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SXSW tuneage and ATX goodness
Oh SXSW… we meet again. You, delectably raucous and mad. Me, grimy sweat cementing my already-sticky bangs to my forehead and glowing with a giant musical smile on my face. You always offer too much fun and so little time, and the rare opportunity to glimpse our musical heroes trekking the dusty downtown streets alongside us on their way to the next big show. You bring us the best of the best, an ever-evolving (and impossible to follow) lineup of bleeding-edgers and lauded mainstays. We’re glad you’re back… we’re just steadying ourselves for your onslaught of awesome.
Excited about all of this SXSW hullabaloo? Want to delve into our carefully curated playlist of bands you may not have heard before but will be rocking your world come two weeks from now? Coming in from out of town (or are a hardy ATXer yourself) and need a little advice on the best Austin has to offer? Yes, yes… and YES!
Go no further. Scope our excellent Spotify playlist of exciting artists playing the fest this year AND pin your little heart away with our SXSW + ATX Pinterest board. You’re welcome.
Onsale this week! Delta Spirit, Kenny Loggins, The Yardbirds, Clutch and more
February 20th – 26th
SHOWS, glorious shows. When you fall out of the habit of getting your butt out the door to go see some bands then life goes downhill pretty durn quickly. Word of advice: Go to more shows! And we’re here to help… scope the upcoming onsales this week:
Belly Up - Solana Beach, CA
Delta Spirit 5/14 (onsale 2/21)
Kenny Loggins 6/28 (onsale 2/22)
Saxon Pub – Austin, TX
James McMurtry 3/10 (onsale 2/20)
Ian Moore 3/11 (onsale 2/20)
Patrice Pike 3/31 (onsale 2/20)
Trees - Dallas, TX
Fear Factory 5/2 (onsale 2/24)
TRAPT 5/9 (onsale 2/24)
In This Moment 5/14 (onsale 2/24)
Houston Beerathon - Houston, TX
3/31 (onsale 2/20)
SPACE - Evanston, IL
The Yardbirds 4/19 (onsale 2/24)
Claudia Schmidt & Sally Rogers 5/13 (onsale 2/24)
Water Street Music Hall - Rochester, NY
Nick Dean 4/18 (onsale 2/21)
Clutch 4/18 (onsale 2/24)
And don’t forget to playlist it up with these solid Spotify playlists, some of our favorites ’round the FGT office these days:
Top 500 Tracks of the 2000s by Pitchfork
SXSW 2012 by Austin Bloggy Limits
Aquarium Drunkard presents Dreams With Girls by Rhino Records
Frosty Holiday Mixup Listening
We listen to music. A lot. I mean, that’s kind of our JOB. So we couldn’t resist putting together a collection of songs that put us in the Christmas/Hannukah/Kwanzaa/et al mood. It’s chock full of cheer and sparkly fun, with a healthy dose of holiday cynicism. You’ll heart it, we’re sure.
So take off that Vince Guaraldi Charlie Brown Christmas tape and slap on this smooth-groovin’ Spotify playlist of semi-holiday tuneage and CRANK IT. Mom, Dad, Grandma, Grandpa and even stodgy Aunt Pat will dig the holiday radness by the likes of The Flaming Lips, Gary Glitter, The Swell Season, Galaxie 500, Eels, Animal Collective, Ra Ra Riot, The Kinks and more.
We christen it “Frosty Holiday Mixup”! (psst… click one one of the links to open the playlist in Spotify)
Turkey Day Listening
You get together with the fam, cook up a big bird, gorge on cheesy casseroles and sweet, sticky desserts and perhaps watch a little pigskin… this incredible day of awesomeness is called THANKSGIVING.
In the spirit of Turkey Day (or Tofurkey Day or Lasagna Day.,. or WHATEVER you eat on this day) we’ve put together a few little ditties we like to call our… Turkey Day Listening Playlist.
Listen, marvel at the songs specifically curated for your eager ears and share it with your friends! Share it with your Mom and Pop, that guy on the corner that asks for beer money and your creepy landlord cat lady!
Ohio Players – “Jive Turkey”
Thanksgiving – “Welcome Nowhere”
Drive-By Truckers – “The Thanksgiving Filter”
Johnny Cash – “Thanks A Lot”
Tom Waits – “November”
John Lennon – “Cold Turkey”
Jefferson Airplane – “Wild Turkey”
Belle & Sebastian – “Family Tree”
The Ruby Suns – “Cranberry”
Beck – “Nicotine and Gravy”
Ian Brown – “The Gravy Train” Nightmares on Wax remix
Sister Sledge – “We Are Family”
Spotify Playlist: Upcoming Shows 11/10
AND here we go… our next installment of the Shows This Week Preview 11/14 Spotify Playlist is up and rockin’. Some of these tracks you may have heard of and already love, and some may be new tasty finds. Take a listen, explore a little… pass it on for more ears to consume!
We’re featuring artists that are performing in the coming week or two (that Front Gate Tickets is ticketing). For more information on when and where these artists are playing simply click the artist name. To listen to the playlist on Spotify, click any of the numerous links in this blog post and it will shoot you right over to the Spotify playlist. It’s a gem, this playlist.
LISTEN > SHARE > REPEAT.
White Ghost Shivers – “Too Damn Old”
Deer Tick – “Let’s All Go to the Bar”
Boris – “Party Boy”
Holy Ghost! – “Some Children”
Black Lips – “Modern Art”
Heartless Bastards – “Sway”
The Jayhawks – “Waiting for the Sun”
Little Scream – “Cannons”
Rebirth Brass Band – “The Dilemma”
The Octopus Project – “Truck”
The Joy Formidable – “Whirring”
The Knux – “I See Stars”
Yip Deceiver – “Obnoxia”
Plaid – “Unbank”
Halloweeny
“To be or not to be”… While Hamlet would be a pretty rad costume, I doubt your friends would recognize you as the esteemed prince and not the drunken, trust fund-sanctified ‘back-to-school’ conqueror (and who cares if they did?). But hey, don’t let that deter your dreams of impressing all your buds with a costume for the ages (or more appropriately, the weekend). Wanna ensure that your costume is a smashing success this All Hallows’ Eve? Here are some outfit inspiration ideas centered on everyone’s FAVE topic around here: music.
Robert Plant
Some say he’s the greatest front man to ever grace the stage; some say he should’ve worn more clothes (or should have at least covered some of that chest hair spillage). Either way, portraying Plant circa-1970 will undoubtedly raise eyebrows amidst of a gaggle of ghouls and gals. Now don’t go busting out off-key Led Zeppelin renditions to every poor soul within earshot, but if you have the physique to pull of this character of characters, we urge you to “Ramble On”!
Particulars:
- Curly wig
- Tight blue jeans
- Necklace (think vintage)
- Retro long sleeve shirt (unbuttoned, see below)
- Chest hair (a must!)
Rick Astley
If you have ever been “Rickrolled” (which more or less includes every online user), you’re definitely familiar with the genuine ginger, Rick Astley. While his angelic sound never took off (screw you, Huey Lewis and the News), his presence lingers in our hearts and minds to this day. Part your hair and get ready to administer a little “rickrolling” yourself!
Particulars:
- Red Wig
- Blazer
- Pleated Khaki pants
- Colorful polo (horizontal stripes)
- Amplified sound
TLC (T-Boz, Left Eye or Chilli)
In the endless pursuit for a suitable mate, so many took on the “No Scrubs” mantra, made popular by 90s RnB act TLC. When these three hit the scene, we didn’t know how to respond, but hoped they would show pity on us lesser beings. With spunk, charm and wit, they taught us not to compromise and to take charge of our own lives (cue the tears!). To immortalize their ever-influential career, grab a couple of sultry shirtless fellas and rock the original girl band style (sorry Destiny’s Child)!
Particulars:
- Colorful sports bra (accentuated with sequins, glitter, etc.)
- Baggy pants (see above)
- Beauty accessories (hairspray, nail polish, etc.)
- Stilettos (Pumps. In. The. Club.)
Okay, maybe our costume ideas aren’t the BEST you’ve ever heard, but we hope this at least kickstarts your costume creativity with a little musical musing. Now, go forth and pillage your neighborhood Goodwill/Salvation Army! We’ll leave you with some sounds that are sure to put your in the Halloween spirit…
*Playlist and blog created by Richard R. the intern
New Releases of Note 10/25
This week is a whopper of a release week. There are SCADS of great albums that were let loose today. This installment of New Releases of Note is chock full ‘o radness, from prog-electro mainstays Justice to sweetly quirky She & Him and every minute genre in between. Don’t forget to watch/listen to the YouTube playlist including tracks from all of these artist’s new releases below! Read on…
(this is by no means a comprehensive list of releases)
Justice – “Audio Video Disco”, Oct. 24
They’re so proggy, those Justice guys. This newest album takes their slight prog leanings to the next level, downright conjuring 70s geniuses Yes and Queen, but with a good does of dance punk groove. Not as bombastic and catchy as their last, but intriguingly disco-infused and remarkably (and pretty pleasurably) cheesy. An interesting listen… prepare your dancin’ shoes.
She & Him – “A Very She & Him Christmas”,Oct. 24
You either love her voice, or you just don’t. It’s not traditional sounding but it’s her own and she rocks it pretty darn well. M. Ward’s addition of excellent composition and precise instrumentation, providing the aural landscape for her smooth croons, are icing on the cake. This album reworks old favorites into their own cheery yet sedate blend of indie wonder… a soon-to-be holiday staple.
Tom Waits – “Bad As Me”, Oct. 21
Tom Waits is just a genius. His gravely Grandpa voice is absolutely striking, and on this first album of studio material since 2006, he sounds especially and gleefully unhinged. The album is mainly populated with love songs, as difficult as that may be to discern from the tone of some of them. Just as many of his albums are absolutely essential, this one is just as important as anything he’s put out to date. He’s a ramshackle romantic with a deep, dark bent… and this album couldn’t be more enjoyable. A Waits standard.
The Beets – “Let The Poison Out”, Oct. 24
They tour the US in a station wagon and they draw their album covers exclusively in crayons… say hi to The Beets. They’re garage rock personified, off-kilter harmonies and clunky drums throughout. You can never really tell where they’re going with their songs, but you’re into the sound anyway. Reminiscent of another Hardly Art signing, Fergus & Geronimo, The Beets take on a Moldy Peaches-vibe, charming their ramshackle way into your indie-lovin’ hearts. A great top-down driving jam!
And… some more (click each link to listen to a track):
Coldplay – “Mylo Xyloto”
Deer Tick – “Divine Providence”
Dntel – “Life is Full of Possibilities”
Jedi Mind Tricks – “Violence Begets Violence”
Russian Circles – “Batu”
The Owls – “Lights Off”
Kathleen Edwards – “Wapusk”
Spotify Playlist feat. War on Drugs, Wild Flag, Scott H. Biram, Das Racist and more
Ding ding ding! Round three of our Upcoming Shows Prevew Spotify Playlist go-round is ready for your eager ears. We’re really digging this mix of bands and sounds… we just ticket SO many rad shows. Check it out, let us know what you think and distribute amongst your music-lovin’ cohorts.
The tracks on this playlist feature artists that are performing in the coming week or two (that Front Gate Tickets is ticketing). For more information on when and where these artists are playing simply click the artist name. To listen to the playlist on Spotify, click any of the numerous links in this blog post and it will shoot you right over to the Spotify playlist. Or don’t… but then you would miss out on some kickin’ tracks that have been painstakingly placed in beautiful order for your listening pleasure.
LISTEN > SHARE > REPEAT.
The Drums – “Money”
The War on Drugs – “Brother”
The Donkeys – “Don’t Know Who We Are”
Maria Taylor – “Master Plan”
The Lemonheads – “Dawn Can’t Decide”
Manchester Orchestra – “Plain Black Eye”
Male Bonding – “Weird Feelings”
Wild Flag – “Boom”
North Mississippi Allstars – “This A’Way”
Scott H. Biram – “Still Drunk, Still Crazy, Still Blue”
We Were Promised Jetpacks -”Short Bursts”
Beats Antique – “Alto”
Das Racist – “Shut Up, Man” feat. El-P
Murs – “Silly Girl” feat. Joe Scudda
