Dead Venues Live Series

Those cats over at Super!Alright! sure no what's up. Have you seen their Dead Venues Live Series for the Dell Lounge? It's basically a way to "Pay Tribute" or make you go, "Aww, I hate change!" and remember those days of yore before Austin was over-run by "people from California". In addition to misplaced nostalgia, the series features a lot of Austin's best bands from TODAY! If you want, I'm sure you can check it out on Vimeo and the like but I'm gonna stick to YouTube since I have an iPod touch. Even though the video is kind of shoddy on YouTube. Anyway, here's a few of my favorites from the Dead Venues Live series:


Ume - The Conductor video via YouTube


The video above the break is sans commentary so you don't really get to learn about the venue from that but I <3 Ume so much that I wanted you to experience the performance. So, here's the historical back-noting-enhanced version:


Dead Venues Live - Episode 1: Club Foot video via YouTube

Episode 3 features The Ritz Theatre as well as the Strange Boys both of which I enjoy immensely. The Ritz, as you may know, is the current site for the flagship Alamo Drafthouse. the Strange Boys are currently a band that sounds like a drunken, American version of 60's British psychedlia ala Nuggets. So here's the performance:


the Strange Boys - Who Needs More video via YouTube

...and here's the episode:


Dead Venues Live - Episode 3: The Ritz Theatre video via YouTube

The most recent episode features a band I have yet to see live but have already heard some buzz about on Twitter, obvs, they're called The Steps check em out:


The Steps - Blonde Smoke video via YouTube

I must say Episode 4 is the episode that made me most nostalgic/most self-loathing/most hate-inducing re:people from Cali. I also wish people still called a genre of music "New Sincerity", but I suppose that became "Emo", which is not-necessarily affiliated with Emo's.Liberty Lunch is def a place that I have heard a lot of people talk about so it's cool that it's getting explanation/recognition in Episode 4:


Dead Venues Live - Episode 4: Liberty Lunch video via YouTube

I haven't blogged about Brothers and Sisters, which is weird because they are one of the first Austin bands I saw within the first few days of living here. They are very talented but for some reason they just don't excite me. No offense B&S you're just not for me. But regardless this is a great performance/song/video and it's part of the series so here you are:


Brothers and Sisters - You're Gone video via YouTube

This full episode should explain why they are playing in a parking lot near Whataburger:


Dead Venues Live - Episode 2: Armadillo World Headquarters video via YouTube

Dude, Springsteen played there for a $!?!?

The irony of this whole thing, is a lot/most/all of the bands have members who moved to Austin via California and/or the rest of the world. I'm also guessing that a lot of the folks over at Super!Alright! also fall into this category, as I do. Go figure. By the way when can we expect episodes featuring: Corto Maltese, Harlem, or Transmography, eh?

Harlem, Boxing Lesson, Lemurs +

Thursday night is going to be a good night to check out some of the talented bands playing Austin at the moment. I'm just going to highlight the three that stand out the most to me for tomorrow. The first is at a venue, which I rarely go to but have nothing against and that is Beerland. I feel like most of the times I've been there they had karaoke, which is why I rarely go. But, in their defense, I kept showing up on Monday nights...hello! In any case, tomorrow night, for a modest cover, you can experience the drunken-garage-surf of Harlem as well as a new-ish Sound Team-camp band. We already know about {{{Sunset}}} with Bill Baird but now we also have TV Torso, which features Matt Oliver.


Sound Team - TV Torso video via YouTube

Learn about the other 2 shows on my list after the jump...

I know the members of {{{Sunset}}} aren't affiliated with what I'm talking about but who knows maybe they'll be at the TV Torso show. You can buy the single for the below video on iTunes if you want.


{{{Sunset}}} - I'm Not A Perfect Person (Looks Like I Fucked Up Again) video via YouTube

Back to Thursday night's shows. You can catch The Boxing Lesson with Von Iva at Emo's inside stage. I'm not too familiar with Von Iva but I will tell you that the Boxing Lesson is definitely worth the nominal cover fee for the experience. Their latest album is also available on iTunes.


Von Iva - Hot Not to Trot video via YouTube

Oooo Von Iva is a grrrl group yeah!! I love bad ass bands that don't have penises! the Boxing Lesson takes the stage right before Von Iva so expect to see them hit the stage around 11p.


the Boxing Lesson - Darkside of the Moog video via YouTube


the Boxing Lesson - Brighter video via YouTube

The last show but not the least show features Austin's own the Lemurs who will be playing at Stubb's with Corto Maltese. That's Stubb's inside stage by the way.


the Lemurs - They Do What They Like video via YouTube

These guys should have their own pitchfork-approved version of Tiger Beat, they're so dreamy.


Corto Maltese - Providence video via YouTube

I was hesitant to post the same Harlem content I had posted already (several times) so I scoured around and found this WOXY Lounge session featuring Harlem you can download the whole thing over here.

Phoenix + Grizzly Bear = Tomorrow

These records leaked such a long time ago, but I wanted to make sure everyone remembered that tomorrow is the day to get your physical copies of BOTH the new Grizzly Bear album AND the new Phoenix album!


Grizzly Bear - Two Weeks video via YouTube

Free Mp3 courtesy of Grizzly Bear.Net, thanks.

Grizzly Bear - Cheerleader


You can catch Grizzly Bear at the Parish Room with Here We Go Magic on June 16th. However, it's Sold-Out so if you didn't get tickets you can still catch the Grizzly's at ACL Fest. Looks like Here We Go Magic will ALSO be performing at ACL-fest this year.


Here We Go Magic - Fangela video via YouTube

Coincidentally, you can also catch Phoenix at ACL this year and hopefully at an after-show as well. Fingers-crossed on that one. These dudes are so French...what's up with French bands having videos that look French? What is it about their film-stock in France that makes it so French?


Phoenix - Lisztomania video via YouTube

French-Looking video Exhibit B:


M83 - We Own the Sky video via YouTube