This is fine.
Metric is a band that is very fun to shoot. Emily is charismatic and energetic, the rest of the band implements proper use of guitar, drum and bass face. Add to that a killer lighting rig and some beauty pop jams, you have the recipe for a fun night out. Heading to Stubb’s on a Wednesday, there are worse ways to spend a weeknight.
I’ll sum things up, offer advice to the openers, The Colourist, and share the pretty pics after the break.
The Joy Formidable was very impressive in their set at the Nikon Warner Sound showcase at Belmont during SxSW. Ritzy is a manic powerhouse and the entire band, including drummer Matthew James Thomas by way of his frontline half open drum kit, so everything possible to connect with the crowd. Big strobes, jumping into the pit, TJF is always encouraging the crowd to come along with them.
IO ECHO was the opener at Emo’s, and quite honestly, the more interesting act on the night. New to big touring, they get to play some decent-sized venues while rolling with TJF and hopefully will pull a decent early crowd. Backlit shenanigans.
Ritzy got a new hat. Click through for the pics, y’all.
We were certain that Friday was the best line up. I knew it would be the day of Austin Psych Fest to defy the forecast and get silly with cameras and stuff. On the day’s agenda was Bass Drum of Death, Tamaryn, The Soft Moon, Suuns, BRMC, Warpaint, The Besnard Lakes, Raveonettes and Vietnam. Australia’s Ride Into The Sun provided the delightful surprise. Tinariwen provided camera fodder. Carson Creek Ranch provided the backdrop.
Check out the big gallery. Find your friends, reminisce…
| Date | 4/30 |
|---|---|
| Location | Emo’s |
| Doors | 7:00 |
| Tickets | $16.00 |
Since SxSW’s exit, we have already seen a few bands that played the conference come back through town. Tuesday’s show at Emo’s features two grads of 2013. The Joy Formidable put down a blistering set at the Nikon Warner Sound showcase, I mean nailed down. IO Echo showed the harder edge that comes from the live setting, but the quick-turn venues and makeshift staging never allowed for a real run at how they want to convey their songs. The big stage can give them the room to breathe.
If you like live music, and since you are reading this you do, join me won’t you? I’ll the guy up front taking pic, say hi. Here is a sample from IO Echo as you better be familiar with Ritzy and the boys…
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I never got the chance to shoot Band of Horses when they were in our prime, i.e. still carrying the buzz of the early releases through the blogosphere. I did however got to see them in the big church during SxSW. That was pretty moving. Wall of sound, cathedral (seriously) ceilings, perfect venue for the at times sparse and haunting songwriting that made us suckers for the first two albums.
They have since left our little corner of the intarwebs for bigger pastures, but so what. I got to shoot them finally under the carnival tent that is cathedral-esque at Stubb’s and they played some early hits, so there.
Roadkill Ghost Choir opened, a few thoughts and some snaps past the break to ogle while you wait for your ride to Psych Fest.
Here is another streaming offering from Snowden’s latest effort, No One In Control called “So Red”. Those familiar with Jordan Jeffares work will love this. Those not should take note. As we get ready to be all Psyched out, how about a little hazy gaze goodness.
Snowden will make a stop in the new home base to play Red7 on June 7th. I sincerely hope the merch table is stocked.
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Nothing quite like figuring out that you still have 1600 shots to go through after six posts already up for SxSW…
Sorry, SxSW seems like a distant memory, but I may just rekindle some fond memories of the smaller shows that you should have gone to. Official SxSW stuff, I have already shared the shots of The Flaming Lips headlined party and Iggy and The Stooges. This gallery has shots of Mompox, Young Galaxy, Local Natives, Gold Fields, Shout Out Louds, Shout Out Out Out, GEMS and more. If you click, you will also get a few quick notes on winners and losers.
So do it. Sing with me, MEEEMMMOOOORRRIIIEESS!!!11!shift+1
We are pretty lucky to live here in Austin. Friday night, the wife and I started out at the friendly confines of The Mohawk, caught a kick ass set from Flesh Lights, chilled at a picnic table, had beer, whisky, and Topo Chico with good people that also love our music scene.
Red7 played host to a DJ set from James Murphy thanks to Learning Secrets. The wife got tix and that means that we became besties with the leader of one of my favorite things, LCD Soundsystem.
Click though for evidence…
Guilty pleasures, we all have them (Timberlake, comics, shimmying, wrestling, jello shots). I have a thing for Brit-Pop and the poppiest stuff going in my playlists has to be Two Door Cinema Club. I swore them off after the last show based on their destined rise with a rabid fan base of teenage “drop me off at the show, mom” crowd. More on them in a bit.
Inevitably, openers will get also get more mainstream as the crowd changes. Robert DeLong is an interesting creature.
But, even if you hate the bands involved, I hope you will take a look at the photos. I shot the second night and the photo pit to myself. It was well lit and a ton of fun to shoot.
This came across the twitters and I decided to share.
The band is called Vår, formarly War. They are a four-piece composed of friends living in Copenhagen, including a dude from Ice Age. The bio on the Soundcloud page for Sacred Bones has plenty of great descriptives for the band’s sound, but give it a listen and get transported onto a fog filled club with very little lighting wearing all black. This is goth-punk-dance-synth done at a high level.
The album No One Dances Quite Like My Brothers lands 5/14.
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