7:15 PM
to 8:15 PM
James Hyland and The Joint Chiefs
10 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
event::about Americana artist based in Austin, TX . This is his new band after fronting the successful South Austin Jug Band for the last decade. He just released a new solo album called Celestial Navigation, which the Austin Chronicle said, "clearly sets his course for the stars with wonderfully crafted Americana."
event::tags 21+
8:00 PM
to 9:00 PM
Dale Watson
34 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Dale Watson
event::about Though Dale Watson’s recording career spans two decades, the maverick country traditionalist has never before released an album like this. “There’s nothing here that’s retro,” insists Dale of Carryin’ On. “I was really hoping to make a record with today’s technology, but with the musicians who played on the music I grew up on. I’m pretty happy with the way we’ve merged today with yesterday on this album. It will remind people of the old records, but it sounds like something new.” The new album on a new label marks a fresh start for Watson, a major leap from the hardscrabble honky-tonk that has won him an international following, earned him induction into the Austin Music Hall of Fame and established him as a leading crusader against the “Nashville Rash” plaguing the country music industry. Without compromising his musical values, he sounds here like a singer with nothing to prove and no one to fight. The angry young man has matured. The result, says Dale, is “the pinnacle of what I’ve done, in terms of the songs, the production, the musicianship.”
event::tags 21+
9:00 PM
to 10:00 PM
Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer
4 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Amber Digby & Midnight Flyer
event::about Texas claims Amber Digby, but her roots (both musically and geographically) lie in Nashville, TN. Born and raised in the birthplace of Country Music, Amber comes from a long line of Classic Country Music Royalty. Amber's father is Dennis Digby, longtime bass player in the Coal Miners, Loretta Lynn's road band. Amber's mother, Dee, was a backup singer for artists such as Connie Smith. Amber's stepfather, Dicky Overbey, is a steel guitar legend who recorded and performed with Faron Young, Connie Smith, Hank Williams, Jr., Ronnie Milsap, and Johnny Bush. And Amber is the niece of Darrell McCall, who garnered a #1 hit when he wrote 'Eleven Roses', on top of his own solo top 40 hits. Although Amber is certainly in the family business, she is breaking ground in modern country music. In December, 2009, she released her 4th CD, 'Another Way to Live', with Heart of Texas Records. Following on the heels of 3 critically successful releases, the most recent CD showcases Amber's newest venture into songwriting. In addition to the songs on this new CD, Amber is writing with some of the best songwriters in Nashville including Grammy nominee Odie Blackmon, hitmaker Dale Dodson, and Grammy Award winning, Country Music Hall of Famer, Vince Gill. While Amber has toured internationally, playing at festivals in Sweden, Australia, Norway and France, she now has the Grand Ole Opry to her credit. Debuting on December 19, 2009, Amber was introduced and backed by the great Ronnie Milsap. Amber has made a name for herself with top critics, radio and fans alike as the top female vocalist in music dedicated to country music tradition. But her star is rising in a direction of country music originality...writing songs that echo the themes and melodies of country music roots, while expressing the heart of a young woman in a modern world.
event::tags 21+
10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM
The Gourds
56 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
event::about Whether you think The Gourds non-sequitur loving n'ere-do-wells or post-modern lyrical geniuses, their mandala-like musical vignettes and gulps of down-home authenticity can not be denied. Musical lifers and road dogs to the end, Kevin 'Shinyribs' Russell, Jimmy Smith, Max Johnston, Keith Langford and Claude Bernard remain at once roots music's envelope pushers and its torch bearers, its purveyors of Joyce-ian density and nickel novel groove - its Jekyll and its Hyde. With Haymaker! the band celebrates 15 years in music and the journey that has taken them through the outer reaches of popular music... and back again.
event::tags 21+
11:00 PM
to 12:00 AM
Stonehoney
13 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Stonehoney
event::about On their debut album The Cedar Creek Sessions, the Austin, Texas-based quartet Stonehoney delivers a bracing set of 14 original tunes that effortlessly transcend genre restrictions, merging rootsy grit with savvy melodic hooks and pointed lyrical insight. The foursome’s catchy tunes are matched by their seamless vocal harmonies and punchy ensemble performances, which make the most of the band members’ remarkable musical rapport and personal chemistry. Stonehoney is comprised of four smart, seasoned singer/songwriter/instrumentalists who possess distinctive yet complementary songwriting approaches, and who trade vocals with instinctive ease. The group (accompanied on stage by a variety of drummers and keyboardists) is already a local favorite in its adopted hometown of Austin, and has built a large and enthusiastic fan base thanks to their soulful, high-energy live shows. Equally at home in honky-tonks and rock clubs, in raucous dancehalls and intimate house concerts, Stonehoney has also won acclaim with successful appearances at such prestigious festivals as the International Folk Alliance Conference, the Kerrville Folk Festival and the Falcon Ridge Festival.
event::tags 21+
12:00 AM
to 1:00 AM
Shinyribs
11 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Shinyribs
event::about Shinyribs Russell is known as the front man of the Austin TX musical combo, The Gourds. Born in Beaumont TX, raised in The Church Of Christ he found his calling in biker bars of Louisiana at the tender age of seventeen playing a hybrid of loud country blues rock and psychedelic swamp jangle for the grumpy ingrates congregated there. His regionally notorious band, The Picket Line Coyotes did the college faux chitlin circuit until their demise in the early 90's. The Gourds formed in 1994 and have become a favorite of the Americana/Hippie Jam/Genre Bending scenes of the last 15 + years. Russell in search of an outlet for his massive stockpile of songs began performing solo shows under the pseudonym Shinyribs as early as 2006. After playing a monthly show in Houston for the last two years he has honed Shinyribs into one of the most interesting roots music experiences around. A revolving line up of Austin talent has evolved into the current top notch band; Gourd drummer, Keith Langford, Cerebral Pony Bass man Jeff Brown and Kentucky Fried Keyboard Whiz Winfield Cheek. A Shinyribs recording is due out this Feb-Mar. The much anticipated record is being produced by Mr. Ribs and his long time friend George Reiff. There are guest appearances by Ray Wylie Hubbard, Mark Rubin, Scrappy Judd Newcomb, Michael Fracasso, Phoebe Hunt and more.
event::tags 21+
1:00 AM
to 2:00 AM
The Jungle Rockers
8 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists The Jungle Rockers
event::about "The Jungle Rockers are the result of five friends soaking up a hot and sticky drunken summer in Austin. We needed an outlet to chronicle our terrible behavior," says lead singer and guitarist Jason Borkowski. The Jungle Rockers are a grit under the fingernails working class kind of band that melds 60s rock & roll with the spirit of old Jamaican reggae and their own form of jungle rock. Influenced by legendary artists like Bo Diddley, The Clash, The Beach Boys, The Ramones and Black Flag, they add an unruly charm to the Austin music scene.
event::tags 21+
3:00 PM
to 4:30 PM
Hot Club of Cowtown
7 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Unofficial Music
event::about
Proper American Music. Open party featuring Hot Club of Cowtown and Bill Kirchen.
3:00 PM
to 7:00 PM
Proper American Records Day Party
40 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Unofficial Party
Speaker/Artist(s) Info 3 p.m. - Hot Club of Cowtown4:30 p.m. - Bill Kirchen
event::about Proper American Music. Open party featuring Hot Club of Cowtown and Bill Kirchen.
4:30 PM
to 6:00 PM
Bill Kirchen
9 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Unofficial Music
event::about
Proper American Music. Open party featuring Hot Club of Cowtown and Bill Kirchen.
8:00 PM
to 9:00 PM
The Latebirds
5 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists The Latebirds
event::about Finnish roots rockers THE LATEBIRDS come out with a new album in 2011. Last Of The Good Ol' Days was completed in LA with producer Jim Scott (Wilco, Tom Petty, Johnny Cash). From the title track's soft piano chords to Kickin' Me's electric guitar mayhem, The Latebirds sound more dynamic and versatile than ever. The new songs are filled with poignant one-liners and insightful observations of the crazy world we live in. Featured guests include Wilco-guitarist Nels Cline and singing actress Minnie Driver. In addition to the new album, The Latebirds release a bonus EP that was captured live at Levon Helm's famous barn studio in Woodstock with an all star guest cast including country legend Kris Kristofferson, Levon Helm and singer-guitarist Dave Rawlings.
event::tags 21+
9:00 PM
to 10:00 PM
K's Choice
55 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists K's Choice
event::about K’s Choice has always been a hard band to pin down to a single style, and as a result, was one of the few bands of the late ‘90s to build followings with both the Lilith Fair and Lollapalooza factions. As evidenced by their fifth full-length overall (and first in a decade), 2010’s ‘Echo Mountain,’ the group’s knack for the eclectic remains very much intact. “It’s always been like that,” explains one of the group’s co-founders, singer/guitarist Sarah Bettens. “There’s always been that singer-songwriter part of us, and then the rock part that stems from the music we listen to and the music we write. There’s also that pop element in our songwriting and the attention to our harmonies. When it comes to K’s Choice songwriting, there is not a concerted effort of what we should be, it’s just an honest mix of the style of songs we end up writing. Even when we felt like we were coming from two worlds in the initial phase of writing this record, it somehow blended together into something that’s melodic and has a lot of dynamics without losing its emphasis of heartfelt lyrics and interesting harmonies.” Originally formed in the early ‘90s by the brother-sister tandem of guitarist/singer Gert and Sarah Bettens (hailing from Antwerp, Belgium), the group built a large worldwide fan base, on the strength of such strong and varied albums as 1993’s ‘The Great Subconscious Club,’ 1996’s ‘Paradise in Me,’ 1998’s ‘Cocoon Crash’ and 2000’s ‘Almost Happy.’ Add to it a worldwide hit single (1996’s “Not An Addict”), European hits “Believe”, “Almost Happy” and “Everything For Free”, plus some very high profile tour opportunities (opening for Alanis Morissette for the majority of the dates supporting her classic ‘Jagged Little Pill’ album, as well as part of the aforementioned Lilith Fair tours), and a long and fruitful career lay ahead for K’s Choice. After the world tour in support of ‘Almost Happy’ had wrapped up, K’s Choice faced a tough career crossroad. “After ten years, my sister and I had the exact same feeling that we were moving in circles”, admits Gert. “We felt it was time to do something else for a couple of years, to do our own thing, and see what developed.” True to his word, Gert founded a new band, Woodface, while Sarah launched a successful solo career. But a year ago, the call of K’s Choice beckoned once more, recalls Sarah. “We always knew we were going to record again, but we didn’t have a master plan for when or how. It just seemed like the right time and that it would be fun again … the part that was missing when we decided to take a break. The writing was challenging again, and musically it was even more interesting, because we were coming from two different worlds. When we started sending songs to each other, it was like, ‘Wow, I don’t know if we’re capable of making the same record! But with some creative musical conversations and a little soul searching we found common ground, and once we did, it just clicked like it always had.” After a period of swapping song files via email (Sarah now lives in the U.S., while Gert remains in Belgium), the group reconvened for rehearsals with a line-up featuring both former members (bassist Eric Grossman and drummer Koen Lieckens) and new members (guitarist Thomas Vanelslander and keyboardist Reinout Swinnen). “From the start, it became clear that it was going to be different from the way we wrote for the first four albums,” says Gert. “Back then, we were often on tour together, so as soon as Sarah or I came up with a song idea, we could immediately play it for one another. This time, we were forced to exchange ideas via the internet. Although it’s different than the way we used to communicate our ideas, we were still able to be musically creative and honest with each other. Initially, we thought we were worlds apart. I wrote some really, really heavy songs, comparable to those on my last solo album. I wondered if they would really work on the album alongside some of the lighter acoustic songs Sarah had written. We just started rehearsing and in typical K’s Choice fashion, things quickly started making perfect sense.” The end result is a double disc set, which features some of the finest K’s Choice material of their entire career, and runs the gamut from folk and pop to alternative rock. “I have to say, I was really impressed with my brother’s songs,” gushes Sarah. “It was really nice to sing his songs again. I think he has outdone himself. His new song, ‘Killing Dragons’, is one of my absolute favorites! It covers the entire musical spectrum of what K’s Choice represents… a beautiful melody, haunting harmonies and incredible lyrics… it gives me the chills. ‘Come Live the Life’ [the album’s first single/video] features my brother’s songwriting too. The simplicity of the chord structure, combined with the genius of the melody, makes for a very inspiring, exciting song.” Gert has a standout as well, ‘16’. “I tried to picture what it was like to be 16 again and to experience something beautiful like being in love and your first kiss. Then discovering, as you grow older, that there’s still some of that fire burning, and it’s just a matter of keeping that fire alive. Most of my songs are written about the same thing - feeling alive.” With ‘Echo Mountain’ being released via Sony in Europe and a label-to-be-named in the other parts of the world, the now six-piece band will soon be launching a substantial tour supporting Echo Mountain, with dates beginning in Belgium, France, Germany, Switzerland and Holland, before visiting other parts of the world, including such exotic locales as South Africa and Japan. Which leads to the question...is the reformation of K’s Choice a permanent one? “I don’t know if any of us have thought that far ahead,” says Sarah. “We are so happy that we have this fantastic opportunity. We do have big expectations, not in terms of how many records we’re going to sell, but just the level of excitement this will create, for us and for the fans that are awaiting this record.” That said, both sister and brother are hopeful regarding the future of K’s Choice. Sarah- “I just hope we make more great records, and that Echo Mountain is the beginning of a rebirth for us. Eventually, I’ll want to make another solo record because it’s a way of keeping everything fresh, so I hope I can continue doing both.” Gert- “Right now, I’m just so happy that we made an album that I’m this crazy about. It just feels very special putting the band back together and getting ready to go out on the road again. As we were working on ‘Echo Mountain’, I said to my sister, ‘I really feel like recording another album after this!’ Sarah readily agreed. So this K’s Choice reunion just might go on for quite a while...”
event::tags 21+
10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM
Ian Moore
31 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Ian Moore
event::about "He doesn't fly with angels; he dances with devils" - Billboard El Sonido Nuevo, the new studio record from Austin-raised, Seattle-based singer-songwriter Ian Moore, his seventh, bridges the gap between the stylistic offshoots of his past few records and the guitar-slinging bravado that characterized his earlier, often bluesier, output. Backed by his new band, The Lossy Coils with Matt Harris (Oranger, Posies, Spiral Stairs) on bass and Kyle Schneider (Rocky Erikson, Johnny Goudie) on drums, forming this trio was a purposeful step into stripping away artifice and décor -- the songs are simple and direct. Moore's been steadily accruing fans by staying on the road doing everything from solo acoustic shows to full band gigs in the U.S. and abroad, and opening for his stylistic forefathers, including Paul Weller, the Rolling Stones and Bob Dylan. And he’s done time as a sideman backing artists as divergent as Joe Ely, Roky Erikson and Jason Mraz. Moore has made hundreds of television appearances, from regional TV shows to the Today show and the Late Show With David Letterman to a one hour Direct TV special, while avid watchers of American Idol have seen contestants cover Moore’s songs “Blue Sky” and “Satisfied.” And the Austin Music Awards have repeatedly voted him Best Singer, Musician and Band. On El Sonido Nuevo, the blues and rock guitar he’s best known for is back, bolstered by confident songwriting and the absorbed echoes of those influences and stylistic adventures.
event::tags 21+
11:00 PM
to 12:00 AM
David Garza
32 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists David Garza
event::about For artist David Garza, everything’s connected. Consider this: the release of his BEST-OF Shed Light (2000-2010), comes on the heels of a feverishly popular exhibition tour of Garza’s Paintings and Pastels. Which follows the premiere of his acclaimed musical score for the theatrical work, “Fantasmaville.” Which shared the spotlight with Garza’s scene-stealing performance in the independent feature, Largo The Movie. Which includes highlights of Garza’s recent soul-shaking and revelatory live performances in Los Angeles. Which… You get the idea. After two decades encompassing national tours, critical-acclaim, fan hysteria and stalkers-a-plenty, David keeps it real by keeping it surreal. In his world, poetry and power chords coexist peacefully. And the lion and lamb don’t just lie down together, they do a little Cumbia. For fans of the enigmatic artist who launched his career busking on Austin’s shady West Mall, nothing comes as a complete surprise. Devouring his prolific and spontaneous new music releases – about one a year since 1989 – they have rewarded him with the love reserved for legends. His euphoric performances at dearly departed live music landmarks are the stuff of lore. And in 1999, David was voted runner-up for Austin Chronicle Musician of the Decade—second only to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Artistic reinvention is nothing new to the touring singer-songwriter-painter-composer. Born and raised in Irving, Texas, Garza attended high school by day and performed in Dallas’ Deep Ellum by night. While still a teenager, David became a mainstay in this hotbed of alternative Texas music, trading licks with icons including the New Bohemians along the way. These days David collaborates with alternative music's hippest, hottest and most-respected. Alejandro Escovedo and Fiona Apple handpicked David to join their national tours, both as opening act and as band member. Juliana Hatfield enlisted him as producer. Sara Watkins (from Nickel Creek) is set to release David’s “Too Much” as the first single of her solo album, produced by none other than John Paul Jones. David’s wildly diverse audience includes more than a few FWP’s (fans with privileges) –notables like Jon Brion, Nickel Creek, Zach Galifianakis, and Joe Henry, who share the stage with him during live performances. A self-confessed diehard 4-track junkie, David has made peace with the digital forum as an outlet for his multimedia releases, visual compilations and musings. His unconventional online presence has evoked a flood of response via social networking (thanks to his digital only EPs), audience response (especially at LA’s Largo and UT Austin’s Cactus Café), and national media attention (garnering praise from KCRW, Village Voice, NY Daily News, Austin Chronicle). During SXSW 2010, David Garza released Shed Light (2000-2010) – his 22nd full-length album – to the universe, beginning another chapter in his uncompromisingly personal artistic journey. A multi-instrumentalist, Garza wrote, performed and produced all tracks on Shed Light (2000-2010) himself, along with producer/friend Mike Elizondo (Fiona Apple, Maroon 5).
event::tags 21+
12:00 AM
to 1:00 AM
Jon Langford & Skull Orchard
42 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Jon Langford & Skull Orchard
event::about The L'homme de Renaissance of indie rock. (That's "Renaissance Man" for all you eating "Freedom Fries.") He's done it all in his time. For us, he's created lots of cover art, produced lots of records, lent his ham-fisted guitar stylings to recordings by the Old 97's, Kelly Hogan, Sadies, Sally Timms, Danbert Nobacon, Jon Rauhouse, Alejandro Escovedo, among others, draws a comic strip, plays in the long running art/punk collective the Mekons, written a book, appeared as the backing band on This American Life and acts as a reeling papa bear figure to many of Chicago's musicians looking for direction and reassurance in this vicious racket we call the music industry. Among the guiding forces in the Pine Valley Cosmonauts and the Waco Brothers and Wee Hairy Beasties. At any given time, he has several projects going. It tires us just trying to keep up. As nice as he is prolific. Sort of rare in the hyper-rarified environment of notoriety. For More of Jon's Art, go to his page at Yard Dog in Austin, TX; home of the annual Bloodshot SXSW shindig. Stop by, say hi, and make sure you look at the ten years of Yard Dog/Bloodshot SXSW Photographs!
event::tags 21+
1:00 AM
to 2:00 AM
Scott H. Biram
27 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Scott H. Biram
event::about Rock ‘n’ Roll ain’t pretty and neither is Scott H. Biram. The self proclaimed ‘Dirty Old One Man Band’ successfully, and sometimes violently, lashes together blues, hillbilly and country precariously to raucous punk and godless metal. Biram ain’t no candy-ass singer/songwriter either, sweetly strumming songs about girls with big eyes and dusty highways. HELL NO!!! His singing, yodeling, growling, leering and brash preachin’ and hollerin’ is accompanied by sloppy riffs and licks from his 1959 Gibson guitar and pounding backbeat brought forth by his amplified left foot. The remainder of this one-man band consists of an unwieldy combination of beat-up amplifiers and old microphones strung together by a tangled mess of guitar cables. Years of non-stop touring have honed his assault to a fine edge; his wide-eyed throw downs in the First Church of Ultimate Fanaticism routinely lead giddy followers to a fiery baptism. Scott H. Biram won’t die. On May 11th, 2003, one month after being hit head-on by an 18-wheeler at 75 MPH, he took the stage at The Continental Club in Austin, TX in a wheel chair – I.V. still dangling from his arm. With 2 broken legs, a broken foot, a broken arm and 1 foot less of his lower intestine, Biram unleashed his trademark musical wrath. When Scott H. Biram took the stage at his 2004 SXSW festival showcase right after Kris Kristofferson he was quoted as growling “They said that was a hard act to follow….I’m a hard act to follow motherfuckers!!” The stunned crowd looked on.
event::tags 21+
7:10 PM
to 8:10 PM
Miss Pamela Des Barres (MC Between Sets)
9 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
event::about Pamela Des Barres was a member of the GTOs (Girls Together Outrageously) an all girl group of rock groupies, mentored and produced by Frank Zappa. Their album Permanent Damage is considered a classic and a very collectible hunk of vinyl. After several years as an actress in commercials, soaps and movie bit parts, she started writing about her madcap days as “the world’s most famous groupie,” chronicling her relationships with rockers such as Mick Jagger, Jim Morrison, Jimmy Page and Keith Moon in I’m With the Band . She followed that 1987 New York Times Best Seller with the sequel, Take Another Little Piece of My Heart- A Groupie Grows Up, in 1992. Rock Bottom – Dark Moments in Music Babylon was published by St. Martin’s Press in 1997, and her most recent offering, Let’s Spend the Night Together –Backstage Secrets of Rock Muses and Supergroupies came out in 2007, and has just been published in paperback, along with her second memoir. Since 1988, Pamela has written for several publications including, Rolling Stone, Cosmopolitan, Details, the New York Times, Los Angeles Magazine, Spin and Playgirl among many others, and she had a 5 year stint as a music columnist for E! Online. She now writes a monthly music column for Rolling Stone Italy, where she has enjoyed huge success with her books. Pamela has been featured in innumerable international documentaries, including Mayor of the Sunset Strip and Plaster Caster and has her very own E! True Hollywood Story. She teaches creative writing workshops around the U.S. and as an ordained minister, performs rock & roll weddings.
event::tags 21+
7:20 PM
to 8:20 PM
Richard Barone
15 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Richard Barone
event::about Richard Barone 'Glow' “Is there a musician more deserving of the moniker Man About Town than Richard Barone?” —THE NEW YORK TIMES “Barone knows the alchemic formula for converting an everyday thought into a powerful refrain.” —Tom Moon, NPR Glow, the new album from Richard Barone, frontman of cult faves the Bongos, is a sonic delight, like a lost solo Beatle album from a glam-rock future-world. After taking a break from performing to produce others and write a book Barone is back, working with producer Tony Visconti (along with Steve Addabbo, Jill Sobule and others). Glow positively glows with great songs like “Gravity’s Pull,” “Yet Another Midnight” and a captivating cover of T. Rex’s “Girl.” The king of chamber pop shines on this stunning new addition to his catalog. The album started as a somewhat casual collaboration between Barone and Visconti. Richard had wanted to work with Tony ever since scheduling conflicts prevented the latter from producing the Bongos’ major label debut. Most of Glow’s tracks were written in the studio; some, like “Girl,” came together very quickly and others, like “Sanctified,” became elaborate Visconti productions. The album utilizes lots of vintage synthesizers and obscure music-making devices that Tony had accumulated from working on sessions with Brian Eno, David Bowie, T. Rex and others. Glow also features state-of-the-art gear that Barone picked up through his close collaboration with Gibson Guitars, including the Digital Les Paul guitar. Each string has the ability to be recorded on its own individual track. The title tune was written when Richard stopped by producer Steve Addabbo’s studio to pick up a hard drive and showed him the prototype instrument. “Walking through Manhattan, I started hearing the arpeggio chords of “Glow” in my head,” says Barone, “Then some words and a melody became attached, set to the rhythm of my walking. When I got to the studio, I couldn’t wait to show Steve the guitar, plug it in and demonstrate the possibilities. I started playing ‘Glow’ and asked if we could record it. It was amazing how quickly it came together. I didn’t have any lyrics at all for the bridge, but we decided to start recording anyway. When it came to that part, I suddenly belted out, ‘You’re not alone! You are the glow! You’re not alone’ and that was that. We only did one take.” The song is reprised at the end of the album as an elaborate instrumental that features cellos and violins dueling with vintage synths. With all those individual strings being recorded there were more than 120 tracks to be wrestled to the ground. Amid the high-tech studio recordings Glow also has some lo-fi parts that just sounded right in sequence. Garageband-generated “Radio Silence,” recorded at home on a laptop, comes off as a Euro-Vision style four-on-the-floor classic. The Paul Williams co-written “Silence Is Our Song” is from a live radio broadcast on New York WFUV-FM DJ Vin Scelsa’s “Idiot’s Delight” program. How did Barone end up writing with the guy who gave us such pop radio classics as “Rainy Days and Mondays” and “We’ve Only Just Begun?” Did you know Williams wrote the B Side to Tiny Tim’s “Tip Toe Through the Tulips”? Richard did. He met Williams at a tribute show and the two writers from different eras immediately hit it off. After a number of delays Richard made it out to Paul’s house in California and an all day marathon writing session ensued. “I started strumming chords as he circled his living room spouting phrases I quickly jotted down on a yellow legal pad. We wrote like that all day. The next morning, at breakfast, I sang him what we had come up with, and played him a quick demo I had recorded on my MacBook. “One more thing,” he said. “When you record it, at the very end, say ‘listen.’” Another frequent Barone collaborator is Jill Sobule. Among other songs, Barone co-wrote “Bitter” for her album Pink Pearl and Sobule returned the favor on “Odd Girl Out.” The song tells the true story of a lesbian teen in the pre-Stonewall days of the West Village. This time Richard scribbled down lyrics while Sobule strummed. Barone was born and raised in Tampa, Florida. He actually was a DJ at the age of seven on a local Top 40 station and as a teenager befriended and produced Tiny Tim, who was performing in the area. In 1977 the aspiring rocker hitched a ride to New York with the Monkees touring backup group (CBGB stalwarts the Laughing Dogs) and lived in a small room in their practice loft as he attempted to take on the big city. This and many other tales can be read in his memoir Frontman: Surviving the Rock Star Myth, a book that functions as a how-to-be-an-entertainer guide as well as a gimlet-eyed autobiography. After moving over the East and Hudson rivers Barone found himself in Hoboken, New Jersey, where Steve Fallon was just opening the famed music venue Maxwell’s; the club maintains its status as the last of the metro area’s ‘70s nightspots. Along with the likes of the Feelies, the dBs and the Individuals, the Bongos put Hoboken on the map as a place where young musicians could get a start. Many would come from all over the USA to place roots in the metro area’s pre-Williamsburg indie-rock capital. The Bongos were the first group to get signed to a major label — on the strength of Drums Along the Hudson, an album that featured a top CMJ Radio single “Mambo Sun” (Barone’s first Bolan cover) as well as “In the Congo” and “The Bulrushes.” The group became a favorite in the emerging college rock circuit and toured the US and Europe sharing bills with the likes of the B-52s and R.E.M. Their song “Numbers With Wings” became a broadcast favorite in the early days of MTV. The Bongos released two albums and an EP and left an unfinished album for Island Records called Phantom Train. In 2007 the group re-united for the Hoboken Music and Arts Festival and were given the key to the city by the mayor for their pioneering pop. Barone would go on to make many solo albums including the much lauded Cool Blue Halo that found him experimenting with the cello playing of Jane Scarpantoni while delivering his songs in a chamber-pop setting. In the last decade Barone has worn many hats, writing with others and producing large musical events. Moby recently got involved with a re-mix of the Bongos’ classic track “Bulrushes.” And the B-52s’ Fred Schneider has tapped him to produce, arrange and co-write on numerous occasions. Now he moves on with Glow, a singular burst of optimism with the power of a sunset and the sunrise that follows. ### For more information on Richard Barone, please contact Conqueroo: Cary Baker • (323) 656-1600 • cary@conqueroo.com Bar/None Records PO Box 1704 Hoboken, NJ 07030 www.bar-none.com
event::tags 21+
8:05 PM
to 9:05 PM
Smile Smile
19 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Smile Smile
event::about Wanting to bring something new to the Dallas music scene, Ryan Hamilton and Jencey Hirunrusme create their own modern blend of folk, pop and rock in Smile Smile. Their songs range from heart wrenching ballads to foot stomping sing alongs. Jencey's classical piano background teamed with Ryan's self-taught guitar style combine to create sounds which both soar above you and pull you in tight at the same time. "When we formed Smile Smile, we looked at what was missing in the world of folk and pop and then tried to create a sound that was uniquely ours," says Jencey. "We really wanted our music to be catchy and memorable, but also focusing on the issues that we care about." The duo garnered local and national success in 2006 with their debut full-length album Blue Roses. Its full of infectious melodies, dusty blue lyrics whispers, hand-claps and toe-tappable folk songs set to guitar and keys. Smile Smile were nominated for "Best Folk Rock Song ("Sad Song") at the Los Angeles Independent Music Awards, nominated as "Best USA Act" in the Toronto Independent Music Awards, and have had several tracks from Blue Roses licensed for programming on MTV's NEXT. Smile Smile will also be featured in the upcoming film Jack and Jill vs the World starring Freddie Prinze Jr. Although known for their subtle (and sometimes not so subtle) back and forth jabs onstage, when the pair sing together their voices sound as if they are one. Stripping songs down to the bone and emphasizing the simplicity of beautiful music, is about the only thing the two can agree upon.
event::tags 21+
9:00 PM
to 10:00 PM
Billy Harvey
2 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Billy Harvey
event::about Over the years Billy Harvey has been playing his own brand of Post Modern Pop, working not only as an artist but also as a producer (Charlie Mars, Bob Schneider, Slaid Cleaves, and Steve Poltz are among his credits). A prolific writer, he has been the recipient of the International Songwriters Award for Best Rock Song “Frozen Through”, and broke into the Top 100 on the CMJ Charts with his 2007 release “Bearsick”. This caffeine-addled do-it-yourselfer has also been quietly directing, animating, and editing the accompanying music videos to his records. In February 2008 he shot and directed a documentary film entitled “EVERYWHERE NOW”. Filmed entirely on his laptop camera, Harvey intimately chronicles a 7000 mile plus tour in a car powered by waste vegetable oil. From crossing the continental divide on a sheet of ice to digging through oil dumpsters in the freezing cold, what follows is a near epic journey of endurance and self-discovery that is both sublime and at times harrowing. Harvey’s latest release "The Everlasting War" plays like a love letter… to a girl… to himself…ultimately to us as we are invited to participate in the clear honesty of the music. This record teems with raw emotion and heartfelt sentiment so succinct it is impossible not to be affected by it. It Standout tracks include “Blind Man’s Bike”, “Heading for the Hills” (featured in ABC’s Private Practice), and “Let This Be The Day”. Billy’s website has won various media and internet awards including the Interactive Design Award at South By Southwest and the Flash Forward award in NYC. Please visit it here… www.billyharvey.com Contact: Management BarryBergman@earthlink.net Booking www.Rajiworld.com Discography EP "More Happy Than Sad" 2002 LP "Toast" 2003 LP "Pie" 2005 LP "Bearsick" 2007 LP “Grow Garden Grow” 2008 DVD “Everywhere Now” 2008 LP “The Everlasting War” 2009
event::tags 21+
10:00 PM
to 11:00 PM
Ivan Julian
14 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Ivan Julian
event::about “I started playing in bands when I was 13 years old, and that’s when I decided that music would be my life,” states Ivan Julian. “It’s always been important to me to be what I do, and not leave it behind at 5 o’clock.” Although his new release The Naked Flame is his first album under his own name, Ivan Julian has been one of rock’s most celebrated players and most in-demand collaborators for more than three decades. The album, Julian’s first collection of his own songs in more than 20 years, finds the veteran guitarist/singer/songwriter/producer effortlessly stepping back into the role of frontman/bandleader. The Naked Flame features a dozen compelling new songs that benefit from Julian’s commanding performances as well as his seasoned studio skills, which give the tracks a timeless warmth and immediacy. The Naked Flame draws upon Julian’s extensive musical background, while exploring some exciting new songwriting territory. Such rousing original compositions as “The Waves,” “Hardwired” and “A Young Man’s Money” combine raw-nerved electricity with adult lyrical insight, while the bittersweet “You Is Dead” (partially inspired by Julian’s friend and former bandmate, the late Robert Quine) meditates upon loss with warmth and humor. In addition to Julian’s own compositions, The Naked Flame features a pair of inspired cover tunes: a haunting reworking of Lucinda Williams’ “Broken Butterflies,” and a bracing reading of “The Beat,” originally recorded by Alejandro Escovedo’s old new wave outfit the Nuns. “I look at this record as a harvest of everything that has come before,” Julian says. “All of us are the sum of our experiences, and these songs are the product of mine.” Indeed, Ivan Julian has spent his life soaking up a wealth of experiences, musical and otherwise. The son of a Navy officer, he grew up in such exotic locales as Haiti and Cuba, nurturing a sensitive, creative streak that quickly manifested itself musically. At the age of 13, while living in Washington, D.C., he became the singer in a Led Zeppelin cover band; the following year, he began playing guitar. Having already studied bassoon and saxophone, Julian spent his high school years studying music theory as a part-time student in a college program. At 19, his wanderlust led him to London, where he joined U.K. R&B hitmakers the Foundations, with whom he toured throughout Great Britain and Europe. In 1977, Julian returned to the U.S. and settled in New York, just in time to become a key participant in the emerging punk rock movement. He became a founding member of the seminal Richard Hell and the Voidoids, playing alongside trend-setting punk poet Hell, fabled guitarist Robert Quine and drummer Marc Bell (a.k.a. Marky Ramone). Julian’s instrumental and songwriting contributions to the band’s classic album Blank Generation established him as one of the scene’s most acclaimed and influential axemen. After the Voidoids disbanded in 1980, Julian stepped out front to form the Outsets as a vehicle for his own vocal and songwriting efforts. Incorporating rock, funk and African rhythms, the Outsets became a beloved fixture on New York’s burgeoning club scene, winning considerable critical acclaim for such releases as the debut single “I’m Searchin’ for You”/”Fever,” a self-titled Garland Jeffreys-produced EP and the posthumously released The Punk/Funk Voodoo Collection. Julian’s next band, the Lovelies, which teamed him with Bush Tetras singer Cynthia Sley, also won substantial local attention, releasing the acclaimed Mad Orphan in 1988. By this point, Julian’s abilities as a sideman and collaborator had become sought after by a wide array of acts. He recorded with the Clash (on their Sandinista album), Afrika Bambaataa, Tomas Donker of Defunkt and Bernie Worrell of Parliament/Funkadelic fame. He also joined England’s Shriekback for two tours, and spent much of the 1990s touring with Matthew Sweet. In recent years, Julian has concentrated mainly on studio work, producing and/or engineering albums for the likes of Jon Spencer’s Heavy Trash and the Fleshtones. He’s also developed his analog/digital recording studio N.Y. HED into one of New York’s hottest new recording facilities, working with numerous local, national and international bands. The Naked Flame’s birth cycle was set into motion by Julian’s rapport with the Spain-based Argentinian indie band Capsula, whose recent album Rising Mountains he mixed at his studio. As admirers of Julian’s prior work, the members of Capsula urged him to record a new album and take his songs on the road, offering to serve as his backup combo on a proposed Spanish tour. Julian was initially resistant, but he soon warmed to the idea and began a long-distance collaboration with the band. “After they went back to Spain, I sent them some demos of my songs, which they re-recorded and sent back to me,” Julian explains. “I thought, ‘Wow this is exciting; they get it.’ That began the process of me sending them songs via the web, and them sending back these amazing basic tracks for me to complete. We continued trading, and eventually we put everything down on 24-track tape.” Julian also called upon the talents of several old friends in the making of The Naked Flame, including his studio partner (and Heavy Trash/Speedball Baby member) Matt Verta-Ray, ex-Outsets/Feelies drummer Vinny DeNunzio, former Lovelies member Al Maddy and noted singer/guitarist Nicholas Tremulis. In an effort to keep the recordings spontaneous, Julian had these musicians play unfamiliar instruments on the sessions. “All the mixing and overdubbing was done between the hours of 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.,” Julian notes. “I don’t usually prefer to work this way, but I had no choice, because the album had to be ready in time for the Spanish tour and my studio was booked during the day. It wasn’t intentional, but working that way gave it a more personal feel, and I think that comes through in the music.” As Julian’s first official solo album, The Naked Flame (on the indie 00:02:59 label) marks something of a career milestone. But the artist prefers to view the new collection as part of a long-term body of work. “Making this record was a great experience,” Julian asserts, “and I’m excited about getting the music out to people. But producing, playing and singing are all the same to me. If I’m not doing one of those things, I wither and die. Luckily, I’ve been able to keep doing at least one of those things all along. And now I get to do all three for a while. “I’ve had my share of triumph and heartbreak,” he concludes. “Everyone goes through that, no one escapes. It’s all about how you ride it. And I think that if you’re a musician, it’s your obligation to put the joy, the sorrow, the laughs and the tears into the writing and playing. You have to take it all. And one day you realize: this what I do and this is who I am. That’s when the ride starts to make sense, and you just relax and do it.” As The Naked Flame makes clear, after a lifetime of making music, Ivan Julian’s musical fire continues to burn as brightly as ever. # # # For more information on Ivan Julian, please contact conqueroo: Cary Baker • (323) 656-1600 • cary@conqueroo.com
event::tags 21+
11:00 PM
to 12:00 AM
Steve Poltz
19 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Steve Poltz
event::about Steve Poltz is not normal. He was born in Halifax, Nova Scotia (Canada) but has lived most of his life in Southern California and those geographic poles are quite likely responsible for his unhinged genius. Over the course of his life he's met Elvis Presley (who hugged his sister for far too long), trick or treated at Liberace's house (each finger had a diamond ring), was Bob Hope's favorite altar boy (according to him), bravely traveled the world busking before he knew how to do it, famously co-wrote 'You Were Meant For Me' with Jewel, pissed off David Cassidy and can count some of the world's coolest people as fans. As a recording artist, he's fronted the semi-legendary Rugburns and is responsible for a critically acclaimed body of work on his own (One Left Shoe, Chinese Vacation, Traveling, Unraveling, Tales From The Tavern), along with some stuff that positively defies categorization (Answering Machine, The Barn). Unlike many artists, Steve simply gets better and better the longer he lives; his shows are the stuff of legend no two are the same and can take an unsuspecting audience from laughter to tears and back again in the space of the same song. He is quite possibly the most talented, and engaging, solo performer on the planet. He's also one of the most prolific. Any live show aficionado can attest to the fact Steve has a ridiculous amount of fantastic, not-yet-recorded material that deserves to be heard. Brilliant writer + wealth of killer material = what? This is what
Steve Poltz's latest recording project brought him back to Halifax where he collaborated with Joel Plaskett, an award-winning Canadian song-writer, performer, producer and eminently kindred spirit. To the point, Joel is Tim Burton to Steve's Johnny Depp. The two holed up in Joel's Scotland Yard studio with a 2 inch, 16 track analog tape machine, a 24 hour work ethic, their comfy clothes, some serious mojo and emerged a few weeks later with 'Dreamhouse,' Steve's most accomplished and focused effort to date. If Dreamhouse becomes a huge hit, it will no doubt make him happy. If it doesn't, he'll be happy anyway and the folks who come to see him at any of the 200+ shows he'll do to bring the album to the world will be happy too. Guaranteed. If the Padres win the World Series and the Chargers win the Super Bowl this year, ironically, Steve will be happy even if the world ends as a result. Of course, none of that is 'normal' on THIS planet
event::tags 21+
12:00 AM
to 1:00 AM
The Mother Truckers
39 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists The Mother Truckers
event::about The Mother Truckers are a kick-ass rock 'n' roll band from Austin, Texas! Their music is high-octane Americana, blending elements of Country and Blues with loud guitars, big choruses and powerhouse vocals. Their creative songwriting and high energy live performances lift you up to a place that’s somewhere between a honky-tonk and a mosh-pit! The core of the group is the singing songwriting team of Josh Zee and Teal Collins. Josh Zee (vocals/lead guitar) has recorded 2 major label records on the SONY/Work label as the singer/guitarist and songwriter for the Rock group "Protein". They toured extensively throughout the U.S. on "The Warped Tour" and also toured Europe and Japan as part of MTV Asia Summer Fest. Teal Collins (vocals/ukulele/guitar) Teal's early introduction to music was through her dad, famous Jazz disc jockey Al, "Jazzbeaux" Collins. Teal has recorded sessions for Grammy award winning producers Narada Michael Walden (Whitney Houston) and Stephen Bray (Madonna). Teal has also received Gold and Platinum albums for her work on Shanice (Motown records) and Third Eye Blind's album Blue. Josh and Teal formed the Mother Truckers in the San Francisco Bay Area in 2002 after meeting at a local open mic night. The Band recorded several self-released albums including fan favorite "Something Worth Dying for". In 2005, Josh and Teal moved their music to Texas, and set up shop in Austin, “The Live Music Capitol of the World”. There, they met local music scene veterans, Danny G (Bass) and Pete The Beat (Drums) who form The Mother Truckers powerhouse rhythm section. The band got a residency at the legendary Continental Club and quickly started drawing a large number of fans to their shows. In 2007 they recorded their album "Broke, Not Broken" (Funzalo Records) at Ray Benson’s Bismeaux Studios in South Austin. The album was met with critical acclaim and received airplay nationwide. The Austin American Statesman's Michael Corcoran placed the album on his top 10 list of the year as did the Village Voice's Chuck Eddy. At SXSW The Austin Music Awards named The Mother Truckers "Best Roots Rock Band Of The Year". In 2008, The Mother Truckers released “Let’s All Go To Bed” (Funzalo Records) which was responded to immediately by the fans, the press, and multiple XM/Sirius satellite stations, Including “Little Steven’s Underground Garage” where the Truckers’ single “Streets of Atlanta” was picked as one of the “Coolest Songs in The World” . They also had many TV and film placements including HBO’s “True Blood” Series, feature film “Touching Home” with Ed Harris, and feature film “Wake” with Jane Seymour. Now, in 2010, the band has a brand-new album “Van Tour”. An instant classic of in-your-face, touring band, rock and roll imagination! LITTLE STEVEN’S UNDERGROUND GARAGE *the Mother Truckers song "SUMMER OF LOVE" has been chosen as one of the "Coolest Songs in the World" on the "Little Steven's Underground Garage " SIRIUS Satellite radio show. 2008’s “STREETS OF ATLANTA” was also chosen for this same distinction. Once again, Michael Corcoran from The Austin American Statesman has responded with high praise~ “... The Mother Truckers have penned an instant pop classic with ‘Keep It Simple’ from their new ‘Van Tour’ CD. The Tune, featuring Teal Collins’ sensational soaring vocals, has a nostalgic top 40 radio feel. Zee and Collins are probably the most talented guitarist/vocals tandem in Austin”.
event::tags 21+
1:00 AM
to 2:00 AM
The Fleshtones
60 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists The Fleshtones
event::about After 16 albums and more than 25 years conquering rock fans in the US and abroad, The Fleshtones have remained amazingly true to their danceable, crowd-pleasing, shindiggin’ rock ethic. And there have been rewards: they even have their own “republic,” Fleshtonia, founded in Gijon by a grateful Spanish fan. These days, they wear the mantle of “world’s best party band” with pride; in fact, they’ve issued a standing challenge to any band out there to a live showdown. Says Zaremba: “The Garage thing … A lot of people take it and it’s almost like archeology—very dry, keeping it the same as it was – they’re too much in awe of it. We look at it as an approach … we see it as a living thing. We’ll cover stuff like Sylvester’s ‘Do You Wanna Funk’ and people accuse us of not being pure. We’re working with the essence of rock and roll—the thing that gives you the buzz from the music.” Their new long-player, Do You Swing?, delivers 13 revved-up tracks of the band’s patented sound, recorded with Rick Miller (Southern Culture on the Skids) at Miller’s retro-gear filled NC studio, The Kudzu Ranch. With tracks like “Hard Lovin’ Man,” Double Dippin’” and a version of Led Zep’s “Communication Breakdown” that has to be heard to be believed, “it’s what the world has come to expect from The Fleshtones but more so,” cracks Zaremba. It’s raw, it’s raunchy, and most importantly, it SWINGS.
event::tags 21+
8:00 PM
to 9:00 PM
Steve James
1 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Steve James
event::about Steve James is an Austin-based touring and recording artist known world-wide as an instrumentalist, singer and composer with a dynamic performance style and an original take on American roots music.
event::tags 21+
8:25 PM
to 9:25 PM
Malford Milligan
9 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Malford Milligan
event::about AUSTIN'S BEST KEPT SECRET ~ MALFORD MILLIGAN Malford Milligan's powerful, raspy voice and riveting stage presence, have drawn comparisons to such soul icons as Otis Redding and Al Green. With his nationally acclaimed band "Storyville," he recorded 3 CDs for Atlantic Records and November Records. He has performed on Austin City Limits twice with "Storyville," and once with Eric Johnson. Malford Milligan has also appeared on the Conan O'Brian show and has toured and appeared with Bonnie Raitt, BB King, James Cotton, Edgar Winter, Double Trouble, Kenny Wayne Shepard and many others. Malford has recorded on more than 30 albums with such artists as, Hal Ketchum, Marcia Ball, Doyle Bramhall, Alejandro Escovedo, Sue Foley, Stephen Bruton, Chris Smither, Eric Johnson, Double Trouble, The Boneshakers, and Toni Price. Now working with his new band featuring legendary Austin rhythm section Yoggie Musgrove and Brannen Temple, along with keyboard wizard Phil Redmond and guitar slinger Jeff Plankenhorn, Malford won't be a secret for very long. "Best Male Vocalist of the Decade" ~Austin Chronicle "Malford Milligan may be the next great soul singer...his tenor resonance and barking delivery invite comparisons with Sam Cooke and Otis Redding, and when he's onstage you can't take your eyes off him!!!' ~Texas Monthly Magazine
event::tags 21+
8:50 PM
to 9:50 PM
Guy Forsyth
19 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Guy Forsyth
event::about It’s been a long and dusty, winding road for Austin singer/songwriter Guy Forsyth that’s led to a recent surge in praise over his dazzling live shows and his rich Americana roots sound. Forsyth (vocals, acoustic, electric & slide guitar, harmonica, ukulele, singing saw), along with Will Landin (bass/tuba) and Jeff Botta (drums), bring a unique mixture of styles such as folk, rock, country, and Tin Pan Alley to create a sound that’s as heterogeneous, raw and compelling as America itself. You’ll hear powerhouse vocals deliver energetic yarns about love, the government and the apocalypse, to name a few, as Forsyth and company squeeze everything they have into each song and rarely come up for air.
event::tags 21+
9:30 PM
to 10:30 PM
Gurf Morlix
11 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Gurf Morlix
event::about Master instrumentalist, producer and songwriter Gurf Morlix has been a major thread in the fabric of American roots music for over 20 years. But, before he became a recognized name on the scene for his work with such folks as Lucinda, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Slaid Cleaves, Buddy and Julie Miller, and Mary Gauthier, Gurf hung, played and performed with the Austin-based songwriter Blaze Foley. On February 1, 2011, Gurf released a 15 song collection of Blaze's songs, called Blaze Foley's 113th Wet Dream. The cd was released in conjunction with the documentary, Blaze Foley: Duct Tape Messiah, which has been 12 years in the making. Following the release, Gurf will be touring throughout North America together with the documentary screenings. Gurf, a native of Buffalo, NY, struck out for warmer climes as soon as he could and one of the first folks he met when he arrived in Austin in was Blaze Foley. In 1976, Blaze came to one of Gurf's shows, introduced himself, and invited Gurf to his first Austin gig. They hit it off and for the next few years, the two iconoclasts were runnin' buddies. A few years ago, Gurf wrote: “Blaze Foley – soulful, passionate singer songwriter. Champion of the downtrodden. Friend of the working Girl. Truth seeker. Atmospheric disturbance. Tender caring person with a big ol' bag of deep-rooted troubles stuffed down into one of his pockets. Blaze could cut right through the bullshit, or he could be the cause of it. The funniest person I ever met, and also the most tragic”. Blaze, a colorful, but flawed character, was murdered in 1989 at the age of 39. Recording an album of Blaze's music is something Gurf's been wanting to do for more than 20 years. Now is the time. Gurf knows that Blaze's honest, heartfelt words will resonate with today's audience. Blaze is finally having the career he wanted..
event::tags 21+
10:15 PM
to 11:15 PM
Jon Dee Graham
13 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
11:00 PM
to 12:00 AM
James Intveld
4 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists James Intveld
event::about James Intveld has been playing music professionally for 30 years. A transplant from Southern California now living in Nashville he made his Grand Ole Opry debut last year and was asked to return for the Christmas Eve Show this past Christmas. His blend of traditional pure country mixed with gospel, rockabilly and blues makes him a favorite among the European crowds. His latest album "Have Faith" also shows his Americana songwriter side as well.
event::tags 21+
12:00 AM
to 1:00 AM
Wagoneers
7 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
1:00 AM
to 2:00 AM
Uh Huh Her
38 schedule::attendees
Location
Continental Club
eventtype Music
Artists Uh Huh Her
event::about When everything breaks down around you, how do you rebuild and start again? How do you inspire trust and regain confidence in something you never fully understood? When you finally have the chance to speak again, what do you say? Before they set out to write their second album NOCTURES due out this spring, these were the questions that faced UH HUH HER’s LEISHA HAILEY and CAMILA GREY. Not by choice, but by necessity. Where most new bands play their first gig in front of a handful of people, HAILEY and GREY debuted to a packed house of industry heads, critics and fans, many of whom might have been more familiar with HAILEY’s character “Alice” on The L Word than they were with her role in '90s indie duo The Murmurs. For GREY, it was her first group project since a tenure with the lo-fi indie outfit Mellowdrone. There was no shortage of hype, and even though their backing band consisted of one iPod, they delivered the goods in spades. Expectations mounted, and one year after releasing their self-produced EP, I See Red, they released their full-length. Co-produced by GREY and Al Clay (Pixies, Blur), Common Reaction was a full serving of new wave electro-pop that broke with the anthemic single "Not A Love Song." But just as their momentum was building, a split with their label detached the band from all their support and management. "Losing everything forced us to inhabit our frustrations and turn them into something inspired," HAILEY remembers. "We were absolutely compelled to write this record. We had something to prove to ourselves." Determined to move at their own pace and regain control of their art, GREY and HAILEY tapped into old influences. They pushed rock and roll deeper into the mix and made a conscious effort to embrace the beauty in imperfection, rather than put a high gloss shine over things like vocals and rhythms. "I feel like back then, the music I gravitated toward had a pulse and was mysterious and seductive," says GREY. "I wanted to bring some of that to the table, because I feel as though these days everyone has their cards on the table." Before they began writing, GREY stopped listening to contemporary music all together, and instead padded her vinyl collection with LPs from Can, Pink Floyd, Joy Division and the Eurythmics. She and HAILEY decorated their studio with anything that amplified their vision--lights, posters, bold swaths of color--and tacked up photographer Mick Rock's raw, iconic images of David Bowie, Iggy Pop and The Velvet Underground. Embracing their creative freedom but acutely aware of what it cost to obtain, they wrote songs that reflected exactly what they felt. The dreamy, shadowy subject matter, coupled with their late-night recording sessions, helped inform the title of the album. "I think lyrically we couldn't help but go to a contemplative place with everything we'd gone through," GREY explains. "It was like having a torrid affair, having it end, then having to rebuild yourself after the storm. That's what this record is about." "Criminal" typifies that attitude, as GREY purrs out her lament on top of lush Hammond B3 chords: "I told it to you straight, somehow you didn't hear a thing. It's sad, what a shame." Uptempo tracks like "Darkness Is" and "Disdain" push the envelope even further, showcasing a big rock sound that still has one high-heeled foot firmly planted in the sophisticated pop GREY and HAILEY are known for. For seven months they laid down new material in their studio, but if they were going to mature the sound past the level they obtained with Common Reaction, they'd have to beef up the production. For a third set of ears, HAILEY and GREY passed the recordings to producer and longtime friend Wendy Melvoin, formerly of Prince and the Revolution. She not only extended her opinion, but offered to help the band finish off the album at her personal studio space, located within the famed Henson Studios compound in Los Angeles. "She was like an angelic mad scientist that descended upon us in a time of need," laughs GREY, who shares NOCTURNES' producer credit with Melvoin. "The input Wendy has had was nothing less than stellar. Sometimes it would be something as simple as changing my bass rhythm or adding a guitar part that would inspire other things." Adds HAILEY, "She gave me the confidence to tap into the more aggressive sound that I'm attracted to." To capture a live, massive drum sound--something that was missing from Common Reaction, and the organic element needed to compliment NOCTURNES' opulent, harmonic synths and vocals--drummer Josh Kane tracked his performances in Henson's A room on the same kit John Bonham used during the recording of "When The Levee Breaks." The results, especially on songs like "Wake To Sleep," "Criminal" and "Same High," typify the combination of beauty and aggression that UH HUH HER have harnessed on NOCTURNES, both lyrically and musically. "You are so careless with the kingdom, you always throw away the great ones," GREY sings on the opening "Marstorm," a synth-heavy cut that sets the record's unapologetic tone. The thread continues on "Another Case," as she warns, "I am stronger than the other ones...don't try to fight me." UH HUH HER masterfully mix strength and sentiment on the epic "Human Nature," as strings, pianos and soaring pads bleed into an epic rock ballad chorus that channels Prince's "Purple Rain." "This was a process of proving to ourselves that not only could we do this record and do it well on our own, but that we could expand ourselves musically," says HAILEY, whose bond with GREY has grown even stronger as a result of the band's setbacks and subsequent rebirth. "It was the perfect opportunity to write a great record." GREY continues, "I've never felt more free in my life as far as creating. We gave ourselves the time we needed, and the only goal was to make the best record we could possibly make." www.uhhuhher.com http://www.facebook.com/uhhuhher http://twitter.com/uhhuhhermusic For UH HUH HER publicity, contact: Libby Coffey/818-380-0400 x224, LCoffey@msopr.com Alex Greenberg/818-380-0400 x232, AGreenberg@msopr.com
event::tags 21+
footer::loading