The discordant, bare, but still surprisingly melodic self-title album from Anika is what you'd call an experience - the odd parts pull you in, and the melodies hold you close. more ›

Even if lead singer Raphaelle Standell-Preston hadn't said "I don't think we've had this much fun on stage all tour," towards the end of their set, it was obvious that Braids were enjoying themselves immensely throughout their gorgeous performance at the Mohawk. Few young bands possess the kind of chemistry that the Montreal quartet do, and their immense talents played off of each other to make for a performance that felt well deserving of Standell Preston's sentiments. more ›

You know what? Junior Boys are a very geeky entity. Dampened, city-slicker Canadian electro-soul from a city called Hamilton, mostly about being bummed out or the jarring complexities of adulthood relationships? It could be a side-gag in a Rogan flick - the Ontarian duo was so directly not-joking in their synth-flavored ballads, that they forced the world to regard them as a concern, not pastiche. Especially considering 2002’s Last Exit came when there was still a major schism between dance nerds and indie-rock dorks. It remains one of the most unlikely of rises in the modern era. more ›

Our photographer Chad Wadsworth saw quite a bit of music this weekend. Maybe you and yours were out in the crowd during this verdant installment of ACL? more ›

Just before Wild Beasts played "The Devil's Crayon," the sole song in their set from debut album Limbo, Panto, front man Hayden Thorpe introduced the song by saying, "This song brings us back to our younger selves." This sentiment, expressed only a mere three years after Limbo, Panto's release, serves as a testament to how much Wild Beasts have grown as a band. more ›

Had they existed thirty years ago, Iceage would have been a criminally under-appreciated post-punk band and New Brigade would have developed a small cult of admiring fans over the years, perhaps even meriting a reissue on a trendy independent label. more ›

Every Sunday through May 15th, Pearl is having a party and you are invited. The festivities are free and open to the whole family. Pearl is hoping to start a new Sunday tradition, bringing friends and family together from all over the San Antonio community, and from the looks of the last few turn-outs, it’s safe to say a tradition has begun! more ›

On Friday evening the beloved Walkmen performed to a very crowded Stubb's amphitheater. Our photographer Chad Wadsworth snapped some nice photographs of Hamilton Leithauser and company. more ›

I’ve been to Austin maybe seven or eight times in this past couple of years, and I love it. I was seriously thinking of moving there. Until somebody told me it was a one night stand town and that you can’t find a serious relationship there. more ›

Fall has arrived and you need something elegantly creepy with pumpkin spice on top. We're going to go out on a dead branch here and say you've seen one too many stories/shows/films revolving around chiseled man-boy vamps in high school; facebook-fed zombie apocalypse tactics probably aren't doing it for you anymore either. We all need an ominous slap in the face—a sinister cold shower! Thank the gods that The Invincible Czars are returning to the Alamo Lake Creek this Sunday to bend genres with their swoon-worthy original score for Fritz Lang's 1921 German silent film Destiny. Paying a little respect to our elders in both film and all-around eeriness—Lang and Death (Mr. Death, to be exact)—is just the thing to get us out of our tween trance. By the end of the night, we want everyone to be contemplating mortality and clutching a baby like actress Lil Dagover. Everyone have a baby they can bring? more ›

The guy who brought out the APD was none other than the Neighborhood Representative of the City of Austin's Live Music Task Force, a gentleman by the name of Scott Trainer. A TravisCAD listing also confirms that he owns a $650k house that sits on the hill directly above where Shady Grove's music would be projecting—in the recording of the call, the music's loud enough that it can be heard in the background. more ›

Austin's own R&B dreamboats The Strange Boys supply the perfect groove for long nights of awkward shuffling, excessive drinking and desperate sidelong glances at the object of one's affection. more ›

This pair of Drag City folk heroes aren't the type of musicians to be taken lightly. more ›

If it's too loud, you're from out of town. more ›

Oh lordy how time flies. The Roots, one of the hip-hop world's most successful and influential acts, has been around for...wait for it... over two decades. We just checked our watch and did a double-take. DAY-uhm. more ›

L'il Cap'n Travis is one of those rare bands whose music transcends the trappings of abstractions such as "alt-country", "indie", or "Austin", eschewing any hint of pretension. We challenge you to bring to mind another band as effortlessly and legitimately rock as LCT, so quietly invincible against the corrosive influence of the scene beneath a down comforter of fundamentally kickass material, singing into the stale-beer smell through a sheepish grin. more ›

Huge show alert! The massively fun Everyone Knows Everyone 6 is steamrolling down the hot asphalt of the Red River district tomorrow, taking over both Club DeVille and Mohawk. Combining bands, DJs, film, art, and performances by all manner of culture warriors, EKE6 is an all-encompassing celebration of creative output unmatched in the summer scene. more ›

We here at Austinist jump at the chance to catch shows upstairs at Lamberts, home of fancy bar-b-que. What really sets this restaurant apart is they've developed into a terrifically diverse musical venue, showcasing Austin's best acts in an intimate setting with great sound, to boot. more ›

Looking back, there probably wasn't a more appropriate patch of weather to be weathered than the intermittent rain and deep, damningly grey clouds that fans had to maneuver underneath on their way the Woodlands Pavilion last Saturday evening. Spirits weren't dampened by one high E string, though. Not only did the mildly adverse meteorological conditions set a suitable tone for the set to come (not to mention the copy of In Rainbows we were warming up to whilst waiting our turn for a space in the White Lot), but it was endearing to see that the multitudes milling towards the venue would have straddled the San Andreas fault line in the middle of the Big One to catch a glimpse of Thom wheedle his internal narrative out of a Rhodes piano until being swallowed alive. Needless to say, we were all looking forward to the show, rain or shine. more ›

Spurred in large part by Mayor Will Wynn's concern that Austin was losing too many music venues, the City created the Live Music Task Force last February. As the downtown area grows and develops, it is the charge of this task force to find a way to find a way to optimally integrate music into our city's future. more ›

We don't think anyone will question our assertion that Radiohead are the most respected and sought-after band in the universe. Ever. After The Bends, OK Computer, and Kid A shorted out the synapses of the entire world, all of us insignificant plebes agreed to elevate them to legend status along with the boys from Liverpool, a few members of the Stones, and Evan Dando. That's it. That is the VIP list for our musical Mount Olympus in its entirety. Thom, Mick, and Evan watching America's Top Model and eating pepperoni pizza Hot Pockets in the inner sanctum of some island-volcano hideout. more ›

Here at Austinist, we're always looking for compelling (read: freaky-deaky) events to attend. In addition, one of our raison d'etres is making sure that, you, our readers get a heads-up so you can meet us out. One of the best things about this city is the bountiful selection of artists and their intangible wares, so we've got a humdinger for you that's going on tomorrow night. more ›

Psychedelic music came of age in Austin in the 60’s thanks in large to The 13th Floor Elevators and the emergence of The Vulcan Gas Company as a community and a venue to support the genre. (Check out this site for a history.) The Vulcan Gas Company (316 Congress Ave.) shut its doors in the 70’s but lately there has been a renewed interest in the era in part due to Scott Conn’s Dirt Road To Psychedelia documentary. The Black Angels must also be blamed thanked for this rejuvenation; the local outfit has paved the way for a new generation of psychedelic acts with their impressive 2006 release, Passover. A full-length follow-up is expected this May. more ›

Saturday marks the opening of Wheelchair Epidemic, a group show featuring exclusive black and white photos taken at Antone’s, 80s Austin punk scene photos by documentary photog Bill Daniel, and various music-inspired drawings, paintings and mixed media collages. more ›

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). more ›

When the debate is done, each of us will take time to reflect on the solemn decision that lies before us... more ›

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The first segment of Radiohead's North American tour has been announced, and Austin gets the shaft: Houston's Cynthia Woods Mitchell Pavilion will get a show on May 17, and Dallas' Superpages.com Center (!) will host the Brits on May 18. Tickets go on sale Thursday (Valentine's day) via W.A.S.T.E. with general on-sales following on February 16. more ›

Skating, art and music has always been a big part of Warren McKinney’s life. The Austinite is sharing his passion for all three this weekend during Art on Deck, a special exhibit of rare skateboards, a skate demo and concerts at United States Art Authority. more ›

It's time to play the name game! The Friends of the Austin Public Library and the Monster Book Store, located at 5th and Mary in South Austin, are moving and looking for a new, snappier name. They want to tap the collective creativity of Austin. Suggestions will be accepted through February 14th. more ›