I had the great joy of seeing Bishop Allen a couple of times over the weekend.

On Saturday they played at Haileys in Denton, and were kind enough to record a little exclusive track for Lullabyes a few hours before the show.

Recorded in a parking lot down the street from Haileys - Justin, Christian and Colly crowded round some stereo mics and played a stripped down acoustic version of Click Click Click Click against the gentle hum of traffic cruising down the nearby street.

Click Click Click Click

Labels: audience mp3s, denton, haileys, indie, live mp3s

I was thinking about not posting anything for this show - just this lovely pic of Meg & Dia and the links to the tracks. My thought process was, if I ran across a band with this pic, I would listen to their tracks!

Kidding aside - here's a really quick in-store show that the two sisters played at Good Records a few months ago. Enjoy!

Live MP3 MP3s:
Intro
Setting Up Sunday
Masterpiece (Wrong Key)
Masterpiece
Monster

Tour Dates:
07/24/07 Virginia Beach, VA Verizon Wireless Virginia Beach
07/25/07 Columbia, MD Merriweather Post Pavilion
07/26/07 Moosic, PA Toyota Pavilion At Montage Mountain
07/27/07 Detroit, MI Comerica Park
07/28/07 Tinley Park, IL First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
07/29/07 Minneapolis, MN HHH Metrodome
07/31/07 Milwaukee, WI Marcus Amphitheater
08/01/07 Cincinnati, OH Riverbend Music Center
08/02/07 Cleveland, OH Time Warner Cable Amph.@Tower City
08/03/07 Camden, NJ Tweeter Center At The Waterfront
08/04/07 Uniondale, NY Nassau Veterans Memorial Coliseum
08/05/07 Englishtown, NJ Raceway Park
08/07/07 Noblesville, IN Verizon Wireless Music Center
08/08/07 Burgettstown, PA Post-Gazette Pavilion
08/09/07 Mansfield, MA Tweeter Center
08/10/07 Darien Center, NY Darien Lake Theme Park Resort
08/11/07 Barrie, ON Park Place
08/12/07 Montreal, QC Parc Jean-Drapeau
08/14/07 Maryland Heights, MO Verizon Wireless Amph. St. Louis
08/15/07 Bonner Springs, KS Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
08/17/07 Nampa, ID Idaho Center Amphitheater
08/18/07 Quincy, WA Gorge Amphitheatre
08/19/07 Saint Helens, OR Columbia Meadows
08/22/07 Fresno, CA Selland Arena
08/23/07 Marysville, CA Sleep Train Amphitheatre
08/24/07 Chula Vista, CA Coors Amphitheatre
08/25/07 Carson, CA The Home Depot Center

Labels: dallas, good records, indie, live mp3s, soundboard mp3s, tour dates

Well I thought I'd seen every potential variation of recording a band, but every once in a while you get to experience something entirely new, and extremely fun. Monday was one of those times.

I had wandered over to the House of Blues to tape Limbeck doing an exclusive acoustic set for Lullabyes, before their gig with The Format later that night. I had planned to record them through the soundboard, but the doors to the venue had opened earlier than expected and that wasn't going to be option.

Rising to the challenged, we decided we were going to get an acoustic set one way or another - so we ended up on a landing in the the stair well leading up to the dressing rooms, with yours truly holding up microphones while the lads in Limbeck played in a little semi-circle around me. There's a first time for everything!

We taped two songs in the stairwell and then two songs in the "small" secondary venue at the House of Blues called The Cambridge Room. Even though the session was captured in the most low-fi way imaginable the recordings came out beautifully.

The acoustic interpretations of Limbeck's normally electric songs highlighted gorgeous (and perfect) backing harmonies along with their strength as musicians and songwriters.

I'm excited to offer these fantastic and exclusive recordings of Limbeck. Enjoy!

Live MP3 MP3s:
Trouble
Names for Dogs

Limbeck's touring extensively over the next couple of months - be sure to check them.

Tour Dates:
7/22 St. Petersburg, FL
7/24 Ft. Lauderdale, FL
7/25 Atlanta, GA
7/26 New Orleans, LA
7/27 Memphis, TN
7/28 Tulsa, OK
7/29 Albuquerque, NM
7/31 San Diego, CA
8/1 Hollywod, CA
8/2 Anaheim, CA
8/3 San Francisco, CA
8/4 San Francisco, CA
8/5 Seattle, WA
8/7 Vancouver, BC
8/9 Calgary, Alberta
8/10 Edmonton, AB
8/11 Saskatoon, SK
8/12 Winnipeg, MB
8/15 Ottawa, ON
8/15 Rochester, NY
8/16 Toronto, ON
8/18 So. Burlington, VT
8/19 Boston, MA
8/21 New York, NY
8/22 Sayreville, NJ
8/23 Philadelphia, PA
8/24 Norfolk, VA
8/25 Washington, DC
8/26 Carrboro, NC
8/28 Cincinatti, OH
8/29 Cleveland, OH
8/29 Cleveland, OH
8/30 Grand Rapids, MI
8/31 Detroit, MI
9/1 Chicago, IL
9/2 St Paul, MN
9/4 Iowa City, IA
9/5 Sauget, IL
9/6 Lawrence, KS
9/7 Eaglewood, CO

Labels: concerts, dallas, house of blues, indie, live mp3s

So the good people at Saddle Creek asked us to take down the Art In Manila show that we taped during SXSW - they didn't like the quality of the recording BUT have promised that we'll have another shot at getting a better recording when they go on tour.

But being the kick-ass and blogger-friendly label that they are, they sent us some lovely studio MP3s to make up for it, and to be totally honest - they were completely in the right. This recording is infinitely better than what we had originally posted.

Check out the title track from Art In Manila's debut album, Set The Woods On Fire, which drops on August 7th!

Studio MP3:
Set The Woods On Fire

Labels: studio mp3s

I was trying to explain to my girl how amazing it was that Bishop Allen and Page France were touring together. She wasn't getting it. I tried an approach that she might understand.

Baby, I said - it would be like you getting to see Shakira and Paulina Rubio playing together in a tiny little room that only holds about 200 people. AND no lip syncing!

Needless to say, she was not amused - but I think she got it.

So I'm pumped. AND Dallas is getting 2 (yes count them 2) Bishop Allen shows. One in Denton at Haileys (check out the Maria Taylor set from there, and the St Vincent set) AND they are playing at Good Records (my absolute favorite venue in Dallas - check out Kevin Barnes and Grizzly Bear at the Good).

Here's hoping that Page France also plays at Good Records and that Bishop Allen plays acoustic and mics everything. Don't worry though, Im sure we'll get something lovely for you to listen to.

In the interim heres Bishop Allen from their Charm School tour and from SXSW earlier this year. Here's Page France from last year and from SXSW as well!

Be sure to check out this tour - bound to come to a city near you.

Tour Dates:
Fri 07/20/07 New York, NY Seaport Music Festival
Sat 07/21/07 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
Sun 07/22/07 Washington, DC Black Cat
Mon 07/23/07 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Tue 07/24/07 Atlanta, GA The EARL
Wed 07/25/07 Baton Rouge, LA Spanish Moon
Thu 07/26/07 Houston, TX The Proletariat
Fri 07/27/07 Austin, TX Emo's Austin
Sat 07/28/07 Denton, TX Hailey's
Sun 07/29/07 Dallas, TX Good Records
Mon 07/30/07 Phoenix, AZ Paper Heart
Tue 07/31/07 Los Angeles, CA Echo
Wed 08/01/07 San Francisco, CA The Independent
Fri 08/03/07 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
Sat 08/04/07 Seattle, WA Crocodile Cafe
Mon 08/06/07 Provo, UT Velour
Tue 08/07/07 Denver, CO Hi-Dive
Thu 08/09/07 Chicago, IL Subterranean
Fri 08/10/07 Bloomington, IN Rhino's
Sat 08/11/07 Dayton, OH Nite Owl
Fri 08/17/07 Cambridge, MA Middle East
Sat 08/18/07 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom

Labels: tour dates

I got to check out Marc Broussard last week at the newest (and quite possibly the finest) venue in Dallas, the House of Blues.

I guess I'm slightly behind the times here because until I got an email on Marc's new record, SOS (Save Our Soul), I'd never heard of him - and it was my loss.

First the record - SOS. Let me steal right off of Marc's website here -

Marc plumbed the vaults of historic labels like Motown and Stax to create 11 performances that are sweltering and incendiary - and true... Classics by Marvin Gaye, Al Green, Stevie Wonder, Otis Redding and others

When I got the original email I had a picture of Marc, and that quote. To be honest, my first thought was - THAT guy is going to cover THOSE guys and pull it off? After hearing one song, I knew he had. The boy can SING. Perfect inflection, perfect tone - Marc own's every classic he covers on SOS. Check out the MP3 for Love And Happiness below - the head over to his MySpace for a few more excellent tracks.

Second the show. One word can describe it - tight. Bringing a thoroughly smooth and funky guitar rock sensibility to both the cover tunes, and well as his original songs, Marc and his band owned the two thousand or so people who were at the House of Blues that night. In fact I haven't seen this many sorority girls singing their hearts out since John Mayer a few years ago.

Single men - attend the closest Marc show near you, then send me an email of thanks.

Guys in relationships - take your girl to the closest Marc show to you, then send me an email of thanks.

Oh and quite possibly the best bit of the experience? They record EVERY show and will sell you a copy after the concert ends for $15. Show your loved one a great time, then buy them a memento that they can keep forever.

Studio MP3:
Love And Happiness

Live MP3:
Rock Steady

Tour Dates:
Tue 07/10/07 Knoxville, TN Bijou Theatre
Thu 07/12/07 Nashville, TN Cannery Ballroom
Fri 07/13/07 Atlanta, GA Center Stage
Sat 07/14/07 Charlotte, NC Neighborhood Theatre
Sun 07/15/07 Washington, DC 9:30 Club
Mon 07/16/07 Boston, MA Paradise Rock Club / Lounge
Wed 07/18/07 Sayreville, NJ Starland Ballroom
Thu 07/19/07 New York, NY Fillmore New York At Irving Plaza
Sat 07/21/07 Amagansett, NY Stephen Talkhouse
Sun 07/22/07 Camden, NJ Wiggins Park
Tue 07/24/07 Baltimore, MD Rams Head Live!
Wed 07/25/07 Cleveland, OH House Of Blues
Thu 07/26/07 Indianapolis, IN The Vogue
Fri 07/27/07 Chicago, IL House Of Blues
Sat 07/28/07 Minneapolis, MN Fine Line Music Cafe
Wed 08/01/07 Covington, KY Madison Theater
Thu 08/02/07 Saint Louis, MO Blueberry Hill's Duck Room
Fri 08/03/07 North Kansas City, MO Voodoo Lounge/Harrah's Kansas City
Sat 08/04/07 Boulder, CO Fox Theatre
Tue 08/07/07 Salt Lake City, UT The Depot
Wed 08/08/07 Boise, ID Big Easy Concert House
Thu 08/09/07 Portland, OR Aladdin Theater
Fri 08/10/07 Vancouver, BC Richard's On Richards
Tue 08/14/07 Crystal Bay, NV Crystal Bay Club Casino
Wed 08/15/07 Santa Cruz, CA Moe's Alley
Thu 08/16/07 San Francisco, CA The Fillmore
Sat 08/18/07 Los Angeles, CA The Avalon
Sun 08/19/07 Anaheim, CA House Of Blues
Mon 08/20/07 San Diego, CA House Of Blues
Sat 08/25/07 Spanish Fort, AL Blue Gills
Mon 08/27/07 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre
Tue 08/28/07 Baton Rouge, LA Varsity Theatre

Labels: concerts, dallas, house of blues, indie, live mp3s, soundboard mp3s, studio mp3s, tour dates

Ventured up to Denton Texas last night to catch Annie Clark, aka St Vincent, on the opening night of her first headlining tour in support of her new record, "Marry Me".

She was playing with a full band last night, as opposed to her atypical solo show and it made for a very different experience. I'd seen her 3 times by herself and had always been awed at the sheer emotional power of her performance. The full band brought a different (but just as stunning) vibe to the songs - a more subtle sweeping grace to the songs that now featured layered instrumentation as opposed to the rythmic pounding of Annie's stomp box.

I had the opportunity to tape the show, and it came out beautifully. I'll post the whole show after the tour ends, but wanted to give everyone a taste of the band's amazing sound and performance by posting a few songs. Check out the MP3s and see the tour dates below. If she's coming through your town do yourself a favor and go see Annie and her band play.

Picture found at Three Pink Monkeys
Flickr account. Check them out for more St Vincent pics.

Check out Gorilla vs Bear for photos and a write up on last nights gig.

Live MP3s:
Landmines
Your Lips Are Red
All My Stars Aligned

Tour Dates:
Sat 07/07/07 Austin, TX The Parish Room
Sun 07/08/07 Houston, TX Walter's On Washington
Mon 07/09/07 New Orleans, LA Parish At House Of Blues
Wed 07/11/07 Atlanta, GA The EARL
Thu 07/12/07 Asheville, NC Grey Eagle
Fri 07/13/07 Chapel Hill, NC Local 506
Sat 07/14/07 Washington, DC Rock And Roll Hotel
Sun 07/15/07 Philadelphia, PA North Star Bar
Tue 07/17/07 New York, NY Bowery Ballroom
Wed 07/18/07 Cambridge, MA Middle East Nightclub
Thu 07/19/07 Montreal, QC La Sala Rosa
Fri 07/20/07 Toronto, ON Horseshoe Tavern
Sat 07/21/07 Cleveland, OH Beachland Ballroom & Tavern
Sun 07/22/07 Chicago, IL Empty Bottle
Tue 07/24/07 Minneapolis, MN 7th Street Entry
Wed 07/25/07 Omaha, NE Waiting Room
Thu 07/26/07 Kansas City, MO Record Bar
Fri 07/27/07 Denver, CO Hi-Dive
Mon 07/30/07 Vancouver, BC The Lamplighter
Wed 08/01/07 Portland, OR Doug Fir Lounge
Fri 08/03/07 San Francisco, CA Cafe Du Nord
Sat 08/04/07 Los Angeles, CA Echo
Sun 08/05/07 San Diego, CA The Casbah
Tue 08/07/07 Phoenix, AZ Modified
Wed 08/08/07 Tucson, AZ Club Congress
Thu 08/09/07 Albuquerque, NM Launchpad
Sat 09/01/07 Seattle, WA Bumbershoot

Labels: concerts, denton, haileys, indie, live mp3s, soundboard mp3s, tour dates

So do I need to tell you about Abra again?

Read this, this, this and this to learn (a lot) more about my favorite Texas artist, Ms Abra Moore.

I had the honor of catching her last weekend at the acoustically outstanding Poor Davids Pub in the Lamar area of downtown Dallas. She was touring in support of her new record, On The Way, and even though I've seen her at least a dozen other times over the last decade, I can firmly say that this was the most intimate and most beautiful performance yet.

Accompanied by Will Sexton, who played subtle and atmospheric guitar parts, Abra played over an hour and a half of songs from all four of her solo albums. The new tracks from the On The Way were especially powerful, my favorite being the opener Sugarite.

If you have a chance to check her out, don't miss it - its a magical experience.

Live Shows:
Jun 30 Cactus Cafe Austin, TX 8 PM
July 5 KFAN Fredericksburg, TX 3:30PM
July 8 WXRV's Riverfront Festival Newburyport, MA
July 28 Go Bar Athens, GA
Aug 21 Borders/WBJB Emerging Artist Series Eatontown, NJ
Aug 22 Sellersville Theater Sellersville, PA
Aug 25 The Living Room New York, NY 10 PM
Aug 27 WUMB Boston, MA noon
Aug 27 WMVY Martha's Vineyard, MA 5 PM
Aug 27 The Dock Martha's Vineyard, MA 9 PM
Sept 10 WYCE Festival Grand Rapids, MI

Live MP3s:
Sugarite
Taking Chances
After All These Years
Birthday Song
Happiness
Ku'u Ome O Kahaluu
4 Leaf Clover
You
Into the Sunset
If You Want Me To
Shining Star
Family Affair
Step Without Looking
I Believe
Take Care of Me

Labels: concerts, dallas, indie, live mp3s, poor davids pub, soundboard mp3s