Photo Gallery: Shots from Utopiafest 2014
Rain or shine, weather happens. Even if the forecast is less than desirable, one simply has to embrace it. Ringing especially true at outdoor events, doing so peacefully echoes the natural disposition of the earth much more than…
Dear Someone: (Where are the) Girls, Girls, Girls?
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Live Review: The Gospel of Earth at Red 7
Just to preface, Earth is possibly the heaviest live band I have ever experienced. I’m not necessarily using the word “heaviest” like most passionate metal fans would in terms of their favorite “heavy”…
A Weekend of Glorious Escape: Utopiafest 2014 Photo Essay
Through cloudy skies, Utopiafest shone. This past weekend, despite the downpour and its muddy repercussions, this family-friendly festival had music lovers, yogis, and ultimate frisbeers alike flocking to Utopia, TX, unleashing their outdoorsy…
Utopian Living: Highlights from Utopiafest
Yesterday, Pop Press INTL. Assistant Editor Lukas Truckenbrod did a great job capturing the Utopiafest vibe and reported about some of the music from this year’s installment. 2014 marked the third time I’ve…
Barcelona with The Young Wild at Holy Mountain: Live Review
Monday night atop the Mountain, Seattle band Barcelona immersed the grooving audience in melodic songs of old and new. The trio released the final component to their three part EP series, The Melodrama, in March, revealing yet…
Vibing at Utopiafest
Despite some serious rain Friday evening, vibes were mellow at Utopiafest 2014. Yes, arriving at Utopiafest on Friday night was not the smoothest ride; buses and cars were stuck in mud, shuttle service into…
Live Review: 2014 Stargayzer Festival
The clouds that hung over Austin on Friday the 12th were omnipresent, looming and spitting even after the sun went down. The mat grey sky blanketed everything as the temperature dropped below 80…
Spotlight: Voxtrot Member Ramesh’s Royal Ambitions with New LP The King
“Yeah, whatever happened to that band?” A common lament among music aficionados, especially those tuned into alternative label bands that might only make an album or two before succumbing to the enormous difficulty…
Delta Spirit with EDJ on at Emo’s East Riverside: Live Review
East Riverside’s premier rock and roll venue, the venerable Emo’s, hosted epic indie-rock darlings Delta Spirit last week in support of their newest release, 2014’s Into the Wide. The album’s lead single is a…
Interview: Hikes’ Woodsy Selves Ready for Utopiafest
Yesterday we brought you a Q&A with Austin band Borrisokane. Today, we’re proud to bring you another interview with an artist performing Utopiafest this weekend. Hikes will play tomorrow at 2:15 PM. Band…
Austin Band Borrisokane Talks About Upcoming Utopiafest Performance
Austin’s music scene is diverse to be sure. However, few bands exercise the kind of diversity within their body of work as Austin’s Borrisokane. They’ve been called dream pop, gloom pop, synth pop,…
Live Review: Balmorhea Returns to Austin with Jess Williamson at the Parish
It’s been over a year since Balmorhea played in their hometown of Austin, Texas. Over a year has the fan base been out of touch with one of the most precise post-rock bands…
Dear Someone: Will Reuniting Feel So Good?
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Whirr at Red 7: Live Review
Cruising through two decades worth of College Rock 101 in an open topped convertible, Carl Sagan’s Skate Shoes began the night at Red 7 Saturday. A guitar/drummer two-piece, the band exhausted their audience…
Live Review: Raw Paw Closes Out Summer with Epic Scoot Inn Show
Despite rain in the early evening, the weather was just fine, if a little muggy, for local arts and music collective Raw Paw’s epic send off to summer at Scoot Inn on Friday…
Austin’s Music Geeks Are Playing Fantasy Football
You heard me. Pop Press International has organized a fantasy football league of folks from Austin’s music community, employees of Transmission Entertainment, Mohawk, Holy Mountain, Cheer Up Charlies, Side One Track One, Austin…
Austin Bat Cave Benefit Hosts Benefit with Bill Callahan, Jon Dee Graham
Austin Bat Cave is a non-profit writing and tutoring center serving a diverse population of young people. The center fights the good fight daily to keep our young people interested in reading and…
Bishop Allen at Holy Mountain: Live Review
Bishop Allen hasn’t played Austin in years. His show last week at Holy Mountain was a must see for me, as I’ve been a fan from the earliest days. I was eager to…
United, 7th Street Jams
This weekend, Austin Music People took over the streets with United We Jam, a massive event supporting Austin musicians and benefitting Austin musician-lovers. AMP works to improve upon the state of Austin’s music industry and…
Suspirians Release Show at the Lost Well: Live Review
What once was the Frontier Bar in Austin’s East Side is now the Lost Well, opened by biker-friendly, former Lovejoys bartender Marcello Murphy. To keep heaviness afloat Saturday night, Austin indie-psych-noise band the Suspirians…
J. Roddy at ACL Taping: Live Review
In its 40th TV season, KLRU’s Austin City Limits has brought a loaded hand to the table. With tapings from Nick Cave & the Bad Seeds, Jeff Tweedy, Los Lobos and Beck, the series…
Dear Someone: Doggone It, People! Like Me!
Dear Walker, My ex and I have a lot in common. We both live in the same town, we’re both musicians, we both share some of the same friends… But unfortunately he is…
Mother Falcon at Mohawk for United We Jam: Live Review
Last weekend, on both Friday and Saturday nights, Austin Music People’s fundraiser United We Jam hosted bills of local bands at myriad venues across the city. Our own Lukas Read wrote yesterday about…
Jamie xx at Mohawk: Live Review
I’m glad there’s a market for Jamie xx. There’s certainly risk in the work of the esteemed DJ behind The xx’s electronic soundscapes and beats. It doesn’t offer the emotive depth and traditional instrumentation that…
Mineral Plays First Show in 17 Years
Although I was lucky enough to catch a couple of sets from Mineral spinoff projects after moving to Austin in 2001, I was several years too late to see the quintessential emo band….
Holy Wave Euro-Tour Kickoff Show: Live Review
Holy Wave will be in Europe by the end of the week, kicking off a stint of dates with a show in Sweden at the Oslo Psych Fest. But before leaving, they stopped at…
Austin Music People’s United We Jam 2014 Dominates Downtown this Weekend
– We were proud to partner with Austin Music People last year for the first annual Austin Music Blogger Awards. Austin is lucky to have an organization of people devoted to handling the…
Dear Someone: For the Sake of the Song
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Versus Project Showcases Local Band Collaboration at Scoot Inn: Live Review
For months, we’ve been telling you about The Versus Project — an ambitious collaboration between some of Austin’s best bands that resulted in the release of a six disc box set of EPs…
Blood, Sweat, and Cheers with Night Beats at Red Bull Sound Select Showcase
More than once, I’ve written about Red Bull Sound Select‘s ability to book killer shows. The corporate-backed music series refuses to stick to one venue, one city, or even one genre. Red Bull…
Sylvan Esso with Dana Buoy at Emo’s: Live Review
In light of Sylvan Esso’s outstanding debut effort as well as the quality repertoire of Akron/Family and member Dana Buoy’s solid new solo recordings, Sunday night’s double-bill at Emo’s stood out as a…
The Mole People Celebrate Lost Age LP Release at Spiderhouse
Lost Age isn’t just the title of The Mole People’s excellent new album, out last week on Punctum Records, it’s a holistic philosophy. The bands–Big Bill, Those Howlings, and The Mole People–that played…
Letting Up Despite Great Faults Release Neon at Holy Mountain: Live Review
Local synthpop dreampscape band Letting Up Despite Great Faults released their third LP Neon this past Saturday at Holy Mountain. Supporting the band and filling out the rest of the superb lineup were Löwin, Whiite…
Vagabond Collective’s Summer Series Finale: Live Review
Last Saturday night, I got my sweat on as I jumped between the indoor and patio stages at Vagabond Collective’s final Summer Nights series at Empire Control Room. Drinks were flowing and the…
Dear Someone: I’ve Been Known to Quiche and Tell
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
The Both (Aimee Mann & Ted Leo) at Mohawk: Live Review
The Both, a collaborative project between accomplished songwriter Aimee Mann and alt-rock hero Ted Leo, brought not only their music but also their A-game stage banter to Mohawk’s outdoor stage last Wednesday night….
Thao and The Get Down Stay Down Make ACL Taping Debut
Following in the Footsteps of longtime collaborator Merrill Garbus of tUnE-yArDs, Thao & the Get Down Stay Down finally made their debut performance at Austin City Limits on Thursday evening. Thao Nguyen confidently…
Seattle Band iji Wows Cheer Up Charlies: Live Review
I met Zach Burba on my recent trip to Seattle at a Lake / Bouquet show at Hollow Earth Radio. When I told Zach I was from Austin, he said he’d be playing…
Matthew Squires Performs Endearing Guitar Pop at Cheer Up Charlies
Although I’ve written about Matthew Squires and listened to his music, I had managed to be occupied during almost every show he’s played until this week at Cheer Up Charlies. As one would…
Yonatan Gat’s Transfixing Show at Seattle’s Sunset Tavern
Yonatan Gat’s set at Seattle’s Sunset Tavern last week was a surprise musical miracle. Gat was a member of underground garage rock band Monotonix from Tel Aviv, Israel. I was clueless about Yonatan…
Wonders in the Hidden Cave of Seattle’s Hollow Earth Radio
A tiny, narrow, urban grotto in Seattle’s Central District, serves as the home for Hollow Earth Radio, a young internet radio station committed to giving voices to underrepresented musical formats and artists, including…
White Denim Make ACL Taping Debut
Monday night, your PPI correspondent had the privilege of seeing White Denim play the Moody Theater for an ACL taping. More fortuitous was the fact that it was being broadcasted live to the…
Anacortes Unknown 2014 as Magical as Ever
Making the trek from Austin, TX to Anacortes, WA, each July has become an essential pilgrimage for me. Jutting out into the Pacific Ocean, hidden in the furthest northern reaches of Washington state,…
A Transcendent Weekend at Timber Outdoor Music Festival
After driving an hour east of Seattle, through beautiful country on highways lined by towering evergreen trees, parking the car, and loading down with the necessary gear for the weekend, we finally arrived…
Ruby the RabbitFoot at the Historic Scoot Inn: Live Review
Opening the night was Dollie Barnes, a four-piece from Waco led by the mighty Haley Barnes whose vocals run to an upper register with control and clarity like few I’ve seen in Austin….
Jad Fair Gets Weird in the Spiderhouse Ballroom
Jad Fair got weird on us Wednesday night, delivering a quick thirty minute set full of non sequiturs in musical form. Fair sang about crushes on Jodie Foster in Silence of the Lambs,…
Boris at Mohawk: Live Review
Like any guy with a new baby, I found myself walking down Red River just as Boris strummed the first chords of their set. Late for the show. Which meant I’d missed Ceremony,…
Dreamy Jams at the Spiderhouse Ballroom: Live Review
Friday night at the Spiderhouse Ballroom gave us four Texan bands: Dollie Barnes (Waco), Borrisokane (Austin), Chambers (Denton), and RF Shannon (Austin). A mix of dark folk and synthy pop permeated the dimly…
Little Radar, Young Tongue, Black Books at Mohawk: Live Review
Rock and roll is alive in Austin, Texas. Mohawk is the place to catch it. The club offered performances on both indoor and outdoor stages with slightly alternating set times between the two. The…
The Tontons Live at Sunset Tavern in Seattle: Review & Photos
I swear, seeing the Tontons live isn’t the only thing I do when I travel. But my trip happened to coincide with their tour in both Denver and Seattle, and who would pass…
Exclusive Premiere: New Borrisokane Song – “Feel Your Evil / Clean Bill of Health”
After a bloodcurdling scream opens “Feel Your Evil / Clean Bill of Health,” Borrisokane dives into sugary background oohs and ahhs as a baritone, classic-horror-film-narrator vocal track drones over shiny guitars and upbeat…
Sordidly Saved: Nick Cave’s ACL Taping
If you’ve read any reviews of Nick Cave’s performance at a taping for the 40th season of PBS series Austin City Limits this past weekend, you’ll know critics are describing Cave as the Devil incarnate; I…
Iska Dhaff at Mohawk: Live Review
Buzzing synths and a curtain of feedback introduced Seattle Washington’s Iska Dhaff at Mohawk on Thursday night. The duo, comprised of singer/guitarist Nathan Quiroga and drummer/multi-instrumentalist Benjamin Verdoes, launched into a set stuffed…
Wye Oak at Neumos in Seattle: Live Review
As a huge fan of music from our nation’s Pacific Northwest, I’ve lamented not being to see bands when I’ve noticed them listed as playing Seattle venues Neumos, The Crocodile, or Showbox on…
The Tontons at Larimer Lounge in Denver: Live Review
Pop Press International is on vacation. Well, while some of the newest team members are holding down the Austin scene, while I am in Denver and Seattle on a trip to gather information for my upcoming…
Marissa Nadler Climbs the Holy Mountain: Live Review
Marissa Nadler sailed into Austin Sunday evening at Holy Mountain atop a mystical ship of reverb and fingerpicked 12-string guitars. She was accompanied only by a single cellist, Janel Leppin, who masterfully complimented…
Big Bill’s Tour Kickoff with Daniel Francis Doyle and Mirror Travel at Holy Mountain
Thursday night at Holy Mountain was a night of paradoxes. Playful yet aggressive, bizarre yet familiar. As I type this, listening to Daniel Franics Doyle’s solo 7-inch vinyl, I find myself at somewhat of…
The Donkeys at Mohawk: Live Review
The Donkeys rolled into Austin supporting their new album, Ride the Black Wave, perhaps having ridden it too long and not sure what day it was, to a packed audience indoors at Mohawk…
Dear Someone: Tough Love, Gentrification, & Bathroom Etiquette
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Early to the Party: Missed Connection
Samantha? – m4w – Red River We were standing next to each other at the concert the other night and I instantly felt a connection without even having to talk to you or…
Speak Album Release at Empire Control Room: Live Review & Photos
Local music and art purveyors Vagabond Collective continued their Summer Nights series by helping SPEAK celebrate the release of their new album Pedals. In addition to SPEAK, the night featured a powerhouse bill…
Amen Dunes with Axxa/Abraxas & Hidden Ritual at Hotel Vegas: Live Review
“This next song is an old one. It’s about taking drugs in New York,” Damon McMahon, aka Amen Dunes, informed the crowd, smirking and jumping into a breezy rendition of “Christopher” from 2011’s…
Devo Plays for Hardcore Fans at ACL Live’s Moody Theater
Wednesday night, quirky post-punk pioneers Devo ended their “Hardcore Devo” tour in Austin at the Moody Theater. The tour nomenclature serves as an apt descriptor for the fans in attendance—those clad in plastic…
Swans Got Heavy at Mohawk Friday Night
After taking a break from the project and recording and touring as Angels of Light, Michael Gira’s Swans are back in full force. The group reassembled around 2010 after more than a decade…
Exclusive Album Stream: Genuine Leather – Losers
Austin’s Genuine Leather is set to release their second LP, Losers, this week, and for the next few days, Pop Press International is the exclusive place to hear the album. The record is perfect for lazy…
The Mountain Goats’ Anthemic Evening at Mohawk
Everyone sings along when frontman John Darnielle of The Mountain Goats belts out, “I hope the people who did you wrong/ have trouble sleeping at night/ People were mean to you but I always thought you were…
Dear Someone: Don Henley, Domesticity, and Hangover Cures
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Cut Copy with Classixx at Stubb’s: Live Review
Sometimes I think I don’t like fun enough. I’d rather watch a provocative, transfixing, and artistically challenging musical performance than hit up a dance party any day of the week. My tendencies often put…
Jess Williamson & RF Shannon Celebrate Split 7″ at Cheer Up Charlies
We’ve been singing the praises of these players for months now. Punctum Records managed to get two of Austin’s best artists on a record together. Last week, the label released a split 7″…
Ramesh Album Release at Holy Mountain
Friday night, former Voxtrot member Ramesh celebrated the Austin Town Hall Records-issued vinyl release of his album The King with a show at Holy Mountain. In addition to Ramesh, the bill included garage pop trio…
Hikes EP Release at Cheer Up Charlies: Live Review
After seeing Hikes perform a few times, I’m convinced they’re one of Austin’s most exciting bands. The young outfit of math rock musicians are closely affiliated with rising DIY collective Raw Paw, who sponsored the…
Tweedy at ACL Taping: Live Review
Last Friday and Saturday, Jeff Tweedy came to Austin for two nights, including the ACL taping for the PBS shows 40th season we witnessed, where he treated the studio audience to a marked night…
Early to the Party: An Open Letter to the Tallest Man in the Entire Concert Venue
– Karen Early is a comedian and human being living in Austin, TX. She performs and organizes the weekly Megaphone Show on Saturdays at the New Movement Theater. Her column Early to the…
Kanye West, Flaming Lips, & Extreme Sports at X-Games Austin
In its 20th year of existence and first of four years in Austin, the summer X-Games, hosted last weekend at Circuit of the Americas, triumphed as a diverse and rare weekend of entertainment….
FPSF Highlights from a Former Houstonian
Editor’s note: this year, Austin-based music blog Pop Press International is so lucky to showcase not one but two different articles from the perspective of native Houstonians. Read on for these highlights from…
Dear Someone: Elvis, Austin Tourism, and Folkaphobia
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries by emailing…
Photo Gallery: Our Best Photos from FPSF 2014
We’re proud to present a gallery of our best photographs from this year’s FPSF 2014. All photos below © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International except photos of Edward Sharpe and the Magnetic…
FPSF Day 2 Recap Featuring Sylvan Esso, Tune-Yards, and Lauryn Hill
The second day of FPSF 2014 dawned with less chance of rain but warmer temperatures. Often, I find the most rewarding festival experiences happen early in the day. The crowds are thinner, the…
A Summer Staple: FPSF 2014 Photo Essay
As an Austin-based blog, we’ve always viewed FPSF with outstiders’ eyes. This year, we’re excited to publish this photo essay by our new contributor and Houston native Madeline Harvey. Here’s her take on…
Photo Gallery: Shots from the Crowd at FPSF 2014
Rain or shine, Free Press Summer Fest will prevail. We might just have to take a short evacuation. Regardless, FPSF 2014 did not disappoint, and how could it? Each year it houses such a wide…
Walker Lukens Album Release Show at Stubb’s: Live Review
While Walker Lukens develops his amazing potential and obvious talents as songwriter, vocalist, guitarist, pianist and producer, we are fortunate to witness the test runs. I missed the first opening act, Hello Wheels,…
FPSF Day 1 Recap Featuring Childish Gambino, Vampire Weekend, and Rain
Considering that all of Eleanor Tinsley Park was evacuated around 2:00 PM preceding some heavy rain in Houston’s downtown area, the first day of FPSF 2014 still proved enjoyable, boasting many outstanding performances….
Tom Brosseau at the Stateside Theater: Live Review
Tom Brosseau is an authentic folk troubadour. Austin’s Stateside Theater was something of a time machine on Wednesday night, and if you were inside, Brosseau served as your captain, transporting you to an…
10 Must See Bands at FPSF 2014
I love FPSF. Every year, I get a little flack from my friends who insist it’s just gotta be too hot for a Houston festival in June. With the air-conditioned tents, I always…
True Sincerity Release Party: Thoughts & Photos
I’ve been careful not to slather Pop Press International with plugs for True Sincerity, even though both are my creations. However, one of the reasons I started Pop Press International was to be…
Morrissey at Austin Music Hall: Review & Photos
Full disclosure right up front: granted with only a photo pass and not a review ticket, I saw Morrissey perform exactly three songs between 9:01 PM and 9:14 PM Saturday night at Austin Music Hall….
Photos and Thoughts on Raw Paw’s Dreamz Release Party
On Saturday, music and arts collective Raw Paw flooded Empire Control Room with a mass of devotees in celebration of the release of their fifth literary publication, this installment entitled Dreamz. The title…
Dear Someone: Sex, Cats, and Rock ‘n’ Roll
Walker Lukens is a musician living and working in Austin, Texas. His latest album is called Devoted. His advice column Dear Someone runs semimonthly on Pop Press International. You can send in your own inquiries…
Dana Falconberry, RF Shannon, & Devon Sproule at Stubb’s: Live Review
I’ve seen Dana Falconberry dozens of times, and sung her praises just as many. However, I never get tired of watching her perform her haunting and gorgeous, forward-thinking folk music live. She and her band…
Walker Lukens to Pen Advice Column for Pop Press International
Thinking about a career change? Relationship woes? Can’t decide whether to do forks and spoons or just go with sporks for your dinner party? Worry no longer. We’re excited to announce that songwriter…
Talking Heavy with Pink Mountaintops’ Stephen McBean at Austin Psych Fest
– Stephen McBean is the central force behind pscyh rock outfits Black Mountain and Pink Mountaintops. These bands, which have released records on stalwart indie label Jagjaguwar, have become a household name among…
Kishi Bashi Builds a Beautiful Blanket Fort at Mohawk: Live Review
Despite little familiarity with Kishi Bashi, a few songs and a highly enthusiastic recommendation from a fellow music aficionado were more than enough to coax me out last Friday night to check out…
Live Review: …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead at Red 7
A singer-songwriter, a noisecore trio, and an alt-rock quartet walk into a bar. There they meet a punk-prog-psych outfit about twenty years their elder. Shots are ordered. Equipment is trashed. The stage crew…
The Golden Dawn Arkestra Arrives at Cheer Up Charlies
You were warned. Or at least, the patrons of Cheer Up Charlies were warned. Before taking the stage on Friday night, The Golden Dawn Arkestra paraded the perimeter of Cheer Up Charlies blaring…
Sweet Spirit Headlined Spoon’s Tour Kickoff Show
Last week, Spoon played a surprise tour kickoff show at small East Austin club Hotel Vegas. The headliner for the night was Sweet Spirit. I wrote about Spoon’s show last week and have been…
Psych Fest Superlatives: Our 7 Favorite Moments at Austin Psych Fest
– Austin Psych Fest 2014 completely lived up to all of our expectations. We’ve been pumped about this lineup since last year, and the diverse roster of bands made the weekend unforgettable. Psych…
Gallery: Our Best Photos from Austin Psych Fest 2014
All photos © Bryan Parker & Pop Press International; all rights reserved.. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
Austin Psych Fest Day 3: Mikal Cronin, The War on Drugs, & Panda Bear
The format for yesterday’s coverage of the 2nd day of Austin Psych Fest went over well. We enjoyed writing it, and it seemed like you enjoyed reading it. Rather than drone on, here’s…
Austin Psych Fest 2014 Day 2: Mirror Travel, Temples, and of Montreal
Saturday was the clear heavyweight in terms of the number of quality bands that played this year’s Austin Psych Fest. Every moment was packed with someone excellent playing. We hustled nonstop to cover…
