… for those of you heading to Austin next couple of days:
1. For some reason all of the stores at the Austin airport have bankers hours and seem to be closed after dark. So forget grabbing a quick cup of coffee or a snack (if you’re the type who likes to head straight from the plane to the party).
2. It’s about $25 to take a cab from the airport to downtown. It’s a one dollar to take the Austin Flyer (the local bus). The express bus picks up on the baggage level, one-stop the entire way until downtown. From the taxicab area, walk 25 yards directly to the right, you’ll see the sign. Plus it’s not even really a bus… it’s more like a pretty trolley.
3. If you’re unlucky enough to be staying at a hotel near the airport, make sure you get the cell phone of the taxi driver who brings you there. Taxicabs are nearly impossible to hail during SxSW. But if you have the celly of your guy, you can make him your bitch all week.
4. Make friends with someone staying at the Omni. There’s a hot tub on the roof if you can grab 10 minutes to soak your feet (which will be throbbing from standing on cement all day). It’s worth it. Plus, killer view.
5. Don’t bother making any plans until you get here. Everything changes minute to minute. Flexibility is key. Make sure you’re comfortable ditching your friends if need be.
When you get here, find me:
@ THE iNSIDERS NETWORK Showcase:
Thursday March 18, 12P – 5P, 204 E. 6th St. (BD Riley’s)
Lineup: Karl Mullen, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, Robert Deeble, Michael Miller, Roman Candle
Also, I’ll be on the SxSW Music Panel “From the Stage – An Artist’s Perspective,” discussing life in the digi-age:
Wednesday March 17, 3:30P – 4:30P, Convention Center
Tags: austin, Karl Mullen, Michael Miller, Robert Deeble, Roman Candle, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, SxSW —
You know the drill. IN SHORT is our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff we think’s worth mentioning… sometimes it’s about music, sometimes not. This month, it’s about live music (what’s that? We kid, we kid), the interwebs, sort of:
SxSW Interactive, Film & Music Festival
Every year it seems someone is always questioning the validity of music conferences. And for good reason. Mostly they suck. The music panels especially. A bunch of know-it-alls who live at 30,000 feet and just like to hear the sound of their own voices — seemingly never doling out any practical, useful advice. Sadly, the music panels at SxSW are generally no exception. But now that I’ve started going to the Interactive portion of the festival beforehand, I could care less.
SxSW Interactive, that’s where you actually learn things. And generally, there’s less drinking (then during SxSW Music) which makes for better brainwork. You remember people’s names. Business cards actually find their way into your suitcase. You take notes. You have ideas.
Then, a funny sort of phenomenon starts to happen as the week wears on and Interactive flows into Music (Film is supposed to be the bridge but really, who goes?). Less green vegetables. Less sleep. Longer nights. The hotel staff now knows you by first name. Instead of sitting at panels you’re standing all day shows. But your attention span is shot and your smart phone is blowing up. Plus, your feet hurt.
Fun stuff. But in the end, I’m there to work. Every second of every waking moment, networking my little hiny off with the hopes that some of it will somehow pay forward and help make this crazy ride we’re on stick (even I don’t exactly know what that means but I’m leaving it in). Fingers crossed.
The best part: gazing out at an endless sea of head-bobbing, balding-with-ponytail, over-40 grown-up heads, collectively getting their badass rock ‘n roll groove right on.
Who says we old farts don’t rock? In Austin, we sure as hell do.
That said, here’s to seeing you at our showcase (a production of THE iNSIDERS NETWORK). If you’re in Austin, do drop on by. Those free beers I’m always threatening to buy you guys? Come and get ‘em.
Thursday, March 18, 12 PM-5 PM, 204 E. 6th St. (BD Riley’s)
12:00-12:35 They Were Stars
12:50-1:25 Seth Glier
1:40-2:15 Robert Deeble
2:30-3:05 Michael Miller
3:20-3:55 Steve Poltz
4:10-4:45 Roman Candle
Yeeeeeeehaw.
Tags: IN SHORT, Michael Miller, Robert Deeble, Roman Candle, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, SxSW, THE iNSIDERS NETWORK, They Were Stars —
You read that right, it’s the Top 9. Two qualifiers: 1) an album totally worth the price, your money will be well spent and 2) an album that’s stood up on replay, ad infintinum. Hence, there were only nine. Trying to squeeze in a 10th felt like a copout. And we can’t have that. So, just in time for your shopping lists, our faves around Outlandos HQ for the past year:
1. Michael Miller, I Made You Up 
Awash in a melodic swath of near-psychedelic ether, Miller’s sound teeters between that delicate dream state of newborn refuge and Milky Way haze. But don’t let the SoCal singer-songwriter thing fool you: Miller’s unassuming yet gumptious approach places him squarely alongside the likes of troubadours Pete Droge/Steve Forbert but with flecks of Supertramp/Bowie-style transcendental grandeur. No kidding. Which is why it’s my top pick. |
2. Chris Velan, Solidago
Solidago was on my tops last year because I had an early copy (the release was April 2009) but it’s so good I’m putting it on the list again. The scoop: cunningly disguised as jangly chill-lax pop, Solidago reveals whipsmart songcraft and no-bullshit guitar rockers juxtaposed amidst easy-going ditties. Think Paul Simon, Tom Petty, The Wallflowers, Bob Marley. The kind of political/romantic moxie that makes me think hell yes, I too am a Hard Way Learner. |
3. Mike Gent, Mike Gent
A pop masterpiece. Seriously. It’s easy, it’s smart, it’s fun, AND it has balls. Like Wilco used to (think Box of Letters, Monday). Speaking of balls, Mike’s other band, the Figgs, has long been one of my favorite badass live outfits. |
4. Glasvegas, Glasvegas
Timeless Glasgow glampop at its uber-finest. Echo and the Bunnymen-esque, bigger drums. Shit-hot. |
5. Gidgets Ga Ga, The Big Bong Theory
Fountains of Wayne meets Cheap Trick meets Strawberry Alarm Clock. Lots of bouncy, chimey guitars, and an authentic garage sound. Plus the album has a million songs on it. Loads of bang for your buck. |
6. Contramano, Contramano
Argentinian chamber-punk. Go figure. It’s spectacular. Seriously, you need to own this record IMMEDIATELY. |
7. Roman Candle, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear 
The Bees (US) are easily one of my fave bands ever. Unfortunately, for legal reasons, they had to change their name to The Silver Seas. They should have a new album out soon (yay!). In the meantime, Bees’ cofounder Jason Lehning has been keeping busy. Roman Candle is his latest project and everything you would expect from a Bee. Smart, fun, shades Steely Dan, Pretzel Logic-style. |
8. Passion Pit, Manners 
A dance record! Who knew. Fun fun fun. Very Jackson 5. Plus a lot of synth. |
9. Gary Yerkins, Compass 
Gotta have a touch of blues in your list. Gary has a sweet Robert Cray sort of thing going on. Produced by guitar great Pete Droge who plays all over it as well. Total gem. xo |
Tags: Bob Marley, Cheap Trick, Chris Velan, Contramano, CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, David Bowie, Echo and the Bunnymen, Fountains of Wayne, Gary Yerkins, Gerry Rafferty, Gidgets Ga Ga, Glasvegas, Jason Lehning, KATE BRADLEY, Michael Miller, Mike Gent, NOW PLAYING, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, Passion Pit, Paul Simon, Pete Droge, Robert Cray, Roman Candle, Steely Dan, Steve Forbert, Strawberry Alarm Clock, Supertramp, The Bees, The Figgs, The Jackson 5, The Silver Seas, The Wallflowers, Tom Petty, Wilco —
Following in the Outlandos tradition of Letters from the Road, our guest post this week comes from Skip Matheny of my new fave band Roman Candle:
Dear Fanny,
I saw your band/show last night. Thanks for putting me on the list and asking for advice, critiques, etc…. I’m not sure what to tell you exactly. You all were great. In fact, I imagine you will be very popular, and maybe better — very quickly. I don’t have a critique in the world about your show or aesthetic. You all seem to have nailed that down pretty well. However I might say the same thing to you I usually tell any writer, including myself, which is: think in terms of “songs” and listen to a fair amount music made before the year you were born.
Off the bat, that might seem like a nostalgic thing to suggest. It’s not. It’s about finding and learning about good art. Your band’s songs are great but if you want to make records for the next 10 or 15 years, artistically speaking, you will likely find more substance in songs than in guitar tones. I think there’s a lot to be learned by realizing you are a writer in a long tradition that stretches back before your own time, even (way) back before recorded sound — and the “thread” or the common thing through all of that tradition is the form of the song. It’s an interesting and mysterious thing, and it repays the attention you give it.
If you go listen to any of the records that came out last Tuesday and then listen to, for example, Joni Mitchell,”The Gallery” or David Bowie, “Life on Mars,” or Stevie Wonder, “Do I Love Her?” you’ll probably hear some similarities (verses, choruses, 3 minutes long). In contrast to the new records which, for the most part, are a bit vacuous when it comes to being interesting songs. You can blame the music industry or whoever you like but the unfortunate thing is how anemic most current individual songs are. I’m not suggesting there’s no great active songwriters or that “the past” is the place to be for good music. There were just as many turd songs in 30′s-70′s as there are now. It’s just that great songs were a bit easier to find in those decades and maybe harder to find now. Which is no small bummer considering there is equally about 5 squillion more recorded songs today, than in all those decades combined. I don’t mean to tangent. I’m just saying that unless you all develop into a strictly noise-core act, the song is going to be the medium in which you all work. So I am suggesting you give it as much attention as you can.
Also there’s plenty of books to read — and here again, I would say don’t be scared of the very old ones, Geoffrey Chaucer, Homer even. Often they are more ‘modern’ in style and subject matter than anything on the NY Times best seller list. Words are an underestimated medium in songwriting and it helps if you read authors using them well. Hopefully, they rub off.
Please don’t think I’m presuming to have any big answers here though. Writing songs is not easy and the more I do it, the more mysterious it gets, so I’m not sure how qualified I am to be offering all these suggestions. You’re a smart one though and I’ll probably be asking you for advice sooner or later. Anyway, I hope your band makes a killing.
Skip
10/5/09 | Comments (0)Tags: CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, David Bowie, Joni Mitchell, KATE BRADLEY, LETTERS FROM THE ROAD, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, Roman Candle, Skip Matheny —
Has summer even happened? Good Lord, it’s almost over and it feels, with the recent swelter-fest (at least in the East Coast) that it just started.
Lots of good stuff cranked at Outlandos HQ to keep us feeling somewhat cool, see below.
But first, petite favor to ask you kids. This will literally take you 2 seconds, it’s super easy and you don’t even have to give a rats tail about SxSW but… would you vote for us? 30 seconds of your life. It’s a BIG deal in our world and would mean so much! How could we ever do it without you? Seriously. Thanks zillions. If we get in, not only do I get a free badge (let me tell you, those suckers are expensive) but we get some handy-dandy publicity.
Help me, help me? Just click the 2 links below and then click the “thumbs up” next to each one:
The Value of Emotional Value (Interactive Version)
VOTE HERE
Doing It like Trent: DIY for the Little Guy
VOTE HERE
Now on to the fun stuff:
1. Contramano, Contramano
Buy
Argentinian chamber-punk. Go figure. It’s spectacular. Seriously, you need to own this record IMMEDIATELY. In case you missed it, they were featured on the Dose last week.
2. Roman Candle, Oh Tall Tree in the Ear
Buy
The Bees (US) are easily one of my favorite bands of all time. Unfortunately, for legal reasons, they had to change their name to The Silver Seas. They should have a new album out this year (yay!). In the meantime, Bees’ cofounder Jason Lehning has been keeping busy. Roman Candle is his latest project and everything you would expect from a Bee. Smart, fun, shades of the Dan.
3. Division Day, Visitation
Buy
Soooooo very Radiohead… not that there’s anything wrong with that. But there’s kind of a fresh twist. Really digging this one. Headphone listening for sure.
4. Passion Pit, Manners
Buy
Been loving this one for a while now, it’s dance music. Who knew. Fun fun fun. Featured on the Dose earlier this month.
5. David Mead, Almost and Always
Buy
He’s always wonderful. Not my favorite of his catalog but still worth it. And just a sweetheart of a guy with a crazy-lovely voice. It might take a little while to grow on you, more complex than you think on the first listen.
xo
8/17/09 | Comments (4)Tags: Contramano, CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, David Mead, Division Day, KATE BRADLEY, NOW PLAYING, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, Passion Pit, Radiohead, Roman Candle, The Bee Gees, The Silver Seas —
