Results tagged “billcallahan”

Recently, during a performance by an anonymous Austin band, someone spotted Bill Callahan in the crowd, walked straight up to him and looked into his face: "Your new album," the audience member said, pausing for emphasis, "is perfect." And so it is in regards to Callahan's second release under his own name, Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle, which is so damn good it's receiving dark horse consideration for album of the year. Writing songs about the songs he wrote while sleeping, and imploring his listener, and maybe himself, to put God away, Eagle is a testament to an adult musical vision: the album is 100% free of excess, and every subtlety seems to be the product of careful consideration, or at least the spontaneous intuition of someone who's been building beautiful songs for more than a decade.

Bill Callahan has announced his summer tour dates, including a final show here in Austin at the Parish on July 5.

Waterloo Records has just announced a last-minute booking for an in-store performance by Austin resident Bill Callahan. Callahan is doing appearances in support of his new Drag City album Sometimes I Wish We Were An Eagle, which has won rave reviews from Pitchfork, Paste, The Onion, and pretty much every other music critic out there. If you decide to attend, go early, as we suspect this will be packed. Those who can't attend Callahan's gig tomorrow can still purchase tickets for his July 5th show at The Parish Room here.

We are thrilled about music in Austin this May, and a big part of our excitement is thanks to the fifth installment of Chaos in Tejas, a multi-venue festival featuring the best punk and hardcore has to offer. This year's venues include Emo's, Red 7, Mohawk, Beerland, the Broken Neck and more, and the lineup is better than ever. Don't miss Propagandhi's reunion tour in support of their new release Supporting Caste, get some Amebix and Severed Heads of State action, shake to the Thermals and please (please) don't miss sets by Harvey Milk, Times New Viking and Trash Talk. Check here for the complete lineup and ticket info, but stay tuned: Austinist will be giving away tons of tickets and three day passes in May.

Right away on "Jim Cain," it's hard not to notice the less angular and gritty approach on this record compared to Woke on a Whaleheart. There's a bit of ethereal mist in the air, misty horns and strings swirling about, but since this is a Bill Callahan record, things get a bit darker (and proceed that way) until the end. He's singing about dreaming and waking to an empty room, imagining a woman who may or may not be there, asking for a handbook on mental clarity and noticing the birds have nowhere to land -- everything is in the sky, a mind, a cloud.

Due April 14, Callahan's latest solo effort lives up to the gentle AM Gold vibes of the cover art. Sometimes I Wish We Were an Eagle is delicate, gruff, manly and demure all at once. Joined by Thor Harris, Jonathan Meiburg, a handful of accompanying musicians (French horn, cello, violin, etc.) and Brian Beattie at the helm, Callahan is as stately and romantic as ever.

The 2009 Texas Music calendar is available now at the Texas Music Office's web site. The calendar includes over 500 events, covering everything from the Cowhill Chili Fest and BBQ Cook-Off in Commerce to the National Polka Festival in Ennis.

Following the Sword's tour diary with Metallica? Catch up.

There was the unexpected acoustic Decemberists set. Then there was the sudden Spoon gig. This Sunday, The Mohawk revives this exciting tradition with a surprise show featuring Bill Callahan. Callahan first came into prominence under the Smog moniker; his collection of work from previous decades has stood the test of time while 2005's A River Ain't Too Much to Love is quite simply a masterpiece. In April of last year, Drag City released Woke on a Whaleheart; you can read our review here.

Austin's Balmorhea released River's Arms last week, and kicked off their tour here in town. Their tour to support the record will follow the east coast, and land them back here in time for some SXSW gigs. Sample some of the instrumental band's lulling, hypnotic tunes c/o Western Vinyl, and check back here for a full-length review very soon.

Bill Callahan video "Nothing Rises to Meet Me"

Once in a while, we like to take some time to introduce you to bands -- both local otherwise -- that we think you'd enjoy. Le Diamont Brut aims to showcase those MySpace gems we hope to see shine. Recommend your local suggestions by emailing music@austinist.com. THOR HARRIS What’s the Deal: It’s hard to resist reviewing an artist named Thor, as in super-brutal, Norse god with a head full of long locks and a giant...

#17 Texas (6-2) vs. Nebraska (4-4) Time: 2:30 pm, Saturday, Oct. 27 Location: Darrell K. Royal-Texas Memorial Stadium TV: ABC Radio: KVET (98.1 FM, 1300 AM) The Texas-Nebraska game on Saturday highlights the clash of history and reality. Historically, both are among the premier programs in college football, and the numbers prove it. The schools have combined for more than 1,600 victories, nine national championships, 90 bowl appearances, and five Heisman Trophy winners. But in...

UPDATE: We called Frontgate this morning, and were informed that the tickets will indeed be general seated admission. Tickets will be $35 with a $5.50 service fee.

RTX will be at Emo's tonight supporting their new album, . Led by Jennifer Herrema, RTX embodies the cream of the thrash 'em and trash 'em crop, and the latest album by the punk pioneers is one of their best yet. Herrema's old bandmate, a fella named Neil Haggerty, can be found on Bill Callahan's latest album, adding guitar and string arrangements, but her work is still just as hard as ever, blending familiar Royal Trux enthusiasm with modern sass and angst. You know you want to watch her yell her lungs raw on the stage tonight, so fill out the form below for a chance to win a pair of spots on the list.

FRIDAY [25] party • The Onion's "Summer Fun Blast Blowout Extravaganza!" Party with Clap!Clap!, Crash Gallery, Devil in the Choir, DJ Rubix, Prince Klassen, and a chance to win a scooter from Scooter Revolution at Beauty Bar ($2, 9:30pm) theatre • Rubber Repertory presents A Thought in Three Parts at The Vortex (8pm) music • Emissions From the Monolith Fest at Emo's music • Voxtrot, Au Revoir Simone, The Black, Zykos at Emo's music...

Bill Callahan Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City) "Well, I could tell you about the river, or we could just get in" seems to typify Bill Callahan's mood throughout his official solo debut, Woke on a Whaleheart. The album's first track, "From the Rivers to the Ocean", introduces us to Callahan's new take on an old vibe by showcasing little pieces of everything he'll bring to full bloom as the album unfolds. As Callahan croons,...

Bill Callahan Woke on a Whaleheart (Drag City) "Well, I could tell you about the river, or we could just get in" seems to typify Bill Callahan's mood throughout his official solo debut, Woke on a Whaleheart. The album's first track, "From the Rivers to the Ocean", introduces us to Callahan's new take on an old vibe by showcasing little pieces of everything he'll bring to full bloom as the album unfolds. As Callahan...

Tacks, the Boy Disaster's Daytrotter Session features four free songs, one of which is slated to appear on their forthcoming album. "Dying to Know" is one of the band's oldest songs, but one that needed some help before it became clear how to deal with that pesky bridge. Although the charm of the Daytrotter Session songs is their live and impromptu nature (complete with borrowed instruments and auxiliary musicians), we're anxious to hear this...

Austin-based Peel have been together since late 2004, and Austinist writers have recommended that you catch their show for almost two years! A youthful blend of indie pop with noisy drums, keyboards, and multiple vocalists, Peel wouldn't sound at all out of place on late 80's college radio. Their self-titled debut album finally arrives in early April. Last week, we spoke to Peel's Allison Moore about favorite bands, dive bars, and the business of...

SATURDAY [23] music • Wintershow Benefit for SafePlace and Capital Area Food Bank with Bill Callahan (SMOG), Shearwater, Nick Hennies (Weird Weeds) and Brian Sookram at The Mohawk (Doors at 3pm, Music at 5pm) film • Sinus Show: Die Hard at Alamo Downtown (7 & 10pm, $12.50) music • Everyone Knows Everyone Winter Party, with music by Visitors, Rory + the Artificial Hearts, Pompeii, and Mars Wars; art by Carlos Rosales-Silva, Justin Cox, Jay...

It's that time of the year again. Time to reflect back upon all the great shows that we attended, all the Lone Star we drank because we couldn't afford anything else, and all the ditches we fell asleep in. But now, as the holidays bear down upon our weary bodies like a drunken hook-up, its time to give something back. Luckily for us, there are two opportunities to do just that in the coming...

WEDNESDAY [13] party • 3rd Annual Food Drive & Holiday Party at The Side Bar music • The Transgressors, Hello Lovers, The Dresses at Emo's music • Joanna Newsom & Her Orchestra, Bill Callahan at The Parish Room music • The Onlys, J Dimenna, Dolly Partners, Daughter at Beerland music • Pete Yorn, Sound Team, Starsailor at Antone's music • Tia Carrera, Flower to Hide, Damage Pants at Red's Scoot Inn film • Dinner...

Two quick concessions: Firstly, we’d never seen Smog live until his recent show at Cactus Café. Secondly, we missed the beginning of his set thanks to a goofy UT freshman who gave us bum directions to the venue, causing us to wander the halls of the student union building basement for what felt like an hour (if we ever see that guy again, he is so dead frowned at).

This Ausintist loves KUT and has for over 20 years. John Aielli, Jeff McCord, Larry Monroe and Angela Miller and many more are the voices I associate with solid music programming and I often turn to them for the soundtrack of my day. That said, John Aielli's interviews last week with Smog's Bill Callahan and Tuesday with Aqualung's Matt Hales highlight the need for someone else more knowledgeable or interested to step in for...

Austin transplant Bill Callahan will be performing as smog/(smog) this evening at Waterloo Records. The in-store performance begins at 5pm.