Variety Offer Valentine Single

Clearly we’re big supporters of Variety, and they quickly threw up a new track the other day, which originated with another Austin act, Exercise. While the song’s technically a cover, the original version has never been released, so all we get to hear is the version below, offering a glimpse at where we might see Variety going as they finish up their debut LP. I love the way the rhythm guitar seems to crawl through the background, walking its way through the crashing of cymbals, whilst matching step for step the vocals from Rhys Woodruff. Ooh…and little string touches at the end? What a rad touch to this jam. Play it please!

Show Preview: En Attendant Ana @ Hotel Vegas (5.18)

I wanted to run this preview yesterday, but seeing as I already had one Trouble in Mind post, I figured it could wait until today. So, tomorrow night, those inside the greater Austin area can catch Parisian outfit En Attendant Ana playing over at Hotel Vegas. They released the brilliant Principia earlier this year; it showed a lot of maturity in terms of allowing the empty space of their songs to have the same emotive pull as their more energetic bits do. It may seem like I’m talking trash here, but imagine taking a great guitar pop band like Alvvays and asking them to really stretch their sound beyond the confines of expectations for that style; it made Principia one of the more rewarding LPs of this year. Tickets are $10 at the door, which seems super reasonable, and they’ll be joined by Dorio, Exercise and Dmitri: Doors are at 9. You can grab the new LP HERE or at their show!

A Night At Free Week 2020

Nathan went out Thursday, I went out Saturday. We both got a dose of ATH Records goodness.

For me, catching Big Bill for the last time in their current form was of paramount importance. Sure there were several other great lineups, but drummer Alan Lauer is leaving our fine city. His wife is, too, and she makes amazing cookies so they brought cookies and they were delicious. The jams flowed. It ended up being a packed, raucous set with local celebs, plenty of shenanigans like jumping jacks, praying to the Hotel IndiGod and a pit during “What do you want on your salad?”…

Along for the ride was Exercise, Borzoi, Blood and Son of Stan. I also said hi to some folks next door at Mohawk. Click through for the big gallery…

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