For those of you who haven’t heard of the SIMS Foundation, it’s a non-profit organization that provides access to and financial support for mental health and addiction recovery services for Austin-area musicians and their families. SIMS was founded in 1995 by the friends and family of Sims Ellison, the bass player in one of Austin’s bands, Pariah. Sims lost battle with depression which ended in suicide.
SIMS 15th Anniversary Benifit Bash is happening Saturday December 11 at the Austin Music Hall. No one may be more excited than me about the Pariah tribute. The bash will also include an all star line-up including Ian McLagan, Kat Edmondson, Will Sexton, Brownout! and more. (more…)
After their recent Ping announcement and after the unveiling of the new MacBook Air I was extremely curious to see what Steve Jobs was about to roll out for today when the Apple homepage went blank to “a big announcement from iTunes tomorrow morning-a day that you will never forget.” I have to admit a little part of me was scared as an online contributor to music commentary Jobs may have been set to unveil an even more relevant application to music through iTunes than the current Ping configuration. Imagine my surprise this morning when the Apple homepage featured a full screen picture of The Beatles. (more…)
On any given night Mohawk Austin is typically good for a little rough around the edges local punk or indie rock but this Tuesday is going to be a little sweeter. April Smith and the Great Picture Show will converge on Mohawk turning it in to her own personal jazz lounge. Smith boasts ageless big band sounds with vintage, swinging, ragtime beats complete with a brass section infused with modern blues and a pinch of pop. Think retro like Christina Aguilera’s “Candy Man” but done much classier and with much stronger staying power–the album is laden with hits from start until finish. Songs for a Sinking Ship is bar none my favorite album of the year. (more…)
This weekend is set to be fun fun fun in Austin’s Waterloo Park–and beyond. This year Transmission Entertainment has kicked it up a notch and upped the ante on kick-off and after parties surrounding the festival. Free kick-off parties will dot downtown on Thursday night, most notably the annual “Local Music is Sexy” event going down at Mohawk, which is brought to you by The Austinist, and showcases Austin talent. (more…)
While it may seem that I’ve dropped off the Double Stereo radar for the last week or so–it’s quite the contrary, I’m living and listening it up in New York City for the CMJ Music Marathon. Last night The Hype Machine threw their I love NY party featuring Kisses. Kisses light airy poppy sound was very welcome by the time they finally hit the stage about an hour or so behind schedule. I was just too wiped to keep standing by the middle of their set so I missed the hit single “Bermuda”. Lucky for me, CMJ goers, and New Yorkers alike Kisses will be busting out the neo-disco on a couple street corners and for a few more showcases over this weekend. The Hype Machine did not disappoint in the interim. Among the several showcasing bands one hip hop artist stood out–Rye Rye from Baltimore, Maryland–think M.I.A. meets Santigold meets the Beastie Boys. She’s got it going on and the dynamic between Rye Rye and her go to gal on the turn table was spot on. (more…)
The highly anticipated fourth new album from Ghostland Observatory, “Codename: Rondo” drops October 26 via Trashy Moped Recordings. Ghostland will kick off their new album with a CD release show in Austin, TX at the Cedar Park Center on October 28. The bad ass Austin, Texas duo will follow up their release with a string of tour dates to close out 2010. Check out TrashyMoped.com or GhostlandObservatory.com for more details and merchandise. (more…)
- Posted on October 21, 2010 By Sal Silva III
- Tags: alternative, Austin, CD release, Codename Rondo, electronic, Ghostland Observatory, music, music news, Texas, Trashy Moped
Improvisational electronic duo EOTO comprised of Jason Hann and Michael Travis of String Cheese Incident will be bringing an entirely original set to La Zona Rosa on Saturday. If there’s one thing you can count on with this duo it’s that no two shows are ever exactly alike and they’ll ebb and flow through electronic jams with dubby bass for hours on end. Don’t expect this show to end until the cops pull the plug. Come early and stay late–you’ll see one of the coolest and most unique musical collaborations in action and you’ll see it ahead of the curve. (more…)
Portugal. The Man is one band that is no stranger to Austin, TX. They’ve said many times that Austin has been a big part of their growth as a band. This year marked the first time that they played Austin City Limits Festival, and they did it with style–on the [main] Budweiser Stage. At the festival they took the time to open the window into their weirdness something that Austin not only embraces, but encourages. John Gourley and Zach Carothers spoke candidly about what life is like on Oddity Faire with Primus, the festival scene, and their high hopes for future success now that they have signed to Atlantic Records.
Photos by: Christopher Dlaska (more…)
- Posted on October 13, 2010 By Tara Lacey
- Tags: Atlantic Records, Austin City Limits, Lollapalooza, Oddity Faire, Outside Lands, Portugal. The Man, primus, Sgt Pepper, The Rolling Stones, The Satanic Satanist, Their Satanic Majesties Request, Ziggy Stardust
After moving to Austin in 1973 at the provocation of Willie Nelson, Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel solidified his spot in Texas history. He has proved himself and Asleep at the Wheel not only have staying power but they’ve also made some good friends along the way including the likes of Lyle Lovett. Look for a few of those close friends to join in for their swinging fortieth anniversary celebration. Ray Benson took some time out of his ACL Festival to tell us all about the who, what, where, and how he got his kicks on Route 66. (more…)
- Posted on October 13, 2010 By Tara Lacey
- Tags: ACL Festival, Asleep at the Wheel, Broken Spoke, Gruene Hall, Hot Club of Cowtown, Kat Edmonson, Lyle Lovett, Marshall Ford Swing Band, Ray Benson, Ryan Bingham, Texas country, Texas swing, Willie Nelson
