That’s right! Rocker Stalker brings more music to the Bar Matchles stage TONIGHT (this is an ongoing series throughout the summer, just as a heads up!). This time around, I’m happy to showcase Dan Abraham, Ellis Ashbrook, Outernational, and Stroamata!!!
You know the drill. 7pm doors, $10, 21+. Check out Rocker Stalker on Facebook and the event page!
Much love to all the supporters!
A last minute decision turned into a great one, as I flew to California for the last two days of the annual Coachella Music Festival. It had been four years since I had experiened the blistering sun that would make most situations unbearable. But luckily, the line-up took my mind off the scorching desert temperatures.
My first day out, technically the second day of the festival, April 20, started with a drive out to the desert at dawn. Depriving myself of sleep was swifty rewarded. I wandered a bit and caught Kids These Days, a Chicaogo-born hip-hop infused, rock fusion group that had the crowds awake and at full particiation. Next on my schedule was Seattle-based blues-rock guitar master, Reignwolf. To be honest, he was one big reason I decided to attend Coachella, and the trip out was worth every second of his too short of a set. The man behind the alias, Jordan Cook, never ceases to impress. Beginning solo with a guitar and kick drum, playing and singing all simultaneously, Cook aka Reignwolf made an explosive entrance with “Electric Love” and made quite the impression on the “Outdoor” stage. Welcoming his two backing-band members, he melted every already-sweaty face witnessing him with unbelivably soulful vocals, athletic stage presence, and legendary guitar playing…all while wearing his signature plaid flannel. By the end of the set, Cook was off the stage and at the frontlines of the audience, wailing away, seducing with bluesy riffs and bends, and climbing above the crowd who grabbed at him like the rockstar he is. A frozen lemonade break brought me to the Gobi tent where indie rockers Guards were finishing up their set, launching into sets by indie pop band, Wild Nothing and Brit-born, all-lady noise-rockers, Savages. Back on the outdoor, sun-drenched stage, thrashing Trash Talk was talking trash and inviting everyone into the VIP area for an intimate mosh. Next stage over, the infamous Dropkick Murphys were pumping up the crowds with their Celtic punk hits on the Main stage. Bouncing back to the Outdoor stage, Puscifer was entertaining with quite the get-ups and “trailer trash” staging… trailer, wife-beater tanks, and no shame in letting it all hang out. Up next, one of my favorite bands of the past few years, Portugal. the Man performed a medley of favorites before showcasing some newbies from Evil Friends due out June 4. Closing out the (much) cooler evening was electro-dance-pop out of Brooklyn, Yeasayer, and veteran punk rockers, Descendents. It was a day of incredibly memorable music, making every ounce of sweat and any degree of sunburn a sidenote.
My second and last day in the Coachella Valley was a continuous flow of epic music. kicing it off by LA’s beloved The Airborne Toxic Event, who I had watched blow up from the local scene when I still was a permanent Angeleno. I made my way over to see Nashville’s JEFF the Brotherhood, who ended up being one of my top choices of the weekend. Their riff-based, dirty, lax rock ‘n roll swagger with psych undertones, that I had experienced only on record, won my heart completely over in the live setting. Their record Hypnotic Nights is definitely one you should consider adding to your collection. Heavy hitters, The Gaslight Anthem brought out the Jersey pride in the audience and showcased their anthemic rock style. Philly’s Kurt Vile and the Violators, fronted by Vile from The War on Drugs, showcased their set of funky Americana rock ‘n roll. Another highlight followed swiftly, as bigwig, Social Distortion, took the stage. The Cali-born band remains timeless and energetic after three decades, and I was extremely fortunate to catch them after all these years. Switching gears at dusk, DJ Pretty Lights perfomed a soundtrack to some undeniably pretty lights that lit up the desert sky and illuminated the thousands of faces looking onto the stage. After prying myself through the masses, I made may way into the sounds of Nick Cave and the Bad Seeds who brough a full children’s choir on stage. Never a dull moment, Cave’s swanky stage prowl and ominous vocals and arrangements seduced the crowd, standing on the blockade and balancing on the hands of fans. I finished up my Coachella 2013 with a dream I’ve had since 7th grade. The finale, Red Hot Chili Peppers, played all my favorites spanning their repertoire from the incarnation of the band til now, and their unimaginable energy made their show a concert hight in all my concert going. All in all, the festival’s line up was in my tops, and I hope I can make Coachella part of my regular festival attendence!
Take a look here and get the full picture. Enjoy some sounds below!
Reignwolf
Dinosaur Jr.
Portgual. The Man
Social Distortion
Red Hot Chili Peppers
The boys are back in town! Black Taxi has returned to New York from a long stint in Austin and southwest tour, and we can’t be more excited and happy to hae them back! Come celebrate their homecoming and the arrival of spring at Rockwood Music Hall Stage 2 tonight at 10:45pm. It’s the start of their month-loing residency, that will launch them into yet another tour. They will be performing two new songs a week, so don’t miss your chance to get a sneak peek at fresh material!
Day 5 of SXSW kicked my butt, to be frank, but in the best way possible. I set up camp at Rusty’s after a failed attempt to get into Rachel Ray’s Party at Stubb’s BBQ. Not waiting in the three mile long line was definitely a blessing in disguise. I ventured to the tried and true, Rusty’s, where the line-up stayed amazing all day long.
A bunch of Boston acts including, folk rock Air Traffic Controller, bluesy, harmony-soaked Coyote Kolb, and rock ‘n rollers with a humorous edge, Mellow Bravo , got the energy pumping right off the bat.
A little later in the afternoon after yet another Tex-mex descanso, I returned to Rusty’s for some heavy hitters. Previous contestant on The Voice, Nakia, who is based in Austin, showed off his lung capacity and soulful vocal chops with the help of an orchestra of instruments and back-up singers. San Antonio-based band of (literal) brothers, Hacienda, took the stage next, demonstrating that their tightness as a band was not only by blood, showcasing their rough-around-the-edges pop rock and their personable stage presence .
Outside, another band of siblings, Chicago’s Filligar, led by three brothers, who would be a “classic” rock band if I didn’t know better. They’ll be in NYC on June 1 at Gramercy Theater rocking tunes from one of their 5 records. In the next room over, Phoenix, AZ’s The Technicolors shined with Brit-rock-esque tunes from their record Listener Deluxe, who were followed by Fresno, CA-based Strange Vine, who, though only a twopiece, created a huge sound with some extra keyboard responsibilities played by their drummer. SXSW got a huge dose of happy when country/blues/folk six-piece, Sam Marine & County, high-voltage, Louisiana-born, pop group, Super Water Sympathy,and Brooklyn’s indie synth-pop/rock quartet, Silas Fermoy, who welcomed their debut EP Chapters yesterday, took the Rusty’s stage.
The best moment of the night happened when Jared James Nichols took the main stage, not to downplay any of the artists. JJN took my breath away, though, and it’s a rare occasion to be so utterly impressed. The trio, born in Troy, Wisconsin and now hailing from Los Angeles, shook the venue with blues rock to the max, with intense drums, surging bass lines, and Nichols’ guitar-playing that is pretty untouchable. Last but not least, Nashville’s The Hollywood Kills, closed the night on a perfect note, danceable rock ‘n roll with finesse, featuring sultry sounds from their latest EP An Idiot’s Guide to Desertion.
Here’s a quick look at the day, but check out the full album on Facebook!
The fourth day of SX was a day well spent on South Congress. I kicked off my day at a small outdoor, garden party with punk and pizza at The Pizza Shop, that had pretty amazing thincrust pizza (even after being spoiled by NYC pizza). There, punk/rockabilly band out of Austin, Something Called Nothing was busting out some swinging tracks in the sunshine before The Phuss rocked out a set accmpanied by some backyard moshing before hitting the stage yet again at Doc Motorworks later that afternoon. Heading back to Doc Motorworks, Deton, TX’s The Birds of Night accompanied the 80+degree weather with surfy tones and throwback vibes. Up next, Fort Worth’s Roaming Soldiers became one of my top new bands of this year’s SXSW, winning my heart with rock ‘n roll grit, bluesy sass, and southern twang. The close to my day of music wasn’t too shabby. I got a chance to catch Stilwater, Oklahoma’s rootsy rockers, Taddy Porter, before scampering off to The Auditorium Shores to see the bizarre antics of the one, the only The Flaming Lips. At the Shores, the field was packed with hula hoop dancers and people wearing strobing, seizure-inducing lights/jewelry. A theatrical performance by The Flaming Lips included quirky frontman, Wayne Coyne, wearing a robe of umbillical-like cords, while he held a fetus manikin. The kings of the unexpected, this show certainly lived up to the odd but impressive showmanship.
View the day’s events on Rocker Stalker’s FACEBOOK and “like” the page while you’re there 
.
Somthing Called Nothing
The Phuss
The Birds of Night
Roaming Soldiers
The Phuss
Taddy Porter
The Flaming Lips
Day 3, SXSW 2013. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any better, they did.
I started the day off with a little dance music that I could see myself working out to, Brooklyn-based electro/DJ duo No Way Josie at The Parish, followed by polar opposites, Austin-based folky, pop/rock trio, MARMALAKES. My Brooklyn favorite, Black Taxi, who have been calling Austin home for the last couple months while they write some new material and share their greatness with TX. These guys will be back in April for a residency at Rockwood Music Hall starting April 26 for three weeks. After a long power walk south of downtown, I finally arrived, sweating, to Doc Motorworks, where Fort Worth’s Ice Eater was breaking it down on stage with a experimental punky rock, featuring music from their aptly titled Don’t Care EP. In between sets, the audience was, quite frankly, punished with some stand up comedians , but thankfully, my favorite Fort Worthian trio, The Phuss, brought salavation to the afternoon (Vocalist/guitarist Josh Fleming even had some jokes up his sleeve that saved the inter-set banter.). The band slammed the stage with their no-apologies rock, pounding drums, swaggering bass, punky aggression, and undeniable attitude. Their current self titled record is a must, and you can grab it here.
Just down the street, at Guero’s Taco Bar (they have the most amazing fajitas, just as a side note), I was lucky to catch a set by Beaumont’s Purple, who was impressing the Tex-mex indulgers with heavy rock fusion led by vocalist/drummer, Hanna Brewer. The second daily dose of The Phuss followed, quaking the taco bar, bringing about some interpretive dancers and a guy dressed as The Pope, and making it pretty difficult to keep a straight face.
The day’s music came to an earlier close than usual, but I got a chance to explore late-night Austin a bit and get my fill of SXSW chaos for the remainder of the night.
Check out Part III of SXSW here!
No Way Josie
Marmalakes
BLACK TAXi
The Phuss
Purple
Hair, girls, money, (partial) nudity, and parties. That’s rock n’ roll, and that’s The VeeVees and their debut video for single “Dog Day Revel.” Just a duo, Garret Cillo (guitar/vocals) and Andrea Belifiore (drums) create a volatile blues-rock sound among the two of them and embody the attitude and power of many. “Dog Day Revel” offers a sample of what The VeeVees are all about, no-apologies, 70’s-inspired, riff-ridden rock ‘n roll. Check out hte debut video here and catch the Brooklyn-based pair on March 27 at Arlene’s Grocery!
Apparently, it has taken almost a week to get back into the swing of things, so hello again! To reiterate, SXSW 2013 was the best yet of my five consecutive trips down to Austin for the festival.
Wednesday, March 13, which marked the second day of SXSW’s music week left me in awe (without knowing the rest of the week would leave me feeling the same). I spent most of the day at one of my favorite ATX venues, Rusty’s waiting with bated breath for epic acts inlcuding Eagles of Death Metal and Reignwolf. Sticking around all day paid off, as I heard a bevy of bands that impressed on all three of the venue’s stages.
Soulful Southern Californians, The Mowgli’s, kicked my day off with aptly sunny tunes. The LA octet recently released a music video, ode to NorCal counterpart, entitled “San Francisco.” A solid set of upbeat and dancable pop kept the spirit up, as Oxoford, UK’s A Silent Film, made it their goal to rile up the SX crowd. You can check out their record, Sound and Snow here. On the outside stage, hometowners,The Rocketboys were having a ball playing their indie rock anthems in the sunshine, showcasing their rich harmonies. Their record Build Anyway is out now. Back indoors, sibling-led blondfire filled the room with ethereal alt-pop sounds from their EP, Where the Kids Are. One big moment I was looking forward to was upon me, as I stood in sweaty anticipation for some of my rock ‘n roll heroes, Eagles Of Death Metal. Flirtatious and sassy Jesse Hughes, who donned a t-shirt reading “Pigeons of Shit Metal,” winked and danced his way through the set of adrenalized ‘hits,’ defining the ultimate frontman.
I took a momentary break to see NYC’s Hollis Brown rock out an acoustic set at The Deli Magazine’s “Hangover Hangout,” a little break with acoustic sets. Hollis Brown stripped down to two members, taking a bit of a break themselves from their ongoing tour. Check these guys out when they are back in NY on March 30 and their album Ride on the Train.
Back at Rusty’s, I found my self headbanging to Brazilian Black Drawing Chalks, who I can’t say much else about since I don’t speak Portugese except they were awesome. Following suit, space rock, Cosmic Suckerpunch, who has twin guitar and bass players (fun fact) which contrasted with gypsy folk group The Herbert Bail Orchestra, that literally was an orchestra of nine plus members. Back outside, London and Johanessberg-rooted and now Arizona-based KONGOS made up for four (genetically related) brothers, who generate a sort of tribal indie rock. Classical guitarist Alain Johannes performed with impassioned spirit, driving the audience to hush themselves to hear the guitar’s subtle nuances. Closing my night with perfection, I was yet again privileged to hear the phenomenal Reignwolf whose prevous appearance in NYC last year rattled my brain. Starting off solo, with guitar, kick drum, and vocals, Jordan Cook aka Reignwolf proved himself a top bluesman of the 21st century. Joined onstage, the one-man-band became three, and together they yet again blew the minds of all onlookers with incredible riffs and authentic rock ‘n roll, even including a cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.”
A picture says a thousand words, so check out Day 2′s photos on Rocker Stalker’s Facebook Page. Here are a couple videos for your viewing soundtrack!
I’m back in Austin! What a relief! I’m down in Texas for the annual SXSW Festival, a personal 5th! Day 1 was the perfect day of music, weather, and food, and I was lucky to catch some incredible bands. I kicked the day off at Hotel Vegas with Parisian rockers, Hooka Hey, who were definitely worth the wait of the soundman’s eternal set up. Following them, Austin-based The Preservation provided uplifting spacerock to fight any oncoming afternoon sleepiness. I bounced over to the Red Bull Space where an all Los Angeles line-up impressed and made me completely homesick! When I arrived, dancy quartet Hands, was riling up the crowd. Next, surfy and punky Beach Party and dual-drummer, electro-rock/industrial Big Black Delta kept my day at a high. Plus, I really liked Beach Party’s bassist’s Clash t-shirt! Closing off my time at the Red Bull Space was Best Coast, who has been making waves with their light indie vibes. Back at Hotel Vegas, I got my face melted upon entering by Austin’s The Venus Illuminato who were breaking down some serious blues rock. The late show started off with mellow indie trio Cheree, then the pace was accelerated by psych-rock, projection-embellished Holy Wave out of El Paso. Concluding my first SXSW day, I caught up with Joshua Tree-founded Gram Rabbit, one of my favorite bands from California (here I go with that nostalgia again…), who packed the room with heavy riffs, experiental tinges, and cowboy attitude.
Check out some photos from Rocker Stalker’s SX start!
Sex, Diet Coke, & Rock 'n Roll
Sex, Diet Coke, & Rock 'n Roll
