SXSW Recommendations

Every musician I know is bound for Austin, Texas right about now. The annual SXSW music conference is taking place and while I quit going after 2003... there's no reason you shouldn't attend.

If you ARE there, or you live in Austin, let me draw your attention to these fine bands...


Frank Secich, 1979

Frank Secich is a member of The Deadbeat Poets, and a lifelong friend of mine. We met when he was playing bass in the Latter Day Dead Boys which morphed into the Stiv Bators Band which resulted in the recording of Stiv's only solo album, the pop gem Disconnected.

Frank was also a member of the power pop legends Blue Ash. From the Blue Ashes and the fertile musical playground of Northeastern Ohio come The Deadbeat Poets.

The Deadbeat Poets were formed in Youngstown, Ohio in the summer of 2006. The band consists of veteran Ohio musicians with eclectic credentials: Frank Secich (Blue Ash, Club Wow, Stiv Bators Band), Terry Hartman (Backdoor Men, Napoleon In Rags, Terry & The Tornadoes), Pete Drivere (Infidels, Pretty Demons) and John Koury (Infidels, Slackjaw). Their debut album (which was recorded over the first few months of 2007 at Youngstown's Ampreon Recorder) is now available on Pop Detective Records in America & in Japan on Vivid Sound Records. Also, making guest appearances on the album are Bill "Cupid" Bartolin on guitar and Chris Leonardi on piano and organ.

The Deadbeat Poets will be playing this year's SXSW Festival at:
Lambert's Patio
401 W. 2nd St.
Austin, Texas

The band goes on at 9:00 pm Thursday, March 13th.
More info on the Deadbeat Poets at:
http://www.myspace.com/deadbeatpoets
http://www.popdetective.com/




One of my favorite tracks on the Deadbeat Poets album is Stiv Bators Ghost Tour - which I'm sure they'll be playing for you.




Kid Congo Powers & the Pink Money Birds are playing a BUNCH of shows...

Kid Congo has really laid the foundation for so much punk rock and post-punk rock music, from his days in the Gun Club when he couldn't play to his Cramps tenure when the voodoo-billy thrash torch and trash of Poison Ivy's playing started to educate the young man and kick start him on wielding an eclectic style all his own. Kid Congo's style defies a genre while the man continues to redefine what we think of as punk and all that punk spawned.


Kid Congo & Pleasant, 1978


Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds @ SxSW
03/13/2008 ..
Play at 1:00 AM - Maggie Mae's Gibson Room
323 E. Sixth St., Austin, Texas 78701

Thursday March 13. Midnight. Gibson and New York Night Train Records presents: Kid Congo and The Pink Monkey Birds (1am), The Stalkers (midnight), SSS Specters, Cougar Den, The Black and White Years, Knife World...
...
03/14/2008 04:00 PM - Spiderouse Cafe SxSW Day Party
2908 Fruth St, Austin, TX 78705, Austin, Texas 78705 - free.1 -6 pm :
Dazzlin' King Solomon Band (Austin), Kid Congo Powers (New York), Tokyo Sex Destruction(Barcelona)
Pink Monkey Birds will play between 4 and 6pm.

03/15/2008 04:00 PM - Red Scoot Inn
1308 E Fourth St, Austin, Texas - Free
Electric Frankenstein, Easy Action, Unsane, J.C. Superfly, Pat Todd, Kid Congo Powers, Slim Cessna's Auto Club....Playing between 4 and 6pm. Check back soon for time confirmation. http://www.myspace.com/redscootinn



Inside Goner Records with Eric and Zac



Jack Oblivian

Jack Oblivian and Harlan T. Bobo are just two of the Goner Records artists slated to play the Goner Records showcase. Unlike many of the SXSW shows - this is a wristband-free FREE event for any and everyone who saunters into Beerland on Friday night, March 14.

I've seen all of the bands that are playing the Goner Showcase... Friday night, you should just park yourself at Beerland for there is no better place to be.

Everyone knows just how much I LOVE Jack Oblivian & the Tearjerkers. They have some new songs that only the folks at Louie Fest got to hear last month - so make sure you don't miss them. Jack always performs a flawless rock n roll show... with songs from his solo records, the Oblivians, Compulsive Gambers and Cool Jerks, plus some cool covers. (by "flawless" I mean: drunken revelry, killer guitar, swagger, sweetness, soul, sweat and pure musical satisfaction)



Harlan T. Bobo

I saw Harlan T. Bobo play in Memphis a couple weeks ago. Every time Harlan plays, he rolls out some new mesemerizing visual to illustrate his already intensely evocative songs. He's also got some great video that he and bandmates collaborated on which the live performance kind of syncs up to. He's like Laurie Anderson only he's Harlan... its that kind of sophisticated show. Part performance art, part pure musical catharthis. I really can't describe it... just GO SEE HIM!

Do NOT miss the Ross Johnson portion of the show. Over the last 25+ years, Ross has played with everyone in Memphis whose music matters. He is a witty raconteur and a damn awesome drummer.





SXSW is overflowing with music.... more suggestions tomorrow...