Tuesday, March 13. 2007
photo by clint gilders - staff photographer |
We were tipped that THE place to be on Tuesday night was La Zona Rosa for the Austin Chronicle's party. We scored some invites and off we went after eating far too much Tex-Mex (The Iron Cactus on 5th street).
La Zona Rosa had the usual free food and free drinks, but my belly full of refried black beans limited me to a strict diet of Guinness.
Seth Rogen. photo by clint gilders - staff photographer |
Celebrity sightings included Seth Rogen and Paul Rudd. Stars of Jedd Apatow's followup to The 40 Year Old Virgin, Knocked Up. I also ran into director Aaron Wolfe. His documentary King Corn was the recipient of a lot of buzz during the festival. I'd actually met Aaron's proud mom on the shuttle from the airport. What a wonderful woman she was.
Louden Wainright III. photo by clint gilders - staff photographer |
The "write home moment" was of course Loudon Wainright III's short performance. Loudon, who has several songs featured on the Knocked Up soundtrack, was introduced as a former member of N.W.A. by Seth Rogen. Loudon treated us to his rapier wit, delicious songwriting, and repetoire of grimaces.
Also on the bill were Austin's own What Made Milwaukee Famous and Voxtrot.
I was clearing out spam, I mean, approving comments, on the blog this morning, and there was one from someone who'd seen one of our "My snake is bigger than your snake" t-shirts on someone on an airplane, and wanted to know how she could get one.
I've also been on a crusade to get every woman at SXSW here in Austin to wear one, because it just seems so subversive somehow.
Tonight I'm dragging Clint off to see the US premier of Stephen Kijak's documentary about the reclusive and elusive cult musician Scott Walker, Scott Walker: 30 Century Man. I'll be interviewing Stephen on Wednesday and asking the question: how did YOU discover the music of Scott Walker? I found him on a roundabout journey that started with Patti Smith. It's a long story.
But for now? I'm handing out t-shirts.
photo by clint gilders - staff photographer |
If my head was swimming yesterday, it is completely awash and in danger of foundering after today. First, the rumors are flying... Townsend's going to play here, no he's going to play here, no, Roger Daltrey is coming and they will reform the Who with Sean Lennon. First Yoko Ono is playing Antone's, then she's not. Now, and take this as confirmed as posters appeared overnight all over downtown, the Jefferson Starship will land in Waterloo Park on the 14th and play a FREE SHOW!
Dan Rather had his interview today and we bumped into him in the hall at the Hilton. Clint got some great photos. I hooked up with the people from B & H photo to get some camera gear shipped in on the redeye for my interviews this week. Ray Wylie Hubbard and Troy Campbell stopped by the booth to say hello, and Troy invited us to film the Roky Erickson show on Thursday after my Hugh Cornwell video interview. That should be a great show because my understanding is that Peter Buck from REM will be playing in his band - and you never know who will show up when Roky plays, as his legendary 60s band the 13th Floor Elevators massively influenced a whole generation of musicians.
After the trade show the club kingsnake staff (Christie Keith, Therese Kopiwoda, Clint, and I) went out for dinner at the Iron Cactus. Clint and I ran into Kent Nichols and Douglas Sarine, creators of the wildly popular Ask A Ninja short films ,who promised to stop by because they liked our black t-shirts. The shirts were a HUGE hit, with people seeking us out all day asking for them, and they could be seen in great numbers, over the shoulders or on a substantial number of participants in the halls of the conference and on the trade show floor. We still have plenty left, though, so come on by the booth (I14) and pick one up!
After dinner Clint and I blazed over to La Zona Rosa for the Austin Chronicle film party, but I'll let Clint tell you about that when he wakes up...
clint gilders (center) with Ask A Ninja co-founders Kent Nichols (left) and Douglas Sarine (right) - photo by jeff barringer - staff photographer
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Monday, March 12. 2007
Robert Rodriguez and Chingon
Hometown: Austin, Texas
http://www.chingonmusic.com/
Also, Del Castillo, Patricia Vonne
I had my first SXSW party experience tonight. After spending the day manning our booth at the the Interactive and Film tradeshow Jeffb and I headed off in search of a party.
We'd been invited to the ASCAP party at Maggie Mae's so we hiked to 6th Street to see what was happening. Free barbecue was flowing (as I've been told it does at most of the parties) and we of course partook. Brisket, chicken, coleslaw, beans, and beer........ It doesn't get much better than that. My appetite was under control, but I still needed some good live music. An unidentified guitarist was playing at Maggie Mae's, and while a snapped a few shots of him Jeff told me about a party he'd just heard about. One being thrown by film director Robert Rodriguez at Antone`s. Ok, that`s where I wanted to go.
SXSW platinum badges have their benefits. The line outside Antone's was huge, but we were ushered into the club. On stage when we arrived was Rodriguez' sister Patricia Vonne. I wasn't familiar with the hybrid tejano, conjuto, rock, country I heard tonight, but I have become a fan. Patricia is a dynamic frontwoman with tight band backing her up. Patricia was also joined on stage several times by her sister who is an incredible Flamenco dancer, and the legendary saxophonist Johnny Reno.
Following Patricia were Latin rockers Del Castillo. Many of the lyrics were in Spanish and the music had a definite Latin feel, and it had the sound of a polished, pro rock band. Alex Ruiz is a consummate frontman. He's sexy, and cocky, and his vocals were powerful. The del Castillo brothers, Rick and Mark, handle guitar duties in the band, and they impressed the hell out of me. I do love Latin and Flamenco guitar and these boys took us to school with their performance, which peaked as both guitarists played stupid fast tandem lead lines while holding the guitars behind their heads.
After a short break and some equipment changes, del Castillo returned to the stage as Chingon, Robert Rodriguez' badass mariachi band. Rodriguez was now M.C. and third guitar. The setlist was made up of songs from his films. Sadly, the day at the trade show had taken its toll and our backs and feet were crying for mercy only 4 songs into the set. We decide to make our exit and brave the torrential downpour for the 10 block walk back to the car.
This is only the beginning! Three more days of the Interactive/Film Festival, and then it's the music, with the day parties (more free barbecue) and evening showcases. I need to rest up, but I don't see that happening. Stay tuned.
Sunday, March 11. 2007
SXSW is here, with interactive and film trade shows, as well as panels, movies and parties, parties, parties. Every Bar B Q caterer in Austin must have their grills stoked 24 hours a day just to cover all the buffets and banquets.
club kingsnake is definitely in the house, giving away thousands of free t-shirts over the course of the event. Clint Gilders, Christie Keith, and I passed out shirts and business cards all weekend, with a little extra assistance from my sister Susan Barringer, seen here modeling our latest in fashionable outerwear for the spring club season.
As the trade show ended, we all headed out to hit the party circuit, with Clint and I first trying out the brisket and potato salad at the ASCAP film party at Maggie Mae's before heading off to find some bands. We ended up at Robert Rodriguez's film party at Antone's, where we caught Patricia Vonne performing, followed by Del Castillo with an exceptional performance, followed by Robert's own band Chingon. Afterwards we swam back to the car in a driving rainstorm. Watch for a review and pics of this gig by Clint tomorrow.
Friday, March 9. 2007
Brad Delp, the lead singer for the band Boston, was found dead in his home March 9, 2007 at the age of 55 of unknown causes. Police responded to a call for help and found Delp dead. Delp was alone at the time.
Police Lt. William Baldwin said in a statement the death was "untimely" and that there was no indication of foul play.
Delp joined the band in 1970, and is best known as the vocalist on Boston's 1976 hits "More Than a Feeling" and "Longtime." He also sang on Boston's most recent album, "Corporate America," released in 2002.
In tribute to Delp, the band has taken down their website, and one statement remains on a screen of black. "We've just lost the nicest guy in rock and roll."
If you can get there in time, 3000 free club.kingsnake T-shirts will be given out March 11-16 at the SXSW Interactive, Film, & Music Conference in Austin, Texas. We will try to limit the number of shirts we have on hand in our trade show booth so that he have some shirts available each day, and we will make some available at a few select Austin locations and events that are open to the general public, locations and times to be announced next week. Watch this space for further details....
First Place Winner - photo by Gary Miller
Second Place Winner - photo by Jay West
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club kingsnake is proud to announce it is now accepting submissions for its 2007 concert photo contest. Last year's contest attracted over 500 photo entries from photographers around the world. This year we have timed the announcement to occur during Austin's SXSW festival.
The 2007 contest will be handled a bit differently, with monthly winners instead of weekly, and with larger prize incentives to the winners. This year's contest prizes are as follows:
Monthly Prizes: (selected at the first of each month)
1st Place - $100 Best Buy Gift Card
2nd Place - $50 Best Buy Gift Card
3rd Place - club kingsnake T-Shirt
Year End Prizes: (selected at the beginning of 2008)
1st Place - $2000 Camera Shopping Spree
2nd Place - Fuji F31 Point N Shoot Camera
3rd Place - $100 Best Buy Gift Card
This year's contestants will not have to worry about last year's winner. Moondog (Gary Miller) has decided to abstain so that he may join our volunteer staff as a staff photographer and help us with this year's contest. Moondog is not only SXSW's official photographer, but also a staff photographer for the Austin Chronicle, as well as the house photographer for a number of Texas major concert venues. Gary just got back from shooting Eric Clapton and the Red Hot Chili Peppers, and hopefully will have some of these as well as many other concert photos to show us this year. Welcome aboard Gary!
SXSW participants will be able to view not only Gary's prize winning photo of James Brown, selected by a panel of judges that included Alice Cooper, but also second place winner Jay West's photo of Cee-Lo of Gnarls Barkley, and other select images from our gallery.
So how does it work? Simple - just upload a concert photograph that you have taken yourself (with a camera, not off someone else's web site) to our photo contest gallery. Make sure to include the artist's name and any other pertinent details such as the camera and lense used in the description. Every month 3 winners will be chosen, and at the end of the year the 3 best will be selected. This is kind of like American Idol for pictures except our contest judges have been told to keep their rude snickering to themselves.
Gentlemen (and Ladies)... Start your memory cards and POST AWAY!, the 2007 club kingsnake photo contest is now live! Post your images at http://clubpix.kingsnake.com/index.php?cat=521
The first person to enter a photograph in this years contest will get a FREE club.kingsnake T-Shirt!
Contest Rules
- You may enter as many concert photos as you like AS LONG AS THEY ARE PHOTOS YOU HAVE TAKEN!
- Entries must be posted before the end of the day on the last day of the month, according to the clocks on our systems.
- You must include a valid email address on your post for it to qualify.
- Staff and volunteers of OnlineHobbyist.com, Inc. and its associated sites are ineligible to participate in the contest although they may certainly post their photos as well.
- Anyone may enter, regardless of age, although for persons under 18 a parent or guardian must claim the prize.
- No purchase is required to participate.
- You must have a physical address somewhere on the planet earth that can receive parcels sent through the U.S. postal service.
Thursday, March 8. 2007
The lead singer and harmonica player for Blues Traveler, John Popper, was arrested after being pulled over in his vehicle, driven by a Brian Gourgeois, 34, of Austin, Texas, after it was clocked by Washington State Troopers doing 111 miles an hour. After a search of the vehicle turned up an astonishing 4 rifles, 9 handguns, a switchblade, and a small amount of marijuana in hidden compartments throughout the black Mercedes SUV, Popper and Gourgeois were taken into custody, booked, then released on their own recognizance. No word on whether any harmonicas were confiscated in the incident.
With all the hooha surrounding the SXSW event in Austin one might accidentally overlook it's young cousin NXNE in Toronto. Like SXSW it is a music and film fest that attracts 450 bands from around the world, occurring in the warm glow of the late Ontario spring, June 7,8, & 9th this year. Although it is too late to submit your band to this years event, its not too late to buy a badge. Stop by their web site at http://www.nxne.com for details.
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news, rumors, and buzz compiled from around the web by the club.kingsnake staff
Wednesday, March 7. 2007
SXSW has listed Perry Farrell's Satellite Party to the lineup on Friday, March 16 playing at 10:30 p.m.
Stubb's (confirmed), The Stooge's instore at Waterloo at 6pm on the same date promises both to be a special event for those that can squeeze in, and a frustrating bummer for those that can't. No word on whether or not Rage Against The Machine will play a secret set at SXSW. Zack de la Rocha was pretty firm on the "Only for Coachella" but now that Tom Morello and Audioslave have parted ways with Chris Cornell, it leaves the opportunity open. Tom Morello is slated to be both a panelist and solo performer at SXSW, so keep your fingers crossed and your blackberrys on.
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news, rumors, and buzz compiled from around the web by the club.kingsnake staff
Kinski
Genre: Rock
Hometown: Seattle WA
http://www.kinski.net
Wednesday, March 14 12:45 a.m.
Emo's IV Lounge (601 Red River St)
(subject to change) Add this to your SXSW Calendar
SXSW's genre descriptions aside, Kinksi started as a drone band in Seattle and over the years have emerged with a much more complex sound, combining heavy crashing guitars and percussion into a psychedelic rock soufflé. This is one of those sink back into your comfy chair, put the headphones on and listen to the ride experiences.
Spending time touring in the U.S., Japan, and Europe with bands like Mission of Burma, Oneida, Comets on Fire, and Acid Mothers Temple, their last release was in 2005 on the Sub Pop label, the label responsible of breaking Nirvana and the Seattle grunge scene. Making a special trip to Austin just for SXSW I had a chance to speak with Chris Martin about their upcoming gig, touring, and the Seattle music scene. Click on the link "continued" link below to listen to the interview.
Continue reading "Podcast: SXSW Artist Spotlight Interview - Kinski"
Monday, March 5. 2007
Peter Case
Genre: Singer-Songwriter Hometown
Hometown: Los Angeles CA
http://www.petercase.com
Saturday, March 17 1:00 a.m.
18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn (500 N IH 35)
(subject to change) Add this to your SXSW Calendar
Discovered playing on the streets by songwriter Jack Lee, Peter Case went on, along with Lee and Paul Collins to form the seminal power-pop band The Nerves. Later when the Nerves broke up Collins went on to form The Beat and Peter Case went on, along with Austinite "Fast" Eddie Munoz, to form the power pop band The Plimsouls. Case and The Plimsouls gained fame penning the song "Million Miles Away" and performing in the film "Valley Girl" before dissolving, though they still get together every once in a while.
Peter Case still performs as a solo artist, and not pigeonholed in one genre or another slides effortlessly back and forth between bittersweet power pop ballads, classic Americana, and southern blues. To listen to the interview click on the player link on the "continued" page at the bottom.
Peter Case SXSW/Texas Schedule
Monday Mar 12 2007 12:00P
Saxon Pub Austin, Texas
Thursday Mar 15 2007 8:00P
Blue Rock Studios Wemberley, Texas
Friday Mar 16 2007 8:00P
House Concert Houston, Texas
Saturday Mar 17 2007 8:00P
Official South By Southwest Showcase Austin, Texas
18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn (500 N IH 35)
Continue reading "Podcast: SXSW Artist Spotlight Interview - Peter Case"
Sunday, March 4. 2007
diRTy WoRMz
Genre: Hip-Hop/Rap
Hometown: Austin, Texas
http://www.dirtywormz.com/
Saturday, March 17 1:00 a.m.
Club One 15 (115 San Jacinto St)
diRTy WoRMz Concert Pics
(subject to change) Add this to your SXSW Calendar
Austin's own rap-rockers diRTy WoRMz set at Antone's on Friday was so hot it set off the smoke detectors, literally! Luckily we were able to sit down with the Wormz and put an interview together before the alarms sent us into the cold night air.
The diRTy WoRMz have been a fixture on Austin's rap metal scene for the since 2001 attracting quite a strong local following, mixing buzzy speed guitars and with Run-DMC vocal chops and putting on quite a show. After releasing their first disc with the help of members of hard rocking Austinites Vallejo they set the bar high. With the release of last years "The Parazite" CD they will be showing SXSW 07 attendees that Austins local scene knows how to rock it old school. Check out our video interview with of Smackola and DJ Crash and some live clips or still pics from Friday's performance, then go check them out at SXSW! Be careful with that mosh pit though, it's not for beginners.
DIRTY D of the diRTy WoRMz kicks it out at Antone's - Photo by Staff Photographer Jeff Barringer
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Friday, March 2. 2007
Flatstock Poster Convention
Austin Convention Center
South By Southwest Music Festival
March 15th, 16th, and 17th, 2007
1PM to 6PM Thursday the 15th
11AM to 6PM Friday and Saturday the 16th and 17th
http://www.flatstock.com/
Austin's SXSW Festival is once again host to the Flatstock poster convention. Poster artists from around the world will attend and show off works going back decades. The bi-annual convention is sponsored by the American Poster Institute, dedicated to the promotion of music poster art and design worldwide. Flatstock12 is a FREE event, no SXSW wristband or badge required, and is a great place to pick up slices of music history for your walls, some of them with authentic beer stains on them!.
Thank you to Brian Curley for submitting samples of his work and check out our new concert poster photo gallery.
Thursday, March 1. 2007
Hugh Cornwell
Genre: Singer-Songwriter
Hometown: London, U.K.
http://www.hughcornwell.com/
Wednesday, March 14 11:45 p.m.
Elysium (705 Red River St.)
(subject to change) Add this to your SXSW Calendar
I was introduced to the music of Hugh Cornwell and the Stranglers by none other than Joey Ramone himself, backstage at a Ramones gig at the Armadillo. It was one of the bands they started listening too after their early trips to the UK, and he thought I would really like them.
In the days before MTV, the internet, Amazon.com, and MySpace, a few small magazines with limited distribution and word of mouth were the only ways to get buzz, and it passed slowly as a small number of bands toured the tiny punk club circuit of the late 70s and early 80s. The crowds they reached were all rather small, but all the old school bands that survived started that way. Bands like U2, the Police, even the Red Hot Chili Peppers did their first tours on this circuit and the interest in what is now known as "alternative" music was slowly spread this way. Mainstream music was embracing songs from Barry Manilow and the Bee Gees, and god help us, the song "Muskrat Love" was still being heard on FM radio. "Freebird" and "Stairway" were in constant rotation on all the album oriented rock stations, and anything that even remotely smelled of punk was limited to the middle of the night on a few college radio stations.
The Stranglers made their run down that circuit as well, but only briefly. By the time the Stranglers hit Austin, I was already a huge fan, owning all their released vinyl up to that point, most of it as UK imports. Their only Austin appearance was at brand new punk club called Club Foot. Formerly the 404 Club, one of Austin's first gay hotspots, Club Foot's opening night had the Stranglers as headliners. But the show was poorly publicized, the club was unknown, and nobody seemed to have told the former patrons of the change in the club's business model, making me glad I had left my studded leather Ramones jacket at home.
I looked back on that night as one of my best memories of the old scene days. The audience, though few in number, was comprised mainly of Austin's music hipsters and members of local bands, along with a small number of friends I had talked into going. We had a blast as they roiled through songs like "Tank" and "Peaches." JJ Burnell's body flailed wildly as he provided the driving bassline behind Hugh Cornwell's throaty growl.
Hugh Cornwell, former lead singer of the Stranglers, will be a performer at Austin's SXSW this year and it gives me an opportunity to dust off all my old memories from those days. I got to relive some of them again with Hugh as well as discuss all his neat new solo work in our interview. Click on the player link on the "continued" page below to listen.
Continue reading "Podcast: SXSW Artist Spotlight Interview - Hugh Cornwell"
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