Worm Suicide might have been birthed in Victoria, TX but they have made their spiritual home in Austin for the past two decades. While the lineup has evolved throughout the years, Worm Suicide’s nihilistic and unhinged spirit has lasted throughout. Having played on Misfits and GG Allin compilations, the Austin punkers have done their part in furthering punk music while keeping their local live show as exhilirating as ever. The group hasn’t lost a step, and was voted the Austin Statesman’s best performing punk act of 2016-17 and even recently released Too Hung To Fall In Love in 2017 to continue their constant stream of music. At a time when punk music in Austin is struggling to stay relevant, Worm Suicide, continues to do satan’s work by cranking out scummy tunes.
Having met at show where they were all performing as solo acts, Resonant Frequency has an aura of destiny about them. The trio of comprehensively talented musicians seem to defy a singular genre, and instead they choose to emit a myriad of styles, influences, and vibes. The overarching hypothesis of Resonant Frequency is to get down and have a good time – which they seem to do in spades, and it hasn’t gone unnoticed. In the last few months, the trio has played Euphoria Fest, Float Fest, and opened for Pretty Lights – a run that is enviable by any local Austin band and evidences their mass appeal to crowds. Their third studio EP, Honey Dippin’, is a funk-laden oddysey that is as entrancing as it is explorative. The true value in Resonant Frequency is found in their live show of which their next show will be November 19, at Empire Control Room’s 4 Year Funkiversary.
Raised in Oklahoma but claiming Texas as his spiritual home, Wayne Garner wears his Souther roots proudly. While much of his music reflects the struggle he saw growing up, there is nothing contrived about his songwriting- which bleeds emotion. Signed on to the Smith Music Group label, Wayne Garner and his band have found a way to make music full-time which is a distinct rarity these days for up and coming artists. While some roots and country music can sometimes feel hokey and manufactured, Wayne strikes a chord with his gritty guitar licks and graveled voice that brings gravity to the songs he writes. The Wayne Garner Band will play in Houston on October 28th at the Armadillo Palace.
Austin blues rockers, The Sideshow Tragedy, are a charismatic hybrid of Texas roots influence and an unhinged garage-influenced moxie. As this duo prepares to release their upcoming new album, The View From Nowhere, they are tantalizing fans with a music video for the album’s first single "Nobody." Tapping into their Texas upbringing, Nathan Singleton and Jeremy Harrell, showcase a rugged blue-collar life in their video by working the land, fixing trucks, and drinking in dirty bars. Lyrics like "There is nobody else out on the road tonight/ Just me and my memories looking for a fight" tap into the small-town rugged psyche that dominates the music. The Sideshow Tragedy will be playing a Tuesday night residency at Stay Gold at throughout October, for those in Austin looking for a good time.
While Jay Z and the Chili Peppers will grab the headliner time slots and majority of headlines at weekend 1 of ACL, there are a handful of Austin artists who were tapped to represent the local talent pool that are worth seeing as well. Most Austin festivals do a pretty good job of bringing in local talent, and ACL is no different. While well-known national bands like Spoon and perennial favorites like Asleep At The Wheel, are guaranteed to draw sizeable crowds – we want to spotlight our five up and coming local acts, who are snowballing with newfound momentum.
1. Mobley – (Saturday 11:30 AM @ Miller Lite Stage)
A talent who cannot be placed neatly in a solitary genre box – Mobley blends R&B, electronica, and hip-hop for a unique twist that is credited and fortified by superior songwriting. Mobley has the most potential of any artist on this list, and possibly in the city of Austin. See him now before you’re forced to use a binoculars to see him in a few years on the headliner stage;)
2. Capyac – (Saturday 12:15 PM @ Titos Stage)
Although orginally from Georgia, these electro dance wizards know how to get a funky dance party started. A large local following and magnetic stage show means that Capyac is sure to envelope you into their indie electro fold if you give them a chance.
3. Melat – (Sunday 12:30 PM @ Titos Stage)
An Ethiopian goddess whose voice is as smooth as it is seductive, Melat blends soul and R&B with haunting and profound songwriting. This voice is too serene to remain an Austin secret for much longer, so an early visit Sunday to the fest is definitely in order.
4. The Black Angels – (Saturday 5 PM @ Barton Springs Stage)
While the Black Angels are known internationally and have been purveying psychedelic rock for quite some time, they still have a transformative live show and a slew of hits to keep you slack-jawed for their entire set. They may not be a shiny new band, but Christian Bland is one of Austin’s most prolific songwriters for a reason, so don’t miss out.
5. Missio – (Friday 1:15 PM @ HomeAway Stage)
Many Austinites do not know that Missio is a local band, although you’ve almost undoubtedly heard them before, but that’s because they have rocketed to the national stage without having to play a decade in Austin bars. Dark moods, sinister lyrics, and addictive beats make this act definitely worth a listen at the festival.
Bringing a harmony that can only be created through shared DNA, the Boleys have created a sound on their recently released self-titled debut album that peaks and crashes with a magnetic urgency. Influenced by classic rock artists as well as unique contemporary artists, the Boleys are a fusion of eclectic influences and sounds that are pushed through a Southern fried filter. Songs like "Learning" and "Purple Skies" are short staccato songs that thrash and wail with wanton abandon. The Boleys are riding their new momentum into an October 13th show at Kick Butt Coffee with other artists like Dayeater, Naga Brujo, and Burn Ban. Catch his family act live on Friday the 13th!
Enchanting and magnetic, Lou Rebecca is a gift from Paris that has decidedly made her home in the Austin synth scene. Her self-titled debut album is an amalgam of disco, ambient and, avant-garde electronica that flow effortlessly together. Rebecca’s timeless pop sound is fortified with the artist’s air of mystique which is well choreographed and thought out. The elegance of Rebecca pairs well with her venerated label, Holodeck Records, who boasts a stable of genre-bending and eccentric talent. The future is bright for the mesmerizing young woman who is casting her spell over the city of Austin.
Sprung from the melting pot of musical influence that can be found in the UT dorms, Bad Rituals is a quartet of varying instrumentation that have unapologetically fused hip-hop, psych-rock, reggae, and funk into their own unique sound. Zach Black and Daryl Uberoi came together to form the core songwriting engine for Bad Rituals and their rap lyrics and serrated guitars are closer to Rage Against the Machine, as opposed to Limp Bizkit or other rap/rock phonies. Having played together for five years, Bad Rituals has finally come through with a self-titled EP that was recorded at Fifth Street Studios and released on September 1st, 2017. Bad Rituals has confidence, energy, and youth on their side – and there is no reason their music won’t be reaching a larger audience anytime soon.
A trio of frenetic musicians that believe in the power of upbeat tempos and multiple harmonies, Dayeater is an unending ball of energy. Gutarist, Jesse Lee, shreds through multi-faceted tracks while bassist, Chris Brockett, keeps them running on a straight track. The music is energizing and their live shows back that up with maximum effort given. Versatility lines the band’s past work but their upcoming album should bring their production to a zenith. The crew plays Kick Butt Coffee on September 8th and they seem keen to share their newer songs for the fans who attend.
Some of Austin’s best bands took action on short notice to put together a show that would help raise money for the Hurricane Harvey Relief Fund administered by the Greater Houston Community Foundation. Do512 presents Black Joe Lewis, The Octopus Project, Robert Ellis, Walker Lukens, The Deer, and Otis the Destroyer who will all be taking the stage at the Mohawk on Friday, September 1st. If the circumstances hadn’t been so dire and bleak for bringing this all-star lineup together, a show like this might be celebrated as the best local lineup of the year. The fact is that most of us here in Austin feel useless, since most of us can only donate to help the flood victims. This show offers an outlet to come together and show solidarity with our fellow Texan while also helping bring some monetary aid and supplies to the relief effort.
Donations of diapers,formula, blankets, pillows, toiletries, cleaning, supplies, first aid kits, new socks, new undergarments, bottled water and non-perishable food will be accepted as well.
A quartet that dips deep into the blues-influenced well of Texas rock music, Cowboy Diplomacy embraces a sound as big as the state they claim as home. Ian Cohran(Guitar, Vocals), Brad Bentley (Bass), Zac Walden (Lead Guitar), and Matt Leslie (Drums) have taken the Austin live music scene by storm and continue to impress as their stature grows. Having recorded "No Alibi" at 601 Studios and having it mastered by Howie Weinberg (Wilco, Spoon), Cowboy Diplomacy is using Austin’s broad resources to hone their sound. With brash bluesy vocals and titanic guitar squeals, Cowboy Diplomacy’s "No Alibi" is a larger than life anthem that will bring crowds out wherever they play.
With a name that reflects his background, Tugaloo Blue taks his Ozark upbringing into a new realm of musical expression. Bluegrass and hip-hop have rarely met each other in a fluid and listenable way, but for this 21-year old upstart, it comes naturally. A fiddle player from the age of 2 years old, Tugaloo Blue’s music reflects his Branson, Missouri roots. Collins 26 is the first release from a musician that took his college experience to explore musically rather than in the classroom. Named after Tugaloo’s college dorm address, Collins 26 is the debut release for an artist determined to exist outside the lines of what’s been done before.
