SXSW Saturday: Final Day in Austin

A week has passed since my return from South By Southwest and I feel like I still have so much to talk about, but then last week I saw this snarky post on Facebook that said something like, "Has anything ever happened at SXSW in twenty years that anyone who wasn't there actually cared about?"  Well, Sir, probably not,  but if you think about it in those terms, why bother chronicling anything ever? Why even have a Facebook account if what happens to other people is so boring and inconsequential to your life? I'm not trying to save the world here, just living my little life and writing about it. So here goes. After the jump...

SXSW 2012: Mumford & Sons "Sigh No More" & "Lover's Eyes"

I have a whole bunch of things I still want to post from SXSW, but it is a process because I have to separate photos for NBC SoundDiego, write, upload videos, then post titles to those videos. This is all on top of the other stuff on my brain like the North Park Festival of Arts, Casbah stuff, daily postings, my eviction, etc., when really all I want to do is sleep for a week straight. Yikes. I will share these videos with you for now (the first is shot with my old camera) to tease the show I saw on Saturday. Click on read more for a new song that is perfect if you need a good cry.

Sunset Sessions: Daniel Glass of Glassnote Records

I just got out of a one one one interview between Matt Deal of Rolling Stone and Daniel Glass of Glassnote Records. What an incredibly inspiring interview and discussion. Daniel's got many mantras in running his businesses (they also started Four Song Night publishing), but one especially important one was, "You have to turn over the tables." With an extensive history in music through SAM Records, SBK, Rising Tide, Universal, and Artemis, Glass attributes his current life to learning what not to do in the past...how artists should be treated, how a company should be run, and being transparent with his "family" which not only includes the people working directly for Glassnote, but the artists themselves, publicists, managers, agents...everyone.

When someone asked how things happen...how do you get the introduction, how does a record hit, how does a career launch, he responded with a hockey analogy- "You never know how the puck gets in the goal," explaining that he never really got hockey because the puck moves so fast that you never really see the shot or misfire or deflection as the puck enters the net, but the entire team is working toward that end result. I think of the bands on Glassnote: Temper Trap, Givers, Mumford & Sons, Royal Bangs, Phoenix, Secondhand Serenade, Two Door Cinema Club, Justin Nozuka, and Kele and I think you can see how hard the label and the bands have worked to grow their fan base, to tour, to not shoot for instant success but rather the slow build, and it is absolutely inspiring. I would've never forgiven myself if I didn't ask a question, so I asked about what they provide tour support and he said it is the greatest initial expenditure along with the servicing of product to media, labels, etc, but if the artist is as great as Glassnote believes them to be, they are worth the investment of providing that initial tour support. I also would've never forgiven myself if I didn't take the opportunity to me Daniel and Adam and slip them a card and a CD, so hopefully they'll enjoy Jesse LaMonaca and the Dime Novels on their way to the airport this evening.

For old time sake, I thought I'd repost my first Mumford and Sons show at the Troubadour.

My FM 94/9 Coup d'eTat

I have had such an excellent weekend and I know I have three months of photos to post (not to mention those 200 emails that I haven't gotten to yet), but I need to burn off some energy and try to shut my brain down, so I thought I'd bust out a quick post about my day.

It started in typical fashion, with me firing up the laptop as soon as I woke up, only instead of working through e-mail, I was designing a setlist. On Saturday night I saw Tim Pyles at the Casbah and he told me that they didn't have a scheduled guest to do Sunday night's Coup D 'eTat on FM 94/9, and asked if I wanted to do it. I've never done the Coup before, and of course I love chatting on air with Pyles whenever I can, so naturally I agreed. I played with my iTunes (realizing how much of my music still isn't loaded) and put together a 42 minute set of music, with seven local songs and five under the radar songs, had a couple glasses of wine with my friend Christopher at Kensington Cafe, then headed down to the 94/9 studio.

Unfortunately, there was a mixup at the station and they did, in fact, have a guest scheduled. It was Matt Burke and he was the sweetest kid (and hopefully future sd:dialed in intern!!) and had a great setlist. What Tim decided to do was to have me play my non-local music during FTP and my local stuff (to promote North Park Music Thing) during The Local Pyle.

In case you missed it, here are the songs I played tonight:

FTP:
Frightened Rabbit "Nothing Like You" - I played this song for my friend Natalie. We share a mutual love of this band. They're playing at the House of Blues (presented by the Casbah) on October 14. Find tickets here.

Adam Haworth Stephens "The Cities That You've Burned"- I was always a huge fan of Two Gallants and saw Adam earlier this year in Upland at a place called The Wire as well as at the Casbah. He was touring with my buddy Rocky Votolato so I loved those shows. He has his solo debut album being released on my birthday (!!) September 28, and is playing a short tour to promote. He'll be at the Casbah next Sunday, August 15. Tickets are available here.

Mumford & Sons "White Blank Page"-I've seen this band twice and absolutely love this band. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for another tour...maybe they should play this year's 94/9 Holiday Hootenanny. (Garett Michaels, can you hear me?)

The Kissaway Trail "Beat Your Heartbeat"- I saw this band open for The Temper Trap earlier this year at the Belly Up. In fact, it was the day before their CD was released, but they had copies available and I listen to it all the time. They're from Denmark, so I'm not sure when they'll be back around. This song was a dedication to my new friend Dave who told me he's been a fan of the blog for awhile but we barely met on Thursday. Funny how that happens, eh?

Not played: Jace Everett "Damned If I Do"- I didn't get to play this song, but I wanted to because it was one of my favorite recent shows and apparently this photo was quite controversial among some of my readers and some Jace fans. We didn't make out, it was all in fun, obviously we were just posing for the photo...I wanted to play this because it was in a recent True Blood episode (besides his singing the opening song for the show) and since it was Sunday, being on the radio meant I missed this week's True Blood episode.

We hit the local show and Tim let me hang around until all of my songs were played. I was there to promote my showcase and got a few other participating bands in, too.

The Moviegoers "Big High School"- playing Eleven, 8/13, 8pm
d/wolves "(shock)"- playing Eleven, 8/13, 9pm
Swim Party "Broke Ships Sink"- playing Eleven, 8/13, 11pm
The Kabbs "Golden & Blue"- playing Eleven, 8/13, 12am
Lord Howler "Down (Where You Belong)"- playing Kadan 8/14, 12:35am
The Silent Comedy "Bartholomew"-- playing U-31, 8/13, 12:35am

I also snuck in a couple other bands:
Zoo Seven "Lifesaver"- I've got a whole post to come devoted to Zoo Seven. Stay tuned.
The Howls- I don't remember which track Pyles played, but you can download their EP. I'm booking Thursday nights at West Coast Tavern, so they'll be playing there on 8/12 around 9pm. The show is free. We had fun talking about the awesome food and drinks at West Coast Tavern and I belive I said "Donkey Punch" at least three times on-air...as a drink at West Coast Tavern, it's a double mule, but perhaps you know its other meaning?

Anyway, it was a really fun time and thanks to everyone for the kind tweets and the few people who called in, too. Thanks to Tim Pyles and FM 94/9. I will come back in any time you'll have me. As Tim says, "I'll see YOU at the show".

Mumford & Sons at the Belly Up, June 6, 2010

There isn't much for me to say about Mumford and Sons that could adequately describe how thrilled I was throughout the show. The night was just as incredible as I expected. I arrived early to get as close to the stage as possible, and a couple friends let me squeeze in with them.

The Silent Comedy performed as if it was the most important show of their career (which is pretty much the heart they put into every performance) and it's been a long time since I've seen that many people crowding the stage for an opening band at the Belly Up.

The Middle East sounded like a band I could really love, if only I could hear them over the crowd that wouldn't stop chatting through their set. It didn't help that the singer mumbled incoherently into the mic between songs. Nobody could hear, let alone decipher what he was trying to say through his thick accent. Their music was very hushed and the energy created by The Silent Comedy probably did them no favors. Sometimes that's the way it goes.

By the time Mumford & Sons came out the crowd was in a frenzy. From memory, I think the set was pretty close to the set they played in L.A. at the Troubadour in February. The crowd sang just about every song word for word, and it was really cool that they borrowed the Silent Comedy's horn section for a couple songs though they'd only just met that afternoon. It was clear that Mumford & Sons loved playing with The Silent Comedy, so it was a good feeling to have assisted in that happening. I told them they have to take me with them when Mumford invites them on a European and Australian tour. Wishful thinking.

I had my friend Dave snap a photo of the setlist with my camera, but it turns out they kinda moved things around.


The actual setlist:

Sigh No More
Awake My Soul
The Cave
Nothing Is Written
I Gave You All
Timshel
Little Lion Man
Lover of the Light
Thistle & Weeds
After The Storm
Dance Dance Dance
Roll Away Your Stone
White Blank Page
Sister
Winter Winds

I'll try and add some more photos from the night when I've got a more reliable wi-fi connection. In the meantime, here's pretty much the whole show for your viewing pleasure.

See Mumford & Sons At The Belly Up, June 6.

If you've been listening to FM 94/9 lately, you've probably heard one of this month's recommended bands, Mumford & Sons and their single "Little Lion Man". Their album Sigh No More has been on constant rotation since I got it and I even made the trek to LA to see them. This is a show not to be missed, and at $8, it will sell out. Tickets go on-sale tomorrow for the About the Music show on June 6 at the Belly Up. Opening the show will be The Middle East and The Silent Comedy.

This is a video I shot at the Troubadour of Little Lion Man. You can see all my videos from that night here.

New Music Tuesday: Mumford & Sons and Local Natives

I don't think I've mentioned Tuesday releases since the first year I started this blog, but I just got a little email and it reminded me that two GREAT albums come out today- Mumford & Sons Sigh No More and Local Natives Gorilla Manor. I've seen Local Natives 5 times or so and had the demos for a while and I'm thrilled the record is finally out. I got a chance to see Mumford & Sons last week (and posted a video playlist here) and LOVE this album from the first track to the last.

If you're registered at LaLa, you can listen to them here:

Mumford & Sons

Local Natives

For only $6.99 (today) only, you can buy digital copies at Shockhound:

Mumford & Sons

Local Natives

Local Natives will be at Coachella and Mumford & Sons were just announced for Bonnaroo, so perhaps somewhere between those dates, they can make their way to San Diego.

Mumford & Sons at The Troubadour, 2.9.10

Yesterday I went on a little LA roadtrip up to LA with some friends to catch Mumford & Sons at the Troubadour. I first heard them while driving with a friend who had procured a leak of the record and from the first song, I was sold, demanding to know who it was and everything about them. They were only playing 4 US dates before a tour in Europe but they're getting all kinds of buzz, yadda yadda, and they just got added to Bonnaroo. The four and a half hour drive was long but entertaining, as Rich and Josh shared hilarious tour stories, then we got some grub before making it to the show to enjoy Family of The Year and Mumford & Sons.

It was my first time ever at The Troubadour and I loved it and felt right at home. I managed to get up front for the show. I missed a couple of the early songs, but here's my footage from the night. Enjoy.



The band said they'll be back in June, so hopefully they'll announce a full fledged tour and we can get them to come to San Diego.