Series:Preview ACL Festival

Up next the preview ACL series is one of the bands I am looking really forward to seeing and that is Okkervil River. Formed by Will Sheff (vocals, guitar) and Seth Warren (drums) about a decade ago in Austin, Texas. They have been called Texas' hottest new indie rock band since Spoon. Their last year's release The Stages Names is a great album and one that first got me hooked on them. A new album will be released this fall on September 9th called The Stand Ins that should be another great album.

Check Okkervil River's video of "Our Life Is Not A Movie Or Maybe"



Okkervil River plays Sunday at 5:30pm on the AT&T Blue Room stage.

Check them out at:
Web Site
MySpace
ACL Discovery

Previous- Series:Preview ACL Festival:
Bobby Bare Jr.
Asleep At The Wheel
Ryan Bingham
Shooter Jennings
South Austin Jug Band
Band of Heathens
Scott H. Biram

"Executively Produced By You" Announced

The other day my good friends and very talented band Zack Walther & the Cronkites announced a new project called "Executively Produced By You" to support their new album. There will be different tier levels in which way their fans can support this project. You can bet I will be showing my support for this project and think you should as well.

Check out this video: Executively Produced By You



Add to My Profile More Videos

Visit their MySpace site

7th Annual AMA Nominees

The Americana Music Association announced the nominees for their 2008 Honors & Awards ceremony. This will be the 7th annual award ceremony for the Americana Music Association and will be held September 18th at the Ryman Auditorium in Nashville.

Those who follow this blog know I am a big fan of Americana music. The great thing about Americana is the diversity of the music it's basically true original music. Just wish this award ceremony was televised.

Anyways here are the 2008 Americana Music Association Honors and Awards Nominees include:

ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Raising Sand

Hayes Carll
Trouble in Mind

James McMurtry
Just Us Kids

Levon Helm
Dirt Farmer

ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Steve Earle
Levon Helm
Jim Lauderdale
James McMurtry

INSTRUMENTALIST OF THE YEAR
Buddy Miller
Chris Thile
Gurf Morlix
Sam Bush

NEW EMERGING ARTIST OF THE YEAR
Justin Townes Earle
Mike Farris
Ryan Bingham
The Steeldrivers

SONG OF THE YEAR
“Broken”
Tift Merritt

“Cheney’s Toy”
James McMurtry

“Gone Gone Gone”
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant

“Poor Old Dirt Farmer”
Levon Helm

“She Left Me for Jesus”
Hayes Carll

DUO/GROUP OF THE YEAR
Alison Krauss & Robert Plant
Drive By Truckers
Kane Welch Kaplin
The Avett Brothers

Meg White Resurfaces With Raconteurs

Over the weekend at a Raconteurs show in Detroit following an encore break Meg White came out with Jack White. According to reports from the billboard.com Meg came out sat down at the drums tapped on few drums and Jack announced “Hey everybody, this is Meg White,” the crowd went crazy thinking a White Stripes jam was to occur. That was not the case as the rest of the Raconteurs returned to the stage, with Brendan Benson shouting "Whoa...wrong band!," Meg got up and walked off, leaving the band to its encore.

While reports from the Stripes/Raconteurs' publicist, Billboard.com's was a bit off saying Jack and Meg did take the stage together as if they would play but she never touch the drums and Jack never introduced her.

Jack White has said The White Stripes are at work on their 7th album. Could a tour follow that album? Time will tell. I hope they do and come to the San Antonio/Austin area. As I missed seeing them when they cancelled their ACL appearance last year do to Meg's bout of anxiety.

Read these stories of the Meg White appearance

Billboard.com

Rolling Stones

Pitchfork

Series: Preview ACL Festival

Next up in the series is Bobby Bare Jr. A month and a half ago I went to Gruene Hall to see Son Volt and the opening band was Bobby Bare Jr. while I didn't get there in time to see more than a couple songs of his it was enough to make me interested in checking him out. I had heard of him but never listened to any of his music until that night. I have since download some of his music and really like it.



The son of country music legend Bobby Bare, in which when he was 5 years old he recorded a duet with his dad that was nominated for a Grammy. While Bobby Jr. has followed in his dad's footsteps with a career in music that's were it stops as Bobby Jr.'s music is a mix between punk, indie, southern rock, and a little alt-country.

Check out Bobby Bare Jr. Live




Bobby Bare Jr. plays ACL on Friday from 4:40-5:20 on the BMI stage

Visit Bobby Bare Jr. here:
Official Web Site
MySpace
ACL Discovery

Previous- Series:Preview ACL Festival:
Asleep At The Wheel
Ryan Bingham
Shooter Jennings
South Austin Jug Band
Band of Heathens
Scott H. Biram

ACL Schedule (Saturday & Sunday Review)

Saturday and Sunday are the better days in my opinion.

Saturday tentative schedule
12:30-1:30 Old 97s
1:30-2:30 free time as of right now
2:30-3:30 Drive By Truckers this is also the first time slot where the first conflict comes in with The Band of Heathens playing during this time slot. Since I have seen the Heathens numerous times and with them playing in the area, the Drive By Truckers win out. I am still disappointed I have to make a choice because the Band of Heathens are a great band.
3:30-4:30 brings another break in the action
4:30-5:30 Robert Earl Keen Texas legend say no more
5:30-6:30 another free time to check out other bands
6:30-7:30 Conor Oberst and the Mystic Valley Band this is one of the more intriguing acts I am looking forward to seeing as I am a fan of Conor's last project Bright Eyes
7:30-8:15 The biggest of dilemmas comes here with The Black Keys, Iron & Wine, and Roky Erickson all playing at basically the same time. The Black Keys (7:30-8:15) will be where I start off and depending on how good there set is will determine if I stay for the whole set and skip Iron & Wine or a little Roky Erickson.
8:15-10:00 As said in previous post this is the biggest disappointment with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss playing at almost the same time as Beck. Will try and catch a little of both probably, starting out at Robert Plant & Alison Krauss since they start 15 minutes before Beck.

Check out the complete Saturday schedule here

Sunday my tentative schedule
12:50-1:30 Scott Biram
1:30-2:30 The Kills don't know much about them so this may change
2:30-4:30 not sure yet what I will do here
4:30-5:30 Neko Case
5:30-6:30 Okkervil River one of the bands that I have not seen live before that I am looking really forward to seeing. I hate that Shooter Jennings is playing at this time slot too.
6:30-7:45 The Raconteurs - Jack White!!!!! Saw them 2 years ago and rocked!!!
7:45- 8:30 Band of Horses
Will probably check out a little of Foo Fighters (I am not a big fan of them) and depending on how the set is (I have heard they put on a good live show) will depend on when I head home.

Check out the complete Sunday schedule here

ACL Festival Schedule Out (Friday Review)

Well the ACL schedule was released today and as I have said in previous posts this is day of mixed emotions and when you can get screwed because some of the bands you want to see are scheduled at the same time as other bands you want to see. This year is no different biggest surprise is with the headliners with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss. They are listed as the second artist after the Foo Fighters yet they are not one of the bands closing out one of the nights. I figured that Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, Beck and Foo Fighters would be the closers for each night. That is not the case as Manu Chao is the closer for Friday night! Are you kidding me?! That means the biggest screw job for me is on Saturday night with Robert Plant & Alison Krauss (8:15-9:30) and Beck (8:30-10:00) playing at basically the same time.

Anyways here is my tentative schedule.
Friday (the weakest day of the three days)
12:30-1:30 Will start off with Asleep With The Wheel then head over to see the last half of Rodney Crowell's set
From 1:30-2:30 is free with time to maybe discover a new band.
2:30-3:30 Jakob Dylan and the Gold Mountain Rebels
3:30-4:40 more free time
4:40-5:20 Bobby Bare Jr.
5:30-6:30 probably Hot Chip have not heard much of there stuff
6:30-7:20 Here is the big screw job of Friday for me will start off at Eli Young then head over to Ryan Bingham at 6:40
7:20-7:45 free time
7:45-8:45 Alejando Escovedo
This will most likely be the end of the night but shouldn't be as Robert Plant & Alison Krauss or Beck should be closing out Friday.

Check out the complete Friday schedule here

Look for my tentative Saturday and Sunday in a post later today.

Series: Preview ACL Festival

On the eve of the schedule being announced, one thing is certian and that is one the bands kicking things off will be none other than the ACL staple and grammy award winning band Asleep At The Wheel. They are next artist in the preview series. Tradition for me is starting the ACL Festival off on Friday at about noon with watching a little western swing and Asleep At The Wheel.

When your down in Texas Bob Wills is still the King. For a little over three decades now Asleep At The Wheel has been keeping western swing and the meomory of Bob Wills alive with there brand of western swing. Lead by band leader Ray Benson they have won several Grammy awards over the years. Keeping the spirt of Bob Wills alive is something they have worked hard at recording two tribute album and a two-act play called A Ride With Bob.

Asleep At The Wheel live performing Route 66

Visit Asleep At The Wheel:
Official Web Site
MySpace
ACL Discovery

Previous Preview: ACL Festival:
Ryan Bingham
Shooter Jennings
South Austin Jug Band
Band Of Heathens
Scott H. Biram

ACL Schedule out Tommorrow!

The Austin City Limits Music Festival has already announced the line up of the artists playing this year's festival and tomorrow they will announce the time and days the artists will be playing. This day is always a day of mixed emotions because artists that I have pinpointed as artists I want to see are playing the same times.

Tomorrow I will post my tentative schedule of what I will be seeing.

So check the ACL web site tomorrow morning to see the schedule.

Regular 3-day passes are still available but won't be for much longer.

ACL Web Site