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Monday Transmissions - Halloween Edition
In all honesty, I never really get down on the Halloween vibe.
Never been one for dressing up in costumes, not a big fan of candy,
never really liked scary movies (except The Gate – love that one). I know. I’m such a sourpuss, thanks. A lot of people
do seem to dig Halloween though and they get all sorts of excited when
it falls on a weekend. Never one to let my own misgivings about the
holiday get in the way of a good time (when do I ever let ANYTHING get
in the way of a good time, really), here’s your special, Halloween
edition of Monday Transmissions. On Thursday (it’s been a busy week –
sue me). 
Thursday: What’s Halloween without a metal show – Red7 apparently doesn’t know and that’s why Thursday you can see Vows in Ashes, Havoc Dose, Manifestation and Self-Induced Pain. Not so scary – Pocketful of Deng, Goodnight Goddess and Fatback Circus inside.
As expected, costumes are encouraged. And let’s hope A Pocketful of
Deng dress up like the droogs in A Clockwork Orange – that is where
they got their name from after all. Wouldn’t that be clever.
Thu Oct 30 2008 · Posted in Daily
Monday Transmissions (#10)
I won’t lie to you folks, on the surface this week looks to be a relatively slow one in terms of live music – but don’t be fooled! There are some great bands playing all over Austin, as always. So what if you don’t recognize a name here and there? That’s why you read this damn column! And that is why I write it. So follow the links, listen to some music, then get your ass out to these shows. From Kayo Dot (Monday) to Astronautalis (Friday) and Bankrupt and the Borrowers (Wednesday), there is great new music everywhere. Without further ado, here is your Monday Transmission for the week of October 13.
Mon Oct 13 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#9)
Well, after a week off I am back like Air Jordan. Sorry regular Monday Transmission readers, the fun and festivities that surround Austin City Limits Festival frankly got the best of me and I just couldn’t get this damn column written last weekend. Must learn to say no to some things. No worries – here are your Monday Transmissions for the week of October 6th.
Monday: Shaking off the lengthy moniker and relentless angst of youth, Fear Before (formerly Fear Before the March of Flames) return to Austin Monday, headlining at Red7. The Equal Vision Records six-piece plays artsy, experimental indiecore in the vein of Portugal. The Man, Chiodos and Fall of Troy. Pretty stoked about this show – no, not just because my own band Consider the Source is opening, but because I’ve heard Fear Before have a pretty intense live show. Rounding out the bill are Exotic Animal Petting Zoo (I’ll take Absurd Band Names for $800, Alex), I am the Ocean and local chug-chuggers The Cabaret. Pretty solid lineup, cheap at $8 for 5 bands, and just about the only thing going on tonight worth checking out – I’ll be there, and so should you.
Mon Oct 6 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#7)
Sticking with the format that worked so well last week, we start things off today with a spotlight on a band that I think is destined for some big things, this time a local folk-punk foursome, The Van Buren Boys. Then we run down all the shows you need to check out for the coming week – and trust me, there are a LOT of good shows coming up, so I hope you’ve saved your pennies this past week.
Local Spotlight: The Van Buren Boys
The Van Buren Boys are fast becoming one of my favorite bands to watch live. Every performance is inspired and authentic. Don’t get me wrong, the band’s recently released debut full-length Planet Kickass is a damn good record, but it’s in their fiery live performance that The Van Buren Boys excel.
With the greatest bandname ever taken from a Seinfeld episode (check the reference here), The Van Buren Boys carry the torch of great protest song writers, from Joe Hill to Dropkick Murphys, with songs that refer to miners and factory workers, starving artists and drunken soldiers. Kickass is classic folk-punk – for peers look to This Bike is a Pipe Bomb, Defiance Ohio and Andrew Jackson Jihad. The bands live show is no-holds-barred and confrontational, with Erick Van Buren often times hanging from rafters, upside while screaming about union politics.
Mon Sep 15 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#6)
This week we’re gonna try something a little different for Monday’s Transmission. Still got a calendar below, with all the hot shows you should check this week, but we’ve got a little more in here too: a profile of a great new band out of LA (via Seattle) called Army Navy, and a short review of the flick Heavy Metal in Baghdad. Enjoy.
Army Navy
There are plenty of reasons for you to check out Army Navy. The band’s self-titled debut was recorded with Adam Lasus, who also worked with one Clap Your Hands Say Yeah (hey – aren’t the playing Fun Fun Fun Fest this year?), not to mention Yo La Tengo and Helium. Pete Thomas from Elvis Costello’s The Attractions played drums on the record, following their first drummers departure to pursue a screenwriting career. The band has two songs featured in the film Nick and Norah’s Infinite Playlist (out early next month) and one on the soundtrack. Not to mention that Army Navy funded the recording of their self-titled debut themselves and are releasing it on their own label The Fever Zone next month despite offers from other labels both big and small. Oh and the record is damn good too – a jangly mix of Teenage Fanclub-style infection with nods to The Pogues, The Smiths and/or The Libertines.
Mon Sep 8 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#5)
Monday: This Monday at Plush we’ve got a good one – Bridge Farmers (if Kurt Cobain had grown up in Texas, he’d be in this band), The Bread, and The Van Buren Boys (think Defiance, Ohio or This Bike is a Pipe Bomb). Shows are always 21 and up and always free.
Tuesday: Mohawk is promulgating Big Lebowski Tuesday with $3 Caucasians and Happy Hour prices all night. The Dude abides.
If you absolutely have to see live music Tuesday, I suggest Lymbyc Systym and This Will Destroy You at Emo’s.
Mon Sep 1 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#4)
Long
weekend – no desire to write a cheesy opening paragraph. On with the
show, as they say. Here are your MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS for the week of
August 25, 2008.
Monday: The Mohawk recently started “Metal Mondays” – come hang and bang your head. Or hit up Red 7 for some punky pop music with NorTexans Kid Liberty and A Bird A Sparrow. Chicago’s A Kidnap in Color round out this matinee lineup. Bring your little sister, or underage girlfriend, if you’ve got one. [No advance tickets available]
Bummed about being back at school? Drink away your sorrows students, drink ‘em all away, at Beauty Bar Monday. The “Back To School, Alright!” Party features two stages of music – definitely not the most dancey lineup
you’ll see at Beauty Bar but fun nonetheless. Inside you’ve got Peel, White White Lights and Sad Accordians, while the patio hosts Belaire, AM Syndicate, and Future Clouds and Radar. Come early for free pizza and vodka from sponsors Hoboken Pie (best pizza downtown, definitely) and 42 Below. [No advance tickets available]
Mon Aug 25 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#3)
Who else is stoked for FunFunFun Fest? I’ve seen the lineup – and you haven’t. HA! But get stoked. Seriously. Lineup drops this week – keep checking TransmissionEntertainment.com and be the first to know. In the meantime, here are your Monday Transmissions for the week of August 18, 2008.
- James Taylor
Monday: Rest up – you’ll need it. This week's a doozy. Or stop
by Plush (7th and Red River) where I work the door and occasionally
step behind the bar. Come say “Howdy.”
Tuesday: Prosthetic Records’ Infernaeon bring their blast beats and black t-shirts to Red 7. I prefer my “Black
Metal” to be in the vein of Fishbone and Living Color. Dimmu Borgir and
King Diamond? Not so much. But hey – if that’s your thing, Red 7 is
your spot Tuesday. Manifestation, Self Induced Pain, and Disfigured support with three of the most metal sounding bandnames imaginable.
Mon Aug 18 2008 · Posted in Daily
MONDAY TRANSMISSIONS (#2)
I realized reading over last week’s
“Monday Transmissions” that one might be inclined to think I am a metal
junkie – a black t-shirt wearing, Jagermeister drinking, long haired
and thick bearded, head banging member of the metal army. Not true. Top
five favorite recording artists of all time: Miles Davis, John
Coltrane, U2, The Clash and Sunny Day Real Estate.
But enough about me – wondering what to do this week? Here are your Monday Transmissions.
TONIGHT (MONDAY): La Zona Rosa hosts The Faint and Blood Brothers progeny Jaguar Love. This one’s sure to make hipster hearts flutter. Beauty Bar hosts the official after-party, with members of The Faint DJing as Depressed Buttons.