Another emergency show I volunteered for with little hesitation. Hesitation? If it’s happening on a weekend evening, I want to make sure there weren’t any previous plans such as hockey (Tuesday will tell me if there’s any further games) or something that slipped my mind. Regardless, it’s for a good cause, recycling.
After Spoon, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett, these guys are probably the most famous band from Central Texas (Ghostland Observatory and Eric Johnson aren’t). You’ve probably heard their hit “Into the Ocean” over the last few years, it comes up to the top if you search via iTunes. It remains a staple of the unimaginative “alternative” station in Austin between constant repeats of Nirvana, Smashing Pumpkins, MGMT and Phoenix.
How were they? Decent. They enjoyed having home field advantage even if San Marcos (it’s where Texas State resides, LBJ’s alma mater) is their original stomping ground. Blue October had some songs I could handle putting on my stream. Would my circle of friends like them is more the question? I think so. I can’t think of any parallel acts to point out similarities to help. I doubt they elicit extreme feelings of hate as certain others do in a favorite time-killing game I one day hope to turn into a podcast. Now are they worth paying money to see in concert? No. I think they’re a fan-only band which is the same level of endorsement I give Spoon, who I like much more.
The opening band I was more curious about…Stars of Track & Field. Contrary to have a long name, they were not in the same vein of borderline Emo stuff you’d expect from Cute is What We Aim For, Motion City Soundtrack, Jimmy Eat World or Under the Influence of Giants. If I weren’t typing all those, I would have to catch my breath! This act gained more mindshare from me through their plugs on Adult Swim yet I never got off my behind to purchase anything. Will I now? Probably. They were more guitar-oriented than I planned. The commercials made them come off as a poor-man’s Five For Fighting.
Summer in Austin is shaping up to have an awesome concert season! I have my tickets for OK Go (in 10 days), Crowded House (August) and New Pornographers (July, right before vacation). Cracker will be back with Reverend Horton Heat and I may try to swing Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeroes if the price is right. The B-52s and Minus the Bear would be sweet too yet La Zona Rosa can run high. Most venues are fair game unless it’s the Backyard or wherever ACL is held, they suck. Ask my friend Jeremy about the drive home from ZZ Top recently.