May 21, 2008
Austinist Show Preview: The Kills, The B&W Years, Cry Blood Apache and Songs Against Sex
Austin, lace up your walking shoes and prepare thyself for a quadruple blast of high-caliber musical entertainment across the downtown area this Saturday. Yes, it appears that the stars will align this weekend, giving us a ludicrous amount of options from which to choose in just one night. It's like the summer solstice of live music, dontcha know. We now pass the difficulty of choice to you, gentle readers: we are merely the conduit for such information.
Saturday, May 24
The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)
$14/16 - 8:00 p.m.
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Much like The Raveonettes, this she/he duo, formed by American vocalist Alison "VV" Mosshart and British guitarist Jamie "Hotel" Hince in 2000, has always taken a fresh, more human (read: pop-palatable) approach to stripped-down nihilist rock in the vein of Suicide and PJ Harvey. With their 3rd release, "Midnight Boom," the band appears to have taken it's blues-laden, drum-machine infused rock, twisted it up and deconstructed the traditional songwriting formula to give it an attractive edge. With this adjusted approach, The Kills now bask in the full glow of post-digital splendor for the first time. Louisiana-based rocker Dax Riggs opens.
Saturday, May 24
Club DeVille (900 Red River St)
All ages - $4/$6 - 9:00 p.m.
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Ahh, yes, a magazine release party! These are always a kick. This Saturday, it's an electro-rock party at Club De Ville as local movers {{{SUNSET}}} (fronted by Bill Baird, formerly of Sound Team) and Cry Blood Apache blow it out in honor of Austin's latest zine of the comic variety, Candy & Cigarettes. Both groups are renowned for the tightness and intensity of their live performances and have generated substantial local followings over the past year. Excellent big party-time, dear readers. Tickets sold at the door.
This local band is bringing back the ancient art of prog rock in a major way, and we think Elvis Costello in particular would be pleased. With a recent plug in SPIN Magazine, these guys are on a roll. And as an added plus, they're also breathing new life into an age-old stalwart of rock: the mustache. Having just returned from a nationwide tour in support of their first full-length release, these handle-barred gents will be playing their singular blend of glam, twee pop and Kraftwerk-inspired keyboard textures at Emo's Lounge this Saturday. Music starts at 10pm. Pretty Baby and The Boxing Lesson open.
The world needs more cover bands, especially ones that cover songs by bands that only the most devoted of music aficionados are familiar with. Songs Against Sex, an especially treasured gem of the Austin cover band community, base their existence and daily lives around the entity that is Neutral Milk Hotel. Rumor has it they actually eat pieces of the band's records and CD liner notes for breakfast. In accordance with their custom, they'll play the entire album "In the Aeroplane Over the Sea" (1998) from start to finish. Indie kids unite.
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My reason for going to the Candy & Cigarettes party is Shapes Have Fangs -- delicious retro pop goodness ! :-)
Shapes Have Fangs will also be playing at the BBQ party at Spiderhouse/US Art Authority on Sunday.
I also recommend Club Deville for some Friday night fun. A local Stones cover band called Sticks 'n Stones will be playing. They focus on tunes from the 60s and 70s.
My other Fri night pick is Nic Armstrong, The Service Industry, and Radar Radar at Hole in the Wall.
My other Sat night pick is the fantastic Moonlight Towers at Lamberts.
Anyone know whatever became of Nic Armstrong's band IV Thieves?
IV Thieves is on the backburner for now while Nic and Glynn Wedgewood play solo gigs. They both still play Thieves songs in their sets. Former Thieves bass player, Shane Lawlor, started a new band called Electric Touch.
Just so everyone knows, there will be free zines for everyone at the Candy & Cigarettes party. It would be wise to bring something to carry that away in. They're only 6x9 so you can put it in yr pocket, but, you know.
Thanks for the update, PTJ. I enjoyed the hell out of the few IV Thieves shows I attended, I'll have to check out the solo projects.