HOME: MARCH 10, 2006: MUSIC: THURSDAY SXSW PICKS AND SLEEPERS
SXSW Thursday Picks & Sleepers
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PICKS
All showcases subject to change
MR. LIF5:30pm, Town Lake Stage @ Auditorium Shores In these days of political conservatism, few MCs are willing to take a dissident stand and stick with it. Displaying no such reluctance, Boston's Mr. Lif paired with fellow Beantown rapper Akrobatik as the Perceptionists for 05's Black Dialogue (Definitive Jux) with fierce admonishments lobbed at the U.S. government and commercial hip-hop alike. – Robert Gabriel
BLACKALICIOUS6:30pm, Town Lake Stage @ Auditorium Shores Exploring fresh musical terrain, Oakland-based rap duo Blackalicious gathers sound ideas along the road less traveled. Gift of Gab and Chief Xcel unearth curious takes on traditional hip-hop as their latest, The Craft (Anti-), veers deep into The Love Below backwoods of soul-pop fusion. Recent collaborations with George Clinton and Gil Scott-Heron further mutate the Blackalicious cornucopia. – Robert Gabriel
SPOON7pm, Town Lake Stage @ Auditorium Shores After playing label hopscotch early on, these hometown heroes scored a game-winning TD in 2005 with the Some Girls-infected Gimme Fiction (Merge). Horror-machine Stephen King counts himself a fan, and Austinites are still rooting for Spoon – even if frontman Britt Daniel recently relocated to rainy Portland, Ore. Daniel's falsetto, danceable guitar skronk, and Jim Eno's Charlie Watts-like metronome remain Spoon's weapons of choice. – Dan Oko
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THE ZUTONS7pm, Austin Music Hall Today's pop bands have taken a centrifuge to a list of influences and come up with something entirely original, yet few have accomplished it as thoroughly as Liverpool's Zutons. A careening mix of Seventies styles and British blues 'n' boogie, with a nod toward prog-rock, the quintet is set to issue its next CD, Tired of Hangin' Around (Deltasonic), this summer. – Jim Caligiuri
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MISS PAMELA DES BARRES7:30pm, Whisky Bar Talk about your renaissance woman! The ever-charming Pamela Des Barres has gone from notorious to A-list in one lifetime, thanks to her groundbreaking groupie memoir I'm With The Band. Reissued last year with addenda from her SXSW adventures, Des Barres' book, like the lady, is unforgettable. – Margaret Moser
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REDD VOLKAERT AND CINDY CASHDOLLAR8pm, Cedar Street Courtyard Local steel guitar vet and slide queen Cindy Cashdollar has put in time with Ryan Adam's Roses, Ray Benson's Texas swing outfit Asleep at the Wheel, and the house band on Prairie Home Companion. Hometown hero Redd Volkaert has been backing Merle Haggard since 2000; he's a national treasure in his own right. Expect friends, but this pair of aces is a sure bet. – Dan Oko
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JUD NEWCOMB8pm, Whisky Bar Affectionately known as Scrappy Jud, Newcomb is a tremendously talented unsung hero of the Austin roots music scene. A singer-songwriter/producer, he's best known for his superb guitar playing in many local bands, including the Resentments and Ian McLagan's Bump Band. His most recent album, Byzantine (Freedom), was an unheralded highlight of last year's Austin releases. – Jay Trachtenberg
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JOHN VANDERSLICE8pm, Parish By the time you read this, Vanderslice will be wrapping up a European tour with Death Cab for Cutie. The Bay area indie rocker is still supporting last year's gorgeous, sometimes uncomfortably confessional Pixel Revolt (Barsuk); expect a remix this year, as well as a new full-length this summer. – Melanie Haupt
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THEY SHOOT HORSES DON'T THEY8pm, Emo's Annex The 1969 Jane Fonda flick of the same name, a film about a grueling dance marathon, is the perfect tangent for this band. The Vancouver octet's debut LP, Boo Hoo Hoo Boo (Kill Rock Stars), rocks a full horn section in addition to dancey beats, scratched vocals, and unchecked skronky-tonk madness. The result is tiring, exhilarating, heart rates up all around. – Audra Schroeder
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DARDEN SMITH8pm, Momo's 2006 marks 20 years of making records for Darden Smith, whose admirably self-assured new Field of Crows proves his peak isn't far afield. His third perfect fit for Dualtone, Crows flutters in the 44-year-old Austinite's house of love like the glories of Seventies AM radio visited on KGSR's peerless adult contemporary. Texan songwriters improve with age, and these days, this one's hitting nothing but net. – Raoul Hernandez
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RICHARD HAWLEY8:15pm, Austin Music Hall Along with his fourpiece backing band, Sheffield England's Hawley imports Coles Corner (Mute), swanky, sleepy, loungey grassroots; imagine Burt Bacharach with a bit of hay in his teeth. Hawley also gives an acoustic performance Saturday evening at Eternal. – Melanie Haupt
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BROTHERS AND SISTERS8:30pm, Emo's IV James Taylor arm wrestling Neil Young; the Band living on a commune with the Mamas and the Papas. Think of California breeze and Michael McDonald lounging on a yacht named "Lady Maria"; or smoking dope with Will Oldham in the mountains of North Carolina. Really, it's all right there on the Austin octet's recent eponymous debut. Just inhale. – Audra Schroeder
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THE SIX PARTS SEVEN9pm, Emo's Jr. The Six Parts Seven are all about continental guitar drifts. Founded by brothers Allen and Jay Karpinski, the Kent, Ohio, band, consisting of as many as eight string-benders at any one gig, trades in soft-spoken anesthetic instrumentals. 2004's Everywhere and Right Here (Suicide Squeeze) went all-out Eno. – Michael Bertin
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A.J. CROCE9pm, Hilton 406 Next time you feel like complaining, think of A.J. Croce. He lost his dad (singer-songwriter Jim) and lost his eyesight to a tumor (since regained). In the Nineties, he blew out his voice and had to relearn how to sing entirely. And if you're looking for a second strike of lightning, look elsewhere; A.J. seems more inspired by Dr. John than by his old man. – Michael Bertin
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TIM EASTON9pm, La Zona Rosa Easton's fourth, Ammunition (New West), is filled with the requisite introspection of singer-songwriters. With some of the softer parts co-produced by Jayhawk Gary Louris, the album works best on tracks that sound underproduced and unadorned, when the bouts of self-doubt turn into outright fits of anger. – Michael Bertin
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DEVOTCHKA10pm, Velvet Spade Patio A 2005 SXSW highlight, thanks to a master class on melancholy energy, this Denver quartet employs dueling trumpets, a light-festooned sousaphone, string bass, toy piano, expert whistling, accordion, and a theremin. It's painfully obvious why their Eastern European, South American, and American Southwestern mash-up – displayed so wonderfully on 2004's How It Ends – rightfully garners such buzz. – David Lynch
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HEADPHONES10pm, Emo's Jr. Pedro the Lion's David Bazan brings his deeply intimate, all-synthesizer side project, featuring Pedro bandmate Tim Walsh and Frank Lenz, yet again. Last year's self-titled Suicide Squeeze release was populated by hot chicks and shit-talkers, along with Bazan's thoughtful, literate lyrics. – Melanie Haupt
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TONY CONRAD10pm, Central Presbyterian Church Tony Conrad helped pioneer minimalism in the Sixties through aggregations such as the Dream Syndicate and the Theatre of Eternal Music, featuring LaMonte Young and John Cale, and with Lou Reed in Velvet Underground predecessors the Primitives. One of the great performer/composers of the electronic avant-garde, Conrad's 1997 album Early Minimalism reinstated him on that cutting edge, as did last year's Outside the Dream Syndicate Alive. – Margaret Moser
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FIERY FURNACES10pm, Stubb's Pop quiz: Which glockenspiel-loving brother-sister act jumped from Rough Trade to Fat Possum on Valentine's Day? Not the faux-twin White Stripes, but the ever-more-entertaining, not to mention genuinely related, Fiery Furnaces. A blast of fresh air in a world hooked on the Next Big Thing, critics and fans anticipate former Austin resident Eleanor and brother Matt Friedberger's freshly brewed Bitter Tea. – Dan Oko
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ERASE ERRATA10pm, Emo's Annex Now a threepiece, these San Francisco ladies rock it fast and skronky, while singer/trombonist Jenny Hoysten spouts off stream-of-consciousness style. Their most recent CD, At Crystal Palace, paces the floor laid by more angular acts of yore, but the best part of seeing them live is waiting for the floor to give way, and for the free-jazz noise session to begin. – Audra Schroeder
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THE RESENTMENTS10pm, Whisky Bar From humble beginnings as an occasional jam among friends, this group of local stalwarts has evolved into an Austin musical treasure whose long-standing Sunday night Saxon Pub gigs have become legendary. Together, Stephen Bruton, Jon Dee Graham, Jud Newcomb, Bruce Hughes, and John Chipman, along with their self-titled 2004 release on Freedom Records, are a huge local favorite. – Jay Trachtenberg
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RADNEY FOSTER10pm, Antone's Hard to believe that the preternaturally youthful Foster has been a Nashville fixture for more than two decades. Though he proves willing to return to his Del Rio roots on his 2004 acoustic Back-Porch Sessions, he remains popular amid the boot-scooting, CMT set. Meanwhile, his songs have been covered by everybody from Hootie & the Blowfish to Kenny Chesney. – Dan Oko
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AUKTYON10pm, Caribbean Lights The Russians are coming. This St. Petersburg octet has been around since the Soviet era, and their distinct brand of protest music is a fusion of old-world melodies, jazzy Dadaist pop, and punk rock. Led by Leonid Fedorov, it's a mystery why Auktyon have yet to be celebrated as the global cultural phenomenon they truly are. Maybe the forthcoming Pioneer (Circular Moves) will change that. – Dan Oko
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FLOGGING MOLLY10:15pm, Emo's Main Since 2000's Swagger made forlorn Pogues fans everywhere pick their sozzled heads up off the bar and dance a jig, L.A.'s Flogging Molly has been the standard-bearer of Shamrock punk. Fronted by erudite Dublin expat Dave King, with fiddler Bridget Regan as his fetching foil, the septet last checked in with the Social Distortion sheen of 2004's Within a Mile of Home (SideOneDummy). – Christopher Gray
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SCOTT H. BIRAM11pm, Bourbon Rocks Last year Bloodshot released Scott H. Biram's fourth album, The Dirty Old One Man Band, a collection of pure Texas blues growl and rock attitude in metal's dark shadow. Already a scary stage show, the Austinite's one-man hellhound live act strengthened with a recent near-death experience. Listen for trads like "Muleskinner Blues" along with Biram-penned cinderblock country and hardscrabble blues. – David Lynch
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RUTHIE FOSTER11pm, Cedar Street Courtyard Ruthie Foster has traveled far from her bitty hometown of Gause, Texas. Her rousing concerts prompt fans to pick up her CDs in droves, including 2004's Stages (Blue Corn). Foster's emotive depths reflect her Deep South roots, with no one besting her sung and strummed spirituals, Texas blues, gospel, and folk. – David Lynch
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THE GREENCARDS11pm, Momos Although they left for Nashville, the Greencards are still considered an Austin favorite. The bluegrass-leaning trio, consisting of two Australians and a Brit, won the Best New Band award at the 2004 Austin Music Awards and opened 30 shows for Bob Dylan and Willie Nelson this past summer. Their second disc, 2005's Weather and Water (Dualtone), won critical acclaim worldwide. – Jim Caligiuri
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THE IV THIEVES11pm, La Zona Rosa Formerly known as Nic Armstrong & the Thieves, these Nottingham-bred lads moved to Austin last summer, even stocking the shelves at their record label, New West, for a spell. Far from overstaying their welcome, they gave the scene a stiff shot of Kinksian energy only partially evident on 2005's The Greatest White Liar, and recently recorded a follow-up at local studio the Bubble. – Christopher Gray
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FIVE HORSE JOHNSON11pm, Red Eyed Fly Only Rust Belt bands like Five Horse Johnson emit blue-rock sparks so effortlessly. Hailing from the Glass Swamp, aka Toledo, Ohio, the harp- and slide-guitar-driven quartet just kicked British bollocks in Newcastle. Detroit's Small Stone will release their sixth, The Mystery Spot, next month. – David Lynch
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THE DRESDEN DOLLS11pm, Stubb's Amanda Palmer is pissed off. When she explodes with drummer Brian Viglione, the Boston duo's rare form of rock & roll cabaret bitch slaps the audience with equal parts "wow" and "what?" Easily the most unique band showcasing at SXSW this year, the Dresden Dolls mix Tori Amos with Minor Threat and the Cure: politically gothic punk rock. – Darcie Stevens
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TWILIGHT SINGERS11:30pm, Friends Former Afghan Whig raconteur Greg Dulli has a tenuous history at Austin shows, but the Twilight Singers' amplified twist-up of quiet storm R&B and Nick Cave theatricality is reason enough to stay close to the fire. Dulli ably tackled everything from Gershwin to Mary J. Blige on 2004's covers set, She Loves You. The L.A.-based collective's fourth album, Powder Burns (One Little Indian), is due in May. – Greg Beets
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HELIOS CREED11:30pm, Room 710 That sound you'll be hearing isn't the aliens finally coming to get you. That's all Helios Creed. The mysterious singer/guitarist's output has been steady over the years, but steadily weird, from the spacey neon growl of 1992's Lactating Purple to his latest, On the Dark Side of the Sun. He's a California boy, but he fits right in here in the fried confines of Texas. – Audra Schroeder
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CHINGO BLING11:30pm, Back Room A restored Cadillac with longhorns affixed to the hood pulls up to the curb. Tinted windows roll down to reveal a cowboy hat and gold grill accentuating a smiling face. As a country rap tune rattles from the trunk, Houston's Chingo Bling questions whether you want some of his grade-A product. Before there's a chance to look for cops, a piping hot tamale gets placed in your hand. – Robert Gabriel
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BOBBY BARE JR.12mid, Bourbon Rocks The maverick son of country legend Bobby Bare – also appearing at SXSW 06 – has carved out his own career as a supremely snot-nosed songwriter with a seemingly never-ending life on the road. A taste of his oddball life and songs can be found on the new self-released live disc, Nick Nacks & Paddy Whacks. Bare's working on a new album for Bloodshot Records. – Jim Caligiuri
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WILLIE NILE12mid, Creekside @ Capitol Place In the 1980s, Willie Nile released two critically acclaimed LPs on Arista, toured with the Who, and was lauded as the new Springsteen, yet the New Yorker's output has been sporadic since two mostly-overlooked studio releases and a live disc in the Nineties. Nile had just issued Streets of New York, featuring Jakob Dylan and Rami Jaffee of the Wallflowers. – Jim Caligiuri
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SHANE BARTELL12mid, Pecan St. Ale House Bartell is a singer-songwriter whose roots are more in the last days of premodern rock radio (My Bloody Valentine, Seam, etc.) than they are in, well, roots music. Think James on that side of the pond, or Jeff Buckley on this one. – Michael Bertin
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MILTON MAPES12mid, Habana Calle 6 Patio Named after Austin singer/guitarist Greg Vanderpool's grandfather, Milton Mapes rock like Crazy Horse while being unafraid to let a song's quiet moments shine. The quintet released their third disc, The Blacklight Trap (Undertow), in 2005, expanding on their brand of atmospheric Americana with a mature yet dark vision. – Jim Caligiuri
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JON DEE GRAHAM12mid, Whisky Bar Austin guitar-slinger Jon Dee Graham owes his rich growl to Tom Waits, but his long career has been built on hard work, bringing accolades as a sideman for the likes of Michele Shocked and John Doe, as well as part of the seminal New Sincerity outfit the True Believers. 2004's The Great Battle (New West) kicked butt; this month's follow-up, Full (Freedom), should take names. – Dan Oko
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GOMEZ12mid, Stubb's It's even money this British band could find fresh success on the forthcoming How We Operate (ATO). The floating amalgam of glam-infused Coldplay knockoffs and would-be American R&B has already established Gomez, which relies on three songwriters, as a forebear of this year's collaborative sweethearts, including Animal Collective. You blew your chance with Gwyneth, mates. – Dan Oko
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JAMES MCMURTRY12mid, Antone's Although he's been making albums since 1989, Austin's James McMurtry, son of famed novelist and Brokeback Mountain co-scribe Larry McMurtry, has reached another peak as a songwriter. 2005's Childish Things (Compadre) is a masterpiece of social commentary mixed with Murtry's brand of biting, raw, and rootsy guitar rock highlighted by the fierce protest song "We Can't Make It Here." – Jim Caligiuri
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SOUND TEAM12mid, Buffalo Billiards Boasting two guitarists and two keyboardists, Austin's Sound Team is all about the layers. Having built their own studio (Big Orange) and amassed a formidable collection of vintage instruments, the septet's modern variation on wall of sound yields highly charged results, and their stage presence is no less commanding. Their first LP for Capitol is due this spring. – Greg Beets
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ISLANDS12:30am, Emo's IV In the sea where Montreal freaks Unicorns once swam, Islands have risen. Nothing at all like their predecessors, Islands mix indie pop with a tropical flair, which results in some sort of tight-jean, rum-loving hybrid. The aptly named Return to the Sea is out later this year. – Darcie Stevens
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BRAZILIAN GIRLS12:30am, Fox & Hound The chorus "pussy, marijuana" caught crowds off guard at Sundance in Utah this winter, but the New York-based Brazilian Girls are neither Brazilian, nor strictly girls; you'll be disappointed if you're looking for Mardi Gras madness. On last year's self-titled Verve debut, the global echoes behind the steely, seductive vocals of Italian-born Sabina Sciubba, who relocates the tropics to some swank East Village lounge. – Dan Oko
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AQUEDUCT12:40am, Parish II Basically Oklahoman David Terry, Aqueduct is what you might get if a Brian Wilson-fronted Death Cab ever drove its tongue into its cheek and tried to go Postal Service. Now based in the north left corner, the band's 2005 release, I Sold Gold (Barsuk), garnered last year's Most Obscure Band to Sell a Song to Sell Cars award (Jaguar). – Michael Bertin
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GOGOL BORDELLO12:45am, Emo's Main An Eastern European counterpart to Irish labelmates Flogging Molly, NYC's Gogol Bordello melds ethnic and rock influences with pulsating vitality. Conducted by the fiercely charismatic Eugene Hutz, the octet's dizzying live shows often feel like a Ukranian wedding crashed by a leather-jacketed performance art troupe. 2005's Gypsy Punks Underdog World Strike (SideOneDummy) is their fourth, and best, album. – Christopher Gray
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THE MINUS 51am, Continental Club The seventh release for Young Fresh Fellow Scott McCaughey – the cleverly self-titled Minus 5 (Yep Roc) – and his collage-of-cool helping hands may be the most Beatles-esque to date. This time out the guest list includes Peter Buck, Jeff Tweedy, Glenn Kotche, the Decemberists' Colin Meloy, John Wesley Harding, Kelly Hogan, and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies. – Michael Bertin
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NADA SURF1am, Parish If ever a novelty misspelled a band it might have been Nada Surf's mid-Nineties MTV hit "Popular." Since then the band has flowed far away from Rivers Cuomo geek chic and into pop music of depth and sadness. The Weight Is a Gift, the band's latest for Barsuk Records, might not match 2003's Let Go hook for hook, but it still throws punches with Valuev-like reach. – Michael Bertin
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PONG1am, Molotov Lounge The shaking rumps, the disco balls, and the eschatological get-down groove that characterize a Pong show make them one of Austin's most inviting live acts. Combining guitar heroics, futuristic synthesizers, and a lock-steady bottom end, the jumpsuit-adorned quintet does everything to get a party started except tap the keg. 2005 saw the release of the Pong's long-awaited second album, Bubble City (Realistic). – Greg Beets
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THUNDERBIRDS ARE NOW!1am, Soho Lounge Detroit's Thunderbirds Are Now! bring their amped-up municipal pedigree to bear on frenetically fluid, end-of-the-world post-punk. As a result, their sound is twisted and powerful enough to curdle the cortex. The quartet's 2005 debut LP, Justamustache (Frenchkiss), is a strategic sound-clash of jagged guitars, break-neck rhythms, and dystopic New Wave synthesizer bleats. – Greg Beets
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GRUPO FANTASMA1am, Cedar Street Courtyard Austin's cosmic cowboys have long seen fit to yield the dance floor when Grupo Fantasma takes the stage. Recently, the innovative 11-piece split with its longtime lead singer; now, percussionist Jose Galeano has stepped to the mic. The band is still riding high on 2004's Movimiento Popular (Aire Sol) and putting up their Latin grooves like nobody's business. Que fuerte! – Dan Oko
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SWOLLEN MEMBERS1am, Zero Degrees Canadian rap superstars Swollen Members carved their fate by rocking cannabis cups and snowboarding competitions. Based out of Vancouver, Prevail and Mad Child run their Battle Axe imprint like a legally sanctioned kind-bud operation. In league with the sticky styles of Moka Only and Rob the Viking, Swollen Members anticipate the release of their fifth album, Black Magic. – Robert Gabriel
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DENGUE FEVER1am, Caribbean Lights No surprise that L.A.'s Dengue Fever has previously splashed big at SXSW. Who can touch cocktail jazz rock mixed with the enchanting sound of Cambodian songstress Chhom Nimol? Even more the case with the sixpiece's new disc, Escape From Dragon House (BRG Records), which features even more delicious Farfisa organ, pulsing rhythm, softly clipped reverb guitar, and Nimol's ethereal pipes. – David Lynch
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DAMIEN JURADO1am, Redrum A man as talented as his career is long, Damien Jurado is one of few songwriters who still does it for the heart. Last year's sixth album, On My Way to Absence (Secretly Canadian), added a longing grin to his catalog of depressing beauty. With the resounding sadness of Ghost of David (2000) in his pocket, Jurado knows about truth. – Darcie Stevens
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NICKEL CREEK1am, Stubb's Leaving the ubiquitous taint of "O Brother" in the dust, Nickel Creek plunges ahead with a sound more reminiscent of Coldplay or Nirvana Unplugged than Ralph Stanley. Though this So-Cal trio disdains drums for the most part, their latest, Why Should the Fire Die? (Sugar Hill), has a dark, rhythmic undertow. Clever covers remain a live staple, but the originals grow stronger every outing. – Dan Oko
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HONKY1am, Red Eyed Fly Southern rock boogie that spits enflamed metal shavings, Austin's Honky is a naughty power trio of the first order. Cowboy-hatted, tattooed within an inch of their lives, and led by former Butthole Surfer J.D. Pinkus, Honky just released their best album, Balls Out Inn (Small Stone), featuring topical favs "Plugs, Mugs and Jugs" and "Love to Smoke Your Weed." – David Lynch
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DRIVE-BY TRUCKERS1am, La Zona Rosa The Band, circa 2006. Patterson Hood, Mike Cooley, and Jason Isbell are each perfectly capable of being a brilliant bandleader on their own, but together they skewer every imaginable Southern-rock stereotype with the grace of poets and the power of a tornado. A Blessing and a Curse, due next month on New West, tackles the Truckers' scariest subject yet: happiness. – Christopher Gray
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BOTTLE ROCKETS1am, Bourbon Rocks It might not be a misnomer to call the pride of Festus, Mo., a bar band because, well, a dozen years in, the Bottle Rockets still tend to play in bars. The band finds itself back on Bloodshot for the upcoming May release of Zoysia, its eighth studio rekkid. – Michael Bertin
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MINUS THE BEAR1am, Emo's Jr. Last year's Menos el Oso (Suicide Squeeze) finds this propulsive Seattle foursome treading a fine line between guilty pleasuredom and blowing up as the NBT. Seriously, their OC moment could come any day. Jet City credentials (Kill Sadie, Sharks Keep Moving) have us hoping that, following a recent Japan tour, these boys will hit their stride without selling out. Seriously. – Dan Oko
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IAN MCLAGAN AND THE BUMP BAND1am, Whisky Bar That ex-Faces Ian McLagan and the late Ronnie Lane both chose Austin as their homes only goes to confirm the River City's appeal: there's nothing the town loves more than kick-ass barroom rock & roll. McLagan is releasing Spiritual Boy: An Appreciation of Ronnie Lane in April. – Margaret Moser
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THE ALARM1am, Elysium Sure, everybody had a little laugh at the Poppyfields incident, but it showed that the old guys can still get one over. And why not? Twenty-plus years into it, the Welsh band still churns out an angry edgy post-punk anthem that rivals their output from the Strength era. Although frontman Mike Peters was diagnosed with chronic lymphocytic leukemia, the band presses on as their latest, Under Attack, was released last month on EMI. – Michael Bertin
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CELEBRATION1am, Club de Ville Baltimore trio Celebration traverses disco, noise, cabaret, and all the scuzz-soaked places in between on their recent, self-titled 4AD debut, making for a gold-dusted mash-up of dance freakiness. Singer Katrina Ford bellows with operatic force over four-four beats and dizzying guitar, pushing until the song erupts in confetti and sweat. And you thought all Baltimore gave you were crabs. – Audra Schroeder
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DEVIN THE DUDE1:10am, Back Room Combining a knack for gut-splitting comedy to go along with his deadpan skill as a reality rapper, Devin the Dude is the equivalent of a joint that simultaneously makes you laugh and think deeply in an uncontrollable fashion. Weed comparisons are fitting for a Houstonian Coughee Brother who makes it his duty to visit Amsterdam and Vancouver on the regular. – Robert Gabriel
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WHITEHOUSE1:15am, Room 710 While the term "extreme music" has taken on a Mountain Dew-flavored blandness, Whitehouse was making ears bleed back in 1980 with their debut, Birthdeath Experience. The British duo of William Bennett and Phillip Best pioneered the chaotic electronic sound of destruction these wolf-eyed kids are currently so hip to. Their latest release, Asceticists, promises more noise, now with half the pretension! – Audra Schroeder
SLEEPERS
All showcases subject to change
BELAIRE7:30pm, Emo's IV Everyone loves to dance and smile. Austin fourpiece Belaire is a collaboration between twin sisters Cari and Christa Palozzolo and Voxtrot's Jason Chronis, but this isn't dance punk. Caetano Veloso, Air, the Mosquitos, and Os Mutantes: melodic, bossa-nova indie pop. A 7-inch holdover, Haunted Castle (Indierect), preps an upcoming full-length. – Darcie Stevens
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GOLDEN ARM TRIO8pm, Habana Calle 6 Austin composer Graham Reynolds thinks big and keeps his fingers in lots of pies. He's composed symphonies, string quartets, operas, and film scores. The Golden Arm Trio is a revolving cast of musicians, with Reynolds alternating piano and drums. The Trio's grounded in jazz, but that's just a springboard for Reynolds' vast musical palate. – Greg Beets
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CAT SCIENTIST8pm, Molotov Lounge One of the best bands to emerge from Austin's Red River strip, Cat Scientist combines art rock, techno, Afro-pop, and punk with mile-a-minute lyrical Dadaisms. The quintet's secret weapon is vocalist Miss Rae, whose seamless alternation between robotic chill and blues-belt is breathtaking. Cat Scientist's debut CD is due May 5. – Greg Beets
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SUZI STERN8pm, Elephant Room A longtime stalwart of the Austin jazz scene, Stern brings her warm and evocative voice to the stage whenever she performs. Whether putting her own words to a familiar instrumental, caressing a lovely ballad, infusing a new spin on an old favorite, or belting out a scat chorus, Stern's a seasoned veteran. Lament, on Austin's Aardvark label is her most recent release. – Jay Trachtenberg
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MARK PICKEREL8pm, Bourbon Rocks Former grunge drummer picks up a guitar and decides to lead his own band. Sound familiar? Well, Mark Pickerel, who used to slap skins for the Screaming Trees, can only hope that his band the Praying Hands match the airborne wizardry of the Foo Fighters. Pickerel pulled out an old trick by bringing in Steve Fisk to produce his forthcoming Bloodshot release. – Robert Gabriel
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MY SUMMER AS A SALVATION SOLDIER8pm, Oslo Thorir Georg Jónsson keeps pretty busy for a 21-year-old. A member of two Icelandic hardcore bands and a hip-hop act, he's also the entirety of My Summer as a Salvation Soldier, more lo-fi Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens than anything that might frighten parents. – Michael Bertin
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RAHIM8pm, Soho Lounge New York post-punk trio Rahim blends shadows of militant D.C. noise with obtuse Gang of Four rhythms. Their debut LP, Ideal Lives (Frenchkiss), engenders actual sentimentality in place of easy stoicism: a real accomplishment. – Greg Beets
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INSECT SEX ACT8:45pm, Room 710 Insect Sex Act's slithering slab of psychedelic noise rock fully befits their illustrious underground pedigree. Former Scratch Acid guitarist Brett Bradford joins Ministry drummer Max Brody and Pong guitarist-cum-bassist Jason Craig to build a perfect soundtrack for cocktail parties of the apocalypse. – Greg Beets
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MAGNET9pm, 18th Floor @ Capitol Place Otherwise known as singer-songwriter Even Johansen, this fellow knows the laws of attraction, on display via his fourth full-length The Tourniquet (Filter). The tattooed Norwegian troubadour bleeds love, bitterness, and tenderness with his gentle electro-pop, exploring both the positive and negative poles of human relationships. – Melanie Haupt
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CORDERO9pm, Bourbon Rocks Cordero is a Brooklyn-based band equally at home among the New York art rock scene or the rock en Español movement. Led by the bilingual Ani Cordero, who's worked with Calexico and Giant Sand, their Southwestern atmospherics just appeared on En Este Momento, their first for Bloodshot Records. – Jim Caligiuri
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LONEY, DEAR9pm, Drink Neither as symphonic as Iceland's Sigur Rós nor as abstracted as Baltimore's Animal Collective, this folksy Swedish vehicle claims that to be a one-man band with nine members. The fact remains that chief weirdo Emil Svanängen is onto something magical. If you're suffering from urban malaise (and who isn't?), the soothing sounds of Sologne (Dear John) are a sure cure. – Dan Oko
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CHARLEMAGNE9pm, Redrum You've gotta love a band that sings about "pink and silver nighties" and "chocolate-covered cherries/scary, scary berries." Charlemagne is Carl Johns (formerly of alt.country outfit Noahjohn) and a septet of players straight outta Omaha. Last year's Detour Allure (SideCho Records), Charlemagne's fourth, sports a distinctly Elephant 6 vibe, all brains and breeziness. – Melanie Haupt
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LAVENDER DIAMOND9pm, Habana Calle 6 The voice of L.A. songbird Becky Stark is simple, evocative, emotive – some real velvety Seventies pop to touch you in the morning and walk away. Backed by Jeff Rosenberg (Tarentel) and Ron Rege Jr., their 4-song EP Cavalry of Light shines on, songs rising and falling with Stark's operatic flow. The lovely tides of "You Broke My Heart" really will. Freak folk this is not. – Audra Schroeder
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UNCLE EARL9pm, Antone's A new-fangled string band out of Lyons, Colo., these five ladies blend infectious energy, undeniable charisma, sharp musicianship, and a repertoire of original and traditional songs. Kristin Andreassen, Rayna Gellert, Sharon Gilchrist, K.C. Groves, and Abigail Washburn each take a turn in the spotlight, trading instruments and lead vocals with ease. 2005's She Waits for Night (Rounder) was their first national release. – Jim Caligiuri
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EPHRAIM OWENS QUINTET9pm, Elephant Room Dallas-born trumpeter and bandleader Ephraim Owens is a mandarin of the Austin jazz scene, able to blow chilled jazz as readily as enflamed post-bop. Classical training at age 8 has given this multiple Austin-Music-Award-winner buttery chops, showcased in the new film Before the Music Dies. – David Lynch
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SOUTH AUSTIN JUG BAND9pm, Cedar Street Courtyard Not really a jug band nor a bluegrass act either, SAJB has coalesced into a nearly peerless musical ensemble with chops to spare. The noodle factor is kept to a minimum, and by covering Bob Wills and Walter Hyatt, they stay true to their deep Texas roots. 2005's Dark and Weary World (Blue Corn) was their most accomplished work to date. – Jim Caligiuri
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THE OLD HAUNTS9pm, Emo's Annex From the carnival corral, otherwise known as Kill Rock Stars, come the Old Haunts. The Olympia, Wash. trio triumphantly confused and brilliantly destroyed surprisingly complex punk rock off last year's debut LP, Fallow Field (KRS), and with follow-up Fuel on Fire coming in April, the boys debut a fresh set of quick and vibrating originals. – Darcie Stevens
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DR. SPOCK9pm, Oslo Iceland's Dr. Spock comes at you hard like protégés of Page Hamilton, but do it in a manner that's a little more modern, like a Eurofied System of a Down, complete with full Scandinaviana aural theatrics. Not without a sense of humor, Dr. Spock's debut was titled Dr. Phil. – Michael Bertin
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THE FOLD9:30pm, Redrum Annex Spawning from the same school of thought as lovable emo-heads Jimmy Eat World, Chicago fourpiece the Fold is all about the hook, but they really, really mean it. Frontman Daniel Castady's severe case of optimism is showcased on the band's debut, This Too Shall Pass (Tooth & Nail). – Darcie Stevens
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STEVE DAWSON10pm, Habana Calle 6 Patio After several albums as the main songwriter for Chicago's roots pop band Dolly Varden, Steve Dawson released his first solo disc, Sweet Is the Anchor (Undertow), in 2005. A decidedly soulful affair that drew comparisons to Al Green and Van Morrison, it's filled with songs that are poetically smart and deliciously warm. – Jim Caligiuri
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THE DRAMS10pm, La Zona Rosa From the debris left by the demise of Slobberbone comes the Drams. The 'bone's principal singer-songwriter Brent Best has added keyboards and additional vocals to his arsenal, and the outcome will still satisfy those in need to rock, as well as provide unrelenting lyricism. The Denton, Texas-based quintet's debut is due this summer. – Jim Caligiuri
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HURRA TORPEDO10pm, Fox & Hound Perhaps you've seen this Norwegian trio on the Internet. They're the men in loose-fitting track suits bashing out Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" on old kitchen appliances. Sure it's schtick, but they do a surprisingly good job of coaxing big rock bombast out of all that dead metal. Hurra Torpedo is the subject of an appropriately titled documentary called The Crashing Blow. – Greg Beets
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DIXIE WITCH10pm, Red Eyed Fly Austin, Texas' Dixie Witch specializes in southern-fried hard rock swimming in riffy syrup. Bassist/vocalist Curt Christenson, guitarist Clayton Mills, and drummer/lead singer Trinidad Leal offer up slow, grindy minor key meltdowns as easily as hair-parting power chord RPGs. Detroit hard rock indie Small Stone released their 2003 One Bird, Two Stones and will do the same with their third, Smoke and Mirrors, next month. – David Lynch
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MAZARIN10pm, Buffalo Billairds Drone never sounded so sweet. Philadelphia psych-pop quartet Mazarin experimented with ooze & roll on 2005 burner, We're Already There (I and Ear), the band's first release in four years. Quentin Stolzfus' group takes cues from Sonic Youth and the Flaming Lips and adds more melody. It's cooling beauty. – Darcie Stevens
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CHRIS VESTRE GROUP10pm, Elephant Room An up and comer on the Austin jazz scene who continues to grow musically, round-toned guitarist Vestre is currently working on new material for his next project, which will use a larger group than on his refreshing 2005 self-produced debut Jazz Camp. Enticing music Vestre calls "instrumental" rather than jazz, he favors open harmonies and rock-infused rhythms. – Jay Trachtenberg
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THE LONG WINTERS10:30pm, Parish II This Seattle quartet is fronted by John Roderick, whose beard-growing prowess knows no equal, and whose peppery addict-in-recovery lyrics are lightened up by mostly cheery indie rock. Personnel changes have dogged the band since the 2003 release of When I Pretend to Fall (Barsuk), notably the departure of Harvey Danger vocalist Sean Nelson. Look for the Ultimatum EP in stores soon. – Melanie Haupt
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WE ARE THE FURY10:30pm, Opal Divine's Toledo, Ohio's We Are the Fury deliver lurid, melodramatic post-punk with dynamic, high-energy panache. Vocalist Jeremy Lublin sings like a man unhinged, ping-ponging between youthful versions of David Bowie and Pete Shelley. Allusions to glam rock and New Wave abound on the quintet's Infinite Jest EP (Unborn Media/East West). – Greg Beets
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END OF FASHION10:45pm, Exodus End of Fashion is coarse but catchy volatile guitar pop, as heard on the band's single "O Yeah." Seeing how the quartet traveled from Perth, Australia, to Oxford, Miss., to record their Dennis Herring-produced (Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse) self-titled debut, they were probably waist-deep in it. – Michael Bertin
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DANIEL FRANCIS DOYLE10:45pm, Room 710 Multitasking has found its way out of the office and into rock, as evinced by Austin juggernaut Daniel Francis Doyle. He plays drums. He plays guitar. He sweats. Doyle pulverizes his kit, screams nonsensical words through a sweet headset, and thrashes enough for a whole band, all of which can be heard on his debut Furniture Records release Who Are Your Customers? – Audra Schroeder
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DR. DOG11pm, Flamingo Cantina Not your run-of-the-mill indie rockers, this unpretentious fivesome of iconoclasts formed in Philadelphia in 1999. Their "official" debut from last year, Easy Beat, on the National Parking imprint, was recorded at home on quarter-inch eight-track tape and is a charming amalgam of Beatles-esque and other Sixties/Seventies pop references wedded to a rambunctious alt.rock disposition. – Jay Trachtenberg
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CHATHAM COUNTY LINE11pm, Continental Club Raleigh quartet Chatham County Line fuse old-time, gather-round-the-microphone bluegrass with other styles of American music for a sound that's both youthful and traditional. Their sophomore release, Route 23 (Yep Roc), was produced by Chris Stamey (dB's, Whiskeytown, Yo La Tengo). – Jim Caligiuri
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CHRIS STAMEY11pm, Whisky Bar One of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Southern indie rock, North Carolina-bred Chris Stamey co-founded the dB's, played bass for Alex Chilton, and released the late Chris Bell's I Am the Cosmos on his own Car Records. Stamey's 2005 LP, A Question of Temperature (Yep Roc), brings in Yo La Tengo as backing band for smashing covers of Television's "Venus" and Cream's "Politician." – Greg Beets
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THE ORGAN11pm, Nuno's Upstairs "Sometimes I close my eyes, and you're not very pretty." Please let Morrissey go to this show. It's important for him to realize the extent of his influence. Vancouver's the Organ is five ladies who like things dark and dreary. Their 2004 debut, Grab That Gun (Mint), is a morose collection of indie rock lead by Katie Sketch's gloom and, of course, an emotional organ. – Darcie Stevens
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CRYSTAL SKULLS11pm, Emo's Jr. Seattle's Crystal Skulls aren't metal, although their name might hint otherwise. Instead, the fourpiece is blissful pop and prismatic simplicity. Last year's debut, Blocked Numbers (Suicide Squeeze), gleamed with an indie-rock sheen, and April's follow-up, Outgoing Behavior, dreams under the same tree, although this time the season's changed from fall to spring. – Darcie Stevens
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FIRE MARSHALS OF BETHLEHEM11pm, Molotov Lounge Who decides when there's no room at the inn? Originally conceived as a rotating cast of players, this fun-loving Austin pop rock band has solidified into a cast of stalwarts/survivors of the city's fabled New Sincerity era of the 1980s and now includes Hunter Darby (Wannabees), Julie Lowery (Diamond Smugglers), and Robbie Araiza (Way Outs). Songs for Housework, their 2005 debut, was a hook-filled delight. – Jay Trachtenberg
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LINEA 7711pm, Spiros How about some post-winterolympicseurometalcore? From Torino, Italy, Linea 77 throws a bit of everything into the mix but never colors too far outside the power chords. You want to make ice skating a sport? Have the little skater girls do a triple lutz to this shit. – Michael Bertin
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CAPTAIN11:15pm, Opal Divine's London's Captain stakes claims in cocktail pop and chamber rock, resulting in an oddly refreshing sound vaguely resembling the 5th Dimension backed by Arcade Fire. Their much-raved-about single "Frontline" boasts boy/girl vocals and plenty of hooks that keep the quintet's vim level high. – Greg Beets
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PARTICLE11:15pm, Fox & Hound With a revamped lineup, L.A.'s Particle kicks off a 40-city cross-country tour at SXSW. While pigeonholed with the jam-band crowd, the all-instrumental quartet glides from psychedelia to techno to funk with remarkable ease. They recently shot their debut DVD for Shout! Factory, with special guest Robbie Krieger from the Doors, which is due out this summer. – Jim Caligiuri
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THE LIVING END11:30pm, Emo's Main What began as a rockabilly outfit à la the Stray Cats has morphed into something of a hybrid between the Reverend Horton Heat and Green Day, and they've got the stadium appeal of the latter. The Australian trio's fourth, State of Emergency, was released in February on EMI. – Michael Bertin
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ROCKY VOTOLATO11:30pm, Parish II What happens when a 28-year-old finds himself married, with children and a day job, yet still longs to make music? From the folks who brought you Death Cab for Cutie comes Waxwing's Rocky Votolato, a Seattle singer-songwriter with heart to spare. The new Makers (Barsuk) is a beautiful poem tinged with Buckley brittleness and Drake-ian cautious optimism. – Darcie Stevens
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ROSS HOGG11:30pm, Club One 15 Once an Austin MC, Ross Hogg reinvents himself as a versatile San Francisco DJ. Through his partnership with DJ Neta as Ital Selection HiFi, Ross delivers blazing reggae cocktails served for lovers and revolutionaries alike. Away from the dance hall, Ross contributes to the Slump & Grind mixtape series that centers itself around the Bay area's reinvigorated turf-rap scene. – Robert Gabriel
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AWOL ONE12mid, Flamingo Cantina Unlike any rapper you've ever heard, AWOL One spits at his own relaxed pace in a voice that sounds like sandpaper against sandpaper. A member of the Shape Shifters with ties to Abstract Rude's Mass Men collective, Awolrus claims to "write his rhymes in blood" as a further sign of his deadpan orientation. His most recent EP, produced by Daddy Kev, is titled Killafornia (Alpha Pop). – Robert Gabriel
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HIDDEN CAMERAS12mid, Molotov Lounge It's tough to say whether the Hidden Cameras are a porny, gay activist choir or a group of singers who just happen to be gay and sing songs about it. Suffice it to say this Toronto indie-pop choir (complete with go-go dancers!), the brainchild of singer Joel Gibb, is taking pop performance art to new heights. Their sophomore release, Mississauga Goddam (Rough Trade), came out in 2004. – Melanie Haupt
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CHIN UP CHIN UP12mid, Emo's Jr. Prog-pop. Has anyone coined that one yet? Shifty and nifty, whatever sub-genre the Chicagoans fall into might be pretty lonely as there isn't likely to be anyone else in there with them. The band recently relocated to label Suicide Squeeze and is working with producer Brian Deck (Modest Mouse, Iron & Wine), aiming for a fall release of its second LP. – Michael Bertin
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THE APPLESEED CAST12mid, Red 7 This Lawrence, Kan., quartet is back from hiatus after beloved indie label Tiger Style bit the dust. They've found new home with the Militia Group, which is releasing the band's fourth album, Peregrine, in April. By turns haunting, dreamy, and angsty, Peregrine is a nice cocktail for certain moods. – Melanie Haupt
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SHIFTER12mid, Jackalope Hard not to like Bris Vegas' Shifter. In the vein of the "the" bands (Hives, Vines, Strokes) Shifter throws back straight-ahead frenetic, anthemic guitars with an updated Teenage Fanclub twist. The Aussies' lyrics – "I got some butter, baby. Where you want it?" – are perfectly rock to boot. – Michael Bertin
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SASQUATCH12mid, Red Eyed Fly Lumbering, hairy, and taller than Yao Ming, L.A.'s Sasquatch places the leaden big foot upon your pleasure center. Drawing equally from metal, rock, and psychedelia, the trio looks back for inspiration and forward for conviction. Metallic indie Small Stone is prepping the follow-up to their 2004 eponymous debut. – David Lynch
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INDIAN JEWELRY12mid, Blender Balcony @ the Ritz Formerly members of Houston noiseniks NTX+Electric and the Corpes of Waco, Erica Thrasher and Tex Kerschen make Suicide-esque beats that cause aneurisms. Currently based in L.A. and Screwston, the trio (with Rodney Rodriguez on drums/percussion) recently released their Sangles Redux CD (Girlgang), a collection of previous 7-inches armed to the teeth with ammo beats. – Audra Schroeder
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BUSDRIVER12:30am, Zero Degrees Absurd rap flows jettison from Busdriver's pie-hole as the Project Blowed graduate shuttles his caravan of theatrics across districts of new-school influence. Raised on '05's Fear of a Black Tangent (Mush), Busdriver now finds himself manning the wheel for Epitaph as producers Nobody and Boom Bip fill out his pit crew. – Robert Gabriel
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THE RUB: DJ AYRES & COSMO BAKER12:30am, Club One 15 Throwing outrageous dance parties in their adopted home of Brooklyn, DJ Eleven, DJ Ayres, and Cosmo Baker blend genres mash-up style as their takes on hip-hop, soul, and funk cover bases galore. Able to bring men, women, gays, hipsters, and thugs together peacefully under the same roof, the Rub DJs transform expansive club spaces into unruly saunas of unbridled pleasure. – Robert Gabriel
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EAGLES OF DEATH METAL12:45am, Exodus EODM is an L.A. garage band formed in 2004 by Queens of the Stone Age leader Josh Homme. Although Homme and Co. will be touring with the Strokes through the spring, there's more than a modicum of novelty to this act. Their new disc is Death by Sexy (Downtown). – Dan Oko
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DEUS1am, Spiros Patio Most Americans missed the first coming of this Antwerp-based band of Belgian alt-rockers. After a hiatus, dEUS is back with a mild vengeance. The new Pocket Revolution (V2) finds Tom Berman singing sweetly (in English) over ambient keyboards and strumming guitars. – Dan Oko
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2MEX AND LIFE REXALL1am, Flamingo Cantina Sporting crew affiliations clear across L.A. by way of Project Blowed, Of Mexican Descent, Songodsuns, and the Visionaries, 2Mex dignifies Chicano rap with the rarefied air of a traveling shaman. Joining forces with Shape Shifters producer and part-time MC Life Rexall, the pair gears up for the release of their collaborative debut, Money Symbol Martyrs (Cornerstone Recording Arts Society). – Robert Gabriel
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LEVY1am, Nuno's Upstairs Recently signed to One Little Indian, this NYC quartet has been laboring in relative obscurity on the Lower East Side for a few years before garnering hometown notice last year. Debut Rotten Love, released in September, fits singer James Levy nicely into this year's festival, which is populated so heavily by Eighties New Wave acts, especially Morrissey, an obvious influence. – Melanie Haupt
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DROP TRIO1am, Elephant Room Jazz for aficionados and novices alike, Drop Trio is the three-pronged rhythm section of bassist Patrick Flanagan, drummer Nuje, and keymaster Ian Varley. Though Varley's Guaraldi-like chromatic fantasias dominate, the Houston-Austin group's advance-and-retreat style isn't far from funk and even prog rock. Cezanne (Invisible Dog), recorded last May at the eponymous H-town cafe, is an ideal introduction. – Christopher Gray
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CLAP YOUR HANDS SAY YEAH1am, Eternal A fivepiece from Brooklyn with members in Philly, Clap self-released their self-titled debut, found fame in the blogosphere, emerged as critical darlings everywhere, played Conan O'Brien, and elected to re-release their first album on wax. Heavy debts to Talking Heads, VU, and Tom Waits belie the originality of this feat. – Dan Oko
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BLACK LIPSTICK1am, Latitude 30 Like a hot cup of coffee on a sub-zero Lower East Side street corner, Black Lipstick's exquisite mesh of Verlaine/Lloyd guitar interplay and Mo Tucker-style percussion fosters just enough buzz to keep you from freezing to death. The ATX/NYC quartet's 2005 LP, Sincerely, Black Lipstick (Peek-A-Boo), is a well-realized slice of familiar bliss. – Greg Beets
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PO' GIRL1am, Creekside @ Capitol Place Some try mixing blues, country, jazz, and folk, but few do so as warmly as Po' Girl. Hailing from Vancouver, multi-instrumentalists and vocalists Trish Klein, Allison Russell, and Diona Davies offer up behind-the-beat, acoustically couched songs of love and loss. Nettwork released their second, 2004's Vagabond Lullabies, and will also put out their imminent sophomore. – David Lynch
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NEW AMSTERDAMS1am, Friends Lawrence, Kan.'s the New Amsterdams are a former side project of the Get Up Kids' Matt Pryor. The Amsterdams take a rootsy, laid-back pop approach that worked well on 2003's Worse for the Wear (Vagrant) and can also be heard on the free online EP Killed or Cured from last year. The quintet continues its tour of festivals with an appearance at Coachella in April. – Melanie Haupt
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JAY BENNETT1am, Habana Calle 6 Patio So the split with Jeff Twedy and Wilco has long since flowed under the bridge, and after putting out a couple of albums in '04, Bennett went to work in the studio in a quasi-unlikely paring, producing the last Blues Traveler effort. He then holed up in his own studio and recently emerged with some 70 songs. His SXSW appearance kicks off his next bout with touring. – Michael Bertin
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