Shearwater often get described as “otherworldly,” which is a plausible label given their sprawling, anachronistic bent coupled with the difficulty of describing their sound. But the “otherworldly” label is also a pity, because it totally bypasses the tactile, immediate nature that has defined Shearwater from its beginnings. On the other hand, for describing the confidence Shearwater demonstrates in its audience (which is another way of referring to the band ‘taking risks,’ a thing that’s always popular with music critics), “otherworldly” may not be a bad moniker. Few bands in this day and age go to the trouble of creating through their albums a comprehensive musical world for listeners- this is probably because listeners can no longer be relied upon for the entire length of an album. But Shearwater followers have shown that they can be counted on to visit and re-visit the landscapes Jonathan Meiburg maps out via the Shearwater discography, and then some. more ›

Today brought some big news from NPR - the public radio broadcaster will return to SXSW in 2010 for two stacked showcases for festival attendees that are sure to be a tough ticket. On Wednesday evening, March 17, NPR kicks off night one of SXSW music at Stubb's BBQ (just after the Austinist/WOXY/BMI party wraps up across the street!) with Austin's Spoon, followed by performances from modern soul legends Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, Seattle's Visqueen, The Walkmen, and the Danger Mouse/Shins side project Broken Bells in their live debut. more ›

Anglophile alert! This weekend is tailor-made for your needs. Men’s Needs, Women’s Needs, Whatever. The Cribs, comprised of the brothers Jarman, formed in Yorkshire in the early part of the last decade and garnered an instant following with their self-titled debut in 2003. Two years later, the anthemic “Hey Scenesters!” off The New Fellas propelled them onto a worldwide audience. They were omnipresent at SXSW 2006, playing coveted events like the SPIN and Filter day shows, and returned to deliver another round of fist-pumping pop songs at SXSW 2008. We were especially enamored with the Alex Kapranos (Franz Ferdinand) produced third album which contained undeniably catchy singles like “Our Bovine Public” and “I’m A Realist,” along with our personal favorite “Men’s Needs.” We recommend you give CSS’ addictive remix of the “Men’s Needs” a listen as well. more ›

They don’t have an official website. Allmusic.com doesn’t have a bio on them. And Pitchfork hasn’t written them up just yet. So what exactly is this collective from Louisiana called Givers and why should you go see them this Friday at The Parish Room? more ›

Enter below to win a pair of tickets to see the Cribs in January with Adam Green and the Dead Trees. Winner will be chosen the week of the show via email. more ›

Since the Raveonettes couldn't make it out of Copenhagan and canceled their ACL and afterparty appearances today, Dr. Dog will be filling in as the headliner for tonight's show at The Parish Room. Here We Go Magic will retain their opening slot. more ›

As we all know, girls freaking rock. And girls who strap on a guitar—perhaps decked out in blue hair and studded arm bracelets—and perform on stage, rock even more. Girls Rock Camp of Austin is dedicated to empowering girls and women of all backgrounds and abilities through music education and performance. The organization hosts week-long camps throughout the year where girls aged 10 to 17 learn how to write songs, work together and eventually perform a live showcase in front of 400 people in an Austin venue. Campers also explore the history of women in rock and meet professionals in journalism, public relations, talent management and audio engineering. The current camp session ends this weekend, with the fun culminating in a showcase Saturday afternoon at The Parish Room. The feeling of accomplishment and empowerment is sure to color the air. more ›

Stellastarr*’s brand of 21st century new-wave contains plenty of ingenious riffs, catchy melodies, and passionately delivered chorus’ but the Brooklyn band continues to fly somewhat under the radar, never quite attaining the widespread acclaim their talent merits. The band’s self-titled debut dropped in 2003 with memorable ditties such as “In The Walls,” “Jenny,” and and “My Coco; 2005’s Harmonies For The Haunted was an equally stellar record and included gems like “Sweet Troubled Soul” and “Lost In Time.” Stellastarr*’s latest effort Civilized (released on July 7th) arrived nearly four years after Harmonies but the band stays true to form, delivering instant gratifiers (“Freak Out”), distressed pleas (“Warchild”), and wistful odes (“Sonja Cries”) via another impressive collection of pulsating rock songs. more ›

It’s natural to settle in for a cozy evening at home on Sunday and disregard any notion of the impending gloom that beckons. The thought of Monday morning’s alarm clock can grind away the memories of even the most buoyant of weekends. However, we do live in Austin and the well of inspirational live music never runs dry. Chug down a 5-Hour Energy drink or revitalize with a strong cup a’ tea. Then head down to The Mohawk with a keen ear to delay your case of the Mondays. The Veils, spearheaded by the redoubtable Andrew Finn, craft shimmering pop songs containing the sort of poignant lyricism that should have you reflecting on all the things in your life, good and bad, that make you tick. Finn’s astute songwriting only just overshadows his versatile voice which soars upon backdrops of pulsating rock and gentle folk alike and is regulary complemented by vibrant keys. It all adds up to the perfect antidote to your lingering feelings of doom and gloom. We’re so eager to get you out of the house we’re sending you to the show for free. Enter your details in the form below for a chance to win two tickets. more ›

Photos courtesy Chad Wadsworth. more ›

Wit, charm, and an affecting voice aren’t the only things that Langhorne Slim (a.k.a. Sean Scolnick) has going for him. A penchant for addictive melody and the backing of talented duo Jeff Ratner and Malachi DeLorenzo (The War Eagles) further advance Scolnick’s wistful lyricism. And on record, especially 2008’s self-titled release on Kemado Records, Langhorne Slim’s brand of Americana is refined and accentuated by a variety of instruments like the tuba, accordion, and cello. Witnessing a spirited live performance by this hat wearing, guitar strumming troubadour puts a cherry on top of an already excellent offering, and we want to send you to the show for free! Enter your information in the form below for a chance to win two tickets to Wednesday’s show at The Parish. The evening of folk ditties kicks off with Samantha Crain & The Midnight Shivers and Sam Lowry & The Circumstance. more ›

All this success and quality brought anticipation for this year's Veckatimest to fever pitch; tickets sold out for June 16th's show at the Parish room (with Here We Go Magic, alumni of our 2009 SXSW day party) before the album was even released. Chances are, you missed the boat, so we're pleased to offer a few chances to attend the show regardless of your ticket-buying trigger finger. more ›

Let us put it plainly: this is 2009's 'I saw them when' show. We suspect that in a few years, both of tonight's acts at The Parish Room will be turning up again at Stubb's or the Austin Music Hall, and many will kick themselves for missing the opportunity to catch this double bill of pretty and intelligent pop and Americana. more ›

Catch local folk darling Erin Ivey tonight at the Parish Room. The show is her last local gig for a few months, so it's time to get while the getting's good. Ivey, perhaps best known as the singing and dancing lass in the Reid's Cleaners commercial airing locally, is flying north for the summer. The Finest Kind will be performing backup for Ivey. more ›

The Welsh band Los Campesinos! are young. Not Hanson young or anything, but they were playing between classes in 2006 at Cardiff University, so precocious, to be sure. This pasty and feisty collective of seven men and women wowed crowds at the Filter party and the Arts + Crafts showcase at last year's South By Southwest, and now return just under a year later to promote their recently released LP We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. more ›

We’ve been crushing on Los Campesinos! since they appeared in 2006, but 2008 was definitely their year to shine. They managed to squeeze out two amazing albums, Hold on Now, Youngster…; and We Are Beautiful, We Are Doomed. We’re already dusting off our dancing boots in preparation for Los Campesinos! coming to town January 30. And we’re oh so proud to be presenting this performance along with 101X. It’s all going down at the Parish, where New Jersey natives Titus Andronicus will join in as support. more ›

Chestnuts are roasting on an open fire, but at the Parish Room’s Winter Wonderland of Noise, we get to be the chestnuts, on a fire made out of sound. Avant-garde noise artists Leila Bela and Douglas Ferguson will break open the boundaries of frequency and reveal that the holiday spirit can be haunting, terrifying, and cheerful by turns. Turkish Delights, served at the show alongside Christmas candy, assure a multisensory experience that promises to expand what your eardrums can take. more ›

When The Walkmen arrived on the scene with their debut, Everyone Who Pretended to Like Me Is Gone, they amassed an indie following in relatively no time at all. more ›

As you veer away from Red River St. to head west on 6th, you encounter a plethora of bars and clubs inviting you to sample their respective drink specials and indulge in their late night revelry. Sure, you can easily find the libation of your choice on either side of the infamous street, but for quality live music, you best head to the little oasis between San Jacinto and Brazos called The Parish Room. The venue presents Shiny Toy Guns on Thursday (tickets), The Walkmen on Friday (tickets), and The Rumble Strips and Birdmonster on Saturday (tickets). There’s no rest on Sunday either when the beloved Second Sunday Sock Hop brings a dose of its monthly shenanigans to The Parish. more ›

For nine years, Philadelphia's Dr. Dog have been honing a sound based on a love of classic 60's rock and psychedelia. Pick up any album, and you'll see a love for Brian Wilson, Paul McCartney, and The Zombies interwoven through all of the material in a loving but graceful manner. There's no doubt that the band are less concerned with being cool or indie and more interested in emulating what they love about the geniuses in their record collection. The craft and love in the material hasn't gone without notice: The Strokes, My Morning Jacket, and Wilco have all taken Dr. Dog out on tour, and the group's incessant touring has found them a solid fan base that has already sold out Saturday's gig at The Parish Room. The band are touring behind their summer release Fate, a record that glosses up the production a bit while remaining consistent with their trademark sound. more ›

It's always great catching a band at their CD Release show, because you know they're going to be fired up and ready to bring it. And such is the state of this Thursday at The Parish Room, where Austin-proud The Boxing Lesson will be dropping their new disc, Wild Streaks & Windy Days, an unabashedly Pink Floyd-esque collection of psychedelic rock. With songs like "Muerta" and "Back from the Dead," they establish an eerily sinister tone that's ably coupled with songs nodding to their forebears, such as "Dark Side of the Moog." more ›

The best klezmer-punk band you’ve never heard, Golem are a six-piece from New York who blend old-world Jewish music with a witty repertoire of modern influences. Debuting in 2001, the band really hit their stride in 2006 with Fresh Off Boat, a whirling collection of originals and traditional numbers (including their own version of the Hora, of course) sung in five languages. more ›

Rogue Wave released their third full-length Asleep At Heaven’s Gate last year, leaving behind the safe haven of Sub Pop to find a new home at Jack Johnson’s Brushfire Records. The album itself found the band conjuring up a textured mosaic of pop harmonies and poignant lyrics with the aid of sufficient guitars and keys. “Own Your Own Home” and “Like I Needed” were two of our favorite sleeper tracks of the past year, while single “Lake Michigan” was a lush pop hit never to be heard on everyday FM radio. (Watch the video on YouTube.) more ›

Robert Harrison’s forte has always been melodious pop music and his current outfit Future Clouds and Radar is no anomaly. The act’s stellar self-titled album (out now on Star Apple Kingdom) contains boundless hooks and plenty of Beatles-esque psychedelia, and has garnered rave reviews from a plethora of publications such as HARP, Paste, Pop Culture Press, and No Depression. Check out the video for “Dr. No.” here. more ›

Navdo is a record label that also promotes and books artists, and this Thursday they’re hosting their first “Hangin’ with Navdo” in Austin at The Parish, featuring Peel, The Boxing Lesson, and AM Syndicate. AM Syndicate will be celebrating the release of their second album, Liberation, recorded by Erik Wofford at Cacophony Records. This will be the first release put out by fledgling label Novastar Records. more ›

Image via Big Hassle PR The Straylight Run w/ The Color FredMonday, December 3The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$15, Doors at 7pm[info] | [tickets]Formed from the ashes of Taking Back Sunday, the Long Island group Straylight Run plays a blend of indie rock and chamber pop. Formed in 2003 by ex-TBS members Shaun Cooper and John Nolan, the duo left behind most of their emo influences when switching groups and recruited both Will Noon... more ›

Photo from MySpace Jose Gonzalez w/ Cass McCombsThursday, November 29The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$20 presale, doors at 8, all ages show[info] | [tickets]If left to your own Texan devices, it would be easy to assume that world-famous guitarist/heartthrob José González came from somewhere south of the Rio Grande, or perhaps even from Austin's own bustling music scene. But, luckily, you don't have to rely on your own devices. And that means that when... more ›

Image courtesy Kill From The Heart fanpageAnyone who read the Meat Puppets cover story in the Austin Chronicle this summer knows that the brothers Kirkwood have had some serious ups and down in their 20-odd years together. From their belated arrival as grunge superstars in the mid-90s and appearing for a four-song stretch on Nirvana's Unplugged album to a heroin-fueled spiral into depression and bankruptcy, the Puppets have lived the kind of life most people... more ›

Image from Sondre Lerche’s MySpace Sondre Lerche & Dan WilsonFriday, November 16The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$15 Advance; Doors 8 p.m.[info] | [tickets] Sondre Lerche (pronounced lair-kay) is hailed as a something of a wonderkid in his native Norway. The child prodigy started receiving guitar lessons at the age of eight, and his keen ear for melody along with his songwriting ability led to couple of EP’s early in his career for Virgin Norway.... more ›

photo courtesy of Brazil’s abril.com Jens Lekman w/ Kristi RaeNovember 14, 2007The Parish Room (214 East Sixth Street)$10 presale, Doors at 8[info]With boyish charm and a silken voice, Swedish sensation Jens Lekman will play some songs tonight at The Parish Room. Plenty of those songs are sure to come from Night Falls Over Kortedala, a critically-praised (Pitchfork gave it a 9.0, for God's sake) collection of ornate and catchy-in-that-old-timey-way pop. And, for good measure, we... more ›