Year in Music 2008

I shot video at most of the shows I went to in 2008, so I thought I'd make a compilation of some highlights. There are three things that I realized by looking at the videos:

1. I have gotten pretty good at finagling decent positioning at most shows
2. Bald guys tend to stand in front of me
3. I LOVE living in Austin. I am so inspired by the talented and creative people that I have seen over the past year, and I am honored that many of them are my friends.

The video is 16 minutes, so if you've got a little time to kill, I'd love it if you'd take a look. Features Wilco, Son Volt, Old 97's, Ben Folds, Fastball, Spoon, Okkervil River, Kanye West, Nick Lowe, Jon Dee Graham, Paul Minor, Mario Matteoli, Andrew Duplantis, Lil Capn Travis, Vampire Weekend, Swell Season, M. Ward, Foo Fighters, Brent Adair, Neal Mehta, Phil Dutra, Carrie Rodriguez, Summer Wardrobe, the Steps, the Mother Truckers, Future Clouds and Radar, Hayes Carll... and more!

Have a Happy New Year!

BTW, the new Texas Music magazine is on sale now with writers' picks for top TX CDs of the year. Here are my picks, all of whom are represented in the video:

Old 97's - Blame It On Gravity
Brent Adair - Ostrich
Hayes Carrl - Trouble in Mind
Okkervil River - The Stand Ins
The Steps - The Steps

Brent's Super-Fantastic CD Release Party

Brent Adair released his new CD Ostrich with a big shindig at Momo's on May 31, 2008. Friends and family were out in full force to support Brent on this superb effort. Backed by some of Austin's most talented musicians, Brent's songs took on new depth and texture. The band included John Leon (Summer Wardrobe) on pedal steel, Derek Morris (Fastball) on keyboards, drummer Jeff Botta (54 Seconds), and John Thomasson (Patrice Pike, Juliana Hatfield, David Garza) on bass.

Great music, great fun, and a great CD. Congrats, Brent!




Cotton Gin




Sunshine





Untied




Inside Me




Time Away

Lil Capn Travis, Continental Club, May 31, 2008

Christian Braafladt returns to Austin. That's good news for LCT fans. More shows! Welcome back, Christian.

Gary Newcomb Trio opened the show with a CD Release Party. Sorry I was unable to attend it, but Congrats to Gary! Looking forward to listening.

Old 97's, Waterloo Records, May 16, 2008

The Old 97's treated Austin to an intimate, in-store performance Friday evening at Waterloo Records. There was a capacity crowd, and Rhett and the boys played songs old and new. They just released a new CD, Blame it on Gravity, this week. Although they won't be playing a full show in Austin this weekend (they were just here for SXSW), Rhett said they would be back for the Austin City Limits Festival. But I don't remember seeing them on the lineup. Here's hoping that Rhett wasn't just toying with us!

Waterloo does an excellent job at these events, free beer and great shows. Thanks to John Kunz and his staff for the things they do to support Austin music.


Afterward the band lingered around to sign autographs, kiss babies, and chat with fans.





Dance With Me


My Two Feet


The One


Question


Time Bomb



Oh, and coincidentally, Brent Adair's CD Ostrich is on sale, right inside the door to the left, and right under the Old 97's. As the shelf marker says, AAAAAAAAAAAA. Get yours now!

So, I didn't make it to a full week of live music, it was more like 5 out of 7. I missed Tuesday and Thursday, just wasn't anything that compelling. But, I'll be going out to hear live music throughout the summer, so keep checking in.

Brent, Neal & Mike, Sarah at Quacks

Fun night at Quack's, very family-friendly. The kids outnumbered adults. I think the artists need to add Wheels on the Bus or Itsy Bitsy Spider to their sets.

By the way, check out the excellent review Brent got in the Chronicle for his new CD Ostrich! CD Release Party on May 31st at Momo's, details at www.myspace.com/brentadairmusic.








Brent throws in a little Wilco. That makes me happy.


Mabry and Carlos fire up the mosh pit.


Neal Mehta and Mike Dorrien - Pendulum



Sarah Sharp and her lovely family. It was too dark in the room to get good video on my camera, but Sarah has a beautiful voice and some great songs!

Wilco - Stubbs - 2nd Night 5/12/08

Another amazing show. My favorite additions to the set were Box Full of Letters, California Stars (accompanied by members of opening band Retribution Gospel), and Monday.

Tweedy was less complimentary to the audience tonight, but only tongue-in-cheek. He started out by saying that the people who didn't come the night before were smarter than those who did, then he switched it around realizing he just pissed off his hardcore fans, then ended up by saying that everyone was dumb.

He also commented that they had stayed at the same hotel as Karl Rove. "I haven't been that close to evil in a while."

My Wilco withdrawal is beginning. But, my week of music continues. I must find something for tonight, Wed night will be local acts at Quacks, Neal Mehta, Brent Adair, and Sarah Sharp.





Box Full of Letters


Hummingbird


Shot in the Arm


Jesus, etc.


I'm the Man Who Loves You

Wilco - Stubbs - 1st Night 5/11/08

It was a beautiful night in Austin, as Wilco took the stage at Stubb's for the first of a two-night stand. The set list covered their entire career, bringing songs from A.M. through their recent Sky Blue Sky. My favorites included Jesus, Etc., Hate It Here, Heavy Metal Drummer, Outta Mind Outta Site, Misunderstood, Shot in the Arm, I'm the Man Who Loves You, and a rousing Kidsmoke to end the first encore. OK, I have a lot of favorites.

Tweedy had rare, yet choice, comments for the Austin crowd. He said that Austin audiences were the best, and they tell that to lots of audiences, but usually they lie. But, Austin is really the best. "Austin knows how to make a band feel special. Austin knows how to make a band feel pretty." Then later, after a perfectly executed hand-clap, Tweedy declared, "Austin, you are superior in every way." OK, we're suckers for those kinds of compliments, but we'll take them.

Looking forward to more of the same...yet different...tomorrow night.







Misunderstood


Hate It Here

Week of Live Music Starts with Lonesome Heroes CD Release Party

As my summer break begins, I kick off what hopes to be a week of live music. Last night, I went to the Scoot Inn on 4th and Navasota to the CD release party for Lonesome Heroes. I had not seen them before, but had been planning to go to their Wed. night residency at Hole in the Wall after having read the Chronicle article about them. The article got my interest because 1) it just sounded like a good time; and 2) Jeff Johnston was pictured with them. Yes, Jeff Johnston is also in Lonesome Heroes, and I know that anything that Jeff associates with has to be good. The CD release was fun, but a steamy, humid night made for frizzy hair and sweaty bods. Lonesome Heroes have a great country sound, male and female lead vocals that reminded me a little of Mother Truckers, and some really interesting instrumentation with xylophone, accordion, violinist. Oh, and a nice touch, their limited edition CD cases are all hand-carved in wood.




Lil Capn Travis followed featuring, you guessed it, Jeff Johnston. The group has been playing sporadic gigs and side projects since Christian Braafladt left town. But, to the joy of LCT fans everywhere, it was announced that Christian would indeed be moving back to Austin, in time for a May 31st gig at the Continental Club.



Next up this week, two perfect nights with Wilco, Tuesday is open, Wed will include the Neal Mehtafest at Quacks on 38th featuring Brent Adair and Sarah Sharp. Thurs is also open and Friday will wrap things up with the Old 97s instore appearance at Waterloo Records.