New Music, Emerging from your Local Scene
It was Whitman (pictured above, photo by Jay West) who first pointed out to me that Free Beer Needs Be Drank: how true, how true. There’s 1000 of ’em (Lone Stars, of course) due to the first arrivals each day at the Six Stages Over Texas Block Party, taking place amidst the SXSW madness. The shows benefit the victims of the Haiti and Chile earthquakes and feature massive numbers of Austin bands, so many in fact that I can’t even begin. Just trust us. Or check the link.
[Editor’s Note: The below live "review" is most likely addled with hyperbole due to the author’s unbridled passion for the subject of said "review."]
It’s probably a good thing I had been looking forward to last Friday’s reunion performance for country-punk rock pillagers I Can Lick Any Sonofabitch in the House for nearly three months. Countless hours were spent listening to their 2006 live album, Live at Dante’s – with its impending trail of dirty allegory and largely armchair-leftist musings vocalized up front by singer/guitarist Mike D’s greeting “How the fuck y’all doin’ tonight?” The palpable measures of excitement were all in place. The bar would be open. The band would be there. The instruments and PA would work, and they would use them to parlay their ruckus.
What I forgot was how goddamn popular this band is.
Before they were even a glimmer in the collective booze-soaked macula of the audience at Dante’s March 5th, SOB had already commanded a fever-pitch of some parts nostalgia, some parts anticipation, some parts anxiety. Would they be as good as they were? Of course they would be. It’s not as if the band had severed ties with society altogether, punishing their instruments into isolated time-outs in the corners of their basement. But there were a shit-ton of people there to find out first hand anyway.
Mike D has performed consistently in varying incarnations (solo as Michael Dean Damron, as well as with Mike D and Thee Loyal Bastards), all beginning and ending with his no-holds-barred lyricism and Southern-speckled, neat Jack Daniels gruff. Throw in the energy and obvious onstage camaraderie of guitarist Handsome Jon, bassist Mole Harris, drummer Flapjack Texas, and harmonica-genie David Lipkind, and the evening’s dense brood of patrons was only more understandable.
Coincidentally, the band kicked the evening off with the opener from Live, “Gone,” a rock ‘n’ rollin’ blues revue that showcases pretty much all the facets of SOB’s arsenal, including D’s willingness to cross the threshold into outright pissiness (a blurry, shaky, feedback-bedecked video is available here of the first moments of the show…eerily the amateurishness of the footage sums up the ambiance of the show better than were it stationed center-back and filtered through the sound board). “Westboro Baptist Church” resonated just as angrily as it did on 2004’s Menace with a spirited sing-along and plenty of raised fists…which translated into lots of spilt beer.
Lots of things happen at live shows; and it’s rarely interesting to read the details of them – that frail marrow of fact, set list, vibe, smell. In testament to that, I stopped taking notes at a certain point, and decided to hash out what it was that people wanted to see so badly, in such numbers, on this night.
I think it had nothing to do with which songs they would play; whether or not the convergence of bull-riding dive bar owners, rockabilly-slick Dry County Crooks fans, and Joan Jett retro-lite revivalists on hand to see Kleveland would get along; or even whether Handsome Jon would use a Budweiser bottle as a slide (he did). I think people wanted to remind themselves that the things that make you happy, once absent, are not gone forever.
The proof was right in front of us, if only for one night.
– Ryan J. Prado
Carpark Records announced today the signing of a band we have liked for quite sometime, Light Pollution. The label, currently home to bands light Beach House, Dan Deacon, and Ear Pwr, plans to release the bands debut LP, Apparitions, on June 15th. The first track on the album will the synth-heavy anthem “Good Feelings”. The band is still putting the finishing touches on the album, but will be touring for the next two months. The tour includes a stop at SXSW where they will play eight different shows including the Carpark/Paw Track show on the 18th.
Light Pollution can next be seen here in Chicago on March 26th at Mopery Loft and then on April 1st at Bottom Lounge.
Back now from what was hopefully a successful European tour, railcars sadly have no Bay Area dates, though Aria is diligently working on his cover of Kate Bush’s Hounds of Love. Of course, having already mentioned his efforts to re-work that album, this doesn’t come as breaking news; however, what we would like to share is that while they were in Vienna evidently a European site, They Shoot Music, decided to shoot an acoustic (well I suppose acoustic for them) performance of the railcars’ song “There is ice; it is blue". So early in the morning, shortly after waking and baking something according to Aria, he performed a breathtakingly beautiful rendition of the song. Definitely worth a listen.
–Ada Lann
Admittedly, The Deli hasn’t given much love to The Hundred in the Hands this far. But the Brooklyn based electro-rock duo was obviously on the radar of super awesome British label Warp, that recently signed them. Their debut single, entitled "Dressed in Dresden" will be released in early April – followed by an EP and later on by a full length album. Don’t miss their show at Santos Party House on April 6 with James Fucking Friedman, Max Pask, Jacques Renault and The Rapture (DJ set).
Charles Burst was probably the main force behind psych rock quartet The Occasion, with whom he sang and played the drums – the band was featured on the cover of our 5th print issue in 2006. His solo material – less dreamy and more folky – seems made to be performed at the most intimate and pretty of the small Williamsburg venues: Pete’s Candy’s Store. Free show there on March 8.
Start your weekend early and come dance your pants off with The Deli SF and Studio SQ as we present Le VICE live at El Rio, Thursday, March 11th! Le VICE is one part electro funk, one part rootsy hip hop with some sprinklings of pop and R&B. They’re the perfect solution to your next dance party and a breath of fresh air.
Le VICE took third place in our annual Best Emerging Artist of 2009 Reader’s Poll and will be celebrating the release of their self titled debut along with Bay Area folks F*ck, I’m a Ghost and Red Blue Yellow.
Come out and dance with us!
Thursday, March 11th
El Rio – 9pm
Le VICE, F*uck, I’m a Ghost, Red Blue Yellow
$5
-Nicole Leigh
The Candles is Josh Lattanzi’s band. Josh has toured with Ben Kweller, Albert Hammond Jr, Tinted Windows, among others and is now stepping out on his own. His music combines elements of the 70s and 90s, creating a sound that will find fans amongst those who like Jackson Browne, Wilco and Lemonhead’s Evan Dando, for whom he will open on March 18 at The Ale House in Austin during SXSW.
This past Friday we sent our new friend and photographer Daniel Bartel to the Beat Kitchen to photograph Tin Tin Can. Despite a little guest list confusion Dan was able to make it inside and snap a few shots of these fan favorites. You can find more images from the show at Dan’s website.
We’ve always liked Chris Garneau‘s unique, quirky orchestral ballads. After releasing his sophomore album "El Radio" Chris released this beautiful video of the single "Fireflies" and recently announced a 5 dates residency at The Living Room (every Tuesday in March). The video was shot by a crew of only five people over the course of five days, who traveled hundreds of miles from Sequoia National Park, to Yosemite, to Death Valley and everywhere in between, filming it with limited resources, Shooting mostly guerrilla style. Garneau was outfitted with home-made rigging and equipment to create the specific look and feel of the "Fireflies" video… which is a play on the famous Nintendo game "Legend Of Zelda".
Is it too early to name an album the best of the year? Ok, I’ll slow down, but the new album from Pillars and Tongues is something special. Lay of Pilgrim Park was released last month by Empty Cellar Records, and builds upon the bands previous releases but seems more focused. Over this six song vinyl release you will find the signature and vibrant string textures molded by violinist Beth Remis and bassists Evan Hydzik, and the intense percussion of Mark Trecka, but what I love are fluid and layered fluid vocal improvisations by each member of this trio. This is celestial chamber music with dead-can-dance-esque vocals provided by Trecka. There are tribal elements, folk elements, and elements of various cultural influences. My favorite track is the closing track “Made of Sheen”. It slowly opens with what seems like an endless single note, but then explodes open into a whole new realm of sound.
Lay of Pilgrim Park was released on Feb. 9th and is available on vinyl with a digital download by Empty Cellar Records.
