Whew!

2014 wrap up. I thought it was a quiet and slow year for Live Music In Austin, which looks to be slowly expanding to be Live Music In Texas....YAY!!! But I started to

review and here is what I found...

I saw 80 bands in total. 70 of them I have never seen before. The other 10 are bands that I will always make a point to go see and support here in Austin.

I wrote 42 blog posts. 33 of them were performance review based. The rest were multi part reviews, an album review, and a video post. Doesn't sound like much until you realize that is a show I am going to every 1.5 weeks!

Of all of my trekking around, 13 new venues were explored and talked about. Just a guitar string more than 1 per month.

So the best I can do (without getting crazy with hash tags and photos) is just a few photos from '14. In no particular order or reason, randomness. I will see you in 2015!

Laters

Another bad creation...

Proud to have gone to another CD release party for one of Austin's local, coming up, Rap performers - Drastik. Former lead singer of rap core band Drastik IV, now branches out for his solo debut - Dreams of Coming Up.  You can check out the album review here - (http://livemusicinaustin.blogspot.com/2014/07/dreams-of-coming-up-drastik.html).

This CD release party was held at Empire Control Room (http://empireatx.com). This was my first trip there so lets talk about it. Located on 7th street, in between Red River and IH 35, on the same side as police headquarters. Empire Control Room has a fairly unique set up. In the front door is the bar area. On the left hand wall is a fantastic row of coin op , stand up, video games to the right is a long bar. There is a doorway on the right hand side that leads to the stage area. Directly to the back is a doorway that leads to a very nice deck out back.

The stage area is either unfinished on purpose or is currently under construction and still has some work to go. The stage itself is a long stage, but fairly shallow and a tight fit for a full band. The sound is awesome, loud, and bass heavy...perfect for a rap show. The lighting is currently being supplied all around the club area with many projectors. Very cool for the effects as seen in some of my photos from the show, but pretty lame for seeing the band on stage. Like I said, it appears to be in the works.

Now for a CD release party, and this was a party. Drastik (along with his beautiful wife) made damn sure all of the guests this evening were taken care of very well. There was a raffle for a prize for presale ticket holders, lots of food, and cake. Yes, seriously! I have NEVER been to a CD release party that was an actual party. What an impressive job and I hope everyone in attendance, realized and thanked the hosts!

Casino (https://www.facebook.com/CasinoATX?fref=ts) and Chef Greezy (https://www.facebook.com/pages/Chef-Greezy-Kuntry-Fried-Entertainment/121338897893132?hc_location=timeline) were the first two performers up. I really like the tag team format that they did when they hit the stage. Casino, up first, spittin his rhymes. Then he was joined on stage by Chef Greezy who jumped in on a song or two and then the show just flowed right into Chef Greezy's set. Chef Greezy was joined on stage by another rapper as well who contributed to the vibe. The crowd was totally down with Casino and Chef Greezy's rhymes, hands up, and enjoying the rhtym and the rhyme. Smoking weed, weed, weed, weed. Lets get high, lets get fucked up and smoke some weed. Ehhh

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Giovanni Tha King (https://www.facebook.com/gtkmusic?fref=ts) was up with his spin on the rap game. Doing more of a Dub step style music and putting down the rhymes with such power, he had to tell the sound guy to turn down his mic, this shit was fucking awesome. Giovanni Tha King was fun to watch and laid down some great rhymes. I thought I heard him say he was from Waco, don't know, don't care...just definitely want to see this guy again. I would highly recommend Giovanni Tha King any where in Austin. Here is another artist who I would love to see again with a much longer set. Also want to get my hands on some of his music as I would jam his sound for friends at my house with no problem.











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Kevin Jack (https://www.facebook.com/kevin.jack.3950?fref=ts) was the hardest working man in the house on this particular night. He was the DJ all night long for the pre show music as well as doing the music for all of the performers this evening. Kevin Jack was the last performer up before the main event. Here was another powerful and entertaining set. Pulling the crowd all the way up to the front of the stage, Kevin Jack even broke down the moves for one of his songs and had the whole crowd doing the Judo Chop! This was the perfect set to get the crowd worked up and right into headliner Drastik.

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Drastik (https://www.facebook.com/drastikmusic) finally came on stage with Kevin Jack continuing his duties as DJ for the evening. Drastik rolled into his set with just him and the DJ and several new tracks. New stuff, not on the newly dropped CD, i thought was a genius way to open the show. Come on, you have to anticipate that the majority of the crowd has the new disc and heard it at least 10 times, so why not kick some new, NEW shoot to open the show?


After a few songs with Kevin Jack, Drastik called the band up on stage, then it was ON! A drummer  who is so unbelievably talented and charismatic, it is scary that he is local and not nationwide on a tour with the likes of #ButhcherBabies. A guitarist and saxophone player joined the band on stage as well and it was mind blowing! Drastik jumped into the tracks from the debut CD and it was completely impressive.

Drastik continued on with his set, keeping the crowd front and center. He even jumped down off the stage to join the crowd for one of his tracks. There is not much of a question in my opinion and that of the crowd on hand, Drastik's debut CD, CD release party, and live performance is a hella experience. Glad I was there. Lucky you when you get to see for yourself at one of his upcoming shows.

Laters

Dreams of Coming Up - Drastik

I am all about the live music scene in Austin. I try to focus on the local bands and tell you about the venue. I try to convey how awesome or lame the live performance of said band was.

BUT.... Here is the combo deal.

I have seen Lynn Drastik performing with the band Drastik IV in the past. Now,  the lead singer has struck out on his own with his solo project, and dropped it for the world to hear and experience.

Drastik - Dreams of Coming Up is a radical departure from the hard Rock sound (that reminded me of Rage Against the Machine) that was his band Drastik IV.

Dreams of Coming Up is rap. It is pretty much rap at its best. The album is sewn together very well. With the bass laden tracks throughout, it leaves no room for doubt that Lynn Drastik has found the formula for a head bobbing, smile inducing record.

From the opening track 'God's plan' there is no doubt Drastik is confident and solid. Dreams weaves in and out. Drastik is both pushing you with his lyrical ferocity, and pulling you in with his love and respect for the one above! It is a strength that is very striking, putting both the street and God on the same plate. But it is the truth and it is real.

My favorite on the album is 'My M.o.' with the line dropped about "co-starring Halle Berry"! The man's got balls.

See you at a show soon. Pick up the album online,  find Drastik on Facebook!

Laters

The lyrics to life

The Dirty Dog ( http://dirtydogbar.com/ ) does have a lot going for it. Great location, huge interior area for shows and crowds, a great stage, sound, lights, and a staff that is pretty damn attentive. Another great time on schedule here. Now, they do have a helluva schedule, so you need to keep up with them on the web and take advantage of all the good times to be had. 

Keeping the house moving through the whole night was DJ Villa ( http://www.myspace.com/DJVILLAA ). Providing the mid line entertainment and ambiance while we partied, mingled, and drank. He also did a kick ass job onstage for both Drastik as well as Overlord. It was spectacular and I hope more of the special spur of the moment mixing happens again and again, when you are there to experience it.

Drastik IV ( http://drastikmusic.com/ ) has a lot of energy. Theses kids have the idea, get the audience involved, make it interactive, and everybody will smile and remember you for how much fun they had. Drastik IV has a video on YouTube, 'Elephant in the Room', check it out here ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oyp_Cwiihqw ). This would give you a small view of what they are like live...and live they are. With the awsome performance that they put on I will enjoy seeing any of you at another one of their shows with more bands along the same line of that harder edge music. They do have a song they tout as their "6th street anthem" that they should definitely leave for last. What a perfect way to close out the set and get the audience completely going. Go see them and you will know what I mean.

Michael Dillard ( http://michaeldillardmusic.com/ ) was next up. Dillard is always fun to watch because of his intensity on the mic. His music is unquestionably Austin, but his new stuff definitely takes his sound in a different direction. He has the crowd backing and everyone singing along so make sure you make it out to a show, enjoy the new stuff, and grab his debut EP while it is still available and check out his video from the debut disc ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8lB1sOT09g&feature=player_embedded ).

Jess and the Echoes ( http://jechomusic.com/ ) topped off the evening before the showstopper. With her swaying sound and her voice that is tight with the music, it makes you feel like you should be watching her perform outdoors at one of our many festivals with 3,000 other people enjoying the sound also. She definitely brought a crowd with her and you gotta love one of your openers when they help pack the house and keep them interested.

Out on the stage came 'the man of the hour, with Tomahawk power', blowing the shit up once again.

MC Overlord ( http://www.overlordmusic.com/ ) came onstage and schooled us on why he is a 'record breaking 10 time Austin Music Award winner' and Lifetime Achievement award winner. The opportunity to see him now and enjoy a live set is better than ever. With a completely revamped set list and a lot of new music with some different old pieces mixed in, it is a more electrifying show than I have ever seen in the last decade. Now granted, I haven''t had the unabashed joy and laughter of seeing him forget lyrics, but that is what age and Jager will do to you. The audience didn't care, pushed up to the stage singing along, every audience member out there felt like it was their show and we were ALL part of the good times and great music.

This is one of the reasons you always go do live local music, you never now who will show up or what will happen...and at an Overlord show it can be both. So just go do it, support it, and love this city!

Laters