by Diego Donamaria by S. Pulse These SXSW artists won’t get to attend the cancelled festival, but happened to record the perfect quarantine song. What songs would you add to our list? Josiah Johnson Declan J Donovan Neal Francis The Talbott Brothers Early James JP Saxe White Denim Jackie Venson Wiley from Atlanta Electric Fields Reb Fountain Flawes Michigander Devarrow Girl Skin by Brooks Burris Though many official SXSW showcases were canceled due to the threat of covid-19, the city of Austin couldn’t extinguish the intimate Campfire Gathering happening in Dripping Springs next week- March 16th and 17th. The summer camp for adult music lovers will be held on the luxurious grounds of Camp Lucy and will include onsite fishing, target practice, nature hikes, and yoga sessions with accommodations include an air-conditioned yurts, creek-side cabins and high-end motor-coaches or luxury suites. by Susie Pulse We had such a great list of artists we wanted everyone to see during SXSW 2020 this month. Sadly, the world health crisis forced SX to be canceled for the first time ever in it’s 34 year history. We are proud that many musicians call Austin home- we hope you will still go check them out! White Denim: If you had to pick a genre to describe this multi-talented band it would be “good music”. Shifting easily between rock, soul and blues, this Austin group gives a great live show and has developed a strong following across the country. Curtis McMurtry: Yes, he’s one of those McMurtry’s. Being the grandson of the cherished Lonesome Dove author Larry McMurtry and son of Choctaw Bingo musician Larry McMurtry makes Curtis McMurtry dang near Texas royalty. His lyrics capture the spirit of the West and his music has a decidedly Texas feel. Whitney Rose: This alt-country dynamo is a current resident of Austin but is from Prince Edward Island, Canada. The Mavericks’ Raul Malo produced her sophomore album. The Bright Light Social Hour: The energy these guys produce at their live shows could be considered an alternative energy source. Their unique version of psychedelic rock fills venues around the country, but their favorite place to play is here at home. Deanna Wheeler: Wheeler is a California transplant turned Austin native. She has a fiery and powerful voice that pushes country rock to a soul-stirring level. Jackie Venson: Electric guitar aficionado and Berklee College of Music pianist, Venson is a musician’s musician. Her brand of soul and blues is often compared to Gary Clark, Jr. and is generating attention across the globe (and she plays with him too). Ume: This Austin based band melds together punk and pop and delivers it with an exhilarating live show. Bourgeois Mystics: A collective of multinational Austin-based musicians that has been described as, “genre-defying dance party waiting to explode”. PNTHN: Comprised of a 10-man collective of rappers, DJs and producers, PNTHN (pronounced “pantheon”) hails from San Marcos-just a few miles down the road. One cannot help but make comparisons to that other rap collective from San Marcos, Brockhampton (and there are some similarities). But PNTHN has their own sound- one that adds a little more rap to the sauce. Tone Royal: Austin resident Tone Royal, is a hip-hop artist and winner of the 2019 ATX Hip-Hop Award for Album of the Year. Often writing lyrics during his Uber driver shifts, Tone Royal (real name Ray Villareal) delivers a smooth sounding frat rap flow with a subtle Eminem-ish vibe. Austin, your driver has arrived! Check out the SXSW site for the complete artist list. Even though SXSW has been canceled for the first time ever, we wanted to share our recommendations for artists you might have seen in hopes that you will still watch, listen, and love their music. You can also see our ‘101 artists to watch’ list at the bottom of the post. While SXSW is known for bringing recognition to emerging artists, it also attracts a-list performers. Many of these hugely popular artists will be performing in unusually intimate venues or on the free outdoor stage at Lady Bird Lake. Either way, SXSW is a great way to see these successful bands. (Double check all times and locations on the SXSW app as they may change.) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PdH45WXuHx8 Milky Chance: This duo of high school friends from Germany are proven hitmakers (“Stolen Dance” and “Flashed Junk Mind”). Meshing an acoustic guitar-driven sound with electric beats, Milky Chance creates a sound that crosses genres, includes infectious hooks, and enjoys wide appeal. (March 19: SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake, 8:40-9:40 pm) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NRtvqT_wMeY Soul Asylum: Grammy winning 90’s alt-rock band Soul Asylum is known for their monster hit “Runaway Train”. Still creating music, they have a new single out called “Got It Pretty Good” – – and it is pretty good! (March 20: Performing on the intimate stage at Lambert’s 1:00-1:55 am) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5jAQR6266Gw Max Frost: Austin born and raised musician Max Frost may now reside in LA, but he’ll always call Austin home. Check out his high energy pop-dance beats (try “White Lies” and “Adderall”) and we dare you not to dance along. (March 19: SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake 5:35-6:15 pm) Walshy Fire: Widely known as a member of Major Lazer, Walshy Fire will be showcasing his solo DJ music at SXSW. The son of a Jamaican Cricket star, Walshy Fire often invokes the sounds of his Caribbean heritage in his music — mixes that will surely have the crowd rocking to his island vibes. (Date and venue TBA) Glass Animals: Feeling “gooey”? Well, you will after Glass Animals coats you with their dance-heavy electric tunes drenched in “peanut butter vibes”. Experience this four-man UK group in person at their SXSW show at Stubbs. (March 18: Stubbs, 12:30-1:30 am) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KeJm9PAWp6A Carla Morrison: One of the most popular indie singers in Latin America, she has won two Grammy awards as well as multiple Latin Grammys. She also has cultivated an enormous fanbase that adore her clear, clean pitch-perfect vocals. (March 21: SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake, 8:10-9:40 pm) JP Saxe: This Canadian singer-songwriter’s popularity has exploded largely as a result of his newest song “If The World Was Ending” (which features Julia Michael). His goosebump-inducing lyrics are packed with soul touching emotion and feel a lot like a reassuring hug. (March 19: SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake, 7:35 – 8:15 pm) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wFwPh-KbEY Beabadoobee: At only 19 years of age, UK’s Beabadoobee has become an indie-pop sensation. Her light and airy song “Coffee” was a massive overnight success that continued to gain momentum when it was heavily sampled by Canadian musician Powfu and featured on his track “Death Bed”. (March 17: Latitude 30, 11:00:-11:40 pm and March 18, Cedar Street, 1:00-1:50 am) Vistas: Popular in the UK, this trio of Scotland based musicians is now making major waves in the US with their upbeat indie-pop music. (March 18: Maggie Mae’s Gibson Room, 11:00 – 11:40 pm and March 19: Swan Dive, 10:00-10:40 pm) See the entire lineup and schedule at SXSW. $SNOT 99 Neighbors Ailbhe Reddy Algiers Alma Baby Rose Balming Tiger Beabadoobee Black Lips Bourgeois Mystics Brian Fallon Bridget Kelly Caroline Rose Cassper Nyovest Christina La Rocca Chuck Prophet and The Mission Express Curtis McMurtry CVLTE Dead Horses Dead Poets Society Deanna Wheeler Declan J. Donovon Delta Spirit Demi Grace Devarrow Devon Gilfillian Drinking Boys and Girls Choir Early James Edan Archer Electric Fields Fenne Lily Ferreck Dawn Flawes Free Radicals Frisco Ghetto Kumba Gina Sicilia Girl Skin Grace Pettis GRLWood Hamilton Leithauser Haviah Mighty Harleighblu Herizen Honey Harper Jackie Venson Jadu Heart Jeff Lofton Jenny Lewis Jinmi Abduls Josiah Johnson JP Saxe Katie Pruitt Kyle Craft La Dona Laundry Day Laura Cantrell Lesly Rehhagg M. Ward Margo Price Max Frost Michigander Milky Chance Mir Fontane Modern Love Child Naked Giants Nasty Cherry Native Sun Naya Ali Neal Francis Neon Dreams Nicklas Sahl Noya Rao Parisalexa PNTHN Reb Fountain Renni Rucci Ringo Deathstarr Ryal McMullen Sarah Klang Savannah Sgro Shelley King Sir Woman Soccer Mommy Soul Asylum Spooky Mansion Sport Team Thao & The Get Down Stay Down The Brother Brothers The HamilTones The Talbot Brothers The Teeta There Tone Royal Tre Burt Ume Vistas Walshy Fire Whitney Rose Wiley from Atlanta Wire
Tennis & Molly Burch by Phillip Johnson It was a mild Saturday night at a packed Stubb’s Waller Amphitheater. The crowd came out for an electric night of dream-pop courtesy of local songstress Molly Burch and headliner, Tennis, who is touring in support of their latest release “Swimmer”, which dropped in 2020. Molly Burch, an Austin native, has built herself quite the following in her home city and is now taking it nationally on tour with Tennis. Her vocal styling reminded me a lot of Joss Stone with so much heart and soul behind the lyrics. She had a very smoky, melancholy to her voice as she navigated through her tales of heartbreak and yearning. Her songs seemed like they were written for a last dance with a love you knew you were going to let go. The crowd was seemingly made up of a lot of friends and family with the amount of cheering that resonated through her effortless performance. One of the highlight’s of her set was her cover of Ariana Grande’s “Needy”, which drove the crowd to a mild dance party. The entire band definitely had a vintage, chic look for them, as evidence by Ford’s floor length, shimmering gown, and Riley’s houndstooth-like blazer and white turtleneck. The energy turned up with tracks like “No Exit” which had a throwback, 80’s synth-pop vibe and “Need Your Love” with excellent contrasts between the beginning rock/jazz verses to the slower soulful chorus. The differences in their ballads versus their more funky tracks definitely showed their range and playful pop sensibility Tennis has a soft spot for Austin. During their last tour, they encountered their fair share of pitfalls, with the largest being Patrick’s father passing away. Feeling defeated and wondering if the rest of the tour was worth it, they knew if they made it to Austin (Emo’s, to be more specific) they would get over that hill. They expressed their gratitude as the Austin crowd truly showed their love in such a difficult time. This was the precursor to the heartfelt track “Origins”. The dream-pop genre has certainly made waves over the years. With artists such as Beach House, the XX, and recently, Billie Eilish as hugely popular young newcomer. Tennis and Molly Burch certainly are making their mark in this group as well and the rest of the country is about to see what all the buzz is about. See our complete show photo gallery on Austin 101. This year’s lineup of artists had a great mix from different genres. That included veteran musicians like Brad Paisley, Bush, Sammy Hagar with newer popular artists like Becky G, Morgan Wallen, Jon Pardi, Chris Yong, Aaron Watson, Lauren Alaina, and Carly Pearce. Check out some of our favorites from the February event, and you can see all our concert photos and reviews on Austin 101. Oprah brings her 2020 Vision: Your Life In Focus tour to Dallas’ American Airlines Center this month! She wants to inspire wellness in others so they can live their best life. She’ll have a live interview as part of the packed full day with Tracee Ellis Ross (Black-ish). She’s planned these US events to be a start to 2020 with renewal and celebrating all we are meant to be. Expect some motivation to be about her WW and some surprise special guests (perhaps Tina Fey?). The event is February 15th (what a perfect, loving Valentine thing to do for ourselves). Doors open at 7:30 am and the event starts at 9am. There are very few tickets available- you can try to find them here. Find more info here. The night opened with a cool video of Celine getting ready, putting on her makeup and she appeared in a stunning red glitter slit dress with matching pumps, flawless makeup, and toned arms. The sold-out show had fans singing and cheering from the get go, and Dion appeared as happy and healthy (incredibly fit) as we’ve ever seen her. Dion is on her 14th tour in support of her 2019 album “Courage”. Her first words were about how ten years is way too long for her San Antonio return, and she spent much time talking about “What went wrong? It’s unacceptable and we’re going to fix it” and then shared how Vegas stole her for awhile. She was fully prepared to make up for her absence. We knew the show would be an incredible performance, but she blew us away. She is the ultimate performer and has been doing it for decades-has it nailed down. Celine was engaging with the crowd throughout the entire show and she was brimming with emotion, and often smiling and then touched her eye as if stopping the tears, and would say, “I think something is in my eye….maybe a bug, I don’t know”. In another moment she raised her glass and said “cheers to your health”. Her wit and humor (sometimes cheesy) is part of her flirting with the audience and she enjoys it. One moment while taking off her jacket, “that’s all that’s coming off” with a grin. The set list was a robust mix from her massive catalog that perfectly blended timeless classics, “Beauty and the Beast”, “Because You Loved Me”, “All By Myself”, “My Heart Will Go On”, with mid-range stuff and new songs “Courage” and “Lying Down”. She also sang beautiful songs in French. Celine did a beautiful job playing Andrea Bocelli in their duet “The Prayer”. Her ability to hit incredibly high notes, gave us chills. It’s clear she has worked very hard to take care of her voice and her health. Her voice skills are a piece of art with the height and octave range. The stage was massive, the lighting and set were elegant and tasteful, as is Celine, and the piano was incredible; the full strings and brass section and back up singers- plus 3 raised percussion/keyboard sets gave such a volume of sound. The mix of the bands classy outfits and her red dress was stunning. We couldn’t help think of Kobe Bryant who had just passed away that week, as we were looking at Tony Parker and other NBA jerseys hanging in the rafters in ATT Center where the Spurs play. Her career will continue to “go on” and we can’t wait to see how she continues her self-reinvention. It’s clear why the Courage World Tour was one of the top shows of 2019 and we think it will make our 2020 list. Don’t expect many empty seats. Check out all our show photos on Austin 101. Set list: Encore Playing Now thru March 8th at ZACH Theater By S. Pulse Who wouldn’t want to spend a night hanging out with Janis Joplin? Imagine Joplin traveling through time to sing her hits and, not only talk about her musical influences, but also conjure up their presence to perform for you. That is precisely the format of “A Night with Janis Joplin”, a musical now playing at ZACH Theater. She nails her unbridled screaming execution of Joplin’s “Piece of My Heart” and the lyrical “Me and Bobby McGee” before concluding the show with an encore acapella performance of “Mercedes Benz”. The song is delivered from an upper-deck catwalk; perhaps, symbolic of her passing. Joplin’s dialogue with the audience repeatedly eludes to the artist’s substance abuse and early death, but never specifically delves into her ‘gone too soon’ departure from this world at age 27 from an accidental overdose. Rather, the show focuses on her musical legacy and the female role models that lay the groundwork for her bold, soulful style.
The heavy hitting lineup includes the likes of Austin’s Shakey Graves, Joe Ely, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Grammy award winner Margo Price, and the masked cowboy Orville Peck. Other amazing artists include Paul Cauthen, White Denim, Nikki Lane, Robert Ellis, and more. Check out the full lineup.
One day tickets are still available and can be purchased at campfiregathering. We can’t wait to see y’all there and share stories and music over s’mores.Austin 101 Magazine’s “101 To Watch at SXSW”:
2.29.2020
Stubb’s Waller Amphitheater
Hailing from Denver, Colorado, Tennis is the duo made up of Alaina Ford and husband Patrick Riley. The beginning of their set was made up of dark lights and silhouettes making their way to their spots. Then a bright blue light highlighted Ford’s silhouette at their piano (which was purchased at a garage sale for $45). Thus began their opener, “I’ll Haunt You”, which was indeed a haunting ballad, which featured ethereal verses and a background foundation that complimented the simplicity of Ford’s vocals.
Celine strutted confidently in very high heels (more than 6 inches?) and covered large distances to reach every part of the audience. Towards the end of the main set, a video of her doing ballet with her friend, showed off her fit body and her dance skills (who knew?). Wow.
18. My Heart Will Go On
19. Pour que tu m’aimes encore
(photo credit: Kirk Tuck)
Mary Bridget Davies delivers a spot-on performance as the hoarse-voiced songstress. The show pays homage to Joplin’s musical influences including Etta James, Bessie Smith, Odetta, Nina Simone, and Aretha Franklin. A talented ensemble cast recreates performances by each. Vocal powerhouse, Nattalyee Randall, appears as both Franklin and Simone startling the audience with her potent vocal capability. The show also offers fierce vocals by cast members Tricky Jones, Tawny Dolley, and Imani Ani.
With Joplin acting as both performer and emcee, the show flows like an all-star concert peppered with tales of the great women that inspire her music. Viewers unfamiliar with Bessie Smith, learn about her humble beginnings, untimely death in an automobile accident, and burial in an unmarked grave (for which Joplin is rumored to have purchased a proper headstone). Odetta’s emotion-laden voice transforms the world through change-provoking folk songs. And, the show also reminds us of the weighty impact of the more familiar voices of James, Simone, and Franklin. Joplin’s sound is rooted in these legends and she would often pay tribute to their efforts. Fittingly, this musical does the same.
Viewers also gain insight into Joplin’s life. A native of Port Arthur, Texas, she describes herself as a misfit child that initially set out to be an artist. Joplin’s artwork is projected onto the stage backdrop. Her time spent attending the University of Texas in Austin is noted along with her frequent visits to iconic Threadgill’s. The show segues between important moments in Joplin’s life and Davies’ remarkable delivery of Joplin’s most important songs; a performance that earned her a Tony Award nomination.
We recommend booking your tickets now for this vocal-rich ride through musical history. “A Night with Janis Joplin” is playing now through March 8th at ZACH Theater.
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Katy Pruitt
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Katy Pruitt
