It’s no secret to anyone paying attention to the Austin music scene that Black Books created a steady stir of buzz about themselves when they quietly released their debut EP An Introduction To.. about a year ago. So..now that we’ve been introduced, when might we hear some new material and most importantly when will have full length from the band? That question has been on the minds of many and the answers are coming…

The band recently set loose a brand new track from their upcoming full-length titled “Out The Door” on their Bandcamp page just two days ago. And if this is any indication of what to expect from the pending release, which we hope to see early in 2012, we are all in for a treat. I’m pretty sure that we are…

The new track comes just a few days after a cover of The Cardigans “Love Fool” showed up on the SYFFAL (Shut Your Fucking Face And Listen) site. Love the name by the way.

And I bring you both..The beautiful “Out The Door” single and the fun, dreamy cover “Lovefool”..

MP3> Black Books ‘Out The Door’

MP3> Black Books ‘Lovefool’ (Cardigans Cover)

Beck on the video:

“As I was making the video, listening to the music, I wanted images in the video to challenge the viewer by asking, ‘Are we living the good life?’” Beck asks. “‘Are we living the nightmare?’ ‘What character are we?’ ‘What tabloid-media-mash up comforts us through the long night?’”

Has it been 5 years already? Time flies when you’re having fun…and we have had plenty of that at Mohawk.

To celebrate these 5 years of bringing some of the best in live music to Austin’s music fans, Mohawk has a 4 day party planned, and it’s gonna be pretty sweet. Here are the deets via Mohawk..

Austin’s Favorite Live Music Venue announced today that it is
celebrating its 5th Birthday with the likes of New York City’s indie
punk veterans Les Savy Fav, the Grammy winning locals Grupo Fantasma,
southern rocker alt country favorites Lucero, a few Special Guests,
and a Free Sunday bill entirely dedicated to local Austin musicians
that have been with the Mohawk since its inception in 2006.

The Anniversary celebration will be a 4 day event, beginning on
September 29th, and will feature live music, food, and custom ‘thank
you gifts’ from the Mohawk. Tickets will be available at Front Gate
tickets for each individual event and discounted 4 day passes will be
available for Mohawk fans and regulars. The preliminary schedule
starts by presenting 3 popular veterans of Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest,
and is as follows:

OUTSIDE STAGE SCHEDULE

Thursday, September 29th
LES SAVY FAV
TBA
+Johnny Hottub

Friday, September 30th
GRUPO FANTASMA
TBA

Saturday, October 1st
LUCERO
TBA

Sunday, September 29th
LOCALS ONLY (FREE)
TBA

A series of shows will be booked for both the outside and inside
stages, along with a different style of DJ for each event (see: Johnny
Hottub). Fans are encouraged to get their tickets early at
http://mohawk.frontgatetickets.com . Expect the bottles to be poppin,
especially the Champaign of Beers.

The Boxing Lesson – “Muerta” from Consequence of Sound on Vimeo.

It’s no secret that I’ve been on the heels of the local band UME for some time now. The live show has always been an eye opening experience and over the years the band has progressed from their early edgy abrasive sound and found their melodic ways while maintaining that initial energy.

Before their recent signing with Modern Outsider Records, Rolling Stone called UME one of the best unsigned bands in the country. Signed now, the band is prepping the release of their album Phantoms which is due out August 30th. Catch UME on Friday night showcasing much of the new material while opening for the indie rock legends Mission of Burma.

And check out “Captive” from Phantoms

MP3> UME ‘Captive’

UME w/Mission Of Burma @ Mohawk 8p.m. TICKETS

Sure, Austin is known for SXSW and ACL Festival, but we all know what the best music fest in Austin is…Fun Fun Fun Fest. This year sees a change in venue, which I’m personally torn about, but it might work out to our benefit. Only time will tell.

Straight from The Fun Fun Fun Fest HQ:

FUN 1 On Sale Date YO!

The first round of on-sale tickets, aka FUN 1, are going on sale today at 6 p.m. CST. Shit is officially on! There are several reasons why you should take advantage of the Fun 1 ticketing option:

• THE BIGGEST PRICE BREAK OF THE YEAR
• There will be contests, giveaways, and P-I-P upgrades to our homies who snag tickets early.
• All the cool kids do it.

To be eligible for FUN 1, simply register at funfunfun.com and create a user profile.

And, because we love you so much, one lucky FUN 1 ticker holder will win a “Share The Fun Fun Fun” prize and get to fly in a friend for the festival! That¹s right, we know you have some poor friend in Chicago/Boston/Ohio/BFE that is dying to come party Austin style for a weekend and we have you covered. So start saving your tips and jump on this super amazing offer before all the FUN 1 tickets are gone!

You can expect that lineup announcements are just around the corner, and this guy..can’t wait. And if you need any incentive as to why you should jump on this opportunity…just watch the video.

Austin’s Bridge Farmers delivered a heavy little chunk of a 6 song EP at the end of 2010 titled Din of Celestial Birds that still finds it’s way into heavy rotation around these parts. The band plays a free show inside at Mohawk after the veteran Melvins have their way with the Austin crowd. Stick around, or show up late and catch what is sure to become a rising star in within the camp of those who crave some serious guitar heavy rock n roll.

Show starts at 11:30 and it’s FREE.

MP3> Bridge Farmers ‘Dancing Bones’

Transmission Entertainment has teamed up with the new (ish) ACL Live Moody Theater once again, to present a pretty choice show for locals and by locals. Austin’s instrumental rock band, with the name that sums up their sound quite perfectly, Explosions in the Sky will take to the Moody Theater on June 17th. The band will be fresh off their 6th studio album release Take Care, Take Care, Take Care which sees the street on April 26th. Reviews for the album have been quite favorable, and if you care, you can find the album streaming in it’s entirety on the band’s website.

Tickets for the show go on sale this Friday 4/22 @ 10 a.m.

The Austin based via L.A. space/psych rock outfit The Boxing Lesson have teamed up with Frenchie Smith Records for their studio follow-up to the 2008 release Wild Streaks and Windy Days, which will be titled the Muerta EP. You may remember the band filled the gap with the four-track, feline inspired instrumental recording Fur State which was released in a variety of limited edition package options, including cassettes, t-shirts, stickers, and even grinders. Creative, and pretty much sold-out. Take note young bands.

The Muerta EP is set for release on 6/7/11 and promises to continue the ride with “ambient songs that soothe the dark sentiments of the mind.” And if we didn’t already catch the clever wordy homage to one of psych-rocks early pioneers, the band reminds us once again with the lead track “Darker Side of the Moog”. I think we got it this time, and what could possibly be next? “Black Hole Moog?” I kid.

Track Listing:

1. Darker Side of the Moog (6:37)

2. Muerta (5:00)

3. Cassiopeia (5:42)

4. Drone to Sleep (6:13)

Catch the band at one of their upcoming shows and stream the “Darker Side of the Moog”

• Thursday 4/21/11 @ Stubb’s Jr. (Cut Copy/Holy Ghost! After Show) – FREE TO PUBLIC

• Saturday 5/7/11 @ w/ Oh No! Oh My! & Generationals.

Darker Side Of The Moog – The Boxing Lesson by theboxinglesson

Club Deville

$10 cover

all proceeds go towards the relocation of Hot Tracks Recording Studio

The Pons (6-6:45pm) (inside)
Danny Malone (6:45-7:30pm) (outside)
Corrina, Corrina! (7:30-8:15pm) (inside)
Wiretree (8:15-9pm) (outside)
David Wingo (of Ola Podrida) (9-9:45pm) (inside)
Leatherbag (9:45-10:30pm) (outside)
Excited States (10:30-11:15pm) (inside)
The Eastern Sea (11:15-11:55pm) (outside)
The Gary (Midnight-1am) (inside)

music on inside and outside stages.

Wednesday night @ Beerland, and as always..FREE!

THE RUMBLE AUSTIN is brought to you by FUTURE SOUNDS, WATERLOO RECORDS, THE ONION AV CLUB, THE AUSTINST, AUSTIN TOWN HALL, SONIC ITCH MUSIC, COVERT CURIOSITY, AUSTIN MUSIC WEEKLY, VEOBA, PABST BLUE RIBBON and EVENTBRITE.

The who answered in the board of directors:

Paul Oveisi – AMP Executive Director
Adrian Quesada – Grupo Fantasma & Brownout
Alex Maas – Black Angels
Brad Spies – SXSW
Brent Grulke – SXSW
Charles Attal – C3 Presents
Courtney Graber- C3 Presents
Elaine Garza – Giant Noise
Frank Hendrix – Emo’s
Davis McLarty – Davis McLarty Agency
Jack McCarty – Frontgate Tickets
Jim Eno – Spoon
James Moody – Transmission Entertainment
John Kunz – Waterloo Records
Matt Hickey – High Road Touring
Matt Luckie – Red Fez, Star Bar
Michael Feferman – C3 Presents
Nikki Rowling – Titan Music Group
Paige Maguire – Austinist.com
Randy Miller – Rainmaker Artists
Rich Garza – Pachanga Festival
Roland Swenson – SXSW
Steve Wertheimer – The Continental Club
Susan Antone – Antone’s
Terry Lickona – Austin City Limits Television
Tim Neece – ACL Live at Moody Theater
Tim O’Connor – Direct Events
Will Wynn – Former Mayor, Austin

And the why:

In 1991, Austin City Officials passed a resolution that proclaimed Austin the Live Music Capital of the World. To this day, it is that promise that brings so many new people, ideas, and opportunities to our City. The AMP project has been created to help secure and fulfill that promise, now and into the future, through the following avenues:

• Fostering networking and cooperation among Austin’s community of music professionals
• Creating a new level of collaboration between the local music industry and other community stakeholders
• Research and discussion of ideas, policies, and issues facing the music industry at large and Austin music in particular
• Giving fans a voice to be heard and a forum to celebrate and enhance Austin Music
• Hosting events to strengthen the connection between Austin’s music professionals and the fans who make Austin’s music culture the best in the world

Austin Music People are all around us: from the number one fan to the lead singer to the bartender to the booker to the venue owner to the last door guy on shift – we are all Austin Music People.

The AMP Project is founded on the fundamental belief that in the Live Music Capital of the World, music and the creative class are a crucial part of what binds us, supports us, drives us, and makes Austin special. Our Austin music culture is unique and world renowned, and it represents both our future and our past.

The AMP Mission is to protect and grow our music culture and our reputation as the live music capital of the world.

I’m not going to say that it all hasn’t been said before, but maybe not at this volume and definitely not this loaded with such an arsenal of ammunition, but the real results are still to be measured. AMP can throw one HELL of a party, but when the hangover sets in and the bottle is empty, the real work and the real music people that it’s set to impact, await. And that wallet just got a little bit fatter.

If you are interested in AMP and becoming involved..Austin Music People

And now the photos..

Echotone, a documentary film shot here in Austin will finally see it’s theatrical debut later this month at The Alamo Ritz Downtown (finally!). Tickets are now available, and the film is only showing for a few days, so you might want to get on it..now. I’ll be there on Monday night if you want to rub elbows with the Itch. I’ll gladly share my Twizzlers with you.

A bit about the film from the filmmakers:

Internationally known as ‘The Live Music Capital of the World,’ Austin’s music culture has led it to become one of the world’s most sought-after destinations. As nearly two dozen high-rises pop up throughout the city amidst economic downfall, how does the working musician get along?

Directed by Nathan Christ and photographed by Robert Garza, Echotone is a cultural portrait of the modern American city examined through the lyrics and lens of its creative class.

Get tickets HERE

You can download the soundtrack to the film for free as well, right over here at the Paste website.

I’ve showed it once before, but for those who missed first time around, the trailer…

Austin’s own Ringo Deathstar have been fuzzing out locals for a few years now, and it seems that the sonic noise that they create has found it’s way to into a much larger buzz. The band has been receiving the highest of accolades from some of the most notable media outlets, most recently for their performances at SXSW, and they are only getting warmed up. The band is prepping for their full-length release Colour Trip which is set for release in the UK Monday 4.11, and you can pre-order your vinyl copy here.  Dates in Japan as well as a U.S. tour to be revealed soon.

“Two Girls” can be found on the upcoming Colour Trip and if you are watching this at work…

Oh No,no Devo? That was the cry for many when we learned of the band’s cancellation of their Fun Fun Fun Fest performance due to a severe hand injury suffered by guitarist Bob Mothersbaugh. But, thanks to the fine folks at Transmission Entertainment, they make good with the fans and bring the band to Austin for a performance at the newly launched ACL Live Studio. Personally, I would have loved to see the band performing on the outdoor stage at Waterloo Park under the Austin sky, packed in tight with Devo fans both young and old, but if everything went they way that I wanted..it would be one messed up world.

Opening the show will be Austin’s own electronic beat beast, Octopus Project who had the privilege of playing with members of Devo at MoogFest 2010. There’s that chance that you might see the pioneers and the current on stage together again on Sunday night.

Devo @ ACL Live Sunday 3/27

Tickets still available HERE

Devo and Octopus Project together @ MoogFest

Black Books @ Mohawk – Austin, Texas – 03.05.2011 from The Clouds are Ghosts on Vimeo.