SHOW REVIEW: BOBBY WEIR & WOLF BROS. @ ACL LIVE (3.7.23)

Amid the inescapable ramp up of impending SXSW insanity, on a balmy and foggy evening last Tuesday, our Capitol City welcomed yet another legendary guitarist in Bobby Weir to the esteemed Moody Theater stage. As is typical with all things “Dead“, the bright-eyed, tie-dyed masses of all ages were lined up in full throated spirit in anticipation of an early 5:30 door opening, jockeying in place to get a shot at the front row. Custom shirt and glass pipe vendors were sprawled out along 2nd St., each with their warring psychedelic playlists creating an echoing corridor of weirdness. It was the picture perfect backdrop for Weir, who was on his first full-fledged solo tour since his 2020 pandemic-shortened concert run. Lucky for us, he was treating his loyal Austin deadheads to not just one, but two sold out evenings in our fair city. Read more

Show Preview: IDLES @ Stubb’s 10/25

Shows are back, y’all, and in full swing. We’ve got a bunch of touring acts coming to the ATX in the next few weeks…looking at you Levitation 2021, but also some great bands to catch while they’re in town before hand. This Monday, we’re welcoming IDLES to Stubb’s, who are known for their raucous post-hardcore/punk sounds and wildly entertaining live shows. They’re just about to drop their fourth studio album, CRAWLER, on 11/12, and they’ve released the single “The Beachland Ballroom” for us to preview the latest effort. Now, this show is sold out, but I’m sure if you scramble you can find a way in. It’s bound to be an evening of fun, mayhem, and exceptional tunes.

Show Review: Tool @ Erwin Center 1/21

It’s been said, when summer turns to winter in Austin, we put away our white T-shirts and get out our black ones. So it was appropriate for TOOL to come to the Frank Erwin Center in the month of January. Nobody had to change clothes they just had to show up. And show up they did. Thousands of black shirts and hoodies filled Austins nostalgic Drum, with the hopes of experiencing a “Great and Powerful” live performance. Hit the jump for more.

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Some Free Week Photos

Free Week is great. The concept of having people fill venues so bartenders and stage crews have a little cash in their pockets is totally a get-behind theme. Now, my epic level of cynicism that creeps in from time to time means that I will give the evil eye to anyone mad about one-in-one-out at a venue. These bands are playing all over town, all year long and sometimes opening for a touring band you would think is too expensive to go see. #value Let’s go, Austin, spend that twelve bucks.

My Free Week rant is over. Let’s get on to some notables and photos. A. Sinclair is a constant fave for rock and or roll. Abram Shook lends credibility to any music catalog. That performance had two-thirds of Feverbones; they are wicked excited for the new record, naturally so are we. Tres Oui‘s invisible bass player had a killer set (#sarcasm). Space-sparse of Soft Healer was a reset. I got to see The Infinites at Beerland as a full band. I do miss a little of the DIY nature of looping to fill sounds, but the layered gazy post punk sounded really rad with guitars filling the room. Fave thing of the time I spent Red Rivering.

Peep the gallery. I spent time taking photos of friends and the people that make Free Week go. I even used a flash. Crazy right?

I love y’all.

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Show Review: Protomartyr @ Barracuda (10/20)

Last Friday night we welcomed Protomartyr to Barracuda for a night of dark post-punk tunes. Coming up on a decade of existence, Protomartyr have become a staple of the genre, the current dark state of the world giving them the perfect backdrop for their brooding tunes. On their latest effort, Relatives in Descent, they took the post-punk to a greater height, giving audiences moments of aggression followed by great cathartic release. These new tracks played well in the live setting– read on for some brief thoughts on how the evening unfolded.

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Show Review: Pinegrove @ Barracuda (9/29)

When did Pinegrove become so huge?

David Sackllah posed the question to Twitter (@dsackllah) on the eve of the band’s sold out show at Austin’s Barracuda. Sackllah goes on recalling a time not so long ago when a Pinegrove performance seemed like an under-attended and perhaps under-appreciated experience. Back then, turnouts hovered around thirty people. That was a year ago. Maybe he’s exaggerating the crowd’s smallness, but the visual goes a long way in driving the point home; Pinegrove is now suddenly huge, or at least hugely important to a lot of people.

Hit the jump for more.

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