Results tagged “live”

n a top 40 world, Austin is a proudly NPR town, so tonight should be a special treat for many of us who enjoy the popular radio show “This American Life.” Tonight only you can catch a live HD simulcast of the show at movie theaters around town. Glass will be there hosting the show, and contributors will include regulars like Starlee Kine, sex columnist Dan Savage, and the hilarious Mike Birbiglia, among others.

Listening to a live disc is often like hearing a football game on the radio. It’s really just a tease. You can hear the sounds and reactions and at times hear the enthusiasm of the crowd, but you can never get the full effect.

It's no secret that we in Austinist really crush on Balmorhea. Perhaps it's our gloriously out-of-the closet predilection for hooky, pop-sensible instrumental music. Perhaps it's the great art direction and atmosphere they conjure. Hell, perhaps it's the wonderful folks in the saddle.

Future Clouds and Radar are so into it. It's not difficult to tell when a band is phoning it in, but with these guys there's never any danger. They're filled with the incredible shining power of music, and they're looking for mountaintops to shout it off of. As such, their albums reflect this.

You should be able to follow your nose to the Brightblack Morning Light show this evening at Mohawk. Although it is - of course - illegal to smoke weed in public, we can guarantee you that more than a handful of beans will be baked. BML's music, like so many of their predecessors' tunes, really does lend itself to the consumption of drugs. T

When Z-Trip released Uneasy Listening along with DJ P in 1999, a “blend” was still very much Stephanie Mills over “Impeach The President” - that is to say: DJs mixed acapellas and beats from rap, r+b, soul, and funk records at will. It was, and still is, a defining trait of a great hip-hop DJ. What Z-Trip brought to the table, though, was Pharcyde’s “Passin’ Me By” over Pat Benatar's “Love is a Battlefield.”

Canada, the Austin of North America, let loose its reigning metaphorical exporters at the Mohawk last night for a solid crowd enjoying an unusually crisp September night outdoors. They got everyone hot and bothered, opening with a new song called "Black Swan," as the vocals soared above 17 layers of sound, pleasing fans of a band whose lyrics demand audibility.

If we read one more article about how My Education sounds a bit like a certain currently famous Austin instrumental four piece but-seriously-they're-really-good-too we're going to throw up in our mouths. They don't. Yes, you are correct in assessing that they both play music that lacks vocals - which are simply another instrument, not the defining taxonomic characteristic by which we categorize bands - but they are distinct entities making distinct music.

Ladytron, touring behind their latest album Velocifero, brought a slightly new lineup to Stubb's on Friday night. The backing band may have changed a bit but they delivered the solid electronica-infused rock that has made them a critical darling. Datarock opened with a sweaty set of friendly Norwegian dance rock.

Clinic, wrapped in their customary cloak of anonymity, play to the crowd at Emo's on Friday night. Their set was prefaced by an a capella rendition of "You'll Never Walk Alone," performed by recent tourmate, Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater. As for the proper set, it was a doozy, starting with Do It! (their latest), and then a short break before a mind-blowing "Archive Set" including popular favorites from Winchester Cathedral, Visitations and more.

Tonight at the City Council Chambers, Austin's Live Music Task Force will meet to discuss sound issues -- and you're invited.

Colin Meloy stopped by La Zona Rosa on Monday night to play some intimate acoustic jams as part of his solo tour. Despite a head cold the Decemberist's lead singer/songwriter played a full set from both the band's catalog and his own, with a few covers (including Sam Cook) thrown in for good measure. Sipping on a glass of Cabernet (probably not the best thing for a cold) Meloy bantered cheerfully with the crowd, who supported him with sympathetic "awwwws" on cue and when he had to stop a couple of the songs due to fits of coughing or lyrical amnesia (its a good thing so many of his fans know the songs by heart, saving the final "Mariner's Revenge" with their sing-a-long). All in all the night proved that a supportive fan base can rescue a ship (or show) on the rocks and help a favorite artist deliver on the promise of the ticket price: a good time and a good show.

What Made Milwaukee Famous played at Emo's on Friday night to celebrate their CD release. Black Before Red, Loxsly and Lemurs opened the show.

Justice made a pre SXSW stop at Stubb's on a freezing cold Monday night, playing tracks off their bass resistant, a-typical French house album "†" to a sold out crowd intent on keeping warm by living the dream: D.A.N.C.E.

Photos courtesy Nash Cook.

Psychedelic music came of age in Austin in the 60’s thanks in large to The 13th Floor Elevators and the emergence of The Vulcan Gas Company as a community and a venue to support the genre. (Check out this site for a history.) The Vulcan Gas Company (316 Congress Ave.) shut its doors in the 70’s but lately there has been a renewed interest in the era in part due to Scott Conn’s Dirt Road To Psychedelia documentary. The Black Angels must also be blamed thanked for this rejuvenation; the local outfit has paved the way for a new generation of psychedelic acts with their impressive 2006 release, Passover. A full-length follow-up is expected this May.

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Austinist.

We would like to take a moment to thank this week's advertisers on Austinist.

When the debate is done, each of us will take time to reflect on the solemn decision that lies before us...

The Mohawk presents a solid double bill of local pop this evening. The Lemurs have been writing new material over the last few months and a handful of those songs will be included in their set tonight. The band enjoyed a stellar 2007 -- highlights included licensing their music to NBC show Las Vegas (as well as an Australian indie flick called Newcastle) and touring with Canadian act Stars. This past Sunday, ME Television telecast a 2nd ME Live! featuring The Lemurs' shimmering melodies in concert at a recent La Zona Rosa gig.

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With incredibly varied subject matter, there is sure to be an Oscar nominated film that you really love, that is if you don't fawn over every single one. And, come on, if you hate any of the films, the next picture will start in about 20 minutes, at the most.

The first segment of Radiohead's North American tour has been announced, and Austin gets the shaft: Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion will get a show on May 17, and Dallas' Superpages.com Center (!) will host the Brits on May 18. Tickets go on sale Thursday (Valentine's day) via W.A.S.T.E. with general on-sales following on February 16.

Austinist is pleased to bring you the chance to win a pair of tickets to Saturday evening’s sold out Rodrigo y Gabriela show at La Zona Rosa. Astute guitarists both, Rodrigo Sánchez and Gabriela Quintero spent some time plying their trade in a metal band (Tierra Acida) in Mexico before striking the right chords under their current moniker. The duo’s discography consists of Foc (2001), re-Foc (2003), Live: Manchester and Dublin (2004), and 2006’s self-titled effort; their instrumental takes on Metallica’s “Orion” and Led Zeppelin’s “Stairway To Heaven” are already semi-cult classics.

A lawsuit against the City of Kyle for violation of the federal Fair Housing Act started yesterday. The suit was filed by the national and Austin branches of the NAACP, the Home Builders Association of Greater Austin and the National Association of Home Builders. It alleges that Kyle has increased the cost of local housing by instituting revised zoning ordinances. According to the NAACP, the resulting increase in prices disproportionately affects minorities and the Fair Housing Act prohibits cities from zoning in a way that excludes housing for certain classes of people, even if officials did not intentionally discriminate.

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Skating, art and music has always been a big part of Warren McKinney’s life. The Austinite is sharing his passion for all three this weekend during Art on Deck, a special exhibit of rare skateboards, a skate demo and concerts at United States Art Authority.

Alexis Taylor & Co. were almost laughably adorable when they warned us, "Hot Chip will break your legs, snap off your head," but with Made in the Dark they've lived up to their promise. The album begins with an ode to the low end, a sonic challenge to the listener, and the intensity doesn't let up: "Shake a Fist" asserts the band as much more than a smooth electronic dance outfit. As Todd Rundgren's goofy voice (how fitting) interjects midway through the track, we're asked to grab a set of headphones...

Photos courtesy Nash Cook

Known primarily for their mildly ethnocentric, dance-craze spawning uber-hit "Walk Like an Egyptian", The Bangles were - and are - a surprisingly resilient and productive group. Around 1983, they seductively crawled on all fours out from under the soiled bed-sheets of L.A.'s Paisley Underground scene to lambaste the world with a series of massive hits that included "Manic Monday", "Eternal Flame", and the aforementioned song about a certain North African country's gait.