The Octopus Project’s ‘Memory Mirror’ Multi-sensory Menagerie…thing
The Octopus Project is a really cool, really experimental band banging around Austin. They’re described as an “indietronic” band, which, alright, that’s a thing. [...]
Live Show Reviews
Review: That time Robert Plant sang an entire show dedicated to me
I was born about 40 years too late to get on the original Led Zeppelin train, but that’s never stopped me from being a huge fan. HUGE. But because I’ll never see [...]
Review: James Blake @ The Moody Theater
Many years ago (2013) I was living in a strange and distant place (Shanghai) and heard the news that James Blake, singer of a song that still gives me chills to this day [...]
Review: Frank Turner is everything I ever want to be
I am not ashamed to admit I adore everything about Frank Turner. He’s one of the rare (perhaps only) artists I ever saw multiple times in Shanghai (twice!), so already [...]
Review: My last trip to Stubb’s, ever. For real this time.
Here’s the thing about Stubb’s: the main venue is outdoors. Inside, it’s a decent BBQ joint. Inside, it has a couple of intimate-ish performance areas with [...]
Review: Flight of the Conchords @ Bass Concert Hall
Is it harder to write 5 minutes of stand up, or a 5 minute comedy song? There’s a fairly standard rule that you need 4-6 laughs per minute in a stand-up routine in [...]
Review: Black Pistol Fire @ Emo’s
Black Pistol Fire is a banging two-man band from Austin via Toronto that just released their second (and even better than the first) album Don’t Wake the Riot (2016). [...]
Review: Florence + The Machine @ the Moody Theater
There’s no way my review of Florence + The Machine‘s most recent ACL Live taping will be unbiased or objective in any way, because Florence Welch is one of the [...]
Review: Beach House w/ The Chamanas @ the Moody Theater
Beach House is by far my favorite dream pop group (which on the surface sounds like an insult, because how many dream pop groups could one person like? Answer: a lot, so [...]
Review: Chvrches w/ Alvvays @ Stubb’s
There was a time I was really into synthpop. And yes, I’m a huge fan of The Human League and Pet Shop Boys; thanks for asking. I also loved the early 2000s synthpop [...]
Review: A Prairie Home Companion @ Bass Concert Hall
I am not ashamed to admit I love A Prairie Home Companion. LOVE IT. I’ve been listening since before I can remember because my parents love it too (we are an NPR family [...]
The ACL Roundup 2015
I went to the Austin City Limits Festival this year, despite the fact that I am not at all a festival person. But it was my first chance to go to ACL so I wasn’t going to [...]
Itchy-O at Fantastic Fest
For the past 8 days I’ve been deep into Fantastic Fest — the biggest genre film festival in the US — hosted here in Austin at the Alamo Drafthouse. [...]
Review: Kansas @ the Long Center
A couple of weeks ago I interviewed Kansas in preview of their show at the Long Center here in Austin. Obviously I listened to a bunch of their music in preparation for the [...]
Review: Brandi Carlile @ Stubb’s
Yes, Brandi Carlile killed it at Stubb’s on Saturday. She slayed it. Completely pulverized all artists before and after her at the outdoor stage. Side note: Fuuuuuuuuck the [...]
Review: Inside Sufjan Stevens (a tiny little seahorse)
Sufjan Stevens’ new album Carrie & Lowell is his best album yet, unequivocally. Yes, better than Illinois (I KNOW! I’m talking crazy here). It’s just a super good [...]
Review: Stephin Merritt + Sam Davol + Ukulele + Metronome
I feel Stephin Merritt with the passion of a thousand jilted lovers. I adore his sappy yet laugh-out-loud funny lyrics and effortlessly catchy hooks. I love his warbling bass [...]
Review: Jenny Lewis travels with balloons
I was a big Rilo Kiley fan (RIP) back in the day mostly because of Jenny Lewis.* I liked her simple, slightly twangy and talky singing style. I liked the straightforwardness [...]
Review: Strange, creative pop (aka tUnE-yArDs)
Of all three performers on for the KUTX birthday bash, I was most excited to see tUnE-yArDs. I’d heard some really good things about them live, plus, I’d been listening [...]
Review: Yes, I finally saw Shakey Graves so please stop asking
Shakey Graves is the guy everyone in Austin has a story about – how they used to see him at this tiny place back in the day that you’ve never heard of; how he totally [...]
Review: The best of Rufus Wainwright (maybe)
I think Rufus Wainwright is the artist I’ve seen perform live the most – maybe 9 or 10 times? I mean, I don’t follow him around the country or anything (yet), but if [...]
Review: Reservations (bad name, good band)
I went out last Friday to see Elaine Greer, a singer/songwriter formally of Austin who now lives in Nashville. She was hyped up to me by a friend but doesn’t get around [...]
Review: Led Zeppelin, Part 2
Now, I’m not going to come right out and say that I moved to Austin because Robert Plant lives in Austin. But I’m not not saying that, you know what I mean? [...]
Review: Old Crow Medicine Show, slightly delayed
I’m regularly amazed how fast time goes. For something that is steadfastly regular on an atomic level, it’s strange how sometimes entire weeks will fly by, like [...]
Review: Americana for the win
I’ve been pretty stingy with my pennies ever since coming Austin, partly because I’m cheap frugal, and partly because I’m ever-so-gainfully unemployed. [...]
Brass for people who don’t like brass
Have you recently heard a brass band? You know, a band with…nothing but brass. Trumpets, trombones, sousaphones, French horns, mellophones, tubas, and — if [...]
The Mongolian Invasion (less blood, more music)
Folk music has not just had a boom in the West in the past decade. It’s happened in China as well. Case in point: widely popular Mongolian/Chinese folk band Hanggai, [...]
Inoffensive indie rock
It’s always a mystery why some bands do so well and some bands never amount to anything, at least commercially speaking. Obviously things like talent, showmanship, [...]
The best tribute act ever
I am not one to diss cover bands and tribute acts. In fact, I love them. For real. It’s mostly because I like live music, and I like hearing music I like played live. [...]
Death to Shanghai (Updated)
If you’re someone who lives abroad for a significant amount of time (interns and study abroads don’t count, dude), every year you have to say goodbye to people. [...]
Smack Madness 