Not Quite a Frenzy, but still Fine

Not much time to write today so a quick recap...

Saw Alison Sudol, aka A Fine Frenzy, perform at The Parish room last Friday.  Her amazing voice sounds just as awesome live as it does on her album "One Cell in the Sea".  And she was so adorable...wore a cute purple dress that I envied and when she smiled at the audience she looked as innocent as a 10 yr old.   Yet her lyrics seem more mature than even the 21 year old that she is.  Like Almost Lover for example is so hauntingly beautiful, maybe its just me, but I wasn't that deep when I was her age!  

Lundy and I enjoyed the music overall, but unfortunately we were in the mood to rock out...and this just isn't the show to see for that.  Just a bit too mellow.  Rangers was probably the most energetic of the set and it was the last she played...we tried to dance a bit to get the blood flowing again.  

Here are some clips from VH1 Unplugged...I think she sounded even better in Austin.

 

Almost Lover

Rangers

PS - Saw Clay and Meredith there since Clay was supposed to play with Danny Mason the opening act...but he couldn't since Alison's piano hogged the stage so much only Danny could fit up there!

Milfameewaukus is what's famous now

Its really cool to see a band grow from the beginning stages when they have 10 people in the audience and they are living on friends couches, to having a record deal and selling out venues. Second only to my boys of Household Names, I'd say What Made Milwaukee Famous is the band I've seen most in Austin. I've written two blogs about them here and here.

One other show I recall that I can't find a blog for was a gig at Emo's Outside and I had brought one of my friends to introduce her to the band. We were upfront and I was definitely getting into the song and singing along...Michael saw and gave me a funny look and laughed a little. Kind of embarrassing for me, but I hope he was flattered!

Which leads me into the show last night also at Emo's Outside stage. The biggest difference from that last show...the massive crowd! Last time I was up front with plenty of space around me and heck, Michael could see me. This time I was lucky that I found Chris, Eric and Jason in the courtyard and we couldn't get closer than the bar...and that's at the back. It was a great mix of people which is cool since it shows they have potential for greater mainstream success.

I loved their first album "Trying Never to Catch Up" and I got really excited and sang along to my favorite songs, but I also really enjoyed the new material for the CD they just released this week, "What Doesn't Kill Us". Resistance St. is my new addiction. You should get that album from iTunes and support this great Austin band. Also, catch them next time they are in town.


*no pics since I couldn't get close and the pillars were in the way. :(

Definitely Worth Observing

How did I end up this close?

Everyone getting cell phone pics of Aaron when he came on stage.

Oh yeah, I got there at 7:30pm. Although it was rough being a small girl in heels in the middle of Mosh-town on just one Rum&Coke, the energy of this show was infectious. Their recordings don't do the live performance justice. Not sure I can ever replicate this experience...especially since it was a CD release party and I got the new album for free!

Aaron's dancing is hard to describe - it doesn't appear to have any planned choreography...just totally random moves. But for some reason, his spastastic style is admirable...maybe because I wouldn't have the guts to move like that actually in front of people!

You have to like electronica music to last the entire show...a few friends I knew that were there, not close like Em and me, bailed early. But I kinda blame the opening dj...he wore me down a lot. Nothing interesting, same beats the entire time and we kept wishing he'd leave the stage. Longest 45 mins of my life.

The best part of the Ghostland show, aside from laughing at the pathetic attempts of people to sing along to Sad Sad City, was at the encore when they brought out the UT Longhorn Band to play their new track "The Band Marches On". Sucks to be those friends of mine that left early...they missed this song...

...be forewarned the amps were a bit intense for my camera's mic, so its not the best sound quality...



PS - the Statesman named Ghostland Observatory the Band of the Year for 2007...just sayin'.