[RSVP]

Stage One

FRIDAY, MARCH 19th

Man Man / Billy Bragg / Man or Astroman?  / Frightened Rabbit / Black Angels / YACHT / Mariachi El Bronx / Grupo Fantasma / The Bronx / Jeff the Brotherhood / OFF! (Featuring the man with the longest dreads on the west coast, Keith Morris and Steven McDonald) / Admiral Radley (Members of Grandaddy & Earlimart) / Brazos / Lissie / Jim Jones Revue / DJ Spooky and GHP / Hacienda / Jail Weddings / Suckers / Lost in Trees / Oh no Ono

SATURDAY, MARCH 20th

GWAR / Andrew W.K. with full band / Fucked Up / Crystal Antlers / Big Freedia “The Queen of New Orleans Bounce” / Neon Indian / The Soft Pack / Japandroids / Japanther  / Avi Buffalo / Holy Fuck / Adam Green / Dam Funk / Pivot / Fool’s Gold / The Duchess and the Duke / Smith Westerns / Let’s Wrestle / Katie Stelmanis

@ the MWTX Lot

1001 E. 6^th St

Austin, TX

12:00PM BOTH DAYS

FREE / ALL AGES / OPEN TO THE PUBLIC

RSVP AT: WWW.MWTXPARTY.COM

You know I’m a big fan of the Athen’s music scene, and the 40 Watt Party happening during SXSW is always a great opportunity to catch some of city’s finest.

Once again taking place at the Side Bar, this year’s event is featuring 3 stages, one dedicated to the recently passed Vic Chesnutt. 3 stages and a healthy dose of music, including the lovely ladies in Warpaint and the veteran’s Camper Van Beethoven.  Open to the public and no wristbands or badges needed.

Party will be held at the Side Bar, located at 602 E. 7th Street in Austin, TX, onSaturday, March 20th from 12PM- 8PM. Below is the line up in order of appearance, first to last. Set times TBD.

Minus The Bear have remained on my radar ever since I came across the Menos El Oso recording, and as much as I want still be a big fan of the band, some of the singles that they have been releasing lately, just don’t seem to have the same hold on me as some of their earlier work.  I’m still holding out for the full recording though, before I jump to any conclusions.

The band recently signed to the Dangerbird Records label, and have a newly recorded album to set loose May 4th, titled Omni. The release was recorded with Grammy Award winning producer Joe Chiccarelli (The White Stripes, My Morning Jacket). My least favorite MMJ album.

MP3> Minus The Bear ‘My Time’

SXSW Dates:

March 18th            Filter Showcase @ Cedar St Courtyard (3:30pm)
March 19th             Relix Magazine Party @ Antones (3:20pm)
March 19th            Musebox @ Rusty Spur (1am)
March 20th            Stubbs (9pm)
March 20th            Dangerbird Records @ Mellow Johnny’s (11:20pm)

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’

I’ve had this record, Exploding Head, in my dirty grimy paws for months now, and each time I put it on for listen, it reveals something more mystical and intriguing than the previous spin. The drive home tonight with “Ego Death” playing on the stereo, accompanied by the 3/4 moon all dark yellow and jaundice looking,  hanging low on the horizon and peeking through the low tree branches and power lines, felt the soundtrack of someone’s life, possibly my own.

The album is appropriately titled Exploding Head, and if you have ever been to a live show of A Place to Bury Strangers you would understand how relevant that is. The band will bring it’s beautiful destructive dissonance to the Parish next month performing opening duties for The Big Pink.  A visual and auditory assault is in-store for those scampering in early for the Euro pop-synth sounds of The Big Pink, and “Dominos” will fall…

I chatted with Oliver from APTBS awhile back..

A Place to Bury Strangers and The Big Pink @ The Parish 4/8 Tickets

MP3> A Place to Bury Strangers ‘Ego Death’

Austin music bloggers Covert Curiosity and Sonic Itch Music team up once again to present a special music and visual event that will showcase their individual styles and musical leanings.

Sponsored by Spectacle Sunglasses along with Salvation Pizza, Birds Barbershop, and Do512

+ featuring visual art by:

EricPowerUp and Total Unicorn

Eastside Get Down
is happening
Thursday, March 18th noon-6 p.m.
@ The ND @ 501 Studios
corner of 5th and Brushy
Austin, Tx
www.ndvenue.com

and features:

Twin Tigers (Athens, GA) – 5 PM

About the bands:

Twin Tigers

Twin Tigers is a four piece rock and roll band from the ever blooming music scene of Athens, Georgia. They are quickly making their mark thanks to a dark and explosive sound that fuses indie and psychedelic rock influences. With only a self-released EP under their belt, Twin Tigers still managed to gig with the likes of Deerhunter, Dead Confederate, and A Place to Bury Strangers. Already receiving praise from WOXY and NPR, the band set to release their debut album Grey Waves via Old Flame Records on March 2, 2010. “Twin Tigers combine everything you used to love about The Smashing Pumpkins with Swervedriver, Primal Scream and Sonic Youth.”

Ty Segall

Burying 60s sing-alongs and dance crazes with waves of reverb and thud, Ty Segall is carving out his own brand of neo-psych garage alongside SF compatriots and collaborators Sic Alps and Thee Oh Sees. After clawing his way out of the Bay Area garage scene with a frantic one-man-band act that the local crowd and press couldn’t get enough of, Segall has now given up the solo act for a three piece that destroys sonic and melodic boundaries with manic glee. Read a cover story from the San Francisco Chronicle.

Ringo Deathstarr

Austin quartet Ringo Deathstarr combine fuzzed-up guitars with powerful drumming and waves of feedback to create a sound fierce enough to peel paint from the walls. With a sound that has been referred to as “psychedelic shoegaze,” their music draws fitting comparisons to the likes of My Bloody Valentine and the Jesus and Mary Chain. Read a review via A Certain Romance.

Golden Ages

Golden Ages is an anonymous electronic music project out of Philadelphia. Creating a mixed breed of psychedelic pop and chillwave, the sound is influenced by the likes of Panda Bear, Washed Out, and Fuck Buttons. The Golden Ages full-length debut, Tradition, is filled with pounding beats, swirling vocal effects, and layers of synth loops that create a trance-inducing sound. Having only been on the scene for a few short months, Golden Ages has already gotten praise from the likes of
The Fader, XLR8R, Neu Magazine and more.

Sisters

Sisters are a noisy duo from Brooklyn who are part of the Death by Audio music collective founded by A Place To Bury Strangers The two piece consists of Aaron Pfannebecker, who sings and plays guitar, and drummer/keyboardist Matt Conboy. Dubbed one of the Death By Audio “house bands”, Sisters’ music embraces a collage of noise and garage rock with distorted, reverberated guitars and heavily amplified drums. Though there are only two members in this band, their live sound packs a major punch, and they have the same kind of joyousness as Japandroids.

Futurebirds

Futurebirds come from the same Athens community that birthed Dead Confederate and Twin Tigers. But instead of bringing a ballsy rock ‘n roll sound, Futurebirds get down on the alt-country, good-timing-folk side of things. Their live shows are filled with passion, energy, and contagious fun. They sound a little bit like Real Estate, just more southern.

DJ Thibault

Austin’s own DJ Thibault has spun all over these great United States, from underground dance clubs to festivals to swanky lounges and late-night sushi bars. He is not only one of the most seasoned and eclectic DJs in Austin, but also one half of the exciting electronic dance duo known as Auto Body. Thibault (pronounced tee-bow) has been asked to play events featuring everything from local bands like Ghostland Observatory to nationally recognized acts like Jamie Lidell and The Killers.

Poster art: City on Fire

Is the buzz bigger than the band?

It’s a question that comes up from time to time, and the buzz surrounding the “experimental rock” band from L.A. called Warpaint has steadily and rapidly become ever so present. Some might attribute some of that to the band’s attractive looks and playful attitude. Thursday Feb 24ht was a chance to address that question. The band took the stage in Austin @ the Parish opening up for The Akron family, to a crowd eagerly awaiting the arrival of the female outfit in what would be their first performance in Austin since turning heads at CMJ 2009 and landing a recording deal shortly there after with the Rough Trade label.

With a 6 song EP the only recorded material released by the band at this point, the band had plenty of room to spread it’s wings and showcase material that the band might have marked for their full-length debut, reportedly due out sometime in the first half of 2010.

I was definitely curious as to what the band had planned for filling the drummer position, which has been the one spot that has remained fairly fluid with several taking turns on the beats for the constant trio fronting the band. Reports of experimenting with a drum machine, concerned me, but the appearance and performance of Stella Mozgawa served the lineup well. Starting out the set with an all instrumental jam, the band members worked into establishing their talents and instrumental roles on stage. Bassist Jenny Lee Lindberg bouncing up and down while laying down the thick infectious and at times a bit funky, bass lines driving the songs in the appropriate places along with the experience of Mozgawa on drums. Emily Kokal and Theresa Wayman sharing the spotlight graciously taking turns adding effectively placing their guitar styles and talents adding to the dynamic of each track. The instrumental lead rolled into the single “Stars” which showcases the band’s talent for image evoking lyrics wrapped in lucid guitar sounds. While the band readily shares vocal responsibilities throughout the set, it becomes clear that guitarist and vocalist Emily Kokal is an undeniable force in the democratic unit. Comfortable with her guitar, which at times sounds influenced by the moody tense style of Disintegration era Cura ala Robert Smith, and vocally resembling another 80’s icon Siouxsie Sioux, Kokal blends sounds and textures within the alternating rhythms that warrant attention.

The band demonstrated it’s versatility with a 4 part vocal harmony on “Billie Holiday” while leading into a live version of “Beetles” that resounded more ominous and darker than it’s recorded version, showcasing Kokal’s influence on the band’s result. The set also featured a new track that hadn’t even be graced a title, along with a lengthy instrumental jam to close out their stage time, featuring members of Akron Family joining on stage for the “jam”.  Warpaint spread their wings for sure, and showed the audience that there is more to the quartet than looks and a few catchy songs. They showed us that there is definitely more in store for both the band members and the rapidly growing fan base.

And the answer to the question is…No

And you might find Twin Tigers during SXSW playing a little party @ The Independent being put on by some really, really, really good friends..Rawr!

Twin Tigers @ SXSW
3/17 Wednesday
10am WOXY.Com Radio Session

3/18 Thursday
Sonic Itch Music Day Party @ the Independent

3/19 Friday
12:35pm Twin Tigers @ Sneak Attack Day Party @ Clive Bar w/Jukebox the Ghost, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, Speak, The Spring Standards, Danny Ross
9pm Official SXSW Showcase @ Emos Annex WOXY.Com Showcase w/Bear in Heaven, Cymbals Eat Guitars, Crystal Antlers, French Miami, TV Torso

3/20 Saturday
1:30pm Old Flame/Obscure Magpie Day Party w/Born Ruffians, Black & White Years, Dead Confederate, Many More
5pm 40 Watt Party with Futurebirds, Dead Confederate, James Husband, Gift Horse, American Cheeseburger, more

For complete and thorough listings, check out:

*The Austinist’s list of Day Shows, Afterparties, and More

*Do512’s Special SXSW list

And stayed tuned for a special announcement of a party that myself and some other fine folks are putting together…..Rawr!!

Here’s a short list of notable events that always are on my list of visits..

Filter has their hands in a couple of events that you should consider..

[RSVP HERE]

[RSVP HERE]

Paste is once again making good use of the empty venue on 6th, smack dab in the middle of it all..

[RSVP FOR BOTH HERE]

Art Disaster no. 10 kicking off the music portion of SXSW in style as always..

[RSVP HERE]

Terror Bird Media & Force Field P.R. bring you Neon Indian, Sunny Day In Glasgow, and Real Estate

[RSVP HERE]

Dallas area blogger and tastemaker Gorilla VS Bear and Mexican Summer show off their goods…

[RSVP HERE]

Good friends over @ Austin Town Hall put this little shindig together…

[RSVP HERE]

And the uber cool Uchi has their 2nd installment of East Meets Fest with a fine selection of local flavors…

]]> http://www.sonicitchmusic.com/2010/02/do-you-like-parties-a-short-list-of-free-events-during-sxsw/feed/ 1 http://www.sonicitchmusic.com/2010/02/itch-pick-warpaint-the-parish-2-24/ http://www.sonicitchmusic.com/2010/02/itch-pick-warpaint-the-parish-2-24/#comments Wed, 24 Feb 2010 07:01:51 +0000 michaelE http://www.sonicitchmusic.com/?p=2915

The headlining act for Wednesday night’s bill may be Akron Family, but my curiosity is fixated on the mostly female band that is opening the show, Warpaint. I can’t really remember where I first heard the band, but my interest in them has been borderline obsessive at times, and I figured out why recently. Shortly after releasing their debut EP Esquisite Corpse the California based band signed to Rough Trade, which is part of the Beggars Group. I have a relationship with music that is a bit more lengthy than some, and there was a time period that a majority of my music consumption was fueled by the innovative sounds by many of the bands were on the 4AD label which is part of the Beggars Group.  Back then Cocteau Twins, Wolfgang Press, Pixies, Throwing Muses, Bauhaus, and many other great artists were a part of this label, and I loved it all. It’s taken me a bit to put 2 and 2 together, but Warpaint takes me back to this time, while still remaining fresh and functional in the current scene.

History provided, and now we have Wednesday night at the Parish which is the near future. A near future you should engage in, if possible. The members of Warpaint cautiously spin a seductive style of music that dances with psychedelic lush arrangements, and lyrical temptations. Stick around for Akron Family as well.

Warpaint @ The Parish 2.24 BUY TICKETS

The band will be back in March for SXSW, so stay tuned….

MP3> Warpaint ‘Beetles’

The reunion story of the year (technically last year), if you haven’t caught wind of it yet, is Pavement. The 90’s art-rock, indie/alternative band that influenced many a band you have spinning on your iPod these days are doing what all the “cool” kids do these days. A year full of tour dates including some essential festival stops will be accompanied by the release of  the best of Pavement album titled Quarantine The Past. Now, I’m not usually one that recommends “best of” albums, but the band has a pretty lengthy catalog of material, and being the creative edgy art rockers that they were, it would take a bit of work to sort through some of the material that at some times can test the listener. The band’s label Matador has compiled a pretty comprehensive collection of tracks from the band, that really does capture the “best of” Pavement.

Quarantine The Past sees release on March 9th, and is well worth the time it takes to make your way through the 23 tracks on the album. Have I mentioned yet, that Pavement is one of my favorite bands of all time? Yepper, I dig these kids.

The remastered “Gold Soundz”

MP3> Pavement ‘Gold Soundz’

Tour dates as of now:

March
1 – Auckland, New Zealand @ Auckland Town Hall
4 – Sydney, Australia @ Enmore Theatre
6 – Meredith, Australia – Meredith Supernatural Amphitheatre
7 – Adelaide, Australia – Thebarton Theatre
8 – Perth, Australia – Metro City
10 – Brisbane, Australia @ The Tivoli
12 Melbourne, Australia @ Palace Theatre

April
7 – Tokyo, Japan @ Studio Coast
8 – Tokyo, Japan @ Studio Coast
10 – Osaka, Japan @ Zepp Osaka
12 – Nagoya, Japan @ Zepp Nagoya

May
4 – Dublin, Ireland @ Tripod
5 – Glasgow, Scotland @ Barrowland Ballroom
7 – Paris, France @ Le Zénith
8 – Amsterdam, Netherlands @ Paradiso
10 – London, England @ Brixton Academy
11 – London, England @ Brixton Academy
12 – London, England @ O2 Academy Brixton
13 – London, England @ O2 Academy Brixton
15 – Minehead, England @ All Tomorrow’s Parties
18 – Brussels, Belgium @ Ancienne Belgique
19 – Berlin, Germany @ Astra Kulturhaus
20 – Prague, Czech Republic @ Palác Akropolis
21 – Vienna, Austria @ Arena Wien
22 – Munich, Germany @ Muffathalle
24 – Rome, Italy @ Atlantico Live
25 – Bologna, Italy @ Estragon
27 – Barcelona, Spain @ Primavera Sound
29 – Quincy, Wa. @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
30 – Quincy, Wa. @ Sasquatch! Music Festival
31 – Quincy, Wa. @ Sasquatch! Music Festival

September
21 – New York, N.Y. @ Central Park SummerStage
22 – New York, N.Y. @ Central Park SummerStage
23 – New York, N.Y. @ Central Park SummerStage
24 – New York, N.Y. @ Central Park SummerStage

What’s Better Than The Van? Winning a van full of music gear.

The good folks over @ Better Than The Van, who have been helping touring musicians find a better place to spend the night than in their van have a HUGE giveaway planned for this year’s SXSW Festival. A van full of music gear, to be given away on Saturday March 20th. Guitars, drums, pedals, straps, cymbals, strings, and much more from the likes of Epiphone, Ernie Ball, Zildjian, and Pro-Mark, just to name a few. And you get the van!

Go to Better Than The Van to register to win..

BTTV VAN GIVEAWAY! from Better Than The Van on Vimeo.

What do us Americans need most in times when the economy and employment are in the crapper? French pop music of course via Phoenix! Alternative (Pop) Music according to the Grammys. Alternative to what?

They wowed us @ ACL 2009, and recently @ LaZona Rosa, and are coming back for more Austin love.

April 29th @ Stubbs

It’s a short tour with some festival dates.

April
17 – Santa Cruz, Calif. @ The Catalyst
18 – Indio, Calif. @ Coachella
20 – Denver, Colo. @ Ogden Theatre
21 – Kansas City, Mo. @ Uptown Theatre
22 – Louisville, Ken. @ Louisville Palace
23 – Nashville, Tenn. @ Vanderbilt
24 – Atlanta, Ga. @ The Tabernacle
26 – Washington, D.C. @ Constitution Hall
27 – Norfolk, Va. @ The Norva
29 – Austin, Tex. @ Stubb’s
30 – Houston, Tex. @ Verizon Wireless Theatre

June
11 – Cary, N.C. @ Koka Booth Ampitheatre
12 – Charlotte, N.C. @ The Uptown Ampitheatre at The Music Factory
13 – Manchester, Tenn. @ Bonnaroo

And to top it off, after the blistering performance that Sparhawk delivered, he directly went into business mode, selling merch from the side of the stage. You wanna make a living playing music? Take a lesson from this man…..

And catch this band on tour……

Being a fan of The Jesus Lizard, trying to get into David Yow’s head isn’t exactly all that easy, as he’s not always that forthright with exposing the tick tick tick going on in his head. That’s not the case with this short documentary put together by the French site The Drone, as you’ll find Yum (Yow) revealing quite a bit about himself in 12 minutes. Cooking show idea, acting aspirations, and the expected delve into his musical past.

Oddly enough, I believe that I was in attendance of both of the Emo’s shows mentioned in the video. Definitely the one where his parents were there. I remember that for sure.

With the sophomore release appropriately titled 2, the Alan Sparhawk (Low) fronted Retribution Gospel Choir channel their inner sonic guitar child and let loose a series of songs that you feel Sparhawk has been itching to set free. From the 43 sec guitar thrash of  ‘68 Comeback”, to the anthemic “Working Hard”, and the closing prayer “Bless Us All”, 2 covers a lot of solid ground in a mere 33.8 minutes.

Retribution Gospel Choir return to Stubb’s on Thur night 2.11 with the new songs in tow, and a show that is surely to only breathe more life and meaning into them. Bless us all.

Buy Tickets HERE. 8 bucks early or 10 for procrastinators

MP3> Retribution Gospel Choir ‘Poor Man’s Daughter’

A simple video for “Written In Reverse”

Man, I’ve gotten lazy with writing lately…..

The Black Angels and Reverberation Appreciation Society have announced the location and dates for the 3rd installment of Austin Psych Fest.

Lineup is still pending announcement, but you can mark your calender for April 23rd, 24th, and 25th and set your sites on The Mohawk.

The Austin Psych Fest 2 DVD was recently released, featuring performances by A Place To Bury Strangers, Dead Meadow, Golden Animals, Wooden Shjips, and more. You can purchase HERE.