Still waiting for the golden ticket to ACL? Do yourself a favor and consider the plethora of free, spin-off musical offerings, including this "independent alternative" showcase tonight at Cheer Up Charlies featuring some of Austin's finest up-and-coming acts Follow That Bird, Rickey Jean Francois, Kay Leotard, Boy Friend, Agent Ribbons, The Great Aware, AND a "special guest" performance inside at midnight. more ›

Before you head on out to their heavily anticipated reunion tours later this week, bust out your flannels and tattered jeans to wax nostalgic with two of indie rock’s most celebrated bands of the 1990’s -- legendary Matador alums Guided By Voices and Pavement. Alamo Drafthouse has teamed up with End Of An Ear and Matador for a very special Music Monday featuring a double header of Watch Me Jumpstart and Slow Century. more ›

After much anticipation, hand wringing, rumors and truisms, the date has finally come for the three-night stand at Beerland celebrating the release of Matador’s Casual Victim Pile compilation. This trio of evenings will feature almost all of the bands on the comp performing live, save for just a few. more ›

Local garage rock trio Harlem are prepping their April 6 release of Hippies on Matador Records. The opened for Jay Reatard Wednesday night and will play again with Crystal Castles at the Mohawk on December 17. This week, Matador made the first single available for download: "Friendly Ghost" (mp3). Stay tuned for news on a pre-album 7", tour dates, and much more. more ›

There's no shortage of influential bands performing at this year's Fun Fun Fun Fest, but one that we're extremely excited for is Boston's Mission of Burma. They've been producing since the late '70s, and are one of the most influential post-punk bands around. They're performing at Fun Fest in support of their entire catalog (and hopefully "That's When I Reach for My Revolver") as well as a brand new record, engineered by Bob Weston. more ›

• Marines launch assault on Taliban-held Afghan town
• Remembering Eunice Kennedy Shriver, who died Tuesday at age 88
• Aspirin cuts risk of colon cancer

This might come as a surprise, but them Philly peeps known as Dr. Dog aren't spring chickens. Pushing a solid decade (!), you're probably reviewing the mind-tapes in your noggin' remembering all the times you heard-in the background at a dimly lit party or the wine headachy morning of a one-night stand-the scratchy tenor of lead singer and the laid-back psych-homage of the backing band on past albums like Easy Beat or We All Belong. more ›

Ok, stay with us here, things could get complicated. Tonight, at Stubb's indoors there is going to be a concert (!) featuring one of the Indigo Girls. The brunette one. Her name is Amy Ray. Now, according the official bill at Stubb's, Amy's "Rock Band" features Kaia Wilson and Melissa York of The Butchies. From the sounds of it, they may also be lesbians - our research team is furiously poring over dusty tomes in the library to find out. more ›

Last Thursday at the Parish Room, Shearwater gifted their attentive audience a very special performance, showcasing their new record (Rook, out tomorrow) in its entirety. Supported by a small woodwind and string section as well as the album's studio harpist, Elaine Barber, the band soared through the record's highs and lows effortlessly. Jonathan Meiburg's voice brought the room to a hushed awe, ranging between vulnerable insistence ("I Was a Cloud") and emotional volatility ("Leviathan, Bound"). After a short break, a reduced ensemble rejoined for a second set full of archive material, pulling from 2006's Palo Santo for a grittier ending to the night's performance. more ›

Hailing from Athens, Georgia, Dark Meat perform an ecstatic sort of revivalist rock'n'roll, joyfully creating their own spectacle of noise by any means necessary. About 18 performers (give or take), including a brass section positioned on one side of the venue and a more traditional outfit on the other (including two wildly talented and seemingly tireless drummers) electrified the audience at the Mohawk last night with their unique sound, which lies somewhere between Spritualized and Rocket from the Crypt. more ›