by Sophie Block
Man, oh man, there was a lot going on this weekend! In addition to Reggae Fest (more on that in another post) and the Old Settler’s Music Fest, Austin venues filled their stages with countless musical acts as usual. At the end of a long work week I caught three perfect bands that helped me to unwind outside of the festivals that were going on that Friday night. Atomic Duo, Eric Hisaw and The Down Here Band gave me the every bit of twang, country and wholesome Americana I needed to start my weekend on the right foot.
The sad thing is that with so much to do and see in Austin, sometimes great bands go without the big audiences they deserve. I think that if the show was in any other city the bar would have been packed. With all that our city has to offer sometimes there aren’t enough bodies to fill every venue--unless it’s SXSW. Although the audience was on the leaner side, it was attentive and the bands played as if they were performing in front of 1,000 fans.
The night started off with The Down Here Band, an Americana outfit that is based in Austin but has roots in the Midwest. As a native Minnesotan I greatly appreciated their song “I love Wisconsin,” although it’s not “my” state. The down-home feel of harmonica with lyrics such as “I love my homeland/ brings a tear to my eye/ and Iove my home here in Austin” is something I think resonates with a lot of us Austinites. Many of us hail from elsewhere and have just as much love and nostalgia for our hometowns as our claimed homestead.
Eric Hisaw took to the stage next with his band. Hisaw is an excellent songwriter and even better guitarist. He plays hooks and rifts with ease while singing about broken hearts and carnies. His style reminds me a lot of Ryan Adams on his country-rock album Cold Roses. Playing backup guitar for Hisaw was Chrissy Flatt, another Austin musician, who played her song “Dangerous Lines.” The sentiment of the set was very American and down-to-earth, and was carried on the wings of Hisaw’s guitar expertise.
Atomic Duo certainly are a force to be reckoned with, I reckon! This band has everything I want in a bluegrass band. They’ve got the harmonies, instruments and gravely high voices that get you dancin’ whether you’re in cowboy boots or bare feet on gravel. Between members Silas Lowe and Mark Rubin (who also serves as producer for the band), the two southern gents play national resonator guitar and mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar and melody banjo. They are perfectly charming standing next to each other with their tiny instruments in hand--one man big and round and the other small and lean, suited up in matching Tejano shirts. Their sound is down-right-good country blues. Scope out Atomic Duo, as well as the other bands if you have a hankering for substantial tunes.
Man, oh man, there was a lot going on this weekend! In addition to Reggae Fest (more on that in another post) and the Old Settler’s Music Fest, Austin venues filled their stages with countless musical acts as usual. At the end of a long work week I caught three perfect bands that helped me to unwind outside of the festivals that were going on that Friday night. Atomic Duo, Eric Hisaw and The Down Here Band gave me the every bit of twang, country and wholesome Americana I needed to start my weekend on the right foot.
The sad thing is that with so much to do and see in Austin, sometimes great bands go without the big audiences they deserve. I think that if the show was in any other city the bar would have been packed. With all that our city has to offer sometimes there aren’t enough bodies to fill every venue--unless it’s SXSW. Although the audience was on the leaner side, it was attentive and the bands played as if they were performing in front of 1,000 fans.
The night started off with The Down Here Band, an Americana outfit that is based in Austin but has roots in the Midwest. As a native Minnesotan I greatly appreciated their song “I love Wisconsin,” although it’s not “my” state. The down-home feel of harmonica with lyrics such as “I love my homeland/ brings a tear to my eye/ and Iove my home here in Austin” is something I think resonates with a lot of us Austinites. Many of us hail from elsewhere and have just as much love and nostalgia for our hometowns as our claimed homestead.
Eric Hisaw took to the stage next with his band. Hisaw is an excellent songwriter and even better guitarist. He plays hooks and rifts with ease while singing about broken hearts and carnies. His style reminds me a lot of Ryan Adams on his country-rock album Cold Roses. Playing backup guitar for Hisaw was Chrissy Flatt, another Austin musician, who played her song “Dangerous Lines.” The sentiment of the set was very American and down-to-earth, and was carried on the wings of Hisaw’s guitar expertise.
Atomic Duo certainly are a force to be reckoned with, I reckon! This band has everything I want in a bluegrass band. They’ve got the harmonies, instruments and gravely high voices that get you dancin’ whether you’re in cowboy boots or bare feet on gravel. Between members Silas Lowe and Mark Rubin (who also serves as producer for the band), the two southern gents play national resonator guitar and mandolin, banjo, fiddle, guitar and melody banjo. They are perfectly charming standing next to each other with their tiny instruments in hand--one man big and round and the other small and lean, suited up in matching Tejano shirts. Their sound is down-right-good country blues. Scope out Atomic Duo, as well as the other bands if you have a hankering for substantial tunes.
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