Filter Party SXSW

Filter always has some of the best bands performing at their parties (and Free BBQ).  This year is looking good with performances by Local Natives, Dr. Dog, The Delta Spirit, BRMC, Julia Marcell, Band of Skulls and a ton others. 

You can RSVP here. 

Cassette Resurgence

Remember tapes?  You had to rewind and fast forward to reach a favorite song.  You recorded homemade mixtapes for all your friends and lovers.  My friend Lori and I have a load of priceless tapes that we recorded on her Emerson stereo.   Yes, you can still make mixtapes (on CD's), but it's doesn't have the same feeling of catching the exact right moment and pushing the record button.

Pitchfork has a great article on an emerging cassette culture among indie musicians. With artists like Deerhunter, Dirty Projectors, Beck, Oneida and others releasing tape versions of their songs, cassettes are making a resurgence.   

Cactus Cafe to close in August

Is Austin losing its soul?

With a projected population of 1.7 million this year, Austin has moved on.  The sleepy college town that people came to know in the past is no more. 

The University of Texas has decided to close the much-loved Cactus Cafe in August of this year.  To some, this was the last bastion representing the "old" Austin.  It will join extinct venues such as Armadillo World Headquarters, Liberty Lunch, and The Back Room in the gallery of lost Austin gems. 

The New York Times featured an eloquent article on the closing. 

Mind Over Music

Come out to The Palm Door (401-A Sabine) tonight for Mind Over Music, an underground music trivia smackdown that benefits Grounded in Music.  The event, hosted by Andy Langer of KGSR and KLBJ's Charlie Hodge, will feature twenty-five teams competing for indie cred.  Some of the teams include KVRX (KVRXperts), WOXY, Twenty Tinnitus (Austin Chronicle), Austinist, and my team Cash is King.
Come on out to heckle, drink free Tito's and eat free food for a good cause.
The event starts at 7pm sharp.

Click on the poster for details.