For those of you who may have not noticed, there’s a new kid on the block raising his fist in the name of Austin’s Music People. And he’s making quite the racket. AMP (Austin Music People) has surfaced recently in the wake of several that have staked claim supporting the Austin music community over the past few years, and if they hadn’t resounded with the community before, they made their grand entrance last Thursday. The AMP launch party at the newly christened ACL Live Studio showed off a talent lineup that stretched across genres and years, featuring some of Austin’s finest artists including Alejandro Escovedo, Brownout!, Bavu Blakes, The Bright Light Social Hour, Ghostland Observatory, and more. A successful evening by any measure, with a sold out crowd and every notable member of the Austin music community in attendance, but what does this early success spell for the music people? And what is AMP’s mission and who are AMP?

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

If you haven’t heard the name Black Books yet, you just did. The band has quietly introduced itself to the Austin music scene, with a minimum of of live performances under their belt and an EP that has made an impact with little promotion. And the expectations are riding high. Maybe this video will explain a bit why..

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

The locally curated fest of psych influenced modern rock wrapped in the  roots of some of the pioneers of the genre, expands it’s list of performing artists. The ever shifting venue location seems inline with the fest’s history, but this recent update to drop the scene at the Seaholm Power Plant is a welcomed move from it’s previously scheduled location.

Day tickets are available currently at austinpsychfest.com for $40 as well as a some weekend passes for $100. (warning: music auto play on the site) This is what those dollars will get you…

With a few more to be announced, stay tuned. The full lineup now includes 50+ bands, spanning a full range of psych sounds:

Roky Erickson, Spectrum, The Black Angels, Omar Rodriguez-Lopez Group, Black Moth Super Rainbow, Atlas Sound, Dead Meadow, Prefuse 73, A Place To Bury Strangers, Crystal Stilts, Crocodiles, Fresh and Onlys, The Growlers, Tobacco, Sleepy Sun, Indian Jewelry, Black Ryder, Beach Fossils, Cold Sun, White Hills, Dirty Beaches, Pontiak, Black Hollies, Beaches, Lumerians, The Soft Moon, Radio Moscow, No Joy, The Night Beats, Woodsman, Young Prisms, Jason Simon, ZAZA, Lower Heaven, The Meek, Blue Angel Lounge, The Cult of Dom, The Quarter After, Cloudland Canyon, Zechs Marquis, ST37, Vacant Lots, The Diamond Center, Weird Owl, Daughters of the Sun, Wall of Death, The Sky Drops, Tjutjuna, Holy Wave, Ghost Box Orchestra, Hellfire Social

If you have recently found yourself a fan of the Austin music scene, or possibly been one for more years than you might care to admit, much like myself, the recent release of The Austin Chronicle Music Anthology is a welcomed written examination of the rich history of music in Austin, Tx. To celebrate this labor of work, people gather this evening at would would be the most obvious choice of venues, Antones, with an arrangement of artists that represent the scope of recent release. Legends of the scene either still active or pulling it all together specifically for this event bring attention to the book as well as one of the best organizations in this town for our working artists, HAAM.

Enough from my mouth, here’s what is going down tonight:

All proceeds from the event will be donated to the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. Tickets are on sale now: $10 for general admission or $25 for admission and a paperback copy of the book. A limited number of reserved seats will be available for $100, which includes a hardcover edition and the VIP reception, with drinks provided by Treaty Oak Rum and Graham’s Texas Tea. www.antones.net.

The Lineup!

Doors at 7:00pm
Music Starting at 7:30 in the following order:

STANDING WAVES reunion
KATHY MCCARTY
THE SKUNKS reunion
THE GOURDS
POI TWANG (a special collaboration with David Garza, Abra Moore and
members of Poi Dog Pondering)
THE CRACK PIPES
and a special appearance by DANIEL JOHNSTON

Local instrumental outfit Balmorhea, who happen to reside on one of the most prestigious local indie labels Western Vinyl, have newly recorded material available, along with a local show to kick off a pending tour. Candor/Clamor is a two track vinyl option from the band currently available that continues on the band’s path of creating music suited for your best daydream soundscape.

The band will be performing this Friday at Mohawk with Eastern Sea and Danny Malone, and if you want free tickets to the show..send me an email. Winners for a pair of tickets will be randomly selected and notified by noon on Friday.

MP3> Balmorhea ‘Clamor’

Balmorhea tour:

Earlier this year it was announced that this little blog, has joined the Austin Rumble. Organized by the fine folks over at Futuresounds, we have become part of a group of folks who curate a free show on a somewhat monthly basis, featuring some of Austin’s newest and finest talent. And we are are in good company.

This Wednesday features a stellar lineup with two bands that have been generating quite a bit of a buzz lately, Black Books and Not In The Face, and a band I’m not that familiar with, but am digging everything that I’ve heard so far, Agent Ribbons. And if all that talent isn’t enough to drag you out on a Wednesday night, I might also add that the show is FREE. Oh, and it’s Black Books vinyl release show for their EP titled An Introduction To..

Beerland Wed night 2.16 for FREE!

MP3> Black Books ‘Green Screen’

MP3> Not In The Face ‘Yuppy Monday’

MP3> Agent Ribbons ‘I’m Alright’

Austin’s duo Not In The Face, Jonathan Terrell and Wes Cargal, have gotten a decent start to the year 2011 catching the attention of some notable media folks with their scorching, straight from the heart and guitar sounds that will soon be set loose in the form of Bikini. Futuresounds went as far as declaring that Bikini “smacks of brilliance” comparing the sounds to early Springsteen and Hold Steady. With a few songs already floating around from original pressing of Bikini, which is in the process of being upgraded with some new tunes, the band is prepping for the big official release. One of those new tunes just happens to be this one “Not Lonely”. Showing the slower side, and strutting the country influences a bit.

MP3> Not In The Face ‘Not Lonely’

If I know one thing about Terrell, he’s got a passion for the fun, and hard-on for rocking tits off. Hence the bikini?

Catch Not In The Face next Friday for Adi’s First Friday Frolic celebrating the party throwin talents of Knuckle Rumbler. The band plays early, around 6 p.m.

One of my New Year’s resolutions for 2011 was to devote more time here to local Austin artists. It’s not that I’m not involved in the local scene, it’s just that my involvement is separate from this blog, and overlapping the two would be..a slight conflict of interest? That might not be clear to most, but some of you know what I’m talking about. Either way, my resolution seems to have come at the right time, because starting off 2011, I’ve come across a few local artists that have blindsided me, not only with the fact that they seem to have come from nowhere, but in the fact that have produced some of my current favorite recorded tunes. One of those bands is Black Books. I would have to give credit to Austin Town Hall for catching the talent of this 5 piece outfit pretty quick.

As with most bands that seem to drop from out of nowhere, there isn’t much info out there about the group. Well acquainted friends for years that have played music, suddenly decide to form a band and put out some tunes. Having a band member with a recording studio in his house that doubles as a practice space, is a luxury that most bands would prefer, much less kill for, and from which, would benefit greatly. The band has a 4 song EP titled An Introduction To… which is being handled by the UK label Shifting Sounds. The EP is currently available for FREE download on the bands Bandcamp page, but the free won’t last forever. A Feb 15th release date of limited edition 10″ vinyl via Shifting Sounds will probably bring the free to a halt, so get it now.

As for the band’s sound..it’s pretty inevitable that there are going to be the My Morning Jacket and Band of Horses comparisons based on the vocals and some of the musical tones, but there’s something unique and interesting brewing in this short set of songs. Electronic accessories that hint at Grandaddy on track 1 “The Big Idea” find themselves sharing as much of the structural integrity throughout the recording, while each track establishes it’s own identity within the space and structure that the band collectively weaves. Well written songs both lyrically and musically, with attention to the details will have locals paying attention to Black Books over the next year.

MP3> Black Books ‘The Big Idea’

Just as I was starting to gently slip into the digitized pool of electronic dance rock and chill wave, while waving a handful of daisies at 60′s influenced, lo-fi, California hug me sounds, Austin’s Bridge Farmers punch me right in the f****** mouth. And I like it.

Rewind back to the 90′s, past the mid 90′s when the grunge fallout spurned a slew of wannabe hard rockers that dominated the terrestrial airwaves and encouraged suburban kids to wear flannel and doc martins, back to when bands like Mudhoney and Screaming Trees were slugging it out on the same stages as Pearl Jam and Soundgarden. Back before the spoils of success ruined what was great, even if it seemed to last for just a minute in the history of rock and roll. That’s where Bridge Farmers take me, if not intentional, it really doesn’t matter.

Bridge Farmers came together when our heroes where first drawn to a distant light in the desert. They followed this light for days and then it stopped and hung in the air over a abandoned spaceship. Not knowing what to do, they looked up towards the light and then it lit up the sky and knocked our heroes into a state of slumber. When they awoke they began to play rock-n-roll and spread their love of music throughout the land…….and they hope to see you along this journey. .. -Bridge Farmers Myspace

Austin’s Bridge Farmers have little on the web to give you any insite to their world, their existence, their reasoning, but sometimes a little mystery makes it even that much more intriguing. The band does have a 6 song EP titled Din Of Celestial Birds available for stream and download on their Bandcamp page, and an upcoming show @ Red 7 on Jan 22nd. You can bet that you’ll be hearing more about this band in 2011.

MP3> Bridge Farmers ‘Dancing Bones’

For those of you paying attention, Austin’s Monahans have bee slowly revealing their 2010 Release album one track at a time since March of this year and making them available for download on their site. The final track revealed this year turns out to be a special one, featuring the one and only Sinead O’Connor contributing additional vocals,  and this is a bit about how it all came about:

“About the song…
Drummer Roberto Sanchez and his family took a trip to Ireland earlier this year, and he was inspired by the landscape enough to write a beautiful sketch of what was to become “Seabirds”.  Upon returning to Austin, the band layered upon Rob’s sketch in the studio and then added lyrics.  It became clear that the one thing missing was a voice.  Sinead O’Connor’s voice to be exact.  One thing lead to another, and the song found it’s way back to Ireland, where Sinead graciously contributed her vocals to the song, and the vision of the original sketch was complete.  We hope you enjoy listening to this track, described by the band as a “hopeful song for a broken world”, as its beauty gives us chills every time we listen to it.”

Congrats to the guys in Monahans who have had a great year, and thanks for the tunes.

MP3> Monahans ‘Seabirds’

The folks over at Austin Psych Fest are working hard on series #4 of their unique festival that honors the pioneers of the genre while incorporating some of the modern artist that dip from the past while keeping it current. Taking place April 29th-May 1st @ The East Side Drive In, the festival has just released this pretty impressive list of confirmed acts. More to be announced as well.

January 13th will see more artists revealed with early bird tickets and more Austin Psych Fest details.

And don’t forget that the Austin Psych Fest 3 DVD is available for stuffing the stockings of your psych rock loving friends..hint, hint..

Preview the vid and then follow the jump for list of confirmed artists..Atlas Sound.nice!

AUSTIN PSYCH FEST 3 TRAILER from oswald james on Vimeo.

Read more

Austin’s Monahans have been having a pretty decent year during 2010. The band has been slowing releasing tracks from their newest recording simply titled 2010 Recordings making them available for download one a month since March to warm reception. The one and only Robert Plant recorded a Milton Mapes (early version of Monahans) track for his Band of Joy release back in September. And they recently recorded a session for the ACL Satellite Sets, just to name a few highlights of the year. Sunday will find the band closing out the year with a unique show at the Salvage Vanguard Theater promising an intimate live audio/visual intimate experience. The Whiskey Priest is listed as special guest.

$10 gets you in

BYOB

8p.m.- 10p.m. Sunday 12.5

Presented by The Church of The Friendly Ghost

The latest track to be released from the 2010 Recordings

MP3> Monahans ‘Beat Of A Thousand Drums’

Watch the full episode. See more ACL presents Satellite Sets.