The Broken West play the sort of power pop you'll want as background for a trip to the beach, especially if you're into the Kinks and enjoy wearing vintage Adidas short shorts. The L.A.-based band released their first album earlier this year, and the sound is bright and dense, filled up with guitar and piano draped with harmonized vocals that seem to be looking toward George Harrison's work. The Broken West Los Angeles, CA... more ›

FRIDAY [27] party/music/awesome • Car Stereo (Wars) and Austinist host a Halloween Bash with Clap!Clap!, carnie games, face painting, fortune tellers, free fangs, "killer" drink specials, a costume contest judged by the fashionistas of Team Fabrication, and more at Beauty Bar (10pm-2am, $3 with, 4 w/o costume) zombies • Zombie Flash Mob at City Hall fashion • Beauty Bar Blowout with complimentary 'dos by Birds Barbershop, makeup applications by MAC artists, DJ Robbie Hardkiss... more ›

Today's big news is the FunFunFun festival, but there are also several new shows in this edition of the concert update. Kasabian, Ben Folds, Mates Of State, and others have all announced Austin shows, and there are tons more on tap for late fall. Have a look: October: 10/21 Pet Shop Boys (The Backyard) 10/21 Ladytron (Stubb's) 10/22 Rolling Stones (Zilker Park) 10/22 Method Man (Emo's) 10/23 Jenny Lewis + Watson Twins (Stubb's) 10/24... more ›

Fans of the indie-rock will find much to like in the latest concert update. Flying V lovers My Morning Jacket, the willfully obtuse Fiery Furnaces, and alt.country godfather Jay Farrar have each been added to Austin's fall music schedule. As we've mentioned, the sheer volume of shows is unprecedented, so get out and enjoy the fact that every band you like is coming to town in the next two months. Thanks as always to... more ›

[This post by future Austinist contributor Ami]We just heard about this show, which sounds like a great way to hear some serious jazz and support our neighbors from New Orleans at the same time.  Fredrick Sanders and his wife and three children were forced to leave the New Orleans area in the wake of Katrina and are now living with family members in Dallas.  Fred already has a loyal following in Austin, where he used... more ›

It turns out that the destruction and devastation wrought by Katrina may be a boon for the Austin music scene. Through a great article by Michael Corcoran in today’s Statesman, we have come to learn that a slew of New Orleans’ musicians have relocated to Austin, some permanently. And several of the bands and artists have already lined-up gigs. The Iguanas will be playing the Continental Club on Monday nights; Big Sam from the Dirty Dozen Brass Band has joined the Topaz lineup; Cyril Neville and a host of other New Orleans’ players will be playing every Tuesday at the Cedar Street Courtyard; and Basin Street Records has temporarily re-located to Austin. So, while the hurricane has brought us only sad news for the most part, this story should fill the hearts of all Austin music lovers. We will now have a stronger scene, spiced up considerably with the music of our neighbors, and these displaced musicians will have somewhere to share their art and fantastic energy. And, as we all know, New Orleans has always had a better music scene than us, anyways, at least as far as blues, roots, jazz, funk and hip-hop go. So get out and support these cats and welcome them with open arms. more ›

One of the great things about the Austin City Limits Festival is that since so many folks are in town for the weekend, bands decide to book extra night shows. Therefore, you spend all day at the Festival then trudge out into the night and listen to music until 2AM. Then you wake up and do it all over again. (Always remembering to stay hydrated, of course. In the words of one of our... more ›