Next Week @ The Parlor : The Cocker Spaniels + Hooch Dupree and the Trapdoor Band

Hooch Dupree and The Trapdoor Band. Sean Padilla (The Cocker Spaniels) far right.

One of our bloggers threw a birthday party for herself in March at The Parlor on North Loop, and one of the bands performing that night, The Cocker Spaniels, was part of the festivities. After that, it was logical to host regular musical events there - bi-monthly events until we figure out how to get all the bands we love together in the live music capital of the world on a monthly basis. So it's fitting to announce that The Cocker Spaniels (one man, one mission, Sean Padilla) is playing again at The Parlor, with Hooch Dupree and The Trapdoor Band (myspace.com/thetrapdoorband). It happens a week from today at 9 pm.

Here's exactly what's going down @ The Parlor according to Sean P!:

"On Tuesday the 29th, I'm doing double duty @ the Parlor.

At 9 p.m., I'll play a solo set of Cocker Spaniels songs. After that, I'm playing drums for my friend Hooch Dupree and his Trapdoor Band.

This show is technically free, but I'm encouraging and accepting donations to help me cover my expenses for the apartment I'm moving into next month.

Anyone who puts $5 or more in the tip jar will get a homemade CDR containing rough mixes of songs that will be on the next Cocker Spaniels album!

GET CRUNK! BRING YOUR FRIENDS!"

So stop by and have a hot slice of pizza, a pint of cold brew, leave a tip or two - and enjoy the music.

We're not sponsoring the night of plugged-in meets homespun folk rock, but diy danna is already dreaming up an e-flier.

See you there!

You can also hear The Cocker Spaniels live @ Beerland (myspace.com/beerland)Wednesday, July 30th w/ Sad Like Crazy and Bright White. Padilla will be performing a few songs from the forthcoming album, and most likely popular songs from his debut Withstand The Whatnot. Alex "Hooch" Dupree and company's next show is August 1st at Progress w/ folk rock grazers Brazos.

Nanobangbang Comes Out with A Bang and Goes Pop Art

Nanobangbang's Deena Hyatt w/ friends The Liddell sisters (reading).

A Recap of The Parlor Show (Friday, July 11th) - Part Three

The conceptual vocal pop & elemental noise band fronted by Deena Hyatt debuted at The Parlor, just like she wanted, and we couldn't be more thrilled. The audience was entertained with the debut live performance of Nanobangbang, closing the show with a minimalist set inspired by - and covering - old pop standards. Hyatt has the pipes for it, and when she sang "To Know Him Is To Love Him", she wowed the younger and older generations in the supportive crowd. Not bad for a busy Friday night in the live music capital, huh?

Nanobangbang includes a rolling cast of talented locals: Chad A: (Low Red Center), Sam Gary (Night Viking), Winston Reed, and Eric Tierkunde. The visual as well as aural aspects of the show, from the Liddell sisters reading to the 45 record scratching by band mate Gary, added a conceptual and performance art aspect usually void in live music shows. Another band mate, Kevin Adickes, was notably absent due to a last-minute recording session with Moth!Fight!. I look forward to hearing him sing "Flutter & Bounce" with Hyatt live at their next show.

I've been in communication with Nanobangbang and decided to keep this post short in order to mention Hyatt's blog, which describes in vivid detail their first live performance - from the artist's perspective. I highly recommend reading it. I enjoyed it so much I added it to our favorite blogs list.

Nanobangbang debut recap

I wish I had a camera with a wider lens to capture a clip of the delightful vocal and visual performance. Or maybe someone will think to shoot a video. Maybe next time? Definitely.

~ diy danna

Doing The Attic Ted Shuffle

Attic Ted - Grady Roper w/guest electro noise maker Chad A: (Low Red Center)

A Recap of The Parlor Show (Friday, July 11th) - Part Two

I must admit to writing this review under the influence of painkillers, which makes my memory a bit fuzzy... But I'll try to be as coherent as possible.

Top contenders for diy artist/band of the month, San Marcos, TX experimental rockers Attic Ted had a good idea for a show in July. And like a lot of smart music lovers in Austin, TX, diy revolution was glad to help them bring that idea to the stage. We had it all set-up for the band with the good idea to headline last week, but due to unforseen technical/personnel difficulties [insert mock gasp of surprise here] NanoBangBang ended up being the icing on the cake. Regardless of the line-up shuffle, everyone had a good time at The Parlor. It was Attic Ted's first show in Austin since leaving on a summer tour (not counting a couple of wild house parties), and what an entertaining homecoming it was.

It was a pared-down version of the band last Friday at The Parlor: Grady Roper (vocals, organ, sampler) and Margie Osborne (cello) played tunes from a forthcoming release, including two songs featured on a new 7" - "No Regrets" and "My Turn Now". As predicted, there were a few people dancing despite the heat from the pizza oven. The warped organ grinding, warbled vocals meshed and clashed with the edge of sanity cello. Lance McMahan (electronic noisemaker/sampler) and Coby Cardosa (drums) were noticeably absent from the fray, but guest musician Chad A: filled in the beautiful chaos with controlled feedback. A few fans and Parlor patrons listening for the first time may have been confused by the extra feedback courtesy of ceiling acoustics, but I considered it an extra band member adding something special to the sonic milieu. (I've always wanted to use that word, "milieu".)

Attic Ted was one of the very first bands I reviewed formally, for local press. In 2005 Whoopsy editor Beky Hayes handed me Hemoglobin (Pecan Crazy Records), and I've been playing catchup with their scores of Austin fans ever since. I can't remember what I wrote, but I'm sure "music carnival freaks can dance to" might be a nice paraphrase. It's good music for the rest of us "normal folks" too.

Like most of the bands I enjoy listening to live, they've got a few tracks on MySpace available for download. That's free music for your personal enjoyment. "My Name Is Ed" (unreleased), "Tedland Suite", and "Climbing Up" (both from The Attic Ted Land Suite - 2006, Pecan Crazy).
Oh - and the new 45/7" is on sale @ myspace.com/atticted and pecancrazy.com too. Since I'm all about sharing internet info, here's the official Attic Ted site: www.atticted.com.

If you're lucky, you can also buy a copy of their releases dating from 2002 at your favorite local record shop, like End of an Ear or Sound on Sound. Or if you're really cheap, request them on KVRX.

~ diy danna

Tomorrow: NanoBangBang Comes Out with A Bang and Goes Pop!

Waxing Vaudeville with Luna Tart

A Recap of The Parlor Show (Friday, July 11th) - Part One

I arrived a little late with my date, but just in time to catch most of cabaret-style crooner Luna Tart's opening performance for another diy revolution bi-monthly music party. Friday night's theme was Cabaret Meets Carnival, and the first act of the night lived up to the former with a
performance that would make a vaudeville veteran smile.

Luna Tart sang mostly saucy, mid-tempo to fast numbers like the modernly inconvenient "What's The Point". But the audience tried to keep the tears from falling into their beers when she sang another rhetorical tune, the slower tempo "Why Cry". And we all sang along to the wickedly delightful "We Like Bush", after Luna Tart's quick popularity poll. (Not to be confused with the popularity of George W.)

Created by Laura Freeman for the musical Luna Tart Died (of A Broken Heart), Luna Tart has a life of her own, going beyond channeling tin pan alley songbirds. Her live performance was a vibrant work of musical art, with strong vocals only aided by ukelele, and marching french horn.

I'm not sure when and where Luna Tart is playing next, but in the meantime, we can check out her debut release at local records stores (like End of an Ear) and online (CDBaby), and put "Life's A Party" on repeat until it becomes less ironic.

~ diy danna

Tomorrow: Doing The Attic Ted Shuffle

"Cabaret Meets Carnival" @ The Parlor - Friday, July 11th

Vote for our event @ Do 512!

It's all about cross-marketing and flexibility. Soon we'll have a do512.com calendar posted of weekly picks, and you'll get to check out some of the events our MySpace group/blog sponsors and promotes. In the meantime, click on our link and express how much you like our latest event: Cabaret Meets Carnival with Attic Ted, NanoBangBang, and Luna Tart - another all ages, all local musical night at The Parlor (North Loop). And it's free. (Musician and bartender tips are always appreciated.)

The unofficial press release, sent in the form of a mass email:

Dear Friends & Music Lovers:

DIY Revolution (that music blog and MySpace group that supports and promotes independent, do-it-yourself artists), presents another musical event you don't want to miss. The crazy carnival sounds of Attic Ted, the spacey pop/noise maker vocals of Nano Bang Bang, and the cheeky cabaret of Luna Tart highlight a surreal night of local music. It's another all ages, free show at The Parlor on North Loop in Austin, TX. The fun starts at 9:00 pm. Hope to see you there - and tell your friends!

"DIY" Danna

There are a lot of good shows around town, and this is one of them. I complain a lot about people missing good local music, or attending trendy, hipster shows instead of music that you won't forget after hearing it (for better or worse), but I've missed a few shows too. So there will be less preaching and more practicing from this blogger. I want this to be more than a scenester or mp3 blog. (Not that there's anything wrong with that.) But diy revolution is about changing the corporate, commercial drone and payola that's even effecting our independently owned local radio stations. It's just sad when you hear a white guy complain about the lack of a Tejano station. Damn. ¡Viva la revolución!

Send all comments, including complaints and death threats to adiyrevolt@gmail.com

~ diy danna


Addendum: Some crazy blogger completely redesigned this blog, but forgot to promote the blog's next show earlier this week. But don't worry - a local press employee told her off today for not including the date of the show in an email sent on Monday. Oh - and she also forgot to mention a successful night with Peel and MonkeyTown in May at The Beauty Bar (pictures coming soon). It has not been a good past two months, but this is what doesn't happen when your blogger is also the boss working on her own web site and feminist zine. Stuff doesn't happen. Forgive me? I remembered to include the date this time...