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Infusing psychedelic blues and punk disposition White Denim is one of Austin’s most formidable acts. They’ve toured relentlessly the past several years; releasing a slew of EP’s and albums slowly creating a name for themselves. Their unique brand of Rock and Roll is a great motif of what we can expect future artists to embrace. It’s high energy, intricate, and emphatic; the face of music is changing and White Denim is on the front-lines.

Josh Block, James Petralli, and Lucas Anderson began as part of the Austin group Parque Touch. In 2005 they were performing at Beerland in Austin with another local Peach Train. Steve Terebecki, who was playing bass for Peach Train at that time, was asked to join Parque Touch. He accepted the offer and they continued for another year; playing the central Texas circuit. Until, in 2006, Lucas would leave the band. Taking the absence of Lucas as an opportunity for change the resulting trio became White Denim.

Block’s 1940’s Spartan trailer would be the site where much of the Early White Denim recordings would occur. They independently released their first EP “Let’s Talk About It” in 2007; which was only available on vinyl. Later the band would re-release the EP on itunes. That same year the band began to tour. While on the road they would create their second EP “Workout Holiday.” They sold pressings of the nine-song EP exclusively on tour. It garnered the attention of an online record label RCRD LBL; who would have White Denim re-record three songs from Workout Holiday and release them as an exclusive EP entitled “RCRD LBL EP.” Teetering on the helm of major exposure, White Denim pushed on with more extensive tours and performances at SXSW and the CMJ Music Marathon. The efforts would not go overlooked; in 2008 they would win the “Best New Band” at the Austin Music Awards.

In 2008 White Denim would finally release their full length debut “Exposion.” The album was self-produced but distributed by Austin’s Transmission Entertainment.  This partnership would not last long; they would part ways in 2009. White Denim had still not signed with an American Label by June of 2009. If they were to release their second LP in the US they would need to make a deal. Finally they were approached by the Label Downtown Records; they signed quickly and released their sophomore effort “Fits.” The album came with their previous LP “Exposion” as a bonus disc; this gave it a proper release in the US.

White Denim is surely one of Austin’s musical gems. As the self-proclaimed “Live Music Capital of the World” there are thousands of Artists in Austin hoping to set their selves apart from the rest. White Denim, with their unique and powerful brand of Rock and Roll has done just this. They’ve added a second Guitarist, Austin Jenkins, to their permanent line-up; which has opened them up to whole new world of possibilities. They released their third and most recent album “D” on May 24, 2011. This would be the first time the newest member Austin would be featured on a record. They would tour extensively in support of it and in late 2011 they would get the opportunity of a lifetime. They would be offered the chance to open for Wilco in their spring 2012 tour. White Denim of course did not turn it down and have since played all over the country. They have since been featured on “Last Call with Caron Daly.” We can expect big things from White Denim as they prove that they are forced to be reckoned with. Make sure to catch them at TMT April 28^th headlining KTSW’s 2012 MR Fest!

Returning MR Fest artist, Quiet Company, has come a long way since their first appearance at the festival. The Austin, Texas based group composed of Taylor Muse, Thomas Blank, Matt Parmenter, Jeff Weathers, and Cody Ackors, have accumulated through the past several years after Muse recorded the bands’ first record solo.  During 2010, the band had their break out year with their first single “How Do You Do It?” receiving so much airplay that it catapulted them into the hearts of their local listeners and into a global market after their collaboration with Grooveshark.

Since then, the band has been paving their way to stardom. Their most outstanding accomplishment was during the 2012 Austin Music Awards, sweeping the competition with Band of the Year, Song of the Year “You, Me & the Boatman,” Best Indie Band, Best Rock Band, and several individual recognitions. “We had hoped to win a couple awards, but certainly didn’t expect to get ten awards,” Muse said. The bands’ ability to interact with fans, especially during South by Southwest, has certainly gained them credibility. At SXSW, Quiet Company strutted the streets of Austin, Texas wearing cardboard signs offering “Free hugs from Quiet Company.” “We’ve been doing that for about three or four years now, and vowed to always do it,” said Muse. The band has also hosted Twitter contests in which they would allow winners to ride with them in their van to different shows.

Quiet Company has put out several recordings since their formation, but more recently released the album We Are All Where We Belong, including singles “You, Me, & The Boatman” and “Fear and Fallacy, Sitting in a Tree.” The 2011 release is meant to incorporate all of the emotions felt during a break up, but not in a sort of romantic way. “This record is directed towards relieving religion and embracing humanism and atheism and celebrating that,” said Muse, “It’s like a break up record with God.”

Future Quiet Company recordings are in planning, but Muse said they won’t be released for a good while; however, the band is releasing new recordings for fans through a current cover project that has lasted a lot longer than they had expected. “We each pick four songs we want to cover, and then we let the fans vote on which song they would like to hear and whatever wins we go in the studio and record,” said Muse. The project isn’t expected to drop as a record, but the tracks include covers from Arcade Fire, Pedro the Lion, the Cure, and Florence & the Machine and are posted as free listening for fans.

 Rather hear them live? You’re in luck, Quiet Company will be performing live at Texas Music Theater (TMT) this Saturday at 11:30pm. See ya there!

-Andrea Carr and Stephanie Cavazos

`https://www.facebook.com/quietcompany

http://quietcompanymusic.com/

STEREO IS A LIE formed in late 2008 by simply plugging in a guitar, keyboard, and Glynn Wedgewood belted out some vocals. Front man and guitarist Glynn Wedgewood moved from his native England to pursue music and assemble a band. He was joined by drummer Jayson Altman and Justin Scott on keyboards. Glynn then met bassist Marcus Piña who signed on later, “Sharing a passion for pints, football (soccer), and loud rock and roll, we stayed in touch until I got a call a few months later to play bass, Piña states.” The band now consists of a forceful four piece.

Since its inception, STEREO IS A LIE has released a self-titled LP and received immense credit for resurrecting Rock and Roll! Located in Austin, Texas “the music capitol of the world,” they have been getting loads of feedback, and it is much deserved. With a British Rock and Roll music style, STEREO IS A LIE earns worthy comparisons to famous artists such as Oasis and Radiohead.

Currently, the band is doing a lot of writing in their practice room, “Once we have some songs we feel work together, we’ll look at getting in the studio again,” says vocalist Glynn Wedgewood. Fans are anxiously awaiting STEREO IS A LIE’s newest release, but for now the band is concentrating on their songwriting process, which is constantly changing. “We’re all bringing ideas to the table and then developing them from the ground as a unit. Ultimately there is no process, we’ll try anything,” states Wedgewood.

Before they continue conceptualizing more tracks, STEREO IS A LIE will be performing at KTSW 89.9 5^th annual MR. Fest. Not only is STEREO performing, they are also one of the headliners! “I’m really excited about playing the festival, especially in such a great room. All the gang at KTSW are incredibly passionate about music, so it’s nice to be around people who really get behind the artists,” Wedgewood says. Bassist Marcus Piña states, “It feels awesome to be playing MR. Fest, so pleased to be back.” The band will be performing live at the Texas Music Theatre at 9:30 p.m. Saturday, April 28.

-Reyna Caraveo

http://www.stereoisalie.com

http://www.myspace.com/stereoisalie

http://twitter.com/STEREOISALIE

http://soundcloud.com/stereo-is-a-lie

http://www.last.fm/music/STEREO+IS+A+LIE

http://www.youtube.com/user/STEREOISALIE

http://stereoisalie.bandcamp.com/

http://www.sonicbids.com/stereoisalie

http://stereoisalie.tumblr.com/

http://monolathe.com/blog

SuperLiteBike has come a long way since their initial alias as A Pocketful of Deng nearly ten years ago. The members found each other in Austin, Texas and after the name change; continued to collaborate their artistic efforts through who is now lead singer Patrick Husband, lead guitarist Travis Larrew, bassist Jackson Ellis, and drummer Rob Edmiston. The band has yet to release any new recordings since their first EP, Away We Go, dropped in 2010, but they mention an upcoming album in the making.

SuperLiteBike is all about creating an entertaining experience for their audiences during live shows. “When I see a show I want to dance and I want to feel it,” Ellis said. “So we always try to get people moving and make sure everyone is having a great time.” Lead singer Patrick Husband makes it a point to keep up the intensity on the stage. “It’s important to make eye contact with the audience and make them feel what you’re doing on stage. Patrick always has a crazy stare in his eyes while he moves around and shakes and then stares again at someone in the audience,” Ellis said.

Aside from shaking things up on stage, SuperLiteBike’s unique song writing techniques set them apart from the rest. Their writing process revolves around collaborative jam sessions and spontaneous lyrical ideas of their lead singer. “Lyrics come from what I think I hear myself say while we are jamming ‘cause it seems to make sense,” Husband said. “I’ll go back and listen and try to come up with something that fits a certain tone of what were about and.” Though SuperLiteBike does not give their sound an official label, Ellis said the band has a sort of melodic indie rock sound. Each member incorporates their individual influences into the writing process, including country and classical sounds, but are collectively influenced by Radiohead and the Beatles.

It has been years since SuperLiteBike has made an appearance in the San Marcos music scene, but they are set to hit the stage at Taxi’s Piano Bar on April 28^th during MR Fest. They are also scheduled to play shows at Beauty Ballroom and ND @ 501 Studios in May.

-Andrea Carr

http://superlitebike.com/

https://www.facebook.com/pages/SuperLiteBike

            If you’re a San Marcos local, you’ve at least driven by the little pink coffee house on the corner of Hopkins and Comanche numerous times. Tantra Coffeehouse doubles as a coffee shop and an outdoor music venue for bands to share their music and locals to enjoy San Marcos’ growing music and arts scene. The coffeehouse opened in 2007 by Nathan and Jaimie Todd and is now owned and managed by Adam Lilley. “Nathan had always wanted to own a coffee shop where people could gather, kind of like a community center,” Lilley said. “He wanted to create a place to foster music and art and alternative ways of thinking.” Another reason the original owners opened Tantra is because of the lack of places for the “different” people of San Marcos to gather. “The coffeehouse is so representative of all different walks of life,” Lilley said.

Tantra has provided San Marcos with live music since its opening, but the outdoor tent wasn’t added until about three years ago. “Tantra started becoming a constant venue, so we added the tent to keep shows from getting rained out,” Lilley said. Tantra has been a venue for KTSW’s MR Fest since the beginning and is the home of the station’s monthly event, Third Thursday. It provides the San Marcos music scene with live music every night of the week, including their Wednesday night Bluegrass and Open Mic Nights. Tantra hosts other local events such as Bike Prom and its outdoor stage has been played on by many big names in the Austin and San Marcos music scene. The coffee shop also supports local artists by showcasing their works throughout the venue.

            Tantra’s dishes range from $0-10, and accommodate vegetarians as well as meat lovers. Breakfast, lunch, and appetizers are served as well as an assortment of beer and wine. Tantra is open seven days a week from 7 a.m to 12 a.m and until 1 a.m on Saturdays. During this year’s MR Fest, eleven artists will take the stage at Tantra on April 26^th and 28^th, including Henry + the Invisibles, Victor Holk, and Whistle & Fish.

https://www.facebook.com/tantracoffeehouse

-Andrea Carr

      It’s been an exciting ride so far for Black Pistol Fire since formed in 2009 when the Toronto, Ontario natives, Kevin McKeown and Eric Owen moved to Austin, Texas.  The band released their first LP, Black Pistol Fire, in February of last year and since have been busy writing, recording and finalizing their second LP, Big Beat 59, and a five song EP, Shut Up!, which is actually a tribute to Little Richard.  And just before all of that happens, they are headlining Friday night at KTSW’s Fifth Annual My Radio Fest.

“We are going to just dominate that stage and maybe scare some people and make ‘em dance and move and maybe even cause some seizures, who knows?” Eric Owen says of their Friday night Texas Music Theater performance.  The drummer and his best friend/guitarist, Kevin McKeown, met when they were five years old.  The two began to play music together in high school and formed a classic rock inspired band, The Shenanigans, with a third member.  Years later, the two are playing a high energy evolution of their brand of classic rock & roll mixed with punk, garage rock and even a little bluegrass.  “We’ve really kind of honed into this jam band mentality.  Though jam band purists would never call us that, their shows are always different, they’re improvising and kind of challenging each other and making stuff up on the spot.  We really appreciate that in Black Pistol Fire where that really wasn’t much of an element in The Shenanigans,” Owen explains.

Black Pistol Fire also hit the road in Europe for ten days last September in the Czech Republic and Slovakia.  Owen recalls, “It was a trip.  People just let loose and they dig the music.  They kept coming and thanking us for coming to their city.  It was probably the best experience of my life really.”  And with the release of their upcoming LP, the band will go on a short tour of Texas and Louisiana, followed by a well-deserved break in late June and early July. 

Big Beat 59, recorded in Toronto just last fall is set to release May 4^th, 2012.  Shut Up! will release shortly thereafter.  Find out more about this band at blackpistolfire.com 

-Erica Brokaw 

          Clad in button-up shirts and fedora’s, with either a pint or bottle of alcohol to accessorize the ensemble, the six members of Mr. Lewis and the Funeral 5 will bring their unique blend of storytelling to their debut performance at MR. Fest 2012. My phone interview, albeit short and sweet, with Gregory Lewis, vocalist/guitarist of the Austin-based macabaret band, had been about a week coming. Phone tag and text messaging conversations aside, I look forward to meeting him and his five merry pallbearers: James Sheeran, drummer, Rob Metcalfe, guitarist/percussionist, Danny Dervish, bassist, Philthy Howard, keyboardist/percussionist and James Bonura, saxophonist. 

In case you were wondering what ‘macabaret’ means, a Google search leads me to believe it is a fusion between the words ‘cabaret’ and ‘macabre.’ It completely makes sense (at least to me) once you give the band’s second album- released in July 2011- “Delirium Tremendous” a listen.  

Jordan Gass-Poore’: How did the band become involved with MR Fest 2012?

Gregory Lewis: As far as how we got involved with that, my bass player (Dervish) asked if we wanted to play. I guess he knows somebody down at the station.

JGP: What was your first reaction when you found out the band will be playing during MR Fest?

GL: Sounds fine. We normally play at the Triple Crown, so it will be nice to play in San Marcos in more than a tiny, little place.

JGP: How long has the band been playing at Triple Crown?

GL: I’m really not good at history. I’m trying to think when my bass player joined because that’s when we basically started playing there a lot. Probably three, four, five years maybe. Probably somewhere around there.

JGP: Had the band played anywhere else in San Marcos prior to playing at Triple Crown?

GL: We played Lucy’s (Bar 141) before, but they’re not really a venue anymore, I don’t think.

JGP: Where did the band’s name come from? 

GL: It was originally Mr. Lewis and the Funeral Jazz Quintet and that was kind of a mouthful. But it was basically inspired by New Orleans jazz funerals, stuff like that, because I wanted it to be happy and sad at the same time. Dark music, but festive, if that makes any sense. The Mr. Lewis part, that’s what people used to call me where I grew up (in Michigan). 

-Jordan Gass-Poore

       Before he was a side-splitting comedian on tour with Ronnie’s Block Party, a Howard Stern Show affiliate, John Tole was a frontman in a metal band.  “I was tired of splitting no money five ways and living in a van.  If I’m gonna live in a van and still be an artist, I could do stand up and then I don’t have to split the money.  And at that time there was no money because there was no act because I wasn’t funny!”  Tole laughs as he recounts the days of his beginnings.

       He took up comedy in 2003 with an unrefined act of simply getting on stage and insulting everyone in the crowd.  “That only runs its course because then you start doing shows and no one’s there.  So now what do you do, you have no act?  I had to start writing material,” he pauses and smiles, “and then it got good.”  According to Tole, it took about six years before his act really “started to gel.”  It was 2009 when he decided to give up his day job and perform full time.  “I really got to that point where I thought ‘I can no longer put this tie on anymore, this is miserable.  I’m miserable waking up in the morning, I’m late for work, I don’t want to be there, I’m not working and all I want to do is comedy anyway.’  So I threw caution to the wind and now I’m all in, all my chips are in, I have no Plan B, I have no retirement, I’ve got nothing.  …sink or swim.”

         Today he’s performing multiple sets every night of the week in various clubs around Austin and on the road with Ronnie’s Block Party.  “It’s amazing, just to be part of the Stern Show, the greatest radio show in the history of radio… it’s like a dream come true, I’ve been a fan since ’94.”  Tole nods and smiles, “Things are well, I’m definitely blessed to be where I’m at right now.”  

John Tole is on Twitter @JohnTole

-Erica Brokaw