There was no escaping the gravity of Austin in 2007. Three major festivals drew artists, labels, promoters and press from around the world. Critically and commercially, Spoon was an undeniably dominating force. Production power increased with the emergence of C3 Presents, a joint venture between heavyweights Charles Attal, Charlie Jones and Charlie Walker. Yet our unique universe still grows from within. Bands like Okkervil River and businesses like Transmission Entertainment continue to expand our horizons. My best of list is a celebration of what makes the Austin music scene independent and innovative....

In a (somewhat) surprising announcement via press release mid-afternoon Monday, Austin's legendary venue Emo's, announced a partnership with local talent buying firm, C3 Presents. The announcement arrives on the heels of another announcement: Transmission Entertainment's official bid in the Austin talent buying and event booking business. In many ways, the partnership between Emo's and C3 is a match made in heaven: Stubb's, which is co-owned by Charles Attal, a partner at C3, is a neighbor......

The 2007 ACL Fest lineup came into focus a bit earlier than expected this afternoon. Much like last year's online scavenger hunt, the folks at Charles Attal have decided to whet appetites with an ACL Crossword puzzle in this Thursday's Chronicle. The two big names revealed today: The White Stripes and Björk. Well played, ACL. The crossword reveal: The White Stripes, Björk, The Decemberists, Peter, Bjorn, and John, Rodrigo Y Gabriela, Robert Earl Keen,......

We've gotten our hands on a bunch of tickets, guestlist spots, and assorted swag for several excellent parties happening during SXSW, and over the course of today we'll be giving these away. Check back every hour for the newest giveaway contest -- each will only run until the next one is posted, so your chances at winning are pretty damn good. Congrats to the winner of our last contest, who'll be announced at the......

Starting next fall, Stubb's is to undergo a massive renovation project that will nearly double the venue's overall capacity. Michael Corcoran writes in today's Statesman that the club's five co-owners, including local music mogul Charles Attal, plan to personally finance the estimated $5 million cost of upgrades. The former home of Oak Farms at Ninth Street and Red River, now dilapidated and used as little more than a bulletin board for concert flyers, will be......

- Wild Horses Couldn't Sell Those Cheap Seats: Charles Attal must be having some trouble filling those far corners of Zilker Park, because KGSR sent out an email this week offering four Rolling Stones tickets and four concert T-Shirts for $199. If you're keeping score, this is roughly half of the original $95 ticket cost. If you'd like to take advantage of the offer, head over here. - New Concerts Going On Sale his......

We've probably mentioned Ghostland Observatory a time or two in the past, well make it a time or three, as the boys have recently been added to the star-studded Lollapalooza lineup. The dynamic duo of Thomas Turner and Aaron Behrens will be playing a noon-time set on the opening day of the three-day fest in Chicago’s Grant Park. Apparently promoter Charles Attal saw the boys perform at halftime of a recent rollerderby and was......

Update: THE SHINS are playing ACL! South by Southwest ended a mere month ago, but there's already an online frenzy building up for this fall's ACLFest -- which, dudes, is still five months away! Early-bird tickets came and went (in less than an hour, much to the chagrin of most people who received their notification emails later that evening), and the regular lot of full-price passes are selling at a healthy clip. So you've......

Well, for those of you who wanted organizers to push the ACL Fest back next year in order to hopefully have some less-sweltering conditions, keep dreaming. The festival is actually being moved UP a week and is scheduled to take place September 15-17. Yikes! Get ready to sweat your ass off, Austin. Look, we have been to every ACL Fest since its inception, but we have almost had enough. Organizer Charles Attal claims that......

We told you early this morning that rumors were spreading that the Voodoo Music Experience was going to make its home in our city while New Orleans underwent its rebuilding phase. Well, we've got an update. A little (actually big) birdie told us that Charles Attal, the man behind ACL has categorically denied that this festival will take place in Austin.......