baby Blue Studio used to be The Eastside Lounge, the last of the famed Eastside juke joints, a haven for blues and blues lovers and anybody wanting a good time. I try to continue that tradition, although I don't profess to play your standard blues. I definitely feel blue sometimes though. You can read an article about the old Eastside Lounge here.

Listen to some of Bill Baird's latest music below. One of these albums (Career) hasn't even been released yet, but he's already working on a new project called "The Origin of Sound." It will document his journey to India and exploration of the concept Nada Brahma ("the world is sound"). More info on that is here. You can also read some fairly recent press (and more on the trouble keeping track of monikers) at Austin Music Weekly.









 Bill Baird - "Your Dark Sunglasses Won't Make You Lou Reed"

Video: Dana Falconberry

Dana Falconberry - "Petoskey Stone"
Here is a brand new video from Dana Falconberry. It comes from her forthcoming release, Though I Didn't Call It Came, which was recorded in an old church in Austin, TX. It is a prelude to a full-length release recorded during the same session, which will be released later in 2012. While her past records have emphasized the sparse and delicate, these songs are lushly orchestrated with a full six-piece band, a string quartet and harpist, rich four part harmonies, and a host of unexpected accents from torn paper to prepared piano.

A Michigan native, Falconberry has thrived musically in Austin, TX, hailed by the Austin Chronicle as one of the city's "most promising singer-songwriters" and "most arresting female vocalists." She has captivated audiences with her powerful live shows and haunting recordings, receiving acclaim far beyond the reaches of her hometown. The past few years have found her touring extensively through the US, Europe, and Japan. In 2011, she starred in the critically-lauded music documentary on the Austin music scene, Echotone, which was awarded a New York Times Critics' Pick.

Though I Didn't Call It Came is out January 24th, 2012 on Crossbill Records. You can catch Dana Falconberry in Austin on 12.30.11 at Frank and on 01.12.12 for the EP Release Show at The Mohawk.

• http://www.facebook.com/danafalconberry

Listen to her 2010 release, Halletts:

Halletts by Dana Falconberry

White Denim, post-D

A few weeks ago White Denim released a new EP titled Takes Place In Your Work Space, featuring four new tracks. It's available on itunes right here. The band, comprised of Steve Terebecki, Austin Jenkins, James Petralli and Josh Block, will play shows in Austin this Saturday, December 17th, at Frock On Vintage, and then again on NYE at Empire Auto Garage. Details here. White Denim will head out on tour with Wilco in early 2012.

White Denim - "No Real Reason"

• http://www.facebook.com/whitedenimmusic
• http://whitedenimmusic.com/

Jack White also invited White Denim into his studio, Third Man Records, to record a dynamite set that has recently been released on 12" vinyl. Get it here.

Video of White Denim at the Ghost Room (R.I.P.) by Austin Music Weekly:

Ringo Deathstarr

I have been a fan of Ringo Deathstarr from the moment I saw them during Free Week in Austin a few years ago. I distinctly remember being surprised by how loud they were. Everyone else started slowly moving away from the stage when they started playing, while I started moving forward. Some like it loud. If you ever want to have your skin peeled back at a shell, go see Ringo DeathStarr. They will shoegaze your face off.

Ringo Deathstarr is guitarist Elliott Frazier, bassist Alex Gehring, and drummer Daniel Coborn. They play fuzzy pop songs buried under loud amounts of noise, in the realm of My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain. They put out a new album, Colour Trip, earlier this year. It's definitely one of my favorite releases of the year, and the best product delivered to us by the band thus far in their career.

Ringo DeathStarr - "Do It Every Time"

Ringo Deathstarr just finished a European tour with Smashing Pumpkins, and will be playing in Austin again on NYE at Cheer Up Charlie's.

Check out a recent interview with The Yorker. The nice little remix below is featured on their latest EP, which I think you can pick up at one of their shows. Or on Japanese Cherry Blossom scented pink and purple swirly vinyl.

Ringo Deathstarr - "Shadow" (Deep Cut Mix)

• http://www.facebook.com/ringodeathstarr

The Feeling Of Love

I discovered The Feeling Of Love while listening to the video channel on Kill Shaman. They're a psych/punk trio from the city of Metz, France. I can't understand most of the verbiage in their bio, other than the fact that they are a French counterpart to bands like The Intelligence, Ty Segall, Strange Boys, Black Lips, etc. I don't have to speak French to realize the fact that The Feeling Of Love are in love with the Velvet Underground. Which is cool, because I am too.



 The Feeling Of Love - "Numboy"

The Feeling Of Love - "Empty Trash Bag"

from Noisey:

The band started in the city of Metz back in 2006 as the solo project of the singer and guitarist Guillaume Marietta. He tapped keyboardist Sebastien Joly, an old friend from Guillaume’s long-dead band AH Kraken. Seb Normal, of the Normals and Crash Normal, picked up drums and joined the band. Their songs are generally tranced-out, droning psych bangers, minimal blues that brings the Velvets, Suicide, and Pussy Galore to mind. They cite Syd Barrett and Sublime Frequencies comps as influences.

more...

Secret Colours

No, I'm not dead. And this blog isn't dead either. I've been dealing with a medical issue since early October, but I think it's starting to get better. Hopefully now I'll be able to throw some new music up here that I've been enjoying lately.

I'll start with this video I just got in my inbox today. It comes from Chicago's Secret Colours, who I discovered last year and had the pleasure of hosting at our SXSW showcase at Emo's (R.I.P.) co-presented by the Reverberation Appreciation Society. That was a special night, and Secret Colours were a big part of it. It's always encouraging to see genuine people doing what they love, and they put on a great show.

This is the first video for Secret Colours' forthcoming effort, EP3. The video for "Faust" was directed and edited by Elijah Alvarado:

• Secret Colours – "Faust"

Secret Colours are Tommy Evans, Dave Stach, Dylan Olson, Justin Frederick, Margaret Albright, and Nate Weiss. If you missed  Secret Colours in Austin at SXSW 2011, I'm happy to report that you will be able to catch them at SXSW 2012. Get more info here.

Here's a track from one of their previous EPs:

Secret Colours - "In The Absence"