Most people who know me can tell you that K Records and Calvin Johnson act as pillars of my philosophy of how the music industry should work. The first time I interviewed Johnson, he talked about going to see a stadium show, maybe Paul Simon (although the precise artist eludes me), at a young age. He loved it, but a few years later when he first experienced a small, local rock show in a club, he knew he would never go back to the enormous theater and stadium venues of America.
Most of my friends can attest to a similar transformational first experience. So, when I proclaim the greatness of the No Play Music Collective and Pop Press International sponsored All Tamara’s Parties during ACL weekend, I’m not trying to be a stuck-up brat—promise. Had I attended ACL, I’m sure I would have had a blast, and I certainly wanted to see artists like M83 and Iggy Pop. But no part of me regrets what I might have missed because Cheer Up Charlie’s on ACL Saturday provided as much fun and as much quality music as anyone could hope for. Further, the show was held in an intimate environment and was created, orchestrated, and performed by a community of independent bands, promoters, and journalists. Created by big thinkers, by real people.
Sets throughout the evening ranged from the quiet stylings of ell’s ukulele and harmonies by The Villettes (whose all-girl lineup filled the indoor room with giggles several times, making for one of the most adorable sets I’ve seen…ever?), to the raucous and abrasive sets of Lola Cola and the Bad Lovers, who played second to last to a completely packed, sweaty room of fans craving more when the band was done. Out of town bands like Featherface and Blackstone Rangers, who closed out the night to a full house, offered incentives to see music not only from usual Austin performers, but also by quality acts from neighboring cities. Every set, offered something different, whether it was the blistering folk of Lonesome Heroes and Greg Mullen & The Cosmic American Band or the indie-rock of Black Books and Frank Smith; the quirky talk-pop of La Snacks and the Zoltars or the 90s influenced sounds of Little Radar. The Dialtones featured musicians from well-known bands like Dana Falconberry’s band and Okkervil River. Two aspects define a No Play Music Collective bill: its commitment to diverse, disparate artists, and the consistent greatness of those artists. However, of the sixteen bands on the bill, nobody rocked harder than two of Austin’s mainstays—the Sour Notes and Deep Time.
We have written extensively about these two bands on Pop Press International, and rightfully so. Deep Time, who were once Yellow Fever, have been creating some of Austin’s best music for almost a decade now. Maturing from excellent lo-fi pop tunes like “Cats and Rats” to intricate, sparse songs like “Coleman,” the duo of Jennifer Moore and Adam Jones keeps honing in on pop perfection. Fans and friends packed the outdoor patio of Cheer Up Charlie’s for the set as Deep Time proved their value as a true headlining act. The duo has toured the U.S. extensively since the release of their incredible, self-titled album and has just returned from a string of European dates. These world-class musicians have taken a while to develop the fan base they have, but the best things in life are always an acquired taste. Deep Time fits that category. The melodies, at first quirky and surprising, emerge in your mind days later, embedded forever.
Jared Boulanger and Amarah Ulghani from the Sour Notes, the second of these two standout performances, are also the primary force of the No Play Music Collective, the organization responsible for the organizing of the event. Since Erin Howell, sister of fellow bandmate Courtney Howell, adopted the role of drumming from the standing position during the Sour Notes’ recent chaotic tour, the group has sounded better than ever. The line-up change provides something a little less common and makes the live show more distinct.
After their set, I had a long conversation with Amarah Ulghani about the first time we met. We had both moved to Austin to attend the University of Texas. She was a year behind me in school and a freshman when we met in the lobby of the Jester dorm. My girlfriend at the time and I were headed out to catch a show at Emo’s. “Me too!” says Amarah. That night, we all saw Sleater-Kinney perform an incredible set, one of the first indie-rock shows any of the three of us would see in Austin. It might not have been the first, but it is certainly early experiences with shows like this that solidified my desire to see music up-close and intimately, not from several hundred yards away or seated in the top tier of a stadium. When Amarah and I discuss the show, all she can say is that she remembers “being like ‘Whoooaaaa!’” Her eyes say more than any words can. It makes sense that years later, Amarah and I would be hosting such a great bill together. I couldn’t be more proud or happier to have been involved with No Play Music Collective and every artist that played All Tamara’s Parties 2.0.
