Sonic Boom (a.k.a. Peter Kember) makes his 2nd appearance in Austin within the last six months at The Mohawk on Saturday. Since our city regularly hosts acts numerous times in a year, this might not seem too extraordinary. But this is no ordinary act -- Sonic Boom was once part of the legendary British outfit Spacemen 3 whose psychedelic innovations influenced many of the bands you might listen to today....

Once upon a time there was a Virginian noise-pop band called Skywave, who released a tidy avalanche of washed-out fuzz-rock singles and one full-length before calling it a day in 2004. Bassist Oliver Ackerman moved to New York to form A Place To Bury Strangers and build custom guitar pedals under the banner Death By Audio, while co-Skywavers Paul Baker and John Fedowitz formed the similar-minded Ceremony and stayed behind to hold it down in Fredericksburg, VA. Skywave (and to some extent its offspring) engaged in post-psychedelic guitar mangling of the My Bloody Slowdive Chain 500 variety, featuring massively distorted guitar chords recorded inside the world’s largest underground parking garage, slamming drum machine beats, and vocal performances so completely humorless they might have been (but probably weren’t) a put-on. Seeing as how bands featuring former Skywave members are currently the talk of the town, we've put all three bands' records head-to-head to see what’s what:...

The Beauty Bar hosts the fascinating Gil Mantera’s Party Dream this Saturday. Hailing from Ohio originally, the duo consists of Gil Mantera and Ultimate Donny, two brothers who combine thumping dance beats and traditional rock music to create an electric smorgasbord of synth-pop that will keep you on the dance floor all night long. The hodgepodge of beats and sounds is as exhilarating as it is intriguing; always entertaining, sometimes cheesy. The duo’s live show seems to be quite a spectacle and a DVD (Live Video Archive [Vol. 01]) showcasing all the glory is also available. Gil Mantera’s Party Dream self-released two records before 2005’s bloodsongs on Audio Eagle Records. ...

Image from MySpace The English Beat with Eleven Fingered CharlieFriday, Nov. 30Antones (213 W 5th St)Doors at 8, $17[info] | [tickets]Known simply as The Beat in their native UK, The English Beat were possibly the predominant 2-tone ska revival bands in the early 80s. Although some would argue The Specials were more influential, The English Beat defined the 2-tone movement with their potent blend of mod soul, Jamaican dancehall and reggae, and a staunchly leftist,......

You bring up the idea of “art”, and you’re definitely begging for some heated shit talking. Opinions are the first to fly, then potentially followed by epithets, then perhaps some brass knuckles. All metaphoric in form, of course. Why must these disagreements come to pass? Notorious MSG comes to mind. It could be said that this is exactly what art and artists, as functional cogs in the machines of social industry, are supposed to......

So the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival has come and gone but you still haven’t had enough music. Thankfully, the 2007 Wall Of Sound Festival is just around the corner. Besides catching headliners such as Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, and Ghostland Observatory, be sure to check out Spectrum. The brainchild of Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom (a.k.a. Peter Kember), the act will be performing new songs while Spacemen 3 era tracks are also promised.......

The Field From Here We Go Sublime (Kompakt Germany) Apparently dance floor purists are winning the battle against rock and roll, and Stockholm's The Field are leading the march. On an album Pitchfork calls a "safe bet" for "2007's most luxuriant record", sole member Alex Willner utilizes elements of trance, electronica and drum and bass to produce an album that definitely pushes the boundary that other indie disco groups only flirt with. The success......

Audio Inversions is a unique organization comprised of local musicians, showcasing various genres in the city regularly. They presented an exciting evening of electronica in February, and tonight, Audio Inversions brings us an eclectic mix of compositions featuring brass, flute, and violin, among other instruments. Composers and Musicians including James D. Norman (Proverbs of a Cathedral Builder), Dan Welcher (Spirit Realms), Amy Williams (Cineshape), and Lou Harrison with Stephanie Teply (Violin Concerto) put their best......

Austinist and Gothamist's second annual SXSW day party (co-hosted this year with Gorilla Vs Bear) was a resounding success, drawing a capacity crowd by the early afternoon. Austin Mayor Will Wynn made a surprise visit during Earl Greyhound's set, articulating the importance of cornerstone venues like The Mohawk on our city's live music scene and suggesting that Austin musicians need better access to healthcare. His speech garnered tremendous applause from the audience, which consisted......

The holidays are over, there's an all you can eat grackle buffet downtown, and it's January 9, the first proper release week of 2007. How fitting: the damned Canadians are dominating it. Neko Case Live From Austin, TX (New West Records) Though Case's recording from Austin City Limits is four years old (recorded originally in 2003), it stands as a testament to the unequivocal talent those not in the audience that night were privy......

Official Poster of First Night Austin 2007 by Peat Duggins After the tremendous success of last year's inaugural festival, First Night Austin returns to downtown this New Year's Eve with an all-day program full of music, art, theatre, dance, and more. Begun in Boston back in 1976 as a massive public gathering to ring in the new year through "art, ritual, and festivity," First Night events are now held all over the world, from......

THURSDAY [19] fashion/party • "Sneek" peek party for "The Royal Family," a new clothing/accessories boutique located within Austin Mopeds. Drinks by Tito's Vodka, catering by Kenichi, music by DJ Tats. Afterparty to follow at The Peacock. Party starts at Austin Mopeds (500 San Marcos St. #104, 7-10pm, RSVP Required) art • "Reflections": New Work by Sylvia Angeli Artist's Reception at Gallery Soco (6-9 pm) art • Austin Responds: Weighing and Wanting: Four of Austin’s......

katrina remembered IV; "Not as seen on TV" Originally uploaded by notnA. Used with permission. [The following is editorial content by contributor Kristina Barnett and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] Last year at this time, actual dust was settling in Austin as well as the proverbial sort after a somber September in which the term "relief effort" was on the tip of everyone's tongue all the time.......

Trying out a different approach in their efforts to preserve the Edwards Aquifer from urban development, Save Our Springs Alliance today launched a new audio-based walking tour of Barton Springs. The self-guided tour covers thirteen stations of note, including Philosopher's Rock Statue, Old Mill Springs, Eliza Spring, and the Monument on Big Hill. What's more, they're making these available as free mp3 downloads so you can load 'em onto your iPod before you head......

Austin Museum of Digital Art (AMODA)'s Digital Showcase, the bi-monthly mixed-media spectacle of visual art and electronic music, returns to Copa Bar this Saturday. Headlining the music portion of the evening is LA's Ken Gibson aka [a]pendics.shuffle, formerly of Austin's early 90s noise-pop/shoegaze indie band Furry Things. Relocating to the depraved sunny shores of SoCal nearly a decade ago to work on experimental, computer-driven eletronic music -- and, supposedly, employing a half-broken sampler given......

[The following is editorial content by contributor Kristina Barnett and does not necessarily reflect the views of the Austinist staff. --The Editors] Austinist has covered the burgeoning improv scene before, but this edition of Audio Austinist is a story about how doing something like improv changes people's perspectives. Improv is about taking risks and learning to fail. It's about overcoming your fears and just plain old having a good time. Know anyone who needs a......

Dear Alicia, What were you thinking?! Fucking Ben in the next room while I was sick w/ mono. UR A DIRTY BITCH and I rebuke you!!! I thought we had something special, but clearly you didn't. I hope you enjoy "tramping it up" and fucking half of Austin. Please die Sincerely, Roger Hilarious? Yes. Sad? Sure. Familiar? Probably. This is just one of the hundreds of pieces collected in the new book FOUND II, the......

A New Zealand man and double-amputee Mark Inglis, is heavily criticized for walking past a dying man on his trek to the summit of Mount Everest. Houston's bat population is getting a bad rap already. A teenager was diagnosed with rabies and is fighting to survive passed away after being bitten by a bat. "Nike+iPod will change the way people run." What, with shoes on their ears? Oh, ok. Nike just wanted in on......

MONDAY [27] [ music ] Jay Moeller's Birthday Blues Bash, with Ephraim Owens, Mike Barfield, Scott Nelson, Damien Llanes, James Bullard, and loads more at The Continental Club (9:30pm) (link) [ music ] KOOP Radio Monday Benefit with Guy Forsyth, Wammo and Sick, and Southpaw Jones. Hosted by Owen Egerton (of Sinus) at Ruta Maya ($5, 8:30pm) (link) [ art ] "Art is Imagination": Paintings of the American West at Blanton Museum of Art (Free,......

[Austinist is thrilled to present you with the first installment in our new, ongoing podcast series, Audio Austinist. For this inaugural edition, podcast editor Kristina Barnett focuses on the 2006 SXSW Interactive Festival, during which she interviewed two of America's most prominent political bloggers, Jerome Armstrong (MyDD) and Markos Moulitsas (DailyKos). Check it out below, and send us your feedback! In the coming months, we'll be covering a host of issues pertaining to Austinites --......

Austin City Limits is pretty nifty, we'll admit. But let's face it: the lineup for Coachella, ACL's glammed-up West Coast sibling in the desiccated wastelands near Joshua Tree, has all but reigned supreme these last few years. And this year, they're at it again; earlier this week they announced the full roster for the two-day festival, to be headlined this year by Depeche Mode (huzzah!) and ... Tool (huh?). The entire lineup: Saturday, April......

Trailer from the Bloc Party Documentary/Concert DVD, "God Bless Bloc Party" [mov] Be Your Own PET - "Let's Get Sandy" [ram] Richard Ashcroft - "Break The Night With Colour" [stream] Shelby - "The Golden Boy," created by Austin's Super!Alright! [view] Downloads [mp3] Cat Power - "The Greatest" [mp3] Clearlake - "I Hate That I Got What I Wanted [mp3] Clearlake - "No Kind Of Life [mp3] Film School - "Pitfalls" [mp3] Pansy Division -......

Audio Inversions is Austin’s newest chamber music series, and these fabulously talented musicians kick off their inaugural season tonight with a show at the Austin Museum of Art-Downtown. The concert this evening includes music from a wide array of composers and influences, ranging from a relic of the Mob Art scene in 1970's Vienna, to Lou Harrison's eastern influenced music, and through to a look at 1960's progressive jazz, and finally, a sideways nod......

M O N D A Y [ 1 0 ] music · Devendra Banhart & Hairy Fairy with Bunny Brains at Emo's music · Audio Inversions Inaugural Concert at the AMoA Downtown ($7/$10, 8pm) music · The Monday Night Music Project happens on the second Monday of each month at Hyde Park Theatre. Tonight, David Hamburger and Bret Boyer perform. ($10, 7:30pm) books · The Texas Month Book Club, hosted by columnist Mike Shea, talks......

Last Wednesday we had a chat with OK Go’s lead singer, Damian Kulash, before their show at Stubb’s.  Their second album, the gleaming pop masterpiece entitled Oh No, is out in stores today.  In This Interview: The Dearth of Turkeys in Malmö, the Indelible Allure of the Glockenspiel, Franz Ferdinand, Prince, The Dubious Legitimacy of “Dangerousness-ness” As Descriptor, Returning Home After Touring, Hungarian Rock Fans, Audio Blogs, Damien’s Unabashed Nerdiness, Tore Johansen, Staying Sane......

Two great shows coming to town this weekend: Check out Bright Eyes, The Faint, and openers Airborn Audio on Saturday night at Stubb's. We were there for the start of Bright Eyes' Digital Ash in a Digital Urn tour at Coachella last month, which featured a pretty nifty multimedia setup synchronized to the synthesized beats. Our friend was mildly dismayed by Conor Oberst's attempt to assemble a massive ensemble - from the far end......