Los Flames 3-25-11

by Sophie Block

While waiting for our table at Homeslice Saturday night, my friends and I trotted across the street to Guero’s Taco Bar to have a drink and check out that night’s band. Los Flames, a blues/classic rock/soul band was playing. I’m not sure if they identify themselves as a cover band, but I’m pretty sure all the songs I caught that night were covers. I feel like that label gets a bad rap, but here in Austin our cover bands are just as good as artists with their own material! Los Flames played everything from Chuck Berry to The Rolling Stones, adding their own flair and flavor to the songs they covered.

For example, the band played Johnny Cash’s “Folsom Prison Blues,” and threw in their own twist on the lyrics:

I bet there's rich folks eatin',
In a fancy dining car,
They're probably eatin’ tacos,
And smokin' big cigars

(Note: Johnny sang “drinkin’ coffee,” not eating tacos.)

It was their originality with the songs, extremely talented musicians, and drummer/MC Bobby Fuentes’s little quips that made the band such a fun band to listen to. At one point his phone rang. “It’s probably my wife,” Fuentes said into the mic. (answers phone) “What?!” The audience laughs. He talks to her for a few seconds, and tells the crowd she was calling to see what time he’d be home--so she knows what time to get home! Laughter filled the yard and Fuentes gave himself a little punchline noise on the drums.

Some of my favorite songs included “Carol” (originally by Chuck Berry) and “Let It Bleed” (The Rolling Stones). All the musicians--including two saxophonists, two guitar players, a bassist and drums-- were on their game. They switched from genre to genre without showing weakness in any form. According to their website they have guest musicians that play with them from time to time, so who knows what big guns Los Flames will be pulling out next! The band plays every first Thursday and every Friday at Guero’s, so next time you’re walking around SoCo (South Congress), stop in for a margarita and check out Los Flames.

Tapes 'n Tapes and Okkervil River, SXSW 2011

by Sophie Block

The highlight of my SXSW was Saturday afternoon at Lustre Pearl, where I saw Tapes ‘n Tapes and Okkervil River--totally free--shaded from the sun beneath a large tent while still reveling in the Texas heat. Lustre Pearl was transformed from it’s cute, elegant-meets-destructed house vibe to full-on concert venue this week. Dickies hosted the day party that brought together a big crowd of SXSWers.

Huge shout out to Tapes ‘n Tapes from my native Minneapolis! I felt right at home at their rockin' set mid-afternoon. They were wrapping up a two-month tour with their final SXSW gig at the Pearl. They said they were psyched to finally get some R&R after the stint, but definitely weren’t done working yet! Josh Grier’s singing was fun and engaging, and he interacted a lot with the other band members. Bassist Erik Appelwick sang backup vocals and some refrains with Grier, showing off his missing tooth as he smirked and sang along throughout the show. The band shone on the chill anthem “On and On” off their new album and “Freak Out.” When Grier’s guitar strap fell off during the show, Jeremy Hanson rocked out an impromptu minute-long drum solo that the crowd went wild for. As big as this band gets, watching them live I saw that they’re still just some Minnesota boys having fun playing music. Really, really good music.

Indi rockers Okkervil River went on next, and they tore it up! The local band wrapped up their SXSW with the show at Lustre Pearl as well. They are so enchanting to watch play live. The band has cycled through several members since its formation in the late 90s, but the current line-up was authentic and cohesive. They opened the show with “Lost Coastlines,” a song in which the bassist shares vocal duty with songwriter Will Sheff. The song builds from slow and sweet to full-on cheer fest. They played two songs off their new album I am Very Far due out in May. I will definitely be on top of that one once it comes out after hearing “Rider” and “Wake and be fine.” Okkervil River is one of the bands to point to when bragging about why music in this city is the best.

SXSW 2011 - Garret Endres, The Mother Hips, Flogging Molly

by Sophie Block

SXSW can be enjoyed by poor locals, too! Without a wristband, badge, or any idea of where we were going to end up, my friends and I saw three free shows Thursday night--and drank for free, too. After waiting in line (to no avail) for an Aziz Ansari stand up show, we meandered over to Shiner’s Saloon on Congress. This second-story venue, equipped with cozy leather bar stools shaped like wooden barrels and other southwestern details, is having its own unofficial SXSW showcase with free music- seven nights a week. The small stage and gentle breeze flowing through the large open windows made this the perfect chill place to begin our evening.

Austin singer-songwriter Garret Endres and his band sang some fun country songs about whiskey, home and treating women right. Before his last song, Endres said that the band does not condone drug use--just drinking. The lyrics included the lines “drank the corn whiskey, let the cocaine be.” Ironically, the melody of the song was strikingly similar to Old Crow Medicine Show song  “Cocaine Habit”, but that song is pretty much the opposite on the subject matter: “Well I love my whiskey and I love my gin, but the way I love my coke is a doggone sin.” Endres put on a great show, so go out and support this local artist when you get the chance.

I wasn’t too happy waiting in line for the Sony SXSW party at Trinity Lounge on 2nd St., because it didn’t look like much was going on from the outside. But there’s nothing like free entry, open bar, and good music to make a girl forget all about waiting on queue! Sony had the joint set up with several large TV’s and couches that party-goers could peruse their on-demand videos. I thought it was comical watching the Burlesque trailer while listening to a jam band, but beyond that short infatuation with shiny electronics, it was all about the music. The Mother Hips, a psychedelic band hailing from Cali, have been playing together for about two decades--and it shows. Singer/guitarist Tim Bluhm sounded great and was a lot of fun to watch. I couldn’t believe I stumbled upon this band for free! I will definitely check out more of their recordings.

En route to the car at what we thought was the end of the night, we asked the doorman at the W Hotel what was going on inside. Flogging Molly was playing--totally free! I hail from the Midwest, where a lot of people will shell out big bucks to see a Flogging Molly concert over and over again. I have never really cared to go to a show, but figured I’d see what all the fuss was about. My cousin just about lost her mind when she heard they were playing and ran through the doors.

They’re great! Who knew that punk and Irish music could blend together so perfectly? The crowd was going wild for the band, and I myself danced around to hardcore accordion and Irish jargon with glee. Although we came just before the encore, it felt like we saw a whole show because it lasted about 40 minutes--whew! I hope Flogging Molly saved some of their energy for St. Patty’s day, because I sure didn’t.

Shaft El Grupo de Rock 2-26-11

by Richard Crenwelge

Shaft El Grupo de Rock, 02/26/11

I am always looking for something different to do on the weekends, and I truly treasure the times that I can find a show that is not on Red River. Luckily, this past weekend fell into the more favorable category. It was a blast from the past, featuring Austin band Shaft, at an incredibly cozy little bar called the Rabbit's Lounge.

I remember seeing Shaft 12ish years ago, which I believe was at Flamingo Cantina with the Applicators. The one thing that I remember about them then, and noticed again this past weekend, is that they are an extremely cohesive band (even though the line-up has changed). This is something that few local bands can ever claim to have accomplished, as it requires an intuitive, synergistic feel for each other, along with a ton of shared history and practice.

Musically, they are very similar to a lot of other bands that were becoming popular in the late 90s, and they of course share threads with the sounds that created their contemporaries. I always hesitate to compare bands to other bands, but it is nevertheless a useful tool for attracting new fans. When I hear Shaft, I definitely hear a current of Jawbreaker, and perhaps Texas is the Reason, but they are most similar to the music that I heard coming out on Asian Man, No Idea, and Fueled By Ramen at the time, most notably Tuesday, which was fronted by the “other” singer of Alkaline Trio. Shaft has the characteristic syncopation in their guitar riffs, short pop hooks, and heart-on-the-sleeve sing-alongs that helped mold a whole generation of aging ex-punks at the time. Note the legions of sappy, drunken, and bearded guys that followed Hot Water Music around for the next decade (and still do).

Although they claim that this show was “one of their last”, I have a feeling Austin will be able to enjoy Shaft for some time to come. Their shows are heart-felt and energetic, and the enthusiasm of their crowd is admittedly intoxicating. Look for upcoming shows at myspace.com/shaftelgrupoderock.