Results tagged “cactuscafe”

For maybe four years running—until I got overwhelmed with being so popular and having too much work— I think I could count on my nipples the number of times I missed the regular Wednesday night gig Matt the Electrician plays with Southpaw Jones, a running residency going on something like seven years now (and currently held at Flipnotics on Barton Springs Rd). I never, ever, ever get tired of hearing either M or SP play. And I’m so happy to tell you that this week Matt’s sending a new record out into the world, Animal Boy, with an official CD release party Friday, October 9th, at the Cactus Café. The disc is pure brilliance from the rich horns that open the first song— and you have to have cojones muy grande to open with a cover of Journey’s Faithfully and pull it off the way Matt does—right on through to the end. Matt somehow manages to consistently spin the equivalent of a multi-plot novel in four minutes or less, and he can rhyme and sing while he’s doing it. The imagery in his songwriting is nothing short of cinematic so that you find yourself in each song, interacting with the cast of characters that inhabit his tales: a naked valedictorian at graduation, an arrogant leash-loathing dog owner, giddy girls on bicycles in Osaka in the rain, an underpaid yet terribly kind Walmart employee saving the day, a truck driver peeing into a Gatorade bottle. In Animal Boy (the song) we get a spectacular view of a child looking back at some of the curious rules and choices offered by the grownups at dinnertime.

In Austin we oft find ourselves spoiled with an array of music on any given night. With all the big-name bands coming to town it's hard not to get overwhelmed and lured in by the indie rock scene. (See: Cake, Death Cab, Ra Ra Riot and Mates of State all playing just this week) But, those washed out tired of crowded shows can find solace at Cactus Cafe tonight with some down to earth down-tempo folk rock.

Last month, far from the maddening SXSW crowd holding court downtown, an ensemble of six actors and two musicians presented a three-performance only show at a house tucked away in a quiet neighborhood off of Cameron Road. The house could only hold an audience of about twenty (and that was very tight). Which means that roughly sixty people got the intense joy of witnessing Big Head House: Breath in the dreams of The Amphibious Gods. And then it went away. The musicians in the show—Lisa Shawley and Michael Shay—make up the band The Just Desserts. Shawley plays accordion and flute and sings, and Shay plays cello and tenor banjo and sings. As a testament to their talent, understand that Big Head, written by Michener Fellow Frances Ya-chu Cowhig—who just won the massively impressive honor of receiving the 2009 Yale Drama Series Award for her Guantamo-themed Lidless—has no dialogue. None. Not only that but each character is restricted to essentially one emotion per person, as the massive masks they wear are smooth, white, larval visages, frozen in one expression or another. And while the incredible physicality of the actors involved certainly conveyed much of the story, it was the dramatic work of The Just Desserts that gelled the piece.

Cactus Cafe, an intimate venue located inside UT’s Texas Union, has hosted many a legend in its 30 years of existence. Just a quick glance at the posters on the wall outside the room can give one the goose bumps -- Townes Van Zandt, Lyle Lovett, Lucinda Williams, Loudon Wainwright III, Alison Krauss -- the list of famous past performers at Cactus Cafe is endless. And a good amount of these legends tend to play Cactus Cafe again whenever they return to Austin. Richard Thompson is another to have performed at the venue in the past, and he returns for two sold-out shows this Sunday and Monday.

Son of Steve Earle, named for Van Zandt, Justin Townes Earle is one of the most prominent faces in the world of genre-bending Americana. Effortlessly building from influences like Jimmy Reed, Kurt Cobain, The Replacements, Ray Charles and The Pogues, Justin is coolly redefining what it means to be a roots-man in Nashville.

JD Souther was raised in Amarillo, and grew up to be a multi-instrumentalist, rock and country singer, and songwriter for such luminaries as Eagles and Linda Ronstadt. As a young guitarist, he was influenced greatly by Roy Orbison, and spent much of his early career emulating him. He eventually moved out to L.A. to seek his musical fortune, and luck hit right away: he met a young guitarist from Detroit who also loved R&B and old country music, and they immediately bonded and began working together. That guy's name was Glen Frey, and after months of working together on songs, they became roommates, renting a flat one floor above Jackson Browne's, who would later become a friend and collaborator.

I first saw Southpaw Jones back in ’04 when he was playing in the tin roofed barn behind the original Moxie and the Compound. The very first song I ever heard him sing was The Cruelty of Teenage Girls, and in that moment my life radically and permanently changed for the much, much better. And I’m not even saying that because I read a recent article in Wired telling me that hyperbole is the path to more page views. I’m saying it because, thanks to Southpaw Jones, I got my picture in the New York Times, I was afforded the privilege of home ownership, I collect royalty checks for decent sums of money, and—I am not shitting you—I regained the ability to walk again.

Dean and Britta have that certain je ne sais quoi, do they not? They're good looking, look and dress like Europeans, and dig artists like Joy Division and Nancy Sinatra. Hell, they even did The Squid and The Whale's soundtrack for Noah Baumbach. Their music is similarly themed: it's minimalist, beautiful, effortless, and full of an icy cool. (If one wishes to puncture the image, it's amusing to know that Britta Phillips was the voice of 80's cartoon icons Jem and the Holograms.) Dean Wareham, of course, has legions of fans from his work with Galaxie 500 and Luna, and this certainly isn't a huge departure from his signature sound. Expect dreamy and reflective tales with some irony and beautiful melody lines sprinkled throughout. The duo are touring behind 2007's Back Numbers, which combines some D&B originals with like-minded covers of The Troggs and Lee Hazlewood. Simply put, if you enjoyed Luna, you'll have a good time here. And for Wareham's more ardent fans, he has recently written a memoir about his life in music titled Black Postcards which will be published in March by Penguin. D&B arrive tomorrow at the Cactus Cafe for a pair of shows at 7 and 10pm.

Austin's Balmorhea released River's Arms last week, and kicked off their tour here in town. Their tour to support the record will follow the east coast, and land them back here in time for some SXSW gigs. Sample some of the instrumental band's lulling, hypnotic tunes c/o Western Vinyl, and check back here for a full-length review very soon.

Image from Ringo Deathstarr’s MySpace It’s no secret that Austin is home to one of the most prolific artistic scenes in the country, Live Music Capital of the World or not. Any weekend in the city promises a number of day time occurences and a plethora of evening events. A quick browse through this weekend’s notifications leads one to fun activities for the kids at The Flying Theater Machine’s Wang Dang Doodle Hour or a...

While working as the label manager for Misra records, Phil Waldorf released albums by many notable local acts like Centro-matic and Shearwater, not to mention records by Athens mainstays Marshmallow Coast and The Mendoza Line. When Waldorf decided to leave the Misra label to start his own Dead Oceans imprint, he took a few bands with him, including Phosphorescent, another Athens project with a big, country-psychedelic bent. Matthew Houck is the main man behind...

Brooklyn singer-songwriter Mike Doughty's name may not instantly register with you, but you have undoubtedly heard him before. In the early 90's, he founded the alt.radio staple Soul Coughing, who had hits with "Super Bon Bon" and "Circles" before disbanding in 2000. Far from the throwaway status of the Marcy Playgrounds and Harvey Dangers of the day, Soul Coughing used samples, drum loops, jazz references, and experimental producers like Mitchell Froom on their recordings. This...

Glen Phillips (from Toad the Wet Sprocket) and Natalia Zuckerman performed to a packed Cactus Cafe crowd Satuday night (October 20, 2007). Photos by Romain Nayalkar. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump....

Monday, July 2film"Clash By Night" and "The Asphalt Jungle" at The Paramount Theatre filmLast day of "Labyrinth" at Dobie Theatre film/awesomeRobosaurus Live with "Transformers" at Alamo South Lamar foodCentral Market Cooking Class: Empanada Workshop at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($65, 6:30-9:30pm)musicCanada, Our Solar System, Ryan Anderson at Emo’s musicBurning Brides, Strange Boys, Black Earth, Blackmarket at Emo’s musicBurning Brides at Waterloo Records (Free, 5pm)...

Thursday, June 28 artOpening Reception for Whitney Lee: Power Craft at Women and Their Work, 1710 Lavaca Street (6-8pm) artOpen House Work Viewing at Atelier 3-D, 2209 Pasadena Drive (4-10pm) artArtistic License: Josefina Guilisasti at The Blanton Museum of Art, MLK at Congress Ave (Free, 6-8pm) booksAmanda Eyre Ward presents Forgive Me at BookPeople (7:00pm) comedyPat Dixon with Brendon Walsh at Cap City Comedy Club comedyParallelogramophonograph with special guests Look Cookie at ColdTowne Theater (8pm)...

Monday, June 25musicGreat Northern, Experimental Aircraft, Seaholm Electric at Emo’s musicWhen Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth, Pataphysics, The Jimmy Buffet Experience at Emo’s music"Wet Hot American Summer" with Friends of So at Beauty Bar film"The Princess Bride" Quote-along at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown filmMusic Monday: "Nashville Girl" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown...

Thursday, June 21 comedy Christian Finnegan at Cap City Comedy Club music Emo’s 15th Anniversary Week with De La Soul, Word Association, Just Born, DJ Notion at Emo’s music Buddy Guy, The Greyhounds at Stubb’s music US Air Guitar Championships at The Parish Room music The Score at Beerland music Discovery School Fundraiser w/Gary Clark Jr., Johnny Moeller, Mike Barfield, Ephraim Owens & more at Continental Club music Doc Watson, Jack Lawrence, Richard Watson...

Monday, June 18musicHairy Apes BMX, Gabby La LA, Jetpaq Shakur at Stubb’s musicMenomena at Waterloo Records musicArt Brut Karaoke Party and "Caddyshack" at Beauty Bar filmThird Coast Night: "Leila Khaled, Hijacker" at Alamo Downtown filmMusic Monday: "Here We Come" at Alamo Downtown food/booksDr. BBQs Big-Time Barbeque Road Trip at BookPeople, 603 N Lamar Blvd (7pm)foodCentral Market Cooking Class: The Perfect Scoop with Chef David Lebovitz at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($65, 6:30-9pm)...

Jonathan Richman is many things to many people. To the casual observer, he's the upbeat and silly troubadour featured in There's Something About Mary and on Conan O'Brien. For music nerds, he's the architect of "Roadrunner," a three-chord classic that is sometimes referred to as the first punk song. David Bowie covers his tunes, Lou Reed considers him a friend, and legions of indie-rockers were inspired by him. But none of this truly gives...

Now that we're in mid-January, club bookings for winter and spring shows are beginning to emerge. While much internet browsing has already been done looking for the SXSW 2007 lineup, there are also plenty of great touring shows dropping in outside of those dates (thankfully). New shows from The Roots, Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, and a Willie Nelson/Merle Haggard double bill top the new additions, but there is plenty here for all musical...

Legendary country crooner Guy Clark comes to Austin tonight for a special show at the Cactus Cafe, and who better to introduce him than #1 fan ... Will Wynn? Indeed, our Mayor claims that Clark's "lyrics speak to me like no other songwriter, author or poet ever has." His official website even includes an audio recording of Clark performing "Texas Cookin'" in Wynn's backyard: [m4a] Guy Clark and Verlon Thompson - "Texas Cookin'" Never one...

TUESDAY [12] fashion/shopping • South Lamar shops host a big whoppin' holiday party/shopping soiree with catering by Sazon and Le Marseillaise, complimentary wine, martinis, and cofee, and various discounts from 10-25% at Birds Barbershop, Roost, Downstairs Apparel, 365 Ways - 365 Days and Legendary Beads (6-9pm) music • The Faint, Ratatat at La Zona Rosa music • Mayor Will Wynn introduces Guy Clark at Cactus Cafe (8pm) music • Zom Does Jazz Night at...

MONDAY [11] film • Danielson: A Family Movie at Alamo Downtown (9:45pm, $2) film • Third Coast Night: Iraq in Fragments at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • "City of Men" at Spiderhouse (8pm, Free) film • White at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • Nacho Libre at Café Mundi (8pm, Free) film • The Life Aquatic at Austin Java (9pm, Free) shopping/art/holidays • Blue Genie Art Bazaar at Blue Genie HQ (10am-10pm/Midnight) music •...

Today's big news is the FunFunFun festival, but there are also several new shows in this edition of the concert update. Kasabian, Ben Folds, Mates Of State, and others have all announced Austin shows, and there are tons more on tap for late fall. Have a look: October: 10/21 Pet Shop Boys (The Backyard) 10/21 Ladytron (Stubb's) 10/22 Rolling Stones (Zilker Park) 10/22 Method Man (Emo's) 10/23 Jenny Lewis + Watson Twins (Stubb's) 10/24...

Fans of the indie-rock will find much to like in the latest concert update. Flying V lovers My Morning Jacket, the willfully obtuse Fiery Furnaces, and alt.country godfather Jay Farrar have each been added to Austin's fall music schedule. As we've mentioned, the sheer volume of shows is unprecedented, so get out and enjoy the fact that every band you like is coming to town in the next two months. Thanks as always to...

As Elvis Costello might say, we just don't know where to begin. Even if you are skipping ACL, the fall is turning into a music wonderland. Acts of every genre and size are booking Austin's clubs up like there's no tomorrow, leaving music lovers with many questions on how to spend both time and cash this fall. Trust us, you can't see it all, so pick your favorites and buy tickets in advance to...

Billing themselves as an "indie-vaudeville-conceptual-art-rock-slideshow" band, the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players are a quirky -- if not downright hilarious -- mom, pop, and daughter trio who create and perform songs about random slides found at garage sales, vintage shops, estate sales, and other places where vintage archival flotsam might be procured. Frontman, guitarist, pianist, and father Jason Trachtenburg leads mother Tina Piña (slide projectionist, backup singer) and 12-year-old daughter Rachel (drums, vocals) through intricate...

FRIDAY [21] [food] Summer Social at the Whole Foods Culinary Center at Whole Foods Market, 525 N Lamar ($15, 5:30-7pm) (link) [music] Appleseed Cast, Criteria, Russian Circles, the Lovely Sparows at Emo's (link) [music] Los Lonely Boys, Shawn Sahm & the Tex Mex Experience at Stubb's (link) [music] Rainer Maria, the Format, Anathallo, Street to Nowhere at the Parish Room (link) (interview) [music] DJ Jester and Lederhosen Lucil at Waterloo Records (link) [music] The Gourds...

WEDNESDAY [19] [film] Save our Springs presents: Wildnerness River Trail and 70s Environmental Shorts at Alamo Downtown (7pm, Free) (link) [books] Larry Dierker presents My Team: Choosing My Dream Team from My Forty Years in Baseball at Barnes & Noble, La Frontera Village in Round Rock (7pm) (link) [music] IV Thieves (formerly Nic Armstrong and the Thieves), Faceless Werewolves at Stubb's (link) [music] Chip Taylor at Cactus Cafe (link) [music] Joe McDermott at Symphony Square...

TUESDAY [18] [books/crafts] Craftster.org founder Leah Kramer at Work*Shop (7:30pm) (link) [books] Larry Dierker presents My Team: Choosing My Dream Team from My Forty Years in Baseball at BookPeople (7pm) (link) [music] Invincible Czars, Stolen Babies, Giant Squid at Emo's (link) [music] Shane Bartell at Waterloo Records (5pm) (link) [music] Ben Lee, Say Anything, Dashboard Confessional at The Paramount Theatre (7pm) (link) [music] Bettysoo at Cactus Cafe (Free) (link) [film] AFS Essential: Sex & Lucia...