We like trying to coerce you into going to shows. We're fans of music, you know. We're fans of live music, especially, and since you never know when a show will knock your socks off, we say it's totally worth the few skrilla you'll drop on getting inside. Especially for bands like The Format, a few guys who won't be stuck into any, er, formatted music style. Tonight they're playing at Antone's with Mike Birbiglia, Limbeck, and Steel Train. more ›

Short one this week. I read in The New York Times Online (5/28/07) that CD sales have fallen more than 20% this year--the most precipitous drop in the format's history--and that the big music conglomerates, or at least the ones not in the process of being bought or sold, are having to get creative. Steps taken include: taking cuts of their artists' profits outside of album sales (touring, merchandise, and licensing profits), finding new... more ›

Guster are probably the most popular band you've never heard of. Birthed from the frigid loins of Boston's vibrant college rock scene, Guster match glistening pops hooks to intelligent, quirky lyrics in kind of a Violent Femmes-meets-Barenaked Ladies-but-not-really-meant-for-for-your-parents way. And boy, don't they look good in red! Their self-released debut sold 40,000 copies, which means it earned more than the cost of your parents' house, and they manage to sell out theaters despite the fact that their biggest media score was that news story about them getting stiffed for heckling the corporate sponsors at a 2000 music festival. Interest piqued? We have tickets! more ›

MONDAY [20] film • Cine Las Americas presents Letters from the Other Side at Carver Museum (6:30pm, Free) film • Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple at Alamo Downtown (7pm) film • Mouchette at Texas Union (7:30pm) film • "City of Men," Episodes 5 & 6 at Spider House (8pm, Free) film • Hedwig and the Angry Inch at Rounders Pizzeria (8pm, Free) film • Who Killed the Electric Car at Café... more ›

Another week, another batch of ACL bands from my Austin City Limits Festival Artist Previews Page. Here's the latest: Son Volt - After seven years and four solo albums, Jay Farrar returned to the studio with Son Volt and emerged last year with Okemah and the Melody of Riot, and proof that his group is still one of the best country-influenced rock bands out there. (full preview) The Long Winters - After about four... more ›

With ten years of experience under their collective belt, the bandmembers have grown from the lo-fi fuzz of their earlier work to a sound that might even be called melodic. Percussionist William Kuehn overcame dodgy west Texas cell phone reception and took a few minutes from the band’s jam-packed touring schedule to chat with Austinist about the new album, the old fans and the current tour. more ›

Sam Means and Nate Ruess have survived being dropped from their record label (twice), at least one agonizing long-term relationship, and a year of preparation on their sophomore effort as The Format, Dog Problems. Since their debut on Atlantic in 2003, the band has recorded and produced (with the help of Roger Manning of Jellyfish fame) an energetic, toe-tapping and pop-tastic collection of songs worthy of all your summer mix tapes for crushes and... more ›

Like we mentioned last week, Z-Trip is coming back to Austin this Friday as part of the Breakthrough Emerging Artists Tour (B.E.A.T.). He'll be spinning with Austin's DJ Nick Nack, as well as Tats and Thantos, over at Elysium from 9pm-2am. [Presale Tickets - $10] We're giving away a few spots on the guestlist for the show. Enter below: First Name: Last Name: Email Address: This week's AV Bits (not all artists below are... more ›