Ringo Deathstarr
There are tons of great shows going on this weekend as part of the first weekend for Free Week, but there’s one in particular that we want to bring to your attention. We’re partnering with Frenchie Smith Records to bring you a stellar line-up on Saturday night at The Belmont.
I think it’s particularly important to highlight shows like this, since it’s a bit off the beaten path at Free Week. Most of the Free Week craziness takes place up and down Red River, with a detour onto 7th St. In the last couple of years, East 6th has seen a bevy of shows arise. And yet there are great venues like the Hole in the Wall, Spiderhouse Ballroom and The Belmont (among others) that are also participating in the Free Week melee. Make sure to stretch your legs – figuratively and physically.
This show, in particular, means a lot to us, as well. Frenchie Smith Records is an exemplary local label, and Frenchie Smith is a great producer who has worked with a ton of the best local talent. We can’t say enough good things about The Boxing Lesson, who were one of the first local bands to support OVRLD, and who have been bringing excellent prog-psych-rock to Austin for nearly a decade now. Theirs is always a great live show.
Ringo Deathstarr is a band you should know by now. They were included on our 9 Essential Austin bands of 2010-Present list. The shoegaze-y noise trio continue to grow a massive audience abroad, and have released two good-to-great albums in their short career, full of way more power than their small number of members would suggest.
Purple is a band from Beaumont that provides more raw power than either TBL or Ringo Deathstarr, while still being crazy melodic. Their debut album, released last summer, is immediately endearing, and suggests that their live show will be off the hook – if they can replicate onstage even half of the energy from their record. I am really excited to see them.
Nation States are a newer Austin group with just a few songs out, but they all sound great. They have a garage indie-pop vibe that should set the stage nicely for the evening, and get the crowd going. I haven’t had the pleasure of checking them out live yet, but…that’s why we’re hosting this show – to see the awesome bands we want to see.
We want you to see them too, and hope to see many of you there, celebrating Free Week, supporting local music, and exploring all that this great city of ours has to offer. Saturday, the doors are 8…and it’s free.
– Carter Delloro
