Broken Social Scene Brings Anthemic Pop to Stubb’s Friday, March 23
I couldn’t be more thrilled that Broken Social Scene is having a quiet resurgence as one of indie-rock’s most respected outfits. The years between each of the band’s albums has grown successively. First…
Sylvan Esso Brings Dance Party to Stubb’s Tomorrow Night
Based on the beats of Nick Sanborn and the airy vocals of Amelia Meath, Sylvan Esso has evolved from the smooth jingle of breakout single “Coffee” to full on dance party tracks like…
Songwriters Sallie Ford and Molly Burch Share Stubb’s Stage Sunday
Molly Burch has emerged as one of Austin’s most promising new talents. Her debut album, Please Be Mine, combined the traditional vocal pop sensibilities of Dusty Springfield with the slinky guitars and minimalist aesthetic…
Okkervil River, Shovels & Rope Co-Headline Lone Star Fest at Stubb’s
Sponsored by Lone Star Beer and billed as the Texas Heritage Festival, Thursday June 30’s show at Stubb’s will feature co-headliners Okkervil River and Shovels & Rope, as well as opening acts Girl…
We’re All Hiding Behind Kurt Vile’s Hair
What makes live music good? When you attend a lot of shows, people frequently ask you about the quality of the show they skipped out on. Nevermind that you wrote about it on your blog;…
Athens Band Mothers Brings Delicately Powerful Pop to Stubb’s: Live Review
With indie rock songs both fragile and powerful, Athens band Mothers delivered a set that left the audience at Stubb’s’ indoor room transfixed and engrossed last Thursday. Falling somewhere between the music of Angel Olsen and…
Show Preview: Psych Folk Hero Kurt Vile Plays Stubb’s Friday 4/15 (ATX)
Onstage, psych folk songwriter Kurt Vile hides behind his hair, quietly delivering impressively nuanced and sprawling songs over introspective, hazy arrangements. Similarly quietly, Vile has released some of the best and most revered…
Unlocking the Spirit: Father John Misty Live at Stubb’s
Who knew the wonders of the human spirit that would be unleashed by a months-long psychedelics binge outside of L.A.? After Josh Tillman left behind a lengthy series of somber, experimental folk songs…
Girls to the Stage: Sleater-Kinney Live at Stubb’s
Sleater-Kinney’s incredible performance at ACL’s Moody Theater proved to be only a warmup for the energy they brought to Stubbs’ outdoor stage last Friday night. Rain nor hail nor gloom of night (seriously, it…
Sleater-Kinney Brings Riot Grrrl Legacy to Austin for Two Shows This Week
As proud as I feel that Carrie Brownstein pursued (another) one of her passions and, along with Fred Armisen, created a hit comedy show, I have to force myself not to cringe every time I…
TV On The Radio Headlines NPR SXSW Showcase at Stubb’s
Wednesday night at Stubb’s saw a solid lineup of acts with a variety of origins for NPR’s SXSW Showcase. The night began with Long Beach rapper Boogie, followed by Shamir Bailey of Las Vegas…
Spoon Digs Out Old Material at Stubb’s: Live Review
I wasn’t surprised when Spoon’s set for their 4th ACL taping centered on their newest effort They Want My Soul. After all, they’ve recorded many of their old songs during past appearances on…
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…
Reflections on Conor Oberst’s Show at Stubb’s
In July, when news broke that Joan Faircloth, the woman who had accused Conor Oberst of rape, had retracted her claims and admitted that 100% of the story was fabricated, I was relieved…
Show Preview: The War on Drugs at Stubb’s w/ Genuine Leather After Show
The War on Drugs’ newest effort Lost in the Dream, is one of the year’s most lauded records. Full of Americana points of reference slathered in introspective, garage rock sensibilities, the songs are somewhere…
Tinnarose Preps LP; Plays Stubb’s Saturday
Austin folk pop band Tinnarose will release their new eponymous LP next Tuesdeay via Nine Mile Records. The band creates layered folk pop that employs both sunny riffs and crunchy guitar tones while…
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…
Electric Six & Yip Deceiver at Stubb’s Tonight
Austin is one of the rare cities in America where any given night has too many great options for live music. We love it, and we hate it. If you aren’t going to the…
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…
Show Preview: Dana Falconberry’s Homecoming with RF Shannon & Devon Sproule
In two days, Dana Falconberry returns from Austin and will celebrate with a show at Stubb’s on their indoor stage. The bill also features dark folk act RF Shannon and esteemed songwriter Devon…
Vampire Weekend with Wild Cub at Stubb’s: Live Review
Perhaps more so than any band currently making music, Vampire Weekend has found universal acclaim, both winning the hearts of indie bloggers everywhere and beginning to reach newfound mainstream success by bagging a…
Beat Heavy for the Uninitiated: Phantogram & TEEN Live at Stubb’s
In the spirit of transparency, let me start by saying that I wrote Phantogram off last March after listening to their music exactly zero times. It was the height of the Fader Fort-fueled,…
Wild Cub Opens for Vampire Weekend Tonight & Tomorrow at Stubb’s
Upbeat indie pop outfit Wild Cub will open for Vampire Weekend for two nights at Stubb’s tonight and tomorrow. The group shares some sensibilities with the headliners but their music also possess an…
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…
Local Natives Cover Johnny Cash, Play Stubb’s in Austin Tomorrow Night
The last time I saw Local Natives was at the Moody Theater for their Austin City Limits taping. It was the fourth time I had seen the band, and easily the best. The…
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…
Show Preview: White Denim and Cass McCombs at Stubb’s
Writing about Cass McCombs is always hard for me. I feel like I can’t ever contain in a post or even in words how much I love McCombs’ contribution to music over 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 Preview: The Districts Play Stubb’s Tonight
The Districts released their debut EP on Fat Possum in January; the self-titled effort featured rootsy rock that moved from somber to frenetic as evidenced on the track “Funeral Beds.” Steady kick drum…
SPIN Stubb’s Party at SXSW 2014
For the past half decade or so, I’ve made a conscious effort to get ahold of one of the coveted SPIN laminates to attend their annual SXSW party held at Austin institution Stubb’s….
Built to Spill, Genders, and Slam Dunk at Stubb’s: Live Review
Built to Spill has been pretty quiet for the past few years in terms of releasing new matieral, but hasn’t given up touring as the band has made their way through Austin at…
Show Preview: Built to Spill and Genders Play Stubb’s Saturday November 23rd
You’d have to be completely out of touch with alternative music to not know indie-rock legends Built to Spill. Doug Martsch and his band seem to be increasingly active these days, and their…
Chvrches Play Sold Out Stubb’s Show Friday November 22nd
This summer, Chvrches sold out the Mohawk, and it took almost no time for them to get back to Austin. This time, the band has sold out the much larger Stubb’s and will…
The Head and the Heart, Quiet Life, and The Eastern Sea at Stubb’s: Live Review
Simply said: I’m impressed. Sunday night marked my third time to see The Head and the Heart perform live. I’ve also seen The Eastern Sea perform a few times as well. Both acts…
Grizzly Bear and Owen Pallett at Stubb’s w/ Sour Notes and Letting Up Despite Great Faults After Show
It feels like forever since Grizzly Bear played in Austin, but the band came out of hibernation and ventured to the warmth of Texas for the spring. Their show last night at Stubb’s…
Dana Falconberry and Buxton at Stubb’s Live Review
Having seen Dana Falconberry more than a dozen times, it’s astounding that she can still inspire in me wonder and awe with each performance. This is especially notable considering that I see six…
Tame Impala Live at Stubb’s with Sour Notes and Feathers After Show
Tame Impala is a band at the pinnacle of hype right now; their second album Lonerism has received universal rave reviews. Tuesday night, these Australian psych-rockers paid a visit to Austin to play…
Top 5 Official SXSW Shows Announced So Far
With a month until SXSW begins and tens of thousands of visitors make their pilgrimage to Austin for the city’s most vital week and a half, buzz is starting to heat up around announcements of…
Night Moves Live at Stubbs, Stream Their Entire Album Now
This past week, Domino Recordings artist Night Moves played the Mohawk in support of Lord Huron. Night Moves is a quartet that blends 70s glam and psych rock production with country instrumentation. It’s…
Win Tickets to Divine Fits at Stubb’s in Austin
Pop Press International is teaming up with C3 Concerts to bring one lucky winner two tickets to see Divine Fits—featuring Britt Daniel of Spoon, Dan Boeckner of Wolf Parade, and Sam Brown of…
Beach House and the Walkmen at Stubb’s
The two-headed beast of a bill in the form of The Walkmen and Beach House descended on Stubb’s last Thursday night. Though much of the crowd that packed the sold out venue obviously…
SXSW 2012 Highlights Day 4
By the time Friday of SXSW dawns, if you aren’t battling exhaustion and the uncertainty of wondering if you’re hung over or still plain drunk when you wake up at noon, you clearly…
