Category: Taping Recap

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News Taping Recap

Dr. Dog: a fierce distillation of American rock ‘n’ roll music

With over a decade of acclaimed albums and a rapidly growing following for their live show, Dr. Dog has been bubbling under the radar long enough that they are ready to blow up. Given the Philadelphia band’s continued upward momentum, it was inevitable the band would grace the ACL stage. When it finally happened last night, it wasn’t just for the hundreds of lucky fans who joined us in the studio. For only the second time in the show’s history, we streamed an ACL taping, bringing an unvarnished view of Dr. Dog’s unique psychedelic indie rock to the masses.

Dr. Dog launched into the catchy pop song “Shadow People” from the ACL stage that had been enhanced with lamps, desks and antique ephemera (“Dr. Dog ‘s stage decor gives me the urge to go antique shopping down on SoCo,” quipped star512 ).

Wielding a setlist made of an even mix of their last three LPs (Be the Void, Shame, Shame and Fate), the sextet worked its magic on an eager crowd of diehard fans who appreciated the depth of the catalog. Balancing instrumental skill with a relaxed looseness, the band combined influences from across the spectrum of rock history with stunning clarity –  “Kudos to whomever is mixing,” commented @johnlmyers. “Sounds fantastic.” “Lonesome” boasted a band vibe, while “Do the Trick” subtly incorporated a Philly soul groove. “Vampire” mixed late-period Beatles with noisy rock, while “That Old Black Hole” added a Johnny Cash backbeat to the psychedelic stew. The spaghetti western dub psych of “Fate” sounded as at home in the band’s hands as the gypsy melody and reggae rhythms peeking out of “The Ark.”

A Dr. Dog show isn’t all musical eclecticism, however – “I Only Wear Blue,” “Heavy Light” and “Where’d All the Time Go?” offered plenty of singalong moments and catchy melodies. “Dr. Dog have become a fierce distillation of American rock ‘n’ roll music,” notes AustinBloggyLimits.  “These guys are so versatile,” enthused Aunt Betty Reden on Facebook. “Awesome! Refreshing!”

The main set ended with the propulsive epic “The Rabbit, the Bat, and the Reindeer,” but Dr. Dog wasn’t through with us yet. The band pulled the tongue-in-cheek gospel suicide note “Die, Die, Die” from the LP We All Belong (surprising director and crew, as it wasn’t on the setlist) before ending with a rare treat: its cover of Architecture in Helsinki’s “Heart It Races,” a tune the Dog doesn’t perform live often. It was a rapturous end to a show Frank Cunningham from the band’s Philly stomping ground declared on Facebook, “Freakin’ magnificent!”

Derek Neasham of Georgia asserts, “Feed’s been great! I hope they start making this a common practice. “ So do we, Derek. Thanks to everyone who joined in studio and online, and we hope to hear from you and all the folks at home come October when the ACL episode featuring Dr. Dog hits your television screens.

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News Taping Recap

tUnE-yArDs: a show unlike any other

Some musical artists get known for jumping on trendy bandwagons. Other artists do it by revitalizing a familiar style, or simply doing it really, really well. But a few, a very few, garner attention by doing something no one else is doing, and sounding like no one but themselves. Tonight’s performance by tUnE-yArDs made it clear to which category Merrill Garbus belongs. With a bassist and two sax players joining Garbus’ frontline of drums, amplified ukelele and looping technology, tUnE-yArDs put on a show unlike any other.

Garbus opened with a storm of looped voices and beats from her snare and floor tom.  Joined first by the bassist and then by the sax players, she launched into “Party Can,” a bonus track on the Japanese version of tUnE-yArDs’ hit album w h o k i l l. They followed with a bit of free jazz sax skronk before going into “Gangsta,” one of tUnE-yArDs’ most accessible tunes. “Es-So” was next, as Garbus looped a hip-hop beat out of her drums, layered some wailing vocals and then chopped out some jagged chords on her uke. Add an almost poppy vocal melody to the polyrhythmic tapestry and it’s the tUnE-yArDs sound in a nutshell.

tUnE-yArDs © KLRU photo by Scott Newton

While the group may have a form, it certainly wasn’t formula, as every song sounded different than the one prior. From the Latin-tinged percussion of “Riotriot” and the African vocal melody of “Bizness to the dub ukelele and big-band sax lines of “Killa,” tUnE-yArDs showed an amazing facility to lift bits and pieces from different cultures and genres, and fit them all together like an intricate but smoothly constructed puzzle. It sounds like a worn cliche, but it’s true – tUnE-yArDs truly sounds like no one you’ve heard before, and we’re thrilled to showcase such a unique artist. “I love Merrill Garbus’ power and fearlessness,” tweeted ACL producer TheOtherLeslie. “And her sense of fun. Above all a tUnE-yArDs show is a damn good time.”

tUnE-yArDs © KLRU photo by Scott Newton

Be sure and keep up with all ACL TV goings-on on our site, Facebook and Twitter pages. Check out some pics of the past on our Tumblr page.

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Taping Recap

Rodrigo y Gabriela rock ACL

Austin City Limits has had its eye on guitarists Rodrigo y Gabriela for a few years, and we’re happy that the stars finally aligned just right for us to invite them to our house. Backed by the  Cuban fusion band C.U.B.A., the duo conquered The Moody Theater with passion, groove and oft-stunning technique.

The pair makes the most of the contrast between their styles – Rodrigo rips out flatpicked licks that betray his metal roots while Gabriela flails at her ax with flamenco-based rhythms, often using a wah-wah pedal to send her riffs into outer space. Backed by the stellar C.U.B.A. the pair enthusiastically mixed Afro-Cuban grooves, jazz fusion harmonies, Latin melodies and the occasional rock flourish into a blazing storm of tuneful technique. “Hanuman,” “Ixtapa” and “Diablo Rojo” filled the Moody with hot licks and cool grooves, bringing the crowd to their feet. Even midway during the show, when the band left the stage so Rodrigo y Gabriela could really show off their skills on “Savriti,” Hora Zero” and “Buster Voodoo,” the energy stayed at a level that could power a small city.

Rodrigo y Gabriela are a joy to watch –  jumping across the stage, making eye contact with their fans and encouraging the audience to provide rhythms through applause. The crowd responded in kind, lavishing love on a gang of musicians working hard and having fun doing it. That energy will inevitably translate to the small screen, and we can’t wait for y’all to see this stunning show. No doubt about it – Rodrigo y Gabriela rule.

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News Taping Recap

Punch Brothers debut on ACL

“We’ve wanted to do this for so long!” declared Chris Thile before launching into the first number of the Punch Brothers’ Austin City Limits taping. While it was the band’s first time on ACL, it was not the first for Thile, who has graced our stage three times before with his former group Nickel Creek and as part of Dolly Parton’s backing ensemble. So the Punch Brothers show was a debut by an ACL veteran.

Paradoxes aside, the quintet killed it with their unique take on acoustic music. Set up with bluegrass instrumentation but just as influenced by jazz, classical music and pop as anything old-timey, the Punch Brothers performed a stunning array of tunes that slipped through the fingers of specific genres like hyperactive toddlers. From the stop-start rhythms of “Who’s Feeling Young Now?” and “Hundred Dollars” to the straight pop melodies of “New York City” and “Don’t Get Married Without Me,” the band delivered a restless, intensely creative set of songs.

Tradition didn’t get short shrift, either – the instrumental “Watch’at Breakdown” and a cover of Jimmie Rodgers’ “Brakeman’s Blues” delivered plenty of old-fashioned bluegrass thrills. The band combined their experimental and traditional sides midshow by seguing a judiciously dissonant cover of Radiohead’s “Kid A” into a blazing take on Gillian Welch’s “Wayside/Back in Time” .

The band returned to the stage for an encore with heartfelt and fun tributes to recently fallen heroes – Earl Scruggs with the banjo master’s “Groundspeed” and Levon Helm with the Band’s “Ophelia.” Throughout the show the band used their instrumental virtuosity only for good, never soloing to the point of tedium – their taste was as impeccable as their musicianship. The Punch Brothers’ set was as fine an example of unclassifiable contemporary acoustic music as anyone could hope for.

“When you start a band, this is all you really want to be able to do – play Austin City Limits,” noted  Thile halfway through the show, as he cited the Season 15 show with Strength in Numbers as a catalyst to his desire to make music. We’re always happy to host great musicians who’ve grown up with ACL. Hopefully future generations will be inspired by the Punch Brothers when the episode airs  this fall on your local PBS station. Check our Facebook and Twitter pages for more info as the year progresses.

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News Taping Recap

Bon Iver’s intimate pop anthems mesmerize

When Justin Vernon created the acclaimed For Emma, Forever Ago in his family’s cabin in Medford, Wisconsin in 2008, he probably never thought that his candid creation would lead his band Bon Iver to the Austin City Limits studio. But here he is, playing to a packed house at ACL Live at the Moody Theater.

Joined by eight multi-instrumentalists, Vernon turned his intimate confessionals into orchestral pop anthems that kept the crowd mesmerized. They played all but one song from 2011’s Grammy-winning Bon Iver, Bon Iver, but left plenty of room for gems from For Emma and beyond. Making good use of controlled cacophony on “Perth” and “Creature Fear” and soft-to-loud dynamics on “Calgary” and the hit “Holocene,” the band deftly demonstrated its range and depth. (“Holocene reminds me of driving along the West Coast and feeling so insignificant, but in a good way,” tweeted Miranda S.) Bon Iver pulled back for the folky “Skinny Love” and the lovely “Re: Stacks” (performed by Vernon solo) and revved back up for the catchy “Towers” and the rocking “Blood Bank.”

As if Vernon didn’t already have the audience in the palm of his hand, he appealed to their local pride with what Julia Brash described as an “overwhelmingly beautiful” cover of hometown heroine Patty Griffin’s “Nobody’s Crying,” before engaging them in a mass singalong for “The Wolves.” “All we needed was a campfire,” noted Zackary Wilburn, “and we would have been in that cabin up in Wisconsin!” Bon Iver closed out the night with “For Emma,” in many ways the song that started it all.

“This is the only good, perfect, wonderful music show that we have,” Vernon asserted during the encore. Such high praise makes us blush – we’re as happy to have hosted Bon Iver as its leader was to be here. Bon Iver’s enchanting episode will air in the fall – check with your local PBS station for airdates and showtimes. You can also keep up with Season 38’s progress via Facebook, Twitter and this very blog.

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Taping Recap

The Shins bring their best to Austin City Limits

What a whirlwind week it’s been here in Austin, TX.  And what better way to end our SXSW experience than with a taping of ACL with The Shins. Their new album Port of Morrow is out tomorrow and the band previewed a half dozen new tunes last night for our ACL fans.

“The Rifle’s Spiral” colored an epic pop tune with keyboardist Richard Swift’s electronic blips and swoops. “September” provided some Shinsized country music – it’s in much the same vein as their older tune “New Slang” (which was also performed).  “It’s Only Life” is a simply a brilliant song. “No Way Down,” “Bait and Switch” and “Simple Song” added a trio of magnificently shiny new pop gems to The Shins’ already stuffed jewel box.

The group rolled out plenty of classics as well, kicking the show off  with “Caring is Creepy,” the first song from their first album. “Australia” (“one of my favorites,” commented singer-songwriter Mercer) and the hit “Phantom Limb” upped the bouncy pop quotient, while “Mine’s Not a High Horse” and “So Says I” mined the band’s loud rock vein. The Shins really pushed themselves on “Kissing the Lipless,” which moved from quite to blasting and back, and “One By One All Day,” which closed out with a psychedelic guitar/pedalboard solo from guitarist Jessica Dobson. The band saved the best for last, bringing the show to a close (barring a redo of “Bait and Switch”) and the crowd to a roar with an amazing “Sleeping Lessons” – as @erinegg commented, “Holy rock n roll!”

This was The Shins second appearance on the ACL stage. (They last appeared in Season 30 in 2004). Perhaps one of our Twitter followers summed it up best:  @TStorm_Warning said: “New Shins is sounding as good as old Shins.”