FNL’s The Landing Strip. It’s REAL. Driving to dinner on my last evening in Austin, I am trying to navigate the side streets outside the downtown core in my car, the GPS taking me to parts of the Texas capital I haven’t seen before. Specifically, near the airport. And that’s when I see her. Suddenly, I drive by a gentleman’s club called Landing Strip. Not just any strip club. But the strip club from one of the best, if not THE best television shows of all time and surely the best show about Texas ever, Friday Night Lights. It’s almost
Johnston Farrow
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Day 4, part 2: South By Southwest 2011
After recharging on on some delectable Indian food at G Raj Mahal (say it fast…), we head to the Dangerbird Records showcase to check out The Dears once more after telling my friend how much they kicked ass a few nights before. There we catch Los Angeles-hipsters The One A.M. Radio plying their delicately cool vibes. Their sound is pretty, like a quieter Stars or a dreamier version of Junior Boys. While it might be nice to listen to, say, on your iPod while on an airplane or maybe over dinner at a swanky restaurant, it’s not very rock ‘n
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Day 5: South By Southwest 2011 – DFA 1979 Madness
Day 4, part 2 recaps and a full day of Day 5 recaps and interviews are on the way, but first, I have to sum up what had to be the craziest end to a South By Southwest festival I’ve ever witnessed. It starts when a journalist friend, Dave Jaffer of Montreal’s The Hour, hears legendary Toronto indie-electro-punk duo Death From Above 1979 is playing its first reunion show in half a decade at Beauty Bar. We literally run to the venue in an attempt to get into the 225-capacity space. What we find is a crowd of at least
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Day 4: South By Southwest 2011
!!! at the French Legation Day Party One thing I’ve learned from doing coverage for The Coast at South By Southwest is it’s really tough to shoot video while you’re dancing. Day 4 at South By Southwest 2011 proved to be a day for flailing around like a rag doll (I’m not the world’s best […]
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Day 3: South By Southwest 2011
At this moment, I have to lay down a confession. The other night, fueled by the thought I might not get to see all the bands I wanted to see, I broke down and bought a wristband. Am I glad I did it? A little bit. I have been able to get into some great […]
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Day 2: South By Southwest 2011
Walking down the street after parking about a mile and a half away from downtown, we run into In-Flight Safety’s John Mullane, wandering the streets, unable to find his hotel. This pretty much sums up the South By Southwest experience. John Mullane of IFS talks SXSW The sheer immensity of this festival, the amount of bands playing at any given time, and the many options across an area of a few square miles can leave one a little dazed and confused. That brings up a quote from that famous Austin-shot, 1993 movie, Dazed and Confused. To paraphrase, sitting at the
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Day 1, Part 3: South By Southwest
For my editor: Dave Jaffer of The Hour mugs in front of the tattoo parlour where Jason Street got his tattoo in Friday Night Lights Fresh Kils gives the lowdown on Austin Ghettosocks on food in Austin and that Juno nomination
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Day 1, Part 2: South By Southwest 2011
Oh Austin, how I love you. Just when you think South By Southwest may not live up to expectations, it kicks you in the arse with a great night of shows. It’s like throwing a party and being worried that no one will show up. Instead, several thousand people turn out and it’s the party […]
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Day 1: South By Southwest 2011
Friends, warm weather, great food and (free) drinks in mid-March. Sounds like a trip to Cuba, right? Throw in 2000 bands playing over a five-day span and 130,000 music fans roaming the greater downtown area of Austin, Texas and you get the audiophile’s version of Spring Break. It’s time again for South By Southwest, the […]
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Air
AirTalkie Walkie(Astralwerks)After the harsh electro-lounge of 10,000 Hz Legend, Air re-turns to the spacy dream-pop of their first full-length. With the exception of “Sexy Boy” sequel “Surfing on a Rocket” and the light swinger “Alpha Beta Gaga,” Air slows things down to a blissful crawl. Think Moon Safari on a cocktail of Ecstasy and Valium […]
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Bon Savants
Bon SavantsPost-Rock Defends the Nation (Independent) It happens all the time. One band flies under the radar that deserves attention on the end-of-year charts. Unless you’re an avid music blog reader or have a subscription to Spin, you probably don’t know the Bon Savants. But that could change, as the Boston-based quartet has followed the […]
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Buck 65
Buck 65Secret House Against the World(Warner)Try to look past the fact he cancelled his hometown record release and take Secret House for what it is: a solid step in the evolution of Richard Terfry’s musical journey. To understand Buck 65, one must know that he’s prone to sudden changes in direction from record to record. […]