Bullet the Blue Sky
•The latest still-kicking rock legend (e.g., Lou Reed, Robert Plant) to confirm for SXSW 05 is Brian Wilson, who will anchor a March 18 panel tied to the screening of Beautiful Dreamer: Brian Wilson and the Story of Smile. No showcase from Wilson, but Elvis Costello & the Imposters, who will hopefully have better sound than their ACL Festival appearance, have been added, as have Nineties indie heroes Vic Chesnutt, Lou Barlow, and Stephen Malkmus. Then there’s Doves, Magnolia Electric Co., the Spits, Money Mark, Buck 65, Kathleen Edwards, and the promisingly named Pig Destroyer, to name but a few now posted on SXSW.com. Madness!
•Warm up those imaginary amps: preliminary rounds of the Austin Air Guitar Championships begin 9:45pm Tuesday at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown and continue monthly until April. One lucky pseudo-shredder will win a trip to represent Austin at June’s Air Guitar USA finals in L.A. To help set the mood, the Alamo will screen the Australian short “No Strings Attached” before Tuesday’s wail-off. Sweet!
•Real shredders and hair-tossing champs Broken Teeth release their live CD, Blood on the Radio, recorded last March for KLBJ’s Local Licks Live, 6pm, Saturday, at Encore Movies & Music, 8820 Burnet Rd. Further opportunities to get “High on Danger” come later that evening at Room 710. Awesome!
•Good luck to Austin emo warriors the Cutaway, who are showcasing at Hollywood watering hole the Viper Room on Jan. 31. The boys play the Red Eyed Fly Friday, and an EP will be out before the end of the month. Rad!
•Sci-fi groovers Pong take the fight to the Bubblehead’s home turf on now-completed second CD, Bubble City. The struggle continues at their Room 710 CD release, Feb. 19, and Saturday at the Continental Club. Far out!
•Unbeknownst to anyone – including the staff, who only remembered at the last minute – Club de Ville quietly celebrated its eighth anniversary Monday night. Here’s to at least eight more.
Slainte!
•Only two more weeks of the Chronicle Music Poll, online at austinchronicle.com/feedback/musicpoll/05/. Vote!
This article appears in January 21 • 2005.