I have to admit, I really like me some Harlem. Drunk, dirty, punky garage rock is a weakness of mine, and these guys deliver stage drunk like not many others I’ve seen. I also just recently reviewed the new album for – well, I’ll link when it’s up – and wanted to catch ‘em live. After all, it had probably been almost two months since I’d seen them!

But mainly, I’ve been wanting to hear Friendly Ghost live since I first started listening to the new album. I heart that song.

Also, Coomers, thanks for wearing the sparkly gold headband from y’all’s effing wierd video for Gay Human Bones like I requested via twitter yesterday. I <3 that headband.

Friday, aka tomorrow, aka 3/26: White Denim @ Antones – If you live in Austin, you’ve likely already seen White Denim. And you know they’re worth seeing again. (ask me about the time I caught them 7 times in 5 days at southby a few years back) Also, if you’re in the first 200 to rsvp on Do512, you get in for only $5.

Monday 3/29: Daniel Francis Doyle and YellowFever @ Red 7 – Again, locals, but DFD’s crazy one-man-band intensity and YF’s minimalist pop are always fun.

Wednesday 3/31: Ted Leo & the Pharmacists @ the Parish

Thursday 4/1: Harlem @ Mohawk – It’s their album release shindig, and even though it doesn’t officially drop until the week after, you can get your greedy hands on it then because they love you. They have a habit of putting at least one song on each album that makes it into my top 10 of the year, and this one is no exception.

Friday 4/2: Red Sparrowes @ Red 7 – You saw them at Fun Fun Fun, right?

Elvis vs Dikes of Holland @ Beerland – This should be awesome. I don’t know why DoH aren’t much bigger, because they throw down some awesome tracks. Combine them with the onstage crazy of that Elvis frontman, and it is a no-lose situation.

Austin music is awesome, don’t deny. Garage rock, psychedelic, throwback old-school pop, a burgeoning electro-dance scene, and above all the overarching – and, yes, over-used – ‘indie’ title. After hitting post on this admittedly enamored statement, I’ll likely be hit with a scornful wave of dissent from the haters who delight in saying the local scene is dying. Eff y’all, Matador Records co-owner Gerard Cosloy is totally on my side here.

As proof of how promising he views the Austin (and Denton, our underrated just-head-up-I35 neighbor) talent-pool, his label put together Casual Victim Pile, a killer compilation of the local bands you’ve hopefully already supported for at least a show or two. It has Harlem, who signed to Matador in the fall. It has the drunken growling dirty psych-rock that is Elvis, the face-melting tempo-hounds Dikes of Holland, jaunty punk-leaning indie trio Follow That Bird!, and so much more.

It’s a three-day shindig at Beerland that you better not miss. Only $5 each day, 17 bands total, and if you get there early enough on Thursday you can get your hands on a free limited-edition poster commemorating this awesomeness. Friday and Saturday they’ll be selling the comp at the venue on cd and vinyl.

Thursday, Feb. 4
Follow That Bird!
Dikes Of Holland
KIngdom Of Suicide Lovers
The Distant Seconds
The Persimmons

Friday, Feb. 5
Woven Bones
The Young
Wild America
Flesh Lights
Elvis
The No No No Hopes

Saturday, Feb. 6
Harlem
The Golden Boys
Bad Sports
Love Collector
The Stuffies
Lost Controls

As usual, click the pics to see the rest of the set.

Day 1

Amplified Heat

Cartright

Smoke & Feathers

The Ugly Beats

Day 2

Vinhomudeh

LIONS

the inside band after LIONS… can anyone help me out? I don’t think this was In Dudero…

Harlem