“Mark is pumped about moving to Austin,” says KGSR boss Scott Gillmore. “We did a nationwide search (for Jody Denberg’s replacement) and really loved Mark’s background.” Abuzzahab was also previously with WOXY in Cincinnati, when it was a “real” radio station and not just Internet-only. He was named music director of the year in the AAA format in 2008 by the FMQB trade publication.

Abuzzahab, a 1995 graduate of Ithaca College, will start his job as KGSR’s music director and afternoon drive DJ on Feb. 22.

“Jody was like an auteur director.” says Gillmore. “He had his own vision. There’s been a slight change in the direction at KGSR (since Denberg’s departure in December and move to 93.3 on the FM dial). Our commitment to local music is still strong. You’re still going to hear Slaid Cleaves and Patty Griffin, but you’re also going to hear Phoenix and Spoon.”

And Alanis Morissette. Lots of Alanis Morissette.

In other KGSR news, the popular Blues On the Green free concert series will move back to Zilker Park this year after a season at Waterloo while work was being done on “improving” the Zilker lawn.

Initial board members include musician Wiley Koepp, who launched the now 22,000-strong Facebook group, attorney and political consultant Reid Nelson and Momo’s owner and chair of the Live Music Task Force Paul Oveisi.

“We want to preserve the ethos that makes the Cactus Cafe what it is today and help it build upon its well-earned reputation in a way that allows greater opportunity for students in managing and performing in the club,” said Koepp in a statement.

The Friends of the Cactus Cafe aim to protect the Cactus through a four-point plan, revealed during their Saturday meeting, that focuses on preserving the venue while also opening it up for greater student access.

The news comes as supporters of the Cactus Cafe, the University of Texas and student leadership are engaged in a spirited debate over the listening room’s future, with student leaders planning to submit a plan that would keep the room open — but managed by a student committee, and not longtime manager Griff Luneberg.

SXSW2010: The Minutes

In this first of a series of 20 interviews with bands coming to South by Southwest, we meet the Minutes, from Dublin, Ireland. The young trio, whose members go by their initials M.A., T.C. and S.K. are coming to Austin with a brand new album, “Marcata,” and hope to find U.S. distribution, among other goals. It’s a driving rock album that sounds a little more like Kings of Leon than Led Zeppelin, though the band probably wishes it was the other way around.

1. What steps did you have to go through to play South by Southwest? We applied thru’ sonicbids. Actually we almost missed the deadline because we were in the studio at the time with no laptop or Internet.

2. You recorded your most recent LP in upstate New York. Why did you choose that studio and what was the experience like?

We chose Marcata Recording based on a few different factors. Firstly we wanted to track the record live to tape. We had an idea of the sound we wanted in our head . ‘Brown’ was a word that had been bandied about. Referring to that sound of all those great records from the Beatles and the Stones to old blues stuff like Robert Johnson & Sonny Boy Williamson, right back to Dylan & the Band and ending in Zeppelin/The Who/Fleetwood Mac et a . That’s the sound we wanted. The studio is in a barn near New Paltz. Away from distraction and Dublin. America was calling. Its where we needed to be.

3. In recent years, Ireland’s participation at SXSW has grown tremendously. What have you heard about SXSW from other Irish bands?

Well two of us Minutes have first hand experience. We attended back in 2004 with an old band. It was a different story then . Not as much exposure for the Irish showcase as there is now. Also we were young and naive with only one show booked which was what it was. So this time at least we have an idea of what to expect. Plus the Irish crew have really gotten their (act) together. There’s definitely a lot more promo for us Irish than before. They’ve a dedicated website for all the Irish acts attending, a nice promo CD & two showcases for all the acts involved. Feedback from other bands had been pretty much to play as many shows as possible. Which we will.

4. How much is it going to cost the band to come to Austin?

A lot . All in all about $5,000. That’s flights , CD manufacturing and some PR, too. Although Music From Ireland, a government funded agency, gives us a grant towards flights of around $1600. Which is helpful.

5. There has been a great affinity for Texas music in Ireland, with such acts as Nanci Griffith and Townes Van Zandt enjoying great success on the Emerald Isle. Why do you think this is?

I think Ireland’s ballad and folk music history has a big connection with American country music. Maybe that’s why the bond has resonated thru with more modern artists. A lot of the same themes pop up. Lost loves, loneliness and some good old drinking songs. We all love a good cry when we’re drunk.

6. What do you hope to achieve by playing SXSW?

We’d love to secure a US release for the album and get In with some US bookers. The USA is where we wanna be. So hopefully we can make something happen. Tour Tour Tour Tour & get on the US festival scene. Its the only way. And we’re more than ready.

7. This year artist wristbands will allow you to attend panels, previously only available to badge-holders. But there are all these great day parties going on. Which do you think you’ll attend more?

We’d much rather play parties than attend the panels or attend parties.There are some panels we’ve penciled in, but if possible It would suit to let the music do the talking.

8. Are the Minutes playing any day parties?

HELL yes we are playing day parties. The wheres and such TBC. Keep an eye on the myspace. Soon as they’re confirmed they’ll be up. All i can say right now is watch out for Paddys Day . Its gonna be special!

9. Are there any sites in Austin you are looking forward to visiting? Apparently Barton Springs has the hottest chicks In town. We may have to pop down and try out some of the Oirish charm…

10. Bono’s not going to read this. How is he really considered in the Irish rock scene?

Personally I don’t really care about U2 or Bono. I’m not a fan. I appreciate what they have achieved and earned thru sheer hard work. I think that’s what a lot of bands in Ireland respect. And just in case Bono IS reading this, we are free to open for you ‘aul lads on your next tour.

• SXSW side parties
• Full SXSW coverage

According to witnesses, Friday and Saturday night were utterly jammed, one in and one out for most of the night for the shows headlined by Woven Bones Friday and Harlem Saturday.

— It was a last minute show that didn’t get the promotion it deserved, but former(?) Lungfish frontman Daniel Higgs played an extraordinary set at the acoustically-excellent Bethell Hall Saturday afternoon. Texas minimalist synth composer J.D Emmanuel, playing his first live set in decades, opened the show, followed by a storm of drifty electronic clouds from Christelle Gualdi, a.k.a. Stellar Om Source.

Higgs, having car trouble, was outside of Austin for his opening acts, but rolled in and hit the stage like a hip-hop star. (All I could think of was a DJ screaming, “Daniel Higgs is 20 minutes away! Daniel Higgs is 10 minutes away! Daniel Higgs is in the building!”)

About ten minutes after Gualdi ended, Higgs rolled up with banjo and harmonium, wearing traditional Higgs wear of a dark suit and massive beard and a pair of mirrored sunglasses he might as well have stolen from Axl Rose in 1987.

Asked if he wanted amplification, he let out a yell to test the acoustics, which were terrific, and declined.

His solo work has focused on acoustic improvisations and loosely constructed patterns, the lyrics surreal juxtapositions chocked with natural, biological and religious images, much like his work with Lungfish.

The first song, “Holy Bible Time,” featured his voice and a harmonium droning one chord, yet he managed to give the chorus a sticky riff, something too many Austin rock bands have clean forgotten how to do. He also appended the song with a few verses from a song from a the Star Trek original series episode “The Way To Eden (“where I first learned the scriptures,” I think he said).

Another piece freatured a “free singing” section during which the audience was invited to collaborate. They declined, sadly.

So, yeah, in sum, as far as freak folk/acid folk/new weird America/etc., there is Daniel Higgs and then there is everyone else. The end.

Psychedelic pop band Yeasayer came out of nowhere in 2007 with “All Hour Cymbals,” a dystopic affair recalling the Talking Heads’ “Remain in Light” and other Brian Eno-infused work. Similar to Vampire Weekend, the debut was so strong that it wasn’t unreasonable to think the band would just fade away after exhausting their best material.Songs such as “2080” and “Sunrise” were both catchy and forward-thinking; to duplicate these would be a challenge.

It seems the band felt something similar to this as well, as the first thing that stands out about “Odd Blood” is its change in direction. The dark, haunting core that defined “Cymbals” is replaced with a distinctively brighter vision. “Ambling Alp,” while staying faithful to the band’s tendency toward layered synth effects and rhythmic experimentation, is notably different with its feel good chorus, “stick up for yourself son, never mind what anybody else does.” Similarly, the companion tracks “O.N.E.” and “ONE” seize upon a dance pop sound that locates them closer to contemporaries like Cut Copy than the Talking Heads. While “Odd Blood” might not win as many new fans as the debut, it represents a big leap forward in the band’s development.

Yeasayer have two shows scheduled — April 10 and 11 — at the Parish. Tickets are $15 in advance, $17 at the door. www.theparishaustin.com.

Three stages will be found in the Hole in the Wall, with one stage each behind Cream Vintage and Terra Burger, and a further two stages set up outdoors on San Antonio St. Highlights include the Crystal Method, Alejandro Escovedo, Lions, the Black and White Years, L.A.X., Ben Kweller, and above all else a DJ set from Motley Crüe drummer Tommy Lee. Yes, that is apparently a thing that is happening.

Tickets go on sale from Ticketfly tomorrow. Current confirmed artists are after the jump, and keep your eyes peeled to our SXSW side parties list to keep tabs on party announcements both official and unofficial.

Just last month NPR Music offered up a slice of brand-new Spoon early, streaming their entire album “Transference” a full week before its release, and now they’ve got another full-length album for your listening pleasure from another critically acclaimed batch of Austinites.

This time around, it’s the new album from from Shearwater, the earnest and aspiring outfit fronted by thoughtful, examining bird and nature enthusiast Jonathan Meiburg. NPR is streaming “The Golden Archipelago” in its entirety for a limited time ahead of the album’s digital release Tuesday, Feb. 16 and physical release Feb. 23.

NPR recommends giving the album a listen “without interruption and on headphones, if possible,” and that’s fair advice — the third of a triptych of thematically linked albums, it’s a grand, intricate work deserving of a special level of attention.

Read it here.

The show is only the second to be announced at the new Backyard, which is slated to open sometime this spring. Willie Nelson’s annual Fourth of July picnic is also scheduled to take place at the new venue, which is currently under construction.

Tickets go on sale Saturday, Feb. 13.

Save for Matador Records signees and certifiable buzz act Harlem, dark fuzz rock trio Woven Bones might have a higher profile than any other band on “Casual Victim Pile,” with a writeup on popular music blog Stereogum and a debut album due on Chicago’s HoZac Records in May. The band’s putting the finishing touches on the record, which vocalist and guitarist Andy Burr says mines more accessible territory than the band’s previous releases.

“There’s been some maturing over the last year as far as hooks and stuff are concerned,” Burr says. “It’ll have some sort of semblance of a pop sensibility, which we wanted. Although it’s not bubblegum in any respect.”

The band was relatively new to Austin when they flew onto the radar of Cosloy, who attended several of the band’s shows and approached them about contributing to “Casual Victim Pile.” At the time, Woven Bones were steadily releasing 7-inch singles, and offered Cosloy use of one of the unreleased songs they’d recorded for those sessions. For Burr, the appeal of “Casual Victim Pile” had everything to do with the opportunity to work with Cosloy.

“He’s such a big fan of a lot of bands around town and goes out and sees them all the time. He’ll come to our show, and be like, ‘As soon as you guys are done I’m going to see this and this and this,’ ” Burr says. “For us it was way less of an ‘Oh my gosh, we’re going to be on Matador’ thing and more a ‘Oh, god, Gerard is such a cool dude and we could be involved on something he’s doing’ thing.”

“As one of three faculty members on the Union Board, I would like to comment on the total lack of input on this decision from Board faculty. All three of us were absent during last Friday’s decision (the item was not explicit on the distributed agenda), and our voices should have been crucial to any decision. I know that at least two of us are frequent attendees to Cactus concerts — and have been for several decades. I join your voices in objecting to this hasty decision made with little input from those who actually benefit from the many joys the Cactus Cafe provides.”

Dr. Garza, an associate professor at UT’s Department of Slavic and Eurasian Studies, could not be reached for further comment Friday morning.

Yesterday evening the Union board’s student members released a statement that said they didn’t vote on the Cactus phaseout.

Meanwhile, here’s some interesting reading from 16 years ago, when beleagured University Unions head Andy Smith led the charge for privatization of food services in the Texas Union.

Here’s the official announcement.

“The board members in attendance did review and support the proposal after careful consideration, but did not vote,” reads the statement. “… The student members of the board expressed support for management’s decision to repurpose the Cactus Cafe and cancel informal classes effective August 2010. The student members respect and appreciate the Cactus Cafe and what it has meant to the UT and Austin communities. The room, however, will go back into the room inventory, and student organizations will be able to reserve and utilize the room for their own performances and programs.”

The statement reiterates that the student members of the union board endorsed — but otherwise had no active role in — the decision, made by Wm. Andrew Smith Jr., executive director of University Unions, and his staff. Student Government President Liam O’Rourke said late Thursday, after the statement was released, that there are no plans to alter or modify the room itself. While the immediate plan for the Cactus Cafe is to include it in the inventory of rooms available for student use, O’Rourke said, student leadership is planning to develop a plan that will keep the space music-oriented. What direction that will be, however, is still up for discussion.

“We’re very committed to keeping it primarily a music venue,” O’Rourke said. “The union board supported the management decision to address the operational issues to meet budget needs, but we have not come up with procedures, rules, or plans for the room just yet. We wanted it to be a space for student musicians and performances.

“The big change will be that the people setting the agenda for the room will be primarily students.”

You can view the full statement here.

Update: SaveTheCactusCafe.org, the official Web site of the now 20,000-strong Facebook group, will hold an informational meeting tomorrow, Saturday Feb. 6, from 2 to 4 p.m. at Maria’s Taco X-Press. Organizers plan to “provide the background to the planned closing of the Cactus Cafe, announce a plan for saving the legendary listening room and enlist volunteers to begin organizing and mobilizing to urge the university to reverse its decision.”

The article is rife with anonymous sources and does not include any quotes from Mary Bruton or Burnett, who both declined to comment. It also doesn’t mention where court papers were filed.

Having researched in preparation to interview Burnett for this story, I can attest that T-Bone has erroneously compared Bad Blake’s career to that of Bruton’s. Stephen Bruton never drove 300 miles in a rusted out Suburban to play dives. But he knew people who did and was fascinated by them. Bruton hadn’t touched drugs or alcohol for the last 20 years of his life. In advising actor Jeff Bridges, who was never more than ten feet away from Bruton during the filming, Bruton no doubt drew on his experiences with Kris Kristofferson, Billy Joe Shaver and Lowell George.

In the interview with Burnett, I was impressed that he gave Bruton the majority of credit for “Crazy Heart“‘s music. Bruton would’ve love what’s happening now with his movie. It’s a shame that, at a time when Austin’s silver fox is finally receiving his due as a songwriter and musician, this bit of ugliness has to surface.

(Pictured: The Gary. David Weaver FOR AMERICAN-STATESMAN)

FRIDAY

Joseph Arthur at the Cactus Cafe. ‘El Prolifico’ released four EPs and his eighth studio album in 2008, but you can do that when, as the Ohio native Arthur, you’re a recovering alcoholic and all of a sudden the days are four times as long. Since this gig is without his somewhat sloppy Lonely Astronauts band, we can hope for more songs from his great 2000 album ‘Come To Where I’m From.’ Arthur returns to the Cactus on Saturday. 8:30 p.m. $20. 2247 Guadalupe St. utexas.edu/txunion. — Michael Corcoran

Also recommended:

• Jerry Jeff Walker at the One World Theater
• Moonlight Towers at the Hole In the Wall
• Graham Wilkinson, Drew Smith’s Lonely Choir at the Continental Club
• Alec Ounsworth at Emo’s
• Casual Victim Pile bands at Beerland

SATURDAY

The Gary CD release at the Scoot Inn. The Gary is primed to have a very big 2010. After releasing a sensational EP of blue-collar, irony-free rock with 2009’s ‘Chub,’ the Austin trio returns with the charging, nine-song debut album ‘Logan.’ It’s an impressive first album that builds on all the strengths that made ‘Chub’ so headbang-worthy, and the band celebrates its release on CD — it’s been available digitally since December — at the appropriately straightforward charm of the Scoot Inn. 9 p.m. $5. 1308 E. Fourth St. www.scoot-inn.com. — Patrick Caldwell

Also recommended:

• Casual Victim Pile bands at Beerland
• I Luv Video 25th Anniversary with the Diagonals
• Ghost Knife at the United States Art Authority
• Bowerbirds at the Mohawk
• the Dirty Dozen Brass Band at Stubb’s

SUNDAY Bells of Joy at Stubb’s Austin’s greatest gospel group, whose 1951 single ‘Let’s Talk About Jesus’ was cited by Ray Charles as the inspiration for ‘I Got a Woman,’ no longer has the great A.C. Littlefield on vocals, but it can still wreck a house. Two seatings at this Gospel Brunch are 11 a.m. and 1 p.m. Call 480-8341, ext 4, for reservations. 801 Red River St. www.stubbsaustin.com. — M.C.

Also recommended:

• McLemore Avenue at Ruta Maya
• Brennen Leigh at Threadgill’s South