Official. The Roosevelts announcement

All my friends, readers, fans and strangers

http://youtu.be/7UagfSyjUAc

Laters

The Sweetest Sounds

Frank ( http://hotdogscoldbeer.com/ ) is a surprise all on it's own. Unassuming on the outside, tucked away on a corner of Fourth and Colorado, this place is pretty damn big on the inside. A decent little bar area as you step foot in the door with a single TV (be prepared to watch the game in really close quarters if you choose this as your stop). A little further in is a much larger lounge that vaults to a huge ceiling and a view of the balcony seating farther back in the restaurant. Overall a very cool atmosphere. I can't wait to actually go back and have a dog!

This particular night the lounge area was maneuvered to allow a standing crowd to enjoy some kick ass music! End Wave, Super Water Sympathy, and Eagle Pritchard Murray Band!

End Wave ( http://www.facebook.com/#!/endwave ) is not new wave...they are the end wave. Completely different than ANYTHING mainstream or what you thought you knew about Austin music, New Wave, Punk, whatever. A complete throwback to the ridiculousness of the Eighties and DEVO. The music is disturbingly fun and quirky. The lyrics are smart, but irreverent AND the costume changes were fucking hilarious....absolutely made the night. You want a 'SHOW' when you go out, find these guys. Performance art at the most musical level (and not that YOKO ONO bullshit either)!

Super Water Sympathy ( http://www.facebook.com/superwatersympathy?ref=ts ) was the jaw dropper of the night. With comparisons to AhhDell (sp? on purpose), the voice behind the mic (Ansley Hughes)  really kinda shut everybody up and made us listen. It was an absolutely stunning performance! The band really had that full, clean, polished, and inspiring sound. Something that you would swear you are currently hearing on the radio. The performance, w/lead singer Ansley Hughes commanding the stage and your attention, really makes you want to see them to go big time and leave us in their dust. I am just happy to say that they performed here and got to see them early on...and it was awesome! This is one if those performances that would definitely make you go out the next time you hear they are in town.

 Thunderous applause, too short of a set, a hot lead singer, man this band has got it...and you should go get it. I think there were some guys in this band, but I dunno, and you would probably get that reaction from most everyone that was in the house. Even my girlfriend exclaimed to me "I Love Ansley!" Looking at their schedule, they are all over the place all the time, but not here in Austin near enough.

Eagle Pritchard Murray Band , EPMB ( http://www.epmbmusic.com/ ) finished the night in their typical grand fashion. With a very nice sized crowd, many familiar faces, and tons of new ones, it was the great party time that you would only expect being at one of their shows. I hear and see that there is the addition of a trumpet player to their line up and I think it serves the band well. The set just consistently maintains to be one of the most fun ones you can go see. With the list of songs keeping the audience dancing and even new people singing along, you know it is a good time to be had. Over all it was a stellar performance that I have come to expect and one of the reasons I so love to go see them as often as possible. Go see for yourself and then agree with me.

Looking at their schedule it seems like there are quite a few opportunities to go see them before the end of the year. I even noticed some out of town gigs, makes me happy to seem them crossing the land and spreading 'My Favorite Misery' to other cities. Let'm ALL feel the EPMB love.

p.s. - go check out the FB page for EPMB and look at some of the photos for their koozie contest. GREAT TIMES

Laters

a Father's Day Sunday Funday

HOLY SHIT! I love to continually be surprised by this city. The "Keep Austin Weird" tag line somehow always manages to make itself true. With the Austin Revitalization Project and the spreading out and growth of the music and entertainment district you are bound to find new and exciting places anytime!

Icenhauers ( http://www.icenhauers.com/index.html ) is one of those places. Tucked away on Rainey St. and completely unassuming. Even as you stroll down the street or drive past it and know it's there, you can miss it. We did the first time. Check out their web site for amazing photos on the renovation of this old house to a fantastic bar.

EPMB ( http://www.facebook.com/epmbmusic#!/epmbmusic?sk=info ). Once again I prove to be a fanboy. Whatever. These guys are great great fun to listen to, watch, dance to, sing along with, and just hang out with. Been a short while since I have seen them perform a full set, so this was a treat...ESPECIALLY on Fathers Day. A two part set at about 50 minutes each and when it ended, it still felt like they would've performed more and the crowd would not have been tired. What I liked about this particular performance was hearing the lead guitar shine through at all the right times finally (Jason Eagle is great). The second half of the performance was absolutely a knock down, drag out, leav'em breathless event. The mixture of covers and the up tempo originals had people dancing for pretty much the whole 50 minute set.

Yes I was very sad that I couldn't spend the day with my kids, and am still not happy about those turn of events. But the day was filled with good times, good friends, and good music. I will take that and appreciate it immensely. A big thank you to all who were there (My mamacita y mis compadres) and made the day special anyway!!
Laters

Ponder this

Downstairs at Stubbs ( http://stubbsaustin.com/ ) is freaking A W E S O M E !!! I fuckin love this. That basement feel to a bar, the dark dusty feel and look (with the bar at the back) takes me back to old school punk shows and house shows back in New Orleans! It is just the perfect place to see a local band or a touring act that comes through. You can get personal down in front with the band and have a great time. Now once the music starts you can't fucking having a conversation, even if you lean over and yell in their ear.

So, one of my favorite local bands to follow is Eagle Pritchard Murray Band a.k.a. EPMB ( http://www.facebook.com/epmbmusic ) and they did a great job of opening for the headliner, Ponderosa. Always fun and always a great time, is their M.O. They even had some folks who jumped outta the crowd and started dancing (badly at that, but at least they did and were having a GREAT TIME.) A nice little change up to the song order was great. Like the professionals that they are, they started it up tempo, brought the middle of the set down a little, and then ended it on fire. Jason Eagles lead guitar blended too well into the music during the solos ( pedal issue or sound guy...ehh whatevs) so I look forward to the next one. Can't wait to see another show with a full set, hopefully some additions to the line up (horns?), a new revised set list, and end the show with SEVERAL uptempo songs that have the whole place dancing and singing along!

Ponderosa ( http://www.ponderosamusic.com/ ) is from Georgia and touring to support their new album that just released. This is what I refer to as "drinking whiskey straight outta the bottle" music. NO, it is not that rowdy rocker, southern fried music that makes you wanna punch your dog, wreck truck, and cry about her cheatin heart. This is the sit back in the chair and listen to the southern sounds of a keyboard fill the air with some fucking killer vocal harmonies that had me looking  for the back-up singers onstage (there were none)! The lead guitarist was doing some star wars shit with his effects pedals and it just added to an overall wonderful show. Check out their website for future dates, take a listen and DL the album or some tracks if you like.

Laters

H.A.A.M. is good (not food)!

H.A.A.M. ( http://www.myhaam.org/ ). If you have read my blog, if you are in a band, if you know someone in a band, date someone in a band, or have a family member in a band. IF YOU GO SEE LIVE MUSIC IN AUSTIN then SUPPORT the music you know and love in Austin by checking out their website and doing what you can. Please PLEASE support this organization!

The HAAM Battle of the Bands (Corporate edition) happened at Antone's ( http://www.antones.net/ ) on a nice Thursday evening. There were 10 bands battling out for glory in 4 different categories. The order in which they performed is not important, the performance of these bands is what I care about and relate to you. For those planning an excursion out into the Austin nightlife anytime in the future, this is a reference to what might be fun, good, or run for the door shitty!

SOA, White Noise Syndicate, Closet Drama, EPMB, Long Woodson, and Make It Stop were the bands that I was able to listen to and watch. From 80's rock covers to original southern roots rock to a cacophony of effin noise that made me walk out...this event covered it all, and THAT my friends is a GREAT thing!

SOA (Sounds of Ascendant) hit the stage and bashed out breath taking amount of cover songs in the time allotted. The mash up was an entertaining blend of 80's and 90's rock and hard rock. They blended the songs well into each other and for the limited time they had onstage they really jammed the music down on the crowd. Hard, fast, and fun...everyone was singing along to their "old" favorites. This was a very cool set and I would love to go to someones house, pool party, corporate event and be able to hear these guys play all night instead of the radio or someones ipod! I don't know if you would be able to be out on the town on any given evening and run into them, but keep your eyes and ears open.

White Noise Syndicate ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/White-Noise-Syndicate ) was next on the stage for this musical shoot out. With hard rock edge and originals on their list, this band came to play. Overall their performance was good. Not the fun, dancing, singing along type of performance that means the world to me, BUT this would be a good band to go hang out and have some drinks while they are playing.

Closet Drama ( http://closetdrama.fourfour.com/home ) was a very cool band to listen to. With their pop/punk type of originals music they were another band on the list of many, MANY Austin bands to drop in and catch on a whim. It was a nice performance up there on the stage in ANTONES, mashed up in there with the other bands. Not mind blowing or completely original, but not horrible either.
Eagle Pritchard Murray Band ( http://www.facebook.com/epmbmusic ) to their fans, friends, family and all others they are affectionately know as EPMB (funny to hear one of the judges knock the band playfully about their name being too long). I don't think it is the type of music so much as it is their infectious attitude onstage. They are smiling, laughing and having what appears to be a genuine good time while performing. The music is very likable and easy to sing along with and dance too. All of this will always translate into a good time for anyone that is in attendance.

Long Woodson ( http://www.longwoodson.com/fr_home.cfm ) had plenty of jokes about the sexual reference of their band name. The music was a cool-laid-back-country-rock-Tom Petty-kind of sound. This is very good stuff for the large out doors shows and festivals. The really odd thing about this performance was the non stop referencing from the band of  "Are y'a'' ready to rock!" and then they didn't. GRRRR, really dudes, don't set that shit up if you ain't gonna produce. Dont get me wrong, but when somebody says that now a days into a mic, they had better be ready to produce and rattle the fillings in your teeth.

Make It Stop ( http://makeitstopband.com/ ) DAMMIT man! I never really wanted to talk shit in the blog about any ones performance, but DAMMIT! I don't know what the fuck to say about this. I am sure (and surely hope) that these guys really like what they do and have fun at it. maybe it was an off night...I don't know, could be any number of scenarios...or it could just be that this performance sucked! It was fucking painful to hear. Make It Stop, Shut The Fuck Up, Are You Serious, or Stop The Music would all fit about the same. It was really bad. The guitars were just bad, the vocals were all over the place. I was hanging with one local Austin Texas Music Hall of Famer, this band stopped our conversations and this local legend, a mutual friend, and another young man who happens to be an amazing guitar talent (will be on stage this year at ACL, how about that) all walked out. Sorry, I had to go. Look back through my blog, I don't trash and bash. I have seen and heard everything, from the local hard core punk scene to national country acts...so I have an understanding and an opinion. I am about THE PERFORMANCE, but dang...the music has to be part of that also.

On to the next one...


P.S. - There were 4 awards to be given...EPMB did win one of the categories. Since I bailed, I dont have a list of winners and the H.A.A.M. website doesnt list who won...

Grand Prize - A day of recording at Austin’s Bismeaux Studios and (4) three-day passes to ACL
Best Original Band - $500 gift certificate to Strait Music
Best Cover Band - $500 gift certificate to Strait Music
Fan Favorite - indoor gig at Stubb’s and a $500 gift certificate to Strait Music

Mo music at MoMo's

You really need to take an evening, choose the musical menu that suits your taste and then make your way up the side stairs to MoMo's ( http://www.momosclub.com/ ). You will have a great time. I still enjoy the deck with outside bar. The music carries well to the deck and the view is pretty damn good from just about any location out there.

Wheeler Brothers, Hudson Moore and Eagle Pritchard Murray Band (EPMB). Not really a country night, but a rockin evening for sure.

The Wheeler Brothers ( http://www.facebook.com/WheelerBros?v=info&sk=info#!/WheelerBros?sk=app_2405167945 ) have a definitive country/folk sound to their rockin set. All of the energy was felt by the crowd...and I am tellin you..that bass player had some serious energy. He played like he was onstage at the Grammy's. The bare feet were also quite a surprise and very much gave the audience the vibe of a care free good time. The opportunity to go check these guys out during the day, outside at a festival, would be a must for any Austin music fan or any music goer coming into town for a weekend event. The music was great and the crowd was totally and completely into it. My photographer had to really push through to get some decent pics. Actually for all the bands, the crowd was totally into the performances on this particular evening.

Hudson Moore ( http://www.hudsonmoore.net/ ) This was my second time to enjoy a Hudson Moore performance. From then 'til now, there was a decided polish to the music. Less of a country feel but more of a country sound, yeah I know that sounds weird...whatever! I was there for his premier/inaugural performance months ago and with a ton of people onstage it was crazy. Crazy good, but crazy. It seems that Mr Moore has cored down the band slightly and put a tad bit more experience under their collective belts. With this change comes a tighter, cleaner sound. The band has meshed together as a single unit, you know it and feel it in the audience. The songs are easy to dance to and humm or sing with. I have recently been downtown (did SoCo for a First Thursday and that was a shitload of fun, but I will tell you that later) and there I beheld fliers for a Hudson Moore show. So go out, support local Austin music have fun, and kick up your heels with Hudson Moore.

Eagle Pritchard Murray Band ( http://www.epmbmusic.com/ ) wrapped the nite. After spending and evening with them while they were shooting their video for "Favorite Misery" ( http://www.facebook.com/video/video.php?v=202556233106124 ) a few weeks earlier, it was fantastic to hear their full catalog. Although they smile, laugh, and have a great time on stage they are very serious about the music and the performance. These guys entertain the crowd. It's energetic, it's soulful, and sometimes it's silly (if they dont play that Cee Lo Green song then forget you). Although I tried my damndest to get my darling Angel on the floor to dance with me, it was great fun to be there in the audience with EVERYONE singing, dancing, and just plain old acting like drunken fools to great music. No doubt the night would not be wasted if you make a plan to see EPMB.

A special thanks for Angel joining us to shoot the pictures (which you will see in a bit). To Kathryn the beer thief, you rock. Mijita, it is always wonderful with you hanging out and putting up with me.

Laters

But wait, that's a video shoot!?

 
let me start by saying "fuckin whatever dude!" SSOOOOO The Eagle Pritchard Murray Band ( http://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/epmbmusic ) video shoot happened recently on a quiet little street in South Austin. With hundreds of feet of backyard, a very decent bonfire, a very impressive home made stage, complete with lights, stacks of Marshall's and a fog machine (hehehe), EPMB was well prepared for the video shoot of "My Favorite Misery."

It was a cold and wonderful evening, the crowd was fantastic, met new people, made new friends, drank lots of free beer and most important of all watched EPMB play this song for almost 3 hours. EHHHHH! I believe the directors name is Christine (from U.T. - hook'em baby) and this is her first foray into the full length music video. I could be wrong, but it really doesn't matter because it was fun fun fun as hell. Everyone had a great time and this was the precursor to my next blog for the Wheeler Brothers/Hudson Moore/EPMB show at MoMo's  (above Katz's that apparently klozes!)

Laters

MCDougERobKane w/some Salt-n-Pepa

Tons and tons to say about this night, this show, and the performances! Without a doubt I have to thank Rozone Productions ( http://www.rozoneproductions.com/ ) for the opportunity to verbalize this event, So Dave - THANK YOU SIR, Christian - to you as well and I look forward to chillin with you more at other events and out and about (enjoy the coast jerk-off!). To the rest of the Rozone crew, happy to meet you as well.

Salt n Pepa, Big Daddy Kane, Rob Base, Doug E Fresh, and the Godfather of Austin Hip Hop- MC Overlord (who kicked this shit off the right way)!

 YES! I will start with MC Overlord's ( http://www.overlordmusic.com/ ) performance...biggest damn crowd of his career and it only took him 22 years to get here! With the audiences eyes wide open in amazement and jaws hitting the floor, Overlord kicked this shit off and kicked it off hard. MC Overlord tore through his set with his band of AMAZING LIVE musicians on the stage and I will tell you this, he schooled the OLD SCHOOL on what it is to be great, be great live, and be great with a LIVE BAND! Knowing how to start it and DAMN WELL knowing how to end the set...the entire crowd was jumpin' and out of breath when he walked off, as the way it should be! No one to do this better, EVER than MC OVERLORD!

"Go Doug E, Go Doug E, Go Doug E" is what it was like, and it was like THAT!  Doug E Fresh ( http://www.myspace.com/originalhumanbeatbox ) came out next and single handedly let us know he was here to run 'The Show' and took way more then '6 minutes'..It was awesome! Doug E's prowess is definitely timeless and the energy and excitement he brought out was only outdone by the energy that the audience was delivering back to the stage, it was fantastic! We all know the chance of seeing any of these performers on a regular (or irregular basis) is pretty much non existent now a days, BUT like I said, this was timeless. The DJ seemed to disappear into the nothingness at the back of the stage as Doug E stood there in front of us all as the original humanbeatbox, and with modern tracks and old school ones alike, made it feel like there was no time that had passed...It was about here and now...and it was fun to be young!

Rob Base ( http://www.robbase.net/ ) ...here is the act that my Friend Diana was soooo dying to see, and I have NO DOUBT that she was not disappointed. The crowd pushed forward, but at the same time spread out because everyone was wanting to dance (even some of the ones who shouldn't be trying to dance -ugh!). Like Doug E before him, Rob just came to party and it showed. Without missing a beat Rob and his accompaniment just jumped into it, used the whole stage, and brought the whole audience in. No gimmicky frills, just non stop rhymes and jams, everybody jumpin and dancing to the beats. They were fresh, they were new, they were old, but they were not tired. It was happiness, it was "Joy and Pain"! LOL!

Big Daddy Kane ( http://www.officialbigdaddykane.com/ ) ...what a damn nice return for the master himself. Walked on the stage like he owned the damn place...and at that point and time he did. Big Daddy Kane slid right into it like it was the 1980's and no time had passed. The audience jumped, cheered, sang along, and hung on his every rhyme and syllable. No need for him to prove what a performer he is and why he is Big Daddy. He kicked it! At one point with a pair of dancers, and in keeping with the rhythm and the rhyme, he knocked that shit down. This is the show that people wanted to experience, the excitement and a performance of  more than words. Big Daddy Kane ended the set just right...always leav'em wanting more!

Yes yes y'all and we don't stop...and neither did Salt n Pepa ( http://www.myspace.com/saltnpepaforever ) when they hit the stage. These two ladies looked amazing and the energy and fun they brought when they hit the stage was so bad ass for the audience. With the dance crew onstage..it really was a great performance, Ala 1986 at the City Coliseum (ahhhhh). The ladies had fun with each other onstage, incorporated the audience, kept it lively, non stop and breathtaking. With their repertoire of music it just cranked. A little DJ action to make it an effin house party was the smartest ass shit to do. I even found myself dancing along like everyone else (see my statement earlier about some people that should not be dancing, HA!). Salt n Pepa closed the second part of their set out like the roof was on fire, the were blazing...it made you not just wanna talk about sex...it was all the good things that may be!!!

Laters

Drunken Master... (or the return of Blackie Chan)

The Birthday party to end all parties (until next year). So thanks to the Dirty Dog, EPMB, Michael Dillard, Aimless gun, and Dave Rosen. To all of the countless others that showed up, made appearance, dropped by, stayed until the end, and everything in between, THANK YOU very much. I can assure it was a night that Donnell/MC Overlord will never remember!

What a great crowd at The Dirty Dog ( http://dirtydogbar.com/ ), everyone was in that festive, celebratory kind of mood, and it was a good looking crowd. EPMB ( http://www.epmbmusic.com/ ) hit the stage first and I must say it was very nice to see them perform an early set instead of 12 o'clock at night! I don't know how to really describe the fun and energy as well as the smart lyrics and well written sound these guys drop, but just go see them dammitt. I do know if you hit their site, you can pick and choose just about any night of the week and at some great locations to listen to these guys kick it. Now I was surprised at the end of their performance to see the man of the hour jump up on stage and completely shake it up and tear it down. MC Overlord is more than a man, more than a legend, he is a myth, HA! But really, I was very impressed by the seamless progression and sound between Overlord and EPMB (only to be educated later in the evening that this was the norm back in the day).

And now for the new piece of the evening, the world premier of Michael Dillard's ( http://michaeldillardmusic.com/ ) music video "Take It or Leave It". It can be seen on his website as well as here ( http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8lB1sOT09g&feature=player_embedded ). It is a really moving piece and feels oddly true, not for Mike, but just in general. Enjoy. As for the performance, I am happy to say Micheal is having no problemo in feeling comfortable on the stage and interacting with the audience more and more, THIS WILL BE key and instrumental in having the audience not just enjoy the show, but be a part of the performance and live the music. MC Overlord mad his appearance on stage again, and totally destroyed it for the last song of Michael's set. Overlord was even able to convince Mike Dill to finish out the set, and It was damn fun and damn fine.

Now this is where the title of the blog comes from. It was Donnell's birthday and the adult beverages were flowing very nicely. MC Overlord is NOT a small man, yet rambled up the steps to the stage at the Dirty Dog without even hesitating, grabbed the mic like he owned it (which he did), and had NO PROBLEM letting loose with the rhymes. As one of the members of Aimless Gun so aptly pointed out "How the hell can he do it like that, I don't even think I could stand!" Well my friends, all of the greatest fighters in the world are the greatest because they train and they train and they train. The ability to stand and fight, no matter what, is ultimately a matter of instinct, and MC Overlord has proven time and time again that he has the instinct to rhyme, no matter what! He is definitely a Master of Ceremonies!

Aimless Gun ( http://www.aimlessgun.com/main.php )was finally onstage, much to the chagrin of one band members vocal fan club member, HA! "Play some damn music!!!" So they did! And as I have said about where I would like to see Dillard take his performance next, these young men are doing it. Talking to the audience and 'selling' the performance. I will tell you this...everyone has there own specialty, that special song they do, a remix, or something that will be the next big thing. For me it is their cover of "Hey Ya!" by Outkast. When you do go out and see them, don't be afraid to walk right up to the stage and ask for it. I am sure they will do it and you have my assurances that you will love it. Can't wait for the end of summer, the video drop, the single release for the radio, and the first full length album, I am telling you it will have been a "Good Summer"!

Laters

I felt all Tingle(y) inside

Here we are at the One2One ( http://www.one2onebar.com/ ) and it's Lisa Tingle (OMG) followed up by Eagle Pritchard Murray Band.

Lisa Tingle ( http://www.lisatingle.com/ )- I got to finally see this Austin icon, and righteously so. Smooth, mellow, soulful, and fun. Definitely made my toes tingle (ha! Yes Sir, I said it!). I didn't realize that I was gonna have the honor and privilege of hearing Lisa on this particular evening until I showed up. Thanks to MC Overlord for once again directing me to the right direction. You can not identify Lisa for anything other than her amazing music and voice. Go see her anywhere in town on ANY day of the week. That would be a show you would never regret going to.
Lisa was able to stop the folks outside and draw a crowd...OUTSIDE!



Eagle Pritchard Murray Band (hey guys did I get it right this time, lol) http://www.epmbmusic.com/ . Second time seeing these guys since Earth Day, and it was all my pleasure. You know sometimes I get aggravated with my self at not being able to accurately describe a band or explain to you how badly you have got to go check someone out when you get a chance. BUT THAT'S OK! Some Mo Town, some southern rock, a little jazz, and a whole hell of a lot of heart and soul...and there ya go!
I don't mind repeating myself once again, but this is as pretty damn close to musical genius as you can get. This is a great set of guys who know how to perform and put on a great show. Moving their feet to the rhythm and not knowing when to stop having a good time should be a trademark to these guys. I do believe that I got a tad bit of info about a regular weekly gig these gentleman will start doing in JUNE. I will keep you posted with the info when the details are confirmed.

LATERS