Fresh Track from Marmalakes

One of the many records we’ve been fortunate to release was the debut LP from Marmalakes; they’ve been fairly quiet since then, mostly working on their various other projects…that is until this past week. They very quietly released this new gem, which is a pretty stripped down affair, using minimal percussion and keys to support the strum of Chase’s guitar and his voice. There’s a delicate nature to the tune, as if it would crumble through your fingers if you picked it up, losing its magic to the world. One thing this bunch know is great tunes written by greater people.

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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Austin Stories: Ish At Free Week

It’s been a hot minute since free week, that thing where bands play to help put money in tip jars for the venues during a typically very dead week in Austin that also serves as a test run for SxSW. We obviously have several friends involved in many aspects of Free Week. One friend of mine is Ismael Quintanilla III. He has shared his photos with us before, but he is also part of a pretty rad little music project called The Guacamole Police and Officer Hass. Unique perspective, shooting and playing Free Week, I poked the bear to get some response.

Read on for some of Ish’s great Free Week photos and some insight into putting in the work…

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Join Us Tonight at Barracuda for Flesh Lights, Pollen Rx and More

Well, looks like our dear friend Free Week has extended into the second week of January, and we’ve got a banger of a show for you to hit up this evening over at Barracuda. We’re sponsoring it with our good friend over at GTZ Records. Midriff will kick things off, followed by ATH Records act Pollen Rx, then Stiletto Feels, Otis the Destroyer and closing the night with the always phenomenal Flesh Lights. All these bands are really great, and they’re playing for you for free, so why not enjoy a Thursday properly and come on out. Show starts just after 9, so get there early, as there’s sure to be a good crowd.

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Some Free Week Pics…

I do love Free Week. The day job keeps me from going every night, but ANY night of Free Week means seeing tons of friends on stage and off. This edition of Free Week photos features photos of Light Wheel, Big Bill, Night Drive, Rose Selavy, Letting Up Despite Great Faults, a tiny cupcake fail, ladder climbing, toasts, staples and so much more. Venues visited were The Mohawk, Cheer Up and Barracuda.

I’m going to post a few thoughts on the backside of the break. The short story is that Big Bill can’t lose, Night Drive is still my favorite dance party, Rose Selavy is rad as a three-piece, Letting Up can do the same and Barracuda was surprisingly packed.

TIP YOUR BARTENDERS. BUY MERCH.

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Show Pics: Free Week 2016 Pt. 2

The MohawkI decided for the next evening of Free Week silliness, I would start at The Mohawk and make my way to Sidewinder. Free Week venues where met with capacity attendance and lines waiting for one-in-one-out to give access.

So, I will say this here – HEY AUSTIN, SPEND $5-10 AND YOU CAN DO THIS EVERY NIGHT OF THE WEEK!

Bands I caught this time around – A. Sinclair, Ben Ballinger, Sweet Spirit, Abram Shook, Stiletto Heels, Knifight, Orthy and Sounds Del Mar. Click through for shens.

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Show Pics: Free Week 2016 Pt. 1

Night DriveMy turn for giving Free Week a little love.

Night one with camera was a solid lineup at The Mohawk to celebrate our friend’s birthday. Pooneh is kind of a big deal in music photography and a damn nice person to boot. I was at the show and bought her a beer when she turned twenty-one five long years ago. Heh. But here we were with an excuse as good as any to have a solid lineup of bands with a huge amount of variation in genres. Featured and immortalized by the camera’s Shivery Shakes, Big Bill, Unknown Relatives, Milezo and Night Drive.

We persevered against the drizzly evening for a crisp night. Click through, please.

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My Free Week Afterthoughts

freeThere’s still some Free Week activities for you over at Barracuda this week, which you should attend, but the main stretch of Free Week is over. I had a pretty solid time, bouncing all down Red River, catching over 60 great Austin bands (and a few from out of town). It’s a really special time for the Austin music community and its fan, so I’m going to leave you with some notes, as well as some highlights and things you should look forward to in 2016. Read more

Weekend Show Preview: 1.9/10

SlowAs Free Week comes to a close this weekend, we hope that you’ve already gotten out and about support the locals ’round these parts, but if you haven’t, you still have time to layer up and brave the arctic tundra to enjoy living in the raddest city for live music and don’t forget to buy some merch from your favorite and do your part. There are of course tons of other shows out there that are yours for the taking, but here are our weekend highlights after the jump. Have a great weekend and drive safe!

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Show Pics: We Partied @ Holy Mountain (1/5)

Lego KittehWe had a couple of excuses to throw a party. It was Free Week. Our friend Pooneh had a birthday. We had merch to sell.

The lineup was all kinds of ATH favorites; Young Girls, Slow, Jonly Bonly, Shivery Shakes and Grape St. As it turned out, Grape’s St‘s Brendan also had a birthday. Isn’t that great. Shout out to Holy Mountain‘s winter diorama.

Pinata. Confetti Eggs. Drink Specials. We were surrounded by friends. Couple comments after the break with a ton of pictures…

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