Japanese Breakfast and Snail Mail’s Magnetic Mid-Week Show at Scoot Inn
In Austin, great shows come and go, and almost any night of the week presents an opportunity to see outstanding live music. But occasionally, a show generates enough magic that it feels special,…
Reflections and Photos from Hovvdy’s Album Release Show at Barracuda
The project of Will Taylor and Charlie Martin, Hovvdy has an outstanding new album, Cranberry, out now on Double Double Whammy Records. As the project consists only of two songwriters often working remotely and…
Mega Bog Opens for Destroyer at Mohawk
Touring behind their second LP, Happy Together, Seattle-based band Mega Bog opened for indie rock stalwart Destroyer for a knockout billing of music this past Monday at Mohawk. Historically, Seattle brought crunchy, discordant rock…
The Wimps Make Austin Debut at Cheer Up Charlies
“We wimpin’?!” yelled Cameron Bina of Strange Mother during the band’s opening set at Cheer Up Charlies last weekend. He was referring to Seattle-based touring band the Wimps, who headlined the show. The…
Show Review: Aldous Harding’s Transfixing Set at Mohawk
Aldous Harding is the kind of artist you just can’t brush aside. Her songs are haunting and penetrating. They hang around like a low, gray cloud cover, blanketing everything in a soft, diffuse…
Mitski Broke All Our Hearts and We Sang Along at Mohawk
I would pay $20 just to see Mitski play “Your Best American Girl” one time, so the rest of the set is basically bonus. And that bonus is incredible. Mitski has made several appearances…
Show Review: Julia Lucille Celebrates Release of Chthonic
Last Friday, songwriter Julia Lucille celebrated the release of her excellent new album Chthonic at Mohawk, supported by a solid bill of openers, Jordan Moser and Lomelda. Navigating song structures and lyrics evocative of…
Joanna Newsom Dives Into Spellbinding Set at ACL Live
Touring behind yet another critically acclaimed and staggeringly beautiful album, Divers, harpist and avant-folk musician Joanna Newsom performed Austin’s ACL Live at the Moody Theater last week. Like great artists from across mediums and…
Mitski and Japanese Breakfast Bring Dark and Shimmering Pop to Sidewinder: Live Review
Someone somewhere must have done a calculation about the perfect amount of time for a band to wait before returning to Austin following SXSW, as it seems like bills of late have been…
Kevin Morby and Big Thief at Sidewinder: Live Review
Last week, two acts that both played SXSW and received notable attention returned to Austin for a sold out joint show at the Sidewinder. Initially known for his role as the bassist for Woods…
Damien Jurado and the Heavy Light Bring Heavy Songs to the Parish: Live Review
I’ve known Damien Jurado’s live shows to be quiet, intimate, and transfixing solo performances. I’ve seen him play deep in the woods of Washington State and to a crowded bar in downtown Austin…
Live Review: Flaming Lips at Live Oak Music Hall in Houston
Amidst late spring and early summer tour dates mostly as part of festivals, beloved psych rockers The Flaming Lips stopped by Houston to play one of the first shows ever at the newly opened…
Big Bill Crashes Punk Rock Prom at Swan Dive
Ain’t no party like a Big Bill party, cuz a Big Bill party gets weird AF. Frontman Eric “Bill” Braden wandering into the crowd and inciting slam dancing among a rowdy bunch of…
Cross Record Stops by Austin for a Hometown Show Amid International Tour
I’m not sure if I’m Cross Record’s biggest fan, but I’m trying hard to be. In more than a few posts, I’ve asserted that the band is one of Austin’s most vital acts,…
Protomartyr Triumphs at Sidewinder, Returns for SXSW
A week ago, lauded post-punk outfit Protomartyr performed at The Sidewinder, an Austin venue still in its infancy. The event marked the first sold-out show I’ve seen in the space, since Red Eyed…
Bully and Diet Cig Shred at The Parish: Live Review
It has been a little over a week since Bully and Diet Cig careened through Austin to issue blistering sets of garage rock on the Parish, and the mere memory of the show…
Cross Record, Adam Torres, Nadia Play Spellbinding Sets at Mohawk
Cross Record’s album release event at Mohawk on Saturday night emerged as a transfixing and indelible moment in music. Years after musicians have become legends, people muse about what it might have been…
Live Review: Shearwater’s World Tour Kickoff Show at ND in Austin
Long-time Shearwater fans rejoice: a new album recently arrived via Sub Pop, and the group’s hometown show at the ND last Wednesday, kicked off a tour that will make stops in the U.S., Europe,…
The Weather Station Braves Hurricane for Brilliant Austin Show
Okay, maybe that’s an exaggeration — the hurricane bit, not the fact that Tamara Lindeman (aka The Weather Station) performed a stunning set of songs at The Parish on Tuesday night. The hurricane…
Tennis & Pure Bathing Culture at Red 7: Live Review
I’ve always liked Tennis, but their show at Red 7 on Saturday night convinced me that they’re receiving significantly less credit than they deserve. Built around the creative forces of husband and wife…
Midnight Masses, BLXPLTN, Tennis System at Cheer Up: Live Review
Autry Fulbright, the creative force behind Midnight Masses and member of Trail of Dead, exuded raw energy at the group’s final U.S. show before departing on a European tour. As the band plays…
Photo Gallery: Jenny Lewis and The Belle Brigade Spanning the Spectrum at Stubb’s
Jenny Lewis brightened up Stubb’s this past Saturday for her second show of four in Austin during this year’s ACL Festival, bringing along long-time pals The Belle Brigade, a harmonious LA brother-sister pop…
The War On Drugs, Psyched Out Americana at Stubb’s: Live Review
Although The War on Drugs’ show at Stubb’s in Austin was not sold out when the doors opened at 7:00 on Sunday night, an enormous line soon snaked around the block to purchase…
Ramesh at The Belmont: Live Review
Sometimes unexpected and less than desirable elements make for a more magical evening of music. Former Voxtrot member Ramesh, who recently released his first solo full-length The King, was supposed to play Belmont’s outside…
Live Review: Shabazz Palaces Get Otherworldly at Red 7
Hip-hop can be a difficult genre to perform. In terms of actually “performing,” the result can be more karaoke than art exhibition. The easiest route for large scale stage productions usually revolves around…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Lukas Read Expands Lineup for Lambert’s Show: Live Review
The first time I saw Lukas Read, he was doing a stripped down, seated, solo performance of world-weary guitar tunes, channeling the old-world folk of the kind of troubadours who played NYC’s Gaslight…
Dub Thompson with Ought at Holy Mountain: Live Review
I’ve spent the last week completely in awe of Montreal-based post punk band Ought. The post-punk outfit channels Joy Division and Television with angular guitar riffs, but retains their own voice with ambling,…
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…
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…
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…
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…
Local Natives at Stubb’s: Live Review
I’ve seen Local Natives live several times now, and I’ve enjoyed each show so much that they’ve attained a status as one of my favorite acts to see live. Their performances reflect their…
S. Carey, White Hinterland, & Dana Falconberry at Holy Mountain: Review & Photos
Monday night at Holy Mountain featured a Secretly Canadian double header with SC artist and Bon Iver member S. Carey headlining, and SC sister label Dead Oceans artist White Hinterland offering support. In…
Tele Novella at Cheer Up Charlies: Live Review
Saturday night, Tele Novella celebrated the release of their new single, “Trouble in Paradise.” Over the last two weeks, we already brought you coverage of the A-side and the B-side, so you already…
White Denim & Cass McCombs at Stubb’s: Live Review
When I first saw that Cass McCombs would be opening for White Denim in Austin, I thought the bill was a bit strange. Last night, although both artists played solid sets, my initial…
Live Review: The Tontons, Speak, Good Field, & Slomo Drags 101X Homegrown Show
101x’s Homegrown Live program, under the management of Deidre Gott, does a great job bringing together a bill of strong local acts ranging in notoriety. Due in part to its radio connections, the…
Live Review: The Districts with Young Tongue at Stubb’s
Fat Possum, one of independent music’s most stalwart labels, has a roster full of distinct artists. When I heard The Districts, I was a little perplexed. The band sounded good enough–gritty folk rock…
Show Review: Mother Falcon Performs Ok Computer at Spiderhouse Ballroom
A cover is one thing, but orchestral arrangements for the entirety of one of rock music’s most beloved albums is a separate feat altogether. Orchestral, chamber rock band Mother Falcon set out to…
Lord Huron at Emo’s with Superhumanoids: Live Review & Photos
A clear upward trend can be observed in Lord Huron’s trajectory. In 2012 they headlined Stubb’s indoor stage. Last year the returned and performed on the much larger outdoor stage, opening for Alt-J….
Mutual Benefit at The Mohawk with Poppy Red: Live Review
I’m still in a stage of shock regarding Mutual Benefit. At the band show on Friday night at the Mohawk I could do little more than smile as watched transfixed. The show took…
Jess Williamson Album Release Show at Hotel Vegas: Live Review
Last week, Austin songwriter Jess Williamson released her new LP Native State and celebrated the occasion with a show at Hotel Vegas on Thursday night. The album, which you can read about here, is released on…
Abram Shook Album Release with Good Field & Royal Forest at Mohawk
Friday night at the Mohawk served as a local music extravaganza with a bill that featured two of Austin’s best bands supporting a rising Austin musician as he celebrated the release of his…
Dent May with Tiger Waves & Gang Sign at Holy Mountain: Live Review
Somehow, I’ve managed to miss Dent May’s live show time and time again. Even after I worked an all day photo shoot before the show, the stars finally aligned and I made it…
Fun Fun Fun Fest Day Two Featuring Television, Deerhunter, and M.I.A
In the beginning there was the Fest. And the Fest was good. If I haven’t said so yet, Fun Fun Fun Fest not only knows how to put together an amazing lineup but…
Those Darlins and Diane Coffee at Red 7: Live Review
While The Blow and Love Inks were providing danceable pop on the Red 7 outdoor stage, the indoor room at Red 7 felt like a whole different era of rock. 70’s glam-rock infused…
CocoRosie’s Magnificent Performance at The Belmont: Live Review
Perhaps being born in Hawaii and Iowa to parents with Syrian and Native American lineage and then living in New York and Paris as well as a slew of other cities can explain…
