Sunday, November 24, 2024

Author: Case Cockrell

Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: The Grandmaster Orchestra Gala at Stateside Theatre promises more annual events

May is a big season for any city like Austin. College students are closing the book on school, prom kids are, well, prom-ing, and the city of Austin has its usual everyday festivities going in full force. Austin’s Grandmaster Orchestra has been at it for over a year, assembling a lineup that spans some of the best artists the local music sphere offers. The members of the Grandmaster ensemble, honorably dubbed “Zealots,” take their leader, the Grandmaster’s mission, to heart. The local nonet, turned duodecet for the Austin act’s album release show at Stateside Theatre in downtown Austin, featured a star-studded bill that delivered musicianship and auras of longtime friendship that showed a pivotal moment for the Austin music scene of the current era

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Ty Segall brought his Three Bells tour to Mohawk April 22 with Sharpie Smile

Prolific garage rocker, Ty Segall brought his current tour to Mohawk on April 22 in support of his latest album, Three Bells. The new record has seen generally favorable reviews, with a Metacritic score of 82. A frequent performer in Austin, Segall always draws a devoted audience to his Central Texas shows and last month’s gig was no exception. 

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Philly punks Mannequin Pussy rocked sold-out Mohawk in rain on 420 Day

Sometimes, we’re stubborn as Austin music fans. Austin’s Red River Cultural District venue Mohawk drew a sold-out crowd on a 420 Day  evening when the weather forecast threatened to do away with the night’s concert festivities. Luckily for fans of Philadelphia punk outfit Mannequin Pussy, folks were ready to have floods of fun as the rain poured down right as the Pennsylvania band took the stage.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Eclectic Austin Psych Fest returned to Far Out Lounge last weekend

The Spring installment of Austin Psych Fest returned last weekend to the Far Out Lounge & Stage for a three-day, two-stage, no-overlap experience that brought over 30 acts to Texas for an eclectic weekend of music from all across the trippy psychedelic spectrum. Event organizers, Levitation was, in part founded by local psych rock revivalists, The Black Angels, but the local organization has become much more over the years.

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Seven more acts to see at Austin Psych Fest this weekend

The second edition of the revived Austin Psych Fest is coming up fast. With an all-star lineup from all over the psychedelic and indie rock spectrum, different acts from all over the world will make their way to South Austin at Far Out Lounge & Stage’s massive backyard for a two-stage, no-overlap, three-day rock and roll shindig. With more than 25 artists performing over the weekend of April 26-l28, there will be no shortage of music to discover while including Levitation mainstays such as festival founders, The Black Angels, West Coast psych punk berserkers Frankie & The Witch Fingers, Aussie shredders Psychedelic Porn Crumpets, and more. Here are seven more acts The Cosmic Clash team has handpicked as must-sees for the end-of-April festivities. Tickets and set times can be found via the Levitation website here. 

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Garage rock titan Ty Segall brings his Three Bells tour to Mohawk April 22

The California musician has made Austin his second home, playing triumphant sets at various venues around the area. After a triumphant performance to wrap up his backing band, The Freedom Band’s era, he is embarking on another tour supporting his latest Chicago-based Drag City Records studio effort, Three Bells, one of his most polished works to date. For Austin’s stop on the tour circuit, Ty Segall will perform at Red River Cultural District staple Mohawk, in the heart of the downtown area on April 22. 

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Danny Brown threw down a rager at Empire Garage

Sometimes, live music crowds can be major downers. Austin, Texas’ vibrant music scene has a massive influx of live shows that draw a variety of different crowds, some good, some bad. For Detroit-turned-Austin oddball rapper Danny Brown, an unforgettable live spectacle made sure to cancel out the entitled personalities that attempted to harsh the triumphant vibes of Danny’s homecoming for yet another Austin appearance, this time at Empire Garage on Thursday, April 11.

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Case CockrellPremiereReview

Single premiere: Holy Wire released new single Lost this week

Holy Wire has released their new single “Lost,” out this week on all streaming services. The single, accompanied by two music videos, one lyric and one visual, showcases the unique blend of influences that define the Austin electropop act. Frontman Alain Paradis’ inspired prowess for post punk, infused with synth and moody vocal deliveries, draws from the New York City rock and roll revival and the eclectic nature of the Austin music scene, creating a musical utopia that is both familiar and refreshingly new. 

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Case CockrellFilmReview

SXSW film review: This is a Film About The Black Keys premiered at Sx Film Festival

For South By Southwest 2024, The Black Keys premiered their triumphant story of rock and roll stardom, which didn’t come as an immediate success as their long tenure as a band might suggest. In the premiering “This Is A Film About The Black Keys,” we get to see their rise as a band, along with the friends they met and the legends they crossed paths with along the way, allowing for all the laughs, pitfalls, and eventual success of being famous rock stars in the present. 

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Case CockrellPremiereReview

Single premiere: Big Bill drops new single Ex-Con today in nod to Austin act Smog

Big Bill has released their newest single, “Ex-Con.” The release comes with unveiling the Austin punk act’s upcoming LP, Strawberry Seed, due out June 14. Big Bill is a band that makes a unique event out of every live show, demanding audience participation with inclusive stage presence, pogoing mosh pits, and matching red stage-wear that depicts their distinctive logo and creates a vibe of special occurrences that requires their own regalia

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Case CockrellPremiere

Video premiere: Nolan Potter’s Nightmare Band released great new single and clip Dig Me As I Am

Since restructuring his live ensemble in 2022, Potter and his trusted associates have been performing at a frantic pace, but no signs of new material with the second version of his band have appeared until the release of their new single and self-produced video “Dig Me As I Am.” The single comes as the first offering from the band’s forthcoming new record, The Perils Of Being Trapped Inside A Head, due out April 26.

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