Fall has arrived in Austin. Sorta. We imagine there's still a few hot days ahead, but the quality of the light in the afternoons has changed; it's cool and raining today. Quite a switch from the oppressive heat of August. And, the college kids are back too, so shows are hoppin' again, which is always nice as well.

We really can't express how great Snowden are live. I know they've been given the blog love for ages now -- and we haven't loved them quite as long as the kids at Resonator, but we were mightily impressed during their set Friday night. The three ridiculously, egregiously bad local bands on the bill were politely handed their hats by the Atlanta foursome. It's unlikely that things have rocked quite that hard, and in quite that fashion at the Continental -- a venue better known as a place to see rockabilly and renegade country acts -- since probably ... well, ever. Pedal steel virtuouso and TRGAW SXSW pal Chris Scruggs had played the night before; Monday, the chalkboard schedule informed us, had hosted 'The Return of Dale Watson" -- too bad we missed both those shows, actually. Anyway, Snowden are on tour for the rest of the month -- they're hitting the west coast before looping back around to hit NYC (playing the Merc with another TRGAW fave, Favourite Sons). We can't recommend them more highly, do see them if they pass through your neck of the woods.

Snowden -- Black Eyes (from Anti-Anti)
Snowden -- Victim Card (from The Snowden EP)

The winners of the Astmatic Kitty Reshape & Resize Shapes & Sizes remix contest, for which we were a judge, were announced today. If I'm not mistaken, the track I liked best is one of the runners up -- though, apparently I botched the voting procedure AND somehow managed not to hear the winner -- a jaunty disco house concoction that we definitely would have voted for -- so...yeah. Well, we have been a bit distracted and busy lately, our bad. The winners are all great, actually -- check 'em out. I wish that labels and bands would do this kind of thing more often.

And yes, we questioned XL's signing of Tapes n' Tapes, often. "WTF," we said? "Are you serious? What are they thinking?" But it all came to clear to me when I saw the video for the first single, "Cowbell." T'n'T (or as they're fondly known at TRGAW, Tapas y Tapas) have more sorta mainstream-friendly potential than I might have immediately realized. Just goes to show we shouldn't question the business decisions of any Beggars Group division, huh?

We have the week off of our DJ duties at the Chain Drive; guesting in the cage is the Aus.Chron's own DJ Cut-A-Bitch; on the bill: Druggist, Shoot for the Stars and Kill Them (yay!), and Night Viking. We'll be there, naturally. Come hang out and have a coke with us.

Bonus:
Mystery Jets -- The Boy Who Ran Away (A rollicking romp...)
Goldfrapp -- Boys Will Be Boys (La Goldfrapp channels Lotte Lenya... and Ute Lemperer. And Lily Marlene.)
Antony and the Johnsons -- For Today I Am A Boy (One for the hankies.)