Eric Uhlir

Recent Actions

• Posted Snapshots: Death Cab for Cutie Will Possess Your Ears to Austinist
  Every band has a Utopian vision for their music, a Sangri-La of lyrics, melody, and structure.The leaner, meaner version of Ben Gibbard and his band Death Cab for Cutie took the red-carpeted stage on Friday night to prove that marrying into Hollywood and the pressures of major label success hadn't marred their vision with the afflictions of ambition and greed. While Gibbard's frame has become more svelte the band's sound has actually increased in both weight and aggravated edge. Throwing his guitar to the stage during the intro to "I Will Posses Your Heart" Gibbard stalked to the keyboard to take out his frustrations on the keyboard. A transition that is a natural part of the album version was made to feel like a moment of angry frustration at at a broken string, a dose of theatrical awareness from a band known more for introspective romanticism than guitar-hurling dramatics.
• Posted Snapshots: Cake Defy Aporkalypse, Rock Stubbs BBQ to Austinist
  The more paranoid amongst us might eschew large gatherings of people during this time of Porcine Panic but not Cake. John McCrea, lead singer of the Sacramento alt-country rock band Cake, had his bases covered when he took the oppressively humid stage last night rocking a sensible surgical mask. The bone dry humor wasn't lost on the multitude of die hard fans in attendance, who enjoyed back-to-back sets that spanned the band's entire discography. Seemingly played off the cuff by audience and band member request, the sets were tight and full of the antics and flourishes that elicited nostalgia for the mid 90's atl-rock zenith that long-time Cake fans can remember with the clarity of a Crystal Pepsi. Punctuated by Vince Di Fiore's mariachi trumpet outburst classics like "Sad Songs and Waltzes" and "Italian Leather Sofa" felt robust and polished after years on the road. At one point during the intermission, McCrea took the mic to give away a small tree to any audience member who could accurately guess its variety (Satsuma Orange). The moment, like the evening's set, was classic Cake: a quirky exchange that hinted at deeper issues underneath, namely front man John McCrea's longtime environmental activism (the band recently converted their Sacramento studio to 100% solar power). Fans can look for a new disk by the alt-rock outfit sometime this year.
• Posted Snapshots: Spoon Serves it Up @ The Scoot Inn to Austinist
  On a night packed with the potential for multiple sonic eargasms (The Faint, My Bloody Valentine) the fact that Spoon sold out an intimate show at the Scoot weeks in advance should come as little surprise. These one-off, intimate Spoon sets feel like family reunions, bringing together the younger generation of Austin's cool-sters (relative babies in their bassinets from Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga) the middle aged yupsters (Kill the Moonlight) and the hipsteratti of 'ol timey pre-condo Austin (A Series of Sneaks).
• Posted Snapshots: Ghostland Observatory at Stubb's to Austinist
  Austin's Ghostland Observatory closed out their two night (sold-out) stand Saturday night at Stubb's under the glow of more laser beams than a Pink Floyd light show. Touring behind time tested material off their two previous albums, the weekend's shows were also a chance for the band to showcase songs off their synth-drenched latest effort, Robotique Majestique.
• Posted Snapshots: The Walkmen to Austinist
  Having been disappointed with The Walkmen's last few efforts including the spotty Hundred Miles Off and the truly bizarre recreation of Harry Nilson's Pussy Cats, we really didn't know what to expect from a band that had been a true standby in the early aughts.