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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Portland act Portugal. The Man showed no creative bounds at ACL Live with La Luz

Alaska natives and Portland-based musical collective Portugal. The Man is an outfit that knows no creative bounds. Built by visionary John Gourley and rounded out by a laundry list of collaborators who have come and gone over the years, the Oregon vehicle has retained a creative streak that’s produced 10 full-length studio projects since forming in 2004. For the last stop on their run supporting new LP Shish, the Portugal company made their way to Austin’s premier venue ACL Live on Friday, December 12 for a headlining extravaganza that brought the new and old material, with a lot of new in rotation to celebrate the latest release.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: 90s alt-rockers Belly resurfaced at Mohawk to celebrate King album 30th anniversary

The 1990s saw many monumental alternative rock and indie releases that many music fans, new and old, hold dear. For some, it’s The Lonesome Crowded West by Modest Mouse, Slanted & Enchanted by Pavement, or Dolittle by Pixies. There are too many hidden gems that fly under the radar, however, proving that we as music lovers, need to go crate-digging at our favorite record stores a lot more often. For Rhode Island’s Belly’s second album, King, a body of work with the underrated alt-rock icons exists, featuring crossover membership with the likes of Throwing Muses, L7, and The Breeders. With this seminal rock and roll legacy in mind, Belly released the now 30-year-old record in 1995 and disbanded shortly after. In 2016, the New England-hailing quartet reunited for another record and has since embarked on an anniversary tour to commemorate the now landmark release. On Wednesday, December 11 in the Red River Cultural District at scene staple Mohawk, fans both old-school and new were treated to a two-set experience by Belly that included that penultimate sophomore effort and other offerings from their scant but worthwhile catalogue.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Primitive Man played Empire in Austin for rare late-year gig

It can be hard to gauge what attendance at late-year gigs in Austin will be like. There are tons of shows, festivals, and other events going on in town 365 days a year. People’s wallets can run dry around the holidays, and people are spending less discretionary income. For Denver deathdoom outfit Primitive Man’s December appearance at Empire Control Room in the Red River Cultural District on December 9, a thin, but dedicated gauntlet of fans showed up to experience the slow and low, deafening spectacle of the Colorado extreme metal band. Bringing a bill that proved eclectic and all over the place sonically, the evening on Red River didn’t disappoint for performances filled with harsh experimentation and maximum cranium-shaking riffs from the headlining event.

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Live MusicReviewTroy Gonzales

Live music review: Neko Case returned to the Paramount Theater in Austin for Thanksgiving

So on a warm Tuesday night, a two days before Thanksgiving, Neko Case and her touring band returned to the Paramount Theatre in support of her latest album, Neon Grey Midnight Green, her eighth studio album, which also follows her recent bestselling memoir,  The Harder I Fight, The More I Love You.  I’ve been lucky enough to have seen the New Pornographers on a couple of occasions but have only seen Neko Case solo once at the Paper Tiger in San Antonio. While I haven’t always thought of the Paramount Theatre as my go to place to see live music, I will concede that certain musical artist do benefit from its historic ambience, which can lend a sense of intimacy and warmth that you can’t find at any other venue.

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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Old school punks The Bouncing Souls and H2O played Empire last Sunday

As an official Old Head, it’s an experiment in time for me: I got into punk in the early ’90s, and now that it’s 2025, I’m somehow in my fourth decade of this thing. The people we looked up to — and the kids I was crammed shoulder-to-shoulder with at basement shows — are now comparing cholesterol scores and scheduling their first colonoscopy. So when The Bouncing Souls and H2O rolled into town on Sunday, I got off my Rascal scooter and made my way down to enjoy the cool sounds of bands who’ve been around for thirty years, joining the rest of the AARPunks at Empire Control Room.

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Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Holiday Hootenanny returns to Radio East December 13 with stacked lineup

The Resound-Pooneh Presents-KUTX Holiday Hootenanny returns to Radio / East on December 13, marking another year of music, vendors, and holiday-themed festivities to close out another year of Austin live music. The event will run all day, with two non-overlapping music stages running until midnight. Holiday Hootenanny is an all-ages opportunity to see local talent and touring acts alike in southeast Austin, with plenty of parking, food trucks, and ample drink selections to keep festival-goers energized throughout the day.

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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: A Charlie Brown Christmas at Parker Jazz Club evokes deep nostalgia

Recently, I had the pleasure of attending The Parker Jazz Club’s tribute to A Charlie Brown Christmas, and it’s now on my must-do tradition list. Hosted every Monday in December, The Ryan Davis Trio puts on an hour-and-a-half show with a little history of the special, a few jokes, and plenty of timeless music. The experience was cozy and pleasant, full of smiles and wistful audience members diving deep into their pasts as the music played. Even Snoopy had his place on top of the doghouse—Charlie’s little tree was there, too.

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Big Bill Ball 8 at Radio East offered accurate snapshot of Austin music scene

The eighth annual Big Bill Ball at Radio East in the Southeast part of town, marked another celebration of the Austin scene, offering a snapshot of local music in 2025 with a six-band bill featuring some of the best active acts in the Austindie sphere. For this year’s installment, the philosophical art punk mainstays celebrated the release of their new studio LP, Sick Myth. Continuing the Big Bill way of inclusive activism through comedic lyrical punchlines and a variety of punk rock angles, the one-day event gave attendees one of the most coveted evenings of live music in 2025 during Saturday night’s (November 22) gig at the southeast Austin backyard venue. The mini-fest was co-sponsored by famed photographer and show promoter, Pooneh Ghana for the annual showcase.

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Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Murder City Devils brought rock and roll fury to Mohawk

I love a show where the band is not there to fuck around. No small talk, no rare material, no rambling monologues about the world. Just pure rock and roll fury. At the Mohawk on Sunday, November 23, The Murder City Devils crashed into Planet Austin and left no survivors. The band barely tours anymore—just fly-in one-offs where they show up, sell the same three merch designs they’ve had for twenty years, and play the hits.

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ComedyReviewRobert Dean

Live comedy review: Dave Attell at the Mothership – A masterclass in controlled chaos

Few times in life do we get to see a true master at work. Watching someone carve stone for a temple or fling paint across a canvas gives a glimpse into creation itself — that raw place art comes from before it’s polished and displayed. Recently, I caught Dave Attell’s final show of his six-night run at Joe Rogan’s Comedy Mothership, and it was one of those rare moments when a comic takes you to a different universe

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Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Standout rapper Earl Sweatshirt cemented his legacy at Stubb’s

For the release of his fifth studio LP Live Laugh Love, the Earl hive is as healthy as ever, even if it means the 31-year-old’s legacy is a long way from his angst-ridden years. Earl and his worthy entourage made their way to Stubb’s Waller Creek Amphitheater on November 21, an evening filled with beats and bars that affirmed his consistent, independent trajectory, which has mounted to that of one of hip-hop’s most forward-thinking figures.

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