First under the Manitoba moniker, and now as Caribou, Canada’s Dan Snaith has diligently delivered sweeping streams of euphonic electronica, evolving unerringly throughout the course of ten years in this business. His résumé boasts a plethora of releases that showcase his inherent gift for assembling, fine tuning, and honing assorted beats and sounds in a concise fashion. His substantial catalog of work also demonstrates his willingness to touch upon a number of different strains within the realm of lush textures. While some of his compositions are simply ear-candy for a serene day at work or a languid laze on the beach, other pieces, including many selections off the new record Swim, are better suited for a night out on town and an ensuing trip to the nearest trance floor. And lucky for us, he’ll be in Austin on Sunday in support of that aforementioned album, released last month on Merge Records. more ›

Matthew Cooper, a.k.a. Eluvium, conducts his ambient experiments at The Parish this Saturday night. The Portland resident utilizes a wide array of string instrumentation to concoct absorbing soundscapes that are largely soothing and serene, but do harbor resonating finales from time to time. And although the piano may well be his primary tool, expect Cooper to employ plenty of samples to layer his euphoric compositions during the live show. He will be assisted on stage by Eric Macey and Charles Buckingham on the current tour. more ›

Mono is another stellar band from Japan that never fails to include an Austin stop on its U.S. travels and the 2010 tour is no exception. The explosive post-rock outfit was here last October in support of 2009’s Hymn to the Immortal Wind and turned in a typically fiery set, garnering many new fans along the way, no doubt. Later last year, the band was joined on stage by an orchestra at its 10th Anniversary Show back home in Tokyo. Mono also celebrated the occasion while in New York during that 2009 tour, this time accompanied by Wordless Music Orchestra. The result is a brand new CD and DVD, Holy Ground: NYC Live with The Wordless Music Orchestra, released this past Tuesday on Temporary Residence Limited. Although the 24-piece orchestra won’t be in attendance this Friday, head down to Emo’s regardless and watch the gifted musicians from Mono meticulously conjure up the calm before the storm before delivering an aural assault that engulfs you in the storm itself. Doors open at 9 p.m. -- be sure to get there early for Balmorhea’s beautiful, euphonic compositions; check out our review of Constellations here. more ›

Flip through the Austinist Weekend Music Preview Slideshow for information on a number of events in town this weekend. more ›

We’ve been fans of Learning Secrets for quite a while now. Besides constantly hosting bumping residencies around town (currently every Friday at Red Fez), LS regularly brings in revered DJs and the like. This Thursday, at Republic Live, LS presents Erol Alkan, disc jockey, producer, musician, and all-around bad-ass purveyor of pulsating beats galore. Somewhat of a legend, at least in the U.K., Alkan was an integral part of the fabled Trash events in London, and has worked with acts such as The Long Blondes and Boyz Noize. He has also remixed material by a whole slew of luminaries including Franz Ferdinand, Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Hot Chip, Justice, and Klaxons. A rather impressive resume, if you ask us. Don’t miss out on this inevitable dance party -- get your tickets here. And check out this hilarious promo video by the LS team. more ›

Ezra Feinberg from Piano Magic and Tim Green from The Fucking Champs created Citay back in 2004, initially as a studio project. Green departed recently but Feinberg remains, and has added new members for the band’s latest tour in support of Dream Get Together, released this past January. And Austinites are in luck because the current seven-piece incarnation of the San Francisco outfit will set up shop at The Mohawk on Saturday to concoct its blissful soundscapes. Streaming electric guitar riffs, complementary acoustic plucks, a dash of the keys, a touch of the drums, all arranged to perfection -- it amounts to some very sublime ear candy. Head down to the 'hawk tomorrow night to enjoy this euphoric collage of infectious harmonies and agreeable melodies; pick up the new record to boot. Citay’s pleasing palette will be preceded by The Tunnels’ soothing psychedelia and Salesman’s eclectic Americana on the inside stage this evening. more ›

Headliners Red Sparowes hail from Los Angeles and were in Austin as recently as last November, performing at the beloved Fun Fun Fun Fest. Sometimes considered a side-project, an erroneous detail refuted during our pre-Fun Fest interview with members of the band, Red Sparowes is comprised of respected veterans such as Bryan Clifford Meyer (Isis), Greg Burns (Halifax Pier), Dave Clifford (Pleasure Forever), and Andy Arahood (Angel Hair). Meyer’s fellow Isis band mate Jeff Caxide and Neurosis’ Josh Graham were both a part of the original lineup as well; guitarist Emma Ruth Randle joined the band last year following Graham’s exit. Red Sparowes’ two full-lengths adroitly package controlled chaos into stirring doses of euphoric rock. The band’s third LP is due next Tuesday so expect plenty of new material this evening at Red 7. more ›

Per recent counts posted on Wikipedia, the earthquake in Haiti in January caused 230,000 deaths and left 300,000 injured. Nearly a million people are now homeless and the extent of the damage done to properties has also been colossal. This Saturday, a good chunk of our music community will come together to raise funds for the embattled nation. A who’s who of Austin (and San Marcos) talent will be on display at OxJam 2010 at the United States Art Authority -- Lions, Tia Carrera, Ringo Deathstarr, The Lemurs, and Michael Kingcaid are just a few of artists set to perform at the benefit. A silent auction (SXSW Film wristbands, VIP passes to Austin Psych Fest #3, etc.) is also a part of the evening’s schedule. All proceeds from OxJam 2010 will go towards Oxfam International’s Haiti initiative. Doors open at 5pm and cover charge is $8. That’s right. You just need to sacrifice your next King Kebab from Kebabalicious to contribute to this worthy cause. more ›

Expect plenty of guitar fueled explosions from headliners Tre Orsi. The Denton band is one of only two non-Austin acts on Matador Records’ recent Casual Victim Pile compilation. And since they missed out on the release extravaganza at the same venue earlier this month, Friday night offers a great opportunity to fill in the blanks. Prior to that, the always impressive Beautiful Supermachines deliver ringleader David Williams’ experiments in euphony, The Distant Seconds peddle a smorgasbord of sophisticated pop tunes, and Nervous Curtains brew eerie concoctions via Sean Kirkpatrick’s piano prowess. The show serves as a record release of some sort for all the bands. Why bother saving your energy for SXSW when there’s quality live music on offer tonight? more ›

On the outside stage tonight, 101X FM and Soundcheck Magazine present Sweden’s The Soundtrack Of Our Lives (“Big Time” is a classic!), along with California’s Nico Vega and Austin’s My Education. Inside, the talent on display is all local and pretty stellar, we must admit. First on stage, Jesse Woods bares his soul with soothing folk ditties, Corto Maltese supply irresistible pop melodies immediately after, and TV Torso set up shop last to craft together indie-rock gems of the highest caliber. Check out our recent, memorable interview with Matt Oliver from TV Torso here; buy their impressive 7" singles here. more ›

One of the friendly faces in the mix that day was founding member and guitarist Joe Genaro, a.k.a. Joe Jack Talcum. Talcum returned to Austin for an official showcase at Emo’s during SXSW 2009, and this Saturday, he’s back in town to offer up his folk flavored solo fare. Besides being an integral Milkman, Talcum has been a part of quite a few projects over the course of the last 25 years, and he continues to soldier on in the 21st century. Purchase his new record Live in the Studio here; then head down to The Mohawk tomorrow evening for sets by Talcum, Grand Buffet’s Lord Grunge, DJ Jester The Filipino Fist, and The Bassturd. We caught up with Talcum recently to learn more about this jaunt called The Huge Bicycle Tour. more ›

Polysics formed over a decade ago, first played SXSW back in 2000, and have churned out ten full-lengths, including 2009’s Absolut Polysics. We’re not sure if it’s the frenetic vocal delivery, the ridiculous amount of beeps and bleeps, the relentless energy generated at their concerts, or just the sum of it all, but something tells us that audience at The Independent are in for a special night tomorrow. Irresistible hooks galore, moments of punk mayhem, and more than enough openings to break out the robot should keep most in attendance satisfied. We extend our gratitude to C3 Presents and Soundcheck Magazine for presenting this opportunity to catch this novel band live. Enter your information in the form below for a chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to the show. more ›

Flip through the Austinist Weekend Music Preview Slideshow for information on a number of events in town this weekend. more ›

Anglophile alert! This weekend is tailor-made for your needs. Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever. The Cribs, comprised of the brothers Jarman, formed in Yorkshire in the early part of the last decade and garnered an instant following with their self-titled debut in 2003. Two years later, the anthemic “Hey Scenesters!” off The New Fellas propelled them onto a worldwide audience. They were omnipresent at SXSW 2006, playing coveted events like the SPIN and Filter day shows, and returned to deliver another round of fist-pumping pop songs at SXSW 2008. We were especially enamored with the Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) produced third album which contained undeniably catchy singles like “Our Bovine Public” and “I’m A Realist,” along with our personal favorite “Men’s Needs.” We recommend you give CSS’ addictive remix of the “Men’s Needs” a listen as well. more ›

The Mohawk offers up a smorgasbord of tasty treats this Sunday. Start the evening early with the now regular bout of Anarchy Championship Wrestling at the venue and stay late for a trio of talented acts. New Orleans’ Giant Cloud emit welcome showers of dreamy folk-pop first up inside, Caddywhompus, also from N.O., set up shop next to fashion together mesmerizing blasts of psychedelic noise-rock, and local act The Murdocks finish things off with a dose of gritty powerpop ditties. more ›

And there’s the tantalizing two-stage treat offered up by Emo’s’s on Friday. The line-up features the perennially underrated veteran act The Crack Pipes and LMIS alumni The Golden Boys parading their soulful garage rock stylings on the outside stage while the explosive sound of Ume and exciting up-and-comers Speak’s dance inducing synth-pop will be on display inside. Don’t miss out this weekend -- quality shows won’t be this cheap till mid-March. more ›

Seattle’s Supersuckers should have no problems continuing down their chosen road of freewheeling rock ‘n’ roll, having demonstrated their resilience repeatedly in these changing times. The band formed over twenty years ago and has fostered relationships with just about every type of record label over the decades. They started on a small indie (eMpTy Records), moved on to a bigger indie (Sub Pop), earned the attention of a major (Interscope), only to be dumped before releasing any material, and returned to the world of indie (twenty14/KOCH), albeit very briefly. What doesn’t kill you makes you stronger eh? The band then started its own label Mid-Fi Recordings, and has kept abreast of recent advances, releasing its Live at the Whole Foods Market (in New Orleans) as a digital download, while its most recent album, 2008’s Get It Together was packaged with a free DVD of a live show from 2007. Earlier this year, they offered up a Fan Club 20th Anniversary 2 CD Set of their show in Seattle from November ’08. more ›

One of the most unique bands in Austin at the moment, Foot Patrol is slowly but surely making a name for itself and garnering fans from different walks of life along the way. The local funk outfit, still resolutely focused on coining intriguing ditties about feet, has performed at a number of varied events lately, including this year’s Fun Fest and Old Pecan Street Festival, as well as a plethora of private parties and the occasional art opening. Spearheaded by TJ Wade and Hung Nguyen, Foot Patrol has already established itself on the Red River St., and this Saturday the band makes its debut at the historic Austin venue Antone’s. We caught up with Nguyen, bassist and producer, a couple of days ago and quizzed him on the band’s origins, its current momentum, and whether there will ever be a future where Foot Patrol does not write songs about feet. Grupo Fantasma headline the show on Saturday evening with equally riveting funk concoctions; doors to this Winter Funk-a-Wonderland open at 8 p.m. more ›

The Hole in the Wall is hosting a benefit for Jon Pettis (Bankrupt and the Borrowers) this Sunday starting at 4 p.m. The stellar line-up, which includes twelve local bands, can be viewed on the flyer to your right; the suggested donation of $5 will go towards the Jon Pettis Memorial Fund. more ›

After enjoying Thanksgiving leftovers galore on Friday, it’s quite normal to wallow in the turkey induced comatose or hit the hay early. Not this year. Instead, muster up all your energy and head down to Beerland where local trio Woven Bones will undoubtedly revive, replenish, and then hypnotize with thunderous jolts of reverb soaked garage-rock. The band departs on a West Coast tour in December so this may be your last chance to catch ‘em in town this year. We touched base with vocalist and guitarist Andrew Burr earlier this week and learnt that the three current band members actually relocated to Austin from three different states. Naturally, we delved deeper to enquire about the band’s origins, and sought Burr’s thoughts on the recent vinyl revival as well as living in the “Live Music Capital of the World.” more ›

ElfGirl and JenRea (a.k.a. Team Fabrication) present Fabrication 7, an annual rendezvous of fashion, music, and everything in between, this Saturday at The Mohawk. Besides admiring plenty of exciting new designs, you can also participate in the beloved Karaoke Underground, and enjoy live music by 'Til We’re Blue Or Destroy, Ovenbirds, The Laughing, and The Happen-Ins. more ›

The memories of Fun Fun Fun Fest remain vivid and fresh, and after that amazing yet exhausting weekend, surely we could be excused for a taking a deserved break to recharge our bodies. No such luck in our beloved city which refuses to rest on its laurels. Yes, just a week after that immense gathering of music, comedy, and arts, Massive Beacon, Reversal Films, and The Dark Agency present the second annual ATX Converge at The Mohawk. more ›

The fourth edition of Fun Fun Fun Fest officially kicks off at noon tomorrow and naturally, one can be forgiven for looking ahead to day one already. The likes of The Jesus Lizard, Les Savy Fav, Chelsea Peretti, The Sword, Pharcyde, Neon Indian, and Shearwater are all on Saturday’s schedule but let’s hold our horses for we still need to indulge in a full night of revelry before we set up camp at Waterloo Park for the weekend. This evening, Austinist proudly presents the After The Jump blogger’s panel at 5:30 at The Mohawk, followed by the latest installment of our Local Music Is Sexy series, spread across the 'hawk and Club de Ville this year. more ›

Texas has nurtured more than its fair share of talented musical acts over the course of our esteemed history. Buddy Holly, Willie Nelson, ZZ Top, Roy Orbison, and Stevie Ray Vaughan have garnered worldwide fame and acclaim, but digging a little deeper and looking beyond every instantly recognizable musician from the Lone Star State uncovers some of the most unique acts to emerge from this land. And thus, we arrive at the Butthole Surfers, a legendary Austin band armed with a moniker that’s had parents and censors running for cover for almost three decades, and a sound that has largely defied categorization through the years. more ›

It’s no secret that we’ve been fans of White Denim for a long time. And for good reason. The band has churned out a handful of excellent records, and on stage, the trio of James Petralli, Steve Terebecki, and Josh Block exhibit an instinctive chemistry, combining effortlessly to execute their calculated sonic experiments. Although the new record Fits dropped in the U.K. this past June (read our review here), it finally saw an official release in the U.S. earlier this week and the boys will mark this momentous occasion at The Mohawk on Saturday night with a typically robust performance, no doubt. more ›

This past weekend might have been one for the ages but The Mohawk is not resting on its mighty laurels just yet. This Saturday, prepare for yet another sonic blast at the venue when Japanese band Mono sets up shop to peddle its atmospheric post-rock compositions. Mono’s forte is epic instrumental soundscapes that build up gradually before erupting with ferocious splendor, à la Mogwai and Explosions In The Sky. The members’ technical expertise is evident in the intricate details and it’s no surprise that they bring it all together in a very cohesive fashion -- they’ve been honing their skills collectively for over a decade now. The band formed in 1999 (a few years after that other Mono) and has released five full-lengths, including 2009’s Hymn to the Immortal Wind. No strangers to the use of assorted string instruments in their work, the band employed a chamber orchestra to further embellish Hymn’s lush, grandiose sound. more ›

We’ll admit it. We’re still not fully recovered from the mud-a-thon that was this year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. And the 2009 Fun Fun Fun Fest, which has us licking our chops in anticipation, is still a few weeks away. Just when we thought it was safe to stay home for the weekend, a look at the line-up in store for us at The Mohawk has done away with any such feeble notions. Yes, the redoubtable Red River St. venue is home to three amazingly appealing nights of raucous rock ‘n’ roll all weekend. more ›

Check out the Austinist Weekend Music Preview Slideshow above for details on a number of events in town this weekend. more ›

Having changed its name from Volume to Mixx earlier this year, the spot that is 612 E. Sixth Street is now aiming to make the switch from dance club to live music venue. (Information for bands looking to play there can be found on the TwoGroove blog.) This Friday, the club takes a step in right direction by bringing in Rob Dickinson from Catherine Wheel for a solo set. The list of opening acts -- STEREO IS A LIE, Buttercup, and Lost Werks -- is not too shabby either. We fondly remember and still enjoy Catherine Wheel’s brilliant first two albums Ferment (1992) and Chrome (1993). The former contained gems like “Black Metallic,” “She’s My Friend,” and “I Want To Touch You” (which was included in The Brit Box, a Rhino collection from 2007) while “Crank,” “The Nude,” and “I Confess,” were some of our favorites on the latter. Three more full-lengths followed before Catherine Wheel hung up their boots after 2000’s Wishville, although there is no clear record of them officially calling it quits. more ›

Fully recovered from The Sword’s epic two night stand at The Mohawk last month, Austin metal fans can now look forward to Motörhead’s foray into town this Sunday at Stubb’s. The iconic Lemmy Kilminster formed Motörhead in the 1975 followings stints with numerous bands. Motörhead’s self-titled debut landed in 1977 and in 1980, the band released its most acclaimed album, Ace of Spades. During the course of a career spanning thirty plus years, the band has been through quite a few lineup changes but with Lemmy at the helm throughout. Motörhead has released nineteen full-lengths, including last year’s Motörizer. more ›