ATX Popfest Playlist – Show Saturday @Cheer Up Charlies

11895936_10207422291186088_4494044377145704198_nWe’re really excited to be part of the first ATX Popfest, trying to encourage love and adoration for our favorite local pop bands. The event features 10 of the best pop bands in Austin, and it’ll be going from 7 – Close over at Cheer Up Charlies. I figured the whole world might not be aware of our scene, so why not create a little playlist to get you hip to what we’ll be throwing down on Saturday.  Two notes, Polio Club have been battling Soundcloud, and have chosen instead to only stream their music via Tidal, so you can buy their excellent tape HERE.  Also, Literature is not officially playing, but members past and present will be playing in Tres Oui, and we’re hoping Nate will DJ late into the evening…playing indiepop hits.

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ATX Show Spotlight: Rose Selavy @ Cheer Up Charlies

rose_selavy_bandIt’s Monday night, so why not start off your week with some of the best pop music the city has to offer…not to mention, it will be FREE!  Cheer Up Charlies is hosting San Antonio’s Hypersleep, but the bill will be book-ended by some of our favorite locals, Rose Selavy and Ultraviolet.  Did I mention that Rose Selavy also has a 7″ coming out this week on our ATH Records?  I mean, this will be the best chance to preview the band’s work before you head out and grab your own copy.  If you’re not in town, that 7″ can be found HERE.  So, come out and hang tonight and enjoy some indiepop delights.

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ATX SPotlight: Hovvdy Release Split Tape w/ Loafer

hovvdyMerdurhaus Records are quickly making a name for themselves, releasing great tapes of some of the most promising young acts in town, such as Loafer and Summer Salt.  This week, they’re celebrating another release, which is a split between the previously mentioned Loafer and Hovvdy.  The Hovvdy jam is a quick little number, played out over synthesized beats with a hazy guitar part; it’s the sort of bedroom pop that’s made the style so endearing over the last few years.  They’ll both be playing this evening to celebrate the release of the tape over at Cheer Up Charlies, so sample and make a choice.

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Show Preview: BOAN Album Release @ Cheer Up’s (TONIGHT)

boanSo you’re looking for some show to fill your Friday night with magic, but don’t know where to go to make it a great night. Well, look no further than to the sleek electro pop of locals BOAN, who are celebrating the release of their album, Mentiras, over at Cheer Up Charlie’s tonight with the help of fellow Austinites Silent Diane, as well as DJ’s Sam De La Rosa and Bill Converse. Just one listen to the title track from this new record out now on Holodeck Records and you’ll understand why this is the place you need to be tonight: the synths layer atop each other and smoothly work to create a groove you’ll be willing to get pretty sweaty jamming to. Doors are at 8pm and donations are accepted as payment for entry. More details here.

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ATX Spotlight: Comforter Ready Album

11270397_405357546315566_474241612007102356_oTons of great music is coming out of Austin lately, and Comforter have kept my attention with their first few singles.  Their latest, “Hardies,” opens up slowly, twinkling guitar chiming in the foreground.  As the drums kick in the song takes off, soon joined by resounding backing vocals to emphasize the lyrical content.  The drum work also adds a nice little pace to the track, while the emotional warmth steadily climbs in the listeners ear.  They’ll be releasing their new album for Merdurhaus Records this Saturday at Cheer Up Charlies with Alex Napping and Summer Salt.  Definitely something that should be on your radar going into the weekend.

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Shivery Shakes/Bop English Tour Kickoff @ Cheer Ups (5/12)

Shivery ShakesAs if two great bands weren’t enough for you all, you should go out and support a couple of great local acts getting ready to head out on tour.  You’ve got to fill their pockets with gold, buying merch and throwing spare change their way.  Shivery Shakes and Bop English are hitting the road, kicking off their respective tours with The Rotten Mangos, Texas Never Whispers, and The Inscape at Cheer Ups tonight. I’m still really proud of the Shakes album, Three Waves and a Shake, which you can grab right HERE; I’m happy to have my name associated with that LP. You can find all their tour dates right HERE, but if you’re living in Austin, head out and support all the bands tonight.

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SxSW 2015: A Day With The Twilight Sad

The Twilight SadIt isn’t a new idea, plenty of people have followed a band for a day, but it is something I have wanted to do for a while now. The last time The Twilight Sad was in town in support of We Were Promised Jetpacks, I had some time to chat with James, lead vocals, and Chris Patin, the tour manager, about following the band for a day during SxSW. You see, Chris is a friend of the program; he is in The Calm Blue Sea. James and I oddly ended up standing next to each other at several day parties in previous SxSW’s and we have had friendly conversations about tea, food, travel, normal human stuff. Seemed like a good fit. What follows is an account of the day, followed by a ton of pics. As a bonus, I got to see several other bands, some pretty damn good ones, including Torres and Ringo Deathstarr (more on them later).

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SXSW Superlatives: Nathan.Lankford

AlvvaysWith SXSW this year there was lots of hubbub about fewer bands and less corporate entities flooding the streets, but despite all that, I still managed to have myself a good old time.  I’ve got some thoughts and awards to hand out, and these are strictly my experience, as we tried at ATH to split up and cover as much as we possibly could.  You can read on, if you’ve got the time, to see what I had to say.  Read more

Show Preview: Nite School @ Cheer Up Charlies (3/12)

niteschoolmarch12

Date 3/12/15
Location Cheer Up Charlies
Doors 8pm
Tickets FREE!

As we are now just days away from SXSW, why not go ahead and kick things off in style tomorrow night at Cheer Up Charlies with the weekly Thursday showcase put on by Nite School?  Highlighting the bill for me is Houston product Factory Party.  Who is Factory Party you say?  They are a band who started many many moons ago, called it quits for a long time, and are now ready to “re-unite” and make some noise again.  The band features two founding members of ATH approved Young Girls so you have to know we will be behind most anything they do.  Also on the bill for the evening is headliner And the Rumors along with DJs Roger Wilson and Scorpio.

Check out the most recent Factory Party albumfrom 2009  entitled After the Death There is Nothing.

ATX Show Spotlight: Wildfires EP Release @ Cheer Ups (Tonight)

fireThere’s always a brief lull right before the storm, except this year, there isn’t.  There’s tons of shows with Austin band’s all over town, and tonight I encourage you to head to Cheer Up Charlies to catch the Wildfires EP release.  The band offers you pop music via a kaleidoscope of dreaminess and shoegaze elements.  I’m really excited to hear the band’s EP in full, but for now we’ll let you stream this brand new song they’ve got for you. Plus, there’s other local greats on the bill like The Sour Notes, The Zoltars (who just released their 3rd album recently) and Telepods. The weather’s been great, so why not enjoy your evening with great tunes.

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