Houston Live Music Calendar

Thurs 1/28: Yo La Tengo @ Warehouse Live
Sat 1/30: Bill Maher @ Cullen Performance Hall

Tues 2/16: Cowboy Mouth @ HOB
Thurs 2/18: Soul Rebels Brass Band @ Continental Club
Sat 2/20: Gov't Mule @ HOB
Mon 2/22: Jay-Z @ Toyota Center
Tues 2/23: Akron/Family @ Walter's
Sat 2/27: Tegan & Sara @ Warehouse Live

Tues 3/02: Dropkick Murphy's @ Warehouse Live
Sat 3/06: John Mayer & Michael Franti @ Toyota Center
Thurs 3/11: David Gray @ Verizon Wireless
Tues 3/16: Rogue Wave @ Warehouse Live
Tues 3/16: Cymbals Eat Guitars @ Mango's
Fri 3/19: The Beach Boys @ Jones Hall
Sat 3/20: Miike Snow @ Meridian
Sat 3/20: Black Rebel Motorcycle Club @ HOB
Mon 3/22: Vivian Girls @ The Mink

Wed 4/07: The Big Pink & A Place To Bury Strangers @ Warehouse Live
Fri 4/09: Yeasayer @ HOB
Sun 4/11: Camera Obscura @ Warehouse Live
Fri 4/16: Owl City @ Verizon Wireless
Fri 4/23: Beach House @ Walter's

Sun 5/02: Dr. Dog & Deer Tick @ Warehouse Live
Wed 5/05: Norah Jones @ Verizon Wireless

They Ain't No Dodo's

I cannot stop listening to The Dodo's...after listening to their first album, "Visiter", I was hooked....but then when their sophomore LP, "Time To Die", was released, I knew two songs in that it was going to be on constant replay. The vocals are similar to those of Beirut, but without the symphonic flair....the lone guitar is powerful...the kiddie piano (just like the one I had when I was little) adds a unique sound that is familiar...and the creative use of other instruments makes you want to hear two more minutes of a song that's already six!

The Dodo's will be stopping by Houston's Orange Show on Saturday, October 3rd...and I cannot wait!

Check out their track "Fools" from the first album...

Upcoming Houston Concerts

Here are some of the shows on my radar...there are lots, so look closely!

July:
Thurs 7/09: Major Lazor @ Escobar

Tues 7/14: Pete Yorn @ Meridian

Mon 7/27: Reel Big Fish @ Warehouse Live (c'mon you know you wanna go back to your ska days)

Wed 7/22: Coldplay @ Woodlands

August:
Sat 8/01: Counting Crows @ Sam Houston Race Track

Sat 8/01: Dr. John @ Discovery Green Park

Sun 8/02: De La Soul @ HOB

Tue 8/04: Atmosphere @ Warehouse Live

Sat & Sun 8/8&9: Free Press Summer Fest @ Tinsley Park (Broken Social Scene, Of Montreal, Explosions in the Sky, What Made Milwaukee Famous, Octopus Project)

Sat 8/08: Green Day/ Franz Ferdinand @ Toyota Center
Fri 8/14: Bowerbirds @ Walter's

Sun 8/16: Los Campesinos! @ Warehouse Live

Fri 8/21: Rebirth Brass Band @ Warehouse Live

Sun 8/30: Peter Bjorn & John w/ Depeche Mode @ Woodlands

September:
Thu 9/03: Fruit Bats @ Walter's

Sat 9/05: Paolo Nutini w/ Anya Marina @ Warehouse Live

Fri 9/25: Ra Ra Riot @ Warehouse Live

The Houston Social Scene is Broken by Explosions in the Sky

What?? That sounds serious....well my friends, it is.

Rewind back to February, when I anxiously awaited seeing the musical mega masterpiece that is Broken Social Scene....I talked about it for months. Only to be taken down by half of a bottle of Sweet Tea Vodka as Kevin Drew took the stage....then woke up at 6 the next morning with a frantic, "What the hell happened???" I've been bummed out since the blackout, because I never do that for a show and also made the man friend bail with me....but really folks, he was the STV enabler.

Yeah...I barely remember this...

A half of a year has passed since the incident, I've become very experienced with the Sweet Tea Vodka, and Broken Social Scene are coming back to Houston on August 8th!!!! It's a two-day festival hosted by Free Press Houston on Buffalo Bayou near downtown...and the ticket prices are 10 measly bucks a day! Accompanying the Canadian supergroup for this weekend of awesomeness will be Of Montreal, The Octopus Project, What Made Milwakee Famous (I did!! ...jokes, jokes), and Austin's own Explosions in the Sky!


I highly recommend that you go, drink your Sweet Tea Vodka cautiously, and party your sweaty lil bayou butt off!



Tickets and info at: http://freepresssummerfest.com/

If a chair would be sent down from Heaven...

....I have a feeling that it would look something like this....

During our family trip to the beach for Easter my parents brought some new beach chairs. Mom was super excited about it since there was a cooler and could be carried like a backpack. I was intrigued and after beach-testing it, noticed many more key features of this superior seating situation.

- Backpack...you can bring other stuff and/or ride a bike with it without any problems.

- Cup Holder....sure, for some of us two would be ideal....or if one was a koozie...but this works well.

- Built-in Cooler....it holds enough cans to get ya started.

-Storage space...big enough for a blanket, snacks, books...

-Cell phone holder...self explanatory, but it keeps your gadgets separate and easy to find after you've broken into the goodies from the cooler.

- Four different settings....you can sit up and be attentive, lay it back to catch some rays, even more to relax, or if you're crazy, all the way back to the last notch to take a siesta.

This little invention is going to make us the most comfortable jazz festers out there. Can't wait to put it to use.

You can find this amaaaaazing chair at Sam's....it might even be worth getting a membership.

ACL Ticket Update

Still wondering why I had not yet received an email mentioning the ticket sales for ACL 2009, I went on to the site before 10am for my advanced purchase. The prices were higher than last year, even for the early birds....and the first tier had already sold out. What was left? $160 weekend pass....that's more than twice what I paid for a weekend at Pitchfork. I was still in contemplation mode until 10:48am, an entire 48 minutes after the tickets went on sale, I received an email from ACL saying, "TICKETS ON SALE NOW!" Seriously?? C'mon ACL, at least give your loyal festivallers a heads up!!

At 10:49am, I decided that I will not be in attendance at Zilker Park this year. My hard earned cash will go to Jazz, P4K, and Voodoo Fests!!

ACL Fest Tickets On Sale Tomorrow!

For all of you loyal ACL festivallers who have been wondering, "When the HECK is ACL going to put the passes on sale???" Well fine folks, your question has finally been answered. With extremely little notice, the tickets will go on sale TOMORROW! This is for the early bird pricing...although I'm not exactly what that even entails. I suppose they wanted the early birds to also be the www.aclfestival.com site stalkers since no emails were sent out to those of us on the dist list.

What's better than a SXSW Platinum badge? Two music-loving diamonds in the rough!!

This weekend's invasion of Austin and SXSW-crashing by the man friend and I was quite a success!! I am going share my insider tips of the trade, even though they were completely
accidental...everything just happened upon us! We saw the best bands, drank the best drinks, ate the best food, and we did it ridiculously cheap. I'll give you the play-by-play...introduce you to some newly coined terms...and teach you some lessons. Keep in mind that these learnings can be leveraged for use at other festivals and the like.

Friday, March 20th

We start the day by getting our game plan together, looking at the bike routes, and hitting Highway 290 all the way to Austin...listening to the tunes of Yo La Tengo (no they weren't playing at the fest...but we're getting excited about Pitchfork Fest over the summer).

We rolled into the north side of the city to the 29th Street park entrance to the bike trail. This trail follows Shoal Creek all the way to Towne Lake. Parking lot, check...signs along the path leading us in the right direction, check...hip waders to traverse the creek with my bike, damn I forgot those! Good thing I was a tom boy when I was young...my stone steppin' abilities definitely came into play. Fifteen minutes later, we were cruisin' down 4th Street in the midst of the festival. After the bikes were well secured, we wandered into Cedar Street for the Filter Magazine's free daytime party...we didn't recognize any bands on the list until later in the afternoon so we got our wristband and walked around to find sustenance and cold beer. We hiked up Congress to Hickory Street for their $3 pints, unlimited salad/baked potato/sundae bar, and delicious philly cheesesteak!

Tip #1: Individually wrapped cornbreads from the salad bar fit well into a backpack for drunken noshing.
Tip #2: Bring a backpack...it doesn't get checked....ANYWHERE. And personal water bottles for that matter...

We paid our tab just in time to mosey back to Cedar Street for the Late of the Pier and Razorlight shows. LOTP was a British electro group and creepily entertaining to watch. The lead singer gets bonus points for his mid-song fight with the bouncer and return to the mic/guitar promptly after taking some swings. Razorlight also put on a good show...but after a couple of stiff drinks we knew it was time to finally check into our hotel.

Late of the Pier

Razorlight

Tip #3: Go to a Specs Liquor Store (before 9pm) and pick up your clear liquor of choice, a couple of bottles of your mixer, and a bottle of water. Drink some of the mixer, pour in your desired amount of booze, drink the water, then pour the rest of the booze in the water bottle. This should be adequate for getting two people tipsy.

Tip #4: Park by Shoal Creek/10th Street and walk or bike to the fest...it's easy!!

After our trip to Specs and such, we parked by Shoal Creek and made the short walk back to Cedar Street for Canada's Bedouin Soundclash, Peter Bjorn & John, and Grizzly Bear. We had great views from our free sidewalk location...sippin' on some Coke Zero (w/ Cruzan rum) and eating taco's from the Casa Del Fuego...it was magical. Bedouin put on a terrific show...they had horns and brought me back to my ska days.



Then the old SXSW officials started cracking down on the growing sidewalk audience. The cops even laughed at how they couldn't do anything, but we moved out of the way and onto the street. What made me more pissed than anything was seeing those of us who really wanted to hear the band being pushed into the street and people in the douchebadge line who couldn't care less saying things like "Ha...look at all these people without badges" accompanied by a smirk no less. This is when we started using the term, Douchebadge = one who has money for a badge but unworthy of actually putting it to use. This jerk was stuck on the street with the rest of us, but in a line. Which leads me to the next tip...

Tip #5: Badges are useless unless they are free and platinum...and don't even think about buying a wristband, it's a waste of your money. SXSW is a caste system...higher rankings get first priority. It's not worth it.

Peter Bjorn and John didn't play a single thing from their last album and only a few of the new songs are actually decent. Some of the new stuff is a lot darker...and not as enjoyable. The bottle of rum was gone by this point so we ventured back to our hotel to eat the cornbread reserves and rest up for day two.

Day one was definitely a success! We saw a couple of celebs....the people watching was just unreal!

Saturday, March 21st

This day wasn't even going to happen. We had tickets to see Andrew Bird at the Houston HOB that night, but after seeing that Explosions in the Sky were playing a free show, we had make the gametime call to stay for another night. (Thank you Nikole for watching Mallory at the last minute!)

With a slight looming hangover, I had to get my head (and stomach) right for another full day of musical madness! This required a visit to Kerbey Lane Cafe before even thinking about heading to downtown. We dined on huge pancakes (their's are quite possibly the best I've ever had), omelets (mine was roasted chicken with verde salsa, the MF had his stuffed with cheese, homefries, and other good things)...but the two bloody mary's saved my life. KLC makes theirs with a spicy infused vodka that gets your game face back on. It was time to park the car and bike it back down to get in line for Rachael Ray's party at Maggie Mae's!

Tip #6: Eat at Kerbey Lane Cafe on Kerbey Lane...its wonderful! I want to go to there...again....soon.

Our plans were put to a halt when we saw the line for the buzzworthy event was wrapped way way way way around the block. Hell no! The Blind Pig is the pub next door, it has an open rooftop which is next to the open rooftop at Maggie Mae's and there wasn't much of anything going on there...hmmm...no brainer! We envisioned hours of sitting above 6th Street watching the SXSVesters (these are cool cats with black vests...the coolest of which do not even need a shirt under the vest. It's usually accompanied by some sort of stylish hat. Indie fashion icons before my eyes!), drink some beers in the sun, and listen to the bands as they play next door. This didn't play so well in our favor once bands started jamming on our rooftop. So much for eavesdropping...we needed another plan. With four hours of liquid courage in me and upon hearing one of the MF's favorite bands start their set, I looked at him and said..."alright, lets jump the fence". With a huge grin on his face (and I'm sure he was shocked and proud of me for actually breaking the rules...not to mention on the second story of a building) he handed me his bag and jumped in to the 30 Minute Mealer's bash...all the while, having his foot on my finger while making the climb. Thankfully it wasn't broken! An old man looked me in the eye and told me to "please be careful", then I made the hop to the other side. Our two friends were also successful...one had a war wound, a pulled leg muscle, but that's just the price you pay to sneak into a free party to watch The Hold Steady! They put on a rockin' set!! The crowd was dancing, singing along, drinking heavily...it really was magical and we were right by the stage. Rachael Ray came out to thank everyone at the end...and we left through the front door. It felt great to be a rebel!!

Tip #7: Have NO shame in being resourceful! Use your surroundings and the weaknesses of others to do whatcha gotta do. Any wall can be climbed if no one is looking, any door man can be bought for at least $20, and no one looks at the picture on the badge.

Tip #8: Don't park your bike on a motorized gate...I lost a brake. It's a bad decision...don't do it.

Our drunken bike ride from Maggie Mae's to the free shows on Lady Bird Lake took no time at all...and just as the rest of the weekend occurred, we accidentally ended up in all of the right places at the right time. Perhaps the music gods were with us...and we were definitely worthy of it. We parked our bikes at the bike valet, which I've never heard of, but am I huge fan of now. Bike valets should be present at more places, because it was a very efficient and safe way to store your bike.

Tip #9: Keep your water bottle inside of your bag. They don't check, and if they don't see it, then you don't need to empty it out.

We were STARVING! With all of the fence hopping, we didn't get the free yumm-O grub from RR's shindig....so we spotted a BBQ trailer and made a B-line towards it. The trailer was made out of wood, so it had to be legit, right? After obtaining an order of BBQ nachos (yea...you read that correctly), a pulled pork sammich, and two overpriced daiquiris, we headed to the stage...and walked directly in front. Done and done! With only one act before Explosions in the Sky took the stage, we were holding our ground till showtime!

Eryka Badu and her new beatmakers, The Cannabinoids, opened for EITS and they were pretty good. Eryka Badu was late due to some stalker complications...got boo'd...and sang a couple of songs. Nothing to really write about...it was, meh.

Then, magic happened. The humble and brilliant members of Explosions in the Sky walked on stage. They looked completely shocked at how many people were there (I still have no idea how large the crowd was...but I would say thousands!)...they took their instruments and made their beautiful music right before my eyes. The set list, the Austin skyline in the background, the weather, the intensity with which they performed, the expressions on everyone's faces, the person I was able to experience it with....were all nothing less than perfect. Then, perfection was surpassed....during the last song, while listening to EITS...there were actually explosions in the sky! I'm referring to the awe-inspiring surprise fireworks display across the lake from the stage. There were no words to describe...it was the most stunning thing I've ever experienced and I didn't want it to end. I've looked forward to seeing them for so long...and to see them for free, up-close, in Austin, and with a fireworks display...it's still unbelievable. I'm so glad that we stayed to be a part of that.

After the bike ride back to the car, the only thing I could do was listen to more Explosions, eat some ice cream and put myself to bed. I was overwhelmed and spent from the most spontaneous and enjoyable days on record. I can't wait for 2010!!

Tip #10: The Arboretum area isn't far from downtown and is much cheaper. Besides, you don't have to deal with all of that traffic on I-35! But if you do have a place to stay downtown...I highly recommend that instead, of course. Also, Courtyard by Marriott has a pretty tasty continental breakfast, and it's free on the weekends. MMMmmm...waffles shaped like Texas.

NOTE: CHECK BACK! I'M GOING TO PUT UP VIDS, PICS AND MORE TIPS!!!

Guess who is going to SXSW...

Yours truly...well I'm going to crash SXSW. Perhaps one day I will be cool enough to get my hands on a press wristband, but pass or no pass I have to go...and I am. I've done my research and found free day shows that do not require the highly coveted wristband, RSVP'd for parties, and looked into the tricks of the veterans to this yearly mecca for geeks and hipsters. I fall somewhere in the middle of the two...okay fine, closer to the geek end of the spectrum...but I'm okay with that.

I haven't done a music report in a while so here are some artists that I'm loving and who are performing this year. Caution, this could cause you to go into music overload. I'm completely expecting this to be a monkeys wedding.

• School of Seven Bells
• Ida Maria - I thoroughly enjoy her song "I Like You So Much Better When You're Naked".
• M. Ward - I've been a fan since I first listened to Chinese Translation from his last album, Post War. He took a brief break from the solo scene and teamed up with Zooey Deschanel to form the duo, She & Him. Now he's back on his own, with a little background vocal help from Zooey D, with Hold Time.
• Winter Gloves - This video is remarkable.
• Delta Spirit - I saw these guys open for Dr. Dog in Houston and at ACL. They're getting a lot of recognition! During the song Trashcan, they actually play one.
• Human Highway
• Meiko - She opened for Josh Radin and I thought she was adorable. I loved her lyrics and she has a great voice.
• Ladyhawke - She's from New Zealand....it's better than Old Zealand.
• Heartless Bastards
• The Avett Brothers - They're from North Carolina and keep true to their roots. I love the song If It's The Beaches. Looking forward to catching them at Jazz Fest too.
• Peter Bjorn & John - No description needed...they had us at "Young Folks" a couple of years ago.
• Glasvegas - They have a chick drummer and their from Scotland!
• Cold War Kids - Free show!!
• Army Navy - Nope, nothing to do with the military.
• Grizzy Bear - They are amazing and the new album leaked early...and it rocks. Their video on Blogotheque.net is like indie acapella.
• Two Hours Traffic - So I like some poppy stuff...it happens on occasion.
• Aqualung - I will always have a special place in my heart for him.
• N.A.S.A. - Nope, not the space shuttle people...it stands for North America South America and it represents the nation of electronica.
• Datarock
• Passion Pit - I LOVE THIS SONG!!!
• Women - Not a single one in the band...
• Matt & Kim - The ENTIRE album is fun!! Daylight is their first single.
• The Pains of Being Pure at Heart
• The Soft Pack
• Handsome Furs
• Bedouin Soundclash
• Loney Dear
• The Bird & the Bee - Their last album is poppy and I loved it. The new single is buzz worthy.
• Au Revoir Simone - Nope...not from France. They're from Brooklyn and they make beautiful music.
• Explosions in the Sky - FREE SHOW!!!
• The Octopus Project - They have a therapin, and they're not afraid to use it!
• Jonathan Tyler & the Northern Lights - Saw them open for O.A.R. last year and they outperformed the main act.
• The Little Ones
• Ra Ra Riot - I absolutely adore this band!!! The lyrics are amazing, they are super nice guys, and put on a ridiculous live performance!!! Listen, listen...listen!
• The Spinto Band - Oh Mandy!! Can't get tired of it!
• Wintersleep - One of my favorite albums of 2008...and of course they're Canadian. Canada is putting out some sweet sounds. I love the Weighty Ghost!

I hope my festivalling buddy is ready....let the music festivals begin!!

Romance During a Recession

It's definitely possible...and something that should be done regardless of the economic state of the world. I happen to think that the best dates are those that are frugal...it's more personal, you can have more of them, and always carefree!! But then again, maybe that's just my preference...my dream dates consist of picnics, kite flying, and marshmallow roasting...so if you're high maintenance, this may not make you feel any better.

After a brief brainstorming session, here are a few ideas:

• Have a picnic - Make some sandwiches, grab a bargain bottle of wine or some beer, some snacks....you won't have to worry about tipping a rude waiter or valeting your car. Houston's Hermann Park is gorgeous and you might even catch a free performance at the Miller Outdoor Theater. It appears to be very romantic...
• Get going - Go for a bike ride, go for a walk through the Arboretum, play a set of tennis, go bowling (although now Houston has ridiculous upscale alleys...ehem, 300, cough), toss around the Frisbee or the football...it's good for you and it's fun!
• Dinner and a movie at the casa - You and your date could make dinner together at half the cost of what you would pay in the restaurant and put your culinary creativity to use. Then stay on your cozy sofa and watch a movie....you're not going to get asked to leave in the event that you decided to make out, and you can always hit pause. You know...if that's your thing....just sayin'.
• Get your culture on - Head to a museum. I love museums and both New Orleans and Houston have an abundance of quality museums. They are free on Thursday in Houston and if you're a student you get discounts. Personal fave is the Menil Collection in Montrose, it's always free and has some astounding artwork.
• Be thrifty together - Head to the local thrift shop and explore. You never know what you might find...could be useful, could be funky, and you might even hit the jackpot.
• Mmmm Smores - Look for a nearby campground and spend a weekend under the stars, sitting by the campfire and roasting marshmallows. During the day you can explore the natural surroundings or those of the nearest town.
• Rock on - The Miller Outdoor Theater has many many free concerts, but most are symphony showcases. If you prefer to jam and Uncle Ticketmaster has you pissed off with all of his 'convenience charges', not to worry, we've got options. Walter's on Washington and Rudyard's both play host to many upcoming bands and both venues are dirt cheap. These bands usually perform in-store at Cactus Music (http://www.myspace.com/cactusmv) earlier in the day.

Got any ideas? Post 'em...I'd love to hear more.

BBD in the 713?

I just saw this in the Houston Press:

"MLK Day and Obama Pre-Inauguration Concert" with Bell Biv Devoe, Keith Sweat

Bell Biv DeVoe were pioneers of a style of music called new jack swing, which combined smooth rapping over sweet R&B beats. But the genre was more than just a type of music; it was part of a late '80s/early '90s zeitgeist. Largely ignoring the cultural turmoil of the time (the Rodney King incident, the AIDS epidemic), new jack swing was a feel-good movement, incorporating music, television (The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air, In Living Color) and fresh new street styles (ill-fitting parachute pants, flat-top hair). (Yes, kids, that was the golden age.) Relive this - and your past fashion mis-steps - with Bell Biv DeVoe this Sunday at the Arena Theater, when Ricky Bell, Michael Bivins and Ronnie DeVoe perform hits like "Poison," "Do Me!" and "She's Dope!"Arena Theatre7326 S. West Fwy Houston, TX

If Kid & Play and/or Boyz II Men would be there, I would sport my "Heights for Obama" shirt and represent regardless of the fact that I would stick out like sore thumb. It's all about Change right??

Music Report

I've been listening to WAY too much terrific music lately. It spans many different indie sub-genres...many of which probably just have made up names, but never fail to make you look like a connoisseur. So feel free to use them to impress your friends, family and frienemies.


I have to start at the top though...I cannot stop listening to this album, and I find myself slightly sad that the songs have to end....so then I just hit repeat. If you haven't been introduced to Bon Iver, you're welcome. This would fall under the indie folk group and the story behind the album "For Emma, Forever Ago" is almost as intriguing as the nine tracks it consists of. When pronounced correctly, bohn eevair, means "good winter" in French...probably due to the fact that most of the album was recorded in a secluded cabin in Wisconsin where Justin Vernon spent three months after a breakup with his girlfriend. The entire album is amazing, but my two favs are "Skinny Love" and "Re: Stacks". Check out their live stuff: http://www.pitchforkmedia.com/article/download/47132-video-bon-iver-skinny-love-live-in-minneapolis

• Fleet Foxes also fall into the indie folk group and they describe their music as "baroque harmonic pop jams"....and as conflicting as the description may be, it works. The harmonies are amazing and this Seattle group's self-titled LP is at the top of all of the 2008 Best Of charts. "White Winter Hymnal" started my addiction....
• Snow Patrol...we all know about my Gary Lightbody obsession and how I've raved about him since 2004. No one wanted to listen to me though...not until they were featured on Grey's Anatomy. Which had me worried and not so excited about "A Hundred Million Suns" being released last year. I had this awful feeling that they were going to sell out to make the cash money, but they didn't. This album is magnificent and I reminiscent of their earlier days, which I thoroughly enjoyed! The whole thing is stellar and it's refreshing to hear more upbeat tracks...because Gary does deserve to be happy. But with the last track "The Lightening Strike", they are definitely not going to thaw out any time soon!
• M83 is a French electronic group belonging to the shoegazing genre...wiki dat. I stumbled upon M83 during 2005...it was a Pontiac commercial and in the background was this music that I needed to hear more of. So of course I had to go straight to trusty Google for "Song in Pontiac Commerical"...there it was..."Don't Save Us from the Flames". Great track! Their newest release "Saturdays = Youth" is also receiving lots of great reviews and they are touring with The Killers throughout the US. Fingers crossed that I'll catch them in Austin next month!!
• Deerhunter is a group from the ATL and is the masterpiece of frontman Bradford Cox. I was fortunate to see them perform in New Orleans at One Eyed Jacks in December...and it was a religious experience....well except for the stupid kids who decided to mosh at the show. Really? Who moshes outside of a 311 concert? Regardless if they fall under the oxymoron of a genre, ambient punk (huh?)....don't mosh, it'll only get you made fun of by the band...and that's never a good thing. I digress...the albums "Cryptograms" and their latest "Microcastle" are amazingly amazing. It's unlike anything I've ever heard and I've heard a lot....once you hear "Nothing Ever Happened" and it's 5 minutes of awesome guitar solos, you'll understand where I'm comin' from.
• Other recs: She & Him (Zooey Deschanel & M. Ward...fantastic), the new Killers album, Ra Ra Riot, Stars EP "Sad Robot", Coldplay's "Glass of Water" from the "Prospekt's March" EP, Animal Collective "Merriweather Post Pavilion"....

As a bonus for reading this installment, you get a few movie recs. Oh goodie! The Curious Case of Benjamin Button is a beautiful movie! If you were a fan of Forrest Gump and if you have any love for the great city of New Orleans (or Brad Pitt/Cate Blanchett), I HIGHLY recommend this movie...but bring your endurance and some tissues. Slumdog Millionaire is up for lots of awards, which means that I desperately needed to see it before the awards season begins. I didn't really know what it was about going in...and it was extremely entertaining. Great flick!! A fellow Arcade Fire junkie and I watched their "Mirrior Noir" documentary a few weeks ago....if you've seen them live or want to, download it and enjoy!

Big Little Live Music Weekend at the Continental Club

This weekend, the stage at Houston's Continental Club will be blessed with the performances of two amazing bands.  Friday night New Orleans' own Big Sam's Funky Nation will be jammin' out with their funky selves and Saturday night, Jonathan Tyler and the Northern Lights will take the stage.  These are two of my favorite surprise opening acts of 2008.  

I caught Big Sam for the first time in the middle of the day at the New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival, Jazz Fest to those in the know, and it was Dance Party USA.  In August, I had to drag some friends to see them at the Continental Club...and I had to drag those same friends out of the bar because they were having way too much fun!!  I also took my little brother to see them at the Blue Nile on Frenchman Street in NOLA, and he had a blast.  There were even random trumpet players coming into the club from off of the street to jam out on stage.  Big Sam looks is always stylin' and profilin' while dancin' around in his sunglasses, and playing the trombone...and the rest of the band definitely knows how to get funky!  If you're up for gettin' your dance on this Friday, that's the place to be.  I'm always a fan of hearing music from my beloved New Orleans in Houston!

Speaking of getting your dance on....Jonathan Tyler and crew are also a must-see at the Main Street venue.  I caught these guys before the O.A.R. show at Warehouse Live in April and was blown away by their performance.  We purchased their CD and its fun and funky....if you're a fan of anything with a steel guitar and you're a jammer...then you will most definitely dig these guys.  They will be opening up for JJ Grey in early 2009 at several House of Blues across the south, Houston included.  The tracks "Gypsy Woman" and "She's From the Other Side" are catchy and if you can't find a way to dance to them, then you need to get some boogie shoes.

Amos Lee says, "Listen Up Houston!"

And I completely agree with him!

Last night's show at Meridian was...well...there aren't words for it. Amos Lee is truly an amazing musician. Last year I saw him at ACL and it was one of my best experiences of the weekend. Me and my fest crew were exhausted from the heat, so we found a shady spot under the trees, layed down on the grass and watched Amos from afar. We sang along and tapped our feet...and although it was perfect for a Sunday in the park, it was NOTHING compared to what I experienced last night.

Before I go into detail about the show, here's my rant. It never fails that every concert that I seem to go to in Houston (at a small venue), I'm next to the obnoxiously drunk idiots who want to talk loud while the artist is performing. If you want to do this, stick to the shows in the Woodlands, Toyota Center and Reliant. The musicians that pick the smaller venues are passionate about their music, and so are their TRUE fans...it's very disrespectful. During one of Amos' songs, he started jamming and freestyling a bit...then he said something along the lines of: I know you probably have something important to say but so do I...and how we had been cooped up inside without power so he understood the rowdiness but to listen! Awesome! Way to go Amos!!!! Seriously though, I wanted to have these people escorted...

Enough negative energy...I'm speechless about the show. He played all of his stuff...new, old, covers...and it seemed every time we would say, "What's left?", he would hit us with another one of his musical masterpieces. I think he was reading Mandy's mind because right after she said, "I really want to hear 'Arms of a Woman' and 'Shout Out Loud'!!", he played them consecutively. He mentioned that he wrote the former ballad when he was 19 years old! That just makes it even sexier!

Speaking of sexy...the man played some serious baby-makin tunes last night. Nothing like what I had heard at ACL. Apparently he likes to "get down" for the late night shows...one song damn near made me blush!! The guy who opened, Mutlu, was surprisingly entertaining. He looks like a hippy, but sounds like Stevie Wonder or Michael McDonald! The last song of his opening set was "My Cherie Amore"...and it was a quality cover. For Amos' finale, he brought Mutlu on stage to sing some funky cover about caramel and gettin' it on...yep, speechless.

After the show, I got to meet him and he was so humble and truly grateful for the support. I had him sign his very first album...what a great night!

Ike Ike Baby

Last week Houstonians and everyone else along the coast watched the approach of Ike and his cones of uncertainty. The path shifted from Houston, to Brownsville, and slowly creeped back towards the northern Texas Coast by Thursday. We all left work early to start stocking up on things, hoping that it was all for not. The hardcore Texans kept saying that we were overreacting and it wouldn't be more than a 'gust of wind' by the time it hit.

Thursday night everyone went out because of the day off of work on Friday...bars were packed and I even went to see Delta Spirit and Dr. Dog at Walter's on Washington, which was a terrific show. When they sang, "The Ark", it was especially eerie because we all knew what was coming. There was a glimpse of hope before I went to bed that night showing Ike as a Cat One at landfall...but four hours later while I was getting ready for my 12 mile run, Ike was forecasted back to a Cat 2 and maybe a 3.

Friday we gathered at Francis' for a hurricane party and to watch the feeder bands roll in. Water was rising in New Orleans and the power was out at my parents' home there...so they had to evac to downtown NOLA for some comfort. Francis and crew cooked up an amazing pre-hurricane meal...since we knew that we would be out of power for a while...complete with champagne, champagne of beers (High Life...that is), wine, pizza, duck, fried rice, guacamole, and an "Ike" cake...it was like a high-falootin' buffet! After the feast, I headed back to my place to get ready to 'hunker down'.

Speaking of 'hunkering'...I decided that it would be a good idea if every time someone said "hunker down" to drink. After champagne and hurricanes...and LOTS of mentioning of the h-word...I apparently passed out on my sofa around midnight. I woke up at 3am (on my sofa and wondering "WTF?") to loud whistling coming from the windows and front door....and no power, or water. I stayed up to watch the 100+mph winds blow through Houston...and I realized that I had never been through the eye of a storm before and that I would NEVER do it again.

The next day, once the wind had ceased around noon, the Daily Grind opened for business. Unbelievable! They were running off of a generator, providing hot coffee, good comfort food, and television to the weather weary. We ordered a couple of coffees and plates of whatever the chef decided to whip up, while chatting with others about the force of the winds and damage they had seen. It was so comforting...thank you Daily Grind, you saved my life :)

Dinner for the next couple of days consisted of grilled sandwiches, soup and Veuve champagne. I had been saving the bottle for about a year for a special occasion...this definitely was it!

Eventually Onion Creek opened back up, Memorial Park cleared the downed trees (which is pretty sad by the way) and I was able to go for a run, my power came back on, the bayous overflowed and receded, and now we are all trying to return to our blissful state of normalcy. Many friends are still without power and it is always amazing to see how people step up to take care of their loved ones in times like these. It shows that in the midst of chaos, there is a silver lining. Every report I have received from friends and family have been positive...minor damage, no power...but everyone is safe and has a home to return to. Thank goodness!

Other things to make you smile: Interstate traffic is non-existent for the time being, hot coffee and cold drinks, being forced to do nothing for a couple of days and slow down enough to spend time with friends, talking to random strangers about the storm and giving words of support, this beautiful weather that we have been seeing since Sunday...

Things will be back to normal before we know it! Until then, let me know if you need anything...

Here are some helpful post-Ike links:

Places that are open:

http://blogs.houstonpress.com/hairballs/2008/09/weve_heard_these_places_are.php

Important phone numbers:

http://www.khou.com/topstories/stories/khou080912_mp_phone_numbers.6cd1e837.html

Gas Stations (stay patient and keep your cool...we are all going through the same thing):

http://www.khou.com/gasstation/

Jack J and crew are reducing your Concert Carbon Footprint!

I thought this was a very interesting article, especially since my week has included calculating Carbon Footprints. Also, check out Rogue Wave and Mason Jennings, two of Brushfire Records' artists mentioned in the article. If Jack approves, they must be good!

By Quinn Brown
CNN
WASHINGTON (CNN) -- Don't let Jack Johnson fool you.

Tabbed as a "mellow rocker" by perhaps one too many publications, the chart-topping singer-songwriter has a fire within that belies his laid-back manner -- a fire that extends to his company, Brushfire Records, and his environmental activism.

Johnson started the record label in 2002 "as a way to put out soundtracks for surf movies we were making," he says. "Then our friends G. Love and Special Sauce were coming to the end of their record deal with another label, and the idea came up to put out their stuff."

The Hawaii-based artist -- whose latest album "Sleep Through the Static" hit No. 1 in the U.S. and sold over 2 million albums worldwide -- has continued to assemble talent. The label's roster now includes indie-rockers Rogue Wave, folk-pop musician Mason Jennings and keyboardist Money Mark.

Johnson says the record label is not driven by dollar signs.

"We never try to talk anybody into joining the label, but we just offer a lot of creative control over all their music and a fairer deal than with most other labels," he explains.

Rogue Wave frontman Zach Schwartz is one of the converts. "The music business is traditionally pretty cutthroat, nasty and evil, but [with Brushfire], it is not that way," he tells CNN. "You can make the music you want to make."

Still, even in these major-label-dominated times, artist-friendly labels aren't unusual; Dave Matthews has also attracted talent with his ATO Records. It's in making Brushfire a model of green business that Johnson and his colleagues have stood out.

As keen environmentalists, Johnson and his team have required Brushfire and its distributors to engage in earth-friendly implementations that have influenced others in the record business.

"The music is one thing, but there is this business side," says Zach Gill, a Brushfire solo artist and member of Johnson's touring band. "I think more and more businesses are saying, 'Yeah, we want to be responsible. Responsible to our employees. Responsible for the waste our company generates.' We're starting to see that a lot in all kinds of businesses, not just in music," he says.

Entertainment industry giant Universal Music Group -- the largest family of record labels in the recording industry -- has taken notice. Under Brushfire's direction, UMG uses recycled stock on all of the packaging for its releases, including movies, ensuring that the paper is as environmentally friendly as possible. Some is even made using wind power.

Moreover, Brushfire's artists have exerted their eco-influence on venues and promoters for concert tours worldwide. The tour rider, a checklist of artists' requirements at each venue, usually consists of specific brands of beer or (in one case involving Jennifer Lopez) the way the coffee is stirred. Brushfire uses an EnviroRider, a handbook of eco-friendly options and actions for various components of concert tour production.

"It gets augmented every year. What started out as suggestions are now becoming requirements [for us to play at a venue]," says Johnson.

Johnson and his management also created All At Once, a social action network that provides tools and information to people who want to become more involved in their community and worldwide. Visitors to the All At Once area at tour venues will be rewarded with exclusive music downloads by their favorite Brushfire artists. Johnson's charity, Ohana Charitable Foundation, will match any donation (up to $2,500) to nonprofits made by fans at the shows or online.

"We shrink our carbon footprint always, but we have all these nonprofit groups that we all work with," says Johnson. "Money from the shows goes to these groups and helps bolster their memberships so that after we leave the town, these groups can continue to do good things. So more than just lessening our negative [environmental] impact, it's actually leaving a positive impact [wherever we tour]," says Johnson.

Additional actions taken by Brushfire tours will include fueling tour vehicles with sustainable biodiesel, offering eco-friendly merchandise, working with venues to create waste management programs, onsite recycling and encouraging fans to use alternative transportation.

Back at home, Brushfire has adopted a similar strategy. All the power for the recording studios and the offices is generated by solar panels. Insulation is supplied by cotton from scraps of blue jeans. Energy-efficient lighting runs throughout the building. Second-hand furniture is all you will find in its offices.

The mission resonates with the other artists on the label's roster.

"For me, it's so great to be a part of the label because so many people provide information about what we can do to make it better -- touring more efficiently, biodiesel -- stuff like that," says Jennings. "I'm learning a ton being around those guys."

At bottom, the atmosphere of collaboration and common purpose is rooted in the shared love of music, says Gill.

"Music is the great synchronizer. They've become quite a wonderful community to be a part of. I feel grateful to Jack for having the idea to bring together all these like-minded people to make music together," he says.

Johnson agrees. "It's everything. It is the whole reason to play music. I learn so much from playing with these other musicians," he says.

HOUSE OF BLUES - HOUSTON

Finally!  Houston's House of Blues is set to open in October!  Concerts are starting to get booked...stay tuned!

Check out the website for more info.

Wanna know why Houston's Indie Music Scene has been lacking?

http://www.houstonpress.com/2008-07-10/news/houston-has-a-bad-reputation-with-touring-indie-bands/1

Houston Press finally wrote an extensive article on the reasons why indie bands usually skip over the Bayou City.  It's pretty long, but worth the read.  How disappointing...  I'll definitely keep doing my part by showing up at the shows, and you should do the same!

Do the Voodoo 2008

The Voodoo Music Experience lineup is out! Unlike last year, I will not miss the festivities. This is the tenth anniversary of the fest, so they are referring to it as The Tenth Ritual. Check out more online: www.thetenthritual.com


Highlights of the lineup include:

• JUST ADDED: Lil' Wayne (Hells yeah! Done and DONE!)
• Stone Temple Pilots (C'mon, what 80s baby doesn't want to see STP??)
  
• Deathcab for Cutie (yes I need to see them a third time)
• DeVotchKa
• Cold War Kids (saw them at ACL last year and loved them!)
• Lupe Fiasco (duh)
• Thievery Corporation
• Ghostland Observatory
• Joseph Arthur
• Tokyo Police Club (yay!)
• Ozomatli w/ Chali 2Na (They rocked at Jazz Fest..need to see them again!)
• Big Sam's Funky Nation (they put on a TERRIFIC SHOW)
• Grace Potter and the Nocturnals

I will be purchasing tickets for the fest.

New Orleans, October 24, 25 & 26th...why WOULDN'T you go? I'm in for getting a hotel...anyone else???

Bee-lieve in the Nawlins Hornets!!

Tonight is Game 6 in the Hornets vs. Spurs semi-finals...and I will be glued to the TV at my favorite local watering hole to cheer the bees onto victory! I'm not used to this much excitement during the spring. This is when I start counting down the days till football season begins. Lets hope this GENIUS is there! I still can't believe they took his Eva Longoria poster away after poor Frenchy Parker missed both free throws.

The Soul Rebel Brass Band has put out the Hornets "Fan Up New Orleans" theme song on their MySpace page. It's so good, that I'll probably go check them out live the next time I'm in NOLA.

The New Orleans Museum of Art (NOMA) is having a Cajun Day and Hornets Day on Saturday, May 17th. This will feature Louisiana's own Blue Dog man George Rodrigue, Hugo and the Honeybees (I know Kent will enjoy that!). Free Cajun dance lessons at 1pm and great Cajun music in the Walda Besthoff Sculpture Garden. I wish I were in town for this!

Best of luck to the Hornets tonight and I'll have my Peja on a Stick ready!