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ACL Festival 2009
November 17, 2009
Dave Matthews is non-threateningly coming at you ... in 3D
If you were one of the tens of thousands to make the pilgrimage to the Austin City Limits Music Festival this year, you might have noticed the several-stories-tall, highly advanced 3D cameras set up near the Livestrong stage. AEG Network Live, inconcert3d and Action 3D Productions shot footage throughout the festival with the same style of high-definition digital 3D camera used for this season’s movie releases “A Christmas Carol” and “Avatar.”
You’ll get the chance to check out the fruits of their labor Dec. 11 to 17, when 3D theaters nationwide screen “Larger Than Live… in 3D.” The film is composed of portions of three 2009 sets from three big outdoor music festivals — the Dave Matthews Band at Austin City Limits, Ben Harper and the Relentless 7 at the Mile High Music Festival in Commerce City, Colo., and Gogol Bordello at All Points West Music & Arts Festival in Jersey City, N.J.
The film is the first in a planned series of concert films, with best-of editions covering both ACL and Lollapalooza in the works for 2010. The trailer is available online. AEG was also behind the recent Michael Jackson concert film “This Is It.”
Information about specific theaters screening the film will be announced in the next few weeks — but since the Bob Bullock Texas State History Museum’s IMAX theater screened the major 3D concert film, “U23D,” that seems a likely possibility.
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October 9, 2009
Lollapalooza 2009's gift to Chicago parks: $1.9 million
The Parkways Foundation, the fundraising arm of the Chicago Parks District, will collect a license fee of $1.9 million from the most recent Lollapalooza in Grant Park.
Austin-based C3 Presents does not pay a rental fee to use Grant Park, said Parkways spokesperson Alison Krzys. Instead, the contract with the Chicago Parks District calls for the promoters to pay 10.25 % of gross ticket sales and 8.5% of sponsorship revenue to Parkways, which produces the annual event in conjunction with C3.
Last year, C3 paid Parkways $1.6 million. The contract to produce Lollapalooza at Grant Park runs until 2018.
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October 8, 2009
C3 pays city $12,000, plus $1 per ticket to rent Zilker for ACL
As the Austin City Limits Music Festival grew from a fledgling two-day event in 2002 into one of the biggest music festivals in the country, the fees the city has charged organizers for use of Zilker Park have not changed.
This year, organizer C3 Presents paid the City of Austin $12,000, plus $1 per ticket sold, to rent Zilker Park on Oct. 1-4, according to the company’s contract with the city. Those rates have remained constant, even as ticket prices have increased substantially.
The Austin-based company has donated $1.4 million over the past three years to the Austin Parks Foundation and will pay another $2.5 million to reimburse the city for new sod and irrigation systems at Zilker. And the ACL Festival pumps at least $27 million into Austin’s economy, according to the Austin Convention and Visitors Bureau.
“They give us everything we need and require, and on top of that, they give so much to the Parks Foundation,” said Jason Maurer, events manager at the parks department. “You have to look at the benefits holistically.”
City Council Member Sheryl Cole said the city should probably take a fresh look at its special event fees for parks but consider them in the context of other benefits offered by groups like C3.
“We need to consider that they bring other things to the entire city, including the donations they’ve made to the Parks Foundation, Zilker Park and the benefits to our economy,” Cole said.
This year, C3 paid the City of Austin $20,000 to rent Zilker Park for 19 days before, during and after the festival, including time to set up and dismantle equipment. It also paid a $2,000 damage deposit, $1,000 to cover all utility costs, $1,500 to use Republic Square as a shuttle site and $2,500 apiece to the Zilker Zephyr train and the Barton Springs Pool concession stand for business lost during the festival.
C3 paid for all road closure fees during ACL and all police, fire and emergency services expenses, costs that many other event organizers ask the city to waive, Maurer said.
“C3 is committed to the communities where we work, and we are proud of the contributions we have made,” C3 spokeswoman Shelby Meade said.
By comparison, C3 appears to pay more to put on Lollapalooza, a slightly larger three-day music festival in Chicago. However, a precise tally of ACL expenses is not available because C3 donates an undisclosed percentage of ticket sales to a nonprofit that works to improve city parks.
Chicago’s parks department does not charge C3 to rent Grant Park for Lollapalooza, which draws 75,000 people per day for three days in August.
However, C3 pays 10.25 percent of gross revenue and 8.5 percent of sponsorship revenue to the Parkways Foundation, the Chicago parks department’s fundraising arm. The total payout for 2009 will be $1.9 million. This year, the price was $205 for a three-day pass.
In Austin, C3 has paid the Austin Parks Foundation a percentage of ticket sales since 2006. Neither C3 nor the foundation would disclose the percentage, which is written into a private contract.
But foundation Executive Director Charlie McCabe said the money, over the past three years, has paid for $1 million in improvements to 50 city parks. It also has covered $400,000 to add water lines and improve a lake water intake system at Zilker in 2007 and 2008. And it will reimburse the city $500,000 a year over the next five years for a new sprinkler system and sod the city installed at Zilker in April.
The money from C3 “has allowed us to expand our mission and fund a lot of projects that we wouldn’t have been able to do through our normal fundraising activities,” McCabe said.
Meade, the C3 spokeswoman, said C3 estimates that, once it makes its payment to the Parks Foundation for 2009, it will have donated $2.6 million total since 2006.
The company pays the city $1 per ticket sold, counting $185 three-day passes as one ticket. Last year, the total was $66,923. The amount hasn’t been calculated for this year and won’t come due for a few weeks. The daily festival capacity is 65,000 paid entrants.
ACL’s ticket prices have risen from $25 a day in 2002 to $85 a day this year. The $1-per-ticket fee is the same rate charged to any other event that draws more than 1,000 people, closes off a city park and charges admission, Maurer said.
C3 also reimburses the city for any staff time that parks and Austin Energy workers spend on the event. Last year, that total was $29,921, including pay for four Austin Energy workers to be on site at all times, Maurer said.
The contract also requires C3 to pay for any damage to Zilker. The sod installed in April became a muddy mess after last weekend’s rains, and C3 crews began hosing it off this week in the hopes that healthy grass is alive beneath it. The parks department has no estimate of how much any sod repairs might cost.
C3 has already agreed to rent out more time at Zilker — through Oct. 16 — to dismantle equipment and work to restore the grass. The parks department will seek payment for any days the park might have to be closed beyond that, Maurer said.
Roughly 100 groups rent Austin park space for events each year. Parks staffers don’t haggle over the fees to rent park space because those fees are set by the City Council, Maurer said.
“We, as staff, cannot just change them on an ad hoc, discretionary basis, depending on the event,” Maurer said.
That means the organizers of a 2006 Rolling Stones concert paid the same rates, though the band kicked in an extra $300,000 for parks improvements.
The city charges slightly different rental rates for other parks. For example, it charges $5,000 a day to rent Auditorium Shores, $2,500 a day to rent Fiesta Gardens and $3,500 a day to rent Waterloo Park, regardless of whether the event is free to the public. The rates are the same for nonprofit and for-profit groups because the wear and tear on the park space is the same regardless of the organizers’ financial status, Maurer said.
There is no specific fee for Zilker, however. It defaults to a more generic $3,000-a-day rental fee for special events that was set before the ACL Festival began, Maurer said. Back then, there were only three big events held at Zilker — the Trail of Lights, the Blues on the Green concert series and the kite festival. The trail pays no fees because it is a city-run event, Maurer said. Blues on the Green organizer KGSR does not pay fees because it produces free concerts at no cost to the city and provides its own equipment, security and cleanup crews, Maurer said. And the kite festival does not pay city fees because the organizer, the nonprofit Exchange Club, provides a free, family-oriented event, Maurer said.
Contract to rent Zilker Park for ACL Fest
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October 6, 2009
ACL 2010: Oct. 8-10
So much for fears of another rainy October. The ACL Fest Web site has already listed Oct. 8- 10, 2010 as the dates of new year’s festival.
After several years of record-breaking heat and dust, fans had begged C3 Presents to move the fest from September to October. But after the perfect day this past Friday, ACL was hit with an imperfect storm.
The University of Texas football team has a bye week during next year’s ACL. The Texas- Oklahoma game next year is Oct. 2, preceded by three weeks of home games in September, making the Oct. 8-10 weekend the first one available during the usual time frame.
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October 5, 2009
Avett Brothers top Waterloo sales at ACL
Here are the top sellers of the week at Waterloo, which includes sales onsite at ACL Fest. “AS” denotes acts which signed CDs at the Waterloo merchandise tent. This sales chart is a good indication of who killed at the fest. Last year’s top seller was MGMT.
1. Avett Brothers AS 245
2. Phoenix AS 213
3. Black Joe Lewis AS 175
4. Flogging Molly AS 120
5. Bob Schneider 118
6. Pearl Jam 107
7. Mutemath AS 98
8. Raphael Saadiq AS 97
9. K’naan AS 93
10. Daniel Johnston AS 90
11. White Lies AS 90
12. Airborn Toxic Event AS 90
13. The Knux AS 81
14. Girl Talk AS 76
15. Sara Watkins AS 73
16. Los Amigos Invisibles AS 73
17. Bell X1 AS 70
18. Blitzen Trapper AS 69
19. Ghostland Observatory 65
20. Virgins AS 64
21. State Radio AS 60
22. Dead Weather 60
23. Heartless Bastards AS 60
24. Passion Pit Manners AS 60
25. Andrew Bird 59
26. !!! 59
27. Alberta Cross AS 59
28. Felice Brothers 58
29. Deer Tick AS 57
30. Parlor Mob AS 52
31. Ben Solee AS 52
32. Michael Franti AS 51
33. Arctic Monkeys 51
34. Passion Pit Chunk of Change AS 48
35. Bon Iver 47
36. Medeski, Martin & Wood AS 45
37. Kings of Leon 43
38. Mishka AS 43
39. Decemberists 42
40. Dr. Dog AS 39
41. Brett Dennen AS 39
42. Devotchka 38
43. Low Anthem AS 38
44. Sam Roberts 38
45. Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band 38
46. Thievery Corporation 38
47. Jonathan Tyler 34
48. Todd Snider 33
49. Blitzen Trapper Black River AS 32
50. Scabs Freebird 32
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Zilker Park closed until the end of the month
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The city had a press conference today to expand on what happens next to clean up the mud generated by rain at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. The sludge will be hosed into “silt fences.” They also said there are no health dangers associated with Dillo Dirt, used in the recent $2.5 million improvements made to the lawn (paid for by fest promoters C3 Presents, who also will pay for any damages to the “Great Lawn”).
More details from today’s conference on our news site.
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Live review: Toadies
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
When the sun broke through the clouds Sunday afternoon, the massive crowd gathered at the Livestrong stage stripped off their shirts and painted each other with the ubiquitous festival mud in some tribal ritual akin to applying war paint. The Toadies must have planned on playing in the predicted downpour, though, as they opened with “I Come From the Water.” The joke was on them. Since the band actually comes from Fort Worth, they are probably familiar with the temperamental Texas weather, so a blown weather forecast couldn’t have been too surprising.
The band ripped their set wide open with the venomous “Song I Hate” and the viscous riff rock of “No Deliverance” from last year’s post-reunion album of the same name (minus longtime bassist Lisa Umbarger). It was the band’s trip back to 1998’s “Rubberneck,” though, that elicited massive sing-alongs during the “we will wake up” parts of “Tyler” and the “so help me, Jesus” parts of “Possum Kingdom,” the band’s big hit. The overhead crane camera was up and running and the video screen images vacillated between shots of the band and shots of the massive crowd crushed together in the mid-day sun.
After 15 years singer Todd Lewis still has that angst-ridden straining quality in his voice, sounding as if he was pushing the envelope of his vocal range on songs like “Push the Hand” and “Got a Heart.” The band turned in a loud, swampy set of nearly note-perfect renditions of their best songs, waking the crowd from their heat-induced lethargy and inspiring them to dance and embrace the musical and literal grunge.
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Outtakes from Pearl Jam's ACL taping
Now that I’ve gotten a much-needed shower and some sleep, I thought it’d be worth revisiting some of the more candid and revealing moments from Pearl Jam’s flat-out incredible Austin City Limits taping on Saturday night. The episode airs Nov. 21 and looks to be a whole hour of Pearl Jam, but since they played for two hours a lot of the more colorful asides and such probably won’t make it to air.
The highlights, in no particular order:
The band invited several injured military veterans from the Wounded Warrior Project of San Antonio to the taping. At the start of the first encore, singer Eddie Vedder came out to do a solo take on “Lukin” (more on that in a second) but forgot a guitar pick, so he jokingly asked a nearby audience member for one of the picks guitarist Stone Gossard had passed out at the close of the first set. At this, one of several veterans in the audience with prosthetic legs shouted to Vedder, “I’ll trade you my leg for a pick!”, prompting an “are you serious?” look from Vedder. A moment later the singer was bounding across the stage, leg in hand, while gathering up a guitar pick and drum sticks from Matt Cameron’s drum kit to give to the soldier. Vedder then autographed the prosthetic and two others before telling the rest of the veterans he’d be back after the show to sign anything they wanted. A truly endearing and cool exchange that just can’t happen in any other performing environment.
As mentioned in the review of the show, guitarist Mike McCready closed the night by transitioning from the band’s cover of Victoria Williams’ “Crazy Mary” to going solo on a crackling, feedback-drenched playing of “The Star Spangled Banner.” Couple that with Vedder recounting his five-year-old daughter making him recite the Pledge of Allegiance with him over the phone before a recent show and it’s hard to believe that during the George Bush presidency this band was assailing the direction of the country with the type of vitriol that would’ve gotten it blacklisted during the Joe McCarthy years.
Back to “Lukin”: so this barely one minute ball of fury has always been one of the weirder bits in the band’s canon, and definitely wasn’t up for consideration by most as a tune Vedder would pull out to do pretty much solo at a taping of one of the most hallowed music programs in history. But there it was like a sore thumb, with Vedder bringing a string quartet led by Austin’s Will Taylor back out to back him up, with the instructions that the tune was in E and the string players should just crank out whatever they thought sounded good. “Is that E minor or major?” one of the players asked, at which point Vedder laughed and admitted he wasn’t sure. “I don’t even know what a third is. You’re blowing my cover now.” Not that it mattered much. Vedder abused his acoustic guitar while the strings did their best to be heard above the din. One of those head-scratching moments the band does mostly just to keep itself and audiences from getting bored.
The weirdo cover requirement got met with a set-opening take on Austin native Daniel Johnston’s “Walking The Cow” (featuring only Vedder and bassist Jeff Ament) and “Driven To Tears” by The Police, a nearly 30-year-old political lament beefed up with three guitars. Vedder said he hoped the latter song will lose its social significance some day, which might sound like an ineloquent putdown but was more a lament that not a lot has changed since the Reagan years.
Recording equipment was obviously barred from the premises for audience members so I can’t do justice to the rambling monologue Vedder delivered prior to “Do The Evolution” with anything close to 100 percent accuracy. I just know it started with something about the need for human compassion, and how that’s getting lost as mankind develops technologically, and how maybe we should find a way to measure how well we look out for one another instead of using yard sticks like GDP or something, and how… well, you get the idea. After a couple minutes Vedder trailed off and admitted “… I guess I’m not really going anywhere in particular with this” before finally saying “It’s evolution, baby” and kicking off one of the band’s few enduring mid-period rockers. There’s a reason the guy’s a singer and not an orator. Thankfully, he does the first very, very, very well.
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Live review: Pearl Jam
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
- Photos: Pearl Jam at ACL Fest 2009
Around the 90 minute mark of a 10’s across the board set Sunday night - during the guitar solo passage of “Alive” - Pearl Jam singer Eddie Vedder ventured to the left side girders of the stage and peered up and down the superstructure. A moment later, he bounded to the right stage edge and did the same thing; feeling the framework before looking out on the ocean of mud-covered fans caught up in his every move and syllable.
As many as 10 years ago the front man would’ve gone ape and started climbing, probably winding up atop a speaker stack before diving onto a mass of waiting hands. Who knows if it’s because of his firmly adult age (now 44) or just a feeling of “been there, done that” that caused it, but those two moments of reserve were the only times Vedder or any of his bandmates held anything back during a two hour epic performance that should put them in the books as one of the best headlining acts ever in Austin City Limits Festival history.
Put together a checklist of what you want to see from a festival headliner and it was there: oldies (“Why Go?,” “Corduroy,” “Daughter”), well-executed new stuff (“Got Some,” “The Fixer”), virtuosity (guitarist Mike McCready wailing behind his head during “Evenflow” or any of a number of solos throughout the night), Eddie being Eddie (plenty of chat to the crowd without rambling) and covers (Neil Young’s “Rockin’ In The Free World,” The Who’s “The Real Me,” and, amazingly, Jane’s Addiction’s “Mountain Song” with Perry Farrell on vocals).
What strung all that together was Pearl Jam’s ability to change speeds in a snap and pull the right song from its nine-album canon and fire it just the right way to fit the vibe of the show. It’s what makes a transition from almost folk like “Daughter” into the first verse of the dirgy “W.M.A.” followed by the full-on stomp of “Hail Hail” not only make sense but seem completely obvious.
That adaptability comes from the band’s healthy touring regimen through its 19 years together, which in recent years has bizarrely turned it into an alternate universe Grateful Dead, where crossing Lynyrd Skynyrd with Minor Threat is the kind of thing that can get Gen Xer fans to go on the road for dozens of dates at a stretch. But thankfully that’s what happened, and even though Sunday’s two hour time limit was 60 minutes shorter than what they’re known for these days, it never lacked for immediacy or felt like there was a base that wasn’t being covered well.
So whether you were pining for a karaoke-level standard like “Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town,” lesser-known mid-period stuff (“Not For You,” “Given To Fly”) or old chestnuts (“Why Go?” “State Of Love And Trust”) it was there in full force.
Whether or not the Pearl Jam makes good on Vedder’s mid-set promise to return to Austin in a reasonable time frame (its last visit here was in 1995) few of the masses who toughed out the mud through Sunday - “You all look like a (expletive) ocean… and it’s beautiful,” Vedder offered later on - would argue the band put its stamp on ACL Fest and the city for years to come.
Set list: Why Go?, Corduroy, Got Some, Not For You (plus a verse from “Modern Girl” by Sleater Kinney), Elderly Woman Behind The Counter In A Small Town, Given To Fly, World Wide Suicide, Evenflow, Unthought Known, Daughter (with transition into first verse of W.M.A.), Hail Hail, Insignificance, Present Tense, State Of Love And Trust, The Fixer, Go
(encore) Red Mosquito (feat. Ben Harper on slide guitar), Do The Evolution, The Real Me (cover - The Who), Alive
(encore) Mountain Song (cover - Jane’s Addiction with Perry Farrell on vocals), Rockin’ In The Free World (cover - Neil Young)
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October 4, 2009
ACL aftershow review: Grizzly Bear
Brooklyn buzz band du jour and critic’s darling Grizzly Bear summoned the strength to play their second set of the day during a sold-out performance at Emo’s late Saturday night.
And this was no small feat. The affable band - Daniel Rossen (vocals, guitar), Ed Droste (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Christopher Bear (drums, backing vocals) and Chris Taylor (bass, backing vocals, various instruments) - noted that they were very tired as they expressed concern whether members of the audience that had seen them rock their daytime ACL Festival gig had received the chance to change out of their rain-soaked clothes.
The dirty, venerable indie rock club proved a much better venue for Grizzly Bear than the outdoor festival environs of Zilker Park. In fact, an old friend commented that she’d never heard the Emo’s PA sound so clear and sonically pleasing and I concurred.
On their albums, Grizzly Bear’s psychedelic, acoustic, freaky-folk music almost comes across as scatological as the arrangement often appear improvised and without complete resolution. Saturday night, Grizzly Bear lived up to the hype (and they needed to at $25 a ticket) reinventing and remixing almost all of their songs. Knocking out many tracks from their 2009 album “Veckatimest,” Grizzly Bear live was exponentially more powerful, compelling and accessible than their recordings. When the band played their earlier songs, from “Yellow House” and “Horn of Plenty,” what came across as an experiment on record finally sounded fully realized.
Bear is a ferociously skilled drummer. His powerful beats rhythmically propelled the songs to places that their albums only tease at going. And Taylor proved to be one of those cats who can get ear-pleasing sounds out of any instrument he picks up. When he wasn’t playing the bass, he was playing what appeared to be a saxophone, woodwinds and keyboards.
Mid-way through the set, Beach House’s Victoria Legrand joined Grizzly Bear on stage to sing backing vocals, adding another soprano to their already complex and multi-layered harmonies.
“We keep trying to get Beach House to join our band,” Grizzly Bear bassist Taylor jested. “I’ve asked them three times on this tour (already).”
Joking aside, Legrand’s harmonies added lush counter-melodies and symbiotic female energy. “Knife,” “Cheerleader” and their “hit” song “Two Weeks,” shot forth with staccato beats and serpentine arrangements, dynamically rising and falling all in time to Taylor’s “Smile”-era Beach Boys’ back beats.
After a brief breather, the band returned to the stage to play their lone encore, “Fix It” from “Horn Of Plenty.” The song encapsulated what Grizzly Bear does best: multiple-part choral harmonies, exquisitely arranged. You get the sense that these guys have the capability and skills to play jazz, classical or any other genre-melding music they please.
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Live review: Dan Auerbach
Dan Auerbach’s regular gig, the Black Keys, has been called garage blues rock by so many music journalists that he’s had to clarify in interviews that the band doesn’t consider itself a blues act. He’s even gone so far as to suggest that his band mate, drummer Patrick Carney, has something of a dislike for the genre.
Which makes one wonder if he struck out on his own, with this year’s solo LP “Keep It Hid,” to show the world just what an Auerbach-led blues band would actually sound like. Taking to the Austin Ventures stage with backing band the Fast Five — better known as San Antonio rockers Hacienda — Auerbach delivered a brilliantly realized 45 minutes of hard-edged, full-bodied blues rock.
With the lovelorn “I Want Some More” — in the finest blues tradition, the first of what would be many songs about women and the pain they can cause — Auerbach employed his sharp-as-a-razor voice and virtuoso guitar playing for a powerfully gritty opener. And “Whispered Words” demonstrated that Auerbach keenly understands the power of tension and release in blues, with its frequent start-stop solos and dramatic pauses.
Backing Hacienda more than kept pace, really strutting their stuff on occasional hook-heavy rockers like “My Last Mistake.” Even with the considerably loud dance mashup of Girl Talk drifting over to the Austin Ventures stage, Auerbach kept it loud, fast and fierce, with an intense performance that provided a perfect cap to a long, grimy day.
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Live review: Ben Harper & Relentless7
Ricardo B. Brazziell AMERICAN-STATESMAN
I’ll be the first to admit, I was never a knocked-in-the-head Ben Harper fan. His musical compass never seemed to settle in any one direction for any length of time, and his tastes were eclectic almost to the point of randomness, it seemed. That perception might speak more to my musical limitations than any lack of focus on his part, but still, that was Your Humble Correspondent’s take on the guy.
But I found myself drawn powerfully to his newest effort, “White Lies For Dark Times,” in which he replaced (temporarily at least) his longtime backing band, the Innocent Criminals, with a trio of Austin blues-rockers, whom he dubbed Relentless7 — Jason Mozersky (guitar), Jesse Ingalls (bass) and Jordan Richardson (drums). His new recorded songs with the group had a cohesion and structure that some of his earlier stuff seemed to lack.
Onstage, the foursome displayed a raw, blood-and-thunder punch that was almost a physical assault, at least for those of us in close proximity to the stage. Sinus-clearing bass, waspish barbed-wire guitars and relentless percussion permitted almost no time for reflection or opportunity for reprieve. Relentless, indeed.
Harper confined himself almost entirely to sitting with a lap steel guitar at center stage, but on the occasions when he strapped on a conventional electric guitar, he seemed almost like a kid let out of school. “I’m the only Californian in the band,” he exclaimed, “and it’s a true honor to be onstage with these guys kicking my (expletive) every night.”
Still, he seemed almost like a homeboy himself, delivering shout-outs to Waterloo Records and Lance Armstrong.
But mostly, he let the music do the talking, with most of the set derived from the latest album, including “Boots Like These,” “Keep It Together (So I Can Fall Apart),” “Shimmer and Shine,” “Number With No Name” and “Up To You Now.” At least one new song, the hook-centric “Rock and Roll Is Free (If You Want It)” was trotted out to the crowd’s delight.
It’s anybody’s guess if this musical incarnation marks a permanent detour for Harper (chances seem slim), but for the time being, he has re-booted his musical persona with a powerful dose of Texas rock and blues, and listeners seem as taken with the new sound as he does.
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Live review: Clutch
Ricardo B. Brazziell AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Look, I’m a homer for rock of a certain age coming from Washington, D.C., and her vanilla suburbs in Maryland and Virginia.
Clutch are from around there - Germantown, Maryland, to be exact. And they’re homers, too. The band takes the stage to the sounds of D. C. go-go legend Chuck Brown’s “We Need Some Money,” something pretty much only a band from that area would do. (It’s also a good example of Clutch’s sense of humor, i.e. they’re playing a show because they need money.)
Neil Fallon, still sporting one of the best neck-beards in rock, gestured like a ranting homeless dude when he wasn’t playing second guitar. Opening with “50,000 Unstoppable Watts,” the single from their new album “Strange Cousins From the West,” and alternating between stomping blues-pound (“Electric Worry,” “Motherless Child”) and surreal hard rock (“The Mob Goes Wild,” Immortal”), Clutch delivered such a solid set of meat-and-potatoes thunder that it reminded you how little heavy music there is at ACL.
And I could listen to that guy rant all day. A few choice lines:
“Keep calm and carry on/ reefer madness quiets the falling bomb,” from “Struck Down.”
“Holy Diver, where you at?/ There’s a woman on the hill in a wide brimmed hat With a shotgun, .44,/ And a big blood hound in the back of a jacked up Ford.” from “Cypress”
“I’m gonna build a castle out of Goodyear tires/ Cinderblock and busted doors; that’s where I’ll retire” from “Let a Poor Man Be”
“Who rides the solar cycle with no hands ma?/ Who found the Ark inside Texarkana?” form “Immortal”
May he rant another 19 years.
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Scene report: State Radio
State Radio brought its brand of socially aware and politically active songs to the Austin Ventures stage during the Austin City Limits Music Festival Sunday.
Before their evening performance, the trio stopped by the press area to discuss their new record and get their human rights message out to those who haven’t heard it before.
The 6-year-old band was happy about being in Austin and happy about being at an open-air festival venue.
“We love Austin,” said lead singer and songwriter Chad Stokes. “And this festival has a good collection of bands. We like festivals; we do well at them. Audiences here are pretty liberal. The exposure is great and, musically, playing here opens the door to other things.”
State Radio just released a new record, “Let It Go,” produced by Dom Monks in 1970s live analog fashion. With socially conscious songs about Armenian genocide and a reggae tune about human rights with emphasis on women living in Sudanese refugee camps, Stokes said it is the band’s best album to date.
“It’s more optimistic than our previous album,” he said.
When asked what led to the band’s rosier outlook, he replied, “George Bush isn’t president any more.”
The dynamic trio — Stokes on guitar and lead vocals, Chuck Fay on bass and Mike Najarian on drums — is heading out on a West Coast tour to promote the new record and will continue working on projects with their social offshoot organization, Calling All Crows. Stokes said it is important for the group to take breathers between projects and albums to keep fresh and creative.
“It can get tricky balancing music and social reform,” he said. “We need to make sure we have enough practice time and enough free time to go off creatively into left field.”
C. Taylor Crothers photo
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Live review: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
If you were among the discriminating cognoscenti who partook of the Preservation Hall Jazz Band’s set at the Wildflower Stage on Sunday night, you have a right to strut a bit. You were, after all, among the couple of thousand or so folks (yeah, I’m talking about you, you Dan Auerbach and Spearhead fans) who weren’t climbing each other’s shoulders for a glimpse of Girl Talk or queuing up for Pearl Jam. There is more to life than headline acts.
And no matter how many chart-toppers ACL books, I hope there will always be room for acts like PHJB. They are among those heirloom performers who carry the torch and maintain the foundations for all the myriad acts that populate the ACL stages.
They’re a barrel of fun, to boot. A multi-generational array of jazz men, they’ve been spreading the gospel of classic New Orleans jazz and Dixieland since Preservation Hall opened its doors in the French Quarter in 1961. Today, the group is helmed by Benjamin Jaffe, the son of Allan Jaffe, who helmed the first incarnation of PHJB. But though the players change (though the virtuosity seemingly does not), the repertoire remains a timeless blend of rags, jump blues, brass band music, Dixieland, hot jazz and American standards.
The group was tearing through “Shortbread” when I arrived, about 10 minutes into the set, and they had no sooner tied that up prettily than they lit into Louis Armstrong’s “Ol’ Man Mose.” “Tailgate Ramble” followed, as did “I Wish I Could Shimmy Like My Sister Kate,” with bassist Walter Payton taking a rare lead vocal.
“Sugar Blues” led into a long excursion that eventually meandered it’s way into “When the Saints Go Marching In,” which morphed into “Mama Don’t Allow” and even a fragment of the football Saints’ fight song (“Who dat?/Who dat?/Who dat say dey gonna whip dem Saints?”).
But for my money, the high point of the evening came a little earlier, when the band lit into the public domain standard, “Ice Cream,” and the tuba player hauled out a cooler full of ice cream bars and drumsticks, which the group tossed out to the sweaty crowd like Mardi Gras beads. It was, hand’s down, the best bit of showbiz of the whole weekend.
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Scene report: Preservation Hall Jazz Band
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band was the perfect band to close the Wildflower Center stage at the Austin City Limits Music Festival Sunday.
With pure delight emanating from the dancing audience, the eight-piece band brought the full magic and history of New Orleans music to life with energy and passion that underscore music as the universal language that tames even mud-caked beasts.
Many in the audience were unable to contain themselves in chairs and rushed to the front of the stage to dance and sing along as the first few tunes caught fire. In sweat-soaked grey suits and ties, the band members grinned at the audience and smiled at each other, happy for the chance to share their music with fans who really love the genre.
The band started out hot and ended steamy, with a rendition of Louis Armstrong’s “Ol’ Man Mose,” and their own versions of essentials “Tailgate Ramble,” “Shimmy,” “Sugar Blues” and “Mama Don’t Want.” Standouts included Walter Payton singing “Shimmy” with his head thrown back, eyes closed and a grin across his face during pauses. The man and the music conjured up every ghost great of New Orleans past in memory.
Members of the band that graced the Wildflower stage on Sunday night were Ben Jaffe on tuba, Charlie Gabriel on clarinet, Payton on string bass, Clint Maedgen on tenor sax, Mark Braud on trumpet, Rickie Monie on keyboard, Freddie Lonzo on trombone and Joe Lastie on drums. These eight men are on a mission, and that mission delivers a big slice of heaven on earth to those lucky enough to catch a live performance. They want to nurture and perpetuate the art form of New Orleans jazz. Judging from Sunday night’s performance, they’ve got the pipes to do just that.
“I love playing the music and I love knowing that I’m participating in a culture that’s been going on for hundreds of years,” Jaffe said. “When Katrina hit New Orleans, it didn’t just tear apart the city, it tore apart the culture as well. Many of our great artists and musicians have now been spread across the country. I want to make sure that we can get them back, that we can continue the music and the heritage that has been here for so long.”
Jaffe’s parents, Allan and Sandra Jaffe, founded Preservation Hall in New Orleans in 1961 on St. Peter Street in a building that dates back to the 1700s. They wanted to create a sanctuary that would protect and honor New Orleans jazz, which had taken a nosedive in popularity with the upsurge of modern jazz and rock and roll. The couple, originally from Pennsylvania, wanted a haven where New Orleans musicians could play New Orleans jazz — a style they did not want to lose.
The Preservation Hall Jazz Band began touring in 1963 and produced some big names, including Buddy Bolden, Jelly Roll Morton, Louis Armstrong, Bunk Johnson, brothers Willie and Percy Humphrey, husband and wife Billie and De Pierce, famed pianist Sweet Emma Barrett and, in the modern day, Wendall and John Brunious.
Jaffe came by his talent naturally. At a very early age, he found he could pick up almost any instrument and begin to play it. He started his professional career when he was 9 years old. Now 38, Jaffe is proud of his heritage.
“New Orleans is one of the last places where people are still born into musical families,” he said. “It’s a badge of honor. And it could only happen in New Orleans, the way jazz could only happen here.”
Payton was Jaffe’s first music teacher. Jaffe and Braud went to school together. John Bernius and Wendell Bernuis, bandleaders, were Jaffe’s uncles.
“Down in New Orleans,” a Blind Boys of Alabama record that featured the Preservation Hall Jazz Band, won a Grammy earlier this year. The band will release a digital album, “St. Peters Street Serenade,” available at the end of October that will feature five audio tracks and three music videos. One video, “St James Infirmary,” will be animated.
The band is also working on a release aimed for March called “Preservation.” The record was recorded in Preservation Hall and took more than a year to pull together. It will feature some pretty impressive names, including Dell McCurry, Jason Isbell, Pete Seeger, Ani DeFranco, Steve Earle, Blind Boys of Alabama, Paulo Nutini, Ave LaVere and Jim James. Money from the album will fund the Preservation Hall outreach program for children.
Jaffe said he was surprised at the response he got from other artists eager to work on the album.
“It’s an incredible array of artists from all over the world,” he said. “I think what brought them in was respect and admiration for the history of Preservation Hall. All of them in some strange way have a connection to Preservation Hall or to New Orleans.”
At the end of the month, the band begins an international tour that will take them to Switzerland, Sweden, Denmark, Norway, Slovenia and France.
“I like to travel, because the audiences are so multigenerational,” Jaffe said. “It gives me a very warm feeling. Parents are giving something to the child that the child loves. They are also giving the child a tradition, something that is worth something to him. Worth carrying on. That is a very warm feeling.”
Roy Mata photo
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Live review: Girl Talk
Ricardo B. Brazziell AMERICAN-STATESMAN
- Photos: Girl Talk at ACL Fest
Predictions were dire or delirious — depending on your point of view — for Girl Talk’s 7 p.m. set. The Xbox 360 stage was, by Sunday night, the muddiest venue at ACL, and Girl Talk, the mash-up project of Pittsburgh’s Gregg Gillis, was likely to be the festival’s biggest dance party. Whatever Dillo Dirt sludge that had managed to stay on the ground was likely to find its way into whatever hair and clothing had managed to stay free of it.
In fact, though, from where I stood (well to the right of the soundboard; getting any closer was pretty much impossible) the overwhelmingly young crowd was on its best behavior, though their parents might not have seen it that way: They pumped their fists, chanted along to the most profane raps, danced in place and smoked a lot of pot. (On the Jumbotron to stage left, Gillis aired footage of marijuana leaves, which was sort of redundant; no one needed any encouragement.) Some mud got kicked up, but it didn’t splash much higher than your knees.
The real insanity was onstage, where Gillis was joined by 100, maybe 200 fans, who danced and screamed while he triggered his storehouse of samples, pulled off his shirt and jumped on the table in front of him to goad the crowd on.
Though, again, the crowd didn’t need much encouragement. The fans screamed along to an impressive array of musical samples. One brief passage near the beginning of the set trotted out Bruce Springsteen (‘Dancing in the Dark’), GS Boyz (‘Stanky Legg’), Red Hot Chili Peppers (‘Under the Bridge’) and Nelly (‘Cut it Out’) in quick succession, and everybody seemed to catch every reference. When the teen-or-twentysomething girls around me sang along with gusto to Pilot’s ‘Magic,’ a bit of fluff from 1975 that I wouldn’t have thought stood the test of time, I asked Lauren Bungo, 22, how she knew the song. It was on a famous soundtrack, she thought. Maybe ‘Shrek’? (Actually, a quick Internet search reveals that it plays a prominent role in Adam Sandler’s ‘Happy Gilmore.’)
‘This is, like, all the music we listened to in junior high school and high school and college,’ Bungo’s friend Alyssa Davis, also 22, explained. ‘It’s our childhood.’
There were too many samples to list in their entirety, though it’s worth noting that Gillis drew on at least two songs associated with Michael Jackson — ‘ABC’ and ‘Don’t Stop ‘Til You Get Enough’ — and flashed the words ‘RIP Michael’ on the Jumbotron.
Though most of the mud stayed more or less where it was, this was still a first rate dance party. Gillis is something of a wizard with his samples, not only making undeniable dance grooves out of unusual material (Cindy Lauper’s ‘Time After Time,’ Elton John’s ‘Tiny Dancer’) but drawing unexpected desires from at least one member of the crowd. Near the end of the night, Gillis started looping the piano intro to Journey’s deathless radio staple ‘Don’t Stop Believin’ and, Lord help me, after a minute or so I was desperate to hear Steve Perry sing.
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Live review: The Dead Weather
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Jack White is no stranger to ACL, but the Dead Weather, his latest band with Alison Mosshart of the Kills, Dean Fertita of Queens of the Stoneage and Jack Lawrence, also of the Raconteurs, is much harder and darker than the Raconteurs. Their pre-Pearl Jam set on Sunday evening was loud, gritty and in-your-face, perfect muddy festival music. The band stretched out the songs from their somewhat under-the-radar release from earlier this year, “Horehound,” with White on drums for most of the set.
Mosshart smoked, screamed and hyperventilated on stage as Fertita and Lawrence ripped through the material. White’s drumming is forceful and competent, but he really is more entertaining on the guitar, which he didn’t pick up until the end of the set for “Will There Be Enough Water,” a duet with Mosshart that also happened to be one of the high points. That isn’t to say the rest of the set wasn’t up to snuff. Fertita held it down on guitar and on the organ, especially on the choppy groove “I Cut Like a Buffalo.” Mosshart was great on just about everything, whether standing on the monitors and falling on the ground as she sang, her energy made the Dead Weather’s performance one of the best of the festival.
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Live review: the Arctic Monkeys
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Unfortunately, it didn’t occur to the somewhat self-satisfied front man that the problem might have been more with the band than with the audience.
The English quartet took issue with a disengaged audience after three limp performances of songs off this year’s “Humbug,” including a grinding and disappointing version of “Dance Little Liar” and a technically proficient but completely soulless take on first single “Crying Lightning.” The band loosened up somewhat as the set went on, delivering a decent take on ballad “Cornerstone.”
But even on the Monkeys’ most famous song, the inevitable “I Bet That You Look Good On The Dance Floor,” Turner looked miles away. Only drummer Matt Helders, keeping time with an obvious enthusiasm, seemed excited and present, pounding out each note with a clear fervor. It’s too bad the Austin City Limits videographers didn’t linger on him more.
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Live review: Heartless Bastards
‘It’s been a while/since my face has cracked a smile,’ Erika Wennerstrom sang early in Heartless Bastards’ 3 p.m. ACL set. It’s a typical sentiment for this Austin band, which specializes in Wennerstrom’s embrace of misery — she’s heartbroken, not heartless.
This is music all about limits — the limits of love, the limits of Wennerstrom’s singing (she likes to hit the top of her range and then let her voice give out an expressive croak), the limits of her songwriting (great riffs, great lyrics, but a melodic sensibility that rivals John Lee Hooker’s one-chord songs for narrowness) and the limits of her band’s interest in rocking (they play plenty loud and tough, but rarely go for any forward momentum).
If that sounds like criticism, it isn’t, really — or, perhaps, only provisionally. There’s something thrilling about hearing this band scrabble against its limits on songs like ‘Done Got Old’ and the title track to its new album, ‘The Mountain.’ Sometimes they even pushed past them; ‘Gray’ (which Wennerstrom introduced as an ‘oldie’ from the band’s first album, 2005’s ‘Stairs and Elevators’) and the penultimate song (wish I knew the title) rocked in a way these folks (Wennerstrom and her drummer and bassist, along with a second guitarist who seems to be a new[ish?] member of the band) rarely shoot for.
Needless to say, by the time Wennerstrom thanked the large crowd who had gathered around the Dell stage for showing up, her face had cracked a big, big smile.
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Live review: Jypsi
With a break in the rain ACL goers were ready to dance Sunday, and Nashville upstarts Jypsi were on hand at the BMI stage to oblige. Siblings Lillie Mae, Amber-Dawn, Scarlett and Frank Rische take the bluegrass, country and rock ‘n’ roll hybrid of the Dixie Chicks and give it a faster (almost punk) beat laced with punchy bass lines. The four harmonize beautifully and solo on their respective instruments just as well. Frank played so hard and fast he had to cut his last solo short after breaking a string.
Jypsi’s sound is built on the radio-friendly, pop-country hooks of songs such as “Mr. Officer,” a flirty attempt to escape a speeding ticket with “just a warning,” and “Friday Night in America,” an ode to small town life. The band brought a nice slice of southern honky-tonk to the festival Sunday as the sun broke through the clouds for the first time all afternoon, an apt reflection of the band’s sunny disposition.
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Scene report: Jypsi
Bluesy (mostly) girl band Jypsi pulled in a toe-tapping crowd at the BMI stage Sunday at 2:30 p.m.
Despite the mud on their legs and in their hair, fans started smiling and swaying to the tunes when the versatile bluegrass rock band’s bow hit the fiddle strings.
The band, comprised of sisters — fiddle player Amber Dawn, lead vocalist Lillie Mae and mandolin player Scarlett Rische — along with their guitar playing brother Frank Rische, played hit singles from the past, including “Love is a Drug” and “I Don’t Love You Like That,” along with their newly released single “Mister Officer.”
“This crowd was super responsive,” said Amber-Dawn, at 27, the eldest of the Rische clan. “We definitely want to come back to Austin. What’s not to like about the place?”
The band is a veteran of SXSW and Bonnaroo, but it was their first ACL festival. The siblings were born in northwestern Illinois and started singing as toddlers, when their father decided to start a family band. The family moved to the Carolinas and eventually to Nashville. They played trailer parks in the Grand Canyon area — and just about any gig they could get as kids, building up a growing legion of fans throughout the South.
Still young, aged 17 to 27, the band tempts new fans into thinking of them as an overnight success. That’s a misconception.
“We’ve been doing this since we were born almost,” Amber-Dawn said. “It’s been a long, long road.”
Belting out lyrics like “Anything boys can do, girls can do better,” the foursome attracted a good number of young women to their audience mix. But full-bodied voices, killer blues song leads and rock-solid instrumentation pulled in a balance of testosterone.
The band slowed down a bit mid-set for a version of the Beatles “I Will” that would have given the Fab Four a run for their money. They followed the tune with crowd-pleasing, wild-paced trademark bluegrass songs. It was a bit like watching the Dixie Chicks with a dude on board.
Only fresher.
Four siblings in a band together for life — that seems like a sure prescription for altercation, but Scarlett said the band has worked out a way to blend their creative perspectives.
“We are individuals,” she said. “We always start with four different opinions. But, in the end, we compromise. When we put out a song, it’s something we are all happy with.”
Jypsi has a newly released video of “Mister Officer” out and is recording a new album with producer Nathan Chapman. The band will be touring the Northeast through mid-November, when they will begin a tour of the South with Darius Rucker, lead singer of Hootie and the Blowfish.
Roy Mata photo
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Live review: The B-52's
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Walking up to the huge crowd on hand for the B-52’s Sunday afternoon set, it was hard not to assume that most of the people were hanging around to hear “Love Shack.” It seemed the band felt that way, too. Fred Schnieder maintained a bored look for almost the entire hour, going through the motions on songs spanning the band’s career, including “Private Idaho” and the more recent “Funplex.”
Schnieder managed a bit more energy during his playful back and forth with Kate Pierson on “Strobe Light,” but despite his signature snark (“don’t take handfuls of diet pills”), it was hard to assume that he was happy to be on stage after he introduced “Love Shack,” saying that they had learned it “in karaoke.” Pierson and Cindy Wilson were more engaged on an energized “Roam,” one of the highlights of the set. The crowd did clear out significantly after “Love Shack,” many missing closer “Rock Lobster.”
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Live review: Here We Go Magic
Here We Go Magic, the latest project from psychedelic folkie Luke Temple, has itself a pleasantly self-effacing front man.
“Here’s a new song,” Temple said halfway through his band’s early Sunday afternoon set. “Well, actually, all these songs are probably new to most of you, but this one’s new for us, too.”
It takes a winningly charming songwriter to make reference to his own obscurity, but then that’s appropriate for Here We Go Magic. Between their cheeky band name and their bouncy indie pop tunes, the band seems to have adopted charm as their ultimate goal.
Although said new song was a dance-worthy indie delight with an excellent bass line that recalled the iconic riff from the ’60s “Batman” TV show, Temple struck largely to tunes from the band’s debut, released earlier this year on Austin’s Western Vinyl. He’s since been signed to Secretly Canadian and added members to the band, filling out the somewhat spare pleasures of the first album’s songs.
When the band dipped into its more atmospheric, droning compositions — as with the opening and closing songs or the slow build on the eventually joyous “Only Pieces” — Temple seemed to lose the crowd. But when the band focused on its bouncy strengths Here We Go Magic succeeded in breaking away from their amateur-hour-Arcade Fire weaknesses. And when Temple instructed those in the audience “who did know the song” to clap along on an enthused take on “Fangela,” a surprising number of onlookers knew just what to do, suggesting that Here We Go Magic’s charm is winning converts surprisingly quickly.
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Zilker's "Great Lawn" to be closed until at least Oct. 16
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Austin Parks & Recreation spokesman Victor Ovalle said the area of Zilker Park where ACL Fest is held was planned to be closed until at least Oct. 16 before the fields were turned to muck and that the area will be evaluated Monday to determine if it will take longer than that to restore Zilker.
C3 Presents has always paid to repair any damage to the park and will do so again this year, he said.
When the Great Lawn was resodded several months ago, a special, durable Tifway grass was used. Most of the mud that surfaced above the grass Saturday was so-called “Dillo dirt,” a compost made by the City of Austin from yard trimmings collected curbside as well as some treated sewage sludge. That’s why Zilker smelled so bad Sunday.
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Scene report: a run on rain gear
This ACL Fest isn’t about flip flops, shorts and T-shirts to stay cool. It’s about having rain gear to stay dry.
One local store, Whole Earth Provision Co. on North Lamar Boulevard, has been trying to keep up with the demand from Austinites and out-of-towners.
“We are sold out of our ponchos and most of our rain jackets. It’s been crazy,” Rich Lee, the store’s assistant manager, said. “Yesterday was pretty much busy all day until the evening.”
We’ve also head reports of area REI and Academy stores experiencing similar shopping trends.
On Saturday night, Lee said, the store’s general manager drove to Whole Earth’s San Antonio store to stock up on dozens of rain jackets and ponchos. Managers also called in extra employees and opened at 11:30 a.m. instead of noon on Sunday to meet the strong demand for rain supplies.
On Sunday, Lee said, there was a steady stream of shoppers, and the store’s big sellers included rain boots and sandals.
“It’s been so muddy I think people want something they can muck around in,” Lee said. “I saw the forecast and had it in the back of my mind. It has been a while since we had a rainy ACL. In retrospect, (we) could have even opened up earlier.”
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Live review: Rodriguez
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Give or take a stray performance here and there, there’s a gap of nearly three decades in the Detroit singer-songwriter Rodriguez’s music career — two albums of somewhat Dylanesque music released in the early ’70s, decades of manual labor and then an unexpected music industry rebirth over the past few years.
That gap showed in Rodriguez’s ACL debut this morning. On some songs, he and his six-piece band — guitar, bass, drums, keyboards, trombone and sax — held together, and at times even rocked with conviction. ‘Establishment Blues,’ ”Can’t Get Away’ and ‘Sugar Man’ (his best known song) were particularly strong. On the latter, the band imaginatively revamped the album version’s occult studio trickery, which wouldn’t have been possible to replicate live. Instead: trombone solo!
But on a number of songs — the opening ‘Inner City Blues’ (an original, not the Marvin Gaye classic), ‘Crucify Your Mind’ and, especially, a disastrous ‘I Think of You’ — the band kept falling in and out of step. It was hard to pin down who was at fault, but as the band seemed fine (some overbearing synthesizers aside) when Rodriguez wasn’t playing, one suspected it was his hesitant guitar strumming that was tripping things up. (Though the fact that this is not a regular band — Rodriguez lives in Detroit, the rest in North Carolina — couldn’t have helped. Nor did the feedback that plagued much of the set.)
Still, it’s something of a miracle that Rodriguez was here at all, more than three decades after he and the music industry essentially gave up on each other. ‘It’s an honor, a pleasure and a privilege,’ he said at the beginning of the set, and for most of his 45 minutes on stage, it was our pleasure, too.
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: Black Joe Lewis
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Getting over during the opening slot on Sunday on either of ACL’s two biggest stages can be a thankless assignment. Crowds can be small and insufficiently enthusiastic (read: hungover). The vast stage can be intimidating. And, well, most musicians do not relish the thought of throwing down at noon-thirty on the Sabbath.
Austin’s Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears had a simple riposte to all those concerns: a blast of concentrated, horn-driven R&B, soul and funk that jump-started both the day and the crowd.
“Sugarfoot,” from Lewis’ breakout album, “Tell ‘Em What Your Name Is!”, lit up the soggy morning with peppery horns and a lock-tight groove.
Lewis himself is a shouter, in the proud and honorable tradition of Wilson Pickett, James Brown, Joe Tex and O.V. Wright. And the band’s tongue-in-groove vibe is reminiscent of the great house bands at Stax, Duke and Chess records.
That being said, Lewis & Co. are not merely trading in nostalgia. Songs like “Big Booty Woman” “Humpin’” (metaphor is not BJL’s long suit, admittedly) sound freshly imagined and vital.
And Lewis himself seems to be having a ball romping through an R&B playground without taking the whole thing too seriously. “I’m gonna be signing (autographs) during the Cowboy game,” he said with winning self-effacement. “I hope more than two people show up!”
Then it was back to business, with the breakneck Famous Flames-styled “Bobby Booshay” and the contagiously fun singalong of “Get Yo (Stuff).” It’s the kind of stuff that would go over better in a smoky nightclub near the stroke of midnight, but Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, to their credit, made Sunday noon seem like Saturday night.
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: Suckers
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The 11:45 time slot is a tough one, especially on a very muddy (and kind of smelly) Sunday morning. It probably also doesn’t help Brooklyn based Suckers that they haven’t released a proper album yet—all of the hype surrounding the band is for the most part based on one self-titled EP, produced by fellow psychedelic Brooklynite Anand Wilder of Yeasayer. The handful of people that were there saw that the hype is much deserved, however, as the band’s catchy set, driven by their grasp on vocal and rhythmic experimentation, ensures that this probably won’t be their last ACL fest.
Highlights included “Roman Candles,” where multi-instrumentalist Austin Fisher’s nasally, slightly raspy vocals complemented punchy, syncopated percussion; Fisher’s voice nicely contrasted songs fronted by Quinn Walker, whose falsetto added a bit of tension to the songs. The band’s versatility is one of their strong suits. Closer “It Gets Your Body Movin,” one of the band’s best yet, moved from a plodding, quiet start toward a climactic finish, with various members of the band alternating between percussion, keys/effects and other instruments, including Walker, who supplemented his guitar by beating a drum with a maraca.
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Live review: Dave Matthews Band
Some 15 years after its first concert in Austin, the Dave Matthews Band made its debut at the Austin City Limits Festival. Considering the band’s massive appeal, it was a set that seemed long overdue.
Unfortunately, the band was met with the sloppiest conditions in the history of the fest. That does not mean the fans stayed away. While the crowd was not as deep or thick as with headliners from years past, considering the state of the park after a long day of rain, the numbers were still impressive, with chair people and standing fans having marked their territory for the night’s set hours earlier. In fact, the scheduling of DMB was probably perfect for the conditions, considering his large, dedicated fanbase and songs that could get people moving without much heavy lifting.
After some acoustic whispering, the band, with a possible ironic nod to the day’s events, launched into a raucous version of “Don’t Drink the Water.” No problem there, Dave. Matthew’s primal scream served as proxy for the beleaguered and drenched but appreciative crowd.
As the laser light spectacular and bass overshadowed the back of the crowd, the band tore though “You Might Die Trying,” a tune that fit the mood set by the ominous lingering clouds, as Matthews danced enthusiastically during the bands extended jams that featured the prowess of guitarist Tim Reynolds.
What Matthews lacked in lyrical poetry, he more than made up for with sincerity in the band’s last set of the tour. Many of the band’s newer tunes seemed less melodic, with less room to breathe than his older tunes, but Matthews & Co. have shown an ability to re-seed and renew their crowd over the decades, and the folks up front hardly seemed to care about the mud in which everyone was entrenched.
The set hit its apex with the extended jam of “Jimi Thing,” which had many, some perched atop their boyfriends’ shoulders, singing along in full throat, while others reluctantly, maybe spurred by nostalgia, mouthed along. The song was a testament to the fact that, while DMB produces safe, radio-friendly tunes, years ago they built a reputation as being a jam band, thanks to the group’s collective improvisational and soloing skills.
After the simplistic and cutesy “Love the Way You Love Me,” the band picked up on the energy created by “Jimi Thing” with an unexpected and strong cover of the Talking Heads’ “Burning Down the House,” apropos not just for the “nasty weather,” but the fact that David Byrne appeared on the same stage at the festival last year.
With mud people doing running belly-flops amid the hundreds that started to trudge toward the exits, the band reached back to a trio of older tunes (“So Much to Say,” “Ants Marching,” and “Two Step”) that rewarded the diehards and resilient fans who stayed until the fest’s Saturday night conclusion.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Highlights of ACL
Pearl Jam “ACL” taping. Seeing the most consistent rock band of the last 20 years straight up own the “ACL” studio for two hours was a musical moment I might never surpass. Old stuff, new stuff, Eddie Vedder being gregarious and reverential. Just about perfect.
K’naan. If you don’t want to embrace every day and be a better person after seeing this Somali dynamo, check your pulse. Magnetic and adventurous at once, the guy could teach a master class in how to work a crowd like a speedbag.
Dave Grohl drumming. Saw it twice and both times it was the highlight of Them Crooked Vultures’ still-developing sound. He’s the flesh-and-blood version of “The Muppet Show’s” Animal, I’d shed not one tear if this became his main gig as long as there’s a drums-only clause for him.
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: L.A.X.
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
If there’s any genre of music that calls for muggy and muddy conditions, it’s heavy metal. But if there were two, it would be heavy metal and dance pop — after all, a good electronic dance show has no higher goal than to get its attendees as grimy, dirty and sweaty as possible, and half that job was already done by the festival grounds themselves.
And it was in that spirit that local sextet L.A.X. played for a tiny-but-appreciative crowd, adding a bongo player and playing a mix of new material from their forthcoming “A” EP and tried-and-true club materal like “Dancin.’” Band leader Andrew Collins sang and played keys with an impressive fervor — and though usually performing under waves of auto-tune it was interesting to hear his occasionally undistorted voice — but largely yielded the floor to L.A.X.’s secret weapons: vocalists Erin Jantzen and Yadira Brown. With commanding voices and stage presences to match, they’re ideal front women who manage the difficult job of selling some of the band’s more outre lyrics — L.A.X. toss out more obscenities before noon than most bands do all day. The new material showed a marked growth over songs written for the ‘L’ EP, with better hooks and a more finely tuned electropop style.
But the morning’s standout moment came as Austin rapper and man-about-scene Zeale joined the band for “Pump to the Beat,” managing an impressive freestyle and electrifying the groggy crowd. As a man of at least 50 danced passionately in an L.A.X. shirt near the front of the audience, it was clear that L.A.X.’s increasingly energetic live shows and catchy material are beginning to pay off.
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A scene from Friday night ...
Sunday night headliner Eddie Vedder on stage with Friday night closers Kings of Leon for the song “Slow Night, So Long”:
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Zilker forecast: 100% chance of mud
Imagine getting severely beaten in a bar fight a couple of weeks after a facelift. The recently leveled and resodded “Great Lawn” of Zilker Park is a muddy mess Sunday after heavy rains and foot traffic Saturday. Walking from stage to stage is like wading through Haagen-Dazs chocolate, but it smells a lot worse.
Here’s the statement from C3 Presents:
“As a part of Festival preparations, ACL Festival organizers and the Austin Parks and Recreation Department established a plan for post-Festival maintenance. This plan includes an extended load-out period to allow time for the grounds to dry before breaking down large structures, taking extra precautions during the load-out period to protect the grounds, assessing the condition, and then re-sodding areas of the park if necessary.
While certain areas of Zilker Park may be muddy and a discomfort to Festival-goers, the grass and root system are still in tact, and Zilker Park will be restored to pre-Festival conditions after the event.”
Top: Ricardo B. Brazziell photo; bottom: Jay Janner photo
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Live review: Citizen Cope at ACL Fest
Pardon the bit, but I couldn’t resist offering up my review of Saturday’s performance by Citizen Cope in a style loosely modeled after his somehow-popular “Let The Drummer Kick” - that song made up entirely of lyrics like “Elation. Humiliation. Incarceration.”
But no celebra-shuuuuun
Whole lotta precipita-shuuuuun.
Causing frustra-shuuuuun.
And lotsa complica-shuuuuun.
Not into this musical masturba-shuuuuun.
Gotta get to my transporta-shuuuuun.
Move to a new loca-shuuuuun.
Lame, I know. But I was soaked and had to head out for the Pearl Jam Austin City Limits taping, so my A-game wasn’t in play here. Next time, though.
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Live review: Pearl Jam ACL taping
“Man, this room is great and it just drives like an old Buick.”
Apt words from Pearl Jam front man Eddie Vedder during his band’s first taping of “Austin City Limits” at the KLRU studios on the University of Texas campus. The ACL studio of course has lots of years and miles on it, while Pearl Jam now is nosing into that old guard stratum — and doing so more than comfortably if the two-hour spectacle the band put on Saturday night is any indication.
The 17 songs were, of course, kinda heavy on material from the band’s new album “Backspacer” that, while good and played with all the drive and vigor of older material, don’t feel as lived in yet. The new ballad “Just Breathe” took on warmth from the intimate setting and a string quartet led by Austin’s Will Taylor of Strings Attached (“They’re Pearl Jam for a day” Vedder wryly remarked at the start) and rockers “Johnny Guitar” and “Got Some” had all the oomph needed to make them feel at home amongst more veteran material.
An outing like this is all about the little moments and reveals afforded by a small room, though, and there were plenty of them: Vedder going on a well-intended but messy ramble about the human condition prior to “Do The Evolution”; Mike McCready closing a second encore with a feedback-drenched “Star Spangled Banner”; Vedder and bassist Jeff Ament opening the night with Daniel Johnston’s “Walking The Cow”; Vedder bringing Taylor and company out for the encore on a head-scratching solo run through “Lukin” with the instructions “Just play whatever you think sounds good”; touring partner Ben Harper joining the band on slide guitar for “Red Mosquito”; and turning The Police’s “Driven To Tears” into a three-guitar workout.
After teasing about becoming the ACL studio’s house band (with a 12 bar lounge jazz run from the band) it was on to straight-up classics like “Better Man” (the opening verse sung by the audience) and takes on “Porch” and Victoria Williams’ “Crazy Mary” that gave guitarists McCready and Stone Gossard plenty of time in the solo spotlight while Vedder did that stagger-bop dance thing he’s nowhere close to retiring 20 years into this whole ride.
Not that he needs to. Everything works for this band, whether writ large on an arena or festival stage or in the closed confines it took to fabulously Saturday night.
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Favorite ACL covers: what's yours?
Last night Dave Matthews Band really got the crowd going with a cover of Talking Heads’ “Burnin’ Down the House.” On Friday, Raphael Saadiq ripped it up with “Search and Destroy” from Iggy and the Stooges. A great cover song brings warmth and familiarity, which are great things when you’re wet and freezing and can no longer recognize “the Great Lawn” because it’s a mud pit.
What are some of the best cover songs you’ve heard at ACL Fest this year?
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Live review: Mos Def
Well, that was…interesting.
First, Mos Def took the Dell stage about 20 minutes after his 6 p.m. start time Saturday evening.
Now, a 6 p.m. time slot on one of the two biggest stages at ACL is a pretty big deal You are essentially the last act before that night’s headliner. It means the organizers, acting presumably as a conduit for the fans, expect you to own that stage with a dynamic, forceful set, or at least an emotionally involved one.
It does not mean they, organizers or audience, expect you to show up late. And it doesn’t mean they, organizers or audience, expect you to ramble over funk-jazz jams for most of your set.
Mos was nearly unrecognizable at first, playing percussion over funk vamps. This was hip-hop as jam band. So far so good, more or less. But when it he going to grab that mic and just kill it?
Well, not really ever as it turned out. Oh, he grabbed the mic, a large 50s-looking thing, the kind Elvis Presley and Wynonie Harris sang into. But he seemed a little distracted or out of it here and there, seemingly freestyling when not stringing together bits of songs such as “Life is Marvelous,” the Roots feat. Mos Def tune “Double Trouble” the one with the Bob James “Nautilius” break; see also Ghostface’s “Daytona 500”) and “Casa Bey” (“Magnetic, the flows are athletic”). It may have played brilliantly to people up close, but the volume of non-interest seemed to get bigger the further back into the crowd one went. He let us know that many things were “in the building” - hip-hop, Brooklyn, Austin, etc. (also: “building?”)
By the time the rain started again, lots of folks simply gave up on the man, mumbling about the worst set of the weekend and such.
Except then he did something so completely in the realm of “things ACL crowds like” (perhaps a subset of the popular “stuff white people like” meme) as to nearly render the rest of his set moot: He covered Radiohead’s “All I Need.” Sang pretty much all of it.
Well played, Mr. Def. Well played.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: Ghostland Observatory
A cynic could be forgiven for having doubts about Austin dance rock duo Ghostland Observatory’s worthiness as a Saturday night headliner. 2008’s “Robotique Majestique” was released to uneven reviews, and while the local electro pioneers built their reputation partially on the strength of a previous smash Austin City Limits performance, they’re unquestionably orders of magnitude less popular than the Dave Matthews Band.
But when Aaron Behrens and Thomas Turner were joined on stage by the entire University of Texas marching band, with multicolored laser lights on full blast and horns, drums, guitar and synth blending together for an intoxicating cocktail, the night hit a transcendent high that made one thing clear: only a fool doubts Austin’s kings of dance rock.
Across an hour and a half set dominated largely by cuts from the band’s “Papparazi Lightning,” with occasional forays into material from “Robotique Majestique” and “delete.delete.i.eat.meat,,” Ghostland Observatory demonstrated that they’ve honed their festival performance to an exact science.
With industrial fog machines and laser displays operating at full capacity — and it stands to be mentioned just how brilliantly timed and dazzling the show’s visual element was — the two-man team pulled in a large crowd on the strength of mesmerizing performances of band standbys like opener “Piano Man.” An enthused version of “Sad Sad City,” as close to a local music anthem as anything else produced in the last ten years, had thousands singing along note for note as Behrens whirled about onstage like a man possessed. “Heavy Heart” and “Move With Your Lover” brought the grooves, while an encore of “Silver City” was pleasantly smooth.
And just when the band’s studied stage antics and driving beats threatened to seem almost clinical in their precision, Ghostland Observatory employed the UT band to throw in that something extra and illustrate their genuine enthusiasm at having a headlining slot. For the massive crowd assembled at the Dell Stage — constantly jumping and throwing their hands into the air even hundreds of yards back from the photo pit — it was clear that their faith in Behrens and Turners was not misplaced.
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: The Decemberists
That the Decemberists would someday record a sprawling, ambitious rock opera would likely not come as a surprise to long time fans of the band. This is, after all, the same nerdy, intellectual baroque pop group that once released an 18-minute-long single based off the Irish myth “Táin Bó Cúailnge.” And the band’s arguably most famous song, “The Mariner’s Revenge Song” is an eight-minute-long original tale of revenge.
But fans reared on the acoustic folk-rock style of “Picaresque” might have been more surprised to discover that somewhere along the way, the band learned how to rock. Hard. As they took to the stage in light rain Sunday night, the Decemberists put on a heavy, tight show — less a performance and more a production — with a surprising amount of thunderous percussion and studly axe work from bookish-looking band leader Colin Meloy.
For their set, the Decemberists essentially performed their most recent album, the hour-long rock opera “The Hazards of Love” in its entirety. A whimsical story of love and fantasy with Meloy as the protagonist, it also has large roles reserved for Lavendar Diamond’s Becky Stark and My Brightest Diamond’s Shara Worden, who, with her powerful, soul-influenced vocals and fetching stage outfit, was a captivating presence. Though quiet moments seeped in here and there — as on acoustic stunner “The Rake’s Song” — the performance was dominated by electrifying theatrics from Meloy, Stark and Worden.
Though the Decemberists have always been a compelling live act, their unlikely evolution from an epic folk band to a group mixing mythology with occasional doses of hard rock has elevated them to a new level. It takes equal doses of intellect and vigor to sell a rock opera on stage — at a festival, in the rain — and the Decemberists seem to have developed the necessary chops.
Jack Plunkett photo/Associated Press
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Live review: The Scabs
Local boys the Scabs brought a little taste of Tuesday night at Antone’s circa 1998 to the Austin Ventures Stage on Saturday night. The band’s set was culled primarily from their seminal album, “Freebird,” but it looked at first as if the notoriously raunchy funk outfit was going to turn in a set of G-rated versions of these tunes. Singer Bob Schneider censored the choruses of the band’s second tune with an air horn turning the funky, James Brown inspired ode to horniness into “HONK Fever.” The air horn wasn’t working properly, though, and thankfully Schneider ditched the prop during the song’s extended ending vamp.
Without a self-censoring device, Schneider reverted to the original, vulgar lyrics for songs like “Pudding & Cheese” and another song that extols the virtues of large rumps and fellatio. I don’t know what was more enjoyable, watching the guys to my left who’d never heard the band get into the bawdy groove, or watching the young parents to my right try to decide whether they should scoop up the kids and beat a hasty retreat. Both stuck around and were dancing and singing along to “Tarantula” by the end of the set.
Guitarist Adam Temple turned a few blistering guitar solos and the horns were incredibly tight; “Pushing on the Pull Bar” and “Bombananza” sounded like they hadn’t aged a day. The band proved it still has a sense of humor with brief teases of Aerosmith’s “Walk This Way” and the “Entertainment Tonight” theme song. The band’s thrash metal send up of local grocery chain HEB got a few laughs as well.
All joking aside, Schneider and crew turned in an hour of tight, high-energy funk that held the rain at bay long enough for the most lively crowd I’ve seen at this year’s festival to shake off the mud and dance, dance, dance.
Jay Janner photo
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October 3, 2009
Live review: STS9
On record, STS9 can be pretty snoozy and obvious. On the California jam band’s latest album, the 15-track ‘Peaceblaster,’ they manage to find 15 different ways of evoking your disinterest in their funky jungle-trance-house-metal amalgam.
Live, STS9 is plenty obvious, too. Barely a second goes by that they don’t push one of your pleasure buttons with great fanfare. And their vapid melodies — essentially, a series of major-key vamps that aren’t developed, but, rather, invoked, massaged and discarded — grow thin over the course of a seven-minute song and downright grating over the course of a 45-minute set.
But, live, one thing STS9 sure aren’t is snoozy. Taking the stage at 7:16 pm amidst a heavy downpour, they quickly banished the rain and the soggy vibes that came with it, seemingly through sheer force of will. Their music wasn’t surprising, but it was amped up to a higher level of energy than they achieve in the studio, which riled the crowd up. (‘Ohmigod, I love this song,’ one liquid-dancing girl said. ‘It makes me feel so sexy!’)
The crowd threw that energy — and a lot of glowsticks — back at the stage, which seemed to rev the band up even more. At around the half hour mark, STS9 dug into a house-music-inspired track that was as electrifying as this band’s synthesis of rock and rave ever gets. The fans — wet, cold and crowded together — danced themselves into a frenzy, doing the muddy grass beneath them no favors at all.
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Live review: Airborne Toxic Event
The Airborne Toxic Event are a band from Los Angeles. They formed in 2006 and have a hit single called “Sometime Around Midnight” that sounds an awful lot like the Arcade Fire. An awful lot.
In fact, there’s a lot about the band that smacks of the Arcade Fire. There’s the name with its definite article followed by an “A” word, five or six more syllables, connotations both literary and base. (Arcade Fire recalls video arcades and the Parisian arcades that Walter Benjamin loved so much; Airborne Toxic Event is both a Don DeLilo reference and, well, a joke about broken wind.) Both bands favor suits or black clothing, melodramatic singing and rolling, epic songs short through with violin and keyboards.
Unfortunately, they’re nowhere near as willfully strange and pretentious as Arcade Fire, and while their energetic sounds seemed to foot the bill Saturday in the pouring rain, it was hard to see them as more than a flavor of the moment. Or maybe it was just that it was awfully hard to take a band seriously when the lead singer says he has no idea how the assembled crowd has every heard of them when anyone with access to MTV2 has seen the video for “Sometime Around Midnight” an awful lot.
Come on, man.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: DeVotchKa
Colorado-based DeVotchKa have been building a strong fan base for awhile; last year they enjoyed widespread success with the release of their album, “A Mad & Faithful Telling,” having their music included on film soundtracks and making high profile appearances at SXSW and various other festivals. At their Saturday evening set underneath the rain-free Wildflower Center tent, the band showcased its unique blend of Middle Eastern, Latin and American rock sounds and were even joined on stage by an acrobat that climbed two strips of fabric attached to the top of the tent, wowing the crowd with a series of flips and splits.
While the band employs a variety of instruments to achieve their sound, including an accordion and a tuba, they mostly avoid coming across as gimmicky (acrobat excluded). Lead singer and guitarist Nick Urata drove much of the music with his frantically energetic voice, although it was hard at times to make out some of the lyrics. Highlights included “Venus in Furs” and “How it Ends,” big rock songs that fall on the more contemporary side of the band’s sound; coupled with a pretty good light show, the set rivaled the Decemberists, who were playing across the way.
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ACL review: Levon Helm
It wasn’t the Last Waltz, but it wasn’t bad. Levon Helm, whose unmistakable drums and vocals were among the indelible signatures of the Band, brought his own band to town. And, unlike the relatively intimate mountain music ensemble he recruits to play his hometown Midnight Ramble shows at his home in Woodstock, NY, this bunch came loaded for bear.
He had a five-piece horn section, four different vocalists, a B-3 organ, accordion and at least three guitarists. Maybe a partridge in a pear tree (I didn’t check).
The only thing missing was Helm’s twangy, evocative vocals. Although he played drums with gusto, Helm was confined to an instrumental role.
Throat cancer almost killed him a few years ago, but a recent press release from his record company confirmed that Helm is currently cancer-free. Rather, his silence was attributed to “doctor-ordered vocal rest.”
Fair enough, but disappointing nonetheless.
Given how central Helm’s voice and harmonies were to the Band’s recordings, songs like “The Shape I’m In,” “It Makes No Difference” and “Chest Fever” sounded incomplete without him (no disrespect to the vocalists onstage intended).
It was sort of like going to an Eric Clapton concert where Eric sings great, but confines himself to playing the cowbell.
But even if Helm had never sung a lick, he would still be celebrated as one of rock ‘n’ roll’s greatest drummers. He is that rarest of birds, a drummer who swings. Chopping up the time signature, riding slightly behind the beat, playfully tickling the meter, Helm drives whatever group he’s with to play beyond themselves. And at age 69, he still works at it as hard as ever; his kit was set up at right angles to the group, and you could see his back and shoulders flex and knot as he swung the lumber.
Vocalist Teresa Williams’ version of “Long Black Veil” and a Dixieland version of “Deep Ellum Blues” (with Helm on mandolin) temporarily turned the Livestrong Stage into Texas’ largest back porch.
But the highlight of the set, to these ears, was the great (if still lyrically incomprehensible) rock-of-ages slab of music that is “Chest Fever.” With guitarist Larry Campbell kicking it off, and Helm riding the ride cymbal, high-hat and snare for all he was worth and everyone else onstage hitting anything they could get their hands on, it was a big, joyous mess. This listener wouldn’t have had it any other way.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Fashion, Ghostland style
Fans and critics always seem to take notice of what Ghostland frontman Aaron Behrens wears on stage. And for good reason. He almost always brings a dramatic flair to his stage outfit.
I just caught up with him at the side of the stage where Mos Def, currently covering a Radiohead tune, is playing and Ghostland is scheduled to play. Behrens said tonight’s outfit, replete with fringe jacket, is an homage to Hank Williams Jr. and his spectacular Monday Night Football introduction. Classic.
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Live review: Eek-A-Mouse
The sheets of rain pummeling Zilker Park around 5:45 p.m. turned the normally low key Wildflower Center tent into a jam-packed hot spot providing a shoulder-to-shoulder crowd for the beginning of Jamaican reggae veteran Eek-A-Mouse’s set. The band dropped a guitar-heavy rock groove that slid into a reggae rhythm and the bassist called out, “Are you ready for the Ganga smuggler?” Based on the thick haze hanging in the air, I’d say yes. The crowd went wild. And so the tone was set.
The Mouse took the stage clad in green and gold with a green cap he shifted from side to side. Though his guttural vocals were sometimes lost in the mix, he knew how to play to the crowd, leading regular chants of “Ganga, ganga,” and “Weed, smoke weed,” which drew enthusiastic responses. His set included a cover of Dolly Parton’s “Jolene,” a loosely politicized version of “In the Jungle” and, naturally, a slew of his own easy groovin’ material. While the crowd thinned when the rain slowed (and Mos Def started his set on the AMD stage), those who stuck around were with the man all the way. He closed his set exhorting the crowd, “Remember tonight, don’t you drink and drive, but you can smoke and fly,” while his band played a muddy thrash in the background. And when he coaxed them to call his name one last time they chanted right along.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: Bon Iver
It’s been a while since Justin Vernon released his breakthrough album, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” under the moniker Bon Iver. Vernon’s portrayal of his self-imposed isolation over a Wisconsin winter turned out to be very appealing, and since then he’s released an EP, “Bloodbank,” as well as a side project, Volcano Choir, which he began recording a few years back with fellow Wisconsinites Collections of Colonies of Bees.
The crowd at his soggy Saturday afternoon set was a testament to Vernon’s popularity. Vernon now tours with a four-piece band, a wise move that has allowed the “The For Emma” material to come to life in a more organic way. Feedback and pounding drums punctuated opener “Creature Fear.” “Flume” and “Bloodbank” both benefited from fuller rock arrangements as well, with Vernon strumming away on an electric guitar.
The band was predictably able to draw the biggest response with two of his best songs, “Skinny Love” and “For Emma,” material that, even in an unfocused festival setting, is able to get a lot of mileage from its emotional heft.
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Live review: Henry Butler
New Orleans native Henry Butler brought a little slice of Jazzfest ambiance to the Austin City Limits Festival on Saturday afternoon: Rain pouring down outside the tent, a genuine Crescent City “piano professor” holding forth inside. Any Jazzfest habitue would have felt right at home.
Butler is not as well known as other Louisiana keyboard maestros, such as Allen Toussaint, Dr. John or Austin’s own Marcia Ball. But he is clearly their equal in dexterity and power. Playing with precision and strength at a head-turning velocity (and, at times, hammering the bass registers with the edge of his hand), Butler’s playing evoked an image of a guy with a tackhammer nailing down roofing shingles at 78 rpm.
Through the course of his nearly hour-long set, Butler — who has been blind since birth and began playing piano at age 6 — led a winding tour that featured stops at the blues, soul, stride piano, boogie-woogie, New Orleans R&B and jazz. At times he has recorded them all, to the ongoing frustration of record companies who have tried to market him. After an introductory jazz/soul instrumental workout, Butler worked his way into a jacked-up version of “Iko Iko,” followed by a strutting original, “Jump To the Music.”
A playful little lick on the bass end of the keyboards eventually resolved itself (after taking the long way around the barn) into Fats Domino’s “Hello, Josephine,” while another long blues vamp and singalong took too long to get to its point.
Butler brought things back to earth with a slow and soulful version of Jerry Butler’s “I Stand Accused” before releasing the crowd back to the elements with a peppy take on Billy Preston’s “Will It Go Round In Circles.”
In point of fact, it is Butler’s music that goes round, circling past all the history and stylistic stops of the piano in American popular music (he’s been known to tackle the Broadway songbook, too). An hour was just enough to wet (no pun intended) an aficionado’s whistle.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Scene report: Random rain quotes
Michael Barnes is Out & About at the fest, asking how people are dealing with the rain:
“Garbage bags. And Tito’s vodka.” - John Semmens of California
Vijay Ravula: “How did we survive the rain? We got wet.”
Shefaly Ravula: “We thought we brought the right gear.”
Vijay: “She didn’t listen to me.”
“My 13-year-old is out there in the put having a safe ‘Woodstock.’ Fabulous experience.” — former Austin mayor Will Wynn
“And you will know us by the trail of mud …” — Jennifer Wijangco of Austin
Clayton Harrell and Sarah Caldwell (in unison): “We stayed in tents.”
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Live review: Federico Aubele
If your ACL set gets rained on — and I mean pouring afternoon rain, not the drizzles that percolated much of the morning — you basically have two options: Push back against the weather by ramping up your intensity or completely ignore the flood.
The first option really isn’t an option for Federico Aubele. His gentle music — a melange of his native Argentina’s tango, Jamaican dub and washes of ambient techno — doesn’t really give him any tools for holding back the storm. You might as well build a levee out of Lego.
Instead, Aubele (on lead vocals and nylon string guitar) and his modest backing band — a drummer, a keyboard player and a woman who sang harmony vocals and a few solo parts — did what they would have done under any circumstances: played 45 minutes worth of gentle, lilting love songs, most from his new album, ‘Amatoria.’
Aubele’s hushed intimacy held up surprisingly well in a festival setting, even as the storm grew fiercer midway through his set. A bigger problem than the weather was the pummeling guitars bleeding over from … And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead’s set at the nearby XBOX360 stage. ‘It’s like a remix,’ Aubele joked about the unintentional mashup of punishing indie-rock and breezy Latin American balladry that resulted.
As if trying to block out the noise from afar, the crowd moved closer and closer to the stage as Aubele’s set went on. Or perhaps they were just huddling for warmth.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Scene report: Rain getting old already, but Tyler kills
What started off as a fun deviation from the usual sweatathon that is ACL Fest started getting irritating by late afternoon. A music festival suffers when music is not at the top of everyone’s mind and on day two of ACL 2009, the rain dominated.
“I wish (the rain) could have waited a few more days,” said a drenched Melanie Young, 37, about half an hour into a pouring downpour. “I thought I could tough this out. I didn’t think this would be more miserable than the heat but it’s impossible to have fun when everybody is this cold and huddled over.”
Not that there wasn’t fun in Zilker Swamp. Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights got a rare ACL encore on the BMI stage with their psychedelic redneck boogie. Dallas native Tyler, a tireless entertainer always covered in sweat by show’s end told the audience, “it’s not that often that the audience is as wet as I am.” Watch for this young band of Jimi Hendrix worshippers. The songwriting’s way obvious, with songs about “Gypsy (fill in the blank) and the like, but this is a pretty amazing live act.
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Scene report: More rain, SEC football and more
As the rain started to really come down around 4:15 p.m., Irish band Flogging Molly seemed like the perfect band to have on the AMD stage.
Walking toward AMD, I observed a jam-packed tent of folks watching Georgia vs. LSU. Sure, some were just trying to avoid the rain, but many were there with the expressed intent of watching the game. Every year, as evidenced by the hats and T-shirts, there are hundreds, if not thousands, of SEC football fans at the fest. It seemed there were more Dawg fans than Tiger fans, which is kind of odd, what with the proximity of Louisiana and the number of residents that usually make it to the fest. Maybe the LSU contingency went to see piano man Henry Butler.
Maybe not suprisingly, the lines for food were almost nonexistent (excepting Hudson’s), as every covered spot at which to eat was spoken for. We bashed on regardless and hit up Restaurant Jezebel’s stand. Amazingly, or not, considering he is always on the grill at his restaurant, owner Parind Vora was actually manning the grill in the rain. Talk about commitment. His attention to detail and quality control paid off, as the chicken and vegetable skewers I had were the best meal I have ever had at ACL Festival.
In terms of clothing options, it seems tennis shoes with canvas are a bad idea, flipflops not as bad as one would think and hiking boots or galoshes coming in as the bet idea. The raingear preferred by diehard of a certain headliner? Clear Dave Mathews Band ponchos.
With the rain still coming down, some people are starting to leave, but more are entering than exiting. The beat (and rain) goes on.
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ACL dropoff point on Stratford Drive closed
The Austin Police Department had to change its ACL Fest traffic plans Friday for a passenger dropoff point on Stratford Drive near Zilker Park.
The road has been closed from Barton Springs Road to Vale Street during the festival. But officers had allowed cars to head east on Stratford Drive, past a barricade at Vale, to drop off ACL-goers at Nature Center Drive and turn around. Officers discontinued that practice Friday afternoon because of congestion and some drivers parking illegally, police Sgt. Jim Beck said.
Now, the only folks who can get past barricades at Stratford are residents who have homes up to Nature Center Drive.
ACL organizers recommend that drivers drop off passengers at the north end of the Mopac pedestrian bridge at Stephen F. Austin Drive. It’s a short walk across a footbridge to the festival grounds. Drivers should enter Stephen F. Austin Drive from the east, according to the ACL Web site.
Click on the icons in the map below.
View ACL parking in a larger map
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Scene report: Neon Indian
Low-profile Brooklyn/Austin band Neon Indian got lucky twice: Once when the Raveonnettes canceled their gig at the last minute due to visa problems,giving them a 1:15pm berth at the xBox360 stage, and once when they managed to avoid any real rain.
A bunch of the crowd, perhaps unaware that the Raveonnettes weren’tplaying, fled virtually the moment the synth-pop/rock quartet started up (an annoying high-pitched synth line surely didn’t help), but everyone who stayed got into the band’s frantic techno groove, which was a nice warmup for !!!, who had a set immediately afterward one stage over.
Extra fashion points to the band’s female keyboardist, who had her hair done up in purple with widow’s peak bangs — a riff, if memory serves, on the old British sci-fi show ‘UFO.’
In any case, band leader Alan Palomo sure won’t stay low-profile much longer.
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ACL live interview: Todd Snider
Todd Snider’s increasingly political songwriting (“Conservative Christian, Right-Wing Republican, Straight, White American Males”) crested three years ago (“You Got Away With It (A Tale of Two Fraternity Brothers)”) and peaked with last year’s pointed EP “Peace Queer.” The 42-year-old singer indulged requests (“Play a Train Song,” “Easy Money”) near the end of his Friday afternoon set on the Austin Ventures stage. “I’ll have a few drinks, thinking about what I want to play,” he says. “I’ll play mostly what I want to play, but I take (requests because) I want to be challenged, too.”
American-Statesman: How’s your ACL been?
Todd Snider: I guess I’d just say that the people who help out are being so nice. It’s easy to get around.
Are you sticking around to see anyone?
I want to see the Kings of Leon and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and that guy who plays with Peter Buck, Robin Hitchcock. But I have to leave (Saturday). I’m going to play Hardly Strictly Bluegrass (in San Francisco).
What do you like about this festival compared to others?
I love Bonnaroo and I’m not knocking it, but I love the diversity here.
The Walkmen drowned you out at first, though. How distracting was that?
I could hear the other bands, totally. But, you know, it’s not a big deal. I’m not the concern. It didn’t bother me because I could hear my sound through my monitor. That’s the hard part about festivals, though, I guess. It just comes with the territory.
You have a birthday coming up (on Oct. 11). You played ‘Greencastle Blues,’ which touches on getting older as a musician and getting into trouble. Has touring gotten old for you? Would you ever quit to take a job selling insurance?
Oh, no, I couldn’t do that. I couldn’t do a different job. Well, maybe, like Spinal Tap, I could be a haberdasher (laughs). Really, I don’t know if there’s something I could do besides this. But if I keep saving money, I might be able to just sit around. It’s an interesting question. How long do you do it? Well, I guess as long as it’s fun.
So, it’s still fun?
For me it is. I know people who don’t think it’s still fun, but I still dig it, and I still like to travel. I don’t always enjoy playing because sometimes it’s nerve wracking. Today for some reason I wasn’t nerve wracked, but, you know, every day you’re in a new town and you’re having fun and everyone’s clapping.
You’ve been doing that ‘My name’s Todd Snider and I might go on for 18 minutes between the songs’ bit for a long time now.
Yeah, I sort of go into a trance. You know, it’s funny. I’ve said it before, but not everybody’s heard it before. I always like to get that out of the way before I play. It feels like once I say that part, I can relax.
Even those who know the routine seem to always laugh at it.
I think they’re laughing because I’m saying it…again (laughs). I might say the same thing twice, but I’m not going to come into a town and be like, “Hey, glad to be in town, we stopped over here and got a soup at this place downtown that was really great.” When I talk, I like to think I have a point to make. Sometimes it comes off like a play, I guess, but I don’t want to waste that time.
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Live review: !!!
Who knew, pulsing afterhours club music would work so well on a rainy Saturday afternoon at the park?
A flock of 15-year-olds pushed their way to the front as the Brooklyn-based dance rock outfit kicked off their set, layering pulsing bass, funky guitar riffs and horn punches over an electro-conga groove. As a drizzle escalated into a downpour halfway through the group’s first song, lead singer Nic Offer seemed to revel in the deluge. He worked the crowd with a shoulder shake, hip swivel and furious falsetto. Throughout the set he tossed out ample obscenities, danced scandalously with a microphone and spent a good part of the set on the lawn in front of the stage, even jumping the barrier into the crowd at one point.
Meanwhile the band kept up the dense grooves, which smashed together elements of afro-pop, funk, punk and electronica. And the people kept moving.
Toward the end of their set Offer explained the band’s conundrum. “We’re like moody nightclub music and it’s like 2 in the afternoon. So you might want to close your eyes or something. There’s colors in your eyes.” Then the band shifted into a more downtempo groove with ambient keys while bubbles floated ethereally over the stage. Most likely it was less the tempo change than the fact that buzz band Grizzly Bear was getting ready to perform across the field that motivated it, but a minor exodus cleared the field as the band began to close their set.
Nonetheless, !!! drove it home, with frenetic percussion, blasts of horns and a beat that would not stop.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Los Amigos Invisibles
Venezuelan group Los Amigos Invisibles bring together three words rarely heard in the same sentence: Latin, disco and funk. The group rocked the Wildflower Center stage just after sundown Friday with a danceable groove that could have been George Clinton and Santana’s illegitimate love child. It was a wonder, then, that the crowd was so lethargic. I saw these guys play in the 100-degree heat at ACL a few years ago and the crowd nearly danced themselves into a collective stroke. Under the covered stage it was cool and in the mid-70s, but most of the crowd looked like they were knee deep in cement. A wild pitch bending solo from the keyboard player got things moving somewhat before the band dropped into a tease of ’90s one-hit-wonder Black Box’s “Everybody Everybody,” but for most of the set spectators far outnumbered groove participants.
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Live review: Grizzly Bear
It makes sense that it started raining heavily in the middle of Grizzly Bear’s much-anticipated set: On record, most of their baroquely-arranged songs sound like they’re being rained on. Live, the band goes for a sparer sound, so the rain and the rustle of ponchos being unfurled filled in the spaces.
And there were a lot of ponchos being unfurled — the Brooklyn indie darlings drew a big crowd, though it was clear that many of the people who showed up didn’t know the band’s music all that well; whoops of recognition rose up only for the best known songs (‘Knife,’ ‘Two Weeks,’ “On a Neck, On a Spit’). Then there was the guy standing next to me who explained to the person next to him that Grizzly Bear “are like the Pogues.” (I think not.)
As for the set itself, if you walked in a skeptic who thinks the band has some interesting production ideas but not enough good songs to hang their arrangements on (Daniel Rossen seems to have saved most of his best melodies for his other band, Department of Eagles), chances are you walked out a skeptic, too. The great songs were great — ‘Knife’ and, for sure, ‘Two Weeks,’ on which bassist Chris Taylor really impressed; some weird harmonies that I took for a production trick on the record came out of his mouth without any technical assistance — but too many of the tunes just stood there an did nothing, as did much of the crowd.
When a bunch of people left after the band played ‘Two Weeks’ — the big hit — was it because they had heard what they wanted to hear, or because the rain was starting to come down?
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: Bassnectar
San Francisco electronica group Bassnectar lived up to its moniker Friday night, almost to a fault. The sounds emanating from the Dell stage were deep and penetrating as the sun sank behind the video screens that depicted whirling break dancers splattered in digital paint. Heavy bass riffs from the band’s danceable mash-ups shook the nearby porta potties and rattled the chests of the people waiting in line well back from the stage. The band spun some classic crowd-pleasers from the likes of Grand Master Flash, Pink Floyd and the Cure as well as a few head scratchers, such as a mix of “It Takes Two” (Rob Base) and “Walk Like an Egyptian” (The Bangles). The sunlit rave reached a fever pitch when the band dropped White Zombie’s “More Human than Human” although the extreme level of bass obscured the biting guitar lick that makes that song so visceral. The band brought the level down a few notches for an ambient ending to their set that included a chilled-out remix of Roy Ayers’ “Everybody Loves the Sunshine,” a nod to all the “Grand Theft Auto” players in the crowd.
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Scene report: No wet blankets here
Despite the morning rain, afternoon foot traffic and lines at the Republic Square shuttle (where I am told people can exchange tickets for wristband) have been undeterred. At 3 p.m., the lines heading down Barton Spings Road seemed as healthy as they are every year.
I have heard more than a few fest-goers mention that they prefer rain to blazing heat. I even heard one guy tell his friends, Whatever! It’s raining … stop being a (expletive).” Easy to say now, as we are not getting spit on much, but dark clouds do seem to be threatening.
The music has as much energy as ever, with the Sam Roberts band tearing up a blazing rock set at the small Wildflower tent, a venue that should have more than a few JazzFest veterans on hand when New Orleans piano legend Henry Butler takes the stage.
!!! (pronounced chick-chick-chick) also proved that you can have a dance party in on a rainy afternoon with their hyper-energized set.
Bon Iver and Levon Helm should fit the soggy but spirited mood well at 5 p.m. and 6 p.m. respectively.
Update: At 3:41, the rain returns. Does not look terribly promising. Fans still flocking in nonetheless.
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Live review: Felice Brothers
The multitudes were soggy but, well, multitudinous. “We’re not used to playing for so many people,” exclaimed one of the Felice Brothers, surveying the poncho-ed horde in front of the Dell Stage Saturday afternoon. “Holy (expletive), that’s a lot of people. Give yourselves a hand!”
Obviously, the acclaim drawn by the trio of brothers from upstage New York in their short but prolific recording career (four albums in four years) preceded them.
Onstage, they revealed a more muscular and assertive sound than their albums hint at. A fiddle and accordion scraped and sang in alternating harmony and counterpoint, while David Turbeville’s drums modulated from a rustle to a rumble, depending on the song.
A product of the same environment that bred the Band and Bob Dylan (and yes, those comparisons must get tiresome, but, guys, there are worse touchstones), the brothers borrow some of the same back-hollow imagery, with its antecedent roots of murder, strong drink and hardscrabble origins that Dylan and Co. have often employed. “Frankie’s Gun” (that rarity, a singalong murder ballad), “Murder By Mistletoe” and “Greatest Show On Earth” are all replete with images of violence, sometimes juxtaposed against flashes of natural beauty and human frailty. “Put a pistol in my hands if we’re going out to dance,” they sang at one point, epitomizing the tension that illuminates many of their songs.
Softer moments and onstage good humor balanced the bleakness of some of the folk-noir numbers. “Cooperstown” was a wonderful mood piece that followed the shade of Ty Cobb through a ghostly ballpark. And the band was perfectly capable of rendering a heartfelt Woody Guthrie-style paean to brotherhood called “Take This Bread” and following it shortly thereafter with a song introduction that ran thus: “This is a song about weird sex in the back of a limousine. A big, white limousine.” Take that, Woody.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Rain greets ACL fans
The much-anticipated rain greeted undeterred ACL goers Saturday morning. Fans at the west entrance got their afternoon off to a rocking start as the Henry Clay People finished up their set with a high-energy, nearly spot-on cover of T. Rex’s”Bang a Gong (Get It On)” on the Xbox 360 stage.
Nearby on the AMD stage the Virgins turned a set of bouncy, shiny dance rock. (The band is from New York, but from their music you’d swear they were from East London). Lead singer (and former model) Donald Cumming struck a few Jagger-esque poses during the band’s song “She’s Expensive.”
The festival grounds were surprisingly clean; most of the main areas were free of litter as I made my way around this morning. Beer vendors looked forlornly at the teeming masses streaming past them, more interested in a chicken cone than a cold one. The rain slowed to a polite drizzle for the Mimicking Birds on the Austin Ventures stage. The band’s moody indie rock mirrored the gray skies over Zilker Park, but was a little too gloomy for me.
The swampy, bluesy sounds of Albeta Cross drew me across the park to the Livestrong stage. The band has a Neil Young, folk-rock feel with powerful drums and heavy bass riffs. The band kept a sizeable crowd gathered even as the rain picked up around 1 p.m. and finished up their set with a song titled “ATX,” a nod to the city where the band spent three months recording their latest album. Alberta Cross’ gritty, plodding Southern rock was the perfect soundtrack for an overcast, rainy morning at the festival.
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ACL live interview: Sarah Siskind
Nashville singer songwriter Sarah Siskind was one of two female artists to take the BMI stage Friday, delivering her promise of “from-the-gut” autobiographical indie originals.
The 31-year-old performer charmed her crowd during her ACL debut. Siskind, who just released her sixth album, “Say It Louder,” said that passion has been driving her in a new direction lately.
“I’ve gone through a lot in the last couple of years emotionally,” she said. “I went to Florida a couple of months ago and wrote nine new songs all at once. I’m really trying to hone in on who I am as a whole person - exploring that in music. I’m definitely searching.”
Siskind has been playing music since the age of 4 and writing songs since 11.
“I communicate through songs much better than I do by talking to people,” she said. “It’s self healing - a way to work through things.”
When asked by ACL to play this year, Siskind jumped at the chance. She fell in love with Austin during her SXSW stay last spring.
“I love the energy and the laid-back kindness here,” she said. “I took a look at the lineup, and felt a real sense of honor and pride at being asked to be part of it.”
Siskind didn’t have much time to enjoy the city this time around. She is playing Cincinnati tonight and continues her tour of the East Coast and the South during the next few weeks, with additional stops in Ohio, Indiana, Florida, Tennessee and Kentucky. While she jumps from state to state, the artist will continue songwriting, continue reflecting.
“I feel right now like it’s happening for me,” she said. “Other people tell me that my songs help them realize things about themselves. I write music to express things from my life. When those songs connect with fans, that’s a gift. That’s as good as it gets.”
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Scene report: Free compliments
Does the gray, drizzly weather today have you down? Have you got the “it’s the first properly rainy Austin City Limits Music Festival and I have no poncho” blues? Do the overcast skies have you feeling more Elliott Smith than Airborne Toxic Event?
Then Cedar Park High School students Garren Gibson and Evan Lafosse, both 16, have just the ticket for you. As part of a community involvement project for a leadership class, the pair have had the bright idea to position themselves outside the main entrance to the festival and issue “free compliments” to passerby.
“Nice shades! Hey, I really like those shorts! Totally dig your style,” said Lafosse to a smiling festivalgoer.
Gibson and Lafosse started at around noon. They chose to launch their project at the festival but have plans to do it again in other locations.
“We just want to make people’s day generally brighter,” said Gibson. “There’s so many people in the community who could use just a little pick-me-up, so we’re out here to make people feel better. It looks like we picked a good day for it.”
And so far, the reactions from festivalgoers seem chipper, as the two have become a popular subject for pictures.
“Some people take it different ways, but normally they love it,” said Lafosse.
Patrick Caldwell photo
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Live review: Deer Tick
Like fellow Rhode Islanders the Low Anthem, Deer Tick are part of Bob Dylan’s family tree, so much so that at times during their Saturday morning set, they seemed to be direct descendants of the Hawks, with drummer Dennis Ryan trading verses with lead singer/guitarist John McCauley, who was in full rock-star mode, donning oversized white sunglasses, drinking a 24-oujnce can of Lonestar and commenting on how the 11:45 set was the earliest he had been out of bed in a long while.
The set started strong, with songs culled mostly from their most recent album, “Born on Flag Day.” Opener “Easy” kicked off with big chords; McCauley’s nasally, half-asleep voice gave some character to choppy ballads “Little White Lies” and “Houston, TX.” A pumped-up cover of Lightning Hopkins’ “Shotgun Blues” was a highlight, but the band lost steam toward the end of the set as other members of the band took the lead and a cover of “La Bamba” fell flat.
Jay Janner photo
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Tonight's Live at Seaholm lineup announced
The mystery has been solved.
Live at Seaholm organizers have announced tonight’s music lineup. Check it out:
Moonlight Towers: 9:30 to 10:30 p.m.
Solid Gold: 10:50 p.m. to 12:05 a.m.
DJ Reflex: 12:15 to 1:30 a.m., then 1:30 a.m. to ??? in the VIP area
Gates — located at Third Street and West Avenue — open at 8 p.m. and only folks with wristbands will be allowed in until 9 p.m., when walk-ups will be admitted if there’s still room. Wristbands from Friday night can be used again this evening.
The party is free. Enjoy!
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Scene report: Let it rain, let it rain
Cheers greeted the first downpour of the day, at 2 p.m. just as !!! (ironically, the band whose name looks most like raindrops) took the Livestrong stage. The ACL audience, which has endured 108 heat and dust storms in the past, is not a bunch of wimps. The attitude early on is “bring on the wet stuff!”
We’ll see if they’re still thinking that way tonight.
By the way, the initial downpour lasted only 10 minutes.
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Scene report: Broken Social Scene, a night of subtext?
Am I the only one from last night who thought that, despite the pretty sweet set of anthemic rock put on by the trimmed-down Broken Social Scene, frontman Kevin Drew might have been a little less than stoked to be in Austin?
Early in the show, he made it clear that the Canadian band was doing this “for the love.” A sweet sentiment that sounded couched in a little sarcasm, however. A few songs later he mentioned how it took him 15 hours to get to Austin, letting us know that he went to great lengths to be here, and also probably hinting to the fans that they should be appreciative, damn it!
Any doubt I had about the champagne-swilling (at least that’s what the bottle looked like) Drew being somewhat passive aggressive were removed by the fifth song when he asked the crowd what they thought about their city, their state, their country! As people’s cheers kind of died, he asked, “Yea, how’s that whole ‘Yes, we can!’ thing working out for you?” A sardonic nod to Obama and America’s ongoing healthcare reform. Drew, possibly realizing his passive-aggresiveness had lost the passivity, then joked, that it was only the fifth song and we were already talking politics.
To be honest, the crowd didn’t seem to mind. With the addition of some local horns near the set’s end, the band sounded great, their epic sound backed by the amazing stacks of the Seaholm Power Plant, a perfect pairing.
Scenes from the Seaholm Power Plant:
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Live review: Them Crooked Vultures at ACL Fest
So maybe it just comes down to getting the reps. When you consider that hard rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures sprang into being over the summer and only crossed the dozen total performance mark (minus practices, of course) while partaking in three Austin City Limits-related shows this week, it’s not surprising that there’ve been quite a few rough edges fans have done their best to overlook while foaming at the mouth over the still-new band’s star power.
If Friday’s barreling thunder revue performance at Austin City Limits festival was any indication, the band (made up principally of Dave Grohl on drums, Josh Homme on guitar/vocals and John Paul Jones on bass/keys) has benefited greatly from three shows in as many days with each member’s parts linking together more smoothly than the night before.
There’s still a problem of songs like “Scumbag Blues,” “Mind Eraser, No Chaser” and “Reptile” sounding for the most part like Queens of the Stone Age (Homme’s main gig) weirdo riff rock cross pollinated with the ultra low end rumble Jones brought Led Zeppelin and not venturing too far from that template. Not a bad recipe for starters, though, and when all three (plus multi-instrumentalist Alain Johannes) locked in there wasn’t a harder rocking act going anywhere in the 512 area code.
But the real fruits of this group will come when they start venturing forward musically as a group, rather than refashioning their already established musical identities. It’ll take time for that to happen, but what’s cool is that ACL and Austin-area crowds got to see some of that progression up close and for a few handfuls of moments it was riveting stuff.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Fans prepared for the rain
The perfect day was followed by the imperfect storm. The drizzle hit today just after the gates opened at 11 a.m. and by the sea of raincoats, ponchos and umbrellas pouring down Barton Springs Road, absolutely no one was surprised. “Rain or shine” means the show goes on and nothing’s changed because of the weather except that there’s water in the air.
Where irrigation has been a problem in years past, as 65,000 pairs of feet on the parched fields kicked up dust, the concern today could be drainage, if the predicted three inches of rain fall.
One schedule change tomorrow finds Brett Dennen swapping time slots with State Radio because Dennen has a plane to catch. Brett now plays at 3:30 p.m. on the Austin Ventures stage, with State Radio following at 4:45 p.m.
Gotta go, Deer Tick is covering Townes Van Zandt’s “White Freightliner Blues”!
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Scene report: Such a deal: $2.50 ponchos on Barton Springs Road
Kimberley Weaver of Texas Coolers was selling packs of two rain ponchos for $5 at her stand next to Chuy’s. Weaver cleaned out the Dollar Tree for her stock.
Weaver was in a good mood considering that she lost five hours of business yesterday when police cracked down on vendors who didn’t have the required temporary use permit. She received the citation at 11 a.m. and sent an employee to the Texas One building for the right paperwork. After waiting for five hours and paying the $50 fee, Weaver’s employee was back and they were open for business at just after 4 p.m.
Meanwhile, the drizzling rain has not hurt the secondary ticket market, as scalpers were getting $150 for an $80 one-day ticket.
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Live review: K'naan at ACL Fest
Near the end of a nearly life-affirming set Friday evening at the Austin City Limits Festival, Somali world rapper/poet/singer K’naan asked the crowd for their “permission to set this joint on fire.” It was a turn of phrase, of course, but the cheers showered upon the charismatic singer throughout the show suggest they wouldn’t have much minded if K’naan had in fact pulled out a drum of gasoline and a match and set the stage ablaze. Honestly, it’s about the only way things could’ve gotten any more combustible.
You want to know how unhinged and effervescent this cat is? A round 2 p.m. word got out that he was doing an impromptu special guest set for the children and parents at the Austin Kiddie Limits stage. After some talks and glad handing in the media area (including a meetup with weirdo rappers The Knux that got this mind spinning about collaboration possibilities) the guy found time to write a new song (working title “Baby, Baby”) five minutes before his 5:45 p.m. set and (Why the hell not?) started his show with it as hearts fluttered to still-drying lyrics about swimming oceans, cursing mountains and crossing deserts to reach a special someone.
And that’s how it went for a too-brief 60 minutes; K’naan and his four-piece band spinning through straight-ahead world pop, rap and funk workouts with lots of stop-off points in between, like some mad scientist’s rendering of Wyclef Jean, Youssou N’Dour and OutKast’s Andre 3000 with the showmanship of any of them.
The entire exercise was a highlight, but two passages stand out; a mid-set run through the tearful recollection “Fatima” that benefited from a sparse arrangement (ie, minus the canned horn section on the still-newish “Troubador” album) and a set-closing two-take presentation on “Wavin’ Flag,” once as an almost spoken word slow burn with the audience supplying the chorus and last as a full-band-fueled celebration of life and freedom that most Sunday sermons couldn’t touch when it comes to winning over new believers.
Amazing. Simply amazing.
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Live review: Blitzen Trapper at ACL Fest
Sometimes the best thing you can say about a band is they’re perfect for their particular time and place. On Friday, as the first afternoon of this year’s Austin City Limits Festival was picking up momentum as bodies streaming through the gates, Portland’s Blitzen Trapper were the perfect band in the right place.
As the sun made one of its first real charges through the clouds on the day, there were guitarist/vocalist Eric Earley, Erik Menteer (guitar, keyboard), Brian Adrian Koch (drums, vocals), Michael Van Pelt (bass), Drew Laughery (keyboard), and Marty Marquis (keyboard, vocals) tossing off story packed lyrics and pitched melodies like were penny candy.
Chief among these was “Furr,” the title track from its 2008 album and one of the sunniest singles of the past year that drew some of the biggest smiles from the crowd and the principals on stage. Soon after, though, was the almost sinister and, yes, Dylan-esque “Black River Killer,” which added just enough intrigue and pathos without coming off as a full-on downer for the just-arrived masses.
Through their hour-long set the six piece displayed enough skill and craft to earn them a spot higher on the bill in coming years (and later in the day) than what they’re enjoying now. When that happens, it’ll be deserved but the absence of a day setting band like Blitzen Trapper perfectly serving its purpose will be missed.
Larry Kolvoord photo
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Live review: The Walkmen
The Walkmen first truly ascended to lofty creative heights with 2004’s “Bows + Arrows,” an effectively driving rock album with one of the decade’s best singles in the energetic “The Rat.” But they took a swerve with last year’s “You and Me,” a slower, darker, more atmospheric record which, at least on first impression, migh be a hard sell in the blazing afternoon of an outdoor festival.
Their solution seems to have been two-fold: limit the number of songs off “You and Me” in the set list, and play the songs they do play very fast indeed.
Fortunately, it paid off, leaving the Walkmen — in their second ACL festival performance — with one of the afternoon’s better straight-ahead rock shows. “You and Me” standouts such as “On the Water” and “Canadian Girl” were delivered with a greater speed and blistering vocals courtesy of singer Hamilton Leithauser. The crooner occasionally opened his mouth so wide he resembled one of those snakes that unhinges its jaw before consuming an animal much larger than its head.
The remainder of the set was taken up primarily with highlights from “Bows + Arrows,” including a rollicking version of “The Rat,” and choice cuts from other previous albums, including a brilliant version of “Louisiana” with an engaged live horn section. Audience members were even treated to a new song from the band’s forthcoming sixth studio album, an ersatz alt-country number with an ambling charm that suggests the Walkmen aren’t done reinventing their wheel just yet.
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Live review: The Greencards
Most bands will pepper their performances at large outdoor festivals with token acknowledgments of their love for whatever their current city may be — among live music clichés, the popular “We love you Cleveland”-esque shout-out is among the most pervasive.
But when the Greencards go out of their way to express their delight at returning to Austin, as they did on the intimate BMI stage on a cool Friday evening, you get the sense they really mean it. Partly that’s because the progressive bluegrass trio — made up of Australians Carol Young and Kym Warner and English musician Eamon McLoughlin — was formed here in 2003 before uprooting to Nashville in 2005. And partly that’s because their jam-heavy, joyous set had the genuine sense of fun and camaraderie that all the best homecomings have.
The Greencards’ 45-minute set featured a number of instrumental jams, but the band successfully avoided the dangerous trap that is the self-indulgent jam by keeping their performances brief and energetic. As each member of the band took a brief period to solo, with McLoughlin’s robust fiddle-playing a consistent highlight, an already trusting audience grew more engaged, and hand-clapping and occasional shouts of approval became de rigueur.
But it was Young’s voice, a smooth lilt that nonetheless, on striking performances of new songs — like “Fascination,” the title track off their 2009 album — and old favorites veered into surprisingly powerful moments of darkness and tragedy. It’s the Greencards’ greatest secret weapon, and though they had to contend with the sound bleed that’s long been endemic to the BMI stage, they performed admirably and enthusiastically, with the kind of tight and energetic playing a band can only have when — yes, genuinely — they’re awfully happy to be back home.
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Live review: Parlor Mob at ACL Fest
During a radio interview on Friday afternoon, prior to their set at the opening day of Austin City Limits Festival, the members of Parlor Mob talked about the direction of their in-production sophomore record, partially recorded in San Marcos. The unspoken desire to advance the band’s bluesy, proto Zeppelin sound in a new direction was a topic of some discussions, to which this reviewer can only say “Thank God.”
Tha’s because The New Jersey band might somehow have more Led Zeppelin in its DNA than Zepp workhorses Them Crooked Vultures, who count Zepp bassist John Paul Jones as a member.
Put it this way, when you can describe a band as Wolfmother only less cerebral, there’s a problem.
Before I hammer too hard, it bears saying that if Zepp, Blue Cheer and Lynyrd Skynyrd are your musicial paragons, there’s absolutely nothing wrong with what Parlor Mob does. vocalist Mark Melicia can caterwaul like few this generation and guitarists Dave Rosen and Paul Ritchie came a few furlongs within something Jimmy Page might’ve churned out circa “Presence”.
But after 25 minutes I’d had enough and was weighing fleeing to see either The Walkmen or Dr. Dog, neither of which I’d had the slightest interest in heading into Friday. Good luck with that next record, guys. You’ll need it.
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Scene report: Reckless Kelly
Hometown favorite Reckless Kelly took the Austin Ventures stage Friday night, making its fourth appearance at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Familiarity doesn’t breed contempt as far as high-energy root rock band members are concerned. They can’t get enough of the local music festival.
“How could we miss this — it’s right in our backyard,” said instrumentalist Cody Braun. “All our friends in other bands love coming to Austin to play ACL. That creates a special kind of energy. It’s a great place to play.”
It’s been an exciting two years for the band. In June, the group nabbed an American Music Association nomination for best duo or group. And in 2008, the band won Country Band of the Year — a bit of an odd designation for the group — at the Austin Music Awards.
Reckless Kelly hit Austin Friday after a gig Thursday night in Denton. Saturday night, they’ll play the legendary Hardly Strictly Bluegrass Festival in San Francisco.
The three-day stretch is typical for the band. Despite the fatigue of a hectic schedule, Reckless Kelly’s members are excited about their current work in progress — a CD honoring hard-country Idaho musician Pinto Bennett.
“This new album is giving us a chance to get back to our roots, something we’ve been wanting to do for years,” Braun said. “We’ve been around Pinto and his music all our lives. These songs will be about Pinto and the Motel Cowboys, but it’s definitely a Reckless Kelly record. There are some rockers on there, too.”
At Round Rock’s Dell Diamond in June, band members Cody, Willy Braun and Jay Nazz presented the Miracle League with checks totaling $30,000, money earned from the first Reckless Kelly Celebrity Softball Jam held in April.
The Braun brothers and Nazz are still jazzed from their philanthropic venture and plan to repeat the event next year.
“We got very lucky in that all the bands that played did it for free,” Braun said. “We got the idea when we were with friends at a ballgame at Dell Diamond and we thought it would be great to get a bunch of bands together to play ball and follow it with a concert for charity.”
Reckless Kelly will make a tour run of the southeast coast in November and then start work writing songs for a new record. Braun said the bad is also talking to Joe Ely about doing songs together for a new Ely release.
Roy Mata photo
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Scene report: Bright Light Social Hour
Bright Light Social Hour — the band that beat out 1,500 other bands in the Sound and the Fury contest, earning the right to play the Austin City Limits Music Festival — took the Dell stage this morning and began playing to a sparse crowd.
People passing by gravitated over to the field to watch the band, drawn by the music. By the final two songs, there was a cheering crowd.
“It’s their energy that’s making people come over here,” said festival-goer Martin Gilliam, 24. “I never heard of them before, but they’re good, and I like them. I’d buy a CD.”
Gilliam’s comments are a testament to the idea behind the Sound and the Fury contest — taking 1,000 or so unknown bands, letting people vote online for their favorite and giving that band a once-in-a-lifetime chance to jump-start a music career.
Members of Bright Light Social Hour include two Westlake High School grads, singer and bass player Jack O’Brien, a member of the Class of 2003, and singer and keyboard player AJ Vincent, Class of 2005.
Dell started the contest three years ago to celebrate independent spirit, said Susan Kittleman, Dell’s ACL liaison.
“We like to celebrate people’s passion and music,” she said. “So much music is heard online these days. This band got over 11,000 votes, earning them the spot at the festival.”
The 24-year-old O’Brien was one of the founders of Bright Light Social Hour five years ago. He describes the band’s music as funky indie rock.
“We want to give (indie rock) some soul again,” Vincent said.
O’Brien and Vincent, fresh from their performance, were still wired and a bit awestruck at their participation in the festival. They won the final nod from Dell at a contest at Antone’s late Tuesday evening.
“We’ve been coming to ACL for years, and now we are playing it.” O’Brien said. “Most festivals play only the artists who are selling the most records. But ACL does it right — they work to get the best artists.”
“They get all kinds of bands,” Vincent, 22, added. “They know not everybody wants to hear the same kind of music over and over.”
Along with the ACL gig, the group won $1,500, a Dell Studio XPS laptop and the use of a publicist for the weekend.
The band starts a tour in November and will soon be recording a full-length analog CD.
Will the music be what the band likes to do best — catchy autobiographical clips?
“We always write the music that comes from us naturally,” O’Brien said.
Bright Light Social Hour is focused on putting together play dates for the upcoming tour and finding the financing to record that album.
“We want it full-length, well-produced and well-funded,” O’Brien said.
Both band members are well aware that they are at the heady start of their career, and they seem to have a good idea how they want it to progress. Where will they be in 20 years?
“We want to be like the Rolling Stones, still putting on shows, but putting them on because we love the music and not because we’re hungry,” Vincent said.
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October 2, 2009
Live review: Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Karen O is a strange and complicated frontwoman. This is, of course, a large part of her band’s genius. Their headlining set was just an hour, but it was easily one of Friday’s most riveting hours. The trio-plus-hired-multi-instrumentalist Dav Pajo (Slint) played a hi-octane set part chunky noise rock, part club-ready dance fevers that made a case for them as one of their generation’s truly excellent live bands. (Giant eyeball beach balls, much like the giant eye that has become their on-stage prop this year, bounced around the crowd. This is the only way beach balls should ever appear at a festival. The end.)
At once mannered and raw, distanced and immediate, O owns whatever stage she’s on almost by default, whether it involves opening the show in a kimono covered in stylized eyes, looking every inch the fashion Jedi while singing the spare, melodramatic “Runaway” or bouncing around the stage to their brilliant single “Zero,” one of the year’s most infectious slices of neo-New Wave dance rock. She makes the most of small motions (cradling the mic, gesturing with her hands) or cheap-seats moves (spitting water into the air, stuffing the mic in her mouth). Her vulnerability during “Maps” should still make everyone with a heart a little verklempt, even if it is more acting that open-vein heartache.You want to roll your eyes one minute, dance wildly the next and give her a hug by the next song.
But she also seems to feel the need to roar out the end of every sentence - it’s her shtickiest move and serves to add another, obfuscatory layer to her performance.
Guitarist Nick Zinner and drummer Brian Chase are perfect foils, Chase with metronome drumming and Zinner with spare riffs that sketch out the song without over-playing it. He’s the Edge of New York noise rock - his music is filled with simple riffs, be they on guitar or jeys, that giver his singer’s outsitzed persona something to hang on.
The set leaned heavily on this year’s “It’s Bliz!” (“Dull Life,” the crowd-moving “Heads Will Roll,” the moving “Skeletons”) and a few older, poppier songs (“Gold Lion”). She headed into the crowd for some sing along choruses during “Cheated Hearts.”
Maybe her days of public emotional exhaustion are gone. But we still have the music. And she’s still an amazing entertainer.
Jay Janner photo
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Live review: Kings of Leon
Are Kings of Leon, who played the 4,000 capacity Austin Music Hall a year ago, a true headliner at ACL Fest?
Yes.
With Caleb Followill’s vocals and the band’s steady step forward, the band was pretty terrific at ACL, especially with ‘On Call,’ with its steady bass and drum communication, and opening number ‘Crawl.’
But the band whiffed on ‘I Want You,’ the recent album’s most engaging number, sending a bunch of folks headed for the exits. Too slow and grooveless, it was.
But ‘Use Somebody’ was exquisite, perhaps the theme song of ACL. He’s got the worst haircut in rock history (Flock of Seagulls laughs), but Caleb is a tremendous singer. The people next to me were singing along at the tops of their lungs, but all I heard was Followill.
It wasn’t magic, but it got the job done.
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Scene report: Thievery Corporation
Though the core of Thievery Corporation is comprised of the DJ/producer duo Eric Hilton and Rob Garza, their stage performances flesh out the group’s complex songcraft with a supporting ensemble a dozen members deep. Garza and Hilton presided over the group’s ACL performance on a platform above the stage, while the diverse cast of international musicians and vocalists took center stage.
Thievery Corporation’s music is best categorized by a term coined by local DJ Chicken George (who first turned me on to the group several years back): ‘jazztronica.’ They experiment with global polyrhythms, sultry South American vocalizations, sitar lines and dancehall chanting all within the context of midtempo loungey electronica. It was an apt soundtrack for the setting sun on the first day of a beautiful ACL Fest. The crowd was thick and fairly diverse. Young girls in hippie skirts snaked their way to the front, dredlocked boyfriends in tow. Well-coiffed blondes tied bellydance scarves on their hips to shimmy to the rhythms. Baseball-capped frat boys nodded their heads to the beat. Clouds of smoke wafted over the whole scene.
The subject matter in Thievery Corporation’s music is deeply political. When I interviewed Garza and Hilton in the afternoon they said that Austin was one of the smaller cities that really gets their music. Throughout the performance political references cropped up. The song “Numbers Game” was introduced as an explanation of what’s really going on with the current financial situation before kicking into a funk groove. At one point Brazilian singer Karina Zeviani bounded onto the stage chanting, ‘The people united will never be defeated.’ Austin was referenced as “an island of tolerance and peace” as the lead to the outcry for global justice on the track ‘Vampires.’
Did the ACL crowd get the higher messages and catch the revolutionary spirit of the group? I suppose its possible. Did the densely layered rhythmic grooves laced with smokey melodies make them move? Absolutely.
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Live review: Raphael Saadiq
Raphael Saadiq is one smooth cat. Rocking a black tie and a suit coat rapidly shed in the setting sun, he easily won the Xbox 360 crowd over with retro soul grooves complemented with Temptations-esque dance moves. A soul lifer who cut his teeth in the groundbreaking 80s act Tony! Toni! Tone!, his work in the years following the group’s break-up has been met with widespread critical acclaim, but limited commercial success. His 2008 release ‘The Way I See It is changing that scenario. With an old school sound that’s straight up Motown and a style crafted to match, Saadiq seems to have hit his stride.
The ACL audience was clearly sold grooving right along with Saadiq, who was backed by female and male singer/dancers as well as horns and guitar, bass and drums. When he ripped off his tie and segued into harder grooves delivering a screeching, electric guitar-driven cover of Iggy Pop’s ‘Search and Destroy,’ the crowd screamed along with him.
A consummate performer, Saadiq knows how to work a riff. He brought in the sensual love song ‘Let’s Take a Walk’ with a prolonged intro full of lengthy flourishes and pregnant pauses before sliding satisfyingly back into the horn accented old school soul.
His pipes were pure and when he picked up the guitar the man proved he could shred. But the most striking thing about Saadiq’s performance was his ebullient spirit. It was an infectious vibe that spread from the stage across the field. He introduced the song ‘Faithful’ by crying out, ‘Do you love me tonight? Do you love me tonight, Austin, Texas?’ Then he answered the responding screams: ‘I sure hope you mean it.’
There was no doubt we did.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: John Legend
This correspondent, for one, was curious to see how John Legend’s boudoir-friendly R&B/neo-soul translated to the cowboy-hatted al fresco environment of ACL. Seems I wasn’t the only one.
‘I know you don’t get a lot of R&B acts here,’ Legend said toward the end of his hour long set. ‘But I feel very much at home tonight.’
Certainly he made himself at home. Legend began his set standing on a box in the middle of the runway between the stage and sound board, serenading the rapturous crowd with a heartfelt version of Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song.’
Bounding back up to the stage, he cranked up the big hit-making machine — horn section, girl singers, subterranean rhythm section and all. And the hits, culled from his three chart-topping albums, kept coming. ‘When I Used to Love U’ yielded in quick succession to the hip-hop inflected ‘All Right,’ which segued to the creamy, seductive ‘Satisfaction’ and the glossy pop/soul confection ‘Save Room.
No matter the tempo, the number of dreamy, doe-eyed female fans following every swivel and inflection showed no signs of going anywhere for anything short of an air raid.
Legend took advantage of the open-air setting to breathe some fresh air into his ‘PDA (We Just Don’t Care),’ beefing it up with live samples of the Blackbyrds’ ‘Rock Creek Park’ and Roberta Flack’s ‘Feel Like Makin’ Love.’
Not every digression was successful. His overbearing take on the Beatles’ ‘I Want You (She’s So Heavy)’ seemed like a gimmick, and the swoony ‘Good Morning,’ with its annoying peeps of synthesizer, felt like a Hallmark card writ large.
Well, never mind. Legend was engaging and outgoing, resisting the tendency of letting the big production reduce him to just another gear in the clockwork action.
After a confessional and intimate turn on ‘Everybody Knows’ (with it’s great line, “I wish you the best…I guess.”) and ‘Ordinary People,’ Legend finished big, stripping down to a black tank top and romping through his devilishly infectious hit ‘Green Light. It was a genuinely exhilarating conclusion to a show that demonstrated conclusively that a velvet-voiced R&B hitmaker from (go figure ) Ohio could indeed get over deep in the heart of Texas.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: Poi Dog Pondering
Chicago house music (aka gay disco) at ACL? Poi Dog Pondering was suffering with a poor vocal mix at the Wildflower Center stage, but when they pulled out Marshall Jefferson’s ‘That’s the Way Love Goes,’ it got the crowd jumping up and down. Then the former Austin band followed up with ‘Natural Thing’ to keep the groove going.
It’s not like the early going didn’t have its moments; the seque from ‘Jackass Ginger’ into the rock number ‘Lemon Drop Man’ was brilliant. But due to sound problems, the set started 15 minutes late and took awhile after that to kick into gear. Guitarist Dag Juhlin was on fire, though, and his enthusiasm seemed to fuel the others.
One plus on the late start was that there was no empty space between songs, making for a wall-to-wall jam. ‘Pulling Touch,’ with guest vocalist Abra Moore, harked back to Poi’s Austin years. But the best stuff was electrified and funkdafied.
If you feel left out of ACL, you’ve got a chance to get your fill of one of the first day’s highlights. Poi Dog plays the Speakeasy tonight at 11;30 p.m. Public’s invited.
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Live review: The Wood Brothers
Chris Wood definitely wins this year’s ‘Most Versatile ACL Musician’ award, along with ’ Festival’s Biggest Hustler’ (as in ‘hustling around,’ not ‘ripping people off’).
Just over an hour after leaving the Livestrong stage following his set with Medeski, Martin and Wood, the bass player appeared on stage with his guitar playing brother Oliver.
Chris made the switch from improvisational jazz to blues & roots with apparent ease. The brothers got the crowd into a bluesy gospel revival mood with a stirring rendition of the almost-100-year-old ‘Lil Liza Jane,’ a song made famous in the 1940s by Bob Wills and his Texas Playboys. The song was punctuated beautifully by the brothers’ harmonies. Oliver has a rich, booming but syrupy voice, and for a jazz bass player, Chris is no slouch on the vocals. In fact, the qualifier ‘for a bass player,’ isn’t fair. The guy can sing.
With the brothers slapping their stringed instruments while wailing, ‘I know what it means to be senseless,’ and Oliver dancing his slide up and down the fret of his acoustic guitar, the small grove of trees in which the brothers were holding court felt like it could have been in the Georgia pines.
Oliver, with a nod to the wafting scent of marijuana, acknowledged that ‘it sure smells good out there,’ and then launched into ‘One More Day,’ with a bayside bass line that sounded like the theme to ‘The Wire.’
With the boys throwing down the blues while the young crowd up front danced along, the scene was taking on a real New Orleans JazzFest vibe. And just when you thought the brothers couldn’t take us any further down South, Chris broke out his train-chugging harmonica and Oliver put his slide through the paces for the blues tune, ‘Where My Baby Might Be.’
On this breezy afternoon, the two brothers from Georgia looked like two happy towheaded little boys with old souls sitting out on the front porch without a care in the world. As one of their songs put it, ‘the older I get, the less I know and the more I dream.’
Matthew Odam photo
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Live review: Walter 'Wolfman' Washington
Back in his hometown of New Orleans, one of the fun things to do is to go see Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington play a little uptown bar called the Maple Leaf. The stage fronts on a big bay window, and when Washington and his band, the Roadmasters, crank it up, you can look through the window and see people dancing on cars up and down the street.
Washington didn’t excite quite that level of fervor on Friday, but it wasn’t for lack of trying. A journeyman guitarist and vocalist whose professional affiliations go back to Johnny Adams (‘The Tan Canary’), Lee Dorsey and Irma Thomas, Washington has created a solid and durable body of work as a leader based on an elastic fusion of blues, soul, funk and an ineffable Crescent City groove. All of those qualities were on display during his ACL set, which hopscotched from a scorching instrumental funk track that opened the show to a sugar-sweet quiet-storm style ballad, ‘Sada’ and a nimble cover of The Delfonics’ ‘Start All Over Again.’
Playing guitar lines that managed to sound both stinging and sweetened (he’s from the T-Bone Walker/Gatemouth Brown school), Washington also took home sartorial style points, looking downright demonic in head-to-toe scarlet, from his red Kangol cap to the incarnadine patent leather shoes — and flame-red Gibson Chet Atkins guitar, of course.
One could see the band lock into place from the opening bars of the first song, tossing one another looks as the pieces jigsawed into place. At one point, a little guitar figure Washington played pleased him so mightily that he said, ‘I gotta do that again’ — and proceeded to do so. It was an oddly engaging moment, an interlude where a guitar lifer can still discover, almost by accident, why he still finds himself onstage night after night.
Larry Kolvoord photo
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Scene report: Trouble for vendors along Barton Springs Road
As I was making my way down Barton Springs Road today around 2 p.m., there were fewer vendors than normal. Turns out some city employees were patrolling the streets and shutting down the operations of people who did not have the proper permits.
At least one business had rented out its road-fronting parking spaces to vendors, and they too were told to stop until the proper permits were required.
I didn’t talk to the officials doing the closing, so I don’t know if the crackdown has come as a result of the neighborhood association or C3 intervening or the city simply deciding to play hard ball.
It will be interesting to see if the usual assortment of food, glassware and beverage vendors line the streets this evening as they have in years past.
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Live review: Phoenix
In a year filled with synth-heavy pop rock, French pop rock group Phoenix, who reportedly flew in from Paris this morning, released one of the most celebrated albums of the year, ‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix.’ Their set this afternoon on the AMD stage was more rock than pop, packed with pregnant pauses and heavy guitar licks. After starting out with an energetic “Lisztomania,” The band was sidelined by what frontman Thomas Mars deemed technical difficulties, which he tried to compensate for with a cover of fellow French band Air’s ‘Playground Love,’ which fell flat with Mars’ vocal backed by a single guitar.
They recovered with groove-heavy version of ‘Fences,’ and ‘Run Run Run,’ where a dark beat dropped into even darker rock. Guitars gave way to keys on ‘Too Young,’ which also showcased drummer Thomas Hedlund’s energy. Mars repeatedly expressed how grateful he was to be playing to the audience, which he said was the group’s largest ever. Closer ‘1901’ was a highlight, complete with Mars jumping into the audience and a false ending that gave way to a raucous conclusion.
Ricardo B. Brazziell photo
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Live review: Medeski, Martin & Wood
In the documentary ‘Icons Among Us,’ which aired on TV earlier this year, keyboardist John Medeski said that jazz musicians are never going to be given anything. They’re going to have to go out there and take it.
Medeski, Martin and Wood have been going out and taking it for the better part of two decades now, and today at 2:30 p.m. on the Livestrong Stage was no different.
The band took the stage to a small but appreciative crowd and proved to be the perfect vessel for many fest goers to set their weekend off to sail.
After an opening tune that featured Medeski playing a claviola and had the band building to a crescendo then backing off to settle into some quiet spaces, the band lit into some swampy funk on their second tune. Bassist Chris Wood switched from lilting sounds reminiscent of Jaco Pastorius to the electric-guitar-sounding root notes he played high on the neck of his bass.
That gave way to some playful Sesame Street funk, not a surprising milieu, as the band recently recorded a children’s album.
When Wood switched to upright bass, his deep notes conjured a soft breeze, and with Billy Martin toying with bells, the jam took on a Charles Mingus/late John Coltrane vibe that let people slide into the day’s proceedings.
Not surprising for a band who’s last album was titled ‘Let’s Go Everywhere,’ the guys spent the rest of their set sliding easily from New Orleans funk to Chicago blues and zydeco. The set highlighted each member’s strengths and versatility, all three playing with precision and power, not afraid to go to quiet spaces or erupt in combustible fury.
The only drawback was the longing it evoked in those of us who would like to see the trio play an aftershow at a small, dark club.
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Live review: Jonell Mosser
Singer/songwiriter Jonell Mosser might not be the biggest marquee name in Nashville, but the last thing you could call her is ‘unsung.’ Mosser, who enlivened the first day of ACL, is the possessor of a rich and soulful voice with an afterburner mode that crisped the speakers on the BMI Stage when she popped the clutch. No surprise, that, considering she has made a name for herself as a backup singer for the likes of Waylon Jennings, Etta James and Keb Mo’.
Perhaps best known in these parts for a tribute album she recorded of Townes Van Zandts’ songs a decade or so ago, Mosser is also a fine writer and interpreter, as was on display during her mid-afternoon set.
Kicking off with ‘Trust Yourself,’ a slapback rocker (and the title track to her latest album) that owed more to Memphis than Nashville, Mosser’s soulful voice (think Bonnie Bramlett or a younger Bonnie Raitt) immediately turned the heads of passers-by.
Moving between original material (the irreverent ‘Richest Daddy,’ ‘Know Who You Are’ and ‘Blessing’) and some well-chosen covers (Nick Lowe’s “When I Write the Book”and Van Morrison’s ‘Into the Mystic’), Mosser leavened her set with shout-outs to audience members and irreverent intros. ‘This song is for a man who really liked to date beautiful women,’ she said at one point. ‘Unfortunately, they were the kinds of women who like to stick nail files into his truck tires.’
Songs like ‘Boney Man’ (an homage to Van Zandt) and the rocking ‘Bang, Bang, Bang’ ran the gamut from serious to abandoned, and Mosser navigated the stylisic and emotional changes with aplomb. She deserves a wider hearing next time she comes to town.
Larry Kolvoord photo
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Live review: The Avett Brothers
Though we reviewed the North Carolina-based Americana trio the Avett Brothers’ new album, ‘I and Love and You,’ earlier this week, it’s worth mentioning their live show, as the stage is where they really excel. The two brothers, Scott and Seth Avett, as well as bassist Bob Crawford and cellist Joe Kwan, are as about as animated as a mostly acoustic outfit can get, yelling, jumping and dancing their way through songs from their two most recent albums as well the the ‘Gleam’ EPs.
They stretched things out instrumentally as well, including a raucous bluegrass coda on ‘Laundry Room’ and an extended cello solo on ‘Salina.’ The band also took a couple rock turns, with Seth Avett plugging in on ‘Slight Figure of Speech.’ The brothers stood alone on stage for the slightly sappy, mostly moving ‘Murder in the City’ and closed with the climactic ‘Perfect Space.’ While the music isn’t exactly charting any new territory, the band is very good at what they do—tight harmonies, dance-along country numbers and big ballads.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Yes, you can find ponchos at Zilker Park
Cory Davis is one of the owners of LocoStyle, a Leander-based company that sells mostly guayaberas. They’ve had a booth in the art market/retail area for the past four ACL fests. They sell some shirts, see some bands, make some new customers. This weekend, they are in the $10 poncho business. And business is good.
“We brought about 300 with us,” Davis says. “We cleaned out two Academy Sports and Outdoors stores last night.”
By 2 p.m. Friday, with 76 degree weather and harmless-looking clouds, she had already sold 60 or 70.
“People tell me they’re going to come back tomorrow,” Davis said. “I tell them, “Um, you might wanna buy one now.’”
Weekend weather predictions have yo-yo’ed all over the place over the past 24 hours, but most forecasts are now calling for a 70 percent chance of rain Saturday and Sunday, with highs in the 70s Saturday and the low 80s on Sunday.
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Live review: School of Seven Bells
Opening up the massive Livestrong stage on the eastern end of Zilker Park can be an imposing challenge even for the most energetic of bands, making it doubly difficult for a group like New York electronic shoegaze trio School of Seven Bells.
Benjamin Curtis and identical twins Alejandra and Claudia Deheza play the kind of sweeping dream pop that can be atmospheric and fascinating in the intimate setting of a club but somewhat muddled and difficult to parse early in the day at a large outdoor festival. Curtis — looking the embodiment of an emo guitarist with wispy hair and a black outfit — and the Deheza sisters seemed to savor the challenge, purposefully opening their set with some of the band’s slower, more ambling tunes, including an emotionally delivered “Connjur.” Despite a clearly engaged band — vocalist and bassist Alejandra alternated between grinning ear to ear during the lengthier solos and adopting a genuine look of concern during the songs’ angst-filled moments — the set was light on banter and frequently lost in its own waves of synths and reverb-heavy vocals.
Which is too bad, because when the School of Seven Bells managed to pair their technical virtuosity with their more rocking instincts — as on an excellent abridged version of “Sempiternal/Amaranth,” the closer to their set and a highlight from last year’s debut album “Alpinisms” — they demonstrated that they had the chops needed to thrill a large audience.
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Ray Benson helps get ACL started
Walking under cloudy skies amidst temperatures in the low 80s, music fans trickled into Zilker Park this morning to catch the first day of the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Austin icon and perennial ACL favorite Ray Benson helped kick off the fest with an energetic performance of “Miles and Miles of Texas.”
“Good morning, everybody,” he boomed from the stage. “We’re all a little Asleep at the Wheel, aren’t we?”
In his eighth ACL appearance, Benson said he likes having the early time slot. The nine-time Grammy winner was one of the first artists to appear on the Austin City Limits television program.
“It’s just the best - nobody’s sunburned yet, nobody’s worn out and everybody is still full of excitement,” Benson said. “Once you kick off seven or eight times, you’re kind of a tradition, right?”
Benson said festivals like ACL and SXSW, in which he also appears each spring, are important because they keep the spotlight on Austin, specifically on Austin music. Headed to Snyder, Texas, for a show this evening, Benson will head back to ACL on Sunday to catch some entertainment himself. He said he likes the fact that ACL brings in a hefty number of young musical artists.
“Young folks are the percolation of what’s going to happen to music 20 years down the road,” he said. “It’s important that we all do what we can to make an environment that is going to continue to be conducive to music.”
After Sunday, Benson goes back on tour across the country. His next show in Central Texas will be at Gruene Hall on Oct. 11. And after Thanksgiving, he will begin a tour with friend Willie Nelson to promote their CD, “Willie and the Wheel.”
Benson said he is happy to see many of those young musicians he feels are so important to music turning a keen ear to Asleep at the Wheel and swing music in general.
“I was a 16-year-old kid when I discovered swing,” he said. “I figure there are 16-year-old kids out there now that are interested. I’m not trying to reach the masses with my music; I’m just trying to give people some interesting music— something different.”
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Live review: The Low Anthem
It’s easy for groups playing folk/Americana/roots (or whatever label people use to characterize the music) to sound very similar. Providence, Rhode Island-based trio the Low Anthem for the most part avoid that trap, elevating their well-written but not terribly notable Dylan-inspired songs with a focus on varied instrumentation. Band members Ben Miller, Jeff Prystowsky and Jocie Adams took turns on keys, drums, stand-up and electric bass and clarinet. On one song, Miller not only played a baritone horn, but made use of feedback from two cell phones, while Adams’ clarinet kept the music grounded, especially on “The Ballad of Broken Bones.” Unfortunately, sound from other stages drowned out several songs, including the quiet “Ticket Taker.”
Jay Janner photo
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Scene report: Hudson's cone off to 'Mighty' start
At last year’s ACL Fest, Hudsons on the Bend sold just under 20,000 chicken or shrimp cones. Chef-owner Jeff Blank and the crew had the briskest early sales at the ACL food court, with Wahoo’s fish tacos and Belmont’s pressed Cuban sandwiches also getting good business.
Hudson’s Mighty Cone was born at the second ACL Fest in 2003 and was an instant hit. Blank said he opened a trailer on South Congress because of the cone’s success at the fest.
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Raveonettes stuck in Denmark?
Our friends at Austinist alerted us to a posting on the band’s MySpace:
VERY BAD NEWS!!! Due to the bidding on the 2016 Olympics, Copenhagen has transformed itself into a celebrity hot-spot. This, unfortunately means that our drummer and bass player has not been able to get an appointment at the American Embassy in Copenhagen cause the embassy is busy dealing with Obama, Oprah, etc…
We are forced to cancel our Austin City Limits performance and our pre-show at The Parish. We’re so incredibly sorry but I’m afraid celebrities and sports are more important to some people …..
We’ll post more information as it becomes available. (The band was schedule to play Saturday at the fest and tonight at the Parish.)
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ACL taping: Mos Def and K'Naan
Thursday, October 1 marked a day in Austin City Limits history on two fronts. First the 34-year-old television show was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in an afternoon ceremony. Later in the evening the show welcomed rappers K’Naan and Mos Def to the stage in the first hip-hop show ever to be recorded in the show’s history.
It was a memorable evening indeed. I’m still processing. But here are a few thoughts.
K’Naan:
In my opinion, the Somali-Canadian rapper, who fled his wartorn homeland at age 13, is one of the deepest artists working these days. He opened his set explaining “I write the experiences that were given to me. I write between the line of tragedy and beauty.” Then he spent the next hour delivering both. Launching his performance with a drum and a handclap, he proceeded to blend traditional East African sounds with everything from hip hop to thrash in a whirlwind tour of songs about his homeland, at times marked by brutal fury and in other moments full of wistful longing. Highlights include a haunting a Capella version of the song “Somalia.” The heartbreaking yet celebratory memorial to a fallen friend “Fatima.” And, of course, the infinitely triumphant closing track, K’Naan’s signature, “Waving Flag.”
Mos Def:
The Mighty Mos was in the house! With timpani-flanked drum kit onstage and a pair of turntablists at his back, the rapper threw down. Hard. The venue suited him, an actor/musician who knows how to play to the camera as well as crowd. From the thunderous drums woven with Eastern samples of opening track “Ecstatic,” the title track of his latest album, through the throwback conclusion with his 1999 track “Umi Says,” the rapper was riveting. Explosive. Whether pounding the drums while performing or laying himself bare in the center of the stage he commanded the room. He threw down rhymes, he danced a samba, he wailed for god. He vamped, playing a crazy lounge singer. He paid tribute to Michael Jackson with his own rendition of “Billie Jean”. He moonwalked. Heart on sleeve, his performance bled passion. Highlights include throwback track “Don’t Push Me,” a ferocious version of the new album’s “Quiet Dog” and the collab track with K’Naan “America.”
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Scene report: 'Star Wars' and playin' hooky ... NOT
One of the coolest moments of ACL Fest is the first, when the gates are opened at 11 a.m. and the crowd runs for prime viewing spots as the loudspeakers play the theme from “Star Wars.” This year the throngs were sprinting on grass that was as velvetty as the fairways at Fazio Canyons. The difference from last year was noticable.
The eight St. Andrews Episcopal School eighth graders who were among the first through the gates Friday were not skipping school: they had the day off for a parent- teacher conference. Wonder why more schools, such as Austin High, where the ACL flu is prevalent each year, don’t schedule an off day on the Friday of the fest.
Austin attorney Richard Suttle was chaperoning the group from St. Andrews, which included his 14-year-old daughter Molly. “They’ve been talking about Nelo all the way here,” said Suttle, as the kids, each wearing tie-dyed shirts, staked out a front row seat at the BMI stage.
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Lollapalooza 2016 is back on
Despite some last minute lobbying from President Barack Obama, Chicago didn’t get the 2016 Summer Olympics, it was announced Friday morning from Copenhagen, Denmark. Austin-based C3 Presents, which co-manages Soldier Field and was poised to handle Olympics production, had agreed to bypass Lollapalooza in 2016 to make room for the Olympics if Chicago won.
None of the three Charlies could be reached for comment, but let’s just say their ACL Fest started off on a bummer.
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Umbrellas - yes you can
No reason to panic, festival-goers. With rain looming in the weekend forecast, there seems to be some confusion about umbrellas. Bottom line: Small, handheld umbrellas are just fine, organizers say. But leave the large golf umbrellas at home. If it can fit in your bag, you should be fine.
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Scene report: Scalper prices: $250 a three-day wristband
Scalpers are not as plentiful as in past years, but it’s still early. The going price seems to be $250 for a three-day and $125 for a single day.
This being a trailer-food town, there were a lot more food choices enroute on Barton Springs Road, including a stand for Kerbey Lane.
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Live review: Blitzen Trapper and the Walkmen at Emo's
To a certain extent, Blitzen Trapper and the Walkmen made names for themselves by merging disparate elements to create music that stood out; after an album or two, both bands evolved away from their beginnings to a more focused, mature spot.
On 2007’s “Wild Mountain Nation,” Blitzen Trapper won new fans and positive reviews by placing noisy, lo-fi indie rock on equal footing with country-infused classic rock. They left the fuzz behind with their follow-up, the well-received “Furr” and the “Black River Killer” EP. The band’s evolution was on display Thursday night at Emo’s. Though briefly taking forays into darker hard rock on “Love U,” they were at their best when they found the groove, especially on the organ-driven “Sleepytime in the Western World” and “Fire and Fast Bullets.” Lead singer/guitarist Eric Early similarly shined in folk-rock troubadour mode on “Furr” and a few others where he donned a harmonica as he strummed and sang.
Like Blitzen Trapper, the Walkmen won at lot of fans with their 2004 album “Bows and Arrows,” on which the band showed they are capable of weaving together a harder, more abstract sound with a pop sensibility. They have mellowed since then, with the release of “You and Me,” which might be their strongest to date, in 2008. On Thursday night the band’s setlist drew from several of their albums, going big with “Little House of Savages” bringing out a horn section on “Red Moon,” which, like many of the other songs in the set, served as a reminder that frontman Hamilton Leithauser can really, really sing. They threw in “The Rat,” too, which is fun and gets the biggest response, but is no longer necessary.
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Review: Them Crooked Vultures at Stubb's
Can we maybe think about retiring the term “supergroup”? It’s such a slippery superlative, one that clumsily and inadvertently confers greatness onto any group of previously unaligned but accomplished musicians.
Take the new and buzzy as hell Them Crooked Vultures, for example. Throw Foo Fighter/drum god Dave Grohl, Queens of the Stone Age honcho Josh Homme and John Paul Jones (no intro needed) onto a stage and you’ve instantly got one of the coolest and most interesting groups out there rocking faces off. But super? Not yet.
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October 1, 2009
Live review: Them Crooked Vultures ACL taping
You have to hand it to Dave Grohl. His post-Nirvana career has turned into one long game of doing whatever cool musical thing pops into his head.
He leads, sings, plays guitar and song-writes for his full-time band, Foo Fighters, which is nearing the 15 year mark. He’s guest drummed on full-albums by bands he likes (Queens of the Stone Age, Killing Joke) and played fantasty heavy metal camp on the Dave + a-whole lot-of-extreme- music-dudes album Probot. Now he’s playing in a Cream-esque “supergroup” called Them Crooked Vultures with Queens guitarist Josh Homme and Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones.
Jones is an interesting case - he’s the one member of Led Zeppelin who didn’t make questionable career moves post-Zep by, for examples, dying tragically (John Bonham), playing in the Firm (Jimmy Page) or naming an album “Now & Zen” (Robert Plant).
Jones became a producer, making records with interesting bands (Butthole Surfers, Diamanda Galas) and generally keeping a comparatively lowish profile.
So seeing these three guys play together, two of them doing things in public they don’t do much anymore (Grohl drumming, Jones playing bass) was thrilling apart from the music they made. It also lent a buit of weight to the taping itself, the first time an unsigned band has recorded an Austin City Limits set, which they did Wednesday night. It was certainly the first time a band was playing its ninth-ever gig for the program.
Oh, the songs? Well, they sounded like the sum of their parts - essentially Queens of the Stone Age style riffs blended with a large helping of everything loud Led Zeppelin did well - blues here, art-rock there, rolling thunder everywhere.
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ACL 2009 Preview: Phoenix
This isn’t French pop quartet Phoenix’s first rodeo — childhood friends who grew up in the Paris suburb of Versailles, they’ve been active under their current name for 13 years and played together in various configurations for even longer. Across three albums of infectious pop — 2000’s “United,” 2004’s “Alphabetical” and 2006’s daring and challenging “It’s Never Been Like That” — the quartet developed a reputation for penning the kind of songs that got stuck in your head.
But this year has brought the band a tidal wave of hype and adulation, with their fourth studio album, “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix,” a collection of 10 fiendishly hook-heavy rockers, garnering universally glowing reviews and landing the band performances on seemingly every late-night talk show on network television. In the midst of a sold-out U.S. tour, guitarist Laurent Brancowitz spoke to us about their unlikely recent success, the trials of a French band that chooses to sing in English and the importance of friendship to the group’s work.
American-Statesman: The release of “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” seems like it’s brought you to a whole different level of critical acclaim and popularity. From where you’re sitting, have you noticed a shift in the kind of attention you’re receiving?
Laurent Brancowitz: Yes, for sure. In New York, the reaction was so crazy, and of course there was “Saturday Night Live” and all that. We’ve done a lot of shows on this tour and they were all packed and it was a really good feeling. We weren’t expecting it so the surprise was even bigger. We really thought this album was weird and strange. When we were making it we were talking about making it very French and very Parisian and having songs about Franz Liszt and being very futuristic in its sound and all that. We felt it was very complicated and all the songs were very complex. But actually it has been the album that has touched the most people, which is amazing.
You started out writing “Wolfgang”’s songs on a houseboat on the Seine River in Paris. What was the idea behind that, and what was the experience like?
The idea was to find a place that had romantic qualities. Because when we are touring we do not really write songs. We need a very long moment to just be in the right state of mind, and it was a good way to do that. We knew that we had to do the writing in France, and we wanted to do a very European album, so we went to the most French place ever, right under the Eiffel Tower, and we stayed there for two months. But some of us got seasick, so we could not stay. They were not very productive months necessarily but it put us in the right state of mind. We did the rest of the writing in a hotel room in New York.
There was a decent amount of time between “It’s Never Been Like That” and “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” — did you take that break to figure out what specific ideas you wanted to pursue on your fourth album?
We always need lots of time on an album. Our song writing and recording style is to do everything together, so it can be a very long process and hard to find a proper way to record. But the way we work is, we wait for something surprising to happen. The best thing you can do is let chaos be the ruler of the creative process. We knew we wanted a long instrumental in the middle of the album, which became “Love Like A Sunset,” but other than that you try never to have a plan. We had a vague desire to do something special but after a while, we forget all those things and just let things happen. The main thing is to forget about your plans. Let unexpected things happen.
The first single and first song off the album, “Lisztomania,” is named for Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt. He’s a tremendously unlikely subject for a pop song but it works very well — what was the idea behind selecting him as a song subject?
A lot of things made it feel very attractive, like a big magnet. We love the fact that Franz Liszt’s story was very old European culture but felt very modern and connected to the things that happen in the present. It was too good to resist. The lyrics are about the loneliness of the person that’s on stage. That was a thing we could relate to.
Phoenix, Air and Daft Punk all emerged from Versailles at about the same time, and obviously all of you were associated and had played together. All three of you have gone on to very successful careers. Was there something about the music scene in Versailles at the time that made it so fertile?
I think the key factor was that there wasn’t anything for young people going on at that time. So this isolation, it created a very strong bond between musicians. And we spent so much time together and we shared the same records for so many years and got excited about the same music. I would say that it was really a matter of being so bored that there was nothing else to do, so we met each other and we worked very hard trying to create music that mirrored the music that we listened to, so that there would be something there for us.
Phoenix has always chosen to write its songs in English. How has that gone over with French audiences?
It was kind of difficult for us in the beginning. When we were looking for a record company, everybody told us it wouldn’t be possible to sign a French band that sang in English. But all our favorite bands were from the U.S. or England and English is the universal language of popular music, like Latin was the musical language of the Middle Age. It’s just a convention. But French people’s sense of their language is very proud and they think the songs on the radio should be in French. So it was rough in the beginning. But even then we’ve always had an audience in France, and now they are very warm toward us. We have managed to conquer the French heart, I guess.
Phoenix has been together in varying forms since 1993 — is it hard to still get along and still be creative with one another after this many years?
You know, we are friends more than colleagues, so it makes our working relationship very unprofessional. Everything we do we try to do in a very amateur way, and we succeed in that. We are not the most mature band in the world, but it’s very important to keep it fresh and feel the same excitement when we are playing or creating a new song as we did years ago. And that’s the thing that makes it all work. Those moments of magic that you share with your best friends make it all worthwhile. We know it’s precious and since the very beginning we knew the most important thing was to keep this naïve friendship going. We knew it would be hard but we knew it was the most important thing.
Phoenix will perform on Friday Oct. 2 at 4:30 p.m. on the AMD stage.
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ACL airport box office: "Best idea ever"
The 8th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival got off on the right foot for hundreds of Austin Bergstrom International Airport travelers who were able to exchange their tickets for three-day wristbands Thursday at a makeshift Frontgate Tickets box office next to baggage claim.
“This is the best idea ever,” said Jose Cruz of Orlando, Fla. an ACL first-timer who stood in a short line with his friends Eamon Waters and Linda Agosto. “This is one less thing we have to worry about,” said Waters, who was impressed with the live music he heard after deplaning. “We can just enjoy Austin today and stroll right in (to ACL) tomorrow.”
The convenience went a long way with Seattle’s Mike Butler and Laura Noble. “We had to wait for our bags anyway, so we didn’t lose any time,” said Noble, who kept an eye on the baggage claim carousel fifteen feet away.
Brittani Graswich of Dallas picked up four wristbands for her and her friends who were flying in from Seattle on a later flight. She was the ninth person in line, but with each transaction lasting less than a minute, as the two agents scanned the bar codes on hard tickets or computer printouts, she had her wristbands in just over three minutes of waiting. “My friends are supposed to land any minute now,” she said, as she went off to look for them, holding the wristband stems like they were a welcome boquet.
A pair of women tried to buy wristbands at the airport, but were told they were for exchange only. ACL Fest has been sold out for six weeks.
ACL Fest started the airport box office as an innovative customer service touch last year. Jack McCarty of Frontgate said the line had been steady since noon. The longest waits in the late afternoon were about 10 minutes. The ABIA box office will be open from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m. Friday.
Barry Hatfield of New York isn’t attending ACL Fest this year, but turned in a computer printout of a ticket for a wristband for his cousin, who was picking him up at the airport. “This is so easy, I wonder if some people who live in Austin would just come out to the airport to get their wristbands if they knew about it.”
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How to network at ACL without ruining the fun
Thom Singer, an Austin author and networking guru, says that while you take in the music, you can also do a little networking at ACL - as long you’re careful to not get booed out of the park.
Here are Singer’s tips:
Keep the networking to people you already know.
Be relaxed and friendly, this is a social event, not a business dinner.
If you see a client, prospect, or someone who could help you in a job search…be sure to talk to them. Just waving at them does not build the relationship.
Do not bring up business.
Ask them questions about what bands they have seen, and what they are planning to see.
Listen to them. Get them talking.
Connect. Meet their friends and family, but also be aware of their body language … as if they want to move on … do NOT trap them in conversation.
This is not the venue to remind them of the job opening or the pending contract, but it is OK to tell them you will follow up next week.
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ACL 2009 Preview: Alela Diane
Tom Menig worked as a dental laboratory technician in Nevada City, a sleepy, artistically inclined former mining community in Northern California, but music was always his real passion. The guitarist performed in regional folk festivals, had his own studio and played in a Grateful Dead cover band, the Deadbeats. Today, at 52, he has at last abandoned his day job, touring across Europe and living his dream — as his daughter’s guitarist.
Menig is the father of up-and-coming folk chanteuse Alela Diane Menig, a skilled acoustic purveyor of dark, spare Americana awash in chilly imagery and evocative lyricism. He and his then-wife reared their daughter on bluegrass music and brought her along with them to festivals and community radio station performances. Now, in the wake of Alela’s increasing success after the release of two haunting, powerful albums — 2006’s “The Pirate’s Gospel” and this year’s “To Be Still” — she’s returned the favor, calling on her father to play in her touring band and on her albums as she works her way through Europe.
“He’s a really easy-going person, and he always has a positive attitude. When you’re in really close quarters with a lot of people it’s nice to have someone who is always looking on the bright side,” said Alela, 26, by phone from Berlin “And he watches over me, in a sense. It feels more like home when Dad’s on the road.”
Music surrounded Alela throughout her childhood and adolescence. And though she participated in choir at an early age — an experience she now credits for her ability to recognize and parse the kind of harmonies and vocal complexities she’s mastered on her albums — she never quite shared her parents’ affinity for performing or songwriting. Though she experimented with the acoustic guitar in high school, she had no commitment to the instrument.
All of which changed after she left high school and set out for college in San Francisco. The tumult of her first brush with independence, paired with her re-discovery of the guitar, set off a creative chain reaction, and Alela found herself relying on songwriting as a way to cope with a rapidly changing life.
“Something about that experience of suddenly being out in the world on my own and being in a big city and having all my possessions in a dorm was very challenging,” said Alela. “And right when I moved away, my parents went through a divorce and sold my childhood house. So all that loss of home led to me writing songs in the first place. Everything was just kind of insane and songwriting became my way of getting all that off my chest.”
She eventually returned home to Nevada City, with a set of deeply personal songs in tow. She began to record in her father’s studio, and the result was “The Pirate’s Gospel,” a stark and intimate debut that quietly won her widespread acclaim. She opened for the Decembrists and Iron and Wine.
Newly settled into a quieter life, her follow-up album, this year’s “To Be Still,” was written during a period of relative personal tranquility. In contrast to her debut, it featured more instrumentation, more backing vocals and a fuller sound.
“It came out of a completely different experience than the first record. I did a lot of the writing for that album while I was living in a little log cabin in Nevada City, and I think a lot of it was about the experience of going back to the hometown and working regular jobs and not being able to leave town and being tied down by all the jobs and responsibilities of one place,” said Alela. “And a lot of it was about finding love and all the domesticity that came with that.”
The release of “To Be Still” has been accompanied by extensive touring throughout the United States and Europe. It’s a challenging, ever-changing lifestyle for the young musician — her eagerness to return to the United States and, soon thereafter, home is palpable. She will release the six-song “Alela and Alina” EP, recorded with longtime touring partner and vocalist Alina Harden, on Oct. 6, before a U.S. tour with similarly folk-minded singer/songwriter Marissa Nadler. But if any woman can handle the constant presence of the stage in her life, it’s Alela — after all, to her, it’s been a fixture since childhood.
“I remember when my dad would be up on the stage, when he was tuning or between songs, and I’d go to the front of the stage to ask for five dollars to go buy an ice cream or whatever,” said Alela. “That made the stage a realistic place. I was never scared by it. That made it just a normal thing for me. So going up there doesn’t seem too strange.”
Of course, it doesn’t hurt having that same dad around to play with her these days. And although she helps pay his bills, she’d rather not be reminded of that. “I’m officially his boss at this point. It’s a little nerve-wracking, but it’s good,” said Alela. “Although I really don’t like it when he calls me boss.”
Alela Diane will perform on Sunday, Oct. 4 at 11:45 a.m. at the Dell stage.
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ACL artist preview: Rodriguez
Zohar Lindenbaum
Plenty of the acts playing at ACL Fest waited a long time — or are still waiting — for their big break in the United States.
Sixto Rodriguez has them all beat: It has taken him 40 years to get some love from America. The story of the 67-year-old Rodriguez — who performs under his last name — sounds like the plot of a lousy rock `n’ roll B movie.
Rodriguez, who has spent nearly his entire life in the Detroit area, recorded two albums between 1969 and 1973 that received virtually no notice at the time, despite their tuneful nature, eccentric-yet-funky arrangements and Dylanesque brew of surrealistic and protest-oriented lyrics. So Rodiriguez, with a family to support, abandoned his music career and went to work on demolition and renovation jobs.
A half dozen years after he stopped recording, he learned that his albums, which had disappeared in his native country, had achieved a surprising afterlife in Australia, where he had built up a substantial fan base through word of mouth and bootlegs. In 1979 he played a series of shows there, co-billed with the similarly political-minded Australian band Midnight Oil. Then, it was back to his day jobs.
Nearly 20 years later Rodriguez’s first big break arrived, when two South African fans of his music tracked him down after a nine-month search. They informed Rodriguez that he was something of a star in their country, where many of his fans thought he was dead. (The stories that made the rounds included the claim that he had killed himself onstage — by gunshot blast or self-immolation — after singing the lines, “But thanks for your time, then you can thank me for mine, and after that’s said, forget it.”)
During subsequent tours of the country in 1998, 2001, 2004 and this past month, Rodriguez learned that his music’s raw political and sexual content had gained him a widely varied audience. “A soldier says to me, ‘We made love to your music, we made war to your music’,” Rodriguez says by phone from a restaurant in Grosse Pointe, MI. “He told me that like he was getting something off his chest.” (Rodriguez still hasn’t figured out how to respond to people who come up to him and say, “I thought you were dead!”)
Finally, the newly emboldened Rodriguez has begun to get some recognition in his own country. Last year, the Seattle label Light in the Attic put out a heavily annotated, lovingly remastered reissue of Rodriguez’s debut album, “Cold Fact,” in America. The 1973 followup, “Coming From Reality,” was reissued earlier this year.
Music is now, once again, a full-time job for Rodriguez, who has played in Ireland, France and Italy, among other countries, and hung out backstage with the likes of Wilco and Animal Collective.
Rodriguez has played a handful of US shows, sometimes backed by a quartet of young fans from North Carolina. He believes his ACL set this afternoon will be his highest profile American gig. “I think 500 people have signed up already to see the show, so I’ll have a little audience, anyway,” he says. “But check it out: One of the bands, 13,000 have signed up for them. So I’m working on, you know, getting people to the show.”
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Bright Light Social Hour wins ACL Sound and Jury Contest
Bret Gerbe FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN
- The A-List: Sound and Jury Finals at Antone’s
A crowd of hundreds turned out at Antone’s Wednesday night, as five bands dueled for pop music supremacy and a Friday open slot at the Dell stage at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival. And when the smoke cleared, Austin’s own Bright Light Social Hour, a funky rock quartet, stood triumphant. A combination of audience votes and an industry judging panel — including Voxtrot’s Ramesh Srivastava and 101X’s Jason Dick and Toby Ryan — decided the winner.
“When we played I was kind of expecting one-fifth of the crowd to be really into it and the other four-fifths to be really lukewarm but the crowd was receptive to us and really nice to us,” said bassist and vocalist Jack O’Brien. “And having hung out at Antone’s since 5:30 in the morning doing interviews and stuff, we just had all this pent-up energy from being still all day.”
The band will kick off the Dell stage on Friday at 11:45 a.m. It will be a long day for the band, who have a performance at the Beauty Bar the night before and are required to trek to Zilker well before dawn.
“We’re playing a show at the Beauty Bar Thursday night that we booked long before the Sound and the Jury. So we’re playing, I think around 12:15 a.m., so we should be out of the club around 2:30 a.m.,” said O’Brien. “And they want us to be at ACL around 4:30 in the morning, and available for press between then and 6 p.m.. So it’s going to be a long day. But we’re ready. We’re excited.”
The Bright Light Social Hour will perform tonight (Thursday) at the Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St., at 12:15 a.m. as part of Art Disaster No. 9. Other performers include the Lemurs, White White Lights, and last year’s the Sound and the Jury winners, the Steps. More about the band.
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September 30, 2009
ACL has timing on its side
For the first time in its eight year history, ACL Fest will have a headliner with the current No. 1 album in the country. Pearl Jam’s ninth studio album “Backspacer” moved 189,000 copies last week according to Nielsen SoundScan.
Last week’s No. 1, Jay-Z’s “The Blueprint 3,” dropped to No. 2 with 134,000 units sold.
ACL’s 2005 headliner Coldplay was touring behind the smash “Y&Z,” which spent a couple months at the top, but by the time they played ACL it had dropped out of the Top Ten.
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ACL artist preview: Girl Talk
J. Caldwell
The mashed-up, sample-heavy music Gregg Gillis makes under his Girl Talk moniker sounds like the greatest house party of all time — or, more precisely, a half dozen house parties, all held on the same block on the same Saturday night, each of which keeps turning up the volume in hopes of out-drawing its rivals.
On “No Pause,” a representative track off Girl Talk’s recent album, “Feed the Animals,” Missy Elliot’s profane “Work It” rap is melded to the vintage ’80s Nu Shooz synth-pop hit “I Can’t Wait” and then gives way to Public Enemy frontman Chuck D bum rushing the show over a chunky sample of Heart’s 1970s AOR staple “Magic Man.” Cheap Trick wanting you to want them, Jam Master Jay getting loose and Jimi Hendrix kissing the sky make brief appearances before the track’s 3 minutes and 12 seconds are up.
If you show up to Girl Talk’s Austin City Limits Music Festival set this evening, you might not be sure how to react to his barrage of famous and semi-famous samples. Dance your head off? Frantically cross-reference your dog-eared copy of “The Spin Alternative Record Guide”? Or wave your iPhone’s Shazam app in the air like you just don’t care?
Talking to Gillis by phone from his home in Pittsburgh turns out to be a similarly disorienting experience — at least on a recent Thursday afternoon, when odd noises and voices kept filtering into the conversation.
“I’m sorry, the G-20 summit’s happening in Pittsburgh right now and it’s, like, I just opened my door and there’s, like, helicopters flying overhead and you can hear, like, three different protests happening,” Gillis said. “It sounds like there’s a war happening outside my home right now.”
The real topic of discussion, though, is the war going on inside Gillis’s home studio — the one between the hipster music he samples (Jay-Z, Radiohead, MIA) and the non-hipster music, heavy on the ’70s cheese, he also samples (Chicago, Seals & Croft, Styx). One doesn’t have to categorically agree with the Internet poster who asserted that Girl Talk “manages to take bland and uninspired popular music and blend it into something awesome and unique” to wonder if, really, Gillis could possibly like all of the music he builds his music out of.
“I’m a big fan of everything I sample,” he says, putting any doubts to rest. “There’s so much pop music out there I’m a fan of, it seems almost wasteful to be listening to music or sampling music that I don’t really love.
“I’ve always been a fan of pop and the idea of making music for the masses… . These days I’m more likely to be picking up a CD at Best Buy by Heart or Chicago than maybe a new release.”
Gillis has his tastes — he started out in the underground noise scene and still loves that stuff — but he sees his music as an opportunity to interrogate his own preferences and aversions. “A lot of times people like to frame their opinion as fact or fiction and that kind of bothers me a little bit,” he says. “When I hear something that I don’t necessarily like on a surface level, I try to kind of take a step back and at least appreciate that someone out there’s into it and clearly it’s doing something right. Just because it’s not my thing, I don’t think that the people who like it are stupid and I don’t think the people who are making it are stupid.
“When (I’m) hunting for pop samples, a lot of these songs have been my favorites over the years but at the same time some of them are just songs you hear over and over and over again. And it’s like, oh, that’s an interesting isolated segment. Once you kind of start working with it a bit more you might have a little bit more appreciation for some of the subtle elements once you start cutting it up.”
To the amazement of many, Gillis has never been sued for copyright infringement for doing this sort of thing. He’s not sure why this is the case, though he suspects the rise of YouTube culture, where anyone can — and seemingly does — upload audio and video remixes of copyrighted material to hundreds of thousands of viewers, has something to do with it. Today, perhaps, even the Recording Industry Association of America recognizes that there’s no going back to the way things were.
In fact, Gillis wonders if the RIAA isn’t worried that if it took him to court and lost, the floodgates to sampling would open even wider.
One upside to that scenario is that hip-hop, which has shied away from sampling over the past decade out of fear of lawsuits, would return to its crate-digging roots.
“There’s definitely been that shift, where hip-hop records just don’t sound like they did 15-20 years ago,” Gillis says.
Well, except when he remixes them.
“It’s true. I definitely think the stuff I do is definitely, for me, paying respect to a lot of the records I grew up listening to,” he says. “In a subtle way I try to make it progressive and make it new and it reminds me of a lot of the records I grew up with, from Bell Biv Devoe to the Beastie Boys. Using a three second clip of a song to be a transition or just the briefest sample and just moving on — that’s something that’s always exciting to me. It’s made a lot of albums like a journey; you hear something one time and that’s it, and you keep moving forward.”
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ACL 2009 preview: John Legend
R&b artist John Legend snuck onto the urban music scene fresh out of college in the early 00s. He worked as a stealth collaborator, lending his pipes and his keys to everyone from Lauryn Hill to Jay-Z, and helping to create some of the hottest hits of the day. When he dropped his Kanye West-produced solo debut “Get Lifted” in 2004 his career skyrocketed. Now at 30 years old Legend has three hit albums and six Grammy awards under his belt. With a rich baritone voice that slides smoothly into a silky falsetto, and an uncanny ability to tap into the agonizing ordinary universal pains of relationships, he’s become a modern master of heartbreak crooning. In the past two years he’s also established himself as a political and social activist, involving himself in both anti-poverty efforts in Africa and the 2008 Obama campaign. We caught up with John Legend over the phone to talk about music, politics and the anatomy of a good love song.
You seem to have a knack for delving into the emotional grit of relationships and drudging up deeply relatable details. For example, on the new album “Evolver,” the track “Everybody Knows” contains the line “I wish you the best…I guess,” which is such a zinger because who hasn’t felt that? How did that song come about?
I was writing with a couple collaborators, this guy named Scar and my A&R KP and it was actually Scar’s line. “I wish you the best…I guess.” And when he said it, it was obviously a perfect line because like you said, so many people feel that emotion of saying “I wish you the best” but you really don’t want [your ex] to be happier than they were with you. Ever. So it’s kind of a very poignant and true line.
Another great love song on the new album “I Love, You Love” has a real classic soul feel on the chorus. Who do you consider to be some of the great classic love balladeers?
Marvin Gaye, certainly. The song “Just to Keep You Satisfied” is very cool. Stevie Wonder also wrote a lot of great love songs. He had a lot of vulnerability in songs like “I Never Dreamed You’d Leave in Summer.”
Is that something you strive for, to open yourself up and have that vulnerability in your music?
Absolutely. I think in most great love songs, there has to be some element of vulnerability because really, that’s honesty. Every guy wants to feel like he’s too cool for school, but at the end of the day you want to be wanted, you want to be needed, you want to feel something reciprocated.
You’ve been a longtime collaborator of Kanye West and he appears on the new album on the track “It’s Over.” How has your relationship with Kanye evolved over the years?
It’s been great. We don’t spend a lot of time together because we both are touring and working, but when we come together to work it’s always great. I still have a huge amount of gratitude and respect not only for him as an artist, but for him as a producer [who chose] to champion my music and help me be signed and launch my career. I’ll always be grateful for that.
Any thoughts about the widespread use of the autotuner in modern urban music?
It’s a fad that is probably on its way out. It was a fun experiment while it lasted and it got overused a bit and hence the backlash. But you know, we’ll see what happens.
Can you talk about the Show Me Campaign?
The Show Me Campaign is an anti-poverty campaign. Our goal is to break the cycle of poverty through education. We started in 2007. We adopted a village in Tanzania called Embola. We’re trying to do quite a bit of other work in that regard in the future.
What motivated you to start the project?
The first thing that got me inspired was a book called “The End of Poverty” by Jeffrey Sachs, but also just traveling around the world and seeing different things I realized the extremity of poverty around the world in certain places was more dramatic than anything I had ever experienced in the States and it made me want to do something.
There’s definitely more of sense of political urgency in this album, than in your past work. The song “If You’re Out There,” feels like a call to action, and you debuted it at the Democratic National Convention in 2008. Did you write the song specifically for that occasion?
It wasn’t written explicitly for that but clearly there was a lot of buzz in the air about the election when I wrote it in the Spring of ‘08. I had been going to colleges speaking about our anti-poverty efforts and I always felt like I wanted to end my talks and end my performances with a song that would inspire people to think.
What was the experience of performing at the DNC like?
It was cool. It was cool being part of that and the inauguration and to feel overall like I was a part of a sequence of historic events.
As someone who was involved with the Obama campaign, do you have any thoughts about the president’s first year in office?
I think he’s had a tough year, but I think he’s doing really well under the circumstances. I think politically speaking it’s all gonna hinge on the recovery of the economy and the decrease of the unemployment rate. So I think in his first four years in office he’s going to be judged by things that are only partially under his control. But if he’s able to pass a health care bill, if he passes a stimulus bill, if he meets quite a few of his other goals I think it will be a successful year.
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ACL parking option: right next to Zilker Park
The Austin City Limits Music Festival, which starts Friday, will mean crowds, traffic congestion and parking hassles — as well as great music — for 65,000 attendees each day.
Festival parking is banned in the neighborhoods surrounding Zilker Park, although many nearby businesses typically open up their lots for a charge.
This year, festivalgoers will have an additional option. More than 1,800 spots will be available at the Barton Oaks Plaza office complex, just south of the park on the MoPac Boulevard (Loop 1) northbound access road.
In some past years, the garages were off-limits to festivalgoers. But this year, the owners hired a parking company to handle ACL customers, according to Lesa Berry, assistant property manager at TIG Real Estate Services, which helps run the complex.
The five garages will have 1,842 spots available, for $20 a day per visit during the three-day festival.
“It’s adjacent to the park, and the city has put in new sidewalks, and so (it’s a) maximum 10-minute walk if there is a big crowd,” Berry said.
There are 2,047 spots in the garages, but 10 percent are being reserved for tenants of the complex, which is at 901 S. MoPac Blvd., Berry said.
The garages will be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday and 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. Saturday and Sunday, Berry said. There will be no re-entry and no overnight parking.
Musicmakers, the music shop on South Lamar Boulevard south of Barton Springs Road, has been offering its lot for ACL parking since the festival’s inception, co-owner David Baldry said. This year, the store will charge $15 or $20 to park, depending on the time of day, Friday through Sunday.
Another 30 spots will be available at the Associated General Contractors building next door.
“I try to make it where it’s fair for everybody, and I don’t want my store name associated with gouging somebody,” Baldry said.
The music store will stay open Friday and Saturday.
Next door, the Bicycle Sport Shop will offer 98 parking spots only on Sunday for $20 each, according to Leslie Luciano, director of advocacy and community relations. The shop will be closed that day except for rental returns, she said.
All 150 of the shop’s bicycles have been rented for the weekend, with 30 to 40 of them coming from Bike Texas, an advocacy organization, she said.
“Our rental department is just booked completely full for ACL and for South by Southwest, which is great because it reduces traffic around these events, which is always a complaint for non-event-goers, and it makes easier access for everybody,” Luciano said. “A lot of out-of-towners are into renting bikes.”
Austin Java Cafe and Coffeehouse, on Barton Springs Road, is preselling tickets for parking spots until 5:30 p.m. today, according to co-owner Rick Engel. A single-day pass at the lot on Sterzing Street will run $25, while a three day pass is $75. People interested in getting a spot should e-mail david@austinjava.com.
However, some area businesses aren’t converting their lots into ACL central.
“We are one of the few who does not,” said Patrick Terry, owner of the popular P. Terry’s Burger stand on South Lamar. “We’re still open for business, and our customers are important to us. We don’t look at the three days as an advantage — we still want to be available to our normal customers.”
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Cell phones and ACL
Our colleague, Omar Gallaga, has the scoop on what AT&T and Verizon are planning for this weekend at Zilker Park. He’s tracking down T-Mobile and Sprint, too.
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Hulu is streaming Austin City Limits Festival
Shut-ins, penny-pinchers, misanthropes and claustrophobics rejoice.
The M.O. reports that hulu will be streaming the Austin City Limits Festival all weekend.
So, if you don’t have the funds, time or energy to hit Zilker, you can still check out The Dead Weather, Ben Harper and The Relentless7, John Legend, Bon Iver, Andrew Bird and more from the comfort of your home or office.
More details here.
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September 29, 2009
Sound and Jury finalists battle Weds. at Antone's
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists; then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20 before online voting reopens and produces the final five. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools such as Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace - as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth. We talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands, who will compete live before judges and fans at Antone’s, to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes.
The finalists:
- Andrew Tinker, originally from Denton, an optimistically inclined pop quartet with a piano-driven songwriting sensibility, led by Tinker, former French horn player for the Polyphonic Spree and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Texas’ college of music. Read more
- The Bright Light Social Hour, Austin, a hard, funky rock quartet inspired by ’70s classic rock bands with a dash of soul. Read more
- The Bubbles, Austin, a garage pop band with short, sunny songs and giddy live energy. Read more
- Mobley, Austin, danceable hook-heavy rock with flourishes of electronica. Read more
- OK Sweetheart, Denton (by way of San Francisco), the new moniker for the band of singer-songwriter Erin Austin, a woman about country - raised in upstate New York, college-educated in Tulsa, Oklahoma, moved to San Francisco and currently living and recording in Denton - with a charming, smooth voice. Read more
The Sound and the Jury starts at 7 Wednesday night at Antone’s, 213 W. Fifth St. Free.
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Meet this year's Sound and the Jury finalists: OK Sweetheart
Nathan Presley/SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists, then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20, before online voting reopens and produces the final five, who will perform in front of judges and fans live. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace — as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth.
The American-Statesman talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes. We will be running these interviews in advance of the final round, which will take place at Antone’s Nightclub, 213 W. Fifth St., Wednesday Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
The band: The new moniker for the band of singer-songwriter Erin Austin, a woman about country — raised in upstate New York, college-educated in Tulsa, Oklahoma, moved to San Francisco and currently living and recording in Denton — with a charming, smooth voice.
Point of origin: Denton, by way of San Francisco
American-Statesman: You’re currently recording an album in Denton with Midlake drummer McKenzie Smith. What’s your experience living and recording in Denton been like?
Erin Austin: There’s such an amazing community of musicians in Denton that are so open and so generous. There’s something about Denton that’s just crazy magical. There’s this overwhelming musical generosity. It’s like, I just called the cellist from the Polyphonic Spree and she came over after dinner and spent seven hours putting down a cello part. That’s how my whole record’s been. It’s all these people I know and respect musically coming together and helping me.
AS: Your education is is in classical music — what led to you pursue pop singing and songwriting?
EA: I never really enjoyed singing classical, which is maybe a bad thing to say because I majored in it in college! But it was ingrained in me, since I started doing it when I was 12, so that’s why I went into a classical program. My parents were really conservative so I listened to a lot of Christian pop when I was real little. When I first started public school in fifth grade, because we rode a bus that played secular music on the radio, we had these Walkmens and could listen to our Amy Grant or whatever 80s Christian artist. But as soon as I realized the bus was playing pop music I’d take off my headphones. Pop music was such a secret music to me when I was little and it was really fun uncovering it. Eventually I decided classical wasn’t really who I was. I listened to Wilco, Andrew Bird, Death Cab for Cutie … it got to where I said “Why don’t I do music like that, like the people I love?”
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ACL 2009 preview: Heartless Bastards
Erika Wennerstrom performs with her band, the Heartless Bastards, during SXSW earlier this year at Stubb’s.
Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Erika Wennerstrom’s gritty growl seethes anguish, but her lyrics favor empowerment over negativity. “I consider my songs to be positive,” the Heartless Bastards’ lead singer says. “Maybe I’m singing about something bad that’s happened, but it’s about coming out of that situation.” Cases in point: “Could Be So Happy,” “Wide Awake.” (The Austin-based band, whose collection “The Mountain” drained music critics of superlatives earlier this year, performs at 3 p.m. Sunday on the Dell stage.)
American-Statesman: How was Lucinda (Williams)’s wedding (onstage Sept. 18 at First Avenue in Minneapolis)?
Erika Wennerstrom: It was great. I was really flattered that she invited me. It was a really nice experience.
Has she influenced you as a songwriter?
Well, more since I’ve toured with her. I had heard her before, but when we toured together I became a huge fan. I think it’s inspiring to open for a really great songwriter like that.
Did you write the songs on ‘The Mountain’ after moving (from Ohio) to Austin?
I can’t remember how that happened. Songs just pop into my head, and I feel if they’re catchy enough, they’ll stay there. I don’t record them or anything. Eventually, I’m like, “OK, I really need to try to finish this and form the words.” I was writing the whole album around the same time, and sometimes I just work on a little bit of one here and another there.
How has living in here impacted you as a songwriter?
You know, as far as I’m concerned, I’m a creative person, and I’m gonna be a creative person wherever I am. I absolutely love living here, but the lyrics (on “The Mountain”) are about changes in my life that I could’ve formed other places. I’m not going to attribute my creativity on this album or taking sounds in a different direction to living in Austin.
It’s hard to deny certain peripheral sounds creeping in, though.
I will say that since we moved to Austin I’ve been influenced by old school country. In Ohio, radio plays new country, which I’m not really into. I did a side project called Sweet Tea with Alex Maas from Black Angels, and we did an old Ray Price cover and the June Carter and Johnny Cash version of “If I Were a Carpenter.” Maybe geography will influence my next album.
Well, you’ve been traveling a lot, and that must have an influence.
Yeah, I would say that touring influences me a lot. Some days we’ll be in the van and I’m looking out the window and there’s this giant mountain. I might have a song in my head all day driving through the mountains. New things influence me, but I really think that (our sound is) shaped by things that I grew up with.
It seems to translate well at ACL, since this is your third time at the festival. What do you look forward to this weekend?
I like ACL because it’s just the right size. The stages are spread out, but it’s pretty easy to get around. I’d say my favorite part is that I run into a lot of people I know, and that was the case even before I lived here. It’s always nice to see familiar faces. This year, I’m looking forward to seeing Andrew Bird and the Decemberists and Them Crooked Vultures. I’m most excited about seeing Levon Helm.
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Meet this year's Sound and the Jury finalists: Bright Light Social Hour
Jon Salmon/SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists, then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20, before online voting reopens and produces the final five, who will perform in front of judges and fans live. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace — as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth.
The American-Statesman talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes. We will be running these interviews in advance of the final round, which will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 30) at Antone’s, 213 W. Fifth St.
The band: A hard, funky rock quartet inspired by ’70s classic rock bands with a dash of soul, represented by guitarist and vocalist Curtis Roush and bassist and vocalist Jack O’Brien.
Point of origin: Austin
American-Statesman: You have a song called ‘Detroit’ that has a really unique sound, much more obviously Stax and Motown-influenced than most indie rock. The song also discusses city’s dire economic straits. What inspired you to do that song?
Curtis Roush: My inspiration initially was about the sad state that Detroit is in economically. So it evolved into a love song about life in Detroit right now, but told through the medium of the Detroit sound in the ’60s and ’70s. You can either interpret the song as about a relationship, or think of it as the city of Detroit shouting out to the rest of the United States — ‘Remember when I built all your tanks in World War II?’ It had been on my mind a lot in terms of keeping as informed as I could about the financial crisis and the larger recession. It was always on my mind and I wanted to find a way to put it into a song. At that time I was thinking about how the recession was affecting people in real ways. Detroit was a nice focus for that feeling.
AS: Your MySpace mentions that you like to sometimes hand out free homemade cookies at your shows — will attendees of the battle of the bands be enjoying those?
CR: We’ve given some thought to that. I would love to bring cookies but I definitely don’t want to be those guys that are like “Hey, judges, we’re bringing you cookies! Vote for us!” For the audience we’ll have some, maybe. But the next night we’re playing at Beauty Bar so we’ll definitely have cookies for that.
Jack O’Brien: Curtis makes totally organic homemade-from-scratch cookies. We like to bring as much as we can. But we’re concerned about making it seem as if we’re trying to suck up to the judges. But, you know, we always do it!
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Meet this year's Sound and the Jury finalists: The Bubbles
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists, then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20, before online voting reopens and produces the final five, who will perform in front of judges and fans live. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace — as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth.
The American-Statesman talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes. We will be running these interviews in advance of the final round, which will take place at 7 p.m. Wednesday (Sept. 30) at Antone’s, 213 W. Fifth St.
The band: A garage pop band with short, sunny songs and giddy live energy, represented by guitarist and vocalist William Glosup.
Point of origin: Austin
American-Statesman: There’s a lot of bouncy positivity in the Bubbles’ music — is that something the band specifically sets out to do?
William Glosup: We’re not trying to be a kid’s rock band or something like that, but we really want to expel a lot of fun and energy and honesty. We see ourselves as a good times band. We’re really focused on having a good pop sensibility and writing fun pop songs that everybody can sing to or put on at parties. We really like bands like the Apples in Stereo, and the Strokes and Dr. Dog.
AS: You had one of the more unique ways to mobilize fans, with a series of YouTube videos encouraging fans to vote and featuring performances of your music. How did you come up with that idea?
WG: We got blown out of the water on the first round of online voting. And we thought “Oh my God, there are so many things we could have done to do that better.” So we realized we had to be on top of our marketing. So pretty immediately we were like “Let’s give everybody a better insight into the Bubbles. Maybe if we make some videos they’ll see a different aspect of our music.” We borrowed our film contract friend’s camera, and basically we wanted to do each video in one shot. We didn’t want to have to deal with any editing. We just wanted to have it be like a very genuine skit, using the same kind of humor we use in the music. Basically it was all improv. We planned out like the basic ideas of the concept, and which song we were going to play, and that was it.
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ACL 2009 Preview: Sara Watkins
Jeremy Cowart/SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The spotlight is nothing new for Sara Watkins — as one-third of progressive acoustic bluegrass trio Nickel Creek, she released her first album, “Little Cowpoke,” at the tender age of 11. But with her self-titled solo debut, released on Nonesuch Records in April, the now-28-year-old fiddler, guitarist and ukulele player — and one heck of a singer, to boot — steps out on her own for the first time. Fortunately, she’s had some help in the form of famed producer and former Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, who produced her eponymous album. Both will be playing the Austin City Limits Music Festival this weekend — Watkins behind her own album and Jones with newly minted supergroup Them Crooked Vultures. We spoke by phone with Watkins from her Los Angeles home about the rigors of songwriting, her thoughts on the dissolution of Nickel Creek and the joys of working with Jones.
American-Statesman: You’re about to set off for six weeks of touring, both playing your own shows and supporting the projects of friends and family, including your brother Sean. You’ve been playing professionally for a long time — have you gotten used to that frenetic pace or is still tough?
Sara Watkins: I’m accustomed enough to it so that I know everything will be fine. But it’s funny, I’m tour managing myself now so I have to stay on the ball every second. I had a couple of near-anxiety attacks but it’s going really well. But there’s no relaxing and having a beer after the show. It ends up being a very dense six weeks, but I’m looking forward to it. It’s a lot of variety. That helps tours a lot. It helps to have little phases like that where I’m doing different things. It helps me anyway.
In a 2005 interview with PopMatters, you mentioned that you found songwriting challenging, probably more so than the guys in Nickel Creek. Has it gotten any easier for you?
Well all the songs are always a challenge. But I’ve learned that, for all the songs that I’m happy with that I’ve written, I wasn’t really thinking about the success or failure of what that song was. I’m the type of person who, lots of times, I can just psych myself out while I’m working on a song — my brain goes in spirals really fast. But looking back on those few songs on the record, I didn’t do that. I wasn’t really conscious or thinking about them as a goal. I was just kind of writing them. It was very pure in that way. I sort of take it as a bad sign if I let myself be distracted and try to figure out what I want from it. I don’t have children myself, but I feel like it’s like having a kid and deciding it’s going to be a doctor when it’s 2 years old instead of just loving it and hoping it will be a functional part of society. That’s how I want to approach songs
Nickel Creek was famous for its wide range of covers, from Pavement to Britney Spears, and that’s a tradition you keep up with this album, with songs by Jimmie Rodgers, Tom Waits and even Austinite David Garza. How do you select which covers you record and put onto an album?
(David Garza) will be playing with me at ACL! I’m excited. Anyway, a lot of the material comes from the family hours. Over the course of the last of five or six years I’ve been doing the Watkins Family Hour at this Los Angeles club the Largo, frequenting the club with me and my brother sitting in with people. For this thing we definitely wouldn’t do Nickel Creek songs. We’d do songs that we liked, or had written on or were working on or cover songs that Nickel Creek would never play. So it started off with things that are near and dear to our hearts, like bluegrass stuff we loved forever and knew and identified with. And very quickly over those years, we started digging into a wider range of material. And it was really fun. It was a totally different outlet for the band and for the different people who came in and played. So it was a much more by the seat-of-your-pants kind of thing and that was kind of refreshing for us. So the things that made the record are things that became part of the family hour over the years.
It’s been about two years now since Nickel Creek played its final shows. In retrospect, do you feel good about the decision to disband and pursue other projects?
Totally. We’re all very grateful for that decision. When we were making the last record I was like “How long are we going do this?” Not because it was lackluster, but because we all worked so hard on that record and worked so hard on touring and trying to get it out there. We got exhausted. With that record we wanted to say bye in the best way we could, and after that, just sort of basically lay fallow and start forming some new stuff. We’re all huge fans of each other and we love each other and had we pushed it because we were scared of seeing what was on the other side, we probably would have started resenting each other.
You’d worked with John Paul Jones before, playing with him on Mutual Admiration Society, before you tapped him to produce your debut. What kind of strengths did he bring to the table as a producer?
He brought a whole lot of legitimacy. All the guys on the record either knew him personally or musically and I’d never heard them play better than they did knowing they were playing for John. For him, nothing but your best will do. You want to make the right decision because everybody respects him so much. And he’d work 10 hour days and he’s just so good at making decisions that you’re confident in. And he and I were both on the same track, so when I didn’t know what to do, he’d be like “This is right” and I’d be like “Oh, yes, you’re right, it is.”
Can you point to any specific times when he had that kind of insight?
He’s a little bit more invisible than that. I couldn’t necessarily pinpoint things he did or didn’t do. He’s really good at making everything seem natural in the studio. He sends people in the right direction and guides them in such a way that they don’t realize they’re being guided. He has a discussion with you and it keeps coming around to just the right place in a really healthy way. Since you feel that you are not being forced, nothing is manipulated. When you come up with something in the way that your brain works best, it’s going to be more honest and it’s going to last longer than if you’re doing something just because somebody says “Play this way for me.” If you are guided around your own understanding of a certain idea it’s going to be much more effective than if you are just expressing the producer’s idea.
Jones will be at ACL this year, playing with Them Crooked Vultures. Has there been any talk of him joining you on-stage for any of your songs?
You know, I haven’t asked him. I have no reason to think that he will. I should talk to him, though. He’s been very busy, so I’ve been trying not to pester him. I’m really excited to see his show. I was in LA when they were working on the record, and he was just so happy working on that project. He would come and hang out late at night smiling ear-to-ear, really excited. And that was before anybody really knew what was happening; we just knew he was working on something.
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September 28, 2009
Another ACL after party: The Mouse
Jamaican artist Ripton “The Mouse” Hylton aka Eek-A-Mouse will play at Flamingo Cantina on Saturday, Oct. 3. Doors at 9 p.m. Cover is $12-$15.
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Pearl Jam ... With Strings Attached
It’s the toughest ticket in town, but Will Taylor found a way to get into Pearl Jam’s ACL Taping Saturday at 8 p.m. Taylor and Strings Attached have been tapped by Eddie Vedder and company to back the band on two songs.
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Get ACL Fest autographs at Waterloo Records tent
As always, the Waterloo Records tent is the place to be for autograph hunters during ACL Fest.
The Austin institution, located at Sixth Street and North Lamar Boulevard, is hosting dozens of acts this year at their spot in Zilker Park.
Friday, Oct. 2
Noon: Nelo
1:15 p.m.: Low Anthem
2:15 p.m.: Sara Watkins
3 p.m.: Bliltzen Trapper
3 p.m.: The Knux
3 p.m.: Mishka
3:15 p.m.: Parlor Mob
3:45 p.m.: Avett Brothers
4 p.m.: Robyn Hitchcock
4 p.m.: Raphael Saadiq
4:30 p.m.: Los Amigos Invisibles
4:30 p.m.: Reckless Kelly
4:45 p.m.: Dr Dog
5:45 p.m.: Medeski Martin Wood
5:45 p.m.: Coheed & Cambria
6 p.m.: Daniel Johnston
6 p.m.: Phoenix
7 p.m.: K’naan
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ACL 2009 preview: The Raveonettes
C Davey Wilson
Danish rockers the Raveonettes are back with their fourth studio album, due out the Tuesday after ACL Fest ends. Drenched in reverb and glued together with wall-of-sound production, ‘In and Out of Control’ is powerhouse psych-rock record that sounds like Phil Spector on prescription meds. Instead of discretely dovetailing the layers of extra guitars and drums in the mix, producer Thomas Troelsen pounds them in with a hammer. Saccharine pop harmonies belie the dark subject matter of songs like ‘Last Dance’ and ‘Boys Who Rape (Should Be Destroyed).’ Shimmering guitar hooks play against grimy, distorted bass lines and percussion that hits like a truncheon.
The band will play the Parish on Friday before their set at ACL the following day (1:15 p.m. Saturday, Xbox360 stage). We had a chance to sit speak with bassist/vocalist Sharin Foo from her home in Denmark about the new album and the process of recording it.
Austin American-Statesman: The first thing that struck me about the new album was the production. It’s very bold and in your face - much different from your last recording. How did that sound evolve?
Sharin Foo: I think (‘In and Out of Control’) is definitely the biggest sounding record we’ve done. There are so many layers … 10 snare drums layered on top of each other on some songs. It was a big production, but not super hi-fi. We wanted a real lo-fi feel, something that felt fast and spontaneous. We weren’t interested in getting everything perfect this time.
Your last album, ‘Lust Lust Lust,’ was recorded in a New York City apartment. This time around you opted to record in a professional studio. How did that affect the creative process?
Recording ‘Lust’ was sort of a long process; it seemed like it took years and years to finish. This album just sort of materialized. It was recorded in about six weeks starting from scratch.
Previously we would record tracks and samples at home and record as we were writing. Get all the guitar parts down the way we wanted to record them and so on. But for this album we wanted to start the production of the album in the studio, so it was a very different process. It took about three weeks until I felt like we had a direction. It took some time for us to agree on the way the album should go … to embrace the ‘popiness.’ We were fighting it at first. ‘Last Dance,’ for example, started out very lo-fi and dark, but ended up sounding completely different.
That track especially plays some really dark subject matter against really bubble gum, pop harmonies. It’s an interesting effect.
That type of juxtaposition is a typical Raveonettes theme. We like that sort of bizarre tension and on this album it’s even more extreme. Our producer, Thomas Troelsen, was a big part of that. He likes that pop sound, so he had some great ideas in the studio about how to record certain harmonies, different ideas about how the guitars should sound. He was great at getting us to challenge ourselves … to reinterpret ourselves. Thomas was like the third Raveonette on this album. He’s in there doing some background vocals in places.
You’ve had the opportunity in the past to work with some of the people who’ve inspired you - Ronnie Spector and Maureen Tucker (of the Velvet Underground). Are there any cameos on the new album?
No. No cameos on this album. It’s flattering when your idols agree to participate in something you’re working on and having them on ‘Pretty in Black’ was great, but this project was more about the two of us and the producer creating the album in the studio. Like I said, we started from scratch and finished everything in a relatively short amount of time, so there wasn’t an opportunity to bring anyone else in.
This is your second album for Vice records. Has the move to a smaller label given you more creative freedom?
Not really. I think our experience with a major label was a really atypical experience. We had the same kind of creative control when we were on Colombia that we do now. The biggest difference is the business side of things. That aspect is more intimate now… I like being more involved in the decisions that affect the band’s future.
Do you enjoy playing the big festivals, or do you still like the smaller clubs?
I’ll tell you what I really prefer is to play at night. Our music is very nocturnal so it’s tough to do shows out in the daylight. It’s just harder to create that vibe. Something we talk about now is doing shows that differ from the album. We’ve found ourselves just playing the album lately, so we’re really working on mixing it up more.
Is there anything in Austin you’re looking forward to doing while you’re here?
We have a show at the Parish the night before the festival and I’m looking forward to that. Going to see the bats, maybe. We’ve been to Austin many times and the last time we were here I discovered some great restaurants, like this little Italian place right downtown. I’m probably going to get some good Mexican food while I’m there, too. (Laughs) Whenever I travel I always seem to remember the food.
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ACL 2009 preview: The Avett Brothers
As more and more artists move away from major label deals — Radiohead and Pearl Jam are two bands that have self-released their latest work — it’s strange to hear about an up and coming group sign on with an industry behemoth. But that’s just what North Carolina-based Americana trio the Avett Brothers did for their latest release, “I and Love and You,” out this week on Sony’s American Recordings label.
“We don’t have any sort of allegiance to an underground mentality where you should want to stay small or something like that, but at the same time we didn’t sign to become big. It just seemed like the most natural next step for us as far as sharing our music,” says guitarist Seth Avett, who spoke on the phone from California, where the band is in the midst of a year-long national tour that stops Friday at the Austin City Limits Music Festival (2:30 p.m. on the AMD stage). Rounding out the trio are Seth’s brother Scott, who plays banjo and drums, and bassist Bob Crawford.
For a group concerned with sharing their music, it also doesn’t hurt to have Rick Rubin produce your latest record. Rubin, who has been at the helm of other wildly popular Americana-tinged albums, including Tom Petty’s “Wildflowers” and Johnny Cash’s “American Recordings” (as well as practically everything else, from rap to metal), helped bring a new sense of focus to the group.
With previous albums, the band focused so much on writing new material that recording was an afterthought. They recorded “Emotionalism” in eleven days, a speed Avett says was “insane.” Rubin helped them slow down, bringing a more methodical pace to the process, which improved both their recorded sound and musicianship. “I don’t think I’ll ever walk up to a studio with the kind of attitude I did before working with Rick as far as putting time in to get something right,” Avett says.
Though it’s their first time on a major label, the Avett Brothers have a lengthy discography, including two EPs, “Gleam” and “Second Gleam,” and one full length, 2007’s well-recieved “Emotionalism,” released on the North Carolina-based independent label Ramseur Records.
“I and Love and You” isn’t too much of a departure from those albums; the brothers’ haven’t lost their penchant for sadness or their unique and often disjointed collaborative songwriting style. What is the different is an attention to detail and layering of sounds unlike anything the band has previously done.
The album gets a lot of mileage from the little things, such as an instrumental coda or a well-placed piece of percussion, setting it apart from their previous work. Avett says that the focus on details helped him as a musician. “There were lot of small things, like thinking about the tempo, that I had a little bit of difficulty adjusting to, but I’m definitely better off for it.”
The rootsy vibe of the Avett’s music is a far cry from there early days as musicians in Charlotte. Like fellow North Carolinan Ryan Adams, the brothers got their start playing harder, electric rock. Around the time their band, Nemo, broke up, Seth and his brother Scott began listening to artists such as Doc Watson, Ramblin’ Jack Elliot and Woodie Guthrie. “Our band was falling apart and we were opening our eyes to American roots music, and we started plying those songs,” Seth Avett says. “It was mobile and it was fun, and we just kind of ran with it.”
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ACL 2009 preview: STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9)
‘Jam band’ used to mean one thing: ‘band that kinda sounds like the Grateful Dead.’ Phish, for example, more or less falls in to this category, as does Widespread Panic.
Then in the ‘90s, the Baja-and-Teva nation expanded the definition to include ‘bands that stretch out live, yet work in a sorority setting on CD.’ (See also the Dave Matthews Band or O.A.R.) And ‘bands that are almost alt-rock, but are more at home on the campus quad’ (Think Guster and Moe). And ‘bands who showed up on the H.O.R.D.E. tour’ (everyone from Wilco to Blues Traveler to Morphine).
Sound Tribe Sector 9 is a jam band. But it’s also an electronic band, as likely to delve into rave-ish beat breaks and complicated, part-reggae part-rave rhythms, favoring the cruise of the collective groove over the noodley-solo. (The band plays at 7 p.m. Saturday on the XBox 360 stage.)
But they’re also a model for living in a world where record labels matter a lot less than they once did. Since 2002, after a two-album deal with Landslide Records, STS9 has released CDs on their own 1320 Records.
‘We’re an instrumental band,’ drummer Zach Velmer says. On the albums, Velmer can seem a muted presence; live, he’s the engine that powers the band. ‘Labels wanted our stuff but they didn’t know what to do with it. Doing it ourselves has totally paid off. It’s paid off in kind of a fun ride and lets everything be about the band, be all about the journey.’
The band also houses a massive archive of STS9 live performances; look for more of this sort of thing from all sorts of bands. ‘People love buying the show that they were at,’ Velmer says. ‘It’s not a big money maker, but it’s a nostalgia thing for fans.’ 1320 has started developing its own boutique of mostly electronic artists, many of whom contributed to the latest STS9 release, ‘Peaceblaster: The New Orleans Make It Right Remixes.’ (‘Peaceblaster’ was the the band’s last studio album.)
‘We try to do as much charitable work as we can,’ Velmer says. ‘Some local, some regional, some global. But this year, we decided to have all of our charitable contributions go to one place.’ That place is the Make It Right Foundation, a group started by actor Brad Pitt and dedicated to rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.
These days, the band is wrapping up its next studio record, which should be out soon. ‘This is the quickest album yet,’ Velmer says. ‘We really feel like we’re capitalizing on some momentum. Three records in two years is a feat in and of itself. We’re just holding on, man, letting it happen.’
Spoken like a true jam band.
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ACL 2009 preview: The Greencards
The Greencards take meals in Nashville today, but the progressive trio, whose spry instrumentals (“Little Siam”) and vibrant narratives (“Rivertown”) mix folk and pop, took shape earlier this decade while living in Austin. “We first saw Hayes Carll at Gruene Hall (in New Braunfels) and thought he was like Rodney Crowell,” mandolin player Kym Warner says. “The Greencards formed as we toured with him for about a year.” (The Grammy nominees perform at 6:40 p.m. Oct. 2 on the BMI Stage.)
American-Statesman: ‘Water in the Well’ (from 2009’s ‘Fascination’) is pretty ambitious.
Kym Warner: Straight into the deep end, so to speak (laughs). I wrote that down in Austin with a mate of mine named Bill Whitbeck. It was a real melodic thing with a positive lyrical message but a dark and eerie melody. When I was on the plane, I was listening to a lot of Simon and Garfunkel just to get some interesting melodic sense. I wrote it on the ukulele, actually. I landed at Austin airport and went straight to South Austin Music, bought a ukulele and went down to the writing session in Buda.
So, it was a conscious choice to add textures with minor to major chord progressions?
Yeah, it certainly was. It was a conscious choice to do it and still be musically OK, not just to be randomly weird. I tend to go somewhere different when I write, whether it’s an instrumental or the bridge or something. It’s like a short film where there are scene changes. We try to have scene changes take you through a little journey. I felt like we’d achieved something with that song.
Most folks know Bill for Robert Earl (Keen)’s band. What’s he like to write with?
Right. We’ve been friends for a long time. He was one of the first people, if not the first, who I co-wrote with. We come from a similar place. We both love the music of Merle Haggard. He’s really clever and well educated, so he’s fun to write with. He’s taught me a lot. At the same time, he’s good about not being carried away with being too weird.
How much do you guys improvise in the studio?
It’s becoming more and more. Every little bit of the first couple records was arranged, even to the point of working out the solos. We’ve been trying to get more of the live aspect. One way to do that is to have some moments of uncertainty.
How does that apply to the actual live show?
One thing we do have is energy. There was a criticism of the early records that there wasn’t that energy that we have live. We’ve learned to have a lot of space in our music, and there’s energy without being forceful.
You have a great slot at ACL, only up against two bands (Thievery Corporation and John Legend).
Well, it’s one of the great festivals to play, so it’s an honor just to be asked back. Austin’s our favorite play anyway. So, we got lucky with the time slot, and we’ll get to see some of the stuff we like.
Who are you looking forward to seeing?
I’m looking forward to Kings of Leon because I’ve never seen them. I like the big rock shows.
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ACL 2009 preview: Larry Campbell of the Levon Helm Band
Larry Campbell’s peerless roots-rock resume touches nearly all bases. The New York City-born guitarist has backed an enviable roster from Elvis Costello and Emmylou Harris to Bob Dylan and Phil Lesh. However, Campbell never truly found a home until pairing with former Band leader Levon Helm. ‘I’ve been playing with Levon since I left Dylan in 2004,’ the 54-year-old says. ‘Every show is just the greatest time I’ve ever had.’ (The Levon Helm Band performs at 6 p.m. Saturday on the Livestrong stage.)
Austin American-Statesman: You recently taped Elvis Costello’s Spectacle television show at the Apollo (on Sept. 25).
Larry Campbell: You know, Elvis and I are really great friends and we’ve worked a lot together in the past. He really wanted to center the show on Levon, and Levon tends to agree to do things if he’s got friends and family involved. Also, he wanted me to play some with Richard (Thompson) and Nick (Lowe). It was a blast.
Rumor has it Levon hasn’t been singing because he has throat cancer again.
That’s absolutely not true. He’s completely clean, which is the good news. He had complications from acid reflux. That’s been taken care of, so it’s just a matter of vocal rest for now. The doctor says that if he just does what he’s supposed to do, it’s just a matter of time before his voice comes back. They found no signs of cancer in his throat and all the blood work came back completely negative.
Who will be singing for the Levon Helm Band at ACL?
(Helm’s daughter) Amy, Teresa (Williams), (multi-instrumentalist) Brian Mitchell and me. And, you know, we’ll see who else is around (laughs). We usually have someone come up and sing ‘The Weight’ with us.
Have crowds been receptive with Levon only drumming?
First of all, Levon’s the greatest drummer in the world, if you ask me. But the whole magic is his vibe. Just having his presence is amazing. We’re up there having a great time with this guy onstage, and that seems to translate to the audience. Everybody’s playing great music for all the right reasons. That’s infectious. Yeah, it’s better with Levon singing because that voice is unmatchable, but he’s still there 100 percent. People are getting that.
You’ve said that you ‘get to the basic beauty of music’ with him.
Well, I remember reading a book about the Zen of music years ago, not knowing what the hell it was about. They were just words to me. But basically what it was saying is that music is joy. I finally understood that after working with Levon. It’s the joy of self-expression, the joy of harmony, the joy of collaboration. It’s a community of people working together and not stepping on each other.
How did you apply that to the studio when producing (Helm’s 2009 album) ‘Electric Dirt’?
Well, you have to realize that with Levon, if there’s a schedule or a deadline, it’s just not gonna happen (laughs). It has to come from a very organic place. Fortunately, with both of these records, we had the luxury of no budget. The deal with Vanguard (Records) is that we finance the record and we do it at our own pace. You get in the studio and feed the dog, play with Amy’s baby, and then it’s, ‘Oh, hey, have you heard this song?’ It’s almost like not working.
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More ACL Fest after parties: Poi Dog, Rich Medina
Pictured: Rich Medina
Former Austinites Poi Dog Pondering will play Speakeasy at 11 p.m. on Friday, Oct. 2. Tickets are $15 at the door. The performance benefits The Recording Academy Texas Chapter.
In less official and loosely related ACL afterparty news, highly acclaimed, deeply soulful Philly/NYC DJ Rich Medina will make his first Austin appearance on Saturday, Oct. 3 at Back Alley Social. Martin Perna of Antibalas and Ocote Soul Sounds will also be in the house alongside The Peligrosa DJs and DJ Chorizo Funk. The party is $8 at the door, $5 with (limited) Facebook RSVP.
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ACL 2009 Preview: Dan Auerbach
James Quine/SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Dan Auerbach owes the better part of his musical success to a little help from his family, who reared the Akron, Ohio, native on a steady diet of blues and rock ‘n’ roll music. Auerbach grew up playing with the many musicians on his mother’s side of the family, singing bluegrass harmonies with his uncle and drawing influence from his cousin, the late, acclaimed guitarist Robert Quine. “Every time we got together it was basically one long jam session,” recalled Auerbach, 30. “My mom’s family reunions are all music. My uncles play, my aunt plays, everybody plays.”
So it should come as no surprise that Auerbach matured into a talented multi-instrumentalist and full-throated singer with a gritty sound and a keen songwriting sensibility. He teamed with drummer Patrick Carney to form the Black Keys, a minimalist garage rock duo, and struck out on his own for this year’s solo debut “Keep It Hid,” an energetic, heavy garage blues album. And Auerbach, mindful of the guidance he had access to as a youth, has begun nurturing an impressive group of up-and-coming musicians as a producer. That includes Hacienda, a San Antonio rock quartet who are serving as Auerbach’s band on the “Keep It Hid” tour, and whose second album Auerbach recently finished recording in his Akron studio. Auerbach spoke by phone about what he’s learned from the band, his fondness for vintage equipment and the story behind the upcoming “Blakroc” album, a collaboration between the Black Keys, hip-hop label executive Damon Dash and a multitude of popular rappers, including Mos Def, RZA and Ludacris.
American-Statesman: First off, being a Texan writing for a Texas paper, I have to ask about Hacienda, hailing as they do from San Antonio. How did you meet these guys?
Dan Auerbach: They gave me a demo, a long time ago, and that’s how I met them. They sent it to me over the Internet. I really dug it and I started a dialogue with them and met up with them after a show. We hit it off. They’re good dudes. We have a lot of common interests and they’re just good people and really good musicians to top it off, which is nice. They’re excellent guys. Something different happens when family members are in a band like that — there’s lots of honesty and truth and it’s a really good thing to be around on the road, when you’re in this industry surrounded by phony (expletive).
AS: Common interests such as?
DA: Music, food, girls. They’re pretty obsessed with old soul music and rock ‘n’ roll and crazy about Stax Records.
AS: What was behind your desire to make a solo record — was there something you wanted to do that you felt you couldn’t within the parameters of the Black Keys?
DA: No, I’d just been recording and had all these tunes finished and liked the way they sounded, so I just decided to do it. Once I put it out I realized I should probably do a tour to support it and that opened up a whole door, playing with a big band, and it’s totally been a different dynamic and really cool. Every time I play with other musicians I learn something new I can bring to the table with the Black Keys.
AS: What specific kind of things have you learned from working with, for instance, Hacienda?
DA: I learned stuff recording Hacienda, even before touring with them. I learned about song structure and harmony. I’d never seen people work on harmonies like that. And when I got to hang out with them in studio they were working on harmonies and piano and there’s a formula there I never really knew. So I used that on (2008 Black Keys album) “Attack and Release,” using that formula for backing vocals and harmonies. And I’ve used it on subsequent albums I’ve worked on. It’s a whole learning experience to pick up things you like.
AS: How did recording in a studio you built shape the sound of ‘Keep It Hid?’
DA: First of all, it allowed me to do the record in the first place. I don’t think I could have done it otherwise because I had such a small amount of time between tours. Having my own place allowed me the time to jump in when I could. The studio is completely custom-built for me from floor to ceiling. It’s basically set up so I can tinker and do whatever I want. All my instruments are set up and ready to go, and it’s all about ease of use and creativity. I don’t think there’s any better studio in the world.
AS: You’re somewhat renowned for your use of vintage and analog equipment. What appeals to you about using older equipment?
DA: I just think it’s easy to use. I think it sounds superior to most modern recording devices anyway. I think people overlook it because of its simplicity but I don’t need a lot of bells and whistles. I like to keep it simple. I think things sound bigger and better that way.
AS: You’ve done a lot of production lately as well, and you’ve shepherded some younger artists along, notably Hacienda and Jessica Lee Mayfield. What about taking other people under your wing and helping them along appeals to you?
DA: Well, I mean I’m in a position where I can help people, first of all, and I like to be able to do that. But I gain from it. Every time I work with a musician I learn something. Real music is all about give and take, and I get that from Jessica and Hacienda and the Buffalo Killers and everyone I work with. And I’m really lucky that with this job in the Black Keys I can work with whoever I want. I get to just work with whoever interests me. It’s not a full-time commercial studio where they have to deal with (expletive) band after (expletive) band. I get to pick and choose so I’m very fortunate.
AS: A lot of the music world was kind of taken by surprise by the “Blakroc” announcement. How did that collaboration come about?
DA: Well, we got a call from Damon, out of the blue, and he said basically “I want to work with ya’ll. Whatever you want to do, I want to do it. Let me know.” So we booked some studio time in Brooklyn, we were in for like two days, we went in totally blind and got eight songs recorded. You know how me and Pat are — we work quick. We had lyricists and rappers coming through and it just came together so fast. It was kind of a whirlwind. It was natural and super-creative and unlike most modern hip-hop I think. It was communal. These guys didn’t have time to listen to a beat for months or a week and write their rhymes. They had to come in face to face with us and deliver. It was all spontaneous. It felt very natural, nothing felt contrived or forced, and that was the beauty of the whole thing.
AS: The project could be viewed as a strange direction for a garage rock combo like the Black Keys — why did it make sense for you?
DA: We started as the Black Keys because we loved the sound of RZA’s production. We’ve been saying that from day one, that when we started we wanted our demo to sound like a Wu-Tang record. We wanted that kind of grimy, dirty thing, that’s what we wanted. So it was basically like, as I told Damon, we sort of had been preparing for this “Blakroc” record since we were 16.
AS: Mos Def is going to be at ACL. Is there any chance for an on-stage team-up?
DA: I don’t think so, because I’m going to be with Hacienda. But you never know.
AS: Is it difficult to keep up with the volume of demos and interest that you receive?
DA: I do get a lot of e-mails and stuff and definitely get lots of demos when I’m on the road on tour. But I think it’s cool. I feel like if there’s something I can help them with there I definitely like to do it. I always listen to everything people give me. Of course, if it’s not good I don’t listen to the whole thing.
Dan Auerbach plays the Austin Ventures stage at 7:15 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4. He will also play a sold-out aftershow at Antone’s Nightclub, 213 W. Fifth St., at 9:30 p.m.
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Daily Juice dance party at ACL
This YouTube video was from last year. The craziness continues this year every night of ACL until the cops come and break it up.
This Saturday at 2 p.m., the Daily Juice will be having a dance contest at their place on Barton Springs Rd. The winner gets a $100 GIFT CARD to Daily Juice!
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ACL 2009 preview: Brett Dennen
Brett Dennen’s vibrant narratives rarely end at personal revelation. Instead, the northern California native, whose music has appeared in Hilton ad campaigns (“Blessed”) and on “Grey’s Anatomy” (“Ain’t Gonna Lose You”), heightens messages with sociopolitical commentary. “Social issues are something I think about a lot, so it’s important to write about them,” he says. “If I didn’t, I wouldn’t be telling the whole truth about who I am.” (Dennen performs at 4:45 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, on the Austin Ventures stage.)
American-Statesman: Your song ‘Heaven’ covers lots of spiritual ground.
Brett Dennen: I wrote that song on an airplane about a year and a half ago. Most lyrics I write on an airplane. I wanted to write about religion, but I thought that was too big and didn’t know what to say. So, I thought about writing a song about heaven, which is where I got the idea for the chorus. Even then, I thought heaven was too massive to write about. I thought it’d be better to write a song about the idea or belief in heaven.
That’s still a pretty broad topic.
Well, as I was writing, it became more about life and what you make of it. You know, the idea of people working for an afterlife, or thinking what they do here doesn’t matter because they’re going to an afterlife. I thought that’s kind of silly. Ultimately, it’s better to create your end result here on Earth instead of banking on the idea of some eternal afterlife.
How did you end up rerecording it as a duet with Natalie (Merchant)?
We asked her if she wanted to do it, and she said yes. I tell you what, man, that was one of the greatest experiences of my life. I’ve been a big fan of hers for a long time. I mean, 10,000 Maniacs was one of the first bands I ever geeked out on.
Did working with her give you a personal sense of achievement?
Well, obviously, it’s Natalie Merchant. She’s a world-class superstar with one of the most recognizable voices on the planet. To hear her sing my lyrics was a very surreal experience. It made me feel like a real, genuine songwriter, not just a singer-songwriter. I still get chills thinking about it.
Like Natalie, you write about social issues. How important is it for you - and other songwriters - to address these topics?
Well, I would never tell anyone how to write a song. A song should be your most personal secrets and thoughts and wishes and desires and hopes. That should be spilled out into a song, and every writer’s gonna say different things. You should write about anything, as long as it’s from the heart and true.
Your core messages seem very hopeful. Is that a fair assessment?
Yeah, it’s a fair statement, but it’s something that I’ve had to think about and work at. It didn’t really just come naturally. There are songs from the past that aren’t as hopeful. Maybe they’re a little more angry or unapologetic, like a protest song.
How did you make the transition, then?
I’ve started thinking long term. When I look back and think about how I want to be remembered, I want to be somebody who has a lot of positivity surrounding my name. I want to build people up, lift people up and inspire people.
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ACL 2009: Brett Dennen, the story behind the song
Here’s the story behind Brett Dennen’s ‘Make You Crazy,’ from his 2008 album ‘Hope for the Hopeless’:
‘That song came to me in a couple different stages. I wrote most of the lyrics sitting at my desk in my bedroom looking out the window. I was thinking that I wanted to write another song like “Ain’t No Reason,” which is about a lot of different things in the world happening at once. But I wanted to show a different side of it, so I chose to look at the psychological effect that social issues have on people.
‘I was asked to play a couple songs at this awards show honoring people in film and TV industry that were dealing with issues of mental illness. Right after I played, this woman said to the audience, “All the pressures in the world and the modern corporate culture and all the stress and strains, that alone is enough to make somebody go crazy. On top of that, you add social injustice.” She made the point that she didn’t understand how more people aren’t going absolutely insane. What kind of drugs are we using to suppress that? I immediately had to write that down. I was like, “Yeah, exactly!”
‘So, I wrote the lyrics in one sitting, but I didn’t have a melody. Well, I had one, but I didn’t like it because it was a slow folk song like “Ain’t No Reason.” I wasn’t really interested in doing that at all. We went and recorded the whole album and I still hadn’t (finished) the song. I didn’t think it was going to make the album, but a melody popped into my head on the second to the last night of recording.
‘I was really inspired by working with (Femi Kuti). I wanted to do a sort of Brazilian dance pop song. I came up with the melody on my bike ride home and immediately found the lyrics that I’d written before and worked them together. I took it into the studio the next morning and we all learned it and cut it that day. We sent the mp3 file to my label, and they were like, “Keep working on this song. We want it to be the first single!”’
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September 27, 2009
Meet this year's Sound and the Jury finalists: Andrew Tinker
Jon Frey/SPECIAL TO THE AMERICAN-STATESMAN
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists, then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20, before online voting reopens and produces the final five, who will perform in front of judges and fans live. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace — as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth.
The American-Statesman talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes. We will be running these interviews in advance of the final round, which will take place at Antone’s Nightclub, 213 W. Fifth St., Wednesday Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
The band: An optimistically inclined pop quartet with a piano-driven songwriting sensibility, led by Tinker, former French horn player for the Polyphonic Spree and a summa cum laude graduate of the University of North Texas’ college of music.
Point of origin: Denton
American-Statesman: You were one of the founding members of pop collective the Polyphonic Spree. What did you learn from your stint with that band?
Andrew Tinker: I learned that stuff can happen real quick. Once the determination is there the career moves just kind of start to present themselves. We’re trying to do now what the Spree did, which is just go with it. The Spree kind of had a big break, right after I got out of High School, to play in London, and things just started falling into place after that. So I’ve realized how fast things can change. So I got really inspired by that with the Sound and the Jury. I was like, ‘Let’s all get together and try to get a gig that could really mean something and put our nose to the grindstone and really make it happen.’ Another thing I learned is that it is possible to play big, big gigs and just be a small town kid trying to make a career in music.
AS: How is playing with your current group different from playing with the Spree?
AT: There’s a whole lot less setup. One of the cool things about playing with my band now is, since it’s a four-piece, it allows me a lot more intimate connection on stage with the musicians and with the audience. And that’s been a really cool thing. Because the Polyphonic Spree was just this raw, huge thing, with 20-something people going 100 percent. There was a lot of cool, big energy. But the difference now, playing with a smaller ensemble and really nailing it, is that when it comes together it’s just perfectly aligned and precise.
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Meet this year's Sound and the Jury finalists: Mobley
Now in its third year, Dell’s the Sound and the Jury contest, an online battle of the bands, offers independent, unsigned bands a shot at performing before thousands during the Austin City Limits Music Festival. An online vote produces 100 finalists, then a panel of judges narrows the field to 20, before online voting reopens and produces the final five, who will perform in front of judges and fans live. To have a chance at winning, bands must be marketing experts, employing tools like Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace — as well as good old-fashioned phone calls and word-of-mouth.
The American-Statesman talked to each of the five finalists for this year’s battle of the bands to hear their stories of struggle for a shot at one of Austin music’s sweetest prizes. We will be running these interviews in advance of the final round, which will take place at Antone’s Nightclub, 213 W. Fifth St., Wednesday Sept. 30 at 7 p.m.
The band: Danceable hook-heavy rock with flourishes of electronica, represented by lead singer and songwriter Anthony Watkins.
Point of origin: Austin
American-Statesman: There’s a lot of variety in the band’s songs — how do you typically describe your sound?
Anthony Watkins: We get compared to British bands a lot and I joke a lot that I musically aspire to be a Brit. We like pop songwriting in the traditional sense and we all just like to explore and not feel like we’re boxed into one particular sound.We have a song that’s got a horn section, with a jazzy, swing element, we’ve got alt-country songs, we’ve got songs where everything is synthesized — it’s pretty all over the place.
AS: Do you have anything special planned for the live show?
AW: We’ve got some surprises in store. When we first moved here, we kind of sat down and decided that before we started playing we wanted to have our affairs in order. So we spent the first 7 months we were here acquiring a lighting rig and making videos to accompany the show. So at all our shows we take a rig and TVs to show videos on, so it’s a production every time. But we’ve thrown in some extra elements and we’ve got a few new things to pull out for the battle.
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September 26, 2009
ACL 2009 preview: Flogging Molly
Dennis Casey is still the new guy in Flogging Molly and he has been there 10 years.
Started by former Fastway singer Dave King, the band — which plays at 4 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 3, on the AMD stage at the Austin City Limit Music Festival — cranked to life in 1993, a Celtic rock outfit based in Los Angeles in the tradition of traditional Irish music on the Celtic end, the Clash and Stiff Little Fingers on the rock end and the Pogues smack dab in the middle. The crew took its name from Molly Malone’s, the bar the band played in every Monday night. They cranked out a live CD in ‘97 and their first of four studio albums in 2000.
Casey joined in 1999, right before a West Coast tour. “First and foremost, I am electric guitarist,” Casey says. He’s calling from Rochester, N.Y., where he’s visiting family. It’s been years since the band was all based in Los Angeles. King and his wife, Flogging Molly fiddle player Bridget Regan, live in Ireland. “We’re all over the world now,” Casey says.
Casey headed to Los Angeles from New York in ‘91 and kicked around in various outfits before hooking up with King and the Molly crew. He wasn’t all that versed in Irish music.
“I think I was asked to join the band for my energy and passion and ability to make a lot of noise,” Casey says. “The bass, drums and guitar are the noisemakers in this band, it’s not really the polka element.”
It was only after he started playing the stuff that Molly accordion and concertina player Matt Hensley started turning Casey on to the traditional stuff. “I’ve definitely come to like it and appreciate it,” he says.
Even with four excellent records under their belt, Flogging Molly is first and foremost a touring act, often an explosive one, brimming with Celtic fire. (Casey is the one who jumps and kicks a lot.) They usually playing a minimum of 100 dates a year with more than 20 shows in February alone for their annual “Green 17” tour.
“I don’t think much is missed not living in the same city anymore,” Casey says. “We tour excessively; we see each other more than we see our families, When we take time off it’s time off.”
Their most recent album, “Float” (Side One Dummy, 2008), hit No. 4 on the Billboard Top 200 Chart, easily the band’s highest charting album. Their 2002 album “Drunken Lullabies” went gold this summer.
Plenty of reviews characterized “Float” as a darker record leaning more on folk than rock. Casey seems to audibly shake his head over the phone.
“I find this fascinating. On every record we make I hear the complete opposite of what other people hear,” Casey says. “I can’t hear dark at all here. No idea why. We wrote it and recorded it in Ireland, but when we get in the garage at Dave’s house in Ireland and close the door it could be anywhere.”
That being said, Casey says the anti-war “Requiem for a Dying Song” and “Float” are among the most played on this round of touring. “A good song is a good song,” he says. “It connects with people. ‘Float’ is about keeping your head above water. It is very poignant and telling and lyrically it’s definitely a different direction for us.”
Well, Lord knows plenty of people are trying to keep their heads above water right now. In the best traditions of Irish culture, Flogging Molly’s music allows for catharsis and reflection in the same moment and we look forward to exploding along with them.
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ACL 2009 preview: And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead
Larry Kolvoord AMERICAN-STATESMAN
True fact: And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead frontman/guitarist/drummer/piano player Conrad Keely used to work at the Austin American-Statesman.
No, I didn’t know either.
“I worked at the Statesman for one day,” Keely says. The one-time Austinite is calling from his home in Brooklyn, where he’s lived since 2006. “I was there as a temp, but I was temping for the assistant to the editor. I was in way over my head. I had to learn this whole system of shorthand and I had to take dictation and I was just terrible.”
Fortunately, he was good at other stuff, such as being in one of the most weirdly indestructible (well, more or less) rock bands of the past 15 years. These days, the core of Keely, singer/drummer/guitarist Jason Reece and guitarist Kevin Allen works with a cast of sidemen that shifts every few years. Right now, pianist/drummer Aaron Ford, bassist Jay Phillips and keyboard player Clay Morris are rounding out Trail of Dead, which released “The Century of Self” in February on Justice Records, their first album on an indie label in a decade. The band plays its first Austin City Limits Music Festival when it takes the Xbox 360 stage Saturday, Oct. 3.
It’s an odd time for the band in some ways. In 2002, they seemed poised to take over… well, if not the world, then something. The album “Source Tags and Codes” (Interscope) was the sort of major label debut that most bands would kill for — close to their indie sound, but seemingly ready for prime time.
But there always seemed something a little off about the fit — as one friend commented back in ‘02, “This seems like a bad deal for both parties.” And it kind of was: 2005’s “Worlds Apart” and 2006’s “So Divided” traded the guitar squall that made them (a little) famous for an increasingly progressive-rock sound (read: lots and lots AND LOTS of pianos). This sat poorly with both the record buying public (“So Divided” sold fewer than 30,000 copies as of last year) and critics (Indie bellweather Pitchfork gave “Source Tags” a 10.0 and “Worlds Apart” a 4.0, which was probably a little extreme on both ends — for my money, 1999’s “Madonna” has aged the best). Keely seems completely uninterested in discussing label drama.
“ I never know what to say when people ask me questions about label stuff,” Keely says. “For a lot of bands, their label for them is like their identity. I’ve never felt like that. I’m more concerned about how I’m going to make the logo look on the album cover. I mean, we have a good relationship with them, but the creative side of the band is just totally different.”
So is there a concept for this one? Trail of Dead seem big on concepts for their albums.
“There’s always a concept,” Keely says. “Usually it’s pretty loose. The record before this was called ‘So Divided,’ and that was the concept. Our concept for this one was that we weren’t going to have one. Then it turned out to be more about metaphysics.”
OK, then.
These days, Keely is as likely to concentrate on visual art as rock music. The amazing image on the sleeve for “Century of Self” is his doing, part of his ballpoint pen series. He’s one of the few rocker/visual artists who — no kidding — could fall back on visual art as a profession should Trail permanently bite the dust one day. But don’t look for a comic book any time soon.
“I’ve gotten asked about that but I don’t know if my ideas go well in frames,” Keely says. “I would almost rather illustrate a story like a children’s book but to do it frame by frame, that seems like drudgery.”
And he’s done with ballpoint for the moment.
“I’m starting a new series, all color, lots of monochromatic images,” he says. “I wasn’t very good with color and one day I was like, ‘Why am I telling myself I’m not good at something? Just do it and overcome it.’ I think that extends to the way I write music also. The two are always going to reflect each other.”
Trail of Dead always seems a little leaderless, Keely’s complicated songs offset by Reece’s punkier blowout. But Keely also always writes the majority of the songs, and his stuff comes in finished.
“I tend to come in with my songs very fully fleshed out,” Keely says. “Sometimes they’re done before I even touch an instrument. But we’re also good at collaborating together. When Jason comes in with stuff that isn’t completely done, I get to do some arranging and finalizing ideas.”
OK, maybe they aren’t that leaderless.
But Keely is a weird mix of stuff — part thrasher, part progressive, part primitive, part aesthete. “I was really into music theory when I was young, but I was also into punk rock. I would go see these bands that would have abhorred that kind of formalism and try to pick them apart. I’d be at a Bikini Kill show trying to figure out these dissonances they were into. I finally decided that it would have to be intuitive. You had to not know what you were doing.”
Which explains a lot: Trail of Dead’s music is what happens when you figure out how to not know what you are doing.
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September 25, 2009
Work Exchange Team offers work for ACL passes
Global Event Group, the folks catering ACL fest, is sponsoring the “Work Exchange Team.”
Participants who work a total of 15 hours get a weekend pass to the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Positions are available from Sept. 28 through Oct.5 in the catering and hospitality departments.
In addition to working at ACL Festival, you can sign up to work Phish’s Festival 8 in Indio, Calif., and th Bear Creek Music and Art Festival in Florida.
There is a $15 application fee, but this fee is refunded if the applicant is not accepted.
Once someone is accepted, he or she will be asked to put down a $210 deposit to insure the shifts are worked.
Sign up here.
We would love to hear from folks who try this out. Please let us know how your experience is.
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CD review: The Avett Brothers 'I and Love and You'
‘I and Love and You’
(American Recordings)
Grade: A
“I and Love and You,” the major label follow-up (out Sept. 29) to 2007’s well-received “Emotionalism,” as well as two EP’s, “Gleam” and “The Second Gleam,” represents a mighty step forward for the North Carolina folk and Americana trio. With producer extraordinaire Rick Rubin at the helm, “I and Love and You” captures all that was already working for the band and runs with it, beefing up their sound without compromising the simplicity that originally attracted a cult-like following of fans. Catchy songs that walk a fine line between sadness and joy are still there, but Rubin’s production adds a subtle yet complementary polish to the music. A quiet organ lays the foundation for “Ten Thousand Words,” while an extended acoustic guitar solo captures some of the Brothers’ live charm. Similarly, strings, layered vocals and understated percussion bring “Laundry Room” to life. If there’s anything negative to be said about the album, it’s that fans of the band’s earlier work might notice that the material has softened a bit — the bluegrass macabre of older songs such as “Murder in the City” or “Die Die Die” are replaced by songs with a more domestic tilt.
The Avett Brothers play at 2:30 p.m. Friday on the AMD Stage during the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
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Raul Malo to play unofficial ACL afterparty
The Continental Club will feature Raul Malo on the Sunday night of ACL, it was announced today. The Cuban crooner goes on about 90 minutes after Pearl Jam’s fest-closing set at Zilker Park. Tix are $20 at the door.
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September 24, 2009
ACL 2009 preview: The Felice Brothers
Jay Janner AMERICAN-STATESMAN
The combustible acoustic quartet the Felice Brothers, whose unplanned unplugged set at the Newport Folk Festival last year launched roots rock legend, channeled the fire performing in New York City subways. South By Southwest veterans, the Felice Brothers debut Saturday, Oct. 3, at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. “South By’s cool, but it’s not that cool,” says singer-accordionist James Felice. “At ACL, you don’t have to deal with as many industry people and (jerks) like that. There’s less fishing around for what people can exploit. Just enjoy the music for what it is.”
(The Felice Brothers perform at 1:15 p.m. Oct. 3 on the Dell stage).
American-Statesman: Your SXSW showcase (at Habana Bar) this year was intense.
James Felice: Yeah, it was chaotic, right? All of those South By shows are a little crazy.
It didn’t help that the venue had only one public toilet per sex.
That’s awesome! Yeah, I guess that didn’t help. It was a great set, though.
‘Penn Station’ (from 2009’s ‘Yonder is the Clock’) really fired everyone up.
My brother Ian wrote that song a little while ago. You know, we played a bunch in the city subway back in the day. It’s about the great architect Louis Kahn, who was out of New York City. He actually died in a bathroom in Penn Station. It was a heart attack or aneurysm, I think. That’s a good, driving song to get people riled up.
As a songwriter, do you consciously think about involving the audience in your music?
Not necessarily. That just sort of happens organically. You play a song a few times and realize that people might sing along with a certain part or you’ll just feel it. If it works, you do it again and again, until you get tired of it. Then you don’t do it any more.
How much does your past as buskers play into that and your aggressive nature onstage?
Yeah, that sort of aggressive way of getting attention at all costs is residual from our time busking. We try to tone it down sometimes. People are now paying to see us play, so we don’t need to force them to listen. It’s part of the show, but not the biggest part anymore.
Clearly, you place high value on storytelling. How important is it to sings songs with substance?
It’s essential. I think a song has to be interesting. It has to have staying power, and staying power is often the lyrics. Lyrics might not be the first thing you focus on and they don’t have to be profound, but they do have to be interesting. Stories give songs character and something to relate to on both emotional and intellectual levels.
Townes (Van Zandt) did that pretty well. You’ve covered his ‘Two Hands.’
Oh, we grew up listening to Townes. He’s one of our favorites of all time because his songwriting is so brutally honest and sad as hell. It’s wonderful. We’ve always looked up to him. He was a horrible alcoholic, and that was probably the biggest problem he had. He was a dark guy with a very dark outlook on life. I mean, the first song he ever wrote was “Waiting Around to Die.” But like Van Gogh, he was brilliant.
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ACL Fest offers free iTunes sampler, releases map
ACL Fest has released a 16-song sampler of this year’s festival artists available for free download from iTunes. Artists in the sampler include Somali rapper K’Naan, combustible acoustic quartet The Felice Brothers, globally influenced mixologists Thievery Corporation and local garage soul sensations Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears.
Festival organizers have also released a map of the grounds to help you plan your daily treks across the park.
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September 23, 2009
ACL 2009 preview: White Lies
Steve Gullick
2009 has been a wild ride for British pop rockers White Lies. Their debut album, “To Lose My Life,” premiered at No. 1 on the Official UK Albums Chart in January, pushing aside acts such as Kings of Leon and Lady Gaga. Since then the band has been making the rounds at festivals across the UK as well as supporting Snow Patrol and Coldplay on recent tours. The band will be back in the States this month touring with Kings of Leon, including a stop at the Austin City Limits Music Festival. We caught up with bassist Charles Cave, who called from backstage at Wembley stadium after the band’s set on the final night of Coldplay’s “Viva la Vida” tour. (White Lies plays at 3 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4, on the X-box 360 stage at the Austin City Limits Festival.)
American-Statesman: Thanks for talking to us today. Must be a bit anticlimactic to come off stage at Wembley Stadium and have to do an interview. What is it like to play to that many people?
Cave: (Laughs) Not at all, this is really nice. From our perspective standing on the stage, though, you can’t really gauge how many people are out there. Anything over 15,000 people is just too much to really see. But my parents came to the show and afterwards I went up to where they were sitting way at the top. Looking down I finally got a good look at how many people were actually there. It was incredible.
Do your parents come out to a lot of your shows?
Not many actually, because we haven’t played in London much recently. But they come out when they can. They like to see how the band is progressing.
I’m sure they’re pleased with your success. The album, “To Lose My Life,” has been doing very well in the UK. How did your sound for this record evolve?
We (singer/guitarist Harry McVeigh and drummer Jack Lawrence-Brown) have all been friends for a long time and played in different bands all through school. We had some time off from these bands we started playing together as another band (Fear of Flying). Eventually we started writing with more keyboards, getting into more traditional songwriting and developed a more refined way of making music.
The sound on the record is a big sound, well suited for the huge festivals you’ve been playing recently. Do you miss playing smaller, more intimate clubs though?
We still play loads of smaller shows; we prefer that actually. It’s only really in the UK that we’ve been playing these big festivals. In America we still play small clubs and bars. We’ve got a show at Webster Hall in New York coming up, and that place only seats around two thousand people. That’s a big deal for us.
I thought you guys had a strong performance on the Jimmy Kimmel show (recently). Do you notice a different reaction when you play in the U.S. as opposed to the UK?
America is completely different than the UK. We have released singles in the U.S. that we’ve had to have re-mixed because they wanted more guitars in them. (Laughs) Americans like a lot of guitars. In the UK they prefer a more “poppy” sound. But none of us (in the band) feel like a “British” band. We’re sort of unpatriotic in that sense. Our goal was always to play as many places around the world as possible.
We notice that our crowd has grown a little each time we come back to America. After this tour with Kings of Leon we’re headed back home to work on the new album and once it’s finished I think America will be the first place we’ll come to play the new material. Touring with Coldplay has been great, but we’re looking forward to headlining a tour. It would be great to come back to all these places we’ll be playing with Kings of Leon and really pull out all the stops.
You were just here for South by Southwest. What was your impression of Austin?
We had such a good time there. South by Southwest was really hectic for us, for every band really, but luckily we had some time to look around. We were booked to dj a party at a condo one night and really had no idea what to expect. We got to the building, went up in this huge lift and when the doors opened it looked like “American Pie” going on. We just played as much hip-hop as we could find to keep the party going.
Is there any band you’re going to try to check out while you’re here at ACL?
I’m desperate to see the Dirty Projectors. I’m really obsessed with their new album, so I’m going to make an effort to see them. After that we have a day off to relax, so the band is excited about getting to hang out in Austin. Maybe we’ll meet some good people at the festival to hang out with - hopefully someone who will barbecue for us.
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Here are the acts at ACL Fest taping episodes for the KLRU show
For ticket information to tapings, check out http://ausitncitylimits.org/blog. There will be ticket announcements up there later this week.
Them Crooked Vultures are taping an episode Sept. 30 at 8 p.m. Doors at 7 p.m.
There will also be a Rock and Roll Hall of Fame Landmark designation dedication ceremony and plaque-unveiling at 6:15 p.m. Oct. 1 outside the KLRU studio on the University of Texas campus. KLRU CEO and general manager Bill Stotesbery, Rock and Roll Hall of Fame CEO Terry Stewart, ACL executive producer Terry Lickona and, um, Ray Benson will all be there.
Mos Def and K’naan are doing a double-taping 8 p.m. Oct. 1. This will be ACL’s first ever hip-hop show. Doors at 7 p.m.
For those of you not going to ACL Fest, there will be panels about “Austin City Limits” (the show) at the Austin City Limits studio at KLRU. At 11 a.m., members of ACL staff talk about the history and evolution of the show. At 1 p .m., Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Griffin and Martie Maguire talk about ACL’s impact on music in general. The panels will be streamed live at at austincitylimits.org and are free and open to the public, but go to klru.org/blog for information and to RSVP.
Pearl Jam tapes an episode at 8 p.m. Oct. 3. Doors at 7 p.m. It will be simulcast at Hogg Auditorium. For tickets to simulcast go to austincitylimits.org/blog; information will be posted later in the week.
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Video: Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears on the Late Late Show
In case you missed it, here’s video of Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears performing “Sugarfoot” on the Late Late Show with Craig Ferguson:
They’ll be performing Sunday, Oct. 4 at the Austin City Limits Festival.
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September 22, 2009
Puddles at Zilker caused by blocked pipe
So it’s raining like the dickens right now (the afternoon of Sept. 22) and one wonders: How is this going to affect the Austin City Limits Music Festival?
As the stages are starting to go up around Zilker, there a few giant puddles on the edges of the park.
“The large puddle is caused by a storm drain pipe that is blocked,” said Gene Faulk, the Zilker Park Enhancement project coordinator for the Austin Parks and Recreation Department. “The blocked pipe is located on the south side of Barton Springs Road, which is not within the area that was renovated. PARD staff is in the process of repairing this problem. This will allow the water to drain from the large puddle near Barton Springs Road.”
There is no drainage system installed with the new irrigation system, Faulk said. “Small puddles within the park will occur as before the renovation,” he said. “The leveling that was performed was addressing the ‘humps and bumps’ that had developed over time, not providing positive drainage for the entire site.”
The improvements to Zilker Park were made in the past year and paid for in part by a $2.5 million donation from C3 Presents, the promoters behind ACL Fest.
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ACL preview: The Knux
If the overflow of words on The Knux’s “Remind Me In 3 Days…” wasn’t already a tip off, here it is laid plain; eloquent rapper Krispy can talk. A lot. About anything.
In the space of 15 minutes he holds forth on his cellphone’s downfall during the previous night’s romantic rendezvouz, the merits of Texas barbecue, the continuing allure of his native New Orleans, the missteps of hip-hop musicians exploring other genres, how recent tour mate and hero Q-Tip got him out of a legal jam, why his brother and bandmate Al Millio wasn’t up for interviews on this day (hint: a drug that rhymes with “brooms”) and his group’s ongoing playful beef with modern rockers Silversun Pickups on the 2009 festival circuit. A tiff that won’t keep up when the Knux plays Austin City Limits Festival since the Pickups are, sadly, absent from the ACL bill.
Most of the talk with Krispy can’t be published here (language concerns), but here’s what made it through. (The Knux are scheduled to play at 1:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2, on the Xbox 360 stage during ACL Fest.)
American-Statesman: You guys came to Los Angeles because Hurricane Katrina destroyed your home in New Orleans, and it seems like you’ve taken to the city. Are you an L.A. guy now?
Krispy: Of course I’m an L.A. guy. Everyone becomes an L.A. guy when you move here, you just have to. We always make everywhere we go our home, even though I still have my New Orleans accent and New Orleans way of looking at things. We’re still our own people, though, and aren’t out here kissing people’s (butts) to get things. We’re not those type of dudes. We do our own thing and stand on our own, or at least with our own team of people. What we’ve got wasn’t based on some celebrity co-signing onto anything. I’m proud my brother and I did it our own way, playing the demo for everyone at the same time and letting them make their decisions based on the music.
The record has crossed over onto quite a few modern rock stations, even though it’s very different from what else is going on the rest of those stations. How did you manage to get so many different sounds and styles into what you were doing?
You have to be a real fan of the genre to make it work. Lots of hip-hop dudes will say they’re into rock but they don’t understand it and appreciate it as music. It’s just something they want to try. I was into punk as a kid and into skateboarding, and then my mom turned us on to funk and psychedelic music because that’s what she was into her whole life. War was a big band for us, kind of a coalition type band who were doing just crazy stuff musically. I’ve still never heard a harmonica played like it is on a War record. Most times you hear it in a blues song and it sounds pretty much the same, but they made it sound like a guitar.
I really like hybrid groups like that. Music was just music and people said to hell with genres, if you can do a new jack swing record and it sounds good then go on and do it. It’s also about knowing how to produce those songs. It’s a lot easier to write a song that sounds different than it is to record it and get it to sound good, which is why a lot of those really different records don’t work.
So do you think it’s a mistake for Lil Wayne to try a rock record? Seems like he’s just doing it for the sake of trying to.
You can’t make mistakes when you’re the biggest star in the world because anything you do, people are going to follow you and at least check it out. I respect Kanye West for doing (the mostly rap-free) “808s and Heartbreaks” just because he had the balls to do it. Really that was a one-star album, but I guess I’d bump it up to two stars just because it was something so different for him. If you have a certain level of success you can do whatever you want to. Neil Young has done that his whole career, like when he did a new wave album and not caring what his fans were going to think of it.
Once you have one hit record, there’s always going to be a group of fans who come out to a show, no matter what you do after.
You can’t let fans dictate how records sound. We’re the musicians and we know how what we’re doing is supposed to sound. It’s like people who don’t have kids telling parents how to raise their children. Get out of here with that, I don’t know anything about your kids and you don’t know anything about my music.
How are you handling taking up those afternoon slots on festivals this summer?
This year it seems we’re always on at the same time as the Silversun Pickups and it’s kind of become a battle between us and we usually end up in trailers that are near each other, too. I tell them I’m going to rip them and we have fun with it. We come out to “Genesis” by Justice and if Silversun Pickups are playing one stage over, I have the DJ turn it up extra loud so they know we’re there.
The thing is, I want to see them because they’re a good band I haven’t really gotten to see them all summer. There have been like a half dozen festivals we’ve played, where they’re opening the main stage while we’re headlining a side stage and it never quite works out.
Is it hard to stick out when you’re mixed with that many bands?
Our show is so intense, we stick out even though there’s so many bands. The economy’s so bad right now and people are paying good money in a recession to see us, so you better jump up and down, sweat like hell and maybe even shoot an apple off someone’s head with an arrow if that’s what it takes to win people over. I’d probably play Russian roulette up there with my own brother if they’d let me. Of course, in 10 years attention spans will be so short you’ll pretty much have to do that to get anyone to even look at you.
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September 21, 2009
WOXY.com + Broken Social Scene + Seaholm Power Plant = ACL afterparty
The folks at WOXY.com, the formerly Ohio-based internet radio station now sharing digs with ME-TV, will host Canadian indie rockers Broken Social Scene at the Seaholm Power Plant 10 p.m. Oct. 2. It is co-sponsored by Rare Magazine.
Three hundred people will be let into the plant for the show, which recalls Big Black’s final performance at the Georgetown Steamplant in Seattle. (Something tells me this one will be less noisy.)
Details on tickets, which will likely involve ticket giveaways and an RSVP list, according to a representative from WOXY, will be released later in the week.
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ACL Fest Sound and Jury contest names 5 finalists
The bands competing for a slot on the festival bill in ACL’s virtual band battle hosted by Dell Lounge have been whittled down to five finalists. The home team makes a strong showing with Austinites represented in four of the five acts. The bands are:
- Andrew Tinker — Denton, TX
- The Bright Light Social Hour — Austin, TX
- The Bubbles — Austin, TX
- Mobley — Austin, TX
- OK Sweetheart (Erin Austin) — New York, San Francisco, Austin
The finalists will face off in a live showdown at Antone’s on Wednesday, September 30 at 8 p.m. The winner will play ACL Fest at 11:45 a.m. on Friday, October 2.
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Austin City Limits preview: Locals L.A.X. deliver an early show of electropop
Ricardo B. Brazziell AMERICAN-STATESMAN
A cursory glance at Andrew Collins, all flowing locks, bristly mustache and prominently displayed chest piece tattoo, would offer little indication that he fronts one of Austin’s most winning dance acts. The grungy appearance would sooner suggest Collins, 25, spends his nights screaming in a metal band — which he has, with hardcore outfit At All Cost, which plays its final two shows in December.
But it’s L.A.X., which singer and keyboardist Collins formed as a side project in 2005 alongside vocalist Erin Jantzen, 26, that occupies his musical energies these days. The house, R&B and pop-blending group, born as a duo and grown into a sextet, started captivating Austin in a series of house parties but graduates to the big leagues with the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival, which will be their first proper festival performance.
“I think the band right now is actually in a really good place to start playing festivals. There’s more members than there used to be, there’s a lot more going on. Sometimes the stages are a little bit too small at the clubs we play right now,” Collins says. “It’s going to be really awesome to get out on something big and have a really good sound.”
Collins, long an aficionado of pop music and electronica — he today cites Daft Punk as a major influence — started L.A.X. to indulge all the inspirations he wasn’t incorporating into At All Cost. He sought out Jantzen, who had sung background vocals for the metal band and whose musical experience was largely limited to family karaoke sessions. They played a succession of house parties and small shows whenever both were in Austin, with little but a drum machine between them.
“I had never been in a band or even thought about being in a band so for me it was fun. He’d be gone a lot of the time, and when he came back we’d play a crazy party and get drunk and have fun and make people want to dance,” Jantzen says. “Truthfully, Andrew and I were I think less motivated with less people. But now that we’ve got everybody playing together, it’s just completely taken over.”
The duo started with a quickly recorded four-song demo in 2005, which was followed by the 10-track ‘L’ EP in 2007 (two planned follow-ups will, of course, by titled ‘A’ and ‘X’). The band added another four members — singer and writer Yadira Brown, drummer Jon Oswald, guitarist Rory Phillips and bassist Chris D’Annunzio. The completed lineup played unofficial parties during the South By Southwest Music Festival.
And while L.A.X. — with Jantzen’s and Brown’s smoothly seductive vocals, a driving pop sensibility and levels of auto-tune that could compete with ‘808s & Heartbreak’-era Kanye West — might seem like a curious development from a metal fan, Collins says it’s simply a reflection of the hook-filled music he’s always loved.
“I listen to more pop and electronic music than I ever did with metal. A good melody and a hook is just something I love. Like, in a Mariah Carey song, there’s always a hook that just sticks with you. And that’s something I try to put into every song,” Collins says. “I think of something in my head, and if I can remember it at the end of the day that means it’s a winner.”
L.A.X. plays from 11:20 a.m. to noon Sun. Oct. 4 on the Austin Ventures stage.
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September 18, 2009
CD review: Pearl Jam "Backspacer"
Pearl Jam
‘Backspacer’
(self released)
Grade: B-
Having long ago shed any pretensions of operating as a radio- and singles-driven band in favor of evolving into one of the mightiest touring acts going, any new release by Pearl Jam almost has to be evaluated through a filter of “how will this fit into the context of its often-mammoth live shows?”
That’s especially the case here in Austin given that the new “Backspacer,” it’s ninth studio album, arrives less than two weeks before the Seattle quintet headlines Austin City Limits Festival and works some of these 11 new songs into a set that’s only supposed to last two hours but will almost surely run past that.
So as more live fodder, “Backspacer” is great. Recorded lean and mean but with plenty of off ramps for live stretchouts, the bulk of it will sound riveting cascading around Zilker Park in amongst material that’s almost two decades old. Album opener “Gonna See My Friend” finds lead singer Eddie Vedder as riled up as ever and rides on top of one of drummer Matt Cameron’s most propulsive showcases since his days with Soundgarden on “Spoonman.”
There are plenty of other keepers. The upbeat solo Vedder ballad “Just Breathe” is a fine candidate for an encore opener that could’ve appended his turn on the the “Into The Wild” soundtrack; “Supersonic” is a two-minues-and-change dumb-as-rocks raveup that’s not trying to be anything more, and “The Fixer” could be the shaggiest up-tempo single they’ve ever release. That’s a compliment, by the way.
As for how “Backspacer” will age after the masses depart on Oct. 4, it’ll probably wind up smack in the middle of the band’s canon (that’s between “Yield” and 2006’s self-titled album for this reviewer) suffering from a dearth of stand-out or even memorable lyrics (when has that ever been a problem for this band?) and a middle third that drags in too many places.
The end verdict, then? Good, but nowhere near great - and making me salivate even more for when the band marches on stage to put its stamp on ACL Fest. Which is pretty much the point of its albums these days anyway. Mission: accomplished.
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Hear Pearl Jam's new 'Backspacer' today on MySpace
The official release date is Tuesday, and the ACL Fest headliners are streaming the whole thing today here.
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September 16, 2009
ACL student passes sold out!
Ralph Barrera AMERICAN-STATESMAN
It takes a lot to get a college student out of bed before 8 a.m. But with the hope of buying a three-day pass to the Austin City Limits Music Festival, more than 500 did it Wednesday morning, lining up at Hancock Center for the festival’s annual student sale.
By 9 a.m., the line of students — including some from Dallas and Houston — was so long that it snaked around Sears and ended at the loading docks. (All other single-day and three-day passes have been sold out since August.)
“I’ve never had someone sleep overnight,” said Brooke Alexander, marketing manager for the festival, which is produced by Austin-based C3 Presents. Alexander, who was working her fourth student sale, said she forgot to put out the sign to mark the line’s start and rushed over from her South Austin home at midnight. She found people who had been camping out since 5 p.m. Tuesday.
An undisclosed number of tickets went on sale at 10 a.m., and students could buy up to two for $135 each.
Javier Leal, 18, was first in line after driving Tuesday from Denton with his friend Daniel Atterberry, 18. The third person in line, Jarred Brewton, 29, a student at San Jacinto College in Houston, said that after he got his ticket, he was going to have to drive back to take a history test.
“We had a lot of fun last night,” said Atterberry, who had to go to work at a horse ranch in Denton as soon as he got back.
The first 12 to 15 people in line said a friendship of sorts had formed as they spent Tuesday night and Wednesday morning playing games such as Cranium and trying to complete crossword puzzles.
Students also passed time by reading school books and magazines and sleeping. Lauren Kuffel, 20, a student at the University of Texas-San Antonio, said she slept from 2 to 7 a.m. on an inflatable mattress. Amy Strotch and Riley Engemoen, both 19, created their own version of the card game Speed.
“It’s just like Speed, except every time you flip a card, you have to say ‘SpeedCL,’ ” Engemoen said.
The two, about a third of the way back in the line, were able to buy tickets. They said they’re most excited about the smaller bands, including Bon Iver, on the lineup. Others said they wanted to see Kings of Leon, Dave Matthews Band, Citizen Cope, Girl Talk, Thievery Corporation and Mos Def.
Alexander let three to eight people at a time approach the ticket booth, and by 11 a.m., the last six tickets were handed off to a lucky three. The line still curved around the perimeter of Sears.
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September 14, 2009
Austin City Limits preview: Interview with the Walkmen's Peter Bauer
All five members of celebrated post-punk band the Walkmen grew up alongside each other in Washington, D.C., but their paths to indie rock stardom were long and tortured. Three members rose to prominence in Jonathan Fire*Eater, a mega-hyped, Dreamworks-signed act that collapsed in 1998, while two served a brief stint in aborted Boston garage rock band the Recoys. Following the dissolution of both bands, the five high school friends united as the Walkmen with a self-titled EP in 2001, just in time to ride the burgeoning New York City rock scene to prominence. 2002’s “Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone” garnered comparisons to the Cure and U2, while 2004’s “Bows + Arrows,” and particularly its propulsive single “The Rat,” landed the band on prime-time soap opera “The O.C.”
But the band careened wildly off the beaten path, first in 2006 with “’Pussy Cats’ Starring the Walkmen,” a track-by-track cover of Harry Nilsson’s 1974 album “Pussy Cats,” and then with 2008’s “You and Me,” a darkly intimate gem that won kudos from Spin, the Guardian, Rolling Stone and others. The Walkmen’s bassist-turned-organist Peter Bauer spoke to us by phone from his Philadelphia home to discuss the group’s latest honor, why they sometimes hate their own albums and which indie band’s got game.
American-Statesman: “The Rat” recently landed at No. 20 on Pitchfork’s list of the 500 best songs of the decade. Was that a surprise for the band?
Bauer: (Record producer and engineer) Chris Zane was with us in the studio and he’s very up on the Internet, so he saw it first and was like “Hey, you guys, you’d better check this out.” It’s great and we thought it was a huge surprise. It’s funny cause you look at that list and we’re kind of the only failures on it. Everybody else is OutKast or Missy Elliott or Radiohead or somebody huge like that. And here’s this bunch of wash-ups at No. 20. It’s nice to have a song live up to standards like that.
It’s been about a year since the release of “You and Me” — what’s the band up to now that the post-album release barrage of publicity and touring has subsided?
We’re recording another record right now and hopefully that’ll be done in a timely fashion as opposed to two years from now. It’s coming along now so we’ll see how it goes. We’re hoping for a release early next year.
“You and Me” was very distinct from every other album you’ve released, with a greater focus on atmosphere and mood and more straightforward lyrics. Has the new record similarly taken on a certain direction?
It definitely doesn’t have a shape yet. We’ve recorded a lot of stuff, a lot of it very quiet, some of it somewhat country-ish. But I don’t know what it will end up sounding like when it’s done. You can do a lot of recording but not really know quite what it is you’re working on until something just clicks. There’s always a moment where things become a little more obvious. Last record, just after we did “I Lost You,” I felt like we finally got a sense of tone and were able to progress naturally from there. And we haven’t quite hit that moment yet for this record. But it’s just a matter of time.
Were you happy with the way “You and Me” ended up?
We really love that record. The whole band likes it a lot. Which was kind of a new thing for us — usually by the time we’re touring behind a record we just absolutely hate the songs. There would be maybe three songs on an album we wouldn’t dread playing. And you come to realize which songs are b-grade by playing them so many times. But this time was different. We set out to make this big record full of hits, and we wanted to make something that had a romantic, grand tone. So it was a surprise what we ended up with, since there’s really not a single on that album, but we still felt like we were successful at making something that we liked and something that wasn’t cheesy or trite. It definitely felt like a big step forward for us. I’m just hoping we can make another one that good.
Is it challenging to sell those slower, moodier songs at big outdoor festivals like Austin City Limits or Outside Lands?
It’s a bit of a problem, yeah. But I think we’re learning our lessons in terms of making them work. Of course, the fans want to hear the slow songs as much as we want to play them … my wife is now shaking her head and looking at me and mouthing “No, they don’t.” Well, we want to hear slow songs, anyway. I can’t stand rock ‘n’ roll music. But you can figure out different ways to do things, at least, ways to make the songs louder. And as long as the passion is there, that energy and intensity is going to come out in the performance.
In April, you chatted about the NBA season with readers of ESPN.com, for their series of online conversations with musicians. The worlds of indie rock and professional sports fandom don’t overlap often. How’d that come about?
Our manager asked me if I ever wanted to do sports radio, kind of out of the blue. And I told him that that’s all I’ve ever wanted to do with my life. But what he was actually eying, and eventually got me, was an Internet chat. But I had a blast doing it. Me and (guitarist) Paul (Maroon) both love basketball and we both play quite a bit. I’d much rather be a sports star than a rock star. It’s definitely strange how it came together, and I’m still not really sure why exactly they wanted me on ESPN. Although sometimes you’ll read it and one of their commentators will talk about Interpol and you’ll just be like “That’s strange.” So obviously it’s something that some of their people are into. But it’s not like they ever talked about the Walkmen. Nobody ever does.
Touring offers a lot of opportunities for impromptu hoops sessions. Can any of the bands you’ve toured with play ball?
I would say that the Built to Spill guys were really good. They would be the ones I would remember. They cleaned our clocks. But other than that I don’t think we’ve ever played with anyone particularly good. The Kings of Leon are supposed to be pretty solid. They’ve talked a lot of trash. But I don’t know if I buy it.
The Walkmen play from 3:30 to 4:30 p.m. Friday, Oct. 2 on the Xbox 360 stage.
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ACL Buzzmeter: Kings of Leon keep the crown
Yeah Yeah Yeahs? More like “Meh Meh Mehs”. Forgive the obvious joke, but based on response from the scheduling tool over at aclfestival.com, that’s an appropriate way to characterize the seeming indifference for the New York trio’s late addition to this year’s Austin City Limits Festival lineup as a replacement for one-time headliners The Beastie Boys. We thought it best to wait a bit before taking out the measuring stick to see how many attendees were planning on making Karen O. and company a priority and the answer is, obviously “not many” with less than 2,000 schedule adds in the four weeks since they were announced. That figure puts them far outside the top 20 in our rankings and behind such relative “who dat?”s as White Lies (3,022), The Zac Brown Band (2,174) and Reckless Kelly (2,490).
The news isn’t any better for the fellow late arrivals Raphael Saadiq (609), Dirty Projectors (137) or alt-rock supergroup Them Crooked Vultures (1084) who at least seem to have some good-size blog buzz around them coming in. Of course, with the fest completely sold out organizers can tale some creative gambles while plugging holes in a lineup whose loses - The Beastie Boys, Lily Allen, Sonic Youth - have piled up like a M.A.S.H. unit.
Worth asking; “Who benefits from all this?” That might seem like a cynical question when you’re talking about circumstances involving cancer (Beastie Boy MCA), a broken wrist (Sonic Youth’s Lee Renaldo) and chronic crazy (Allen), but there are actually some people making out OK in all this roster shuffling. First among them, Kings of Leon’s detractors. Sure, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs are a step down in star power from the BBoys, but check out any of the YYY’s recent live clips on YouTube and you’ll see engaging, confrontational performances by a band doing its damnedest to be known as more than the proxy Beastie Boys on this summer’s festival circuit. Got a feeling they’ll deliver at 8:30 p.m. Friday and have people talking afterward. Second; curious rock fans willing to put up with sleep deprivation to try to see Them Crooked Vultures (that’s Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and John Paul Jones for the uninitiated) pull the ACL trifecta of a festival set, Austin City Limits show taping and an after party at Stubb’s. Given the hype surrounding this supergroup, they could get keys to the city by the time the weekend’s done.
Third-ish, Saadiq and Michael Franti, who get good set times thanks to all the vacancies but have to put up with killer time slot competition. For Saadiq, it’s butting up against feel-good world beat rapper K’Naan (ouch) at 5:30 p.m. on Friday, while for Franti and his Spearhead combo it’s a tug of war against laptop dance king Girl Talk at 7 p.m. on Sunday. Deciding between all those might result in a lot of last-minute coin flips.
So how about some good news before we get out of here? Fair enough.
Kings of Leon’s continuing surge up top (along with their unrelenting spread into the mainstream in recent months) makes setting them as a headliner one of this year’s savvier moves by organizers. And with a totally different and potentially small audience watching Yeah Yeah Yeahs across the way, their crowd should be monstrous.
Finally, pardon the chest thumping but it’s good to see our early forecast of Mos Def picking up momentum come true. The Big Apple rapper breaks into the top 10 with a few weeks left and with a later Saturday time slot against dissimilar artists (Levon Helm, The Zac Brown Band) he’ll have a big sea of heads nodding along with him.
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September 12, 2009
Learning to love Kings of Leon again
Have you ever given up on a band after they release an album that makes their situation seem hopeless? For me and the Kings of Leon, that album was their debut, 2003’s “Youth and Young Manhood.” Pretty harsh to ditch a band after their debut LP, but “Y&YM” was preceded by the far superior EP “Holy Roller Novocaine,” which announced the arrival of a band that poured its foundation on gritty Southern rock, yet had a singer whose voice soared for the pop hierarchy. The best song on the EP was “California Waiting,” an instant modern garage rock classic that made its way onto most, if not all, of my mixtapes in early 2003.
I was in Charles Attal’s office one day that summer, probably doing an interview, when he had to take a call. One of the bands he booked for ACL Fest had dropped out. I suggested Kings of Leon whom, as it turns out, had been pitched to Attal by their agent when there wasn’t any room on the grid. “They’re the best new band I’ve heard in almost ten years,” I said.
But when they played that second year of ACL, I didn’t even go. When the album came out a month before ACL, I put it on and to my horror they completely desecrated “California Waiting.” It sounded as if re-recorded to appeal to fans of the Strokes, who were all the rage at the time. I took the CD out of the player and threw it against the wall. Here was a band that clearly had no clue.
Even as the band became huge in the United Kingdom, was handpicked to tour with the likes of Bob Dylan and Pearl Jam, and released second LP “Aha Shake Heartbreak” to consistently positive reviews, I totally ignored them. So many bands out there, too little time.
I wasn’t even looking forward to seeing KOL at the Spin party at SXSW in March 2007. But, man was I in for an endorphine-releasing wallop. That set was not only the best in Spin party history, but one of the two best I’ve ever seen at Stubb’s (a tossup with the Stooges). Here’s what I wrote an hour or two later.
“The truth is that SXSW is not about discovery, but about recharging. We want the moment, and if a career happens, that’s cool. The Kings of Leon set at the Spin party Friday afternoon made a rock ‘n’ roll re-believer out of me. They were absolutely amazing, a powerful engine that roared for all of us who want more out of life, at least during these four days when we’re not as hip as everybody else.”
Freshly back in the fold, I jumped all over “Only By the Night,” which is one year old on Sept. 19. Though it ended up of virtually no U.S. critics’ best of 2008 lists, “Only By the Night” was my favorite of the year because, while staying fresh and crunchy, it reminded me of the big rock albums of the ‘70s I grew up on, “This is an Elton John record with guitars and swagger instead of pianos and aplomb,” I wrote in a four-star review.
After the ACL 2009 lineup was announced, I saw a lot of grumbling in the comments section of Austin360.com that Kings of Leon had not yet earned headlining status. But they’re the hottest rock band right now, with “Use Somebody” currently a Top 5 Billboard single, sandwiched between Jay-Z and Taylor Swift. When they take the LiveSTRONG stage at Zilker Park Friday Oct. 2, the Kings should have about 40,000 people on their feet and ready to be moved.
Attal guessed right when he booked Kings of Leon even back before “Sex On Fire” hit. This time I had nothing to do with it. But this time I wouldn’t miss KOL’s set at ACL Fest for anything.
Shaky video of KOL at SXSW 2007
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September 11, 2009
Win a pair of passes for all 3 days of ACL Fest
Our ACL scavenger hunt is back … and one lucky winner will walk away with a pair of passes good for all three days of the festival.
The contest runs for three weeks, beginning Friday, Sept. 11, and continuing through Wednesday, Sept. 30. Each week, look through the 10 most recent A-List photo galleries at austin360.com/alist to find the three hidden code words. Once you’ve got them all, shoot an e-mail to austin360contests@statesman.com.
You can enter once each week, giving you three chances to win. We’ll announce our winner Thursday, Oct. 1.
To get started, click here. Or, to read the complete contest rules, click here.
Good luck!
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September 10, 2009
ACL Fest student sale on Wednesday
Because when we talk about ACL Fest “sold out” does not necessarily mean what you think it means, stray 3-day passes to the event are beginning to surface. Austin City Limits Festival will hold its annual student ticket sale on Wednesday, September 16 at 10 a.m. at the Hancock Center HEB on East 41st Street. Three-day passes will be available while supplies last for $135 dollars a pop. The sale is cash only with a 2 pass limit per person. All purchasers must show a valid student ID. More info.
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September 9, 2009
ACL lineup changes now officially official, Sonic Youth out, Dirty Projectors in
Also, Marva Wright, “The Blues Queen of New Orleans,” recently suffered a stroke and will not play her set.
Dirty Projectors and Mike Posner will now both take the stage Sunday in Zilker Park.
Dirty Projectors are now playing at 5 p.m. on the Dell stage. Michael Franti and Spearhead are now in Sonic Youth’s old slot at 7 p.m. on the Dell stage.
Some comments from Fresh and Clean, the fest’s publicists:
“ACL Festival lineup planning and booking starts a full year in advance, with the goal of delivering a bill each year that is fresh, eclectic and phenomenal. As the Festival weekend draws closer, reworking and filling-out the lineup becomes more challenging due to existing tour schedules and availability. So, we’re as bummed as you are when a one-of-a-kind band has to cancel their appearance (due to circumstances beyond everyone’s control). But even with all of the switch-a-roos, the 2009 event is sure to rock your socks off. Plus, you’ll get to wiggle your toes in Zilkers lush, new grass!”
Photo credit: Domino
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September 4, 2009
Sonic Youth forced to cancel ACL due to injury
Word has it that Sonic Youth has been forced to cancel their Austin City Limits Music Festival appearance because of an injury.
The band was slated to play 7 p.m. Oct. 4 on the Dell stage. They were also scheduled to tape an “Austin City Limits” show on Oct. 5.
No official word yet from the band or the label, but a statement should be forthcoming early next week. No word yet from C3 Presents on who will replace them.
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September 1, 2009
ACL shuffle: Poi Dog moves up
Poi Dog Pondering’s set time has moved from 5:45 p.m. to 3: 15 p.m. Friday Oct. 2 on the Wildflower Center stage. The only problem with the original time was that it overlapped with Thievery Corporation’s set. Two of the members of Poi Dog — Frank Orrall and John Nelson — play percussion in the T.C. touring band.
You’d think C3 would’ve known that. They manage Thievery Corporation. Here’s a list of C3’s management roster.
K’Naan has moved into the original Poi spot.
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Grohl, Homme (and some dude from Led Zeppelin) jump on ACL Day 1
Them Crooked Vultures, the collaboration featuring Dave Grohl, Josh Homme and long-time Led Zeppelin bassist John Paul Jones, has been added to the Oct. 2 lineup for Austin City Limits Festival.
For those keeping track, the band’s spot on the XBox 360 stage is the one vacated by Lily Allen just over a week ago when the British singer dropped out for still-mysterious reasons.
If you’re unfamiliar with Them Crooked Vultures, the combo made its debut during Lollapalooza weekend last month (so the C3 Presents association shouldn’t make their addition any sort of a shocker) and earned rave reviews. The debut album, “Never Deserved The Future,” is due to the world (or this continent, anyway) on Oct. 23.
UPDATE: Looks like the band is playing an after/pre-/whatever show on Oct. 1 at Stubb’s as well. Tickets for that go on sale this Saturday.
-Chad Swiatecki
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August 31, 2009
ACL interview: Clutch, heroes to hard rock-loving nerds, brother to 'Ace of Cakes' Mary Alice
(Clutch is scheduled to play the Livestrong Stage at 2 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 4.)
Here is one reason Neil Fallon, singer, co-songwriter and lyricist for the hard rock band Clutch, is a hero to nerds who also love hard rock.
So, Neil, what are you reading these days?
“Well, I’m reading a short book called ‘The Big Time’ by a guy named Fritz Leiber,” Fallon says. “Do you know him?”
Yeah, I know Leiber. Science-fiction and fantasy writer of some note, known mostly for his sword-and-sorcery tales of Fafhrd and the Gray Mouser. “The Big Time” is one of his best sci-fi novels.
“Well, I’m reading all of the Hugo and Nebula winners in sequential order,” Fallon says (emphasis ours). “That one won the Hugo in ’58.”
Some rock bands are known for their groupies on the tour bus. Some are known for their drug and alcohol intake.
I have no idea what Fallon’s relationship to those things are, but I do know that he is reading a whole lot of sci-fi on the bus. In. Sequential. Order.
Here’s another reason the members of Clutch are heroes: They won the rock ‘n’ roll career sweepstakes when it looked for all the world like they had lost.
Clutch started in Germantown, Maryland, a D.C. suburb, in 1990. I first saw them in a frat house that doubled as a DIY venue on Halloween 1992.
“I remember that show,” Fallon says. “Just about every other girl was dressed like a ‘Teen Spirit’ cheerleader.”
Throughout their career, Clutch bounced from label to label, practically by the album. In nearly 20 years as a band, they have released records on (deep breath) Atlantic, Columbia, DRT, Earache, Eastwest and Megaforce. None of the record execs seemed to have any idea what to do with a band whose sound could move from mid-tempo hardcore punk to Helmet-style noise rock to something slower and heavier and bluesier.
And Fallon’s lyrics were equally confusing, wise-acre rhymes bellowed like a lumberjack at classic rock karaoke night. Everybody knew someone like Fallon in college - the dropout who was far smarter than he let on, the sometimes-quiet guy who was usually the cleverest, funniest person in the room.
Clutch thought nothing of welding giant riffs to songs with titles such as “Bottom Up, Socrates,” “Escape from the Prison Planet,” “When Vegans Attack,” “Burning Beard” and “Sleestak Lightning” and a dozen more, equally smart and funny.
And save for the occasional keyboard player, the line-up has remained the same: Fallon, guitarist Tim Sult, bassist Dan Maines and drummer Jean-Paul Gaster.
But labels were baffled, so Clutch did what bands should do: They toured. Constantly. On and off for most of the ‘90s and ‘00s. It’s the oldest business model in music, reaching back to the days of wandering minstrels.
These days, Clutch has one of rock’s most devout fanbases and they’re finally putting out their own albums, including the new and excellent “Strange Cousins from the West” full-time on their own Weathermaker Records at one of the best possible moments.
“We found ourselves off of DRT Records after our last album, thank Christ,” Fallon says. “We were in a position to cut out a lot of middle people. By the end of our time on DRT, we were already doing everything ourselves so it was like, ‘Why add more cooks?’”
Fallon says they banged out “Strange Cousins” as quickly and economically as possible and designed an admittedly nifty die-cut package for it. (“People don’t have to buy CDs anymore, so you might as well make the packaging pretty nice.”) There it was, in Target, on sale for $9.99. One gets no better access to the mainstream than that.
“Look, we don’t think we’re going to have a gold record on Weathermaker’s wall any time soon,” Fallon says. “You can build a house out of sticks really quick but it won’t last. The people who are coming to the live shows are real music fans, not fans of a hit. Their attention span is much, much longer, if not permanent.”
But there’s really only one thing anyone wants to know from Fallon these days: What’s it like having a sister - Mary Alice, the office manager from the cult cooking show “Ace of Cakes,” - who is as famous as he is, if not more recognizable?
“I’ll tell you what, man,” Fallon says. “Cake fans are way spookier than rock ‘n’ roll fans.”
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XBox is the new ACL stage sponsor; two other stages named for Livestrong Foundation, wildflower center
Austin City Limits Music Festival organizers announced Monday that the two remaining, thusfar un-sponsored stages would be named for the Livestrong Foundation and the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center.
In addition, Xbox360 has moved stages. It was once sponsoring the former WaMu stage (a.k.a. the gospel “tent”). They will now title the stage hosting STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Girl Talk, Raphael Saadiq, and more.
The Livestrong Foundation and the Wildflower Center are non-profits; no donor funds were utilized to acquire the stage name rights, which were a gift of the Festival. C3 donated naming rights to one of the two main stages at Lollapalooza to Olympics 2016, the organization trying to bring the games to Chicago. AT&T didn’t renew its sponsorship contract at Lolla either.
Two stages without paid sponsors? Ouch.
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August 24, 2009
CD review: Arctic Monkeys - 'Humbug'
‘Humbug’
(Domino)
C
The Arctic Monkeys’ rapid rise to rock royalty (their acclaimed debut, “Whatever People Say I Am,” arrived in 2006, followed a year later by the Billboard Top 10 charting “Favourite Worst Nightmare”) could be credited to lead Monkey Alex Turner’s entertaining, detached perspective on newly acquired rock stardom. But it’s easy to see how that act can get old fairly quickly when a band is actually successful. Such is the case on “Humbug,” the band’s first album recorded in the United States, with producers Josh Homme of Queens of the Stone Age and James Ford of Simian Mobile Disco. Turner doesn’t seem to be fully committed to the endeavor this time around; he’s not helped by a collection of songs bogged down by cliched lyrics. Even highlight “Crying Lightning” is spoiled by lines such as “the next time I caught my own reflection it was on its way to meet you,” which renders forgettable an otherwise appealing, spooky thumper.
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Interview: Thurston Moore of Sonic Youth
Never let it be said that Thurston Moore likes to loaf around the house.
“I’m on the Merritt Parkway while we’re talking,” Moore says.
It’s June, and the Sonic Youth guitarist is driving from the Massachusetts home he shares with his wife and fellow Youth Kim Gordon and their daughter Coco to New York City, the city that gave birth to the band some 28 years ago.
He’s heading to an opening night for photographer Richard Kern, who came out of the same downtown New York scene as Sonic Youth. He’s meeting with editors at Abrams Books with whom he’s working on several projects. He’s going to visit his niece. Later in the summer, he’s heading to what he calls “noise camp,” a brief tour with his improvisational noise project Northhampton Wools.
“A few shows, sleeping bags and tents in West Virginia,” Moore says. “I am excited about the Sonic Youth tour, but noise camp is in the front of my cerebral context, tingling.” (Sadly, the tour was cancelled when Moore came down with the flu in early August.)
“I’m a guy who likes to keep busy.” He pauses. “Well, I tend to keeping busy whether I like it or not.”
On top of all this, this year, Sonic Youth released “The Eternal,” its 16th studio album and first on Matador Records. It’s also their first on an independent label after spending the last 19 years on the major label Geffen Records. The band plays the Dell stage at 7 p.m. Oct 4 of ACL.
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Yeah Yeah Yeahs replace Beastie Boys
ASSOCIATED PRESS
The Yeah Yeah Yeahs have been confirmed to replace the Beastie Boys Friday co-headlining at Austin City Limits this year. The New York trio replaced the, um, New York trio at Lollapalooza as well.
R&B singer Raphael Saadiq has been added to the 5:30 - 6:30 Friday slot on the Lady Bird Lake stage previously occupied by Lily Allen, while the 7:30-8:30 remains unfilled (or at least, not public). Ben Sollee is now 12:30- 1:30 Sunday on the Austin Ventures stage.
This puts the YYY’s up against Kings of Leon. It will be interesting to see how this plays out. The Kings’ album “Only By the Night” has moved more than one million copies in 46 weeks (aided, of course, by “Sex on Fire” and “Use Somebody”). The Yeah Yeah Yeah’s newest, the New Wave-inflected “It’s Blitz!” has moved 149,000 in 22 weeks. (While “Zero” is a terrific song, it doesn’t have the radio legs of “Sex on Fire.”
Sales-wise, there’s no comparison. But on stage, the YYYs are still an absolute force of nature live and it could be thrilling to see them take command of tens of thousands.
MORE ACL FEST
- ACL aftershows announced
- Hot or not? Rate the ACL bands | Full list of bands
- Photos: ACL Fest history | ACL Fest A to Z
- 2008 photos: Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Reader photos
- Full ACL Fest coverage
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August 23, 2009
ACL buzzmeter - Kings of Leon taking the crown
You’re looking at as scientific a snapshot as you’re probably going to get of who’s drawing ears and eyeballs to this year’s Austin City Limits Fest. Using the personal schedule tool at www.aclfestival.com, we’re tracking (every Sunday night) how many fans have “added” an artist to their personal schedule as the big day draws closer. (Note - these are the numbers from 8/16, posted late because I neglected to post before leaving last week. Fresh numbers from 8/23 should be here by Tuesday.)
While you’re only seeing the top 20 here, we’ve got a much deeper running chart going to keep a close eye on who’s gaining steam and who’s stalling out.
So what of it? Well, first of all how about the three-furlong lead relative youngsters Kings of Leon have at the top on day three headliners and modern rock vets Pearl Jam? The more than 6,000 add lead has sprouted almost all in the last week, too (we started eyeing these numbers at the beginning of the month) which suggests the recently platinum-certified band made an impression earlier this month at Lollapalooza and are reaping the rewards in fresh interest. They’ve also got no competition at that time slot now since The Beastie Boys dropped out. Whatever’s behind their surge, it’s a real eye opener, though you have to wonder what the Sept. 20 release of Pearl Jam’s new record “Backspacer” and its attendant publicity push will do to ratchet up their numbers heading into October.
Indie darlings The Decemberists make a not shocking bow at No. 3 but one spot down we see it’s apparently folly to write off the Arctic Monkeys as 2007’s news. While the new “Humbug” is due to drop next week, it hasn’t exactly burned up radio charts of any kind, so this one’s a real head scratcher at this point. Am I missing something on that one? If so, drop me a line at cswiatecki@statesman.com.
Just outside the top 10, six artists within 1,000 adds of each other - Mos Def, Toadies, Sonic Youth, B-52’s, Lily Allen (pre-dropout) and John Legend - give an interesting glimpse of the truly mixed fare at festivals these days. Of those, Mos Def and the B-52’s seem the best bets to gain large numbers of new adds in the coming weeks; Mos Def because he’s the purple cow of the bunch and B-52’s for retro fun value. Their crowd could be MGMT-last-year big.
Looking ahead, the biggest chance for movement of any sizable nature will come whenever promoters C3 Presents name the replacement act for The Beastie Boys on the first night. And not that they need my urging, but we’re about six weeks out and it’s almost officially time to start getting antsy about how that hole is going to be filled. Time’s a-wastin’, dudes. -Chad Swiatecki
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August 21, 2009
Lily Allen no longer on the ACL grid
Well, the rumors are true.
Lily Allen is no longer on the ACL grid, her slot is now one large blank. Which means the Lady Bird Lake stage schedule is totally empty from 4:30 to 10 p.m.
C3 is in the process of finding a replacement and could have something to announce as early as next week.
As to why Allen isn’t coming, Charles Attal at C3 declined to comment. Messages left with Allen’s booking agent have not yet been returned.
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August 19, 2009
ACL Festival is sold out
All single day, three-day and VIP passes to ACL Fest Oct. 2- 4 are completely sold out, according to the fest’s official Web site. This is the earliest sellout in the fest’s eight years.
The recent Lollapalooza festival in Chicago, also promoted by Austin-based C3 Presents, also sold out this year, with 75,000 fans each day. ACL Fest has a limit of 65,000 attendance each day.
Thanks to commenter DJC for the tip.
MORE ACL FEST
- Interactive: Who should replace the Beastie Boys?
- Hot or not? Rate the ACL bands | Full list of bands
- Photos: ACL Fest history | ACL Fest A to Z
- 2008 photos: Friday | Saturday | Sunday | Reader photos
- Full ACL Fest coverage
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August 18, 2009
ACL Fest aftershows announced
Feel like catching some great music from ACL bands without spending a full day (or three) standing around Zilker Park? You’re in luck. Here are the official aftershows happening during ACL Fest weekend. All tickets go on sale to the general public August 20 at 10 a.m. Click here for tickets and more info.
Thursday, Oct. 1
- The Walkmen & Blitzen Trapper w/ Wye Oak at Emo’s. Doors: 9 p.m.
- School of Seven Bells w/ Magic Wands at Emo’s Jr., 9 p.m.
Fri, Oct 2, 2009
- Devotchka w/ Los Amigos Invisibles at LaZona Rosa. Doors: 9:30 p.m.
- STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9) at Stubb’s. Doors: 8 p.m.
- The Virgins at Stubb’s Jr. Doors: 11:30 p.m.
- The Raveonettes w/Here we go Magic at The Parish. Doors: 10 p.m.
- !!! w/Harlem & Neon Indian at Emo’s. Doors: 10 p.m.
- Deer Tick w/ The Henry Clay People & Alberta Cross at Emo’s Jr. Doors: 10 p.m.
Sat, Oct 3, 2009
- Bassnectar w/ DJ Vadim & Ancient Astronauts at LaZona Rosa. Doors: 9:30 p.m.
- Thievery Corporation w/ Federico Aubele at Stubb’s. Doors: 8 p.m.
- Danny Brooks (Gospel Brunch) at Stubb’s Jr. Doors: 11 a.m.
- Rebirth Brass Band at Stubb’s Jr. Doors: 11:30 p.m.
- Grizzly Bear w/ Beach House at Emo’s. Doors: 10 p.m.
- Felice Brothers w/ Red Cortez at Emo’s. Doors: 10 p.m.
- Dan Auerbach w/Rodriguez & White Dress at Antone’s. Doors: 9:30 p.m.
Sun, Oct 4, 2009
- Ghostland Observatory at Stubb’s. Doors: 8 p.m.
- Bon Iver w/Megafaun at the Paramount. Doors: 8 p.m.
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August 13, 2009
Listen to a new Jack White song
The song, “Fly Farm Blues,” was supposedly written “on the spot” while filming “It Might Get Loud” with Jimmy Page and The Edge. The film opens this weekend in New York and L.A., but Austin will have to wait until Sept. 11. (via Stereogum)
White will appear with his latest band, The Dead Weather, at the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Sunday, Oct. 4.
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August 11, 2009
Live review: Dave Matthews Band at Austin City Limits studio
Dave Matthews plays the guitar during the concert of his Dave Matthews Band July 11 at the Optimus Alive music festival in Lisbon, Portugal. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)
On the day the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame designated the Austin City Limits studio as a historical site, the venerable program hosted one of the most popular acts of the last 15 years, likely expecting the Dave Matthews Band to put a musical exclamation point on the big day.
While punctuated at times with exceptional playing, the show seemed to act more as an ellipsis … teasing fans with tastes of their rollicking past throughout a set of relatively homogeneous new songs.
The Dave Matthews Band made a national name for itself in the mid-’90s with crisp, melodic songs that featured evocative songwriting, jazz instrumentation and extended jamming. The group from Virginia straddled musical worlds, attracting eclectic fans of improvisational groups such as the Grateful Dead and Phish while remaining commercially palatable enough to inspire thousands of high school kids and college co-eds to attend the band’s shows in droves.
In the early years, Matthews served as a proxy for his fans — finding his way in the world, celebrating life’s endless possibilities, expressing individuality and swimming in the beauty and ache of the world — offering up his discoveries for the fans to share in as their own.
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August 3, 2009
ACL 2009: Sound and the Jury voting opens
The now annual online contest that puts one lucky band on the Austin City Limits Music Festival stage has opened for business. Bands can submit themselves and the public votes through Aug. 28 during Round One. For Round Two, industry types will judge the top 100 bands. Round three in September is back to public voting for the top 20.
It all leads up to a five-band “battle of the bands” live at Antone’s. Last year’s winners, the Steps (above), just celebrated the release of their new CD.
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July 29, 2009
Changes to ACL volunteer program
The Austin City Limits Festival will charged a $10 nonrefundable fee for 2009 volunteer applications, according to information on its Web site (pdf file). In addition to admission to the festival, volunteers will receive a free T-shirt and coupons to the food court. Also new this year is a system that will allow volunteers to request shifts (potential volunteers will be able to view openings before paying the fee). Volunteers must be 18 and live in the Austin area. Check the “event info” section of the site in August to apply.
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July 23, 2009
Schneider signs with Kirtland Records
Bob Schneider will release his next LP. the just-completed “Lovely Creatures,” Sept. 29 on Dallas label Kirtland Records, the home of the Toadies. “We’ve been a fan of Bob for years,” said Kirtland general manager Tami Thomsen, “so having him on our roster is thrilling. The new record is amazing.”
Schneider record “Lovely Creatures,” which includes a new version of Scabs standby “Tarrantula,” in Austin with producer Dwight Baker. The LP contains a duet with Patty Griffin on “Changing Your Mind.” The first single “40 Dogs” has already been receiving airplay on KGSR.
Schneider plays ACL Fest in October. He’ll also play Antone’s Oct. 2, the first ACL Fest aftershow annnounced.
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July 20, 2009
Licensed to fill (in)
While we’re terribly dissappointed about the Beastie Boys ACL cancellation and sincerely wish Adam Yauch a speedy recovery, we are left to wonder who will take the band’s spot on the bill. We’ve pulled out a few of our top picks (yes, we’re dreaming big). Use our interactive to let us know who you think is up to the job. Also, feel free to log your own choices in the comments below.
- Interactive: Who should replace the Beastie Boys
More ACL Fest
- ACL grids are out
- Daily lineups: Friday | Saturday | Sunday
- Hot or not? Rate the 2009 ACL bands
- More ACL Fest
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Beastie Boys cancel all upcoming tour dates (ACL Fest included)
Oh man. This sucks. A recently diagnosed cancerous tumor in Adam Yauch’s left parotid (salivary) gland means the Beastie Boys are canceling all tour dates and appearances for their new album, which has also been put on hold.
C3 did not have a comment Monday on what will go in that slot.
From their publicist: “Adam “MCA” Yauch of Beastie Boys was diagnosed last week as having a cancerous tumor in his left parotid (salivary) gland. Luckily it was caught early and is localized in one area, and as such is considered very treatable. It will however require surgery and several weeks of additional treatment. Fortunately the cancer is not in a location that will affect Yauch’s vocal chords.
Beastie Boys have canceled all upcoming concert appearances to allow time for Yauch’s surgery and recovery. The release of the band’s forthcoming album Hot Sauce Committee Part 1 will also be pushed back.
Paraphrasing from a video statement on Beastieboys.com, Yauch said, “I just need to take a little time to get this in check, and then we’ll release the record and play some shows. It’s a pain in the neck (sorry had to say it) because i was really looking forward to playing these shows, but the doctors have made it clear that this is not the kind of thing that can be put aside to deal with later.”
- ACL grids are out
- Hot or not? Rate the 2009 ACL bands
- Daily lineups Friday | Saturday | Sunday
- Full ACL Fest coverage
Yauch explains his diagnosis in this video:
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July 2, 2009
Avett Brothers perform new songs on NPR
Fans of the North Carolina folksters excited about their upcoming performance at this year’s Austin City Limits festival will want to check out this video of the Avett Brothers performing in the NPR office. The mini set includes a new song, “Laundry Room,” which will appear on their new album, “I and Love and You,” due out in September.
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June 29, 2009
CD review: Levon Helm 'Electric Dirt'
Levon Helm
‘Electric Dirt’ (Vanguard)
B-
Where 2007’s Grammy-winning “Dirt Farmer” ended a 25-year hiatus for Helm, the new “Electric Dirt” is less than two years coming. But where the new album lacks the airy depth and sense of purpose of its predecessor, it’s similarly a labor of love. In fine voice after a bout with throat cancer, Helm leads what sounds like a jam session on songs ranging from blues (two Muddy Waters covers), mountain music (“White Dove”) and dirty dixieland (Randy Newman’s “Kingfish”).
The problem with the covers is that they all pale to the originals. As the last member of the Band still making records, Helm is the godfather of Americana music, but too much of “Electric Dirt” rests on that title. In a sense, this album sounds like little more than an excuse to hit the road to promote it.
But two original tunes from producer Larry Campbell save the record. “Growing Trade,” co-written with Helm, is one of the best songs you’ll ever hear about the plight of family farmers, and “When I Go Away” is a melodic soul stirrer. More time between albums would’ve led to more songs like these.
Helm and his band make their Austin City Limits Festival debut at Zilker Park in October.
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May 24, 2009
CD review: Phoenix
Phoenix
‘Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix’
(V2)
B
Say this for French alternative rock quartet Phoenix — they certainly are confident. “Lisztomania,” the opening song and first single off their fourth album, has a title and lyrics that allude to the mania that once accompanied public performances by 19th-century Hungarian pianist Franz Liszt. Whether Phoenix deserves the throngs of screaming fans that besieged Liszt’s concerts is up for debate, but “Wolfgang Amadeus Phoenix” makes a convincing argument. Bubbly and effervescent, it’s an album short on substance but long on charm. The aforementioned opener, a bouncy number tailor-made for high school dance parties, perfectly encapsulates the album’s appeal. The similarly peppy “1901” and “Fences” keep the momentum going, but the album nearly derails entirely with the two-part “Love Like A Sunset,” a largely instrumental bit of sub-Sigur Ros meandering. Although the back half never quite recaptures the energy, even with winning tracks such as “Rome” and ‘“Armistice,” “Wolfgang” still packs enough delights to make it Phoenix’s best yet. Those looking for a pleasant slice of summertime pop to listen to poolside could do much worse.
Phoenix plays the Austin City Limits Music Festival on Oct. 2.
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May 18, 2009
CD reviews: Passion Pit, John Vanderslice
Passion Pit
‘Manners’
(Frenchkiss)
B+
It’s been a big year for Boston-based psych-poppers Passion Pit, who followed up last year’s well-received EP, a catchy DIY effort recorded by frontman Michael Angelakos as a Valentine’s Day gift for his girlfriend, with a strong showing at SXSW and a tour that will have the band on stage at several high-profile festivals, including Austin City Limits in October. The tour comes on the heels of their full-length debut, “Manners,” on which the full band joins Angelakos for a decidedly more polished set of songs, with the exception of the standout “Sleepyhead,” a holdover from the EP. The production, which is more reminiscent of bloated mainstream pop recordings than of the band’s indie roots, threatens to spoil the album, but Angelakos gets a pass on the strength of his introspective song writing style, which has matured since the release of the EP. Highlights include the punchy, synth-heavy “Little Secrets,” as well as “The Reeling,” an ’80s-esque dance number destined for remixing.
— Peter Mongillo
Passion Pit plays June 3 at Emo’s and in October at the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
John Vanderslice
‘Romanian Names’
(Dead Oceans)
B+
After two musically elegant but lyrically clunky slices of post-9/11 liberal ennui, 2004’s “Pixel Revolt” and 2007’s “Emerald City,” San Francisco’s John Vanderslice returns with a vengeance to relevance in the intriguing “Romanian Names.”
Vanderslice largely abandons politics on his seventh album, settling instead for a series of intimate torch songs that combine his signature hi-fi analog sound with compellingly enigmatic lyrics. Opener “Tremble and Tear” combines propulsive acoustic guitar with vocals awash in reverb for a striking pop gem. Vanderslice even ventures outside his usual boundaries with “D.I.A.L.O.” and “Too Much Time,” both featuring a rare appearance of synthesizers.
That’s not to say Vanderslice never gets dark — the album’s best track, the violent “Forest Knolls,” features a constant heartbeat that evokes Edgar Allan Poe. But even the saddest tracks contain a glimmer of hope.
When Vanderslice pledges to look up to the nautically themed Carina Constellation in the superb song of the same name, there’s a sense that he’s trying to look as brightly on the future as he does on the stars in the Southern Sky. — Patrick Caldwell
John Vanderslice plays in October at the Austin City Limits Music Festival
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May 4, 2009
ACL line-up broken down by days, three-day passes sold out
To wit, in re: headliners and bigger bands:
Friday: Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Thievery Corp, Mos Def, Lilly Allen, Coheed and Cambria, Andrew Bird, Phoenix, Bassnectar, Medeski, Martin & Wood, Avett Brothers Reckless Kelly
Saturday: Dave Matthews Band, John Legend, The Levon Helm Band, Ghostland Observatory, the Decemberists, Flogging Molly, Citizen Cope, STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9), Bon Iver, !!!, DeVotchka, The Scabs
Sunday: Pearl Jam, Ben Harper and Relentless7, the Dead Weather, Sonic Youth, Toadies, the B-52s, Arctic Monkeys, Clutch, Michael Franti & Spearhead, Girl Talk, Passion Pit, Heartless Bastards
Check it all out here
Perhaps not coincidentally, ACL folks also announced today that three-day passes are sold out. Single-day tickets are still available for $85 each.
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April 28, 2009
ACL 2009 full band list
2009 ACL LINEUP
- Pearl Jam
- Dave Matthews Band
- Yeah Yeah Yeahs
- Kings of Leon
- Ben Harper and Relentless7
- Thievery Corporation
- Them Crooked Vultures
- John Legend
- The Dead Weather
- The Levon Helm Band
- Ghostland Observatory
- Mos Def
- Toadies
- Flogging Molly
- Raphael Saadiq
- Dirty Projectors
- Mike Posner
- The B-52s
- Citizen Cope
- Arctic Monkeys
- The Decemberists
- Coheed and Cambria
- Andrew Bird
- Girl Talk
- STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9)
- Phoenix
- Bassnectar
- Bon Iver
- !!!
- The Avett Brothers
- The Airborne Toxic Event
- Medeski, Martin & Wood
- Clutch
- Michael Franti & Spearhead
- Grizzly Bear
- Heartless Bastards
- Passion Pit
- White Lies
- Dan Auerbach
- The Walkmen
- The Scabs
- Reckless Kelly
- Devotchka
- Blitzen Trapper
- The Virgins
- Here We Go Magic
- Eek-A-Mouse
- K’ Naan
- Asleep at the Wheel
- Dr. Dog
- The Raveonettes
- The Knux
- Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears
- State Radio
- Los Amigos Invisibles
- The Felice Brothers
- Federico Aubele
- Raul Malo
- Daniel Johnston
- Poi Dog Pondering
- Brett Dennen
- Rodriguez
- Henry Butler
- Preservation Hall
- Sam Roberts Band
- The Greencards
- Sara Watkins
- Walter “Wolfman” Washington
- David Garza
- John Vanderslice
- Zac Brown Band
- Todd Snider
- School of Seven Bells
- The Dodos
- Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3
- Alberta Cross
- Deer Tick
- Bell X1
- Alela Diane
- The Wood Brothers
- The Parlor Mob
- Rebirth Brass Band
- Terri Hendrix
- L.A.X.
- Lisa Hannigan
- The Low Anthem
- Sons of Bill
- Suckers
- Sarah Jaffe
- Cotton Jones
- The Henry Clay People
- Papa Mali
- Jypsi
- Vince Mira
- Jonathan Tyler & the Northern
- Lights
- Mimicking Birds
- Jeffrey Steele
- Jonell Mosser
- Leatherbag
- Keith Gattis
- Damien Horne
- Sarah Siskind
- Dexateens
- Nelo
- Danny Brooks
- Reverend Peyton’s Big Damn Band
- The Soul Stirrers
- The Durdens
- Palm School Elementary
- The Gospel Silvertones
- Diaconos
- Quinn Sullivan
- Ralph’s World
- Q Brothers
- Milkshake
- Telephone Company
- Loose Cannons
- Lunch Money
- Hot or not? Rate the ACL Fest artists
- Photos: ACL Fest history
- Photos: ACL Fest A to Z
- More ACL Fest
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Some more thoughts on ACL
Let’s break it down a bit….
WE KNEW ABOUT
Pearl Jam
Dave Matthews Band
Beastie Boys
Kings of Leon
(This leaked a while back, but man alive, are those Dave Matthews fans going to be excited.)
ACL FIRST-TIMERS:
Pearl Jam
Dave Matthews Band
Beastie Boys
John Legend
the Dead Weather (Jack White’s new band)
the Levon Helm Band
Sonic Youth
(Nice to see Sonic Youth in there, I would put them at an odd-on favorite for an aftershow because they are on the record as really loving playing at Stubb’s. Beastie Boys are always an Austin favorite. Dead Weather is a large question mark - How much do we really want to see Jack White play drums? Everyone has great things to say about the Levon Helm band and frankly, if I could personally BE anyone in The Band, I’d be him. I mean, come on.)
SOME AUSTIN-BASED HIGHLIGHTS
Ghostland Observatory
Asleep at the Wheel (every festival and counting!)
The Scabs
Reckless Kelly
Black Joe Lewis
Papa Mali
Heartless Bastards
Terri Hendrix
Leatherbag
Nelo
(No real surprises here, and yes, I’m leaving off a few names. Were there any surprises for you, reading public?)
R&B AND HIP-HOP
John Legend
Mos Def
The Knux
Michael Franti & Spearhead (well, sort of)
K’Naan
(Not a band crew AL ALL. Backpackers will be loving Mos Def and the Knux seem to be absolutely everywhere this year. That band is grinding VERY HARD.)
JAM BANDS
Dave Matthews Band
Medeski, Martin & Wood
(Yes, DMB counts. I went to the University of Virginia back when he was playing Trax every Tuesday. He counts. Think he’ll play “Ants Marching?” I have this weird weakness for that song.)
ELECTRONIC BAND
Girl Talk
Bassnectar
(Sample-delic!)
ELECTRO-JAM BAND
STS9 (Sound Tribe Sector 9)
(This mediocre joke wrote itself. My apologies to the masses. I still remember seeing STS9 at the first ACL and becoming a total convert. Great, great live act.)
COOL VETS
B-52s
Rodriguez
(The former can cold rock a party. The latter is one of the odder hipster rediscoveries of recent times. Check him out here)
GIMME INDIE ROCK!
Sonic Youth (now on Matador Records)
Blitzen Trapper
Bon Iver
!!! (Chick-chick-chick)
The Raveonettes
Daniel Johnston
(Wouldn’t be surprised to see any of these bands at aftershows. Well, maybe not Daniel.)
SURPRISINGLY HEAVY
Clutch
Coheed and Cambria
(It was a surprise to see Clutch play at Bonnaroo a few years back, but not an unwelcome one. They’re a band that can cross contexts very, very well. Two more odds-on faves for aftershows, I think. Both have done very well at Stubb’s and I’ve seen Clutch at least once at Emo’s, so they could play a packed out gig there no problem.)
SXSW BUZZ BANDS
School of Seven Bells
Robyn Hitchcock and the Venus 3 (no, really)
The Decemberists
Andrew Bird
Passion Pit
Grizzly Bear
The Avett Brothers
(All bands that killed at SXSW and all bands that have a good chance of killing in a big park, especially the large form rock of School of Sven Bells, the kitchen-sink pop of Decemberists and the progressive bluegrass of the Avett Brothers. Another bunch of folks that could play very crowded aftershows.)
HAD NO IDEA THEY STILL HAD BUZZ BAND
Arctic Monkeys
(And yet here we are)
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ACL Fest 2009 lineup announced
What: The lineup for the eighth annual Austin City Limits Music Festival was released today by concert promoters C3 Presents.
Confirmed: The worst-kept secret in the Austin music scene — headliners will be Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, the Beastie Boys, Kings of Leon, Ben Harper and Relentless7 , and Thievery Corporation.
When: Oct. 2 to 4 at Zilker Park
Tickets: Three-day passes are $185 at aclfestival.com.
What you get: More than 130 artists will play the three-day shindig, including Sonic Youth, Mos Def, Flogging Molly, Lily Allen and the Decemberists. The grids: Now we wait to see who’s playing against whom and who’s headlining when.
Breaking down the lineup a little, we find:
ACL first-timers: Pearl Jam, the Dave Matthews Band, the Beastie Boys, John Legend, the Dead Weather (Jack White’s new band), the Levon Helm Band, Sonic Youth
Austin-based highlights: Ghostland Observatory, Asleep at the Wheel (every festival and counting!), the Scabs, Reckless Kelly, Black Joe Lewis, Papa Mali, Heartless Bastards, Terri Hendrix, Leatherbag, Nelo
R&B and hip-hop: John Legend, Mos Def, the Knux, Michael Franti & Spearhead
- Hot or not? Rate the ACL Fest artists
- Photos: ACL Fest history
- Photos: ACL Fest A to Z
- More ACL Fest
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April 26, 2009
ACL Fest confirms Sonic Youth
The latest cartoon clue. Posted on the ACL Fest Facebook page.
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April 22, 2009
ACL confirms Thievery Corporation
The latest cartoon clue:
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April 21, 2009
An educated guess at the ACL lineup (some wishing included)
(Updated with some previously overlooked bands.)
Not that anybody asked, but I figured I would take a crack at guessing who the top 50 or so acts will be at the Austin City Limits Festival this year. (I would not be surprised if at least 10 of these bands don’t make the bill.)
I didn’t scour the Internet looking at MySpace pages or burn up the phone lines calling publicists or “people who know things.” I simply checked out the other major fests’ lineups to see who was doing the circuit, culled those who seemed ACL-friendly and made an educated guess, with a few wish-list types (Femi Kuti, Wilco, Q-Tip) thrown in for good measure. Of course, we “know” (or thought we did) Pearl Jam will be there, so at least the top of the bill is easy to figure.
(For ACL coverage on the Austin Music Source, click here.)
Pearl Jam
Beastie Boys
Dave Matthews Band
Sonic Youth
Ghostland Observatory
Kings of Leon
Wilco
B-52s
Levon Helm
Ben Harper
Animal Collective
Femi Kuti
Yeah Yeah Yeahs
Conor Oberst and The Mystic Valley Band
TV on the Radio
M.I.A.
Andrew Bird
Neko Case
Band of Horses
Mos Def
Of Montreal
Okkervil River
Fleet Foxes
The Decemberists
Q-Tip
Bon Iver
Cold War Kids
Deerhunter
Dr. Dog
The Raveonettes
Raphael Saadiq
The Greencards
Dengue Fever
Akron/Family
White Denim
Thievery Corporation
Los Campesinos
Passion Pit
Allen Toussaint
Black Joe Lewis
Betty Lavette
Elvis Perkins in Dearland
Heartless Bastards
Robert Earl Keen
AA Bondy
Ray Lamontagne
Paolo Nutini
Leatherbag
Bassnectar
What Made Miwaukee Famous
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April 20, 2009
Heartless, Okkervil to do 'ACL' tapings
Austin-based bands Heartless Bastards and Okkervil River will this year ascend to the level of bands big enough to tape episodes of “Austin City Limits.” The 35th season of the KLRU-owned program began taping with Willie Nelson and Asleep at the Wheel in February.
Things will really get crazy at Studio 6A during the ACL Fest, when Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys and Sonic Youth will test the rafters of Studio 6B. And longtime producer Terry Lickona just wrapped up Elvis Costello for the end of August.
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ACL Fest wish list (Coachella live shots)
(MIA at Coachella Fest ASSOCIATED PRESS)
Summer music festival season kicked off last weekend with Coachella Festival in Indio, California. While we won’t know who’s playing Austin City Limits Festival until April 28, we can certainly glance at other festival lineups and dream. Use our interactive to let us know which of these Coachella Fest artists you’d like to see at ACL Fest this October.
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April 7, 2009
ACL Fest sells out first tier of tickets
The $160 advance sale tickets for ACL Fest sold out today is just about four hours. The price is now at $185 for three-day passes to the Oct 2- 4 event.
Charles Attal of C3 Presents said that the price will not go any higher than $185, which includes all service charges. Attal declined say how many tickets went on sale for $160.
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ACL Fest tix on sale now!
Go here to purchase three day passes for $160 to the Oct. 2- 4 event. The price jumps to $185 when the first tier advance allotment sells out. Organizers would not say how many tix they’ve set aside for $160.
Last year’s top price for three-day passes was $170. They sold out more than a month before the fest.
Zilker Park capacity is 65,000 per day. The lineup of 130 acts won’t be announced until April 28, though some of the bigger names- neither confirmed nor denied by ACL- being floated around are Pearl Jam, Beastie Boys, Dave Matthews Band and Kings of Leon.
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