Category: Taping Recap

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Featured News Taping Recap

Vampire Weekend keeps melodies and rhythms flowing

South By Southwest brings thousands of bands to Austin, but only one of them made it to the ACL stage this year. Vampire Weekend is a band we’ve been talking about having on the show for some time, and thanks to SXSW the time was right. The NYC band has been receiving accolades since it first emerged several years ago. Arriving at the ACL stage for its debut taping on the final night of the festival, Vampire Weekend did not disappoint.

One of the things for which the band has become known is its penchant for blending Afropop with British/American jangle pop, and its ability to do that was in full flower tonight. “White Sky,” “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa” and the hit “Holiday” displayed impressive musicianship in playing the tricky polyrhythms and intricate melodies, while not stinting on the irrepressible melodies. Afropop is only one arrow in the band’s quiver, however. The quartet mixed in ska rhythms for “M79,” jangled forthrightly in the more straightforward “Oxford Comma” and worked a less genre-specific tropical groove on “Cousins” and the monster hit “A-Punk,” the latter of which brought on the crowd’s biggest roar. The group got even more diverse in the songs it previewed from its upcoming LP Modern Vampires of the City: “Unbelievers” eschewed worldbeat for upbeat pop played on Farfisa organ and nylon-string guitar, “Ya Hey” soaked itself in electro rhythms and otherworldly atmosphere and “Diane Young” simply rocked out.

With sixteen songs in 70 minutes, Vampire Weekend kept its melodies and rhythms flowing with tight efficiency and maximum fun. We can’t wait for you to see this episode when it airs in the fall as part of our 39th Season. Stay tuned.

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Esperanza Spalding’s Radio Music Society in action

When Esperanza Spalding appeared on Austin City Limits in 2009, she frankly blew us away. A great singer, composer, bandleader and bassist, the Portland native-turned-Austin resident wasn’t a household name, but she made a huge impression on everyone who saw her on our stage. So we were pleased to have her back, with a Best New Artist Grammy on her shelf and a new twist on her distinct vision of jazz and soul.

In a direct nod to her latest record Radio Music Society, a giant jambox adorned our stage; when it started to glow, the band began to play, jumping genres amid radio static to emulate someone switching stations looking for the perfect song (a theme she’d come back to later). Then a deejay announced “Us,” a funky pop tune in which Spalding explained “the philosophy of the Radio Music Society” and introduced her 11-piece band. Stage appropriately set, she and her musicians danced skillfully across a line where jazz, R&B and pop hook up. She veered from the romantic pop/soul of “Crowned and Kissed” and the overt R&B empowerment of “Black Gold” to the jazz balladry of “Hold On Me” and the bebop fusion of Wayne Shorter’s “Endangered Species” (now given environmentally-conscious lyrics).

But Spalding and the band did more than simply play different but related styles. They mixed it all together, adding scat singing to the lovelorn soul of “I Can’t Help It,” slathering the R&B ballad “Cinnamon Tree” with busy jazz guitar (provided by Jef Lee Johnson, a cult figure for guitar nerds) and spicing the singalong soul pop of “Radio Song” with a free jazz piano solo. “Radio Song,” in fact, climaxed the set, rolling the entire “philosophy” of the Radio Music Society into one number, with explanatory dialogue, a catchy chorus and a call-and-response vocal line that made the audience part of the performance. Spalding left the stage still playing and leading the crowd in song.

She encored with a nod to her jazz roots, essaying a sweet take on Betty Carter’s “Look No Further” accompanied only by her drummer. It was a perfect way to cap the big music of the main set and a reminder of her mantra from her first ACL appearance: jazz ain’t nothin’ but soul. You’ll hear for yourself when Esperanza Spalding’s episode airs in February. Don’t miss it!

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News Taping Recap

Gary Clark Jr. does his hometown proud

We’re immensely proud of the eclectic range of Austin City Limits – the variety of genres and locations from which our artists come is amazing. But it’s nice to for us to showcase the “Austin” in our name with a hometown hero. Gary Clark Jr. has been busting it in the River City for over a decade, and his hard work has paid off with a growing touring audience, high profile shows at major festivals (including the Austin City Limits Music Festival and Eric Clapton’s Crossroads Festival) and his much-acclaimed major label record Blak and Blu. He’s been with us before, as part of the Jimmy Reed tribute five years ago, but we were thrilled to welcome him back to the ACL stage, this time under his own name.

“I’ve been wanting to do this for like 16 years,” the young guitar slinger commented before he began. “So let’s have some fun!” There’s an irony to that statement being followed by the downhearted “When My Train Pulls In,” but the heavy blues riffs defied the lyrics’ melancholy cast. The show kicked into high gear immediately afterward with the driving fingerpicked boogie of “Don’t Owe You a Thang,” and the hometown crowd settled into the palm of his hand. “@garyclarkjr is slaying @acltv right now mayne!!!,” claimed tonythecuate on Twitter.

Though the blues forms the heart of his music, Clark is more than just a blues man. “Travis County,” a tune he claims is “about my younger days runnin’ around and gettin’ into trouble,” rocked like Chuck Berry with hair on his chest. “Ain’t Messin’ Round” added a horn section for a jumpin’ soul number, while “Things Are Changin’” and the falsetto-sung “Please Come Home” worked enough R&B magic to prove that Clark will be known as much for his silky singing as for his six-string skills. He also created an epic medley of Jimi Hendrix’ instrumental showcase “Third Stone From the Sun” and Little Johnny Taylor’s funky soul tune “If You Love Me Like You Say” that had the audience roaring by the end. “GC Jr has really come into form these last 4 years. Truly phenomenal guitar player/ singer/ songwriter nowadays,” commented fan Jason Long.

As much versatility as Clark demonstrated, however, he didn’t forget the blues that originally inspired him. He paid tribute to key influences early on by covering Albert Collins’ “If Trouble Was Money” (“one of my favorite songs,” he noted) and Muddy Waters’ “Catfish Blues.” His own original “Bright Lights” put a psychedelic shimmer on the ages-old form, while the grungy “Numb” recalled the days when the blues formed the basis of heavy metal.

The crowd was buzzed enough once the main set was over, but Clark wasn’t done with us yet. His three-song encore delivered original country blues in “Next Door Neighbor,” more heart-throb soul with “You Saved Me” and a canny Albert King cover with “Oh, Pretty Woman,” featuring Clark and his co-guitarist Zapata! trading licks in tribute to the late blues man. When it was all over, the crowd was left exhausted but ecstatic. “@GaryClarkJr just absolutely tore a hole in the roof of this joint. Amazing set! Doing his hometown proud!!” boasted Nakia on Twitter. “I just raised him on my list from “who is this guy” to “have to buy a CD” and “watch for him playing close by”! GroovyHoovy,” exhulted David Hoover on YouTube.

Gary Clark Jr. has come a long way from being a teenager playing blues standards in bars he wasn’t old enough to drink in. We’re proud to host his coming out party and can’t wait for everybody to see the episode, It’ll air in February next year – don’t miss it!

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Featured News Taping Recap

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros deliver communal magic

The best rock concert is a communal experience, as much about people coming together for a shared goal as it is about entertainment. Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros show a deeper understanding of that concept than just about any other group on the scene. Led by singer/songwriter Alex Ebert, the fast-rising indie folk band has spread its eccentric gospel on two acclaimed records that encourage listener identification, whether or not one buys into Ebert’s concept about the messianic figure Edward Sharpe. That special, communal magic was in full effect during the band’s debut Austin City Limits taping.

Working without a setlist, the band opened with “Man On Fire,” the first track on its latest LP Home. Beginning with a low-key vocal thrum, the song revved up to a sort of indie rock hoedown, as instruments got added along the way and Ebert made the first of several trips out into the audience. By the time the song was over, Ebert and the crowd, already pumped to see the band play, had bonded.

The interaction between audience and the band was no surprise, given the obvious influence of old-time gospel on the music. “That’s What’s Up” (with its funky synth riff), “I Don’t Wanna Pray” (a pro-spirituality/anti-organized religion polemic) and the downright inspirational “Up From Below” made good use of gospel’s dynamics, with celebratory melodies and group vocals that rose, fell and rose again. “If You Wanna,” “40 Day Dream” and the radio hit “Home” became exercises in call-and-response, as Ebert engaged the crowd so they became part of the performance. On “Janglin’,” an audience request, Ebert left the stage once again, climbing into the mezzanine and sharing a drink with a fan. Music aside, the most important thing Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros have borrowed from gospel music is its inclusiveness – the idea that we’re all in this together, so let’s sing!

Not everything was indie rock hosannahs. “Fiya Wata” was full-throated folk rock, as well as a showcase for Ebert’s onstage/vocal foil Jade Castrinos. The pretty indie folk of “Mayla” manifested orchestral pop trappings, as if the band was listening to Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band while recording. The atmospheric “Desert Song” floated like nothing else in the set, while the lovely “Child,” sung by guitarist Christian Letts, proved a respite from the otherwise high energy.

The show climaxed with “Om Nashi Me.” Ebert explained that the song grew out of nonsense syllables, but that the title was Sanskrit for “Oh infinite nakedness.” Whether or not it’s true, the tune’s undeniable spiritual dimension fully engaged both band and crowd, as the latter eagerly contributed clapping in 6/8 time and the former lost themselves in the “And I love you forever” message. “Om Nashi Me” not only brought the show to an undeniable peak, but served as almost a statement of purpose for the band itself.

Edward Sharpe & the Magnetic Zeros delivered one of the most unusual yet accessible shows we’ve ever had the privilege to record. We hope you’ll tune in early next year to see for yourself.

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The giddy energy of Delta Spirit’s ACL taping debut

It’s always fun for us to see the giddy energy of a first-time ACL performance, and Delta Spirit simply buzzed with it during its debut taping. “It’s so good to be here – oh my god!” exclaimed singer Matthew Vasquez before a note was struck. Then it was off into “Empty House,” the kind of anthem at which this band excels. Born in San Diego but based in Brooklyn, the quintet channels the spirit of Americana, particularly folk, through a modern indie rock prism. It’s a sound that will no doubt lead to the “Great American Record” that the group desires to work toward.

In the meantime, Delta Spirit gave us all it had with “Children,” “California” and “Bushwick Blues.” “Tear It Up” married a McCartneyesque melody to roots rock energy, as pretty harmonies and ringing guitars floated over pounding drums. “People C’mon” began with a classical piano flourish before expanding into a minor-key country rocker with a noisy ending. “Trashcan” found Vasquez playing a dissonant piano solo with his feet, before exhorting the crowd in a chorus of “Na-na-nas.” Indeed, it’s Vasquez’s rapport with Delta Spirit’s audience that’s at the heart of the band’s performance. “Money Saves,” “White Table” and “People C’mon” all featured audience participation, from the “Whoa-ohs” of “Money Saves” to the clapping of “White Table.”

It wasn’t all widescreen rock, however. Bringing it down in intensity (but not in quality), Vasquez paid tribute to his grandmother in the tender “Vivian” with just two guitars and a soulful vocal. The set-closing “People, Turn Around” channeled the folk spirit of Woody Guthrie, mixing a humanist message with indie rock energy. The encore “Crippler King,” from the band’s first EP, blazed at a frisky country rock pace, absorbing Blind Willie Johnson’s “John the Revelator” along the way and bringing the evening to a crashing close.

The Delta Spirit show was a testament not only to the continued resilience of American rock & roll, but also the power brought on by the excitement of playing ACL for the first time. We know you’ll enjoy this episode when it airs early next year.

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Bob Mould brings the thunder to ACL

Not every innovator is a household name – there are plenty of artists who shape entire genres without becoming giants in the public eye. Such is the lot of Bob Mould. The New York-born/San Francisco-based singer/songwriter/guitarist rewrote the rules of punk and set the template for alternative rock with his ’80s band Husker Dü and 90s outfit Sugar. His powerful songwriting and distinctive guitar style have had an influence far beyond that suggested by name recognition. Without Mould, there would have been no Pixies, no Green Day, no Foo Fighters – all artists who acknowledge his influence.

We were thrilled to welcome Mould, the day before his set at Austin’s Fun Fun Fun Fest, to ACL Live at The Moody Theater for his debut taping. The alt.rock icon brought the thunder with a set high in both energy and volume that spanned across the decades of his 30-year career.

Bob Mould KLRU photo by Scott Newton

He started the set with the chugging power chords of “The Act We Act,” the first tune on Sugar’s classic debut record Copper Blue. Unsurprisingly, given that Mould and his sidefolks are currently touring that LP in its entirety, he then slammed immediately into a fierce “A Good Idea,” followed in short order by “Changes,” “Helpless” and “Hoover Dam” – in other words, side one of Copper Blue. Mould windmilled his Stratocaster between muscular vocals and nimble solos aided by bassist Jason Narducy (formerly of Mould production client Verbow) and drummer Jon Wurster (also of Superchunk).

After a brief pause to allow band and audience to catch their breath, Mould then drew from his brilliant new record Silver Age with the snarling “Star Machine,” the driving “Round the City Square” and the masterful “The Descent,” updating his Sugary approach while remaining true to its spirit. Mould then made a startling side trip, dipping into his acclaimed 1989 solo debut Workbook. Running the primarily acoustic songs through his power trio filter, Mould maintained the intensity by turning “Wishing Well” into a powerhouse anthem, “Sinners and Their Repentances” into a pounding rocker and “See a Little Light” into a crunchy example of the sound he does so well.

Bob Mould KLRU photo by Scott Newton

To round it out, Mould cranked out a quartet of Husker Dü classics. “I Apologize,” “Chartered Trips” and “Could You Be the One?” blasted pop/punk fury, their hooks enhanced by the psych/noise ending of “Trips.” But it was the rarely-performed “Hardly Getting Over It,” dedicated to Mould’s late father, that had the most emotional weight. The only slow song of the evening, it had the feel of real catharsis.

The trio closed the set by roaring straight into “Keep Believing,” a tribute to the music that moves Mould to continue creating. But their time offstage was brief. “I’ve waited a long time to do this,” said the songwriter as the band returned to the stage, “so thanks a lot.” After that simple statement, the band launched into Sugar’s “If I Can’t Change Your Mind,” again translating a formerly acoustic tune into electric fury. The encore concluded with a pair of Husker Dü numbers – the dynamic, magnificent “Celebrated Summer” and “Makes No Sense at All.”

This episode will be one to remember. We can’t wait for you to see it when it airs early next year.