Last week we had a little showcase here at Dangerbird HQ featuring our latest band from Manchester, UK, Delphic, along with a solo set from Jon Fratelli, another great friend from overseas.
Who knew our little party would wind up being the same night as Game 7 of the Lakers/Celtics series, which everyone in America (especially in Los Angeles and Boston) seemed to care about.
But it all worked out.
We had food, booze, ice cream, and we even rented a few TVs so people could watch the game between listening to music.
Delphic played an amazing set of songs from their debut album Acolyte which comes out Tuesday, June 29th on Dangerbird Records, and has already been out in the UK since January.
Jon Fratelli launched a quick set with “Little Sister” a song from the self-titled Codeine Velvet Club album he released through Dangerbird earlier this year. Jon also previewed some new material from his yet-to-be-recorded solo album.
Overall everyone had a lot of fun. We heard some great tunes, and the Lakers won. Life is good.
See below for photos taken by our awesome photographer, Jasmine Safaeian.
For many, myself included, vinyl is the preferred method for listening to music. To me, I love the fidelity of high quality records, as well as the artwork. Sure, digital music is incredibly convenient and obviously instantly portable, but there is something about holding the media in your hands, getting a real look at the album artwork, flipping through the liner notes. It is the visual side of enjoying music that to many has become obsolete.
Many record labels, including Dangerbird, have stepped up and continued releasing sweet, tasty vinyl. Matt Rosoff at CNET has noticed that some labels/bands/etc have started to disregard the basics that make listening to vinyl such an enjoyable experience, such as something simple like marking which sides of a record are A and B. Read his entire article by clicking here.
Our good friend (and Eagles of Death Metal bassist) Brian O’Conner has been diagnosed with cancer, and is undergoing treatment in Los Angeles. He will undergo surgery today and will begin chemotherapy in three weeks.
To help raise money and awareness for Brian’s condition, the incredible Them Crooked Vultures (aka Dave Grohl, John Paul Jones, Josh Homme) have announced a benefit show in London at Brixton Academy on July 5th. Tickets go on sale this Friday.
Through the past few years, many of us have seen our listening habits shift from CDs to MP3s. While vinyl is making a comeback, and is a preferred listening method here at Dangerbird Austin, there is no doubt that a majority of the music that is pumping through our speakers is powered by laptops and iPods. Using the headphone jack on the laptop is currently how we route the music to our receiver, but there is plenty of new technology to help crank up the fidelity.
A recent news article posted on The Daily Swarm discussed the latest and greatest in “i-Fi,” such as the Devilsound DAC. This gizmo plugs into your USB port, and you simply connect the RCA jacks into your favorite powered speakers, amplifier or receiver, and booya, you get some tasty boosted fidelity. To read more about taking your digital listening experience to a whole new level, read the news article here.
A few months ago I posted about The Cathedral Of Junk, a “Keep Austin Weird” landmark in this town of mine. The structure has been in jeopardy for some time now, with city engineers having issues with the construction and stability of the cathedral. Sadly, after negotiating with the city, along with plenty of help from architects, volunteers, etc…, owner Vince “Junk King” Hannemann has decided to dismantle our beloved attraction. Here is his official statement:
To all the people who have helped try and save the Cathedral of Junk; to the people who laid on hands, brought cases of water, sandwiches, tacos, power bars and other food; to the people who wrote the mayor and turned up to the Spider House benefit; to the unknown people who left art in the front yard or shoved money under my door; to the lawyers, and to both architect and engineer; to the core volunteer team; to the people who have showered me with love and help: I thank you.
Your efforts have helped soothe my bruised heart. Nevertheless, I feel obligated to tell you that our efforts have been in vain. The City has made me alter the Cathedral so much that little of its original charm is left. They are still wanting a building permit for what is left. Therefore, I will be continuing to dismantle what remains. Also, visitors will be turned away. Thank you everyone. It’s a sad day for me, but much more so for Austin and, by proxy, the world.
