Dancing About Architecture

After poking fun at Abra Moore's SPIN and SPY magazine appearances, I was asked to teach her how to pose properly for the camera, as seen in this shot (Raoul: Don't use the one where she's flashing that "Get this leper away from me" look). Actually, with all the bands and record company types in town looking to hand out free things, it seemed like a good time to make sure everyone knows what I look like - and why not take the opportunity to pose with a gorgeous rising young star while I'm at it? Moore, who was recently nominated for a Grammy and will soon be seen singing the Jelly Roll Morton tune "Millenburg Joys" in Richard Linklater's new film The Newton Boys (she was also in Slacker), continues her upward journey this Saturday with a show at La Zona Rosa. She's also hoping to get together with one of her biggest fans, Sarah MacLachlan, who's in town Sunday and Monday for two sold-out performances at the Austin Music Hall, and with whom Moore hopes to at least chat if not maybe show up onstage for one of the two gigs. "We haven't heard yet if she can swing it," says Moore's manager George Couri. If you didn't get tickets for the show, you just might find Moore making an appearance next Wednesday, though I can't tell you just where.

The 1997-98 Austin Music Awards Show

Yep, this is the last issue before the annual South by Southwest kick-off, the Austin Music Awards, wherein we honor our fine local musicians by announcing who you voted to the top of the heap and letting them take a bow (and a plaque) for it. The final lineup for this year's show (like you didn't see it elsewhere) features Malachi; the Derailers; MC Overlord with Hot Buttered Rhythm; Kacy Crowley, Ana Egge, & Trish Murphy with special guest Jon Dee Graham; the Gourds & the Damnations; Asleep at the Wheel with guests Johnny Gimble and Leon Rausch. Floyd Tillman will join Ray Benson and company, as will Don Walser and Herb Remington. Also on hand, famous groupie Pamela Des Barres has been added as a guest presenter, and since we're talking about groupies, I should mention that this Friday at the Continental Club is the Uranium Savages' annual Eddy Awards, where among other things, they'll be presenting their Margaret Moser "Groupie of the Year" trophy.

Wristbound

The SXSW offices were not a happy place Tuesday morning, as a number of people who had first waited for non-existent wristbands at Waterloo Records following an incorrect story in the American-Statesman story turned to the music conference to voice their distress. "Things got printed that were incorrect," says a weary Brent Grulke. "I don't know what level of outcry there was, but because of any inconvenience that may have been caused on our behalf, we decided the thing to do was to put another 400 $60 wristbands on sale Thursday [today] at 6pm at Star Tickets downtown [Sixth and Brazos]." Wristbands for the music festival will go back on sale the following day at the new raised price of $95, and Grulke reminds, "that supply is also very limited."

On the "Most Asked Questions" front, Grulke confirms that Sonic Youth will indeed be performing as part of SXSW, with the time and place set as Thursday, March 19, 7pm, at La Zona Rosa. The doors for that show open at 6:30pm due to a party at the venue that runs through the afternoon, and like the rest of SXSW, first badges and then wristbands will be admitted. "If there's still capacity, we'll sell a few tickets," says Grulke. Having become quite philosophical (i.e. exhausted) as the fest looms on the horizon, Grulke also points out that "La Zona is a big place," and decries those who over the years have complained that they never get in to The Big Shows. "These are industry showcases, yes, but we do want to cater to fans, too. If you're savvy and you decide who you want to see and get there early, in the vast majority of cases, you'll be able to get in." He further cites shows like last year's Tony Bennett show at the Music Hall, which as a result of everyone assuming they couldn't get in, was only two-thirds full. Still, "If you want to club-hop," he warns, "buy a badge."

Even if you don't buy anything, the very idea that you can't stay fully cocked and loaded and bathed in music is a ridiculous one. The number of day parties being held by record companies and such at local venues is staggering, and far beyond what I have the space to announce here. Still, I'll do what I can in the clip'n'save section below to give a broad view of some afternoon musics available between March 18-22: There's a Wednesday afternoon Justice Records party at Stubbs' (lineup to be announced), Thursday 19 sees Pocket FishRmen, Kervorkians, Sinis (The Chron staff says, "Gee, thanks for the lovely cum towels"), Thaimaster, Assholes, and Transfixr at the Flamingo Cantina starting at 1pm; the Yard Dog Folk Art Gallery on South Congress features a Schubas Tavern showcase that day from 1-6:30pm with Black Family, Sally Timms, Handsome Family, JonBoy Langford & the Pine Valley Cosmonauts, Mount Pilot, and Genghis Angus; finally, that Thursday, Emo's and Stubb's have High Times and Sony/Columbia parties, respectively, with the lineups yet to be announced at both. Emo's brings in Perplexa, Roundhead, Morsel, Wig, 5 Horse Johnson, and Walk On Water for the Motorbooty on Friday 3/20 and Brutal Truth, Today Is the Day, Bloodlet, and HateBreed will perform at the annual Rave Booking party on Saturday, 3/21, both shows running from 1-6pm. There's another Sony party at Maggie Mae's Friday afternoon with Mary Lou Lord and Pete Drodge from 3-6pm, and Yard Dog sprays forth Bloodshot Records' Back Yard Party that afternoon from 2-6-ish with Alejandro Escovedo, Waco Brothers, Neko Case & the Sadies, Meat Purveyors, Moonshine Willie, Riptones, Grievous Angels, and Trailer Bride. Stubbs' events continue with a Captive Audience party with Wayne Hancock, Grand Royal listening party for Sean Lennon, and Capricorn party all on Friday, and an ASCAP bash with Loudon Wainwright on Saturday. That's all I have room for now, but come back next week.

Williams Stops Spinning Her Wheels?

The Mercury is apparently dropping in hell right now if the Internet's "Wall of Sound" report is correct that the label has signed Lucinda Williams and will be releasing Car Wheels on a Gravel Road, her long-awaited (and long delayed) followup to 1992's Sweet Old World. After three aborted efforts at an album by producers Gurf Morlix, Steve Earle & Ray Kennedy, and Roy Bittan, the new release will reportedly consist of material from all three sources. Word is that the album is due for release in June or July, though a Mercury publicist says she knows only that yes, "Mercury has Lucinda." Williams will definitely be heard on a couple of soundtracks in the near future, those for The Horse Whisperer and Niagara, Niagara. The latter also features a track by the late San Antonio coffehouse act the Blue Heelers. Not coincidentally, the band's front man Henry Thomas (aka the kid from E.T.) stars in the film...

Mixed Notes

The Newton Boys soundtrack (wild to see the Bad Livers' name flash by in those national TV ads, ain't it?) is only one of many Austin-related subjects addressed in this week's Billboard. Included is a big spread on Shawn Colvin, the news that Fastball's "The Way" has cracked the Modern Rock Top 10 (!!) and even a word or two about Joe Ely's art opening at Wild About Music this Friday, "Another Sanity," which runs through May 17, just after the U.S. release of Ely's 15th album...

Still feeling visual? Photographer Johnny Medina has a one-night-only exhibit of "Sex, Sex, and Rock & Roll" this Sunday, 8pm, at the ArtPlex Gallery (1705 Guadalupe). Camaro Sutra will perform...

April 4-5 is the big Blues Weekend with James Cotton, Long John Hunter, Lou Ann Barton, Steve James, Rod Piazza & the Mighty Flyers, Anson Funderburgh & the Rockets, and Matthew Robinson & the Texas Blues Band. No, that's not a special pre-anniversary show at Antone's, it's the scheduled cast of the first two days of the East First Garden Theatre, located at 4822 E. Cesar Chavez. Under the Sun's Steve Dean is behind the venue, where he held a zydeco festival four years ago. What took so long? "Well, you know the city," says Dean, who tested the new P.A. last Sunday and says all is ready to go...

Call them "The Young Atlantics": Austin's Kacy Crowley and David Garza, along with Chris Stills and Francis Dunnery, have pre-taped episodes of HBO's Reverb for airing next year...

If you want to get a jump start on the music biz before SXSW begins, music consultant Tim Sweeney is bringing his free music business workshop to Borders Books next Tuesday, 6pm. The L.A.-based Sweeney says his goal is to "re-educate as many independent artists and musicians" as he can...

Friends of the late Jubal Clark, including Ray Benson, Ponty Bone, and Mandy Mercier, and members of Clark's band are turning the late musician's bithday (St. Patrick's Day) into St. Jubal's Day with a get-together at Waterloo Ice House on 6th...

Phylr (formerly of Cop Shoot Cop) will play an in-store at 33 Degrees (who have a hell of a lineup for SXSW week, but I'll direct you to those next week) next Wednesday at 4pm. Tower Records has Sixteen Horsepower this Friday at 3pm and Swervedriver Saturday at 2pm...

- Contributors: Michael Bertin, "BOB," Raoul Hernandez, Andy Langer, Margaret Moser