Arts and Entertainment: April 2008 Archives

This Austin group of gritty and dance-inducing rock and rollers with one foot in the past have a fun and uncluttered sound that gets folks all gooey in the hips. They’re a five-man team who play energetic 60s rock with the occasional dance step and guitarists leaning in to the same mic for a chorus. You can expect their debut sometime later in the year, but you might have to wait until mid-July to see them live. However, if you need a fix, you can check out their recent performance on Fox’s Good Day Live Music. For a band that’s relatively green, they do really well.

Though Fantastic Fest '08 is nearly five months away (why won't you work, time machine!?), devotees and newcomers alike can get a taste of the kickass genre film festival TONIGHT as the Alamo presents Exte: Hair Extensions and Big Man Japan, two favorites from FF '07.

White Denim's recently recorded Daytrotter Session is glorious, the recording captures the band doing what they do best, playing as an incredibly tight live unit. The session includes set favorites like "Mess Your Hair Up" and "Don't Look That Way at It" as well as a handful of other unreleased tracks. They'll be in town (just briefly) this weekend for a show at Antone's with Tapes 'n Tapes.

Tonight, before award-winning author Kevin Brockmeier's scheduled 7pm reading from his latest effort, The View from the Seventh Layer, BookPeople will host its first-ever Literary Cocktail Hour on their third floor. Fancy wines, fine cheeses and an unforgettably brilliant author will be available to all those savvy enough to show up.

Attending the launch events for Sony Computer Entertainment Inc.’s SingStar (for PlayStation 3) was our primary focus this past weekend but the added bonus of a wristband to that little festival going on in Indio, California was a welcome perk we could not pass up. Our two day experience at Coachella 2008 kicked off with SebastiAn’s remix of the Justice anthem “D.A.N.C.E.” Non-stop beats invigorated an extremely hot Sahara tent as flashing lasers and lights made the 3 p.m. set seem more like a 3 a.m. one! Battles were next for us. The band’s shifting rhythms and changing tempos were well received by the swaying crowd, bottled up in the Gobi tent which was bursting at the seams. Another quality set during the afternoon was over at the Mojave tent where Black Kids furnished the festival with dance-pop accentuated by a variety of synth output. Tracks like “Hurricane Jane” and “I’m Not Gonna Teach Your Boyfriend How To Dance With You” were instant hits with the crowd, some just getting to know this talented Florida outfit, others apparently already big fans.

Kid Koala, or Eric San started experimenting with record players at a young age and has been a vanguard in the turntablism field for over a decade now. He brings his jazz flavored, hip-hop influenced concoctions to The Mohawk this Wednesday. Kid Koala compositions range from downtempo electro beats to movie and T.V. soundtrack-esque backdrops, and his use of a diverse array of samples always keeps things interesting. His impressive resume includes collaborations with the likes of Gorillaz and remixes of acts such as Coldcut. And since both the opening acts, DJ Jester the Filipino Fist and Rae Davis are Kid Koala fans, we decided to check in with them regarding Eric San’s influence on the genre and also recent developments with their own projects. Check out some of their insightful (and hilarious) responses starting below and enter for a chance to win free tickets to the show after the jump.

See video of Project Runway's Tim Gunn visiting Barton Creek Square Mall.

Britain's resident indie-soul schizophrenic Lidell is back with a more aggressive attempt at retro-soul with Jim. His last release, Multiply, showcased more electronica leanings with his signature nods to R&B, but songs like "Rope of Sand" prove his devotion to the hard-hitting ballad.

Photos courtesy Nash Cook

The final preliminary round of the Austin Air Guitar Championship is taking place this Tuesday at the Alama Drafthouse. This is the last opportunity for participants to compete for a spot in the finals, wherein a representative of Austin will be chosen to compete in the National Championship in New York. The winner at New York moves on to compete in the World Championship in Finland—and, presumably, to enjoy an elevated social status for his or her remaining days on Earth (air guitar champions don’t believe in the afterlife). We attended the penultimate preliminary round of the Air Guitar Championship at the Alamo Ritz last month; we share the experience after the jump.

Photo's from Eeyore's 45th Birthday, which took place Saturday at Pease Park.

This Sunday night holds one the most dazzling shows of the year, as the ultra-critically-acclaimed Caribou and Fuck Buttons take the stage in a whir of electronic and live action wonderfulness. Opening up will be Fuck Buttons, who, for their part, are one of the most fascinating new musical outfits to make a splash in 2008. Their noise-driven electronic music is almost jarringly abrasive on its scratchy surface, yet rewards the patient listener with a hint of melody—truth be told, their new album Street Horrrsing is one of our recent faves. So, unquestionably, their presence on the bill should keep too many people from straggling in late through Emo's doors.

Austinite Mike Judge, creator of that cultural zeitgeist and all-around-super-cool-guy, got his start on the art house circuit with traveling animation compilations and in turn has cultivated The Animation Show, a blitzkrieg of independent animation talent, the 4th annual edition of which will have its world premier tonight at the Alamo Drafthouse. Featuring a wide range of styles and narrative structures, including repeat appearances of some jail-bait bunnies, a Teletubby like crotch-cruncher and a couple of wacky, half-witted Australians, our eyes were glued to the screen for the full hour and a half.

In less than a week, the patron saint of Outlaw Country - Mr. Willie Nelson himself – turns seventy-five years old. And to celebrate the man and his career, the Texas Music Matters show on local NPR affiliate KUT has produced an hour-long documentary about the redheaded stranger entitled “Amazing Grace: The Story of Willie Nelson.”

Kick off your weekend at End of An Ear with Ethan, Master of the Hawaiian Ukele's (Le Diamant Brut) poignant tales at 6 p.m. Light-hearted ditties like “If You’re Acting Like A Baby (How’re You Gonna Be Her Man)?” and “Out Of A Rut” are just two of the aural delights that can be found on his record, So Real. He plays another set at the 21st St. Co-op at 9 p.m. For late evening activities away from downtown proper, the United States Art Authority offers up 60’s style psychedelic folk from Brothers and Sisters along with a set by Love lovers Forever Changes. Headdress and Poor People round off this eclectic bill. The Continental Club is home to the wacky compositions of Pong and The Horsies while Cactus Cafe hosts veteran singer-songwriter Michelle Shocked. Southern rock, blues 'n metal from Amplified Heat at Trophy’s is another alternative.

This weekend and early next week there are several chances to catch new works by local playwrights Robert Sanchez, Erica Saleh, Soo–Jin Lee, and Mike Agresta.

The most overrated aspect of mainstream film is production quality—3, 2, 1 Kill! proved that in November when the improvised movie event was scripted, filmed, and edited live at the Alamo Ritz. Luckily enough for the film snobs among us—this script is so indie that it doesn’t even exist—3, 2, 1 Kill! returns to the Alamo Ritz this Sunday for another round of seat-of-its-pants storytelling.

The Mohawk on Friday is going to be absolutely busting out with music, as one of their patently awesome two-stages-for-one-ticket deals hits the scene. Getting the big print and final time slot on the two stages are Elf Power and Belaire, but they're just small pieces of what looks to be a good long night of song. So we'll break this down all methodical-like so you won't have to worry about missing anything, and you'll finally learn the wonderfulness that is six live (and actually quite good!) bands for less than an Alexander Hamilton.

Direct Events and Backyard owner Tim O'Connor has announced the live oak amphitheater's final season, calling it quits after sixteen seasons in the hill country.

Tomorrow evening, the 2008 Mayor's Book Club will have a finale celebration at City Hall. Ishmael Beah, the author of this year's selection A Long Way Gone: Memoirs of a Boy Soldier, will be in attendance for a Q&A session led by UT Dean of Undergraduate Studies Paul Woodruff.

Hard drinkers rejoice! After serving it's audiences measly draft brew, wine and 5-beer buckets for the last 10 years, The Alamo Drafthouse at The Ritz has finally obtained a TABC liquor license (which has been serving Austin for the last 70 years) and will be offering up a plethora of newly-crafted beverages to enhance Austin's movie experience!

Cine Las Americas Film Festival schedule for Thursday, April 24th.

The canceled Cat Power show that was scheduled for last Sunday, April 20 has been rescheduled for October 11, 2008. The venue (Stubb's) remains the same, we'll have more on opening acts, backing bands, etc. as information becomes available.

Earlier this week, Arts on Real's General Manager, Blake Yelavich, sent out the call: "With the value of property sky-rocketing in the East Side neighborhoods, it is increasingly difficult to meet the demands of leases and taxes desired by the property owners." Arts on Real needs to raise $7500 by the end of April or it will shutter its doors by the end of May. To avoid that fate, the company is collecting donations and hoping for ticket sales for their current, well-received comedy Matt & Ben, starring local faves Kelley Estes and Breanna Stogner.

Ethan truly is a master of the Hawaiian ukelele, and somehow he’s managed to tune his miniature axe to the key of ‘completely charming.’ All he wears is board shorts and a lei while playing. It’s just one man playing softly folkie, catchy songs on his tender ukelele. Apparently, although he’s called Ethan, Master of the Hawaiian Ukelele, he occasionally plays guitar instead. What’s up with that? His latest album, So Real, was just released this month.

After taking a short pause in their bi-monthly schedule to allow everyone a full recovery from the nine day movie marathon that is SXSW, the Avant Cinema Series is back with a bullet. The series featuring short experimental, avant-garde films and videos by regional filmmakers, curated by Austin Film Society programming director extraordinaire Chale Nafus and local filmmaker Scott Stark, presents its second night of films-that-you-won't-see-in-theaters tonight, yes tonight. A Dazzling Trio highlights the works of three prominent Austin filmmakers: Samantha Krukowski, PJ Raval, Rick Reed.

The folks behind the mega-popular reality competition shows “American Idol” and “So You Think You Can Dance” are coming to Austin next month, in search of talent for an as-yet-unnamed new project. They're looking for actors and models between the ages of 19 to 25, and are pre-screening applications now. If you're interested, send 'em an email with your relevant info with an accompanying photo or video, or befriend them on Myspace.

At 2:45 on a Sunday afternoon, Jaclyn Pryor is wearing a suit and a yalmulke, running down an avenue in Hyde Park. Eight white Volvos trail behind her. A squadron of brides—including at least one man—look to the sky and take off running from an adjacent front lawn, joining the procession. Passers-by stand and gawk. Inside each Volvo, Pachelbel’s Canon plays. It is a perfect moment.

Earlier this year, Austin bar the Mohawk earned the "Best Bar in America" title from Esquire readers. Now, on the cusp of the summer tour circuits, Rolling Stone has declared Stubb's BBQ "Best Rock Club" in America.

Cine Las Americas Film Festival schedule for Wednesday, April 23rd.

Basically, the consumption of food is an inescapable facet of life; there are those to whom the act gives not even the slightest pause, but for some people it consumes every moment of conscious thought, whether it be avoiding caloric intake or hoarding it. Members of the later group, three women to be exact, are the focus of the dark and whispery Malos Hábitos (Bad Habits), the feature film debut of Mexican director Simón Bross, which is screening tonight at the Alamo South Lamar as part of Cine Las Americas.

Now that the Old Settler’s Music Festival and the Austin Reggae Festival are done and dusted for another year, the 2008 Austin City Limits Music Festival is still a ways away, (and c’mon, Eeyore’s Birthday Party is not a music fest, drum circles or not), what are we left with to fulfill our longing for another event that fosters song and dance under the Sun? The 1st Annual Pachanga Latin Music Festival is here to salvage the month of May and provide an assortment of music and art to coincide with the culmination of Austin’s Latino Music Month. Waterloo Park (also home to Fun Fun Fun Fest and now, Mess With Texas) will host this fiesta on May 31st and tickets went on sale today! All proceeds benefit ALMA.

Keeping in mind that filmmaker Harmony Korine’s projects have been instigative, shocking, and generally uncomfortable cinema experiences, Mister Lonely’s subdued humanity and mute hopefulness might make it the oddest movie in his oeuvre. And to communicate, musically, the happy-sad story of a commune of celebrity imposters forced to come to terms with the selves they’ve kept buried, Korine tapped Spaceman 3 vet and Spiritualized frontman (coming to Austin soon!) Jason Pierce, a.k.a. J. Spaceman, and the odd-ball Arizona avant-rock group Sun City Girls to score the film. If you’re at all familiar with the Sun City Girls’ erratic, experimental output or Mr. Spaceman’s tendency toward bombast and symphonic overload, than the soundtrack to Mister Lonely should be a surprise for you – which makes perfect sense considering the restraint that Korine must have put on himself to make this film in the first place.

Tel Aviv's Monotonix have been touring since early February. If you missed them during SXSW (they played 9 times, so you really have no excuse), you missed one of the world's most thrilling live sets and one of the loudest bands you'll ever see, but we're sure you'll get another opportunity.

The Silent Dance Party, which last took place at the Texas Capitol in December, returns today with an Earth Day-themed flash mob.

Cine Las Americas Film Festival schedule for Tuesday, April 22nd.

For some reason, we as a culture have spawned an entire generation of college aged people who have all of the opportunity in the world, but absolutely no direction or decision making skills. The four characters in Box Elder fall into familiar archetypal roles: the ladies man, the idiotic ape, the sweet hearted romantic and the wise sage (well, as wise and sage-like as an early-to-mid-20s dude can be), but none of them are particularly noteworthy or spectacular. Think of them as Animal House meets Clerks, with even slightly less ambition. At some point they realize that they cannot continue just coasting through life, but not before many sammiches and beers are consumed and many hilarious moments brought on by everyday situations have occurred. If you are a dude, or an appreciator of dudeism, then this film is for you.

On a quest to produce a revival of 2006's critically acclaimed The Muses: Memories of a House (the Chron called it "theatrical magic"), the vestige group is in search of a home.

Panic at the Disco brought their advertising laden tour to Stubb's on Saturday night.

Our weekly listing of music, film, theatre, art, food, and other happenings around town

In anticipation of its upcoming production of Much Ado About Nothing, Austin Shakespeare is hosting a family-friendly birthday bash at Castleton Village, ye olde Elizabethan towne on Richard Garriott's Lake Austin property. Much Ado previews this Friday night (4/25) at the Curtain [$25 tickets], plays a gala premiere on Saturday that will include munchies, madrigals, and more [$75 tickets], and ends the weekend with a family-friendly matinee on Sunday at 3pm [$15-20 tickets].

Cine Las Americas Film Festival schedule for Monday, April 12st.

Cine Las Americas Daily schedule for Sunday, April 20th.

Cine Las Americas Film Festival schedule for Saturday, April 19th.

In addition to all the films screening at Cine Las Americas on this beautiful Friday evening, tonight is also Brazil Night (which is code for "party till you drop"). From 10pm until question mark, Academicos da Opera Samba School and DJ Boris will be spinning Brazilian and World Contemporary Music at the Copa Bar & Grill on Congress. Admission is free with Film Pass or festival ticket stub.

Oh, Canopy, we hardly knew ye. While we understand the difficulties of keeping an eight-person band all on the same page and distinctly fulfilled, well, it's still all so sudden. But at least you'll go out tonight with a bang, what with a stellar show planned and the official release of your new EP on Autobus records, Canopy/Anopy.

You've got to love it when, long after the lineup is set and the schedules are printed, the opening act takes a quantum leap in the quality of their music, and, for all intents and purposes, stacks a show with TWO truly engaging acts rather than your customary one. And that's exactly what's happened here, as New Zealand natives The Ruby Suns' new album, Sea Lion, is so badass that getting to the Mohawk early enough to see them open up is imperative. And, in a nod to their previously determined spot as a Friday night headliner, Throw Me the Statue is a delightfully tight and catchy band belying their Seattle roots. So, hell, The Ruby Suns AND Throw Me the Statue? Even if you haven't caught word of these bands yet, they're both damn good, and for such a quality lineup this show is about as inexpensive as they come.

If your indie-snob resume is complete, you have a section outlining your personal thesis on Pavement. Most folks -- even those that never really got into the records -- have a hard time arguing against the undeniable influence Malkmus & Co. had over just about everything we listen to now.

We're sorry to report that the Cat Power show scheduled for Sunday evening at Stubb's has been postponed due to "damaged vocal chords."

This weekend culminates on April 20th, 4:20 even, and it’s no surprise than many of Austin’s inhabitants aim to celebrate this cultural holiday in fine fashion come Sunday. But before we get to that lofty milestone, local lawyer and musician Charlie Roadman hosts the Third Annual Marijuana Law for Musicians seminar on Friday at The Mohawk. The presentation is free and starts at 7 p.m. Come find out what you can get away with in Travis County and also sign up for a chance to win two free Radiohead tickets for their show in Dallas on May 18th.

Whether it's love, death, or racing down the night highway in a blind panic, no musician can pull off the electro-melodrama like Anthony Gonzales, otherwise known as M83, the undisputed king of sensational, overwrought shoegaze. With 2005's Before the Dawn Heals Us, M83 veered a wild right away from its beginnings in otherwise humble ambience and synth-heavy noodling, catapulting over a dead-man's curve and emerging from the wreckage rejuvenated. From curb to coma, BTDHS was a thrilling experience. Unabashedly incorporating dramatic vocal samples and recursive opacity a la David Lynch's Mulholland Drive by way of the hard obsidian aesthetic of DePalma's Heat, the album went for broke on every track. It wasn't surprising to find one's self panting heavily after a listen-through.

The subtitle of [humdrum collective]'s current production—No One Else in the Woods Tonight—is "The Iron Lung Play." Curious subtitle, we think. This time the [collective] is taking on not only the 1950's polio epidemic, but also fantastical storytelling about life, death, and the afterlife. Set to cello music. Awesome.

Let's not mince words: when Cat Power comes to town, it's pretty much mandated by law that you attend. This is because not only will you be able to witness one of the most shockingly talented vocalists in the world, but you also may learn a thing or two. For those who don't remember, let's do a brief recap of what we learned last time the timeless (and timelessly eccentric) soulstress was in town: that Chan Marshall, the woman behind the voice, is on steroids, that she was born deaf, that she wants to shoot her monitors, that she likes to apologize to the crowd, that steroids make you angry (and that's why they make you stronger), and on and on she went with her pearls of wisdom. Pretty much, she's a spectacularly unpredictable bounty of non-sequiturs and stunning musicianship.

Benevento/Russo Duo, believe it or not, are made up of two people. They hail from the north. And they can fill a room with noise. But don't you even dare compare them to The White Stripes, because they would probably punch you in the face. Because first of all, Joe Russo's drums serve as a powerful and unrelenting backdrop of technical precision, and, secondly, Marco Benevento's emphatic and and purposeful keyboard--yes, keyboard--stuffs the foreground. And if that isn't enough to distance them from what is perhaps music's most famous duo, with Benevento and Russo, don't expect to find any vocals lying around, and don't expect to see any shortage of energy, as the band pack as much action into two people as possible. And that action you'll be able to find this Saturday night at The Parish Room.

Tonight, the Cine Las Americas film festival will screen four films, including the Argentinan drama XXY, Alejandro Springall's dramatic comedy Morirse está en hebreo (My Mexican Shivah), actor Diego Luna's legendary boxer doc JC Chavez and Lorena Giachino Torrens' doc Reinalda del Carmen, mi mamá y yo (Reinalda del Carmen, My Mother and Me).

After celebrating its four year anniversary in January, the regular dance party in town known as Learning Secrets presents its latest edition this weekend. Originally started by DJ and promoter Ian Orth during his stint at the Rutgers’ college radio station 88.7 FM WRSU (where he booked acts such as Yeah Yeah Yeahs and The Rapture for events on campus), Learning Secrets has evolved from a weekly shindig at the Whisky Bar on 5th St. into a conglomeration of sorts. Orth is working to expand the party into an entity -- “The biggest change and step forward has been turning Learning Secrets into a boutique PR firm with my best friend Jeramy Neugent who recently moved back to Austin from L.A. where he was the tour publicist for everybody from Animal Collective to Marissa Nadler to Federico Aubele to Fela Kuti. Our platform is to work with the music we love and firmly believe can make some sort of positive cultural impact on our society, and get those bands the exposure they deserve.”

From hand guns to glue guns, since coming under new ownership Rio Rita Cafe y Cantina has been taken over by crafters. Weekly craft meetup Arts & and Drafts celebrates its one year anniversary of crafting at Rio Rita.

Having been out since March 4th, this review definitely falls into the ‘better late than never’ category. Landes, who upcoming will be playing a few dates with artists like Peter Mor n of Peter, Bjorn and John, Jonathan Rice and Josh Ritter before heading to Paris to play a lo fi folk festival, has become quite a pro at the organic folk awash with harmonies, stringed instruments and deep, crisp drums.

After the break-up of influential alt-country act Uncle Tupelo, Jay Farrar and Mike Heidorn formed Son Volt in 1994. Their debut record Trace was released in 1995 and featured the radio hit "Drown". After putting out two more albums in the late-'90s, the band faded away somewhat; Farrar worked on solo material for a few years before rejuvenating the Son Volt moniker with new members in 2005. This new look outfit dropped The Search in 2007 on Legacy Records while they also found time to cover The Beatles’ “Hello Goodbye” last July for a commercial on ESPN advertising David Beckham’s addition to the MLS roster. To some Son Volt will always play second fiddle to Wilco, a bit like Spectrum did to Spiritualized, or Kelly Rowland to Beyoncé even. However, Jay Farrar more than holds his own with his work; his lyricism is astute and his John Fogerty-esque vocals are a perfect fit for the band’s classic Americana concoctions.

To call Zach Scott's current production of Doubt "rock solid" doesn't do it service. The acting is terrific, the lighting design is gorgeous, the costumes, the set, the sound—they all support the piece perfectly. For lack of better words, it's spot-on.

They are a trio of geeky rock and rollers from England, Ashby-de-la-Zouch, Leicestershire actually. They’re already winning over warm bodies on their native isle, where they’ve cracked the charts and were nominated for the Nationwide Mercury Prize in 2007. All dressed up in tweed jackets and trousers with ties, the three give a professionally stuffy yet silly slant to their post-punk, catchy rock and roll. Their second full-length, Superabundance, is set to come out in America on April 22nd.

Tonight, the Cine Las Americas International Film Festival will kick off its 11th edition with a reception and screening at the Paramount Theatre, followed by an after-party at the Mexic-Arte Museum on Congress (where there'll be appetizers, drinks and music). The program this year looks amazing--in all, the festival will screen eighty-two films from eighteen countries in a wide range of genres, including drama, documentary, experimental, animation, film noir, thriller, comedy and fantasy. And, of course, all of the films are made by or about Latino and indigenous people of the Americas.

There are a ton of reasons for you to come out Saturday to the Austin Convention Center to see the Toros play the winner of Sioux Falls/Dakota for a spot in the D-League playoffs. But before we get to them, let's eliminate some misconceptions you may have about the Toros. Let’s play a little True-False game.

In tandem with its current exhibit, "On the Road with the Beats," the Harry Ransom Center is presenting a month-long Beat Film Series at the Alamo Ritz.

One of Austin’s finest metal acts, The Sword builds on the promise of their debut Age of Winters with its sophomore effort Gods of the Earth. GOTE begins softly enough with the intro to “The Sundering,” but before one can have any misgivings, a crunching riff takes over and ignites what’s to come for the next 45 minutes. Sure, there are requisite song titles like “Fire Lances Of The Ancient Hyperzephyrians” and suitable lyrics such as “The gates of the keeps are all closing / And the broken men wander the roads / the farmers have fled to the forests / burning their fields as they go” (“Lords”) -- necessary tidbits that complete the Sword experience, but the heart of the content is in the thunderous rock, insistent riffs, and raw energy. The Sword is scheduled to open for Metallica in Europe come July but not before a set at the Bonnaroo Music + Arts Festival in June. The band kicked off its current U.S. tour earlier this month. A must for fans of Black Sabbath and even later metal giants like Megadeth and Iron Maiden, GOTE is a full throttle assault on the listener’s ears with inventive, dueling guitars; distant howls of “greater mysteries” and “the faery queen’s armies”; and a general atmosphere of sludgy heaviness.

Viking Moses has been self-releasing cassettes since 1994, and ten years after his start, the music he made found a truly receptive audience after being included on the Golden Apples of the Sun compilation put out by Arthur magazine. The comp, curated by Devendra Banhart, also featured Joanna Newsom, Iron & Wine, CocoRosie, Little Wings and Jana Hunter, and it signaled the rise (in popular perception, anyway) of what came to be known as New Weird America.

Debuting as a post-Metallica thrash outfit with 1991’s Contradictions Collapse, Sweden’s Meshuggah have been refining their intractable sound to a serene balance of pummeling death metal and intricate technical sophistication. Fittingly, their latest record is called obZen, and for much of its hour-plus running time, the album does in fact bring a sense of zen-like calm to its brutally complex compositions.

Glasgow's Frightened Rabbit are a a three-piece outfitted by siblings Scott and Grant Hutchinson (guitar/vocals and drums, respectively), and like a handful of rock outfits past, lack a bassist. Their 2006 release, Sings the Greys, was well-received critically, but lacked the distribution to properly permeate initially. Luckily, Fat Cat stepped in and helped the band re-record and re-master Greys, setting them on their way to record Midnight Organ.

It's official: Foo Fighters, Robert Plant & Alison Krauss and John Fogerty take top billing along with Beck, Manu Chao, David Byrne, The Raconteurs, The Mars Volta, Gnarls Barkley, Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band, N.E.R.D., Erykah Badu, Robert Earl Keen, and Parry Griffin rounding out tier one.

British Sea Power played a free show at Club DeVille this weekend. Photos courtesy Eric Uhlir.

This Sunday afternoon, residents of Hyde Park might come across something a little strange—a group of cars driving slowly through the neighborhood, the passengers watching as actors perform a series of vignettes along the route they're traveling. This is the annual production of floodlines, conceived by Jaclyn Pryor seven years ago, and in its fifth of seven years of annual production (2010 will be the last year it's performed).

Last summer, T-Pain made it very profitable/cool to sing like a robot. Ever since, everybody seems to be trying their hand at it, or rather, using some sort of vocal modulation/autotune to emulate a sound that is both infectious and patently insincere. Lil’ Wayne’s hit single “Lollipop” is the most recent and notable instance of T-Pain’s influence, and it’s also the most dramatic deconstruction of that sound to date. T-Pain makes Windex’d, pristine pop music, songs you can check your hair in or snort drugs off of or, most importantly, cut into little squares and stick on a Styrofoam sphere to be hung in the middle of a dance floor. The vocal fx, the pedestrian lyrics, the chintzy beats - it’s all low-to-no risk, simple, easy, breezy, beautiful, Christie Brinkley.

Ron Berry has been having a mighty fine time of things lately. Last year's Fuse Box Festival was critically and commercially successful. Refraction Arts' production of The Assumption was so popular, they resurrected it late last year to sold out houses. The company garnered a whopping 24 Critics Table Awards in '07. To top it all off, in its most ambitious year to date, Fuse Box '08 kicks off in less than two weeks. We recently chatted with Ron about Fuse Box to get the scoop on this year's fest.

Tonight, the AFS will present a sneak screening of Dark Matter, Chen Shi-Zheng's dark drama inspired by a true story. Dark Matter follows Liu Xing, a Chinese science student who comes to America to pursue a Ph.D. in science. But after struggling to find his place, he becomes frustrated with his failures, and is eventually pushed toward lonliness and violence.

Matador Records will release Shearwater’s fifth LP Rook on June 3rd but that isn't the only recent good news regarding the eclectic Austin act. The band is scheduled to play a number of cities in May including a couple of very special shows in New York and Austin. The New York gig on May 5th at the Florence Gould Hall kicks off the tour before the band makes its way back to Austin for a night at The Parish on the 29th. Both shows will feature a complete performance of Rook with accompanying strings, woodwinds, trumpets, and harp for our listening pleasure. Of course, some older material can be expected as well. You can read the official Matador Records press release here and buy tickets for the Austin concert here. The ticket price of $15.50 seems to be a steal for this exceptional event. And that’s not all -- a limited 7" that includes a cover of Talk Talk’s “The Rainbow” will be available at both shows. Bonus round!

Hard rock thrives on excess. The larger the stadium, the bigger the hair, the more outrageous the offstage antics, the longer the extension of the reunion tour, the louder the guitars, the more flames that shoot out of Gene Simmons’ ass, the better. Even AC/DC, bare-boned and minimal compared to most of their rockin’ brethren, have a singer with a voice so freakishly unreal and guttural that it’s probably painful just in conversation. Like their antecedents, swagger, brash lyrics and big riffs course through The Faceless Werewolves’ latest mouthful of an album: Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws on My Back?

Whoa, that Church of the Friendly Ghost is getting crazy ambitious for April. They've booked four shows already, and have two more in the works. Sure, that’s nothing for your average nu-metal dive, but the Church is different, you know, with each show they put on infused with some odd, unique flavor. And speaking of flavor, their performances are now extra-delicious. Yes - these performances at the Salvage Vanguard Theater will all be catered by Ararat, who serve up some pretty damn delectable Mediterranean food. Call it added incentive to hear some new music. To top it all off, Miss Lori 16MM will compliment the food, drinks, and sound with visuals including slides and film projections.

Presented by Art Alliance Austin and the city’s longest running art fair, Art City Austin begins with a variety of Art Talks by featured artists and culminates with outdoor displays, music and food on the steps of City Hall.

Stay tuned for a full-fledged "4.20 special" Austinist Weekend Music Preview next week!

Sometimes you hear bands that are just meant, like, by the sheer nature of their music, for the soundtrack of a badass film--a preferably artsy film, and quite possible violent. Surely, when that movie is indomitably un-Hollywood, it's makes for all the better listening, as the somewhat problematically named Horse + Donkey headline a nice little set tonight at Lamberts Downtown Barbeque, a fine dining establishment and music house in the heart of the 2nd Street district. Sounding not terribly unlike a European-influenced and pop-suppressant version of recent indie hypesters Tapes N Tapes, Horse + Donkey mushes a churningly forward-moving bass rhythm, jangling surfer guitars, steady percussion, and confident vocals into music it'd be no shock hearing as the credits roll.

Austinite John Langmore spent more than a year capturing on film the lives of those in East Austin. The result is a collection of intimate photographs that document the people, places and culture of the gentrified area where condos and new homes are replacing century-old houses and crumbling taquerias.

Liverpool's music history is dense and storied, chronicled by Beatles fanatics, Merseybeat followers, new wave scholars and Brit-punk alumni. The long reach of this little Wales/England border town's influence on popular music remains unmeasurable, and perhaps no band proves this point more than Clinic. Across their rich catalog, the quartet has borrowed from the archives of their homeland's discography readily, crafting an intricate web that utilizes its own patterns and flourishes with precision and calculated attentiveness. Their sound has always been haunting, dark and teeming with rough edges, but a joyful noise is always present: they excel at the fine art of repetition and detail. Collecting the parts they love, they have redistributed and reorganized their sound in finely tuned, subtle increments over time, polishing the same framework on each album they release. Across these albums, they've proven their devotion to the theory that the whole is greater than the sum of their parts.

Tomorrow night at Salvage Vanguard Theater, UT's Libraries and the Fine Arts Library are hosting a panel discussion with quite an impressive panel of local playwrights. None other than George Brant, Sherry Kramer, Kirk Lynn, and Steve Moore "will address their position as straddlers—young, critically acclaimed playwrights whose early successes in the 20th century influenced the theater’s trajectory into the 21st."

Ballet Austin’s Artistic Director, Stephen Mills, and locally based (internationally loved) composer Graham Reynolds are two of the three collaborative masterminds behind Ballet Austin’s presentation of Cult of Color: Call to Color. Along with visual artist Trenton Doyle Hancock—who created the sets and designed the costumes, and upon whose painted characters the show is based—Mills and Reynolds have put together an astounding presentation. We spoke with Mills and Graham about creating the show.

Marfa, Texas, over 400 miles from Austin and an extremely intriguing city to say the least, is home to plenty of art, special concerts, and of course, those lights. This weekend, the quality concerts continue as Marfa Public Radio (KRTS 93.5 FM) rounds off its Spring Membership Pledge Drive with the 2008 Far West Texas Radio Round-Up featuring music from a number of excellent acts.

It’s unclear from the group’s MySpace whether or not they're still playing around town or even in existence, but a few songs recently came across the Le Diamant desk which warranted a little attention. They’re an indie rock, alt. pop group making their home in the 512.

LA's Midnight Movies contented themselves with deadpan post-punk minimalism on their early singles, but Nights pulls the curtains wide open to present widescreen Technicolor rock action. The record opens and closes with a histrionic cover of the Moody Blues' renaissance-fair chestnut "Nights In White Satin" (the second version is sung in French). Complete with time changes, backup singers on the chorus, and woodwind interlude, the tune does the original justice while proving the band can afford to drop serious cash for studio time.

Max Bemis is the man behind California pop outfit Say Anything. Bemis started the band in 2001, self-releasing Baseball that year followed by …Is a Real Boy on Doghouse Records in 2004. The latter was Bemis’ attempt to ease out of the pop-punk category towards what he calls “respectable music” per the band’s website. In fact, he went through quite a contemplative stage as he prepared the album -- “I thought often about what the point of my life was. Was I doomed to remain yet another earnest, upper-middle class bred whine-rocker? After all, hidden deep in the recesses of my mind, I had hidden the notion that I could do something incredible and different, that I could be somebody like Warhol, or Jesus. I had to write an album that was revolutionary in its content and presentation. Finally, one night, it hit me. That was what my record had to be about: the artistic struggle, the fact that every creative person has this sick ambition to affect some sort of change in society with their art, to be more than just a guy in a band or a poet or a sculptor. I couldn’t decide if this ambition was a good or bad thing but I decided to parody that overzealous drive in human beings by crafting a truly over the top musical about...myself.”

The here-and-there national media coverage that Wait Til the Ice Melts, an electronic music compilation, has received seems to suggest, not without a hint of mockery, that it's somehow a shock that the massive state of Texas can come up with anything beyond yokel-driven acoustic guitar and other brands of slack-jawed musical idiocy. Maybe it's the subtitle of the compilation which is causing the problem, as "New Music" doesn't necessarily imply electronic music, or wordlessness in any way; or maybe, conversely, it's the presence of the word "Texas" which is causing the problem, as that five-letter word seems to evoke in non-residents a sense of simplemindedness, Bushism, pickup trucks, cowboy boots, and hootenanny tomfoolery. But to get past these preconceived notions is to dig into Wait Til the Ice Melts, Exponential Records' way of doing us all a favor by culling from hundreds of possibilities a quick and satisfying mix of electronica from contiguous America's largest state.

Award-winning filmmaker Jennifer Fox spent four years documenting her own life in an attempt to better understand the female condition. As she juggles relationships with two men (one of whom is married), she struggles to come to grips with the definition of womanhood, and the limits of morality. In her quest for knowledge she travels to more then seventeen countries and interviews countless women about their own lives, passing the camera around to whoever is willing to ask questions. The result is a complex yet intimate mini-series that sometimes seems more like a real-life soap opera than it does a documentary.

Tipping their hat to this immortal glory of fluorescent heartache that was the New Wave Scene, the Alamo Drafthouse debuts their newest concert/theater/dance explosion this Thursday evening, promising such running-in-place classics as Whip It, Rio, and, well, I Ran (So Far Away). If you have never been to an Alamo sing-along, then we can personally assure you that it will be just like heaven.

Colin Meloy stopped by La Zona Rosa on Monday night to play some intimate acoustic jams as part of his solo tour. Despite a head cold the Decemberist's lead singer/songwriter played a full set from both the band's catalog and his own, with a few covers (including Sam Cook) thrown in for good measure. Sipping on a glass of Cabernet (probably not the best thing for a cold) Meloy bantered cheerfully with the crowd, who supported him with sympathetic "awwwws" on cue and when he had to stop a couple of the songs due to fits of coughing or lyrical amnesia (its a good thing so many of his fans know the songs by heart, saving the final "Mariner's Revenge" with their sing-a-long). All in all the night proved that a supportive fan base can rescue a ship (or show) on the rocks and help a favorite artist deliver on the promise of the ticket price: a good time and a good show.

Xachua’Bsh, Washington's quintet has quickly become a buzzing glimmer of hope in a massive onslaught of post-SX dance rock fervor, offering ornate instrumentation and traditional folk elements in non-traditional ways with their EP, Sun Giant. Thick vocal reverb (which earns them unfair Band of Horses comparisons), Fleetwood Mac inspired harmony, and layered instrumentation (tin pans, fiddle, piano, shakers, mandolin) lend the songs a focused yet limber vibe. "White Winter Hymnal" borrows from traditional folk songs and church choir on the front porch purity, but the precise execution of the harmonized round and the pristine production give the track a feeling of soaring perfection.

If you thought that bands during SXSW played short sets, you ain’t seen nothing yet. Tonight at the Emo’s Lounge, eighteen bands will be playing fifteen minute sets, giving you the most bands per buck (that’s five) that you’re likely to see anytime soon.

Oakland's Xiu Xiu, led by Jamie Stewart and Caralee McElroy, made a gorgeous noise on Saturday at the Mohawk performing songs from their latest release, Women as Lovers. They were supported by the smoky curiosities of D.C.'s Thao & the Get Down Stay Down.

The Austin City Limits festival will take place September 26-28 this year, and there are 130 bands lined up, with a release of names scheduled for April 15.

In support of his solo release, Colin Meloy Sings Live!, the Decemberists frontman is performing Monday night at La Zona Rosa.

There are not enough good words to say about Cult of Color: Call to Color. Attempts to capture the performance will only wind up sounding like some over-hyped ad in the Sunday Times Arts section. But Cult really is: Astonishing! Amazing! Fifty Thumbs Up! Visually Stunning! Musically Breathtaking! and The Dance of a Lifetime! In short, it very much deserves a Run-Don’t-Walk-to-See-It recommendation, this urgency compounded by the fact that the show is only slated for a very short run.

Kathleen Battle performs in recital at the Long Center on Monday evening. Kudos to the Long Center for offering up an amazing inaugural season, and especially for kicking it off with such a rare, classy event—one we probably won't see the likes of for another several seasons. And only that soon if we're lucky.

It's good to be King, and it’s even better when that King is very, very good, or even great! That’'s why we feel so lucky that we just adored Mark Lovell as King Henry VII in The Bedlam Faction'’s production of The Brats of Clarence.

Imagine yourself to be a person who's gone through some crap in the last five to ten years. Imagine that you've had some bad breakups, some unfulfilling jobs, maybe you've run out of money a couple times. Maybe you've drank too much and made a fool of yourself, argued with your parents, lost your keys, or missed an old friend. Maybe you don't really have to imagine any of this at all, because it's the sober realization that life is real that drives bearded man of honesty Owen Ashworth, the brain and emotion behind California-based Casiotone for the Painfully Alone. But truly it's not all gloom, as Ashworth's electronically produced beats, to be found at Emo's on Saturday night, are undeniably pleasant in their simplicity, and his incredibly frank and straightforward monotone is bound to inspire a sweet nostalgia for the real world, even when that real world didn't quite turn out like you'd dreamed it would.

Disturbing psycho-sexual lyricism, multifaceted percussion skills, quivering vocals, all combined with curious extroversion and a skewed appreciation for cuteness? This can be none other than the damaged experimental rock outfit Xiu Xiu, who will play The Mohawk’s outside stage this Saturday. Xiu Xiu’s has a knack for combining whimsy and pain, and we recently called them out as “one of the most excellent and fascinating bands of the decade” in our review of their last record, Women as Lovers.

The headliner of The 40 Acres Fest has oft been regarded as one of Austin's best kept secret shows. Thrown by the student-run Music & Entertainment Committee and funded in part by The University Co-Op, year after year the south steps of the UT Tower provide an amazing venue for acts that in the past have included Common, Little Richard, Ludacris and Cee Lo. Keeping up with their trend of pleasant surprises, The 2008 40AF will be headlined by Philadelphia hip-hop legends The Roots. Local Austin live sensation The Octopus Project will open the show.

Emo’s shakes things up this Friday with RJD2 and dälek bringing the beats and rhymes to what promises to be an innovative evening of hip-hop at the Red River venue. Also in the vicinity, The Ramonahs cover various Ramones classics at the Beauty Bar. The “All Drag Queen” tribute act debuted in Dallas in February to a sold out show and why should Austin miss out on this shenanigans! Firekills at Red 7, Demontuary at Room 710, The Ends at Headhunters, and The Hex Dispensers at Beerland offer further options in the area.

There seemed to be a collective groan when Mark Kozelek, the lead singer/songwriter and driving force behind Sun Kil Moon, released his second album under that moniker. Consisting exclusively of Modest Mouse covers, completely rearranged and Kozelek-ified, it hearkened back to his earlier remake experiment wherein he tamed old AC/DC tracks, infusing them with a subtle new lustiness. Regardless of whether you think Tiny Cities pulled it off (we kinda did), the reason people continue love this guy is his solid catalog of self-penned tunes. Well, we bitched and moaned that we wanted more real deal Koz-rock, and all of a sudden April came around.

If you’re in the mood to delve into the music of some fine local acts, you will not want to miss SureFire Media + Promotion’s latest event at Antone’s tonight. When we last checked in with them, we learnt of their plans to bring fresh faces to the historic venue on 5th St. Thursday’s bill features four exciting bands primed for their moment of glory in the Live Music Capital. Haunting Oboe Music has been ubiquitous in the past year, playing everywhere, from The Parlor up north to the Do512 Compound down south, and almost every Red River venue in between. The ambitious band plans to drop an EP every month this year; you can read our review for January’s h here and buy it, along with the February, March, and April releases at Waterloo Records or via iTunes. The Fever Dreams’ experimental psychedelic concoctions are intriguing to the say the least, with numerous twists and turns throughout. The outfit’s versatile creations can be found on last year’s Tregan of Polycorns, also available at Waterloo Records, as well as End of an Ear and Cheapo Discs.

San Marcos-based Americana/folk group Three Leaf have just returned from a couple of months in Ghana with their dear friends, fellow musicians Gouda, where they helped the neo-traditional Ghanaian band record their album. Setting up a makeshift studio in Accra, the friends played and recorded together for several weeks amidst weddings, performances at Alliance Francais and more.

This is our way of saying this is one fantastic play. The story is simple: at a Catholic school, a priest (the outstanding Jamie Goodwin) might or might not be having an "inappropriate" friendship with a student. The principle (the also outstanding Janelle Buchanan) has no proof, but must decide whether to accuse or remain, well, in doubt. Intense stuff, and in the talented hands of the folks at Zach Scott, a terrific night of theatre. Not surprisingly, performances are already selling out.

Nice job, Weakerthans. While many bands just incorporate their SXSW stop as part of their national or international tour, not to return to our streets for many months (and trust us, we understand), these Canadian folk-punkers are returning to Austin just a scant two weeks after they visited us for the festival.

Eisley headlines Antone’s on Wednesday in support of its second full-length Combinations (released last August.) The record is chock-full of the gleaming melodies and soothing harmonies we’ve come to expect from this Texan family. We first witnessed Eisley in action at Stubb’s during SXSW 2003. The bill that evening featured the likes of Supergrass and The Polyphonic Spree but we vividly remember Eisley holding its own with exquisite renditions of early material such as “Memories” and “Sea King.” Check out Eisley's new video “Invasion” via YouTube and catch the act's ethereal pop soundscapes live in concert this evening. We caught up with Chauntelle DuPree recently to decipher the Eisley’s family tree, inspirations, and the key moments that have shaped the band’s journey.

If you haven’t experienced the dreamy, spectral indie pop group Beach House yet, then be sure that you will. This Baltimore-based duo of Victoria Legrand and Alex Scally’s keys and guitar has been winning over fans mainly by word of mouth. Their last show in Austin during the beginning of March brought such a crowd that their next performance in town will no doubt have to be upgraded from Emo’s lounge to the outside stage. Beach House’s 2006 self-titled debut met with high critical acclaim. However, their latest, Devotion, isn’t making quite the same splash.

Starting tonight, the Harry Ransom Center, The Austin Film Society, The Austin Chronicle and, err, Austinist (so many "Austins"!), will be presenting a weekly series of rare and rarely screened films from the era of Ginsberg, Kerouac and Burroughs. All told, there'll be 16 films jammed into four nights at the Alamo Downtown, where you unfortunately won't be able to smoke, but will definitely be able to wear a beret and not work.

Skateboarding, BMX, and punk rock have gone hand in hand for quite a few decades now. The most interesting project that is Iglomat isn’t exactly the rock we normally associate with ramps and the like but the act’s down-tempo instrumentals and moments of post-rock bliss have inspired, and in turn found home in quite a few projects in that culture. The brainchild of David Jack (from Portabello, Scotland), Iglomat the record had been in the works for many moons from what we gather. Scott MacDonald (also in Portabello) and Austin-based Sandy Carson complete the Iglomat line-up, and this cross-Atlantic trio worked together for a good amount of time, assembling songs “via satellite till the tune is finished” per Carson. Carson and MacDonald contribute the guitar tracks while Jack is the mastermind behind the beats and bass, and also handles the mixing responsibilities.

R.E.M.'s fourteenth studio album in twenty-eight years, the first studio effort since the loss of former drummer Bill Berry, and the first since their induction into the oft-considered meaningless Rock'n'Roll Hall of Fame is like a time capsule thrown back from the future. The Athens-bred folk rock heroes have become a stadium rock band over the years, and at long last, they've stopped writing songs like one.