Retrospective: The Best of Austin

Starting out, I was based in the live music capital of the world, Austin, Texas. There is a band worth checking out every night, from the big names playing Emo's or Stubb's to the locals cutting their teeth at The Parish or Mohawk. Here are some the best that I had to pleasure to notice during my time there.

Most people know Spoon and Voxtrot. They are the darlings of the Austin indie scene. Instrumental sensations Explosions in the Sky are opening for Smashing Pumpkins. Okkervil River and I Love You, But I've Chosen Darkness have been on the national scene for some time and The Black Angels and Ghostland Observatory are starting to gather steam and garner national attention. But some of the best, I found by word of mouth and by sheer luck. Only known to Austin and surrounding areas, these local bands make the backbone of the Austin scene. My absolute favorite is The Drawing Board. We have been behind these guys since the beginning and they just keep getting bigger and better. We wish them continued success and hope to be covering them for years to come.

Alpha Rev - Big Blow
AM Syndicate - Kicking A Sailor In The Teeth
Asylum Street Spankers - Beer
Aux - Angus
Belhome - Stick Around
Benko - East Side
Black Before Red - Goddess in Trauma
Brothers and Sisters - Breathing Lessons
Cruiserweight - Goodbye Daily Sadness
David Garza - Ready To Fly
Explosions In The Sky - Day 1
For Those Who Know - Night at the Danceclub
Ghost of the Russian Empire - August 1914
Ghostland Observatory - Piano Man
Go Nova - Now You Know
Grand Champeen - Cottonmouth
Horse+Donkey - Dreams (live)
I Love You, But I've Chosen Darkness - The Ghost
Just Guns - The Subway Sleeps Tonight
Lalaland - Crack Up
Oh No! Oh My! - Walk In the Park
Okkervil River - Black
Peter and the Wolf - Strange Machines
Pompeii - Numbers
Quiet Company - Tie Your Monster Down
She, Sir - It's My Way of Staying Connected
Shearwater - Seventy-Four, Seventy-Five
Sound Team - Your Eyes Are Liars
Spoon - I Turn My Camera On
The Black Angels - Bloodhounds On My Trail
The Boxing Lesson - Mirrors
The Drawing Board - Haven't We Been Through This
The Last Gasp - Beautiful Faces
The Lord Henry - Is This Legal?
The Lovely Sparrows - Chemicals Change
The Mercers - Sexy Youth
The Onlys - Ah, Happiness
The Paper South - Ready or Not
Voxtrot - The Start of Something
What Made Milwaukee Famous - Almost Always Never
Xcella - Glee Foundation