Friday, March 6, 2026
The Cosmic Clash

songwriter

Portugal the man 5 ACL Live Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

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

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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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Neko Case Paramount Theater Troy Gonzales
Live MusicReviewTroy Gonzales

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

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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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Jeff Tweedy 4 Paramount Theater Troy Gonzales
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live Music Review: Jeff Tweedy Celebrates New Triple Album at Paramount Theatre

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A songwriter like Jeff Tweedy is rare company. With an ever-growing gaunlet of books, records, and musical outlets, the Illinois-born artist has maintained an unrivaled prolific streak that’s shown no signs of letting up as he reaches the not-so-ripe age of 60. After a phenomenal three-day stint with his primary vehicle, Wilco, at ACL Live last December, Tweedy and his family band made their way to the Paramount Theater in downtown Austin on Wednesday night. The Austin stop comes as a part of the tour to celebrate the release of triple LP Twilight Override, a 30-song epic chronicling the Midwest wordsmith’s more hopeful side. For the gig at one of Austin’s most coveted and beautiful venues, the results did not disappoint, given a storied career spanning over four decades.

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Been There 4_Mix Master Mike 2_20251108_OlkerPhoto_096
Brian HillsmanLive MusicReview

Live music review: Been There 4 benefit at Radio East featured Mix Master Mike and Austin artists

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The two-stage setup in the Radio/East backyard was the perfect setting for the Been There 4 benefit live music event – “the party to end homelessness.”  The event took place on Saturday, November 8 with Beastie Boys’ wax authority, Mix Master Mike atop an impressive bill that included a raft of high quality Austin artists amid a decidedly upbeat vibe. The annual fundraiser began humbly at Camp Esperanza, the state-ordered Northeast Austin homeless encampment that The Other Ones Foundation (TOOF) set about to support with a wealth of services for folks struggling to make ends meet. The TOOF staff included many members of the music community and their friends, including filmmaker Aaron Brown (Onion Creek Productions) and his partner at Been There Lenny Barszap. 

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Patrick Sweany PR photo Joshua Black Wilkins
Live MusicReviewRobert Dean

Live music review: Patrick Sweany deserves a bigger stage

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Every time Patrick Sweany rolls through town, I ask myself the same question: how is this guy not bigger? It’s the eternal curse of music nerds — finding an artist you love and wondering what the hell is wrong with everyone else. But Sweany’s different. He belongs in the same conversation as Chris Stapleton, Jack White, Marcus King, and the Black Keys. He’s that good.

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ACL Festival skyline
Case CockrellLive MusicPreview

Live music preview: Six must see bands at Austin City Limits Music Festival 2025

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Austin City Limits Music Festival is an annual music extravaganza that takes place in the heart of Austin every Fall, and the curated talent ranges from worthy up-and-coming artists and legacy acts to round out its eclectic, genre-spanning array of music. For this year’s installment, The Cosmic Clash has put together a list of six must-sees you need to put on your list for the first weekend at Zilker Park which begins October 3. Tickets and set times can be found via the ACL website or through recommended resellers.

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Mark Lanegan via ML
OpinionRobert Deansongwriter

Opinion: Mark Lanegan should be in same conversation as our greatest songwriters

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I get that Jeff Buckley is beloved. I know people with tattoos of his lyrics. Listening to it, I was taken to a place of feeling like, it was too dated for me, that I felt like people loved this record for its mythology of Buckley dying young and tragically more than the actual musical weight of the record, that his cover of Leonard Cohen’s “Hallelujah” made him so deep. It got me thinking about hype, legacy, and ultimately, Mark Lanegan.

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New music
AlbumReviewRobert Dean

New music: Teddy Long, Dim Light and Hugo Monster albums are fresh finds

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I wanted to give you a few new things to listen to if you’re in the market for new ear candy. When the world is a constant depression machine, the power of music is unmatched, a salve that can make us feel human again when there’s just too much punishment on our hearts and souls and by the grace of god, some caveman, somewhere, figured out that if you beat a few rocks together with sticks over a cowhide, the beautiful noise happened.

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Willie Nelson 2 Chad Cooper
Live MusicReviewScott Rollins

Live music review: Willie Nelson in Beaumont proved life affirming

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What more can really be said about Willie Nelson? He is recognized the world over and is apricated by fans of varying musical genera and backgrounds. He’s acted in movies and is arguably the most influential songwriter in county music history. He is one of the greatest icons in popular culture worldwide. Emmylou Harris once said, “if America could sing with one voice, it would be Willie’s”. Which is one reason to see his performance at Ford Park in Beaumont to see the legendary songwriter perform a life affirming show. 

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Adrianne Lenker Paramount marquee
Case CockrellLive MusicReview

Live music review: Songwriter Adrianne Lenker sold out the Paramount Theatre

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Big Thief’s Adrianne Lenker has served as one of the leading charges in a new age of independent storytelling through song. The Minnesota native and Brooklyn-based singer/songwriter brought her acoustic tour to Paramount Theatre in downtown Austin for two sold-out performances, following suit to multiple capacity crowds with her full band throughout the years of their short but prolific existence. The intimate, candlelit historical setting of the theatre, where you could hear a pin drop, created a unique connection between Lenker and her audience, making for a thought-provoking experience of songs new and old on the June 10 second evening. With the release of her latest solo album, Bright Future Lenker has delivered yet another heart-wrenching gauntlet of tunes, sure to draw the misty eyes of all the indie Gen-Zers and Millennials in attendance

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