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

Top 5 shows this weekend: Red White & Blue Ball, Adi Fest, Hard Proof, Quiet Company

Local music reigns this weekend in our first preview of the summer. Besides the fun and relaxed Red, White and Blue Ball Saturday featuring a ton of great bands there are a few good shows Friday to consider. Veteran Austin music writer, pr guy, promoter and all around nice guy Adi Anand celebrates his birthday with a rare show by All My Friends, an LCD Soundsystem tribute band. Hard Proof returns to Hotel Vegas for a night of funky Afrobeat and Quiet Company headline an all-star local lineup at the ND that includes Examiner favorite... continue reading at Examiner.com

Weekend music preview: 5 Austin shows you should know about...and see live

Even though summer does not officially begin until June 20, considering the temperatures and plethora of hot shows coming up we are going to go ahead and call it summer in Austin now. See our list to learn about five live music performances you should know about this weekend. Ok, so the shows actually start tonight (Wednesday) but there is a little something for everyone; Jamaicanmusic, Alt-country, Latin and electronic sounds are all represented in our preview. We even got the scoop on a special guest at Friday's Austin Music Volume 12 CD release... continue reading at Examiner.com

Live music review: A sublime Michael Kiwanuka Austin City Limits TV taping

Monday evening at ACL Live at The Moody Theater Austin City Limits producer Terry Lickona appeared more excited about introducing the artist than he usually is. The performer, Michael Kiwanuka made a splash at SXSW last March for good reason. The Ugandan born Englishman is a natural singer-songwriter who has an incredible voice. He is also skilled at guitar, as his performance Monday evening proved. Lickona admitted to recently... Continue reading at Examiner.com

Los Amigos Invisibles bring Venezuelan Latin electro-dance-acid-jazz fusion to Austin

Jose Luis Pardo (aka DJ Afro) after Los Amigos Invisibles set at The Belmont

When Los Amigos Invisibles’ Jose Luis Pardo (aka DJ Afro) talks about visiting Austin he claims it is one of the few spots in the country where music fans are open to hearing new sounds.  Venezuela’s Grammy-winning act certainly qualifies as far as unique sounds go. 

The band was given a boost by....  Continue reading at MSN Music

The Avett Brothers impress in Austin

AUSTIN, Texas – Since selling out 5,600-seat Whitewater Amphitheater in New Braunfels, Texas, last year The Avett Brothers have been busy playing larger venues on their epic current tour which kicked off last February. On Friday evening, the folk-rock act returned to Central Texas with an impressive supporting lineup at the Austin360 Amphitheater at the Circuit of Americas Raceway. Set list rarities, “Stand By Me” and traditional cover “Just a Closer Walk with Thee,” were played to the delight of their faithful fans, some of whom traveled from out of state to attend the show. The fans' eager anticipation of The Avetts was... Continue reading at MSN Music