At the time, it seemed almost blasphemous for this Texan to catch his first Ben Kweller experience outside of the Lone Star state - California, to be exact. Nothing was wrong with that show. In fact, it was brilliant. But Kweller is a Texan boy through and through, it just seems more to catch him where he's home. Proving that right is the set he delivered Saturday night. Coming on to stage as if he'd been battling the heat all day, Kweller greeted the crowd warmly in a loose, sleeveless shirt and already sweatied hair. The considerable country twang of his last album had placed some cowboy hats in the audience, and the stetsons, alongside their more urban coutnerparts, cheered him back. Couple all this with the fact that this practically open air venue is little more than wood beams and a hot, tin roof, the only thing that kept me from thinking I was watching all this from the speck of a Texas town Kweller came from was the lack of straw strewn about on the floor. No - I had the cigarette buts on the floor and the smell of weed in the air to remind me I was in Austin.

Regardless, Austin's still in Texas, and I'll say it again - Texas is where Kweller plays best. Playing to a set list that would appeal to any fan, Kweller played a perfect mix that touched base throughout his entire discography and serenaded us with songs from Sha Sha all the way to his latest, Changing Horses. Obviously, even all that wasn't enough, and an encore called Kweller back to humbly return to his guitar and lay down more tracks. In a grand finale, Kweller called back his band as well as the openers, The Murdocks and Jones Street Station, to a riled up rendition of "Fight." Kweller's set to play a few more dates - make sure you don't miss them!

Labels: Emo's, Retrospective

The Red Stripe Tour featuring Terry Lynn and John Hugo has been blazing across these United States and is set to wrap things up at it's final stop in New York City tomorrow night. Commissioned by the Jamaican lager in the short, ugly bottle that's helped white people dance for years, Jamaica-based Lynn's teamed up with DJ Hugo to present "It Was Written," an EP set to celebrate the worldwide influence, importance and appeal of the rhythms and pulse of Jamaican music. If you're in NYC, be sure to catch the final wrap-up of this tour for good times, good music, and of course, free Red Stripe [RSVP]. It's music and beer! Hurray music! Hurray beer!

From Terry Lynn & John Hugo's It Was Written (all songs are right click - save as):
Steppin' Up
Feast Your Eyes

Grab the rest of the EP at the Fader site.

Referencing it because I can, Urban Dictionary defines a rock snob as "an especially irritating breed of tool." Yes - in life's tool box, rock snobs are right there next to the guy who thinks he's the Fonz. Even if they have a characteristically, well, snobby attitude, rock snobs are a proud subset the music community can't exist without. Rock Snobbery is a badge one should be eager to both wear and hide - like the STD badge for Girl Scouts. While being ahead of the curve and the eliteness that come with being a rock snob are admittedly desirable, it's a slippery slope and quick fall down to you simply just being a douche. To help you carefully extract out the bad rock snob qualities from the good ones, I offer this checklist - hash too many of these, and you, sir or madam, are holding your nose too high.

- You hate music everyone else likes (and, consequently, love the music everyone else seems to hate).

- As much as you wish them the best, you have an unvoiced desire for your beloved "secret" band to never be discovered.

- You brag about never listening to the radio.

- You secretly judge people at as they browse through the record store.

- You've committed to memory each and every single vinyl record you own that way you can tell people all about it.

- You secretly judge people as they talk about a band.

- Rather than admitting to not knowing about a particular artist, you go straight to saying how you simply don't like, for the vaguest of reasons, the aforementioned unknown.

- Once you've agreed that a certain artist is great, you flowchart your way to either loving or hating that person based on the album they like best.

- You always arrive at a concert wondering how the hell everyone else heard about the band you're about to watch.

- You go out of your way to prove you heard about a band before someone else did.

- You start to question just how much you reaaally like a band once their gigs have upgraded to better and/or higher-capacity venues.

- You automatically scrap anything that's considered "mainstream" from your listening sessions.

- You cringe a little every time a song you like is used for a commercial and/or immediately stop listening to that song, or even band, entirely.

Rock Snobbery Mix (artist name leads to site & all songs are right click - save as):
Bishop Allen - Vain
The Brunettes - The Record Store
CSS - Music Is My Hot Sex
Captain of Industry - Greater Than Greater Than
The Chalets - C'est Supercool
Frightened Rabbit - Be Less Rude
Great Northern - Telling Lies
The Pigeon Detectives - I'm A Liar
Team Genius - I'm Just An Idiot
The Wave Pictures - Leave The Scene Behind
We Are Scientists - This Scene Is Dead

Labels: Mix

So as I write this, I bumble about in sporatical, sunshineless weather in the country's so-called "Sunshine State." It's a bit hard to get down when you have something so cutesy as Chairlift's "Bruises" playing in the background. With sweet, saccharine vocals singing to the motto of "try, try and try again", an amazingly simple beat is transformed into a light, fizzy crafting of pop that bubbles you to a state of undiluted euphoria. Apparently, this song made rounds as one of iPod's commercial buddies. Yet amazingly, despite the vast amounts of telly I watch, I never caught on to it. No, rather I first caught this audio when I watched some YouTubage about a baby squirrel that wasn't able to follow Mama Squirrel up the heartless, high walls on UCLA's campus. After a bit of try, try and try again (and the assistance of a gloriously high pile of various students' belongings), baby squirrel was able to scramp up and over to a reunion with Mama worthy of appearance on Oprah. How fitting that as I finish penning this, the sun comes back. Have a gloriously cheery hump day.

If You've Only Got Series 5 (all songs are right click - save as):
Chairlift - Bruises

Learn more at their site.
Be their friend.


Otherwheres - BreakThru Radio's been nice enough to feature us as their blog of the week!

Otherwheres - And if you're curious to watch that YouTubage I mentioned...

Labels: If You've Only Got...

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

This crowd member doesn't usually frequent these things, but she couldn't help but come tonight - that one song the band plays that got featured on Gossip Girl is so darn catchy. Dressing in her best, most flowy dress and tallest shoes, that misplaced girl is ready to enjoy a great concert. So far though, the night's not going so well for her. She just can't understand why there aren't any seats, and as if standing in some heels wasn't bad enough, everyone's standing so close to each other that they keep touching her. Give it some time, and eventually the people around her are going to wish they weren't so close to her. The second that one song she came for starts playing, her head will begin to spin and spin around. Depending on how long her hair is, she can clear quite a bit of area. If you're brave enough to stay where you are, get ready to eat locks of conditioned hair.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Cassettes Won't Listen - Cut Your Hair [Pavement Cover]
Tunng - It's Because We've Got Hair
White Denim - Mess Your Hair Up

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

Wooooooo! Woooooooooo! Woooooooooo! Yeaaaaaah! Woooooooooo! Play it again! Woooooooo! Yeaaaaaah! Woooooooooo! Wooooooooo! 'Nuff said, right?

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Architecture in Helsinki - Need to Shout
The Battle Royale - Scream Scream
De Novo Dahl - Shout

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

The curfew breaker is soooooooo lucky. She got to stay up late tonight after spending hours begging her mom (perhaps the wandering cougar) to watch this show. She's gonna go to school tomorrow and brag to all her friends about what a great time she had and about how much cooler she is than they are. Though I commend the curfew breaker for having a musical inclination towards anything that isn't the Jonas Brothers, I can't help but wonder why the little pre-teen isn't at home sleeping. At least she's safe while she's out at night, the curfew breaker more than likely brought some friends along with her, and they absolutely loooove talking (the whole time).

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Abernethy - Unforgettably Young
Deerhoof - Kidz Are So Small
MGMT - Kids

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

With her margarita in hand, the wandering cougar is on the prowl to instantly make your environment just a teensy bit more awkward. Being of a more respectable age than you, this lady is always more than eager to tell you, or simply the empty air around her, the facts of life amidst her drunken stupor. How she got there is anyone's guess. Most of the time she thinks she's at a karaoke bar, and she'll always tell you how great the guy doing karaoke is. Oh wandering cougar, how you managed to lose your pack of bar-hopping housewives is beyond me.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Mi and L'au - Older
The Starlight Mints - Margarita

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

The delusional best friend, for me, is the saddest sight to witness on this list. Why I'd be sad for him though, is hard for him to see. After all, he's best friends with the band, and he let's everyone know this throughout the entire concert whether it's by showing off the shirt he made or letting you know how many times he's seen this particular group. His favorite tactic is to yell out, with great repetition, any or all of the band members' first names. That's all he needs to yell, you know, seeing as he's best friends with that person. Thanks for telling me all those band factoids by the way, I had no idea the drummer just had an appendectomy.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Bishop Allen - Making Friends
Voxtrot - Your Biggest Fan
Wolfkin - These Are All Illusions

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

Reaching any height taller than you, the unnecessarily tall person, from your perspective, needs to be chopped from the knees. True - it's not exactly their fault that they're so vertically inclined, but the fact that this person always seems to occupy the space in front of you makes you think less than pleasant thoughts about the giant behemoth. Why shouldn't you complain? You paid to see a show, not someone's back. Alas though, there's pretty much nothing you can do other than move once this majestic Sequoia takes root in front of you.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Sufjan Stevens - The Tallest Man, The Broadest Shoulders...

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

The shirtless (and if you're really lucky, sweaty) guy usually comes out of nowhere. There you are enjoying the set until all of a sudden - BAM! - you glimpse bare flesh shining in sweaty glory. Compromising the health standards of that establishment almost immediately after the collar of his shirt extrudes his head, shirtless guy is usually also drunken dancer. For some reason, shirtless guy sees the need to unknowingly touch everyone there with his half-naked body. With an invisible dance train at his back, shirtless guy congas his way through the whole crowd before disappearing somewhere. Whether or not he'll return is a mystery, and frankly, that thought scares the shit out of you.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
The Grates - Wash Me
Tim Fite - More Clothes
Toothfairy - Don't Sweat It

Labels: Concert-Goers

Concert-Goers is a series aiming to outline all the people you're bound to bump into at a concert. Admittedly, I've fallen into some of these categories. Chances are you've been guilty of being one of these people too. As much as we typically hate these people, it's just not a concert without at least one of them present.

The drunken dancer, by far, has the best moves in the entire venue. Well, at least he has the best moves in his head, but more often than not, he actually does have some pretty bitchin' moves. He's also completely unaware of everything but the music. In all this uninhibited goodness, drunken dancer will bumble about pulling moves that make him look like a giant baby learning to walk. After a few successful steps, he usually just starts jumping up and down and won't bother stopping until he's on the verge of vomiting. If you're lucky, he'll stop at that point. If you're not, well I don't think what's to happen is really that unclear - if you really want to know, you can ask Alina. With the capacity to transform the rest of the sober crowd into a giant dance party, drunken dancer is my favorite concertgoer.

Artist name leads to site and all songs are right click - save as:
Clap Your Hands Say Yeah! - Satan Said Dance
Dappled Cities - Granddance
The Pink Mountaintops - Can You Do That Dance?

Labels: Concert-Goers

The lights dimmed as the blonde, petite songstress that is Anya Marina started the night without a call to stop the commotion. Standing on stage all alone if not for her guitar, Anya started a noticeable transition changing the untranslatable haze of sound at Emo's into the sound of her voice and guitar. Anya Marina seemed somewhat zoned out that night...in a good way. Perhaps she was was perplexed at the nakedness of our streets during a time that's not SXSW, or maybe she lost her mind at the dessert bar at Whole Foods' HQ. Whatever the reason, Anya Marina was rightfully in a place of her own. Nestled in the cushiony sound of her musical world, Anya Marina performed a relaxed, chilled, laid-back set that spanned her young discography and a cover of T.I.'s "Whatever You Like." In a finale that perfectly clinched her set, Anya called forth Fernando - a stout, hispanic trumpeteer she had stolen from Jason Mraz during his last tour. The wailings of Fernando's trumpet coupled with the shuffling beat of "All the Same To Me."

Lissy Trullie commanded the stage next, and her presence was not unnoticeable. With a knack for melody, Trullie immediately found a beat that the crowd found amiable. The crowd, moving in close, lazy-footed in step to the music. There was a constant spray of guitar based on an intermittent, heavy pounding of drums creating a sound as hazy as my vision. Have I mentioned that I lost my glasses yet? I was blind as a bat that night, and my vision, based on hearing, put me in a fritz. Bringing about a bobblehead crowd, heads nodded in approval of the guitar-laden tracks. The beat was drunken with a fervor that rivaled those bumbling to the beat in the crowd from sole drunkeness. Not one to be upped by the cover done the set prior, Trullie's crew set to fashioning Hot Chip's "Ready For the Floor" to their own styling. Together, both Trullie and Marina made for great openings worthy of their own billing.





Various Songs From Anya Marina (all songs are right click - save as):
Move You
All The Same To Me

Learn more at her site.
Be her friend!

Various Songs From Lissy Trullie:
Boy Boy
Ready For The Floor [Hot Chip Cover]

Be her friend!

Labels: Emo's, Retrospective