Bob Schneider: 3/7/08 @ Antone’s, Austin TX
Posted on March 8, 2008
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Caught this show at the famous Austin blues club Antone’s. I recalled Bob Schneider more for his very cool website designed by WeFail. What I didn’t remember is that his music now sounds a lot like Jack Johnson and that type of fucking annoying mellow ‘everything is gonna be alright’ brand of white guy soul. Rule #1: NO white people should do reggae unless it’s the Clash or Blondie… back in the 80′s. Everybody that tries to do this just tends to overplay… that type of music is all about the back beat and knowing when to hold back. OK, so Mr. Schneider didn’t do much reggae, to be fair. And some of the more riff driven, southern rock style stuff was pretty good. I wasn’t sure what to make of the weird comedy act about two-thirds of the way through about a cock sucking crack whore. Kinda funny, I guess. But not really. Then the rapping style stuff he did later… ouch. I think I’m all set, we left before the show was even over.
SXSW Friday: Arrival
Posted on March 7, 2008
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Well, we made it to Austin. There was a last minute change in the crew and I was psyched to see Lee Walters added to our crew of myself and Katherine ‘Kat’ Dawson. Both very talented art directors. And very talented drinkers, as it turns out. We were charged with reporting back to the gang at Arnold and we had this idea to tell the story through the eyes of a creepy, androgenous cowboy doll. So we are shooting footage of this little guy in all sorts of shennanigans. more on that later.
After registering, we got into the sauce early (both barbecue and the booze kind) at the famous Iron Works barbecue joint in Austin. We headed up to Guadelupe street to check that out, and our cabby blazed up a nice sized joint. People in Austin seem nice for sure. And the ‘keep Austin weird’ thing seems fitting. Then some more drinks at a tent party thingey across from the convention center. And then some more drinks at a rooftop party put on by… We finally hooked up with Paulo and had a tasty dinner at … before heading to a show at Antone’s. We saw Bob Schneider. (see review below.)
Austin seems pretty cool. Not the most physically attractive city, but the nightlife (at least while SXSW is happening) definitely delivers. Just watch out for the douchey college kids out late on 6th street.
SXSW 08… here we come!
Posted on March 3, 2008
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The good old folks at Arnold (my current employer) have decided to send three of us down to the South by Southwest 08 Interactive conference down in Austin, which runs from Friday, March 7 to Tuesday the 11th. A little reward for the several 60+ hour weeks that I’ve been having lately to launch the latest ESPN promotion? Perhaps. Unfortunately, it doesn’t coincide with the music festival which is legendary for it’s parties and breaking new bands. But I’m sure it will be fun regardless, and who could pass up five free days in a nice hotel, some good parties, and a generous dining per diem? And maybe learn something in the panels as well, which look pretty interesting.
Luke Temple: Snowbeast
Posted on August 8, 2007
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NPR’s story on Luke Temple.
Luke’s myspace page.
Millpond Records Luke Temple information.
TV on the Radio… Live in McCarren Park Pool
Posted on August 8, 2007
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A rainy Sunday at Brooklyn’s McCarren Park Pool… it somehow seems more fitting to TV on the Radio than a hot and sunny summer day. Hot and sunny like the week before when the Band of Horses headlined. Band of Horses are good, but honestly, they sound so very much like My Morning Jacket; who sound so very much like Neil Young and other 70′s rockers. Not a bad thing, but certainly not carving any new paths through the wilderness. TV on the Radio, however, do seem to be carving out a new sound.
We arrived late, we lingered extra long over a late late brunch at the tasty Brooklyn Label in Greenpoint. Who cares if the owner is allegedly a republican? Good eats there. It was raining pretty hard after all. So we only saw half of Celebration’s set (they are a relatively new Brooklyn band recently signed to 4AD) Thump thump thump and lead singer leg was all red from her wailing on it so hard with the tambourine. Celebration are kind of jammed out dance rock with a bit of a vintage feel. Turns out the guitarist/producer from TV on the Radio is producing their forthcoming album, and the whole gang seems like family. Tunde Adebimpe and TV’s other fuzzybear guitarist came on stage for the last few songs. Not a bad set…
And then TV on the Radio. A different experience up close; they just seem like nice guys, particularly Tunde, who acts a little dorky and self conscious… this is so much unlike their music which is big and brash at times. They went through most of the hits from their two albums and EP, but the set was sadly missing one of my favorite song from their new album, ‘Playhouses.’ The crowd seemed a bit more diverse this week, as in, not just the Williamsburg hipster set. Which is a good thing.
NYTimes did a video thing on the whole affair:
http://video.on.nytimes.com/?fr_story=e0dc1af27b6f4547a4cced0bd9cad7a76ec477ac
Niho Kozuru
Posted on July 9, 2007
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Over at Bigzanda Gallery we are finalizing the details for an upcoming show at the end of July (or the beginning of August); featuring fantastic sculpture by NihoKozuru. Niho’s work is made of cast rubber and captures light in a unique way. And it’s bendy!
We are toying with lots of ideas, such as having a piece floating out in the harbor, lighting pieces, and hanging some beneath the pier under the gallery space with a webcam watching it all. Dynamic!
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