Home > Austin Music Source > Archives > 2007 > November > 01
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Weekend Picks: MIA, Reggae en espanol, witty songwriters and many flavors of Fun Fun Fun
Friday: Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit, Cracker at the Mohawk. Former Drive By Truckers guitarist and songwriter Jason Isbell takes the stage at the Mohawk with his band the 400 Unit. The band’s 2007 debut album, ‘Sirens of the Ditch,’ smolders with southern rock intensity like on ‘Drop That Weapon.’ Isbell can pen some wispy, tear-jerker ballads as well, so expect a set with more mood swings than Lindsey Lohan. Nineties alt-rockers Cracker headline. $13 (plus svc charges) Early show, doors at 7 p.m. —Brandon Cobb
Friday: 2nd Annual Rock ‘n’ Roll Dia at La Zona Rosa. METV’s Sonido Boombox hosts a celebration of Latino music and culture in honor of the Day of the Dead, the traditional Mexican celebration of All Souls and All Saint’s days observed at the beginning of November. This year’s concert is headlined by the B-Side Players a San Diego-based seven-piece outfit that won my heart with just 12 bars of the ridiculously infectious “reggae en espanol” in “Nuestras Demandas,” the first track on their MySpace page. Also performing are the Salvador Santana Band, Cipes and the People and Kanko, the new project from Brian Ramos, ex-frontman of Grupo Fantasma. $8 —Deborah Sengupta Stith
Saturday-Sunday: Fun Fun Fun Fest at Waterloo Park. Last year, Fun Fun Fun was the little festival that could, a one-day punk ‘n’ hipster bash that featured everyone from indie darling Spoon to oddballs Quintron and Miss Pussycat to a version of hardcore-punk oldsters Negative Approach. This year, expect more of a regular festival, including seven food vendors with vegetarian options and the sort of vendors you might expect to see on, say, North Loop: record stores and vintage clothing. And for bands, promoter Graham Williams was able to fly in several higher profile underground acts, including the influential-yet-rarely-touring punk veterans Neurosis and a reunited Murder City Devils, who have been gone for years. Also playing are local heroes Explosions in the Sky, guitar-pop sensations the New Pornographers and mega-hip DJ Diplo. READ MORE 2-day pass $54, 1-day pass $30-$35. —Joe Gross
» Fun Fun Fun Fest after-parties
Saturday: Zookeeper at the Parish. Zookeeper, the latest project from Chris Simpson, formerly of Mineral and The Gloria Record, celebrates its CD release party. Imagine Bob Dylan writing songs for and playing with Pavement, and you start to get a sense of what this completely unpretentious and wildly enjoyable band of indie folk poppers is all about. —Matthew Odam
Saturday:: Red Elvises at the Continental Club. The Red Elvises have been playing some of the weirdest rockabilly this side of Moscow for over fifteen years now. Founded in 1995 by political refugees Igor Yuzov and Oleg Bernov, the Elvises combine Elvis Presley’s panache and showmanship with Dick Dale’s fingers and Yakov Smirnoff’s accent. $15. —B.C.
Saturday: Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Antone’s. Internationally renowned as one of New Orleans’ finest exports, the Dirty Dozen, established in 1977, are credited with shaking up the traditional NOLA brass sound with elements of funk and bebop. They’ve recorded with everyone from Chuck D to Joss Stone. Their latest, released in 2006 on the anniversary of the Katrina disaster, is a timely reinterpretation of Marvin Gaye’s “What’s Going On.” Expect rich, multidimensional arrangements and heartfelt soul. $18-$20 —D.S.
Saturday: M.I.A. at Hogg Auditorium. Mathangi ‘Maya’ Arulpragasam’s 2007 album ‘Kala’ will probably end up on a host of year-end lists. People are still talking about her heady mix of grime hip-hop, raga, electro and funk that was a smash at ACL fest. With the Cool Kids. $25. — Joe Gross
Saturday: MIA afterparty with DJ Low B at the Whisky Bar. On his MySpace page, Philly-based DJ Low B aka Low Budget declares himself “not a rave DJ.” He carved a name for himself as half of the eclectic and wildly popular DJ duo Hollertronix (Diplo’s the other half). Currently on tour backing MIA, he’ll be rocking the Whisky Bar with DJ Digg (TMC) after the show at Hogg Auditorium. No word on whether or not Maya herself will show up. Cover unspecified. —D.S.
Sunday: Fun Fun Fun Fest Afterparty at the Beauty Bar. Hosted by Mad Decent (Diplo’s label), this throwdown at the Beauty Bar includes appearances from Baltimore club music up-and-comer DJ Blaqstarr, local hipster hero Prince Klassen and L.A.’s Franki Chan plus a surprise special guest. Expect the club to pack to capacity early and the dance floor to stay hot all night long. Cover unspecified. —D.S.
Smashing Pumpkins concert rescheduled
Austin fans of the Smashing Pumpkins will have to wait 11 more days for their Billy Corgan fix.
Friday’s Smashing Pumpkins concert at the Backyard has been rescheduled for Nov. 13. Tickets for Friday’s show will be honored at the door on that day.
Accoridng to SmashingPumpkins.com, drummer Jimmy Chamberlin was admitted to a hospital Oct. 29 after experiencing some chest discomfort.
For refunds, please contact GetTix at 1-866-443-8849. Refunds will be granted until Jan. 31. For more information, visit thebackyard.net.
Some excellent rock music you can see tonight
Clockcleaner. Tonight at Beerland.
One of the standout acts of this year’s SXSW and straight out of Philadelphia, Clockcleaner makes aggressive, often obnoxious rock that recalls such ’80s noise merchants as Big Black, Scratch Acid and the Brainbombs. Watch out for flying flour.
With headliner and garage rock savant Jay Reatard, new-school thrashers Evil Army, melodic punks the Young and flailers the Lost Controls.
Boy howdy, I’m looking forward to this show.
$10 at the door.
I have been told by Beerland folks that the show will kick off a little early, around 9:30 p.m., what with all the bands playing.
That address again: Beerland, 711 Red River St. 479-7625.
See you there.
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Is SXSW cracking down?
Some booking agents are becoming a tad unglued at revised language in the SXSW contract. To wit:
Exclusivity: Invited acts agree to the following:
A. Artist will not perform any other public shows in Austin between
March 12-16, 2008. Public shows are defined as
1) Shows that charge admission to the general public
2) Shows advertised in any media available to the general public.
3) Shows that occur between 7 p.m. and 2 a.m.
B. Artists agree that their official SXSW showcase is their first
priority, and to not undermine the success or inhibit attendance at
their showcase by accepting invitations for an excessive number of other
performances.
C. Artist agrees to notify SXSW of any and all other performances during
SXSW so SXSW can avoid scheduling conflicts.
SXSW music director Brent Grulke clarifies:
“It’s essentially the same policy that it’s always been, but we wanted to make it very clear,” Grulke said Wednesday. “It’s obviously an ongoing concern. What we want from the acts is that their SXSW showcase be the one that the primary devotion of time and resources is put toward. But the policy hasn’t changed. We just tried to make it more prominent.”
