The Week in Austin: Early Edition

I am back, and hopefully better than ever. Still a little congested from whatever has been going around and the in-laws have left the building, so I actually have some free time to compile the best of the coming week.

Start your week off right with some Texas (mostly) flavor Monday at the Red Eyed Fly, featuring synth and piano ladened pop of Quiet Company, Colorado-based Hospital Harbor and San Antonians Muldoon.

Tuesday has some good choices. Peter and the Wolf has their CD release/homecoming party at The Peacock along with Sun Chasers, folkish Sparrow House and newly formed Playing Nicely. Emo's has a mix of road show and locals with Chicago's Bound Stems supporting a new disc and the rocking soul of Catfish Haven (who I notice will be touring The British Isles with Austin's own I Love You, but I've Chosen Darkness), and the local sounds of Gulf of Mexico and The Last Gasp. The big show on Tuesday is on the west side of downtown at La Zona Rosa as Frank Black brings who knows what. Maybe some Pixies will get thrown in for good measure.


Wednesday has a great local show at Beerland featuring Ghost of the Russian Empire (these guys are everywhere!), She, Sir (that's the band name, not two separate bands), and Rescue Mission, who are influenced by the 80s post-punk movement and Catherine Wheel. Upstairs at the Parish, Sun Kil Moon's Mark Kozelek plays his slow, melodic rock. While the punk/hardcore guys take over the outside at Emo's, stay inside for a great local show featuring AM Syndicate, who looks to be heading for NYC to play the CMJ, Lomita, Just Guns (one of my personal faves), and Bello Ragazzo. Check out an early show at Ruta Maya as The Asylum Street Spankers take over every Wednesday this month. And while not my kind of show, Saturday's Radar has balls enough to cover Neko Case. They play the Red Eyed Fly.

Asylum Street Spankers

Thursday brings Portland-based Subpop artist The Thermals to Emo's, while Mohawk has a local show with Martin Crane, Peel, Tammany Hall Machine, and The Interest Kills. And I am still trying to figure out what day it is happening (either Wednesday or Thursday), but The Drawing Board will be at the Troubador Saloon on 6th. That will be the show I am at.

The Drawing Board

Quiet Company - Tie Your Monster Down
Hospital Harbor - Alarms in the Armory
Frank Black - Elijah
Peter and the Wolf - Paint the Town
Sparrow House - The Reflection
Bound Stems - Wake Up, Ma and Pa are Gone
Gulf of Mexico - Made to Measure
Catfish Haven - Crazy for Leaving
The Last Gasp - Beautiful Faces
Mark Kozelek - Kentucky Woman
Ghost of the Russian Empire - August 1914
Rescue Mission - Conversion
She, Sir - The Clandestine
AM Syndicate - Hear Hear
Lomita - Green Eyes
Just Guns - The Subway Sleeps Tonight
Bello Ragazzo - So Sudden
Asylum Street Spankers - Beer
Saturdays Radar - Hold On (Neko Case Cover)
The Thermals - A Pillar of Salt
Martin Crane - Nobody's Listening
Peel - Workers Wake Up
Tammany Hall Machine - Jesus Chrysler
The Interest Kills - The Inbetween...
The Drawing Board - It's a Lie