Having formed in 1996, The Killdares have come to be known as one of the hottest, cutting edge
bands in music today - Celtic or otherwise. World-class musicians from
all over the U.S., they have come together in Texas to create and
perform a brand new version of hard-driving, alternative Celtic rock
music. With fire-driven fiddle, haunting highland bagpipes, electric guitar, bass and a drummer lead singer
who will knock your socks off, The Killdares perform a live show that
brings the entire audience to their feet over an over again! The Killdares boast the fiddle playing of 6-time national fiddle champion, Roberta Rast, who sets the amazingly energetic tone of each show.
In 2008,
The Killdares released their 5th full-length album, Secrets of the Day, which has been described as "captivating, driving and a little dark".
This album was released to such critical acclaim that it was
submitted for 5 Grammy Nominations in the Pop/Rock and Folk categories.
Over the years, The Killdares have had the opportunity to share the stage with such artists as
Old 97s, Spazmatics, Gin Blossoms, Los Lonely Boys, Black Crowes, Cowboy Mouth,
Hoobastank, Flogging Molly and Gaelic Storm just to name a few.
The Killdares have played such diverse shows as headlining slots at House of Blues in Dallas, TX to playing along side Celtic greats at the Newport Irish Festival in Rhode Island, to entertaining celebrities at the Annual Starkey Hearing Foundation VIP Event in Minnesota.
Links:
www.killdares.com - full length songs, video, tour schedule
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
www.sonicbids.com/thekilldares2
Their music fuses riff rock, classical/symphonic music, heavy metal, loungey grooves, odd meters, klezmer, country shuffles, punk rock and circusy polka. They draw from influences as disparate as Slint and Igor Stravinsky, Van Halen and Louis Armstrong, and The Melvins and Ween. The band applies the DIY attitude of post-punk groups like NoMeansNo and Fugazi to their musical explorations, resulting in a whole that is greater than the sum of its parts.
In the past few years, they have also become known and lauded for their arrangements of classical works such as Tchaikovsky's Nutcracker Suite, 1812 Overture, and Mussorgsky's "A Night on Bald Mountain". Their creative and whimsical version of the Nutcracker Suite has opened the door for many exciting performance collaborations with such organizations as Boys & Girls Clubs of Austin, Austin Children's Museum, Ballet Austin, the Houston Ballet, Wicked Cricket Dance Theatre and Graham Reynold's Golden Arm Trio.
The Invincible Czars are also well-known for their collaboration with Austin's Alamo Drafthouse, creating and performing original "re-scores" of such silent films as Aelita, Queen of Mars and Destiny. Their current film, The Unknown, recently sold out Alamo Drafthouse Theaters in early 2010, and will tour throughout Texas this Summer and Fall.
Links:
www.invincibleczars.com - Full length songs, video, tour schedule
http://tinyurl.com/yjg2l57 - Live recording of "The Unknown" VIDEO
JOHN POINTER
One of Austin's most well-respected artists, John Pointer was just awarded the 2010 Austin Music Award for "Best Experimental Artist" - his tenth in seven years. He and his projects also placed in the top ten for six other 2010 AMAs.
John is a multi-instrumentalist, actor, arranger, composer, producer, and performer with a degree in cello performance and composition. Having mastered the art of beatboxing and stomping while singing and playing guitar, John performs the majority of his shows solo, creating the energy and sound of a full band, using just his body, a stomp platform and a guitar. His live shows range from beatbox solos to heartfelt love songs, and one-man covers like you've never heard them performed before. It is nearly impossible to express the breadth of his talent in words, and the moment you see him perform, the only words most spectators have is "incredible".
John has recently reunited with Trio Los Vigilantes, a classic Mexican bolero trio reminiscent of Trio Los Panchos, Los Tres Reyes and Los Tres Ases. They started in 1996, and received broad acclaim until they disbanded in 2001. They perform for public, private and international events and travel easily with few technical requirements and are already reclaiming their ground as leaders in Latin music, placing 6th "Best Latin Traditional" at the 2010 AMAs after having only performed a handful of pubic shows.
http://www.vimeo.com/4554293 - KASHMIR VIDEO
http://www.vimeo.com/4774111 - One by One VIDEO
http://www.youtube.com/watch?
http://johnpointer.com/audio/
http://johnpointer.com
PHIL PRITCHETT & THE FULL BAND
Phil Pritchett & The Full Band, featuring Texas songwriter,
turned frontman, Phil Pritchett on vox and guitar, JW "Blu" Marshall on
bass and Stu Wilely on drums, have been epitomizing Texas Rock for over a decade. P2FB, to which they are often referred, are revered among the genre, with their cerebral, often amusing lyrics about hot Texas nights, touring, lost love, havin' fun, even bullfighting. Each song tells a story,
captivating live audiences from start to end, always leaving them wanting more. Phil often
throws in colorful versions of a few popular cover songs, often
customized to his audience. There are no live P2FB performances where
the show does not culminate in a crescendo of whoops, hollers and audience participation.
With 11 full-length albums under their belt, P2FB has been making great-selling albums for 12 years, and has no intention of quitting now. Their success has taken them all over the nation on the club and festival circuit, and they are continuing to build their repertoire of interesting gigs from backyard BBQs to headlining the famed Granada Theater in Dallas, TX.
Links:
www.philpritchett.com - Full length songs, tour schedule, podcasts
http://vimeo.com/2533904 -The Bullfighter Returns VIDEO
Full Length Live Songs:
Rattletree is a Zimbabwean style marimba band based in Austin, Texas. They play high-energy dance and trance music that is guaranteed to get you on the dance floor and moving from the first song! They have been called 'Blue Man Group Meets Afropop' because of their giant hand-crafted instruments and their high-energy stage presence.
Averaging over 100 shows a year since their relocation from New Mexico in 2006, Rattletree is as comfortable at Family Music Festivals as they are at All Night Dance Parties or teaching Clinincs and Workshops. They continue to look outward to share their music throughout the US and beyond.
Rattletree has been featured both nationally and regionally in print: including Global Rhythms Magazine, The Austin Chronicle, The Austin American Statesman, The Dallas Observer, The Houston Chronicle, Austin Music Magazine, and numerous regional newspapers.
Through all this attention, Rattletree has managed to stay true to its roots in traditional Zimbabwean spirituality. In Zimbabwe, dance is an integral part of spirit-possession ceremonies and the Shona people of Zimbabwe have spent more than 1000 years perfecting the intense grooves that Rattletree is blessed to transmit to its audience. Come share the joy and be a part of this music!
Links:
http://www.rattletree.com/ - Live Performance Video, Full Length Songs, Tour Schedule
