Pehr Smith w/ Dony Wynn 7-21-2011

by Kimberly Caterino of Live Music Capital Radio

Well, either my eyeballs had it wrong or the online Austin Chronicle had it wrong— I thought I was headed to Maria’s Taco Xpress to see Dave Insley’s Careless Smokers, a country band I play on The Happy Hour.  What I arrived to was a seated pair of musicians in sunglasses, one playing blues on a resonator guitar and the other backing him up on a stripped down drum set, enduring the Austin heat stylishly in a fedora.  

Pehr (pronounced “pear”) Smith on guitar and Dony (yes, “Donny”) Wynn on drums/percussion were presented by the Sin City Social Club series, which means free music at Maria’s Taco Xpress on Thursday evenings.  (Don’t forget the tip jar!)  Pehr played a range of covers, I mean a real range of covers, from Dobie Gray to Furry Lewis to Lou Reed and beyond.  At times the covers were improbable enough, and musically translated with Pehr’s style enough, that I needed help from others identifying them.  

The variety of covers showed off Pehr’s flexibility in genre without ever straying too far from what must be a tried-and-true low, rhythmic, and bluesy signature style for Pehr—at least when playing to a sit-down crowd—but not without impressive melodic solos and slide work.  He also has a unique enough voice that had me guessing if the mic was intentionally distorted.  Dony, the former drummer for Robert Palmer and one who has played with a host of established musicians,  was right there with Pehr in variety— mixing up the rhythm patterns, at time interestingly syncopated, and never holding the same set of percussive toys twice, including: a miniature tambourine, mallets, brushes, maraca, a small family of tom-toms, the bass drum he used as a drum stool, an interesting shekere I’ve never quite seen before, and the metal shaker sometimes added to a West African djembe, called a Tsink Tsink.  There might have been a plain old drumstick and snare in the mix too..

We heard a twangy and electrified, yet somehow rootsy, version of “When the Saints Go Marching In”, a rockabilly and breezy take on Doc Watson’s “Nashville Blues”, an upbeat and danceable (really!) “Amazing Grace”, and Lou Reed’s “Walk on the Wild Side” weighing low, dark, and hypnotic, except for when it crescendoed in both volume and a sweet light solo.  Of course I couldn’t help but appreciate Lead Belly’s “Turn Yo Radio On"..

Pehr Smith, an instructor of 2D Design and Painting at Texas State University, and Dony Wynn, not only a super drummer but also extremely creative writer too, have an impressive repertoire of covers they perform and made their own.  And if you’re up for some nachos and a cold one under grass umbrellas next to artistically hand-painted walls, Maria’s Taco Xpress is the place to be.

MilkDrive 6-16-111

by Kimberly Caterino at Live Music Capital Radio 

MilkDrive’s players are no strangers to the road, to their instruments, or playing in/with well-known Austin bands (such as the South Austin Jug Band and Asleep at the Wheel).  Noah Jeffries on guitar, Dennis Ludiker on mandolin, Brian Beken on fiddle, and Matt Mefford on upright bass are the 4 members of this relatively new group that makes a progressive yet timeless sound.  

The progressive part is how they superbly weave vastly disparate genres together—bluegrass, jazz, folk— it’s unfair to simply label them Americana.  The timeless part is the nostalgic aura that is created by an all-acoustic, drummerless sound—although the band was plugged in for amplification, the same music could be easily performed on a peacefully remote lawn under the shade of a giant Oak.  Look Ma, no wires.   This is outdoor music, summer music, ageless and plain old feel-good music..  Reminiscent of Bela Fleck, and for those familiar, The Jazz Mandolin Project.

MilkDrive had no microphones tonight—not sure why!  (At times they did lip sync into the empty mic stand, which was rather hilarious..)  They do sing, but this evening at the Driskill Hotel had them playing all instrumentals—clear compositions that each tell a story, with movements that sometimes invoke a quietude and reflection, a stillness-- but more often than not the tempo and mood are swingingly upbeat, with sudden sprays and cascades of heartening, explorative solos.  The thoroughness with which each of these players knows his instrument (and sometimes other instruments) cannot be understated.  Intricate fingerwork was showcased by all 4 players, and the nature of the different pieces gave them each ample opportunity to individually highlight their..    yes, I’ll say it: mad skills.  

A word on the Driskill Hotel: what a unique music venue in Austin!  The bar area has a dark Victorian atmosphere with ornately carved furniture/ceilings/architecture..    meets Texas:  with frontier/cowboy themed paintings, a steer head over the mantle, and cow skins on the backs of chairs.  Two great tastes come together.  

I recommend MilkDrive on several levels--  enjoying the journey of the compositions, simply watching their mind-boggling motor skills, and succumbing to the world they create.  I imagine they are a bit folkier and grounding when singing songs, but this instrumental evening was a nice escape— to listen is to enter their movie, to be escorted to certain heights, and then beautifully floated back down.  

Pachanga! Latino Music Festival 5-21-11

by Sophie Block at Live Music Capital Radio

Saturday marked the four year anniversary of Pachanga Latino Music Festival. Despite the looming storms (which never came, of course), it was a beautiful day at Fiesta Gardens, full of wonderful music and good food. If you have yet to explore Fiesta Gardens, get to the soonest event you can! The grounds are grassy and peaceful, with a lot of places to sit and enjoy the beautiful calm water.

The first act I saw was Chingo Bling on the Hierbia stage. Chingo Bling has lots of ridiculous videos with ladies in booty shorts serving up tacos and shakin’ it and such. Many of Chingo Bling’s songs are parodies of other songs, including “Still Mexican” to the tune of the Big Tymers’ “Still Fly” or “Taco Shop” to tune of 50 Cent’s “Candy Shop”.  I think if I were a high school boy I would have liked Chingo Bling better. I do give him props, though, for his signature rooster dance. Although he had recorded backup instrumentation playing behind his words, there was a live band playing along with the tracks. The drummer and guitarist tore it up--best part of the whole set.

Next I saw Mariachi Las Alteñas on the main stage. This is an all-female mariachi band. The women looked so beautiful in their matching dresses and had amazing stage presence... not to mention talented musicianship! They played violins, trumpets, vihuela, guitar and guitarron. The crowd went wild for the band. Mariachi is so much fun not only to listen to, but the show is so entertaining and upbeat that you can’t help but smile and dance.

In addition to the main stage and Hierba stage, there was a tent with DJ music and the patio stage. Chico Mann, a electro/freestylist, played the patio stage to a dancing crowd. He sang over hypnotic beats and worked up a sweat over his computer in the sun. Pachanga represented a large, luscious range of Latino music--Chico Mann is so vastly different Mariachi Las Alteñas, but shares a common thread. And supporting all kinds of music and cultures in Austin is what it’s all about.

Los Skarnales brought the energy up bounced around the stage with copious amounts of energy and catchy Spanish and English anthems. This band, dressed to the nines, played unique but oddly familiar Latin/Ska music. They played to a crowd filled with adults and children, but gave a special shout out to kids and their parents, giving them props for coming out and experiencing music and culture from a young age.

Lastly I was delighted to immerse myself if the musical stylings of the Echocentrics on the main stage. The band was formed by Grammy award winner Adrian Quesada, and fronted by two famous Latina singers, Tita Lima and Natalia Clavier. Lima was dressed in gold and spandex, while Clavier looked classic in a sundress. Although their wardrobes were so opposing, their voices sounded wonderful together in front of the complex yet dancey music.

If you missed Pachanga this year, make sure to treat yourself to the experience next year! There are so many great bands to check out and festivals to attend here in Austin... but you must add one more to the list!

Sunset & Black Pistol Fire 5-7-11

By Kimberly Caterino at Live Music Capital Radio

After seeing the film Echotone last week, a music documentary about Austin that features Bill Baird of the band Sunset (among many other artists), the next live band I stumbled upon was.. Sunset.  

At the Pecan Street Festival, Sunset played, well, as the sun set—providing a perfect orange-gray atmosphere for Bill Baird’s gently haunting songwriting.  Sunset had only two members tonight, each with guitar, singing in 2-part harmonies that lured me in.  The essence of Bill’s songs are subtly magnetic, reflective in a both a contemporary and timeless manner.  Especially when singing in the 2-parts, and this is meant in the most honorary way possible: they reminded me of an electric Simon and Garfunkel.  I heard 3 songs before they closed—and one that caught me was “Civil War”, a personal identification with Samuel Clemens (Mark Twain).  I said timeless.  (Click here for a solo version.)

Sunset was the crème brulee before the whiskey. The whiskey..

Black Pistol Fire lives up to the name.  From the first crack of drum sticks against the skins, I was stunned.  

They are a duo, which in itself is striking.  No need for more.  I would actually consider any musician trying to intelligently insert a third instrument in that conversation a brave soul, a talented artist, or a fool.  Kevin McKeown (electric guitar/lead vocals) and Eric Owen (drums) have it together tight.  Real tight. 

They’ve been friends since kindergarten, and after playing in a trio in Toronto, Canada, they hauled it as a duo down here to Austin to..   kick our ass.  In anything I read about this band, no one compares them to Led Zeppelin. Never in my life have I heard a kit player precisely and ferociously drive the music John-Bonham style the way Eric Owen does.  (You don’t throw that comparison around.)  It doesn’t come across in the recordings—you have to have your brain fluids shaken in person to understand.  I texted to a music-loving friend after: “Raw southern Led Zep on speed in their 20’s.  Wow.”

The intentional phrasing of McKeown’s guitar reminds of Jack White of The White Stripes, as does the flow of drums/guitar turn-taking.  Throw in some Black Crowes raunchiness, some Black Sabbath urgency, even some slight Smashing Pumpkins dreamy-chord hypnosis..

So who would have guessed that their second song on the main stage would be the cover “I Shot the Sheriff”?  It wrapped the crowd around their finger.  Their version exampled their ability to fluctuate between focused delicacy and downright explosion.  ..Not to mention their ability to rock the reggae.

Each half of the band articulates as clearly as the other, and it raises the question who’s driving, who’s following?  The leader is ever-changing, because of the energy exchange, or simply due to the composition of the piece at hand.  Yet together, they can turn the pace and direction of the music on a dime.

This band is so new, with their first CD released this past winter (called simply Black Pistol Fire), that names of songs are evasive.  I’ll take a guess: two we heard were “Black-Eyed Susan” and the encore “You’re Not the Only One”.  (Click here for a YouTube of this song, played a couple of hours later at a second gig.  Is that electrified bluegrass in the middle?)  

The players of Black Pistol Fire are clearly channeling every note to the point they can’t help but also be good performers.  When not singing, he’s dancing or jumping—and when McKeown turns his back to the audience to play at the shirtless, thrashing Owen, which happens quite a bit, as an audience member you feel not annoyed, but honored to witness such severe symbiosis.  If you are a rock fan: Run, do not walk, to see Black Pistol Fire in person.  These guys are the bomb.

Echotone, A Music Documentary on Austin 4-26-11

by Kimberly Caterino

Echotone is a film that started out as a series of portraits of some of the director’s favorite musicians, but a second thematic story emerged, one that became the essence of the film:  Echotone captures the lives of several local musicians in relation to the recent urban development growth in downtown Austin.  Without giving too much away—the film opens with a black and white snapshot of a wide dirt road and some one-story buildings..   which then fades into an image of the currently-recognizable electric outline of downtown 6^th street (Old Pecan Street) in Austin.  The span of the film does not cover centuries of time as this comparison suggests, but geographically Echotone does focus specifically on Austin’s downtown and the area known as the Red River District. 

Some of the artists featured are Austin’s Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears, Dana Falconberry, and Sunset/Bill Baird..   the film takes you through daily slivers of their lives both making a living and making art, as well as chronicling their paths towards success.  The definition of “success” is questioned..  and the artists’ stories are juxtaposed to the perspectives of local residents, venue owners, and urban planners.  Echotone lets all these folks have their say in the daily politics that make a difference in a vibrant music scene: noise ordinances, parking meters, etc.   With a similar, if not same, story emerging across the USA, director Nathan Christ hopes to follow up Echotone with a mini-series that captures the struggle of artistic versus not-exactly-artistic values, of urban development (i.e. usually literally building construction) versus the artist-next-door, happening in several other cities. 

The most important aspect of this film, to me, is that it opens the door to discussion and invites citizens to be more aware and active.  After the screening I viewed, there was a panel of local figures, including Paul Oveisi of the organization Austin Music People, who took questions from the audience. In the past few years of development in the city, Oveisi acknowledged, the creative class was not invited to the planning table.  We can’t undo the past, but Echotone brings awareness to:  What do we do now?  How does Austin grow going forward?

The editing sequence of many speakers, the live music footage, and the panoramic scenes of downtown construction was often enough in itself to evoke applause, tears, or laughter.  The sequence that stayed with me, choked me up a little, was a series of shots of Black Joe Lewis on his daily (unglamorous) day job.  When someone asked Joe why he was being filmed, he gave a forthright answer before the scene immediately cuts to him performing at a venue—one of the funkiest songs Austin has known: “Sugarfoot”.  

What was Joe’s answer?  Why was he being filmed at his delivery job? 

 I’m a musician.

The Austin Reggae Festival 4-15 to 4-17-11

by Sophie Block

The Austin Reggae Festival (known as Marley Fest in years past) took place this past weekend. It was three smokin’ hot days and chill nights at Auditorium Shores on the banks of Town Lake. There were concerts on the main stage, a Dub corner, vendors of Bob Marley memorabilia and such, and fields of tents that concert goers made their homes for a few days. Walking the grounds also meant walking through a cloud of smoke the entire length of the festival. A very diverse gathering of people--hippies to club hoppers, young and old, seemed to gravitate to the festival not just for its music, but to smoke grass out in the open. There were a lot of distractions that made the festival what it was--hula-hooping, dancing, people watching... and did I mention Bob Marley t-shirts? So many Bob Marley t-shirts.

But all marijuana prevalence and scattered trash and turkey legs aside, I’m here to talk about music. Due to other responsibilities I only got to participate in the festivities on Saturday and Sunday night, but one day was eventful enough in itself! The first band I caught was Don Chani, an Austin Latin/dub/reggae band. Lead singer Mark Shaddock was deeply influenced by reggae music when he spent time in Jamaica as a teenager. Other members of the band come from a Latin music background. This blend of musical influences makes for a unique sound. Both genres are apparent in their songs. Shaddock’s voice is reminiscent of Nick Hexum from 311. The show was in the afternoon, and the number of people walking the grounds and watching the show was about equal. Many concert goers ambled around the booths and a good number more were hanging out in tent villages.

Next, I saw Az One. The band, fronted by Elisha Israel, is based out of Kansas City. Israel fine tuned his reggae skills working with musicians when they passed through his home town. Az One is more roots-based than Don Chani, which is the kind of reggae I tend to like more. Az One rocked. The songs have a more classic reggae beat, thicker bass lines and altogether beachier feel than Don Chani. More people began to focus more on the stage as the night progressed.

The last band I caught that night was Taj Weekes, who drew the Saturday night to a close. His thoughtful lyrics, along with the chill atmosphere of the evening allowed me to return home at 11:30pm feeling full of good music and ready for sleep. Visit Taj Weeke’s website for a free download of “Drill” through next week to mark the one year anniversary of the BP oil spill.

Israel Vibration closed out the festival Sunday night with a full band whose singers harmonize in many of their songs. Cecil Spence (Skelly) and Lascelle Bulgin (Wiss) met when they were in a rehabilitation center for polio as children in Jamaica. They formed a roots group in the 70s and continue to produce new music today. They killed it. Not only is their music strong, but the band is inspiring for overcoming their physical challenges. They were the highlight of the festival and the perfect note to end on.

Atomic Duo, Eric Hisaw, and The Down Here Band 4-15-11

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.