Any day is a good day for a FREE all-ages show downtown; today is no exception. Running from 4pm until 10, The Lemurs, The Black and White Years, Joe Ely, The Gourds, and Del Castillo are playing Republic Square Park – that’s the one at 5th & Guadalupe, I never knew what it was called before myself – all to promote the Car2Go program. Food. Drink. Fun for kids. 200+ pocket-sized cars all at your disposal around Austin, but you gotta register, and you might as well do it while watching The Black and White Years.  

 

 

Local blues/rockabilly guitar-man Charlie Sexton melted an unsuspecting audiences’ collective face off during Conan O’Brien’s "Legally Prohibited from Being Funny on Television" tour showing at the Austin Music Hall last Friday.  While the main event was obviously O’Brien, Sexton came on stage to give Coco a chance for a costume change and gave the stage band a workout.  O’Brien, himself having a penchant for guitar, and most of the audience were in awe at Sexton’s display, and Sexton showed Coco just what Austin music is all about. 

 

–Mitchell Mazurek

 

We got creative this time around and themed our poll around a venue…all of our currently nominated bands will be found playing later this month at Momo’s at 618 West 6th. Check ’em out & cast a vote! 

Garage psychedelic bad ass locals Woven Bones drop their new album In and Out and Back Again upon an innocent and starry-eyed public today. You must fetch it. They’ll be an integral part of the upcoming Chaos in Tejas. Photo by Jason Fisher. 

 

 

AVID. "Advancement Via Individual Determination." I only wish this program existed during my high school days.  I was duly impressed when I was asked to attend a songwriting workshop (put on by the non-profit writing center Austin Bat Cave) at Anderson High School. Aaron Behrens from Ghostland Observatory was to host…say no more. 

As I walked through the halls of the school in between classes and all of the fresh-faced students were running around, moments of my insecure high school days came flooding back.  Expressing yourself whether through song, art, theater, was not cool back then.  It was simply a scene from a movie where the geek outcast finally gets the cute girl.  It’s not reality.  

A lot of the students in this particular class are going to be the first in their family to attend college.  This class is all about writing, self-expression, and college preparation…they were defined as a “quirky crew”. I LOVE THE QUIRKY CREW!!

 

Aaron Behrens did an amazing job inspiring these kids.  I literally was so into his speech that I found myself believing that I, too, could be on the cusp of a monumental career in the arts.  I am telling you, I was convinced!

 

Aaron had some motivating things to say, but it was more than that, it was his spirit, his artistic integrity, his humbleness that was so inspiring.  Some of the focus was about the freedom of expression.  Doing what you want in an artistic way that creates self-empowerment.  To break out and be free, don’t care about what the doubters believe and leave them behind.  Let people laugh at you – because guess what, Aaron now travels the world playing music for a living.  How many people have wished that were their reality?  Being true to yourself, saying YES to success, open your arms to the opportunity and sacrificing everything for your passion.  Challenging yourself as an artist, as a human being to do something completely new. Aaron said something in particular that resonated with the students, “I once wrote to live, and now I write for a living.” It was powerful. And you could see in the students’ faces and in their reactions that he was connecting with them. It was a visceral connection. He performed some songs throughout the class, as well. If you could have only seen the girls’ swoon. Good God!

 

We talked a little about the structure of songwriting, but the talk was more focused on an exercise given to the students.  Aaron threw out some words to inspire the class to write.  After a 10-15 minute writing session, the class took turns presenting their creations.  We heard rap, stories, poems, saw amazing drawings.  I swear, I wrote my own piece, and I had to hold my arm down to stop myself from volunteering to read it out loud in front of the class. 

 

It was truly a wonderful learning experience.  Aaron said that he can’t read music, he plays by ear, and that he derives his inspiration from things that find him, not the other way around.   I hope that the Austin Bat Cave continues to put on these seminars.  I can’t wait to see who they bring in next!

 

–Ellen Green

 

 

 

Rising from the ashes of A Pocketful of Deng (a band who never had to fight for the rights to their name with anyone else) SuperLiteBike are tonight (5/13) celebrating the release of their new album Away We Go at the Parish in the company of The Carrots & Fatback Circus. 

 

For the past year, crowds across the Lone Star State have been swooning over The Hi-Tone’s explosive retro-inspired, pop-infused garage rock that has been compared to the likes of The Black Keys, The Kinks, and Syd Barrett’s early version of the Pink Floyd. Walk into their live show and it’s clear by the end of the first song that The Hi-Tones have what many other bands lack: An outstanding front-man who commands the attention of the audience. Debonair and soul-shattering lead vocalist Johnny Flores, slender with jet black curls, does not only have a impressive set of pipes, it seems he has borrowed some fancy footwork from Mr. James Brown himself. Sensual and sweat drenched he spins, jumps, slides and shakes with relentless passionate energy. Bassist and key songwriter Gary Delgado, tall and dreamy floats on his own introspective plane of existence thumping out punchy rhythms that pop like the exploding flash-bulbs of the 1930’s. Rounding out the lineup is percision master Kurt Lammers and guitarist Kevin "Cool Man" Culwell. The band, fresh out of the studio with Grammy nominated producer Frenchie Smith (Jet, Meat Puppets, Trail of Dead) will be promoting their debut release, a self-titled EP. 

(Ed.: this post taken from The Hi-Tone’s post on our DIY Open Blog, check out other Open Blog posts in the Deli Kitchen. The Hi-Tones just departed our fair city for touring but shall have their homecoming May 26th at the Mohawk.) 

Sarah Jaffe, who we’re claiming as an Austinite regardless of the facts, because she’s unquestionably a Texan and we’re the capital, so therefore, ergo, etc., et. al., and so on, is on the verge of releasing the LP Suburban Nature. And there is much rejoicing – specifically, there will be rejoicing at the Parish May 15th, and again more rejoicing the next day at a Waterloo instore at 4 pm, and finally more rejoicing on the actual release date, May 18th. In fact you can go ahead and rejoice right now since it’s available already on iTunes. Photo, which looks to me like a still from a Wes Andersen film, is by Melanie Gomez. 

Plenty of shows on this weekend; we’ll just single out a few: The Midgetmen (above) are celebrating their 8th anniversary with The Gary, La Snacks, Ringo Deathstarr and more at the Mohawk on Saturday (5/8), they plan to shower you with FREE PBR at irregular intervals throughout the proceedings. Attend. On the south side of the lake, also Saturday, Leatherbag, Lonesome Heroes, and Till We’re Blue or Destroy will tear things up with a particular ferocity. Lastly – tonight (5/7) – at Encore, you’ve got a full lineup of local heroes helping celebrate the release of Quiet Company‘s EP Songs for Staying In (hmm- ironic), including The Rocketboys, The Eastern Sea, STEREO IS A LIE, and more…  

 

In honor of the upcoming Pachanga Festival (May 21-22, three stages, 20+ bands, Fiesta Gardens, more info here) we’ve nominated an all-Pachanga lineup for the current poll: Amplified Heat, Grupo Fantasma (above), Pinata Protest, Vallejo, and Vitera. Check ’em out, cast your vote! 

White Citrus, the second studio LP from Ryan Young, is an eclectic collection of songs ranging from greasy Southern rock to front porch Americana. Showcasing Ryan’s mature songwriting and instrumental prowess, White Citrus reverberates with a vibrancy often missing from contemporary music. Self-produced and recorded, the album swings, twangs, grooves and rocks – sometimes all within the same song. Ryan first gained experience playing in Dallas, Louisiana and Colorado before relocating to Austin in 2004. He has shared the stage with acts like Galactic, Vernon Reid and Rose Hill Drive. A true DIY artist in practice and spirit, Ryan is versatile enough to perform in any setting, be it solo, duo or with a full band.

(this post taken from Ryan Young’s post on our DIY Open Blog, check out other Open Blog posts in the Deli Kitchen. And check out Ryan at the Hole in the Wall next Wed. 5/12)

 

 

Hailing originally from Abilene but residing now in your hometown, The Rocketboys kick off a Western tour this Thursday with an instore at Waterloo – cocktail hour, 5 pm. Their debut 20,000 Ghosts made critics happy, with Paste calling their songs "rich anthems that are as infectious as they are sincere." Head on down to hear their infectious sincerity for your own self.