Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted documentary screens @ Hot Docs Cinema, Friday

The much-anticipated Jerry Williams doc Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted screens at Hot Docs Cinema on Friday at 5:15 pm. 

Here's the scoop...

If you were to swap the quartet of white women who share a house in Miami in The Golden Girls for a trio of Black men jamming, tripping and co-habiting in the San Fernando Valley, you’d get Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted! Legendary cult singer/songwriter and producer Jerry Williams aka "Swamp Dogg" has transformed his home into an artistic playground and “bachelor pad for aging musicians," where he and his roommates Moogstar and Guitar Shorty enjoy their retirement while continuing to experiment with music and sound. 

With over 50 years in the recording industry, Swamp Dogg has written, arranged, performed and produced more than 2,000 songs, worked on nearly 500 albums with hundreds of artists, and released 26 albums of his own. Despite this prolific output, he continues to create, because fun—not fame—is the name of the game. This wonderfully bizarre and inspiring reminiscence weaves Swamp Dogg and his friends’ current output, their friendships and funny non sequiturs together with past accomplishments and accolades in a music doc unlike any other.

Swamp Dogg Gets His Pool Painted screens at Bloor Hot Docs Cinema on Friday (May 3) at 5:15 pm. For more info, check the Hot Docs site right here. 
 

 

Kurt Cobain's Sweater & more: Elliott Lefko shares concert tales @ SXSW, Wednesday

Long time Toronto concert promoter and Goldenvoice VP Elliott Lefko tells stories about his shows with Nirvana, Nick Cave, etc.  

Kurt Cobain's Sweater and other stories: A Promoter Looks At 65

March 13, 10-11am

Austin Convention Centre, Room 12A/B

It's no easy job to promote and organize tours, let alone promoting them for some of the world's finest artists. With over forty years as a concert promoter, Elliott Lefko has seen it all--- working with artists like Nirvana, Jeff Buckley, Nick Cave & The Bad Seeds, Erykah Badu, Neil Young, PJ Harvey, Leonard Cohen, Courtney Barnett, and many more. In this presentation, Elliott will share anecdotes about his experiences working in the music industry and the lessons that he's learned throughout his career. Check the SXSW24 schedule right here for more info. 

Sez Elliott...

"I am going to be doing a talk at SXSW in Austin this Wednesday at 10 am entitled Kurt Cobain’s Sweater and Other Stories: A Promoter Looks At 65. The title is a nod to the man who once played Lee's Palace and The Opera House, and to the great Pirate Jimmy Buffett. My son Jacob put together a beautiful slide show to accompany the talk. It is going to be fun."

Don't miss The Courettes tearin' it up Austin for SXSW 2023

Those Fabulous Courettes play the Chess Club tonight and return for Acid Fest at The Far Out on Friday at 4:20 pm.  

Dana Gillespie & the London Blues Band play SXSW, March 18

Dana Gillespie will be appearing at Austin's Continental Club on Saturday, March 18 at 11 pm. Check the interviews below.

That time Grace Jones & Dana Gillespie appeared on Seaside Special in 1978

Watch Grace Jones sing "Do or Die" after Dana Gillespie's disco update of "Love Potion No. 9" Dana's at SXSW on March 18.

Here's the scoop...

Dana Gillespie in 1978

"If you want to see what disco was like in the 70s then watch me, and also Grace Jones, leaping about in France, all for the BBC’s Seaside Special filmed in St.Malo. I was singing Love Potion No.9, a Lieber and Stoller song from 1959 originally done by the Clovers and later on the Searchers had a hit with it in 1964. For Bowie fans you might be interested to know that my dress was designed by Ann Proctor who made quite a few of David’s outfits. I’ve still got this little orange number hanging in my cupboard!! Yet another mad trip down Memory Lane….." Dana Gillespie London, 21st Feb 2023. 

Get ready to celebrate a true icon of the music industry, as Dana prepares to mark an unbelievable 60 years in the business next year. And what better way to honor this milestone than with an electrifying performance of tracks from her latest album, 73: Live at the TAM.

With a career that spans six decades, Dana's new release takes listeners on an unforgettable journey through her impressive musical legacy. This collection includes timeless classics like "Andy Warhol," a track that David Bowie himself penned for Dana, and the ever-popular "Weren't Born A Man." But that's not all, as attendees will be treated to exclusive, previously unreleased material such as "Way Beyond The Blue Horizon" and "Om Shakti," ensuring that this experience will be truly unforgettable.

Whether you're a dedicated fan or simply appreciate the rich history of music, Dana's performance at Austin's Continental Club on March 18th as part of SXSW is not to be missed. Mark your calendars and get ready for a musical experience like no other! 

 

Catch Dana Gillespie w/ the London Blues Band at Austin's Continental Club on March 18th at 11 pm. More info right here. 

Alejandro Escovedo & friends @ Austin's Continental Club, Sunday

Alejandro Escovedo has his annual Continental party starting at 2 pm. $20 at the door. Proceeds go to Prevent Cancer Foundation

Watch The Dream Syndicate live in Austin

Here's a well-caffeinated Steve Wynn and company knocking out the classics at the White Horse and Lucy's Fried Chicken. 

Watch Alejandro Escovedo play "Bottom Of The World" in Austin

For all those who didn't get to go to Austin for SXSW this year, here's Alejandro Escovedo tearin' it up at the Continental Club.

Fred Armisen's Comedy For Musicians @ Danforth Music Hall, Sunday

Watch Fred Armisen perform some drummer comedy, chat with Nardwuar and ambush unsuspecting musicians at SXSW back in 1998. 

T Bone Burnett says it's time to scrap the internet and start over from scratch

Contrary to the usual SXSW keynote pep-talk, producer T Bone Burnett called for a radical rethink of digital culture. 

Check out Dylan LeBlanc in Austin this week

Watch Dylan perform "Cautionary Tale" and "Beyond The Veil" after a clip for the title track off his new album Renegade out June 7 on ATO. 

Don't miss Amyl & The Sniffers in Austin

Melbourne punk crew Amyl & The Sniffers are taking over SXSW this week. Check the flyer below for venues and times.

One For The Weekend: Otoboke Beaver

"Anata Watashi Daita Ato Yome No Meshi" is off Otoboke Beaver's Itekoma Hits out April 26 – ushering in a new era in Japanese music.

That time Tony Joe White rocked Antone's in Austin

Watch the late great Tony Joe White get down with "Polk Salad Annie" during SXSW 2003. 

Winnipeg's Lytics get busy @ SXSW

The Lytics rocked the Canadian Blast party as a warm-up for tonight's Friends  (208 E. 6th St) showcase at 1 am.

Wednesday March 16 @ FRIENDS

8:00PM SHI 360

8:40PM Humble Giants

9:20PM Wasiu

10:00PM Lucas DiPasquale

10:40PM Wordburglar

11:20PM Horsepowar

12:10AM The Posterz

1:00AM The Lytics

Catl takes the scenic route to SXSW

Catl will be rockin' joints in D-Town, Cinci and Memphis on the way to Austin for at least four SXSW gigs. 

Stream the Black Lips album; see them at SXSW!

Check out the list of Black Lips dates at SXSW following the studio session clip below

Stream the Black Lips' Underneath The Rainbow album right here 

BLACK LIPS @ SXSW

TUESDAY 3.11

6:30 PM  @ TOMs (DJ Set)

WEDNESDAY 3.12

2PM @ Mellow Johnny's | KEXP

5PM @ Scoot Inn | Converse/Thrasher Death Match

THURSDAY 3.13

6:30PM @ Hotel Vegas | ATX Psych Fest

1AM  @ The Main | VICE Records Showcase

FRIDAY 3.14

3PM @ Lustre Pearl | Guitar Center/ Filter

8PM  @ Hotel San Jose | SxSan Jose

10PM @ Paramount Theatre | Lou Reed Tribute

SATURDAY 3.15

2:40PM @ The Palm Door | Do512

5PM @ The Gatsby | Pandora

1AM @ Textile | Agency Group Showcase

See Alejandro Escovedo five times at SXSW!

With thousands of acts angling for SXSW showcase spots, getting one show during the annual week long mega music confab is a feat in itself. Alejandro Escovedo will be doing five shows this year. Here's where you'll find him...

Alejandro Escovedo at Lucy’s Fried Chicken: Taking some time out to play an intimate set at an Austin Favorite, come by Lucy’s Fried Chicken on Wednesday March 12th at 5 PM to see this performance.

Alejandro Escovedo and Richard Barone Present a Tribute to Lou Reed: With an all-star cast of musicians and a historic setting at The Paramount Theater, the stage is set for what promises to be one of the most memorable shows of SXSW. Artists across a wide spectrum of genres come together to play and honor the music of Lou Reed on March 14th. Check this link for more info.

Alejandro Escovedo hosts Maria’s Taco Xpress: An Austin institution filled to the brim with good food and good music for an entire day! Come out to Maria’s Taco Xpress on Saturday March 15th for a bite to eat and a chance to catch one of over a dozen different artists to play that day.

Plowboy Records Showcase at The Saxon Pub: Late in the evening on Saturday March 15th. Come by at 10 PM to grab a drink and catch Alejandro performing a set.

The Annual Continental Club Closeout Bash: The tradition continues! Join us and over a dozen other artists (will old pals Peter Buck and/or Steve Wynn show up?) in a celebration of another successful SXSW with an entire day of great music and great friends. Come for just a drink, or stay through to the early hours of the morning. Hey, you can sleep on the plane home!

Prince pops up at SXSW 2013

Watch Bruce Springsteen's entire SXSW keynote

Showing up 15 minutes late for his highly-touted SXSW 2012 keynote address, Bruce Springsteen made up for his tardiness with a thoroughly engaging 50 minute address to an enrapt audience of musicians and music biz professionals.

His exceptionally well-constructed presentation – delivered with a directness that is the hallmark of The Boss – came filled with intriguing insights into his own musical inspirations and songwriting process intercut with often whimsical, sometimes poignant asides and punctuated with a guitar strum.

As far as SXSW keynote's go, Springsteen's bravura solo performance ranks as one of the very best in the festival's 25 year history as you can see below.



But that was just a warm-up for the Boss. He then rounded up the E Street Band Band and followed up his pulpit pitch with a two-and-a-half hour show for 3,000 people at Austin's Moody Theatre. It culminated with a few friends jumping on stage for a Woody Guthrie singalong, namely Alejandro Escovedo, Joe Ely, Eric Burdon, Garland Jeffreys, Arcade Fire's Win Butler and brother Will, Tom Morello and members of The Low Anthem. Have a look:

And here's Bruce rocking what appears to be Alejandro Escovedo's Gretsch backing Joe Ely on an impromptu version of The Flatlanders' Midnight Train at the Austin Music Awards on Wednesday night: