Tag: austin

Show Preview: Sweet Spirit Residency @ the Blackheart (7/5 + Saturday in July)

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1609879_544202789008542_1460629855_nFrom the ashes rises the phoenix…or something like that right?

Having one of your favorite bands break up is always a bummer, but sometimes you get lucky and end up with a new favorite cobbled from the pieces of the old. Saturday at the Blackheart two bands will stand as a reminder that great things can be built out of broken pieces.
July 5th at the Blackheart is the first of Sweet Spirit’s residency shows. Sweet Spirit was formed after the demise of local favorite powerhouse Bobby Jealously. Commandeered by the energetic front women Sabrina Ellis, Sweet Spirit is poised to absolutely destroy the Austin music scene. Sabrina Ellis’ melodies are immediately engaging, and combined with her clever pop lyrics have a way of latching onto the brains of listeners. Ellis is backed on stage by an equally talented band. Sweet Spirit is one of those rare finds where the entirety of the backing band is talented enough to each front one of their own groups, and with Ellis at the helm the sum is certainly greater than the parts. Sweet Spirit takes the inside stage at midnight every Saturday this month, so no there are no excuses to miss this band.

Another highlight of the night is sure to be Lӧwin. Fans of the now defunct the Couch already know what a vocal powerhouse Sara Houser is. In Lӧwin, Sara Houser takes the guitar heavy sounds of the Couch and condenses them into more focused, sculpted songs. There’s no fat or gristle on the recently released two tracks Lobo and Heave Ho. Lӧwin plays on the inside stage at 8:30, and if I could make a prediction that will be one sweaty, rockin’ room.

Click HERE to see other great acts on the bill.

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Show Preview: Big Bill + Criminal Hygiene @ Mohawk (7/6)

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showposterWe know you’re all looking forward to the 4th of July and whatnot, but we want to give you plenty of time to plan your Sunday evening.  We’re sponsoring a great little rock n’ roll show with a bunch of our friends, both in and out of town; it takes place at the Mohawk at 9 PM.  Big Bill, one of our local favorites, is headlining the gig, and it’ll be one of your last chances to catch them before they embark on their big US tour.  Also, rocking the night will be our favorites, Criminal Hygiene, who are coming all the way from LA to grace us with their presence; they’ll even be tending bar before the show at 6, so be sure to come hang out with the band.  But, you better get there early to see Pharaohs, who’ve been banging out power-pop ditties for some time in our fair city, always winning us over.  It’s sure to be a great night, so join us, please.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/03-Juice-U.mp3] [audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/04/01-Raid.mp3] [audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/03/Pharaohs-Babes-Booze-Bam-Bam-Baby-01-Prettiest-Girl.mp3]

 

Show Preview: Dub Thompson + Ought @ Holy Mountain (7/3)

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dubIn a bone-headed move that I accept full responsibility for, I completely slept on the Dub Thompson album, 9 Songs. I’ve since had it on a steady rotation after it’s release; there’s elements of noise, psychedelic hints and just weirdo pop, so of course I’m obsessing.  The band brings their show into town this Thursday night, and you’ve all got July 4th off, so you’ve got no excuse to stay out late and enjoy the music over at Holy Mountain.  Also, you’ll get to see Montreal’s Ought, who received the arbitrary “Best New Music” tag from P4k, if that matters to you.  Their angular post-rock seems like it’s built for a pulsating live show of rhythm and grooves.  You can buy yourself $10 tickets HERE.  Hope to see you guys out so we can celebrate freedom together at midnight.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/02-No-Time.mp3]

 

Auroravare – s/t

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aurora

Ever find yourself getting lost in a song, only to snap back and realize you’ve been somewhere else entirely for the past few minutes? Maybe you were walking down the street with your headphones in and looked up just in time to avoid walking into that phone pole. Or maybe you were studying in the library and looked up to see everyone was staring while you were sub consciously fist pumping the air like some Jersey Shore idiot. Admit it, if you’re reading this you are enough of a music lover to have been there, probably more than once. Auroravore is one of those bands that will take you to that place.
While the band has been a mainstay on the Austin music scene for long enough to be called veterans, they had a quiet year until the end of 2013 when they released their eponymous debut album in December. The album is a cohesive 9 song piece of work. On first impression it immediately evokes Of Montreal’s groovy psych pop and the pastoral layers and playful instrumental melodies of Air. The heart of this band is in the interplay between the keyboard and guitar, and anyone who has had the pleasure of seeing this band live can attest to the fact that they bring a Fender Rhodes and Moog Voyager to every show. In this day and age of cheap, light, and versatile digital synths and keyboard, lugging vintage gear around to shows is a tonal testament to dedication.
Auroravore is successful in creating a unified aural feel to the album. They never lose their groove or fall out of the pocket. Song after song the Keyboard and guitars make parallel runs evoking electronic droplets of notes. The tone of the music is a cascading groove of layers. At times, this is a double edged sword. After multiple listens, I found my attention beginning to drift. My “in the zone” would occasionally turn into a “zoned out”. While tonal cohesion can be a strong point, looking forward this band will need to grow out of the eighth note pentatonic melody lines if they want to maintain the audience that this album could attract.
The key track for me in this album is “Who Goes Home”. While there are certainly more danceable songs (Falls Down or Comfortable), this track is a perfect slow burner, mirroring the lyrical subject with the musical arrangement. The lead vocals play a call and response with the keyboard and guitar, alternating a lilting falsetto narrative verse with a percussive quarter beat guitar hit. All of this energy and emotion is wonderfully curated by the drummer’s groove. The song culminates with repetive phrasing of the track title, and cadences with a final instrumental ascending melody, leaving us wondering who went home.

ATX Saturday Night Spotlight

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Austin, I love you.As mentioned yesterday, there’s tons of things about town this weekend, so you should definitely consider yourself lucky.  Sure, there’s no pun-off this weekend, and old Emos has long removed their troth, but plenty of other great places in town will take care of you.   Hit up one of these shows, and enjoy your weekend. Don’t drink and drive. Or bike. That seems dangerous too.  Read more

ATX Friday Night Spotlight

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austin_live_music_retailrAustin’s got a busy weekend ahead of us, and it’s not because of a festival (for once).  There’s album releases, benefit shows and celebrations of all sorts, but with so much to choose from, we’re here to take a look at some of the more vital shows on your Friday night line-up.  It’s likely some of these will go to capacity, so if you’re looking for a ticket, do so now. Here you go folks… Read more

Austin Spotlight: Little Lo

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littleloLittle Lo is sort of a power-group here in Austin; it’s a band made up of musicians from various other groups, but coming together, they’ve crafted the beautiful piece of pop music that’s waiting for you below.  There’s a pulsing rhythm that drives the song, while multiple vocals unite to raise the bar even higher into the realms of dreamy pop.  They’ve been working hard on releasing their new record, Verberation View, so we’ll keep you posted as more details emerge, but for now just rejoice in the quality of the work they’re sharing with us today.

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Mohawk to Show All World Cup Games

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wc-gn-11x17Those of you who read our twitter or know us personally know that ATH is all about soccer.  We play, we watch, etc, so we’re more or less anticipating being in front of our TVs for the next month watching every World Cup match.  But, we figure a lot of people are in the same boat, and maybe a few of you are looking for a place to watch the game. Lucky for you, there’s tons of non-sports places to watch, such as the Mohawk.  I caught up briefly with our friend Patrick who is helping promote the WC at Mohawk, just go get a few quick questions about why a rock n’ roll bar is showing sports.  These few questions will give you some insight as to why you should join us at the ‘Hawk.  Read more

Austin Spotlight: El Campo Release

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elcampoIf you’re in the mood for a uniquely pressed felix-disc then I think your best bet this week is to order the new single from Austin’s El Campo.  The song features a prominent bit of banjo playing, but while that may hint at a country-infused number, you’ll hear much more of a warm pop approach in the delivery of the vocals.  Personally, I think the group is one of the more dynamic acts in town, able to walk that line between folk/americana and pop music; you can’t help but to love the tracks that are featured on this release.  You’ll be able to pick it up this Friday at Cheer Up Charlies, or order it from their label, and our friends, over at Punctum Records.

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