KVRX Fest Starts Tonight: Bands to Catch and Things To Know!

In case you were wondering what you were doing with your weekend, look no further, as we’ve got a new fest that combines both great local faves and touring acts in small venues. Yes, that’s right! The inaugural KVRX Fest is upon us starting tonight, and for the low price of 45 bucks you get three stages and 40 bands, both local and national, to help kill your Friday and Saturday. Yesterday, B.Gray shared the schedule with you, and after the jump I’ve got my lineup picks as well as more information on what happens if it rains!

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Matt Kivel Shares Radiance

Last Night in America is dropping next week, and with the release date just a week off, Matt Kivel is sharing another tune. It’s one of my favorite on the record, but be warned, it can induce extreme relaxation and contemplation…perhaps dangerous this early in the morning. For me, it’s the mix on this record that really serves Kivel’s goal; he’s got this fragile voice, or so it often sounds, so you’ve got to let it shine. Throughout this track, the musical element is low in the mix, at least when coming through your speakers; the percussive element is so light it’s almost a faint rhythmic whisper, with the guitar careful not to step forward until the closing moments of the song. If, by chance, your’re reading this in NYC, go see his release show this Friday featuring our friend Daphne Tunes at the Park Church Co-Op.

ATH Day Party is Tomorrow

Everyone is buzzing about the city as we speak, clamoring to find the cool thing to do. Well, luckily, we’d like to bring you a cool hang session with some really great music over at Barracuda on 7th Street. We’ll open doors at 11:30 AM, that way you can be the first to see the greatness that is Daphne Tunes. Check out the line-up right below, and a nice little playlist to familiarize yourself with the band gracing our stage! Also…word on the street is there’s some giveaways to the first 50 or so folks coming our way. It’s free, it’s all age, so come be our friend.

Inside Stage:
12pm Daphne tunes
1pm Sudakistan
2pm Weakened Friends
3pm Murray A. Lightburn
4pm Jackie Mendoza
5pm Boogarins (photo by Dylan OConnor)

Outdoor Stage:
12:30pm Seazoo
1:30pm Henrik Appel
2:30pm Dentist (Band)
3:30pm Pool Holograph
4:30pm Rosie Tucker
5:30pm Deeper

Fresh Tunes from Daphne Tunes

How does one write about a friend without feeling like you’re blowing smoke up their ass? I loved working Santiago during his tenure with Growl, but this Daphne Tunes stuff he’s been working on is quite possibly some of the best pop music coming out of the city of Austin. I think the delicate approach he and his band have taken to these recordings creates such a refined sound that it’s hard not to marvel at what’s coming through your speakers. Santi’s voice comes across stronger than ever, and I love the way the guitars duel with one another as he hangs his vocal notes at the end of each stanza, letting them drift through your living space. Such a special track, and just one of a handful he’ll be playing at our ATH vs SOTO SXSW show on March 10 at Hotel Vegas!

Enjoy a New Song from Daphne Tunes

Daphne Tunes is the project of Santiago, who happens to be one of my favorite songwriters in Austin; I like him so much I begged and pleaded to put out his other LP with his band Growl. In this project, Santi favors a softer side with carefully picked riffs and melodic vocal lines. What’s impressive about this song is how it jettisons off in an entirely new exploratory zone, highlighted by monosyllabic vocal notes riding the high of the galloping guitars. The Volume 1 EP will be released at the end of the month by Two Moons.

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