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The MataBlog is edited by Matador Records’ co-moaner Gerard Cosloy and individual entries are the work of whoever’s name is next to them. If you enjoyed something in the MataBlog, thank you very much! If there was something you found particularly troubling, please be advised that a) maybe you should read it again and b) the contents of this blog do not necessarily represent the opinions of Matador Records, Beggars Group, the combined staff of either company, nor the Matador artist roster. Opinions are like friends — hardly anyone has one worth listening to.

Matador Artists Celebrate To Austin's Traffic Jams, Poor Cell Reception



The following is a (nearly) complete list of what our dear friends EMA, Fucked Up, Perfume Genius, Kurt Vile and The Young are doing in Austin, TX this week (on stage, anyway). Please be advised that events marked "*" are considered official SXSW presentations and will likely require a badge, wristband or cover charge for entry (unless you are so incredibly good looking that such requirements are always waived on your behalf). I wish you a very pleasant week in my town of residence and thank you in advance for not parking in front of my fucking driveway.

EMA


Wednesday March 12 Flamingo Cantina, 5pm (Under The Radar)
Thursday, March 13, Mohawk (inside) 4pm (Stereogum/House Of Vans)
Friday March 14, Central Presbyterian Church, 7:20pm* (Pitchfork)
Saturday March 15 Elysium, 11:30pm * (Switched On/Moog)

Fucked Up

Thursday March 13 - Mohawk, 2:15pm (Stereogum/House Of Vans)
Thursday March 13 - Scoot Inn, 4pm (Converse/Thrasher)
Thursday March 13 - French Legation, 6pm (Pitchfork)
Friday March 14 - Empire Control Room, 5:15pm (Blundertown)

Perfume Genius

Thursday March 13 - St. David's Historic Society, 7:30pm* (Turnstile Music)

Kurt Vile

Wednesday March 12 - Cheer Up Charlie's, midnight*
Thursday March 13 - Weather Up (1808 East Cesar Chavez), 2:30pm
Thursday March 13 - Clive Bar, 8pm*
Thursday March 13 - Red 7, 12:50am*

The Young


Saturday, March 15 - Yellow Jacket Social Club, 2:30pm
Saturday March 15 - Museum Of Human Achievement (Third Man Records), 4:15pm

We Love Music Industry Conventions Disguised As Music Festivals (And Vice Versa) : Matador / True Panther Artists At SXSW



I hope you'll excuse my weary tone --- it's not that I don't look forward to South By Southwest or the plethora of free, unaffiliated events (especially those that take place in glorified jello-shot emporiums masquerading as music venues for one week out of the year). It's just that I'm really pissed off someone told all of the bands below they're staying at my place.

CHELSEA LIGHT MOVING

Tue      3/12    Austin TX                   Queue Day Party         3 pm Mohawk  (w/ Delorean)
Wed    3/13    Austin TX                    Waterloo Records        12 pm (parking lot performance)
Wed    3/13    Austin TX                    Consequence of Sound  5 pm The Parish
Thu      3/14    Austin TX                    KEXP Session               12:30 pm Mellow Johnny's
Thu      3/14    Austin TX                    Thrasher/Converse  party     4 pm Scoot Inn
Fri        3/15    Austin TX                    Rolling Stone Party     2 pm La Zona Rosa
Fri        3/15    Austin TX                    Ground Control Touring,  12:15 am Mohawk*  (w/ Trash Talk, Merchandise and more)

DELOREAN

Tue      3/12    Austin TX                    Queue Day Party         4 pm Mohawk
Tue      3/12    Austin TX                    Fader Fort                    8 pm Fader Fort
Thu      3/14    Austin TX                    Pitchfork Day Party    1:40 pm 1100 Warehouse
Thu      3/14    Austin TX                    Filter Party                  11 pm Clive Bar*
Sat       3/16    Austin TX                    True Panther     1 am Mohawk* (with Majical Cloudz, Empress Of, XXYYXX , Silent Diane and more)

MAJICAL CLOUDZ

Thu      3/14    Austin TX                   Spin Party                    4 pm Easy Tiger
Fri        3/15    Austin TX                   Urban Outfitters         2 pm Urban Outfitters Lot
Fri        3/15    Austin TX                   M For Montreal            9 pm Swan Dive
Sat      3/16    Austin TX                    True Panther Presents     9:30 pm Mohawk* (with Delorean, Empress Of, XXYYXX, Silent Diane  and more)

THE YOUNG

Fri       3/15   Austin TX        "Our Heart Aches For Syria" / Red Cross benefit  8 pm Long Center (w/ The Black Lips, White Lung and more)
Sat      3/16    Austin TX        Ground Control Touring  2 pm Beerland  (w/ Merchandise, Spider Bags and more)

(* - denotes an official SXSW event ; wristband or badge required for admission.  There's public admission if venues aren't at capacity SOMETIMES, but we can't guarantee it)

Late-breaking SXSW news: Kurt Vile at the WFMU showcase, 12:00 midnight CST

photo by Shawn Brackbill
If, like most good folk, you keep up with the whats and whys of America's favorite freeform radio station, WFMU, or if, like most of the music industry, you are in Austin for SXSW, you may have come across the glaring "Special Guest TBA" in the midnight slot of tonight's WFMU's SXSW showcase at Barbarella (611 Red River, right in the heart of the fabled 6th Street red light district). Meme-conscious readers may have noted the day of the showcase and assumed that the ever-resourceful WFMU had snared the first-ever live performance by tween sensation Rebecca Black, but if I do say so myself the actual truth is even better: tonight's Special Guest at the WFMU showcase is Philadelphia's own Kurt Vile, whose new album Smoke Ring For My Halo is still just as crazily good as we've been saying for a while now.

If you happen to be stuck in some cultural backwater that doesn't even have its very own Stevie Ray Vaughan statue, fear not, because WFMU will be broadcasting the entire showcase, starting at 9:00PM EST/8:00PM CST, at 91.1FM and online at wfmu.org. Those of you who are familiar with time zones will be aware that that means Kurt is on at 1:00AM EST, which is technically Saturday, which kind of screws up the Rebecca Black reference from earlier in this post. What can I say.

Matador's Cavalcade Of Stars At SXSW (And Events That Aren't Actually Part Of SXSW)



(scenes from SXSW 2005 : Matador co-owner, Austin resident for all of 15 minutes politely instructs a motorist to "go the fuck back where you came from" before recognizing his dog's veterinarian)

It's that time of year, when the fair of city of Austin is besieged by thousands of aspiring musicians, label creeps, bloggers, tech pimps, cinema parasites and self-styled marketing reptiles, all of 'em urinating in my front garden on their way to and from some dubious "showcase" or launch party designed to appeal to their MOST CRAVEN INSTINCTS. I watch all of this from my front porch, my air rifle sitting atop a cooler of Guyaki Yerba Matte, wondering exactly how much jail time I'd serve for shooting the bluetooth earpiece off the skull of a gentleman trying to negotiate a contract at the foot of my driveway.

At which point, I'm reminded that he's actually a guest in my home and our conference call that I've been ignoring is already 10 minutes old. Where are my manners?  Sure, Austin's chock-a-block with SCHMUCKS ON THE MAKE this week, but who am I to point an accusatory finger at these lovely visitors when they provide this label with such a fabulous opportunity to hawk our wares?  The following Matador artists are playing (too many times) in Austin this week.  Shows marked * will require an SXSW badge or wristband for priority entry ; happily, such gigs are in the overwhelming minority compared to the open-to-the-great unwashed public events listed below.  I look forward to seeing you around town this week, and thank you again for keeping Austin, TX's property values well above the national average.

Esben and the Witch :

Tuesday, March 15, 10pm, M for Montreal Showcase, Spill, 212 E. 6th St. (SXSWi event)
Wednesday, March 16, 2:30pm Flavorpill / I Rock I Roll Day Party, Lipstick, 24, 606 E. 7th St. (RSVP)
Wednesday, March 16, 8pm, Windish Booking Showcase*, ND Studios, 501 N. Highway I-35 (5th St. and Brushy Avenue)
Thursday, March 17, 2:30pm, Pop Montreal Party, Beauty Bar, 617 E. 7th St.
Thursday, March 17, 6:45pm, FADER Fort, 1101 E. 5th St.  (RSVP)
Friday, March 18, 3:15pm, Windish Agency Party, Emo's Jr., 603 Red River
Friday, March 18, midnight, BBC/Huw Stephens Showcase *, Latitude 30, 215 San Jacinto
Saturday, March 19, 2:40pm, Mess With Texas, Eastside Drive, 1001 E. 6th St.  (RSVP)
Saturday, March 19, 4:40pm, Dazed & Confused party, Flamingo Cantina, 515 E. 6th St.

Ted Leo (solo)

Wednesday, March 16, 10pm, Brooklyn Vegan Showcase*, The Swan Dive, 651 Red River,
Thursday, March 17, 5:30pm,  Other Music/Dig For Fire present, French Legation, 802 San Marcos
Friday, March 18, 3pm, Flower Booking/Onion AV Club Party, Mohawk, 912 Red River
Saturday, March 19, 4:55pm, Mess With Texas, Eastside Drive, 1001 E. 6th St.  (RSVP)

Glasser

Thursday, March 17, 10pm Pitchfork presents *, Central Presbyterian Church, 200 E. 8th St.
Friday, March 18, Rhapsody Pary, Club Deville, 900 Red River (RSVP)

Kurt Vile & The Violators

Friday, March 18, Rhapsody Party, Club Deville, 900 Red River (RSVP)
Saturday, March 19, 3:30pm, Auditorium Shores, 950 W. Riverside Drive, free, all ages
Saturday, March 19, 6pm, Waterloo Records parking lot, 600 N. Lamar Blvd.

 

Oh, The Places You'll Go: A Day In The Life Of A Non-SXSWer

You know, not everyone in the music industry descends upon Austin for the SXSW Music Conference. Somebody's got to hold the fort down. After all, these records ain't gonna sell themselves. This is my minute-by-minute account of March 18, 2010.



9:30 am: I'm here 30 minutes early because I had to be up and at the DMV by 8 am. Wondering who in Austin is still up drinking from last night. Office is eerily quiet.

10:30 am: Still the only one here... I think.

11:18 am: Chase a dog around the office in an attempt to remove a mail order package from his mouth. Sorry J. Roger from Phoenix... let me know if your corners are bent.

11:43 am: IMing with my cousin about who it would be creepier to get hit on by (if we were girls): The Fonz or Alex P. Keaton.

12:12 pm: Make a list of fake band names. Entries include: The Shittybutts, Sweet Love, Mike Watt's Sweaty Socks, The Super Falcons, The Burnin' Blazin' Mississippi Madmen (feat. Dennis DeYoung), Tugboat Crash, Doucheslayer, Cocks-A-Fire, Wicked Neptune.

12:32 pm: Get a call from Kris Chen who is either drunk or psyched. Or both.

12:35 pm: Mentally count all the people I know who are at SXSW.

12:42 pm: Get a phone call from mom to tell me that Red River is "off the fuckin' hook."

12:45-1:40 pm: Stared at a paperclip.

1:45 pm: Ride the elevator a couple of times.

2:00 pm: Download a program that makes my digital photos look like Polaroids. Psyched.

2:03 pm: Realize that 99% of the fun of Polaroids is waiting for the pictures to develop. Bummed.

2:12 pm: Debate telling coworkers about my plans to time-travel.

2:45 pm: Watch #2 seed Villanova squeak out an embarrassing overtime win over #15 seed Robert Morris. Almost call the university to demand a refund of my tuition.

2:50pm: Sit in Patrick's chair. Try to sign a bunch of cover bands. No one buys it.

3:01pm: Check the Bro'd Trip twitter account to see if Adam is going on without me.

3:05: Decide to take my own Bro'd Trip... to the deli.

3:25-3:55 pm: I think I just took a nap.

4:05 pm: Think about taking up cigarettes again.

4:06 pm: Think about taking up grass again.

5:00 pm: Look up Facebook profiles of girls who dumped me in high school.

5:10 pm: Look up Facebook profiles of kids I beat up in high school.

5:30 pm: Use a Google application to determine the distance of my nightly jogging route. Feel great that it's 1.2 miles. Immediately feel awful that I felt great over 1.2 miles.

6:15 pm: Count the emails I've received today: 16. New all-time low.

6:25 pm: Laugh out loud at email #17 from one of our SXSWers that simply reads "Fuck you."

6:29 pm: One minute to go.

Shearwater SXSW session on Radio K today at 12 noon CDT

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="540" caption="(photo by Amy V. Cooper)"][/caption]

Chances are you're either tired of hearing about SXSW, or you're too drunk to be reading this. What I have here, though, is worth pushing through your SXSW fatigue and putting down that margarita (it's 9 in the morning, for chrissake). The fine folks at Radio K made the trip to SXSW again this year, and as in years past they have an illustrious list of bands recording sessions for them. One of those bands is our own Shearwater, whose session will be airing today at noon Central time. Minneapolitans can tune in to Radio K at 104.5 FM (Minneapolis-St. Paul), 100.7 FM (St. Paul), 106.5 FM (Minneapolis) & 770 AM (Metro area), while the rest of us can listen online.

Shearwater's amazing new album, The Golden Archipelago, can be purchased in all the usual formats by going right here.

Listen to Harlem on KUT tonight, 9:00PM CDT

[caption id="" align="alignnone" width="502" caption="(photo by Pooneh Ghana)"][/caption]

It may not be possible for readers of this blog not to be aware of the annual Bobby Soxx Memorial Festival that's taking place in Austin this week (known to insiders as SOXXXSW), and it is likely just as impossible that you're unaware of the many shows that Austin's Harlem will be playing during said festival. On the off chance that you missed it, a complete list of Harlem's shows (along with the shows of Matador labelmates Fucked Up, The Cave Singers & Shearwater) can be found right here.

Prior to all that, though, you can get warmed up by tuning in to Austin's friendly neighborhood public radio station, KUT, and checking out an instudio from Harlem tonight at 9:00PM Central. Those of you who live within driving distance of Emo's can find KUT at 90.5 on your FM dial, while the rest of the Internet-enabled universe can listen at kut.org.

Should you feel compelled to bring the Harlem magic home with you, please note that our online store has quite the deal on their upcoming album, Hippies: 15% off, free poster, and you get the mp3s instantly.

True Panther SXSW Showdown


We here are True Panther are pretty damn excited and honored to announce this year's True Panther showcase for SXSW. No official stuff or badges or RSVP's, just good music free and open to the public for more hours than one would think is humanly possible. There are two stages so break times will be short and a dj after the live shows are over. The line-up is bands we've done records with, bands we are doing records with, or bands we're just plain big fans of.

Here is a static flyer in case you are seizure prone: FLYER

Thu 3/18 7pm-2am
Delorean/Lemonade/Tanlines/Magic Kids/Morning Benders/Teengirl Fantasy/Hunx & His Punx/Tamaryn/Rainbow Bridge/Shannon & The Clams.... DJ set from Matias Aguayo.
@Cheer Up Charlies (formerly Ms. Beas) 1104 E 6th St East Side Austin.
WOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!

Kurt Vile's (and your) Halloween Plans: Texas Style.

Not trick-or-treating at the end of the month? No worries. Along his current route, Kurt Vile is making a stop in Dallas for a very special Halloween extravaganza. Dress up for KV & The Violators, The Aquaholics, and Giggle Party-- All Ages (but more fun if you're 21+) @ The Lounge on Elm Street. He will be playing plenty of tracks off his new record, Childish Prodigy, which will be available to purchase!

KURT VILE BLACK

Why I Need $360,000,000,000

Charles Ray Fuller: Aspiring Hip-Hop Label Entrepreneur?

HE WHO HAS CLIMBED POT EVEREST

Look at his face. This man is HIGH AS SHIT. But then again, you'd have to be (this) high to start a record label. Is there any more ambitious way to fund a label startup? Who else is dying to hear the records he intended to release?

Not since William G. McAdoo handed to Lord Cunliffe, Governor of the Bank of England, a Treasury warrant for $200,000,000, have I heard of anyone attempting to cash out this much scratch.


The Dallas Morning News lays out the mind-fucking facts:

A man has been accused of attempting to pass a $360 billion check, which he claims was given to him by his girlfriend’s mother to start a record business, Fort Worth police said.

Charles Ray Fuller, 21, of Crowley, was arrested on April 22 on an accusation of forgery, police said.

The personal check was not made out to Mr. Fuller and when the bank contacted the check owner, the woman said she did not write a check for $360 billion.

Mr. Fuller was also accused of unlawful carrying of a weapon and possession of marijuana, Lt. Henderson said. He may also face a theft charge in Crowley.

Lt. Henderson said he did not know if Mr. Fuller and his girlfriend were still together.


Times New Viking, video'd in Denton

Amongst SXSW's embarrassment of riches last week was the opportunity to see Times New Viking some 6 times in 5 days (not counting their stint backing Mike Rep at Siltbreeze's Thursday evening bash).  However, the fine performances by our favorite Columbus trio are by no means limited to major rock biz trade fairs.



Above, Beth, Adam and Jared negotiating the friendly confines of Denton, TX's Strawberry Fields, March 11.

Jennifer O'Connor skips SXSW; makes best record ever.

Day 6 at Headgear Studios in Brooklyn with Mr. John Agnello at the helm. What have we accomplished so far? All the tracking and vocals (live, mind you), some sick guitar overdubs, and a whole lot of fun-having. We've got a week to go including mixing.

Here's some pics:

Photobucket

Mr. Agnello and Mr. Michael Brodlieb (bass)Photobucket

Me and Mike Strandberg (guitar):

Photobucket

DRUMS!(Jon Langmead):

jon

Supplies:

supplies

Another update coming soon.

Love,

Jennifer

SXSW - Keep it together till Saturday at 3:00!

To those of you in Austin who have the time/coherency to check the Matablog,

I am assuming that means you have managed to keep it together thus far, and now, I would like to invite you to loose your shit at the Times New Viking in-store at Waterloo Records!!

Saturday, March 15th at 3:00 pm!!!

Matador's Cavalcade Of Stars Set To Invade The Texas Capitol



(Beth and Adam from Times New Viking, using the Bowery Ballroom stage as a mere tune up for Austin's super swank Soho Lounge. Pic swiped from Rafe Baron's Flickr page)

I won't be wearing a "Welcome To Austin : Now Fuck Off" tee next week, mostly because a) I hate slogans and b) there's too much ketchup on the shirt to wear it in public (again). However, in the interests of keeping you, our close friends, fully informed, we've assembled as complete a list as possible of all the events various Matador recording artists are playing next week during the South By Southwest Clusterfuck (tm). Please be advised that we're gonna list the officially sanctioned SXSW events separately from the day parties, after hours bashes, gigs in non-participating clubs, etc., because we don't wanna mislead anyone. Much like everything good in this world, the below gigs are subject to change. If you can't get in, there's undoubtedly something else going that's not nearly as crowded a few feet away.

OFFICIAL SXSW "Showcases" (like plastic lucite!)

Wednesday, March 13 - Shearwater, Club DeVille, 1am (Brooklyn Vegan party)

Thursday, March 14 - Yo La Tengo, Austin Music Hall, 9:30pm (with My Morning Jacket)
Thursday, March 14 - Jay Reatard, Vice, 302 E. 6th Street 10:30pm
Thursday, March 14 - Times New Viking, Soho Lounge, 217 E. 6th St., 12:30am (Siltbreeze showcase)

Friday, March 15 - Earles & Jensen Present The History Of The Prank Call, Esther's, 525 E. 6th St., 10:30pm (Super Deluxe showcase)

UNOFFICIAL, NOT CONNECTED TO SXSW-AT-ALL (OTHER THAN TAKING ADVANTAGE) SHOWS :

Wednesday, March 12 - Shearwater, The Mohawk, 4pm (Austinist/Gothamist party)
Wednesday, March 12 - Times New Viking, La Zona Rosa, 10pm (Free Yr Radio/Urban Outfitter party)

Thursday, March 13 - Jay Reatard, French Legation Museum, 5pm (Other Music party)
Thursday, March 13 - Times New Viking, French Legation Museum, 6pm (Other Music party)

Friday, March 14 - Jay Reatard, Emo's Main Room, 1:30pm (Pitchfork/Windish Booking party)
Friday, March 14 - Yo La Tengo, French Legation Museum, 4pm (Other Music party)
Friday, March 14 - Times New Viking, Emo's, 4pm (Pitchfork/Windish Booking party)
Friday, March 14 - Jay Reatard, Vice Day Stage, 1106 E. 11th Street, 4pm
Friday, March 14 - Shearwater, French Legation Museum (Other Music party)

Saturday, March 15 - Shearwater, Mess With Texas 2, Waterloo Park, 1:30pm
Saturday, March 15 - Earles & Jensen, Mess With Texas 2, Waterloo Park, 2:30pm
Saturday, March 15 - Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, Spiderhouse Cafe, 2908 Fruth Street, 3pm
Saturday, Match 15 - Jay Reatard, Mess With Texas 2, Waterloo Park, 5:15pm
Saturday, Match 15 - Times New Viking, Waterloo Records instore, 3pm

(a full list of the official SXSW gigs)

(a nearly full collection of unofficial gigs, parties, etc.)

Superbowl chili?

I could care less about the Superbowl. Actually I hate all the drama and the enforced parties and get-togethers. But to be honest I've watched the second half of most of the past few Superbowls, and last night's game was one of the most exciting sporting events I've ever seen. But I digress.

I decided to make chili yesterday because a friend is visiting town who appreciates this kind of food. I wasn't thinking that everybody in the country was making it on the same day, of course... the supermarket was sold out of every ingredient. Fortunately I was well-stocked.

I didn't veer too far from my recent chilis: chuck cut into 1/4" dice, some ground beef for thickener, rendered beef fat with a bit of olive oil for the fat, my own mix of dried, ground anchos, pasillas, guajillos, pequins and african birdseye for chiles. Plus one fresh jalapeno and one fresh scotch bonnet. Mexican oregano and some roasted, ground cumin seed. Salt, and boiling water for the liquid. Onions and garlic cooked in the beef fat, plus, juice of one lime, and 6+ hours coooking.

Here you see all the ingredients, browned and sauteed, just before I've added the water:





One hour later:





Four hours later, after I spooned off about 2 cups of fat.




The fixings plate (not for toppings, but to have on the side... the stuff they give you at Kreuz was the inspiration. Plus Arnold Brick Oven white bread, since you can't seem to buy Wonder Bread around here - did they stop making it?)





And the chili as it looked today, after a night in the fridge:




It's getting another 2-3 hours tonight at very low heat. We'll see how it fares tomorrow.

Postscript: ooohhhhh shit! Chili cooked DOWN. We're talking molten. After a second night in the fridge to lock in the flavors, shit is gonna be sick:




Yes yes yes....

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