Tuesday, June 10, 2025

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Music NewsScott Rollinssongwriter

Charlie Robison: In Memoriam

Charlie Robison took his place amongst the fabled Texas troubadours even though he flirted with commercial success in Nashville a time or two. But he was a Texas boy. We all knew guys like Charlie, we saw them on Friday nights, around town. His relatable nature was part of his appeal. He passed on September 10, 2023 in San Antonio of complications from cardiac arrest. He was only 59.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Drone metal band Sunn O))) blew the doors off Paramount Theater last week

When Seattle’s Sunn O))) (Pronounced Sun) takes the reins of any stage, a cloud of fog appears, and the Drone Metal collective is off to the races in a slow and steady spectacle. The Washington State joint is a complex performance oddity. Equipped with a dozen or so amplifiers stacked to the level of ancient monuments, the sonic abilities of the Pacific Northwest group know no end. On Wednesday night at Paramount Theater in Austin, Sunn summoned a mystical performance that showcased their unending ability to create glacial soundscapes that made the audience’s jaws drop to the floor with their slow-burning modus operandi. 

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AlbumGreg AckermanReview

Album review: Fading Yellow to drop debut EP and host Chess Club release party December 1

Austin psychedelic pop and art-rock band, Fading Yellow are set to drop their first EP, Stereo Assessment Friday, December 1 on all streaming services. The talented foursome are set to host a release party at Chess Club with an expanded lineup presented as Fading Yellow Arkestra with support from Large Brush Collection. The evening promises to be an entertaining one for local music fans at the intimate Red River Cultural District venue. 

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AlbumCase CockrellReview

Album review: Danny Brown delivered reflective Warp Records solo record Quaranta

With a blockbuster collaboration and tour with experimental Hip Hop powerhouse JPEGMAFIA under the Detroit-turned-Austin artist’s belt, the modern rap icon has ceremoniously unveiled his most personal album to date, Quaranta. For those who aren’t fluent in Italian, the record’s title means 40, showing Brown’s vulnerability as he ages into a seasoned rhyme sculptor who still feels like he has lots to prove despite his glowing resume. On Quaranta, he treats like Hip Hop has been a double-edged sword, and he is finally seeing destiny as he has painted it over his long, fabled career.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Atlanta garage punks Black Lips rocked Parish with Gus Baldwin and Death Party

Atlanta’s Black Lips have kept this dream alive since the label’s dissolution. Since embarking on numerous tours and album cycles since 1999, the garage outfit has been a musical binge since their inception. With a stage show that goes the lo-fi, rocking distance, there was never a dull moment on Friday night at Austin’s Parish in the city’s East Side. 

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Flaming Lips celebrated 20 years of Yoshimi with three-hour spectacle at ACL Live

Oklahoma’s The Flaming Lips are a generational treasure. With frontman Wayne Coyne and his trusted associates going 40 years strong as of 2023, the band has nothing left to prove. That being said, The Oklahoma City act embodies rock and roll longevity. For the band’s latest outings, Coyne and company has been treating fans to a full-length presentation of their 2002 record Yoshimi Battles The Pink Robots last Wednesday at ACL Live.

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Live MusicReviewScott Rollins

Live music review: Mandy Barnett and Symphony of Southeast Texas delivered beautiful performance

The historic Julie Rogers Theatre is home to the Symphony of Southeast Texas (SOST), hosting classical, pops, educational, holiday performances, as well as many specials throughout the year. On October 14,  the SOST welcomed Mandy Barnett, performing music from her Nashville Songbook. 

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AlbumCase CockrellReview

Album review: Walkabouts shows chops with honed songwriting on debut, Bloomin’ Ocotillo

After assembling a lineup of seasoned local musicians who called the Midwest home like the band’s founder—bassist Kyle Douglas, lead guitarist Ryan Girard, and drummer Drew Dederer—Bandleader, Sam Shaffer has built his full band, Walkabouts. Since getting their bearings, the rising Austin act has been chipping away at the musical block to craft energetic live shows that drift between personable songwriting and dynamic rock-and-roll energy. For Walkabouts’ debut full-length, Bloomin’ Ocotillo, the Midwest-turned Austin musicians take a new stride that provokes thoughtful lyricism and massive instrumental triumph.

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Brian HillsmanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Warmduscher, CIVIC, and Lothario put on energetic punk show at Hotel Vegas for LEVITATION

Despite the warm humidity and off-and-on torrential downpour, the Levitation Lounge —adjacent to Parish — was bustling with patrons, eager to head to one of the many showcases lined up for the evening on Friday, October 27. Just down East Sixth Street, Hotel Vegas had a line forming at the side gate for an all punk bill featuring Warmduscher, CIVIC and Lothario that took place on the beloved Vegas patio.

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