Vans Warped Tour 2014 - Five Bands To Watch

Five Bands To Watch at the 2014 Vans Warped Tour

Every Time I Die (photo from Warped 2012)

By Sean Claes
With the Vans Warped Tour kicking off in June, we thought it'd be the perfect time to give you our opinion of the five bands you should brave the crowds to go out and see. There are 87 bands playing the San Antonio date on June 14, 2014 at the AT&T Center. Of those, these are the 5 we're going to make sure we catch. Hope to see you crowd surfing out there.

Cute is What We Aim For

Labeled as "pop punk" this band is actually much like a lot of the other bands I have often called "Disney Punk" but in that realm, these guys do it well... better than most. I know, that doesn't sound much like a reigning endorsement... but give them a chance. This 'ol metalhead enjoyed them. Heck, INsite even had them as our cover story in 2007.

Every Time I Die

Here's a fantastic hardcore band that has a sense of humor and a swagger that has kept them at the top of my "to watch" list for over a decade. Personally, I think their 2005 Gutter Phenomenon is their best effort to date ("The New Black is an amazing song) but, who knows, they release their 7th full-length, From Parts Unknown, on July 1.  

I actually interviewed them in 2004 during their stop in San Antonio at the Ozzfest Tour.
I also shot them at Warped Tour 2012 (the image at the top of this story is lead vocalist Keith Buckley). They play a fantastic live set. 

For Today

This band is insane. They are lyrically amazing, and musically tight. Lead vocalist Mattie Montgomery commands the crowd and the legions of fans answer back with every lyric. Even the starkest non-believer will bang their heads to this Christian metalcore band. I'll bet they'd never know the difference, until Mattie does one of his signature testimonies during the set. They brought it full force in 2012 at Warped. Looking forward to a repeat performance with new songs from their 5th full-length release, 2014's Fight The Silence.

Terror

I interviewed Terror for a cover story that was featured in San Antonio's The Edge Magazine in 2004 when they'd just released the brutal One With The Underdogs. They are good recorded, but they are just golden live. Straight up California Hardcore. If you are on the fence about going to Warped Tour, these guys are worth the price of admission alone... the rest is just bonus.

They also provided me with one of my favorite concert moments. Picture: Austin, Texas. The Backroom. Mosh Pit. 30-40 people slamming into each other. One guy gets dropped (it happens) and lead vocalist Scott Vogel, seeing that the dude was getting run over, stopped the show mid-song and made the audience pick the kid up. He then launched into a fantastic speech about the brotherhood of hardcore lovers and the fact that the enemy lies outside the walls, not inside the room. Had never heard total silence at The Backroom until then... and then they didn't skip a beat and went right back into their set.

I've not seen them live for 10 years. I'm going to remedy that on June 14.

Vanna

Here's a band that Warped Tour introduced me to. I'm a sucker for well-written music with catchy lyrics and a more-than-just-scream-from-stage delivery live. Vanna is a Boston-based hardcore band that has been around for a decade and has released 5 albums. The latest, VOID, was released June 16, 2014. 

With so many bands playing Warped, I tend to jump from stage to stage taking photos and listening for new music. This was the one band in 2012 that I can still recall their set. Chances are if you catch them this year, you will too.

Heck... catch all five of these bands. You'll thank me later... if you remember.. I mean... you can just comment on this blog to thank me. 

Oh, and check back in mid-June for photos from this year's San Antonio date. And if you see the old man in the photo pit, say hello to me.

Warped 2014 Tour Schedule

June 13 - Houston, TX - Reliant Center Parking Lot
June 14 - San Antonio, TX - AT&T Center - Line-up June 15 - Dallas, TX - Gexa Energy Pavilion
June 17 - Albuquerque, NM - Isleta Amphitheater
June 18 - Mesa, AZ - Quail Run Park
June 19 - Las Vegas, NV - UNLV Intramural Fields
June 20 - Pomona, CA - Pomona Fairplex
June 21 - Mountain View, CA - Shoreline Amphitheatre
June 22 - Ventura, CA - Seaside Park
June 25 - Chula Vista, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre
June 26 - Wheatland, CA - Sleep Train Amphitheatre
June 28 - Southeast Auburn, WA - White River Amphitheater
June 29 - Portland, OR - Portland Expo Center Parking Lot
July 02 - Maryland Heights, MO - Verizon Wireless Amphitheater
July 03 - Noblesville, IN - Klipsch Music Center
July 04 - Toronto, ON - Molson Canadian Amphitheatre
July 05 - Montreal, QC - Parterre Île Notre Dame at Parc Jean-Drapeau
July 06 - Holmdel, NJ - PNC Bank Arts Concert Center
July 08 - Darien Center, NY - Darien Lake Performing Arts Center
July 09 - Scranton, PA - Toyota Pavilion
July 10 - Mansfield, MA - Xfinity Center (formerly Comcast Center)
July 11 - Camden, NJ - Susquehanna Bank Center
July 12 - Wantagh, NY - Nikon at Jones Beach Amphitheater -
July 13 - Hartford, CT - Xfinity Theatre (Formerly Comcast Theatre)
July 15 - Burgettstown, PA - First Niagara Pavilion
July 16 - Cincinnati, OH - Riverbend Music Center
July 17 - Cuyahoga Falls, OH - Blossom Music Center
July 18 - Auburn Hills, MI - The Palace of Auburn Hills
July 19 - Tinley Park, IL - First Midwest Bank Amphitheatre
July 20 - Shakopee, MN - Canterbury Park
July 22 - Columbia, MD - Merriweather Post Pavilion
July 23 - Virginia Beach, VA - Farm Bureau Live At Virginia Beach
July 24 - Atlanta, GA - Aaron's Amphitheatre at Lakewood
July 25 - St. Petersburg, FL - Vinoy Park
July 26 - West Palm Beach, FL - Cruzan Amphitheatre
July 27 - Orlando, FL - Central Florida Fairgrounds
July 28 - Charlotte, NC - PNC Music Pavilion Charlotte
July 29 - Nashville, TN - Tennessee State Fairgrounds
July 30 - Milwaukee, WI - Marcus Amphitheatre
July 31 - Bonner Springs, KS - Cricket Wireless Amphitheater
August 02 - Salt Lake City, UT - Utah State Fairpark
August 03 - Denver, CO - Sports Authority Field at Mile High - 

Old Settlers Music Festival - In Pictures & video

INsite owner Sean Claes made it out to Old Settlers Music Festival for the Saturday and Sunday festivities. Here's some of his best shots.

If you'd like to see all of his shots, visit -  Sean's Old Settlers 2014 Flickr Album

Saturday:

Elephant Revival

Lily & Madeleine

The Del McCoury Band

John Fullbright

Peter Rowan

Gaelic Storm

Darrell Scott

Tim O'Brien & Darrell Scott

 

Devil Makes Three (pre-show practice)

Sarah Jarosz

INSITE FLASHBACK - Sarah Jarosz in 2002 w/ Spurs of the Moment
The first Old Settlers Music Festival Youth Competition winners

Devil Makes Three

Robert Randolph & The Family Band

Lake Street Drive

Sunday:

The Black Lillies

Crowd

Peter Rowan signing a fan's shirt

Elephant Revival

Abide.

Five To See At 2014's Old Settlers Music Festival

Five To See At 2014's Old Settlers Music Festival 

By Sean Claes
This is one of my favorite stand-alone festivals of the year. It's the wonderful bluegrass and gospel-infused music that plays so well with the rock, funk, country and soul that seeps in through the cracks each year. It's the legions of tie-dyed individuals who have taken to Salt Lick Pavilion and Camp Ben McCulloch in Driftwood, Texas year after year. It's the BBQ. It's the volunteers and organizers who make this a wonderful experience. it's the bands who are just fans of the music themselves... with an opportunity to play it for everyone.  It's the fantastic kids area that is as entertaining as it is educational for the kiddos. It's the campers who smell like the earth and the late night impromptu campsite jam sessions.

It's Old Settlers Music Festival and it's coming up this weekend. April 10-13, 2014. There are three-day tickets ($160) and one-day tickets ($75 Fri, $75 Sat, $35 Sun) available (find out about tickets).

Big headliners will be Jeff Bridges and the Abiders, Robert Randolph and The Family Band and Big Head Todd and the Monsters. That alone is worth the price of admission. But the thing I love about festivals is, you get a chance to catch some of the phenomenal and perhaps lesser-known acts.

This year, there are 30 bands that are going to perform over 4 days on 4 different stages. PLUS there's several workshops and other fringe elements to entertain. Here's the schedule - link. We decided to put together a list of our five favorite bands you have hopefully heard of... but if you haven't  we'd HIGHLY recommend catching. And.. because actions speak louder than words... I'll post a video of each.

Darrell Scott and Tim O'Brien
Saturday, 6:05-7:20 PM

Gaelic Storm
Saturday, 5:30-6:45 PM

Dr. Ralph Stanley and His Clinch Mountain Boys
Friday, 5:45-6:45 PM






Elephant Revival
Saturday, 4:30-5:45 PM 
Sunday, 1:20-2:10 PM

Wood & Wire
Thursday, 9-10:15 PM




Hope to see you out there this weekend.
Peace, Love and Bluegrass.


Old Settler’s Music Festival Schedule of Events (click on the image to go to the Old Settlers Website where this schedule is found:

March 2014 - Austin FREE SHOWS

INsite Magazine's

March 2014 FREE MUSIC List 

By Sean Claes

Wristbands are for tourists. I know... SXSW sells out every year, it's larger than life, so we're not even getting into that discussion. You can have your long lines and badges worn like yokes. Locals know that there are PLENTY of free shows happening during March 2014.

The bonus with free shows is, there is plenty of swag, free food, free drinks, and lots and lots of free music. Many of the bands who have an "official" showcase also play one-off free shows and are part of the many fringe festivals that take advantage of the crowds created by the "big show." And all of these fringe festivals and day shows are free.

Below you will find some of the posters and listings for free shows happening in Austin during MARCH MUSIC MADNESS. If you have a free show happening in March in Austin, Texas, feel free to reach out to INsite (sean@insiteaustinDOTcom) with the poster and/or details. we'll add it to this listing.

If you're looking for some great listings... that are in text format, check out a couple of our favorite places to find music information all year-round in Austin - Showlist Austin and Do512.

No Play Music at Cheer Up Charlies 3/11/14

Spring Fling Music Fest @ Giddy-ups 3/12 - 3/16

The Sailor Jerry House - 3/11 - 3/15/14 @ 1504 E. 6th Street

Honky Tonk Hootenanny @ The Trophy Club 3/11 - 3/15/14

Pitchfork Day Parties - 3/13 & 3/14 @ French Legation Museum

Dutch Impact Party - 3/12/14 @ Bar 96

South X San Jose @ Hotel San Jose 3/12/14

Pawn Takes King 4 - 3/14/14 - Metropolis

Canadian Blase 3/13 - 3/15 @ Friends

Quantum Collective @ Whole Foods Rooftop Plaza 3/14 - 3/15/14

Heart of Texas Rockfest - 3/12 - 3/15/14 - Multiple Locations - texasrockfest.com

Waterloo Records Day Parties - 3/12 - 3/15/14

HXHP 3/13 - 3/15 at Hyde Park Bar & Grill South

Girls Rock Austin - 3/14/14 @ Cherrywood Coffee House

Miles Davis House @ Old School Bar & Grill - 3/15/14

Burritos & Hip-Hop @ Spider House Ballroom 3/15/14

Texas Chainsaw Meltdown Funabration - 3/16/14 - Hotel Vegas

Spotlight: Ray Ferrer - Urban Wall Artist

Taking Spray Paint Art A Cut Above

Ray Ferrer

Ray Ferrer in Austin on March 7, 2014

By Sean Claes

I remember going to Cancun, Mexico about 20 years ago and being blown away at what some of the street artists could do with a can of spray paint and a blank canvas. They would spray away, and when the paint cloud disappeared they had an amazing piece of art. I likened it to take-home graffiti.  It was impressive, but I wondered how they would get to the next level.

As with any craft, there is the street performer and then there are the stars. Ray Ferrer is one of the stars of this urban art movement, but he’s not doing it for tourists on vacation, he’s advanced to using X-ACTO blades to cut the perfect stencils to create some amazing Urban Wall Art.

 

Beastie Boys

INsite owner Sean Claes caught up with Ray as he gets ready to board a plane and head to Austin, Texas.

He has teamed up with X-ACTO and will be creating his urban art live during an event on March 7 and 8. The event will take place on the corner of Corner of Neches & 5th Street between the hours of 10a – 4p. Make plans to stop in.

Lucille Ball

INsite: How did you end up taking up Spray Paint and Stencil Art as a vocation?

Ray Ferrer: I was inspired by several street artists and thought "I can do that."  I’m happy to say it took off!  I was basically able to "trade" in my MBA for spray paint.  No more suits and ties.  Just X-ACTO knives and spray paint.

INsite: You're teaming up with X-ACTO to bring your art as a live demonstration to Austin on March 7 and 8 (10a-4p) at the corner of Neches & E. 5th. What can people expect? Will you be selling your live-art creations?

People can expect live demos, FREE X-ACTO Swag, and I am giving away paintings and Signed limited edition posters for FREE!!!

INsite: Do you have a favorite piece of yours? AND what is the most popular piece in your collection?

All of my pieces become favorites.  It is hard to choose, like picking your favorite child.  I have several popular pieces.

(Editors Note: He provided a few of his more popular pieces for the images within this story)

The Bats of Austin

INsite: What is your favorite medium?

I love spray paint, thoroughly!  Without X-ACTO knives and spray paint I am not able to do what I want to do.

INsite: What inspires you?

My wife is my biggest inspiration.  Other than her, life, music, my past and history are big influences with my work.

INsite: If I wanted to get a hold of some of your art but can't make it to the X-ACTO show this weekend, where would I go?

I can be reached through any of my social media as I manage all of it directly.  

Here are the links:

Website / Blog (42,000+ followers): www.ArtistRay.com 

Twitter: https://twitter.com/Ray_Artist

Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/urbanwallart

Instagram:  http://instagram.com/artist_rayferrer

See Me Portfolio:  http://urbanwallart.see.me

LinkedIn:  http://www.linkedin.com/pub/ray-ferrer/71/935/148

Madonna

Feature: Stefanie Fix's DIY Fix

Stefanie Fix's DIY Fix

By Gleason Booth

When someone of Alejandro Escovedo’s stature admires a fellow singer/songwriter’s work, it’s a pretty good sign the artist is doing something very right.

But it wasn’t one of Stefanie Fix’s songs that caught the music legend’s attention. It was a necklace from the Stefanie Fix Collection. And the star’s gaze fell on a particularly apt-named piece, The Stargazer’s Necklace.

While not on the lineup of the benefit concert at Strange Brew that evening, Fix had set up shop at the venue and offered to donate proceeds from the sale of her jewelry to the cause of raising funds for Escovedo’s daughter and son-in-law’s flood damaged Austin home. And when Fix noticed Esovedo’s eyes fixed (pun fully intended) on one of her amethyst, brass and pewter creations, she kindly offered it to him gratis, knowing that her necklace around his neck could pay some word-of-mouth dividends.

“So before I handed it to him,” Fix says, “I made him promise that he’d remember who made it and who gave it to him. He was a bit taken aback, I think, but when he finally said, ‘Stefanie Fix,’ we had ourselves a deal.”

Stefanie Fix w/ Alejandro Escovedo

It was another in a long line of shrewd business moves Fix has made since marrying her passion for making music with jewelry making and devising a whole new model for DIY that is increasingly being embraced by like-minded musical peers.

Fix is redefining the DIY path that was forged by Ani DiFranco, like Fix, a native New Yorker with a fierce streak of independence and self-reliance. When DiFranco opted to start her own label at the tender age of 18 and use emerging technologies that would democratize the music industry, it was a bold move that presaged the day when the vast majority of working musicians would have no other option but to do it all themselves and independently finance, record, distribute and promote their music.

Fix has added another essential task to the successful DIY artist’s to-do list. Create a unique brand ... a brand that offers the potential to generate revenue streams to support the creation of one’s music.

To Fix, her brand is the key to leading the creative life she wants. A prolific essayist, she explained her Creative Life Manifesto on her popular blog, “Journey to the Sun.”

Stefanie Fix Collection - Turquoise necklace & earring set

“All my life,” Fix wrote, “I thought what I wanted was to ‘make a living from my music.’ Some years I have, some years I haven’t. I realized now that what I wanted all along is a lifestyle that affords me the time and freedom to create music and put it into the world.”

And that’s where the Stefanie Fix jewelry collection - a style that is equal parts Lower East Side chic and Southwestern cool -- comes in. By augmenting her musical income with the sale of her jewelry, Fix can use her art to make money to make art and keep putting her music into the world.

Jean Synodinos, who is developing a line of notecards, magnets and drink coasters depicting her artwork, says, “Stefanie really inspires me. When I read her blog it truly was an ‘a-ha’ moment for me to finally realize that we singer/songwriters can and must combine our various creative outlets to have more vibrant careers.”

Fix - who has four releases to her credit -- has been stringing together jewelry for as long as she’s been stringing together words and music ... and stringing her trusty Taylor guitar, for that matter. Not one to jump on a bandwagon, Fix is leading the parade with jewelry that has been characterized as “elegant bohemian,” a descriptor that could just as easily be applied to her folk pop musical sensibility.

Stefanie Fix collection - Men's Bracelet

She started selling her jewelry at gigs at the suggestion of a friend, and it proved instantly popular with her fans, who could go home with both Fix’s music and a bit of that Fix style around their necks, wrists or dangling from their lobes. Before long, Fix was peddling her line at the Kerrville Folk Festival, where she rented a craft booth and was also a Regional Ballad Tree Finalist.

In addition to selling at her own gigs, craft markets and music festivals, Fix has established an Etsy shop that is taking the Stefanie Fix Collection to the worldwide online shopping community. [etsy.com/shop/stefanixcollection] Her online sales have been increasing with each passing month and are enabling Fix to think differently about how she approaches her next music project.

“I’m not really the kind of person to ask for money through things like Kickstarter,” offers Fix. “It’s a great tool for a lot of musicians, but it’s not for everyone. I’m looking to create a sustainable lifestyle rather than just fund a project.”

That mindset is making sense -- and dollars -- for Fix. She’s in the early stages of recording a project that will be funded in part by sales of jewelry designs inspired by the 11 songs she plans for the new album. “I’m excited about this idea,” enthuses Fix, “It’s, quite literally, a brand new way of going about it. My brand new way!”

Rosie Flores w/ Stefanie Fix

The Stargazer necklace that appealed to Escovedo is one such design based on a forthcoming Fix track. “I’ve got a new song called ‘Holly Sycamore,’ so I’ve created the ‘Holly Sycamore’ earring,” Fix notes. A different song-inspired piece caught the eye of another shining star in Austin’s musical constellation that evening at Strange Brew. Rosie Flores gravitated to one of Fix’s pendants in her “’Lil Prayer” product line, which sprung from a Fix song called “Where Is My Savior?” While admiring the piece and noticing that it contained the word “Strength” (“Strength - I need that!” said Flores), one of Flores’ longtime fans came up and offered to buy it for her. Little did he know that in doing so, he was both giving his musical idol a lovely gift, but also providing further momentum – and added strength – to Fix’s new DIY model.

Stefanie Fix will be performing on Saturday, March 22 and will have a booth with her jewelry available at The Salado Wildflower Arts Festival March 21-23.

Twelve Bands in Austin (You Really Should Go See)

Twelve Bands in Austin

(sing to the tune of "The 12 Days of Christmas)

By Sean Claes

 

The First Band in Austin you really should go see... is
One-Eyed Doll with Junior and Kimberly

The second band in Austin that you really should go see is
Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Third band in Austin you really should go see is
Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Fourth band in Austin you really should go see is
Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Fifth band in Austin you really should go see is
SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Sixth band in Austin you really should go see is
Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Seventh band in Austin you really should go see is
Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Eighth band in Austin you really should go see is
Execution By Music

…Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Ninth band in Austin you really should go see is
Nakia, man can he sing!

…Execution By Music

…Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Tenth band in Austin you really should go see is
Matt The Electrician

…Nakia, man can he sing!

…Execution By Music

…Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Eleventh band in Austin you really should go see is
Sister Seven’s Patrice Pike

…Matt The Electrician

…Nakia, man can he sing!

…Execution By Music

…Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly

The Twelfth band in Austin you really should go see is
Alejandro Escovedo

…Sister Seven’s Patrice Pike

…Matt The Electrician

…Nakia, man can he sing!

…Execution By Music

…Street Light Suzie

…Los Texas Wranglers

…SisDeville with Shelley King

…Tee-Double’s words

…Three-33

…Walt Wilkins

…and One Eyed Doll with Jr. and Kimberly


Websites/links for bands listed:

1. One-Eyed Doll - http://www.oneeyeddoll.com/
2. Walt Wilkins - http://www.waltwilkins.com/
3. Three33 - http://www.three33music.com/
4. Tee-Double - http://www.teedouble.com/
5. Sisdeville - https://www.facebook.com/pages/Sis-Deville/102144499824729
   Shelley King - http://www.shelleyking.com/
6. Los Texas Wranglers - http://www.iconjunto.com/
7. Street Light Suzie - http://www.streetlightsuzie.com/
8. Execution By Music - http://executionbymusic.webs.com/
9. Nakia - http://www.nakia.net/
10. Matt The Electrician - http://www.matttheelectrician.com/
11. Patrice Pike - http://www.patricepike.com/
12. Alejandro Escovedo - http://www.alejandroescovedo.com/

Sean Claes is the owner of Austin's INsite Magazine and has been a freelance entertainment writer since 1996. He wishes you and yours a very Merry Christmas (or Happy Celebration of the December month in the way you most prefer to celebrate). To visit Claes' homepage, go here - http://www.seanclaes.com/.