Author Archives: Max Herman

page 3 of 5 ←first ←previous 1 2 3 4 5 next→ last→

Music Ana Tijoux: For the People

by Max Herman
April 6, 2010 - 12:49 pm

Givin' a little bit of heart an soul

Ana Tijoux is sitting across from me in Austin. She looks a bit tired, but says she’s feeling ready for her last performance of the weekend and about to jump on her first North American tour. Tijoux, one of Chile’s most established hip-hop MCs and daughter of a former political exile, has been enjoying talking with new fans from across the States and checking out numerous bands during her stay. She’s here to promote her forthcoming U.S. debut, 1977—a solid shot of relaxed yet intelligent hip-hop.

Ana Tijoux – Sube

Read the full story →

Austin TX Featured Gallery In Austin for The Red Bull Thre3Style

by Max Herman and Dustin Downing
March 24, 2010 - 12:25 am

Before arriving at the corner of Congress and 4th in Austin’s Warehouse District, I could hear heavy bass that drew me right to Red Bull’s final event during Thre3stlye hosted by Skillz. Held in a gigantic parking lot, this party couldn’t have been much more public as it was free and open to everyone of age requiring no RSVP. As the windy night carried on, more and more curious pedestrians piled onto the concrete to hear some of the world’s most beloved selectors. Even Kanye West stopped by.

Read the full story →

interview General Elektriks Steps Out of the Background to Spread That Soul

by Max Herman and Dustin Downing
March 24, 2010 - 12:23 am

GeneralElektriks

Hervé “RV” Salters, the mastermind behind left-field soul project General Elektriks, never thought he would be more than a keyboardist and songwriter while living in his native Paris. All that changed when he made it to the States in 1999 and soon after began recording solo material (vocals included) under the GE alias on the renowned Quannum Projects. But while catching up with the humble Salters in Austin during the festival week, he recalls that the first time he grabbed the microphone to sing, it wasn’t pretty. “Brutal” are his exact words.

Read the full story →

Austin TX Featured Gallery The Death Set : Absolute Energy

by Max Herman
March 23, 2010 - 11:36 am

The Death Set doesn’t like to sit still—literally and figuratively. The on-stage experience of this globetrotting modern punk trio sparked in Australia and currently based in Brooklyn is absolute insanity—mad drinking, sweating, stage diving, and pure unadulterated energy. It might just be one of the most enjoyable sets you ever see. And that’s coming from someone who doesn’t know a lot about punk.

Read the full story →

Austin TX Gallery Red Bull Big Tune Kicks Off in Austin

by Max Herman
March 23, 2010 - 11:25 am

What better way to kick off Red Bull Big Tune 2010 than in the middle of SXSW? An increasing amount of hip-hop showcases means more hip-hoppers hanging around 6th St. during the festival than ever. The bonus was that a few people who walked into the narrow confines of The Belmont’s outdoor performance space had no idea about the Red Bull Big Tune battle. So the turn out was both impressive and diverse for the return of the longest running producer competition around.

Read the full story →

Gallery Music Sleigh Bells : Distorted Bounce

by Max Herman and Dustin Downing
March 20, 2010 - 4:04 pm

Less than two years active and without an album or EP to their name, male/female duo Sleigh Bells may still be finding their groove sonically, but together, Derek Miller on guitar and synths and Alexis Krauss with her rap-esque vocals, brought a hefty amount of bounce to Carniville Austin. The hands were definitely in the air for this up-and-coming act based in Brooklyn.

Read the full story →

Gallery Music Dam-Funk: L.A.’s Modern Funk Ambassador

by Max Herman
March 20, 2010 - 12:54 pm

Rocking a Jheri curl, wife beater, and boxy shades on the stage of Carniville Austin, Dam-Funk looks classically West Coast. Taking on both selector and vocalist duties, he breaks a sweat circling around, asking the crowd to “just bounce” to his ‘80s-inspired funk while performing the track “Hood Pass Intact.” Dam (pronounced Dame) may have only recently been embraced by the music industry, but he’s no fly by night throwback act trying to play a role—this DJ/producer/singer is a lifetime lover of funk who’s finally getting his time to shine.

Read the full story →

Austin TX Gallery Taking Time to Enjoy the Randomness of Austin’s Street Performers

by Max Herman
March 20, 2010 - 11:58 am

One of the most interesting moments of SXSW for me so far happened not inside a venue but outside on the corner of 6th and Congress. Here, a duo of xylophone players from Africa are joined by a local clarinetist named Roy Coon in a completely unplanned collaboration. The mixture of raw percussion and melodic woodwind sounds evoked a number of passersby’s to gather round. And this street session was made possible initially because of the clarinetist’s curiosity.

Read the full story →

Featured Gallery Music Lords of Altamont: ‘60s State of Mind

by Max Herman
March 20, 2010 - 11:25 am

During their second show in Austin this week, L.A.’s five-piece band The Lords of Altamont plus their go-go dancer are crammed on to the small stage in the corner of Cheapo Discs. This garage punk crew doesn’t let tight quarters confine their energy though as frontman Jake “The Preacher” Cavaliere leads the way shoving his vintage organ around and at one point, jumping on top of it and still performing. That’s the way the Lords roll.

Read the full story →

page 3 of 5 ←first ←previous 1 2 3 4 5 next→ last→