The admirable nonprofit Austin Bat Cave, which is responsible both for awesome readings in town as well as for hosting amazing youth writing workshops, needs your help. more ›

Local non-profit Austin Music People will launch in style on March 31, adding Ghostland Observatory, Alejandro Escovedo and Bavu Blakes to the short but stellar list of musicians who have played ACL Live at Moody Theater. more ›

Ghostland Observatory are something of an enigma - a group that describes themselves not as a band but as “an agreement between two friends to create something that not only heals their beat-driven hearts, but pleases their rock ‘n roll souls.” That may sound like a bunch of hippie mumbo jumbo, but it’s easy to see the two friend’s (Thomas Ross Turner and Aaron Behrens) desire to create just for the sake of creating. more ›

Way back in May, before the thermometer was stuck at 100 degrees, Aaron Behrens of Ghostland Observatory paid a visit to Austin Bat Cave, a nonprofit writing and tutoring center that provides youth with opportunities to develop their creative and expository writing skills. Behrens spoke to a group of juniors and seniors at Anderson High School about channeling their inner stories through sundry mediums of creative expression—whether it be through writing, art or just being an outstanding citizen. He shared some of his rare acoustic material with the class as a way to break the ice before the high schoolers opened up and shared their own work. The workshop was part of a series of songwriting classes offered by Austin Bat Cave, which culminated in a concert where students were able to take their songs to the stage. more ›

Don't miss the I Heart MJ Party featuring Who’s Bad, The Ultimate Michael Jackson Tribute Band w/ DJ Mel at Stubb's. Go here for more details more ›

It was quite the change from years past. The dusty fields replaced by a lush green meadow and now, the insistent rain to ensure that heat exhaustion was no longer an issue. A wet day two at the 2009 Austin City Limits Music Festival was never going to dampen the enthusiasm of the crowd, already enjoying Flogging Molly at the AMD Stage despite the relentless downpour during the late afternoon hours. En route to the Xbox 360 Stage for …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead’s set at 5 p.m., we couldn’t help but admire the assorted rain gear, casting color below the grey sky. …Trail of Dead has been around for over a decade, starting out with just Conrad Keely and Jason Reece in the mid-90’s and plying their trade as a six-piece of late. Their catalogue encompasses a few different genres but the underlying aspect is that these guys just plain rock out. Be it ethereal soundscapes, punk thrashers, epic prog-rock, or the occasional tender ballad, …Trail of Dead deliver an amazing live show, two drummers and all. The locals kicked off with “Will You Smile Again?” and what followed was a 50 minute blitzkrieg consisting of choice tracks from the band’s extensive discography. Reece and Keely swapped vocal duties at times, each showcasing his distinct style via “Days Of Being Wild” and “How Near, How Far” respectively. While Keely seemed content swaying side to side, Reece pranced all over the stage like a man possessed, pounding his drums, picking up the guitar when needed, jumping down to the photo pit to sing to his audience, and even playing cheerleader occasionally. The highlight had to be the raucous “A Perfect Teenhood” although we were pleased that fellow Madonna selection “Clair De Lune” was included. All in all the band was in fine form and it is heartening to see them get some love from their hometown. They deserve it. more ›

The 8th annual Austin City Limits music festival will take place October 2-4 at Zilker Park. Tickets will be available starting April 7, and the full lineup is due for release April 28. more ›

Austin's Ghostland Observatory closed out their two night (sold-out) stand Saturday night at Stubb's under the glow of more laser beams than a Pink Floyd light show. Touring behind time tested material off their two previous albums, the weekend's shows were also a chance for the band to showcase songs off their synth-drenched latest effort, Robotique Majestique. more ›

We kicked off our 2008 SPI Music Fest experience at the Dunes Stage at Schlitterbahn on Halloween in South Padre Island with funk 'n' punk courtesy of Mexico's 60 Tigres. The variety of costumes in the crowd included Alexander the Great and Wonder Woman, and plenty of nurses, fairies, devils, and a bat or two, making for a somewhat surreal afternoon. Add to that the plethora of cats that seem to have found home at the waterpark and it was truly unique beginning to this festival. more ›

Pitchfork wasn’t too impressed with Ghostland Observatory’s third full-length but the duo remains one of the most popular musical acts to come out of Austin in the recent past. Thomas Turner and Aaron Behrens are adept at turning their live show into a dance party for the masses, and even if the initial excitement surrounding GLO has subsided the tad, tickets to their concerts tend to be a prized item. Ghostland Observatory’s next appearance in Austin is scheduled for November 14th at Stubb’s -- tickets go on sale this Saturday at 10 a.m. via Front Gate Tickets. more ›

As you might already know, Zilker Park's Dinoland opened last weekend. What you might not have known is that Ghostland Observatory is a "Hadrosaurus Sponsor," meaning they contributed at least $10,000 to the exhibit. more ›

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. more ›

As our friend The M.O. reported, Ghostland Observatory are set to perform on Late Night with Conan O'Brien tomorrow evening. It will be their first nationally televised performance, and they're expected to play a tune from delete.delete.i.eat.meat.... GLO recently recorded a set for Austin City Limits, and we can expect that episode to air on KLRU sometime in December. Known for their energy-packed live sets, GLO are wrapping up a very exciting year that saw... more ›

So the 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival has come and gone but you still haven’t had enough music. Thankfully, the 2007 Wall Of Sound Festival is just around the corner. Besides catching headliners such as Explosions In The Sky, Midlake, and Ghostland Observatory, be sure to check out Spectrum. The brainchild of Spacemen 3’s Sonic Boom (a.k.a. Peter Kember), the act will be performing new songs while Spacemen 3 era tracks are also promised.... more ›

UPDATE: NME is also reporting that Muse will play at Stubb's on Sunday night, we'll have details as they emerge. A lot of this might be old news for ticket holders who have been scurrying around trying to figure out how they're going to be compensated for their White Stripes @ Stubb's tickets, but it's true: Muse's performance has been moved up, and they will now occupy the White Stripes' slot, while the rest... more ›

The 2007 Austin City Limits Music Festival is only a week away, and sure you’ve got your 3-day pass worth who knows what, your personal schedule, and the promise of a wide variety of music. Well, do not let your passion for music or your stamina for festivals run out during ACL fest -- We are proudly co-sponsoring this year’s Wall Of Sound Festival in Fort Worth on the 22nd of September. That’s right, the... more ›

ACL Previews Interview: Ghostland Observatory Previews: The Broken West, Big Sam’s Funky Nation & Rose Hill Drive Previews: Billy Joe Shaver and Fionn Regan Previews: Brandon Rhyder and Ocote Soul Sounds Interview: The Broken West Previews: Sylvia St. James, Jeffrey Steele, and Amy Cook Interview: Bloc Party ACL Fest Updates: Google Mashup, Contests, Eco-Chic Previews: Augustana, Amos Lee Interview: Peter, Bjorn, and John ACL Band Clash, Round 3: Wilco Vs My Morning Jacket Travis... more ›

Now that Spoon have a Top 10 album on the Billboard charts, if there's a new king of the Austin indie-rock scene, it's Ghostland Observatory. If you've not heard them yet, we'll classify them as a dance and electronic rock duo who utilize synths, drum machines, and guitars to create a fairly unique sonic space for themselves which never fails to get a crowd moving. The duo of Thomas Turner and Aaron Behrens have... more ›

What's that, you say? DJs don't release albums? Uh, have you ever heard of Girl Talk? The DJ Kicks series? The prolific DJ Shadow? It happens. A lot. And tomorrow night, it's happening at Beauty Bar: Austin's Car Stereo (Wars) will release its first ever LP, The Bandit, to the accompanying sounds of cacophonous rockers White Denim, found-sounds rockers Single Frame, and guest DJ sets by Team Fabrication, Josh Mills (of Clap! Clap!), and Terry... more ›

Austinist guest correspondent Beth Bellanti, Director of Marketing at Tito's Vodka, was at last weekend's Lollapalooza Music Festival in Downtown Chicago. With Austin having such a large presence at this year's event— the lineup included Spoon, Ghostland Observatory, Roky Erickson, and Blue October—we thought it only fitting to invite her to share some photos from the fest. If you can't view the Flash slideshow above, an alternate version appears after the jump.... more ›

Let's get to it: ACL Fest organizers dropped the aftershow schedule yesterday, and it's fairly extensive. Stubb's, La Zona Rosa, The Parish, and Antone's will all host aftershows over the Thursday to Sunday that everyone is in town for the big event. Highlights include an intimate show from The White Stripes and Cold War Kids at Stubb's, an extra gig from Argentina's loungerific Gotan Project (also at Stubb's), appearances by Spoon, Common, and Queens... more ›

*The views expressed in The Laurie Show are those of the author and do not represent Austinist as a whole.* -ed. note Friday the 13th is good for you, kids. Don't let folks tell you differently! Hope your Friday is going fabulously for you, peeps! I'm preparing quite a feast for the ears for tonight's Laurie Show on KUT 90.5. Special thanks are in order for Kevin Adickes of Moth!Fight! and Nic Saldana of... more ›

If you were hoping to nab some tickets to tomorrow's Austin City Limits taping featuring lit-rock indie heroes The Decemberists and party-in-your-pants Austin duo Ghostland Observatory, we have some bad news: there's already a line of folks outside KLRU's studios that's longer than what they can accommodate. With only about 100 tickets available for tomorrow evening's taping and The Decemberists not scheduled to play any other shows this time around, die-hard fans began lining... more ›

In a town as creative as ours, there is plenty of ongoing chatter about “the next big thing," and (usually) further discussions regarding the viability of the buzz related to those bands. We strive to bring our readers show listings and news updates for some of Austin’s finest, be it Spoon or Ghostland Observatory. Amidst all that, we also do our best to recommend some of the city’s lesser known but equally talented acts.... more ›

It's here it's the end it's almost over. These are the final days of Emo's 15th Anniversary Weekend, an eight-day extravaganza (of sorts) celebrating the 6th and Red River venue that is so near and dear to our hearts. We tantalizingly talked it up, and you responded. In fact, rumors circulated that even those on the guest list for the sold-out Ghostland Observatory show couldn't get in. Whatevs, man -- there is still a... more ›

After maintaining a low profile since their "Night At The Opera" at Hogg Auditorium in January and SXSW showcase, hometown dance-noise champs Ghostland Observatory are unleashing a triple kung-fu combo punch on Austin this summer. On Wednesday, they'll play a "secret" show at Emo's as part of the club's anniversary celebrations. Then in mid-July, the band will tape an episode of the PBS series Austin City Limits - call the ACL hotline on 475-9077... more ›

The Austin City Limits Festival lineup is official, making this year's three day event a legitimate item of lust. In addition to the names you see there, the fest will include performances by Peter, Bjorn & John, Midlake, The National, Yo La Tengo, Sound Team, Pete Yorn, Ghostland Observatory, Joseph Arthur and many more. Right now, tickets are $145, and VIP passes are $1,700. VIP access, in case you're wondering if its worth the... more ›

Austin Music Foundation is bringing back its Music Industry Boot Camp (MIBC) tonight, with a panel discussion entitled "Road Warriors: The DIY Approach to Successful Booking and Touring." This 33rd installment of the popular seminar series features five local (and popular) musicians, each well-versed in scoring that perfect last-minute gig in Omaha or knowing where to get a drink when your van breaks down in Kansas City. The lineup: Matt Drenik, Artist, Lions; Talent Buyer,... more ›

MONDAY [30] food • Central Market Cooking School with Chef Aimee Olson: Spectacular Sponge Cakes at Central Market Cooking School, 4001 N Lamar ($45, 6:30-9pm) books • Dirty Found: Live! with Found Magazine Creative Directors Jason Bitner and Arthur Jones at Alamo Downtown (7:00pm) film • "Dirty Found" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown film • Music Mondays: "The Smiths: These Things Take Time" at Alamo Drafthouse Downtown music • Music Industry Boot Camp, presented by... more ›

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... more ›