April was quite an eclectic concert going month for me in Austin, TX.
I started it all off on April 4th with a Dave Chappelle comedy show. Apparently they were filming that night for a comedy special, so we weren’t allowed to have our phones out AT ALL, the bar was closing after the show started so there was no additional noise, and if you left to go to the bathroom you couldn’t come back in. It was serious business so I stayed in my seat and enjoyed the ride. In true fashion, he was hilarious and it was a great evening.
My next show was Sleater-Kinney at Stubb’s on April 17th. This band has been very important to me over the years. I’ve always loved them for being part of the riot grrrl scene, their feminist and political lyrics and just for making awesome indie rock music. So when I heard they were reuniting after eight years and releasing a new album, I HAD to see them live again. It was great to see them back together playing new and old songs to the crowd’s delight. I even picked up a signed vinyl copy of their new record, No Cities To Love, because they are just cool like that to sign a bunch of records for their fans.
Next up was The Ting Tings at Emo’s on April 22nd. The Ting Tings are a British duo, whose sound is hard to describe. They run the gamut of indie rock, dance-punk, synthpop, new wave, indie electronica, etc. They played through all the hits and a bunch of songs from their newest album, Super Critical, including the single “Wrong Club.” Their shows are always a good time…I dance until I can’t dance anymore!
Finally, I headed back to Stubb’s on April 24th for Father John Misty. Josh Tillman, AKA Father John Misty, sure does know how to put on a show. In support of his new record, I Love You, Honeybear, he set Stubb’s on fire with beautiful melodies and his more than honest thought-provoking lyrics. Even though it was raining the majority of the show, that didn’t bother me or anyone in the crowd, it seemed, as we were too mesmerized by his performance. I’ve never seen more beards in my life in one place, besides during SXSW, of course. Father John Misty is set to play a bunch of the festivals this summer and fall, if you happen to attend one of them, you should definitely check him out.
– Submitted by Mandi LeBlanc, Music Design