Thursday, March 26, 2015
La Frontera Arizona and the Tucson International Mariachi Conference are joining forces once again to bring the Old Pueblo the Tucson Mariachi Festival. Now in its 33rd consecutive year, the fest is the largest and longest running mariachi fest
The event will consist of four days of student workshops and live performances from Wednesday, April 8 through Saturday April 11 for thousands of attendees. On Thursday, April 9, a $10 student showcase concert will give more than 250 elementary through college aged performers from around the country the chance to showcase their musical and folklórico dance skills.
The whole festival will come together on Friday, April 10 for the Espectacular Concert, which will pay tribute to mariachi legend Nati Cano and feature his ensemble Los Camperos de Nati Cano starting at 7 p.m. Tickets for that event, which takes place at Casino del Sol, are available online through the casino's website for $20 to $40, depending on seating. Proceeds from the concert will go to benefit Children’s Services at La Frontera Center.
Then on Saturday, Aprill 11, the Tucson Mariachi Festival will cap it all off with a full day of music and dance called the Fiesta de Garibaldi. Tickets for the poolside mariachi party are just $10.
For more information on all of the events happening in conjunction with the Tucson Mariachi Festival and to purchase tickets to the Fiesta and Student Showcase, visit the Tucson Mariachi Festival website.
Tags: tucson mariachi conference , casino del sol , music , events , tucson , nati cano
Their sophomore album "Illusions" was just released last month and features a range of moody, texturally rich and orchestral tracks with more straightforward, stripped down styles. It bounces from operatic at times on songs like the album's title track to playful, carnival-esque songs like "Plato's Prank."
The first single off of SnowApple's second album, "California," is a nice blend of all of it, though the album as a whole really does offer a wide range of motifs both lyrically and aurally.
SnowApple will play at Monterey Court this Friday beginning at 7 p.m. Tickets are available online in advance for $10 or at the door the day of the show for $15.
Tags: snowapple , dutch , folk , pop , tucson , live , music , concert , monterey court , Video
Friday, March 20, 2015
Lilly Hiatt performed at the New West Records BBQ at Threadgills on Thursday, March 19.
Still reeling from the devastating loss of missing Miley Cyrus' surprise performance at Fader Fort on Wednesday night (read: heavy sarcasm), I headed out Thursday determined to see as much as possible.
After some free BBQ (it's everywhere), I caught some of Juce's set at The Main II, which was an unexpected treat because the soulful UK pop group was a great way to start the day off with some dancing. You can't help but get excited for those times where you're walking down the street and discover a gem like that randomly.
Tags: sxsw , gang of four , the pop group , songhuy blues , moon duo , charles bradley , pharmakon , black joe lewis , juce , music , live , austin , Image , Video
Howe Gelb brought a new version of Giant Sand—featuring Thøger T. Lund, Gabrielle Sullivan and Winston Watson—to the New West Records party on Thursday, March 19. Giant Sand celebrates its 30th birthday with the release of Heartbreak Pass on May 5.
Here's "Transponder" from the album.
Tags: sxsw2015 , Howe Gelb , Giant Sand , sxsw , Image
Thursday, March 19, 2015
Germany's Milky Chance performs at the Radio Day Stage at Austin's SXSW festival.
Another day in the world's largest all-you-can-hear audio buffet: Frank Turner performs a solo act at the SXSW Flood party.
I'm beginning to wonder if SXSW happens exclusively now so that people can take pictures of it. I'm guessing there's one shutterbug for every five attendees who aren't professional photographers—at least. Many of these photographers seem to be veterans of the biz and they prove it by insisting on obfuscating everyone else's experience with their large, protruding equipment—the larger the equipment the more important they are obviously.
I've been to a few festivals in my time and I've never seen so many photographers and they've never been so unrelentingly rude. It'd be nice if all of the venues instituted the very common "three songs in front of the barricade and then leave so everyone else can have a nice time without your flash" rule, but not every venue even has a barricade. If you're shooting the festival, be cool, dude. I get it. You're competing with seven million other photogs for that perfect shot, but there's more (much more) to the event than your pictures.
Tags: sxsw , stromae , courtney barnett , tv on the radio , free booze , stubb's bbq , austin , music , Video
Wednesday, March 18, 2015
With the fire marshals keeping a tight lid on the door, the crowd was thick at Clive Bar for Future Islands' performance on Tuesday, March 17.
Tags: sxsw , sxsw 2015 , future islands , Image
Longtime SXSW institution Fader Fort debuted last night with performances by Mew and Passion Pit as well as a generous spread that included potent Jack Mules, hamburgers, sausages and Korean tacos.
