Weekend music preview: Living Color, The Sword, Quesoff III, Good Music Club Utopia Fest Special

The dog days of summer are here as indicated by the weeklong 100 degree temperatures. The local music calendar is even hotter with several highly recommended shows on tap. While Ozzy Osborne is in town with Black Sabbath, Austin has its own amazing metal act, The Sword slated to appear at Red 7. Another band that owes a debt to metal, critically acclaimed 80's rockers,Living Color are in town tonight at Emo's with Austin's Hard Proof. Daytime events Saturday include Quesoff III at The Mohawk and the Moonage Daydream Festival next door at Club de Ville. Saturday night music maven, Laurie Gallardo and... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Blitzen Trapper merge alt-country and '70s jam-band style

AUSTIN – The similarities between Austin and Portland, Ore., were not lost on Blitzen Trapper lead singer Eric Earley, who commented, “Austin is a lot like Portland, isn’t it?” The scruffy, bearded Earley, who lives in Oregon, then apologized for bringing PDX’s rainy weather with them. Apologies were hardly necessary as the seasoned alt-country veterans ran through a delightful 90-minute set at the Parish that covered material from most of.... Continue reading at MSN Music

Live music preview: Oh Snap Festival 4 stuffs lineup with Austin bands

This weekend we are abandoning our usual show preview modus operandi of listing multiple events in favor of a single festival review. Why? Our reasoning is simple. Oh Snap Festival might be the best thing that happened to Austin bands next to Free Week because they stuff the lineup with great local acts. In its fourth year, the benefit show that raises money for the Sergio Machado Memorial Scholarship at Southwestern University in Georgetown has chosen well. Headliners What Made Milwaukee Famous (WMMF) is joined by the likes of ...Continue reading at Examiner.com

Willie Nelson: Back in Austin’s Backyard

The Texas icon teams up with his Family band, Ray Benson, Leon Russell and others to celebrate the Hill Country venue’s anniversary

AUSTIN, Texas -- Legendary outlaw-country pioneer Willie Nelson was invited to headline The Backyard to mark the 20th anniversary of the venerable Austin Hill Country live music destination on Sunday. The languid, bucolic concert venue shares a long history with Nelson, who chose to host a recent benefit show for the disaster-stricken town of West, Texas, at the location. Nelson helped open the venue in 1993. Like a true outlaw, Nelson brings a formidable posse along with him to perform. Guests Ray Benson (Asleep at the Wheel), Folk Uke, Rock and Roll Hall of Famer... Continue reading at MSN Music

4th of July weekend music preview: Holy Wave, The Calm Blue Sea, Octopus Project, Folk of July Fest

The coming 4th of July holiday weekend music calendar is stuffed with goodness. From the Austin Symphony to Octopus Projects' record release, there is something for every music fan to like. Best of all, some of these events are free like the first Music Under the Star series show at the Bob Bullock Friday. Also on tap is The Calm Blue Sea (TCBS), the first Folk of July Fest featuring Whiskey Shivers, Jazz Mills and more and psych-rockers...Continue reading at Examiner.com