Pataphysics Local Addition to Ariel Pink Show @ The Mohawk - Saturday, 9 August 2008

"Ain't no party like a pop defects party..." - Anonymous Emcee*

Although the date is incorrect (it should be 8/9 Sat., not Fri. on the e-flier), the timing of this show is perfect! Besides Ariel Pink & Company (Los Angeles, CA) at The Mohawk being the perfect post to start our week (officially), it marks the day after the birthday of one of our favorite Austin entertainers - the frontman for the spasmatic dance inducing experimental pop band - Pataphysics.

You could call it a birthday gift to himself because Patrick Healy, a.k.a. Pataphysics, is a fan of Ariel Pink. A huge fan, according to our interview (INsite, January 2008). Healy's musical partnership with Pataphysics' lead guitarist Matt La Comette (Aunt's Analog, ex-Oblong Boys), was partly inspired by Ariel Pink's avant-garde pop solo shows. Both musicians are fans and thought Healy could start off with solo, acousmatic tape shows, then build the sound. And what a sound...The band includes Erich Ragsdale (ex-Oblong Boys) playing synthesizer, Dirk Michener (Cavedweller, Charles Potts' Magic Windmill Band) adding the bass lines, and Jason "Chef" Pittman (The Telephone Company, The Carrots) on drums, all adding depth of colors to the already decorative canvas of Pataphysics' sound.


Pataphysics @ Emo's 22/10/07. Photo © 2007 Danna Williams

You know it's going to be be a good time if you're rambling about the opening band.

Pataphysics' recent shows have more than made up for the truncated slap in the face performance last time at The Mohawk (8 December 2007), possibly in response to uncalled heckling after a technical defect with the stunning Yip-Yip (Winter Park, FL), which led to a cancellation of their performance. Pataphysics performance highlights in summer '08 include kicking off the Tangled Snark Summer Parties, and performing on KVRX's Local Live.

But their live performance at Mohawk this Friday is the Pataphysics event of the summer.



The official Ariel Pink Summer tour 2008 poster, and a work of art.

Headliners Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti is the solo artist's amazing band, on tour this summer, because that's the best way to earn money when greedy corporate labels control the marketing of commercial (payola) airwaves. (Feel free to correct me if I'm completely wrong.) he gets my respect for being a truly d-i-y artist/musician who records and produces his own music in limited release. Since I've already taken so much time with the show opener, I'll let the reader decide what Ariel Pink sounds like by mentioning the free mp3 downloads** currently available for your listening pleasure. For me, they're just teasers until the consummate live performance, but it could appease you for a few days.

I don't know much about Brooklyn, NY trio Chairlift, but from a doesn't offer a free sample of their recordings, but if you're the artsy type, you may get a kick out of their MySpace profile graphics. from what I've heard, their odd, haunting indie musings fit in perfectly with touring mate Ariel Pink. Pitchfork includes a review plus two previews (streaming and mp3) in a review of the album Does You Inspire You, now available for digital download. A hard copy will be available in late October.

Ariel Pink's Haunted Graffiti
w/ Chairlift
Pataphysics
Live @ The Mohawk - Austin, TX
Saturday, August 9th
RIYL: Animal Collective, Beck, Captain Beefheart, R. Stevie Moore, Frank Zappa, and music that makes you go "hmmm...".

For more info, including admission amount, ticket availability, and age limit, go to mohawkaustin.com. After-party with A Faulty Chromosome inside.

Thanks to Archbold for hipping me to this show last month!

End of transmission.


~ diy danna


*No, we just made that up...

** But this is true. We're certain you'll have to be logged into MySpace for the mp3 downloads to work.