The day started off with a late lunch at the legendary Hut's Hambugers, a joint that features burgers named after folks like The Big Bopper, Alan Freed, Fats Domino and Ritchie Valens (got me a Hut's Favorite with mayo, lettuce, tomatoes, bacon and American cheese and an amazing chocolate milkshake. Lush). After the protein-heavy nutrition, […]

As would be expected, my second day of SXSW got off to a late start. But a good start nonetheless, with a rollicking great set from Death on Two Wheels (pictured above) at the Paste/Vanguard/Sugar Hill/Russell Carter party. The Atlanta band thrashed away happily in the sun with full rock and roll drive. With wailing […]

  Having just landed in Austin at 10.30 a.m., I dove straight into the Texas culture with a well-needed lunch at Iron Works, one of the best and oldest BBQ joints in the city. The joy of SXSW is that it’s not just about the music. Yes, it’s an awful lot about the music, as […]

By Julia Reidy When Tapes ‘N Tapes soundchecked after their opener Wild Light left the stage, all four members sported inappropriate outerwear — black stocking caps, puffy winter coats — and they wisecracked about the recent Atlanta snow, dressed better for their Minneapolis winters than our sporadic chill. When the band returned to the stage […]

Our sister-site TA Live just put up a great review of Grupo Fantasma at Sticky Fingerz in Little Rock. Here's a taste: Even though the temperature was below freezing outside, it was gettin' hot at the Chicken Shack inside! (Sticky Fingerz Chicken Shack in downtown Little Rock, to be precise). Although the small dance floor […]

The Morning Benders Bring Sunny Cali-Pop Back to a Wintry Atlanta By Alexandra Edwards The last time the Morning Benders came through town, it was a balmy October and they were the first band of the night, playing in support of Ra Ra Riot. Since then, the four-piece from Berkeley, Calif. has toured the country, had […]

    By Ben Grad Though The Killers are associated with Las Vegas in their album art, promotional materials, and stage props, their sound is more international, purposefully divorced from the little musical gestures that normally add the prefixes "West Coast," "Southern," or "Midwest" to a band's biography. If anything, their musical roots are closer to […]

The Virgins January 25, 2009 The Drunken Unicorn By Alexandra Edwards It was LA meets NYC on the staging ground of the Dirty South this past weekend at the Drunken Unicorn, and it was more fun than a crowd should be allowed to have on a Sunday night. Starting things off around 9 p.m. — […]

Ray Davis / LocksleyVariety PlayhouseDec 2nd 2008By Stephanie Roman The chilly December night at Variety Playhouse began with a welcome warm-up from Locksley–the Brooklyn-invasion mod squad who kicked off the evening quite well for their young fans and the Ray Davies crowd. Groovy backbeats and garage-rock guitars dominated the band's hits: "All Over Again", "Why Can't I Be You" (not The Cure song), and "Don't Make […]

by Al Kaufman Rachael Sage is not a diva. Yes, she dresses in beads and baubles, and often appears in feather boas and red fishnets. Yes, in addition to being a  pianist and singer/songwriter, she is also a ballerina and painter. And yes, she is so accomplished in all these areas that she has every […]

Ridiculous to the sublime – that’s a phrase that comes to mind when reviewing my thoughts about this particular Friday night at The Loft.  O.k., maybe ridiculous is too strong of a statement, but sublime certainly isn’t. Full disclosure, I’m a lover of the funk, so Nikka Costa is a favorite of mine.  I haven’t […]

Aimee MannVariety PlayhouseSeptember 5, 2008 by Al Kaufman Aimee Mann has been long tagged as an angry, depressed person who writes angry, depressing songs. Last Friday night at the Variety, Mann showed off her more comedic side. Relaxed and confident on stage with her band, Mann introduced her early hit single, "That’s Just What You […]