Most of you are already aware, but if not, today is the last day that the original Red River location of Emo’s will be open. While there is the shiny new Emo’s open on Riverside, it’s just not the same, and never will be. The end of an era, that brings many of us a bit of sadness.

When I first heard of the pending closure, I didn’t really think about it much. Maybe it was my built in defense mechanism developed from mourning the loss of another landmark venue in which I spent countless hours in musical bliss, Liberty Lunch. Just a couple of weeks ago, while driving down 6th street, it began to settle in how much I really am going to miss this dirty piss hole of a music venue. The shitty sound system, the rude staff, the smelly urine trough, the uneven floor, all to be missed immensely.  While I’ve had plenty of opportunity to say goodbye in person, I decided not to attend any of the final shows, opting for holding on to the years and years of memories that I share with many of you reading this.

Let me give you a brief history of my relationship with Emo’s. Before there was an Emo’s Austin, yes I was roaming downtown Austin before it existed, we experienced our music in a few venues around town. You could catch any number of local bands at The Black Cat and drink $1 Pabst and eat free hotdogs from the hotdog buffet. Sounds awesome and awful at the same time. Of course many of the touring acts of substance played Liberty Lunch, The Back Room, and City Coliseum. The Jelly Club and Jar Bar offered smaller touring acts a stage, and you could find Gibby Haynes, in special form, there on many nights asking you to buy him a drink whether you knew him or not. All great venues in their own right, but then Emo’s opened it’s doors and it felt like something really cool was happening there. The fact that it was free to get in was a bonus, and there was music, and everyone seemed to be going there. It was the place to go and as the years went by and new venues opened, Emo’s always maintained that “something” that has made it one of Austin’s legendary venues.

I’ve spent some time trying to conjure up as many special memories that I could, and to be quite honest, over 19 years of beer drinking, live music, sweating, moshing, and sharing moments with friends, the memories are blurred. A few stand out, and as I cannot contest to their accuracy, these are the details that stick in my head.

David Yow’s Parents: Jesus Lizard shows were legendary back in the day, and I’m pretty sure that I saw more than 1 at Emos, but this one in particular stands out. It was difficult to not notice the older couple in the crowd as we waited for Jesus Lizard to hit the stage. Striking up a conversation with this couple, I come to learn that they were David Yow’s parents. And if I remember correctly, this was to be the first time that they had attended any of his shows. Now I can’t imagine being Yow’s parents, but it might make sense that you would avoid witnessing your son’s performance on stage which often involved nudity. Yow put on his usual performance as his parents looked on, as the crowd surged and fed off of the intense, spastic, psychotic energy of Yow and the Jesus Lizard.

Britt Daniel Predicts The Future: My sister was High School classmates with Britt back in our small town of Temple, Tx and we both have followed his career since the days of Skellington (man I wish I still had those cassettes). Being fairly pregnant with her first child, my sister was looking for any opportunity to see Spoon before the live changing baby event was to happen. A SXSW day party at Emos provided that opportunity. While conversing with Daniel, I inquired as to who the band was playing on the stage at the time. “Death Cab for Cutie” mentioned. He went on to say that they were really good and were probably going to be pretty big. Guess he was right.

Pissing: Back when Emo’s first opened it became quite the place to hang out. So much so, that on any given weekend night the place would be completely packed. I ran with a pretty rowdy crowd, many whom have gone on to become adults that are stretch away from the people that I would have believed them to grow to be. So, one night we are in Emo’s standing at the bar, you know that spot where the pole is inside bar, and it’s packed. The line for the bathroom is ridiculous. My friend needs to piss. Not wanting to wait in line, and fearing he would lose his spot at the bar…enough said.

James Iha: After an incredibly memorable performance by the Smashing Pumpkins at the long gone South Park Meadows venue, on their Siamese Dream tour, we ended up at Emo’s. Why we thought going to Emo’s after an intense evening of moshing, fungi consumption, many beers, and some streaking through the exiting traffic at the venue, was a good idea, I’m not sure. As I’m standing at the bar, not far from that pole, I notice that Smashing Pumpkin guitarist James Iha is standing next to me. I turn to Iha to let me know how much I enjoyed the show and he shakes my hand. Granted, I’m a pretty small guy, but I couldn’t help notice how tiny his hand was when I shook it, and proceeded to ask him “how do you rock so hard with such small hands”..I didn’t receive an answer.

Craig Finn: I’ve never really been a fan of The Hold Steady, but I continued to give them the opportunity to win me over, as many of my friends absolutely love the band. It was a hot sweaty night on the outside stage at Emo’s and thanks to the opening act Illinois, I was able to watch the band perform from the side of the stage. Needless to say I gained a small bit of respect for the band as I watched them work the sold-out crowd into a frenzy. One of those friends who was a die-hard fan was at the show, and the opportunity for him to meet Finn arose. As my friend proceeded to tell Finn how much he appreciated the music, and what a fan he had been for years, Finn, focused on Blackberry, informed him that he needed to leave and he didn’t have time to talk to him. A simple “thanks” would have sufficed. Recently gained respect…out the door and in the crapper.

I could bore you with more stories and shows that stick out in my mind, but this is lengthy enough. Emo’s Red River will be missed. The pre-blog years and the blog years when photographer Valerie Fremin was thrown to the wolves to get the photos for this site, and did so in great fashion. Crappy lighting, rude crowds, boiling temperatures, she got in there and did it..and it was fun.

I put together a few photos from those years that represents what Emos was to me…

Read more

Former Mighty Lemon Drops guitarist and songwriter turned producer/engineer David Newton, has resurfaced as a player once again with his latest outfit David Newton & Thee Might Angels and just released the Paint The Town EP.

I have to admit that my interest in some of the new music that is coming out these days has been fading in favor of revisiting some of the older stuff that occupied my time. The Mighty Lemon Drops were definitely a favorite of mine for awhile until they disbanded in 1992. Happy Head, World Without End, and Laughter all deserve a little revisit or visit if you haven’t done so yet.

Before you do that, check out David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels title track from the Paint The Town EP.

MP3> David Newton & Thee Mighty Angels ‘Paint The Town’

The influence that Echo & the Bunnymen have had on much of today’s modern music, is probably well understated and in many cases not even recognized. I had the opportunity to see these guys in San Diego with Gene Loves Jezebel and New Order..yep, I walk with a cane and qualify for social security.

Well, the E & B are back, and are plotting a short North America tour to play two of their classic albums back to back, Crocodiles and Heaven Up Here. Check out this clip of the band performing “Stars are Stars” in Liverpool this past December and get a taste for what unfortunately isn’t heading close to Austin. Might be time for a little trip this May. Tour dates follow.

Echo & the Bunnymen – Stars are Stars (Live) from Girlie Action on Vimeo.

Echo & The Bunnymen 2011 North American Tour

5/9  Boston, MA  @ Paradise Club
5/11 Washington DC @ 9.30 Club
5/12 Philadelphia ,PA@ Trocadero
5/13 New York,NY @Irving Plaza
5/16  Toronto,Canada  @Phoenix Theatre
5/17  Chicago,IL  @ Vic Theatre
5/19  San Francisco ,CA @ Warfield Theatre
5/20  Las Vegas,NV @ Red Rock Casino
5/21 Los Angeles, CA  @Club Nokia Theatre
5/22  Anaheim, CA @ House Of Blues

I’ve never actually experienced a flashback, and one would think that of all people, I would be the ideal candidate for such occurrence. You might think by visiting here on a regular basis that I grew up on a steady diet of guitar driven rock and punk, but there are years when this guy spent many an hour on the dance floor putting in some serious dance time. Pre-rave, X fueled nights that found this kid, bleach blonde hair, black wear from head to toe, eyeliner and cigarettes, breaking out some serious moves in the clubs. A severe 180 from my days of heavy metal. I do not lie, and I wish I had a photo to prove it, but we were to busy with other matters to think about taking pictures. And with this little tidbit of my past much a secret to many, I present this new series of bands that many of you might not have heard of from those 80′s electronic days.

These days you can look back and listen to Propaganda and stamp it synth-pop, but I didn’t really view it as pop in any fashion compared to what else was going on in music those days. Sure it sounds pop by today’s standard, but this was music that was different than much of the other stuff that was happening in the electronic synth genre at the time. The internet wasn’t a household fixture, so our exposure was mostly limited to the lame ass radio, friends, clubs, and record stores. You had to really seek out music that operated under the traditional radar.

I only owned the band’s popular debut album A Secret Wish, and as it was difficult to find bands in this genre that produced solid recordings instead of just pumping out singles, Propaganda accomplished a solid record with A Secret Wish.

The band formed in Dusseldorf, Germany and soon signed to Trevor Horn’s ZZT label a few lineup changes and years after their 1982 inception. One of the more recognizable voices of the band belonged to Claudia Brucken who left the band shortly after the release of A Secret Wish to pursue a solo career and other projects including ACT and Onetwo. The band continues on this day in some form, but my memories lay with the tracks from their debut album, bright lights, dance floor, and chemical induced euphoria all a part of the experience.

MP3> Propaganda ‘Duel’
MP3> Propaganda ‘P. Machinery’

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Ronnie James Dio passed away yesterday after a bout with stomach cancer at the age of 67. The small package that delivered a powerful voice for many a band including Black Sabbath, Rainbow, Elf, and Dio, was also credited with the launching of this symbol that we all know so well..

Another legend from my youth disappears..

The thought of what song(s) that you might want played at your funeral was brought up today by a friend, and as I found myself searching through my completely unorganized collection of music for a specific Uncle Tupelo song, I pleasantly revisited “Fatal Wound”.

For those of you not familiar with Uncle Tupelo, the band played a large part in fusing traditional country sounds with a rock approach, fueling the alt-country movement in the early 90′s. Hands down, one of my favorite bands of all time. The band achieved a reasonable amount of commercial success signing to Sire records for their final release, only to disband at the height of their career due to internal issues. Founding members Jeff Tweedy and Jay Farrar soon found themselves at odds personally as well as musically. Tweedy went on to form the group Wilco, and Farrar forged ahead in his outfit Son Volt, both achieving a level of success with their own unique style.

“columns of sunlight
and glorious cities
oceans of opportunity
and all your decisions seem ancient
but you wait around until
you’ve received that fatal wound” – Uncle Tupelo “Fatal Wound”

MP3> Uncle Tupelo ‘Fatal Wound’

Jawbox is one of those bands that I have always been clearly aware of their existence and the fondness that many of my friends harbored for this D.C. post punk band that found the heart of it’s success in the early 90′s. The D.C. scene a proud breeding ground for many a D.I.Y. band in the 80′s and 90′s. A proud label for many fans that led to the unfortunate backlash when Jawbox left the indie label Dischord for the major Atlantic to record the 1994 release For Your Own Special Sweetheart. Now that we’ve all grown up a bit, and sold a bit of our souls to some corporate entity, the band re-releases it’s heartbeat album For Your Own Special Sweetheart on DeSoto records in the fall of 2009. It’s remastered and sounding as sweet as ever.

You can purchase the remastered release @ DeSoto or @ iTunes

MP3> Jawbox ‘Savory’

The only live performance in celebration of this release will be on the Jimmy Fallon show, Tuesday Dec 8th. Set your DVR, TiVo, whatever, or just tune in like we used to do in the old days.

I’ve found that listening to WOXY Vintage on the weekend is a nice escape from the constant barrage of new music (not that I’m complaining) and a nice venue in which to rediscover some of the music that I tend to forget about sometimes. A track from the Matthew Sweet’s 1991 release Girlfriend sparked a memory that resulted in me putting the album on for a couple of spins reminding me how much of impact this recording had on me at the time.  Read more

I think that most of us would agree (or maybe not), that Neutral Milk Hotel‘s 1998 release In The Aeroplane Over The Sea is one of the classic releases in indie-rock history and the story that followed only ads to the album’s status and curiosity.  As the album’s success thrust the band into the spotlight, singer/songwriter Jeff Magnum uncomfortable with the situation that he found himself in, began to withdraw from the public eye, eventually dissolving the band before the end of 1998. A few acoustic shows, and guest appearances is all that Magnum has managed since, and In The Aeroplane Over The Sea has seen an increase in popularity and status while selling 100,000 copies.

Merge Records just announce the availability of both Neutral Milk Hotel recordings On Avery Island and In The Aeroplane Over The Sea on 180 gm vinyl available now in the Merge store.

The Merge site also has posted these two videos claiming they are Neutral Milk Hotel performances @ The Knitting Factory in NY, but the date doesn’t coincide with the band’s tour history. The date could be wrong, or they could be rare Mangum acoustic sets. Either way, enjoyable.

Videos after the jump. Read more

I’ve experienced some great connections with amazing albums during periods of my life when those songs or records made perfect sense in ways that, I would hope that any true music fan can relate, and in ways that when sometimes looked back upon might seem a bit unsettling. A revelation of one’s self and a time when life was different, but a reflection that is necessary for sure.  I would hope that everyone has that experience, but I know that that just isn’t the case, and that saddens me. I have a place for this album Gentlemen.

The Afghan Whigs were a band that were as talented as many of their counterparts during the early 90′s, but never did receive the recognition that they really did deserve. Maybe because the material was too dark in nature? It was a time of revealing the true emotions and the dark side of humanity. Maybe Greg Dulli pulled away the exterior to reveal the inner workings of a man than many didn’t want to admit existed.

Gentlemen was not the first release from the band that hailed from Cincinnati, but in my own personal opinion, was the crux of the band’s personal statement.  Vocalist and front-man Dulli delves deep into his own personal darkness in a manner that is revealing, seductive, disturbing, and somewhat familiar. An extended examination of a man at a point in his life that might have some uncomfortably understanding their own existence, and quietly relating.

The albums cover shot is probably one of the more appropriate album covers considering the content.  A man exposing his own faults and insecurities, while trying to justify his reasoning and sometimes egocentric ideals. All the while making some really sexy dark rock-n-roll.

“Ladies, let me tell you about myself
I got a dick for a brain
And my brain is gonna sell my ass to you
Now I’m OK, but in time I’ll find I’m stuck
‘Cause she wants love, and I still want to fuck
Now that I’m ashamed, it burns
But the weight is off
Now that you’re out of the way
I turn and I can walk
You showed no sympathy, my love
And this was no place for you and me to walk alone”

-”Be Sweet”

MP3> Afghan Whigs ‘Gentlemen’

MP3> Afghan Whigs ‘Debonair’

MP3> Afghan Whigs ‘My Curse’

I know that Fun Fun Fun Fest 09 is still months away, and we’ve only been allowed a peak at to what’s instore for us this year, but if there is one reason to plunk down your hard earned cash this year for the festival, it’s Jesus Lizard. I cannot stress how excited this guy is about this show.

The reunited band, is currently on the road bringing the sweat, energy, rock, and glory it’s so well known for delivering on stage. Here’s a couple of videos from the Pitchfork Festival, in which the band performs “Nub” and is interviewed by Fucked Up’s Pink Eye. Enjoy.

Now, if only Transmission would manage a Jesus Lizard aftershow at Mohawk? That would rule.

The reunion has been leaked on Idolator, and now Austin 360.com has confirmed an Austin date for the reunited Sunny Day Real Estate and the pending tour. The tour starts on Sept 17th just 2 days after Sub Pop reissues the bands second release Diary on both vinyl and cd. Oct 7 sees the band stepping on the La Zona Rosa stage here in Austin, Tx. Sweeet!

MP3> Sunny Day Real Estate ‘The Ocean’

Sunny Day Real Estate Fall 2009 US Tour

September 17th – Vancouver, BC/Commodore Ballroom
September 18th – Portland/Crystal Ballroom (Musicfest NW)
September 20th – Salt Lake City/Murray Theater
September 21st – Denver/Ogden Theater
September 23rd – Minneapolis/First Avenue
September 24th – Chicago/Metro
September 25th – Detroit/St Andrews Hall
September 27th – New York/Terminal 5
September 28th – Boston/House of Blues
September 30th – Washington DC/930 Club
October 1st – Philadelphia/Trocadero
October 3rd – Atlanta/CW Center Stage
October 5th – Dallas/Granada Theater
October 6th – Houston/Warehouse Live
October 7th – Austin/La Zona Rosa
October 9th – Tempe/Marquee Theatre
October 10th – Anaheim/House of Blues
October 11th – Los Angeles/Henry Fonda Theater
October 13th – San Francisco/Fillmore
October 15th – Spokane/Knitting Factory
October 16th – Seattle/Paramount Theatre

I would be a bit more excited about this news if we hadn’t already been notified of the band’s scheduled performance @ Fun Fun Fun Fest ’09, but it should get the blood going for many of those in the cities listed on this tour. The return of The Jesus Lizard to the stage is sure to be one of the highlights of the year for myself. It’s gonna be mean, nasty, and a hell of a lot of fun. Hopefully David Yow is still got it in him, to pull off the crazed madman performances that he is so well known for delivering.

The band will also reissue their first four albums Head, Goat, Liar, and Down September 22nd on CD and vinyl via Touch and Go.

MP3> The Jesus Lizard ‘Puss’ off of Liar

And now, the Tour Read more

photo: Courtney Chavanell

It seems just like yesterday, but 2006 is almost a lifetime away in an industry that changes as frequently as your facebook updates. 2006 was the year that one of Austin’s more promising punk/indie bands decided to call it quits. To most, The Arm probably doesn’t even ring familiar, but for those of us who have been inhabiting the downtown scene for more than a decade, The Arm’s rapid rise and unexpected fall, still remains quite the mystery. The band on the rise, with the critically acclaimed album Call You Out (Indirect Records), a successful showing @ CMJ, and an Austin buzz growing louder by the minute, that turned the switch to off, and quietly slid into their every day lives.

All four original members will be together on stage tonight for the first time since the 2006 break-up, with one member even traveling halfway across the country for this one-off show. The call to The Arm for this reunion show faded years ago, and it seems the band never forgot that call. Joining The Arm tonight @ Emos will be The Lemurs, and the Good Times Crisis Band.

MP3> The Arm ‘The Privileged Few’

MP3> The Arm ‘Lovers and Agents’

Hopefully, you feel the same way that I do about some of your favorite records. In a time where the music listening public moves away from listening to albums, and it becomes more about the song, I hold on to the hope that the art and the pleasure of a band’s work as a record aren’t forgotten by the music fans. My favorite recordings hold a special place in my heart, not only for what is etched on that vinyl, or disc, by the artist, but for what they represent as a time, place, or person in my life. They present an emotion and an awareness that happens when the music really connects. The recording takes on a special meaning, whether it be through lyrics, or just through sound. Your interpretation of that artists art that fits your emotional or physical state at that time.

Something drew me to revist one of my favorite recordings from Red House Painters, and as I expected to revisit my memories of Songs For A Blue Guitar, I strangely found new meaning in the record. A new meaning that seemed to be the calling for me to revisit. And that’s the beauty of music.

Many of you might know Mark Kozelek’s more recent work as the outfit Sun Kil Moon, but Red House Painters was the beginning of many of us getting to know the talent of his ability to craft music and lyrics in a unique way. Kozelek crafts songs that patiently wander and drift as if there is no final destination, but only the journey. Like taking a drive in the country for the pure sake of taking a drive in the country, with no real destination. Just taking time to experience what is around you for that moment in time. Songs For A Blue Guitar is, in my opinion, the one of the most complete albums from start to finish that Kozelek has produced.  Sometimes floating along acoustically and delicate and other times a passive sonic trip, that continues on for minutes and minutes, as on the track “Make Like Paper” which clocks in @ 12 minutes. The album is a patient listen, but a suitable companion for the cloudy rain soaked days currently residing.

MP3> Red House Painters ‘Have You Forgotten’

MP3> Red House Painters ‘Make Like Paper’

MP3> Red House Painters ‘Revelation Big Sur’