Results tagged “austinmusichall”

The Blondie and Pat Benatar tour at the Austin Music Hall in Austin Texas, August 20, 2009, photographed by Steve Hopson.

Photos courtesy Pooneh Ghana. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.

Les Claypool photos by Arnold Wells; Matisyahu and Austin Music Hall photos by Steve Hopson.

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.

The venerable leaders of volume, reverse delay, and all-around guitar madness delivered exactly what fans anticipated last night at the Austin Music Hall. The crowd, a mostly stunned pack of earplug-cramming superfans, was treated to full use of whammy, stacks (and stacks and stacks) of Marshalls and even a couple of new songs. "Slow," "Feed Me With Your Kiss," and "When You Sleep" were crowd favorites, but nothing compared to the 20 minute show-stopping 'holocaust' in the middle of "You Made Me Realise." Though many were worried about the controversial acoustics in the Austin Music Hall, sheer loudness, professionalism and talent made it moot right away. This one goes down in the books as a legendary show by legendary band, and a hopeful tease for those of us still waiting for the follow up to Loveless.

If you thought you'd never see this day, you're not alone. Tonight, the Austin Music Hall will get jaw-droppingly loud thanks to the pioneering shoegaze sounds of Kevin Shields and My Bloody Valentine. After over 15 years of inactivity, the group emerged to play a few dates in 2008, and are currently working (off and on) on completing the third full-length album they started back in the '90s. The band are fresh from a noisy, brilliant performance at Coachella, which Billboard described as "the most radical, difficult and unforgettable hour of music in [Coachella's] decade-long history."

Phase two of SXSW wristband sales will be happening - right now. Beginning at 10am, Waterloo Records will sell a limited number of $165 wristbands on a first-come, first-serve basis. They can accept cash, checks, or credit card payments. Waterloo's press release also notes that it's one per person and that no proof of residency is needed (so, interactive conference folks - grab one and call in sick the second half of next week!) To prevent scalping, all wristbands will be attached at the time of purchase.

My Bloody Valentine announced their tour this morning on a finally not-so-'90s-looking Pitchfork. The tour includes a date in Austin, at the Austin Music Hall, on April 21.

As part of their All Sides tour in support of their new album of the same name, O.A.R. are stopping by the Austin Music Hall on February 5th, bringing with them singer-songwriter Eric Hutchinson. Enter below to win tickets to the performance.

SXSW has announced that BMI's showcase on Friday, March 20 will be headlined by none other than the new wave sires, DEVO.

Tuesday’s show at Austin Music Hall has been listed as both “David Banner and Bun-B” and “David Banner, Bun-B and Z-Ro.” That’s how bonkers this show will be – Z-Ro, one of the most celebrated rappers in the state, gets low billing. After him, though, who goes next and who closes? It would be hard goings for any artist to follow Bun in Texas, where any show is a homecoming, at least as far as what you hear. As one half of UGK, his first handful of albums are classic in a way that might not be attainable any more; UGK brazenly rejected the status quo for what you could do in a rap song, and simultaneously crafted some of most vibrant and enthralling hip-hop ever. It seems every fan of Bun has at least one album they remember playing on cassette until the thing broke. Rappers today can get better, but it seems hard to fathom that they can ever be as foundational as Bun. Still, David Banner is rap’s best bid to get on one of those VH1 shows like “Craziest Concert Moments 12.”

Although you will never get another opportunity to experience the magic of Pink Floyd’s original line-up, live in concert, you may still be able to catch Roger Waters or David Gilmour peddling their wares solo, or attend the occasional special event for the ages. However, your best (and most realistic) bet to enjoy the plethora of Floyd classics in a mesmerizing setting might be Paramount’s LaserSpectacular: Featuring The Music Of Pink Floyd. The show began in 1986 in San Antonio and can now tag itself as the “Longest Touring Theater Show in History!” Tickets for the February 13th Laser Spectacular at the Austin Music Hall go on sale this Saturday but we have two tickets to give away today! Enter (further) below for your chance to be there on the 13th, and then duly begin your personal mission to obtain 3D glasses, and the odd hallucinogenic substance, no doubt.

Austin Music Hall was filled with a steamy darkness Saturday eve as gospel music crept through the speakers. Shouts of "f*ck yeah!" filled the air as a packed house awaited the heavenly entrance of Kings of Leon.

Photos from last weekend's 2nd Annual Heart House Charity Fashion Show: Angels on the Runway which took place at Austin Music Hall.

If there's something to take away from The Cure's sold out gig at the Austin Music Hall, it is that Robert Smith has no intention of coasting. Given that The Cure have existed for nearly 32 years, the gig could have easily gone the way of pat nostalgia. But when your die-hard fans line up ten hours prior to show time, one had best be prepared to deliver the goods. Sunday night, The Cure appeared full of energy and purpose during a 36-song, three hour marathon that featured both loads of singles and a host of deep cuts from three selected Cure albums. The 2008 Cure tour is primarily playing arenas, so the relatively small (4,400) confines of the Music Hall essentially gave Smith permission to jettison some greatest hits (among them "Close To Me", "Hot Hot Hot", and "The Lovecats") to spend much of the set focusing on songs from Wish, Pornography, and Seventeen Seconds. The large number of out-of-towners in the crowd justified Smith's song selections: in our immediate circle, we met fans from Dallas, Houston, Nebraska, and Chicago.

Sure, there’s a dance party almost every weekend at Beauty Bar, but this Saturday’s line-up is something special. A trio of Texas based turntablists -- DJ Jester The Filipino Fist, Ernest Gonzales, and Bad Knives Dead Art (formerly known as Ceeplus Bad Knives and a.k.a Eric Castillo) should keep you on the dance floor all night long. We witnessed DJ Jester in all his glory a couple of months ago at The Mohawk and we can attest that a wide variety of genres and grooves can be expected. (Read our recent interview with DJ Jester here -- the Boca Burger Mobile story never gets old!) Gonzales has been lighting up San Antonio’s night life with his invigorating remixes and has also put out various releases, some under the Theory of Everything moniker although 2007’s While on Saturn’s Rings record was released under his given name, and demonstrated his versatility as a musician and producer. As for Castillo, he has been putting on cutting edge dance events in Houston, and has supplied the beats at past Austinist events to boot. Per the Bad Knives MySpace page, “Currently Cee's sought after, open minded dj sets involve creatively mixing, live editing, re-mixing, scratching and blending the diverse sounds of underground disco not disco, electro, indie rock, pop, fun hiphop, punk-post punk, no wave, rare groove funk/soul, and more.” Phew! Time to Get Busy then.

SXSW Music kicks off on Wednesday the 12th, as always with the Annual Austin Music Awards at Austin Music Hall, but it has become clear over the last few years that the music really starts the night before. Just thinking back to last year, we remember walking up and down Red River, watching bands like Golden Bear, White Denim and Broken Teeth at venues such as Beauty Bar, Emo’s and Red 7, and congratulating ourselves for getting started early.

Kick off this weekend early on Thursday at Antone’s with music from Black Joe Lewis, Bankrupt and the Borrowers, and The Best Love In Town on the special occasion of The Versatile Syndicate’s “Launch Party.” The entity is now open for business, and their agenda is to aid any artist in pursuing their dreams and professional development via booking/tour management, consulting, live production, and so on. This event is a part of the Austin Music Foundation’s Love Austin Music Month and cover for AMF members is $5. The rest of us mere mortals can get in for $10. The shindig also marks AMF's 6th Birthday; free cake and food (courtesy of Whole Foods Market) and free 2008 She Rocks Calendars while the goodies last.

SXSW has announced the schedule of events for this year’s official showcases -- start here! Also, check out Greg Hewgill's site for (unofficial) Torrents featuring the various artists playing SXSW 2008 (as well as past years).

While this presentation of the show— put on by Zach Scott Theater Center and directed by Dave Steakley (also the Artistic Director of ZSTC)— features sets, language and costumes true to the original show, there is heartbreaking scene during which, without actually speaking to a change in time and geography, Steakley evokes Katrina-battered New Orleans. He manages this by stranding those characters that survive a brutal storm on rooftops, clinging to each other and praying for help while a dry-ice fog rolls out into the spacious music hall, enveloping the audience and breaking down the fourth wall.

Zach Scott is getting national attention for its run of Porgy and Bess at the newly remodeled Austin Music Hall. The show runs two weekends only, and wraps up this Sunday. // Jaston Williams had great success with his autobiographical, one-man show, I'm Not Lying—and now he's back with more. This weekend only, Cowboy Noises further explores Williams' fascinating life with humor and, we expect, unflinching honesty. // We're mighty fond of local playwright Max Langert, and his current play, You're Happier Than You Think: Recalibrating Your Emotional Scale, at Frontera Short Fringe sounds like a charmer. Saturday @6:15pm, and Sunday @noon.

Classic Rock, Classic Country: As per usual, Willie Nelson will play two nights at The Backyard for both locals avoiding SXSW and tourists willing to skip one night of showcases to see Austin's most enduring music legend. Willie's shows are tentatively scheduled for 3/14 and 3/15, and will go on sale sometime in February. In another move designed to access some tourist dollars, Direct Events has announced a relatively intimate show with Van Morrison at the Austin Music Hall on Tuesday, March 11. Van the Man apparently hasn't heard about the looming recession, as tickets are priced from $102 to a whopping $257.

Also this weekend, the Zachary Scott Theatre Center kicks off its 75th Anniversary Season with George Gershwin's Porgy and Bess. This special production is inspired by the city of New Orleans as well as the music of Ray Charles, Nina Simone, and Louis Armstrong, among others. The show runs for two weeks at the Austin Music Hall and you can purchase tickets here.

This year's SXSW Music lineup seems to be taking shape a bit more quickly than last year, as bands have taken it upon themselves to announce showcases publicly before the official list release by SX organizers. This is a departure from prior years, but since festival officials aren't complaining, we assume they're happy to let the hype build as the acts trickle in. This week's top twelve additions:

Emo’s Free Week has come and gone, but the venue and the city march on with a buffet of mouth-watering shows available for consumption tonight. Eclectic beats from Dan Deacon pace Emo’s inside stage (as a part of the Ultimate Reality Tour) while Steamroller, She Craves, Killer Crocs of Uganda, and The Banner Year rock Emo’s Lounge.

This weekend brings another tremendous set of gigs to our beloved city. If the abundance of synth-pop and electro-rock acts lately is bringing you down, raise your spirits and beers to some stellar rock n’ roll on Friday. Emo’s hosts one of Austin’s hardest rockers in the form of the Young Heart Attack, while the newly renovated Austin Music Hall boasts a Dallas - Forth Worth Metroplex attack in the shape of the Toadies and Baboon.

On Monday night, Austin Music Hall re-opened its doors. Once completely finished, the revamped venue will feature a permanent stage and 2,800 seats. Photos courtesy of Dale Haussner. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump....

The first U.S. troop cutback in Iraq has officially begun. The tentative working title for this one is "Operation Mistake Acknowledgment." Human rights organization takes the Kenyan police force to task on allegations of mass murder. In order to prevent the "destruction of culture," the French government has outlawed certain forms of P2P downloading. Event is referred to as a "victory" for the recording industry. Oh reeeeally? Economist suggests that we could soon know...

Image from Scion's websiteSo you’re all set for an afternoon with the family and/or friends, tons of food on the horizon, be it Turkey or Tofurkey. Still, you need to scratch that live music itch before heading home. Well, fear not oh lovely residents of Austin, the city has a solid night of gigs on the 21st in store for the common layperson. If you’re not already planning on hitting up the Benko and The...

The Cure will be performing at the Austin Music Hall next June as per their official website. The date has been added as a part of their (formerly postponed) The Cure 4Tour North American leg. The current line-up of the band is listed as Robert Smith (of course!), Simon Gallup (bass), Porl Thompson (guitar), and Jason Cooper on drums. A new album is in the works as well. In the interim, the Shout Out...