Bandcamp
In October, Austin s brooding balladeer Bill Callahan teamed with equally enigmatic auteur Bonnie Prince Billy to release a surprise cover of Cat Stevens Blackness of the Night, with arrangements by Drag City labelmate Azita Youssefi. The singles have continued weekly since, each a new cover and collaboration, ranging from pop busters (Steely Dan s Deacon Blues with Bill MacKay; Billie Eilish s Wish You Were Gay with Sean O Hagan) to more obscure (Johnnie Frierson s Miracles filtered through Ty Segall; Lowell George s I ve Been the One with Meg Baird). Amid Lou Reed s Rooftop Garden and Hank Williams Jr. s OD d in Denver, the duo also rolls out a deep Jerry Jeff Walker fascination with takes on Little Bird, Letter Sung to Friends, I Love You, and Night Rider s Lament. The arrangements spiral eclectic and provocative, hung across the balancing act of Callahan s low, methodical intonations and Oldham s creaking high lonesome. –
As Austin headed into the holidays, health officials moved Travis County into
Stage 5 COVID-19 risk guidelines on Dec. 23 because of increased virus cases and hospitalizations. Bumping to the highest restrictions did not mandate closure of bars and music venues – allowed to operate up to 75% capacity with recertification as restaurants under wiggly state orders – but local officials encouraged closure of indoor dining spaces. Left to interpret for themselves, many venues with restarted concert calendars canceled until further notice.
Stage 5 recommendations [urge] individuals to avoid all gatherings outside of the household and avoid dining and shopping except as essential. Businesses are recommended to only operate through contactless options such as curbside and delivery.
Explosions in the Sky at Sound on Sound Fest in 2016 (Photo by David Brendan Hall)
During my teenage years in San Antonio, I had a much cooler best friend with a punk dad. As such, his children annually attended
Fun Fun Fun Fest, the cultish music and comedy festival held at Austin s
Auditorium Shores. I joined in at age 16, just months after returning from a 2012 summer mission trip with my church choir.
Upon entry, the singer of Chicago shock act the
Dwarves dislodged my sunglasses and told me to let my hair down as I bobbed nervously (and happily) before the heavy-genre Black Stage. I got properly high for the first time waiting for
Facebook Live, Saturday 26, 8pm
Ten months of social distancing hardly lends itself to hands-on community volunteerism, but even after the last four years of narcissism and division – and especially in 2020 – Austin recognizes a musical milestone. Meal program and publication from Jazz Mills, Carrie Fussell Bickley, and Jade Skye Hammer, Free Lunch outreaches into Austin to those experiencing homelessness via maximum nourishment. Indie rock firebrand Lolita Carroll (aka Lolita Lynne) and synth-pop peer Dena Hope now take up the standard in a fundraiser matching local ladies of sound with blue holiday cheer. Basically, it s an all lady/nonbinary bill of covers chosen by the artist and written by women! explains Carroll. Our goal is to raise money for Free Lunch and promote their lunch monitor program of regular monthly donations. Free Lunch is very small, but making a big impact on a local level! Jazz is sort of a superstar in the music scene. She s an amazing musician and
Restless, Rebecca’s debut LP on homegrown imprint Holodeck Records,” detailed Rachel Rascoe in a
Chroniclecover story last fall. “Video game warrior, sci-fi princess, genie ballerina – she needs you to meet them all.” Pandemic Polaroids courtesy of the subject
Austin Chronicle: Where are you sheltering and under what circumstances? Who else is there and how’s that going?
Lou Rebecca: When it all began, I was sheltering in Austin, but ended up moving to Los Angeles. I think I got completely restless from quarantine, because I woke up one day, packed my car, and off I went! “When it all began, I was sheltering in Austin, but ended up moving to Los Angeles. I think I got completely restless from quarantine, because I woke up one day, packed my car, and off I went!”