FALL 2014

Clara Richardson on the best festival food, Nate Culbert on the new faces of Austin music and Anna Davis on bringing back the fanny pack

+ACL THROUGH

THE LENS

BURNING BRIGHT

Exclusive Interview withAustin band Black Pistol Fire

BOOKING THE BEST AT SOUTH BY

SOUTH WESTby Clara Richardson

by Anna Davis

by Nate Culbert

LASA COFFEEHOUSE

Edward Rendon Sr. Park at Festival Beach in Town Lake Metropolitan Park, 2101 Jesse E. Segovia St, Austin, TX. April 24,2015. 6 pm to 9 pm.

Express yourself

BE OR IG INAL(AND CORDLESS)

BEATS SOLO2 WIRELESS HEADPHONES

SHRED.GIBSON GUITARS:ROCKING OUTSINCE 1902

9 17 21BLACKPISTOL

FIRE

14 // festival foods | clara richardson

by nate culbert by clara richardson by anna davis

26 // what’s in your fanny pack? | anna davis28 // up and coming bands | nate culbert

BOOKING THE BEST AT

SXSW

ACL: THROUGH THE LENS

>> 5

Anna DavisI have never met a person who doesn’t enjoy music. My favorite thing about music is that it truly unites people. The moment in the middle of a song when you’re singing or dancing or even just listening, and you realize someone else is doing the same thing with you, that’s irreplaceable. While it unites us, music also has the power to set us apart. Every person has an individual music taste that is unique to them. Music is so powerful and so beautiful.

Nate CulbertI’m just going say this: I love music. Yeah, I’m that kid who’s always wearing a band shirt and spouting off trivia about band members. When I’m not talking about sharks or Paul Blart, I bore my friends with the latest news about my favorite bands. My favorite thing about music is the pure power that a single song can have. One little lyric, one line of words, or one simple rhyme can change your life. Music is honestly the most meaningful thing in the world, and I can’t imagine life without it.

Top 5 Bands: twenty one pilots, The 1975, All Time Low, The Neighbourhood, Brand New

Clara RichardsonMusic is one of the greatest things in the world, but my favorite part of it is the fact that no matter what situation, music always fits into your life. There is always a song for you. That was one reason why I fell in love with One Direction. It was the winter of 6th grade, and I had just listened to One Direction for the first time. Their album actually had a song for every feeling my sixth grade self had. Since then, my music taste has greatly expanded from One Direction, but my love for them has stayed strong.

Top 5 Bands: Head and the Heart, One Direction, Taylor Swfit, Vampire Weekend, The 1975

Top 5 Bands: OutKast, Childish Gambino, Dixie Chicks, Taylor Swift, Walk the Moon

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letter from the editor

For the weeks before, I planned my outfits and my schedule. The build up was so intense, I thought for sure the festival itself would be underwhelming. It wasn’t. The people, the food, the music, the weather, everything exceeded my expectations, giving me the best festival experience. We at LIVE want to bring you closer to Austin music while sharing our love for festivals and living in a city overflowing with jams. Sincerely, Clara Richardson & the LIVE staff

Living in Austin since I was born led to a very music-centered life.

Both of my parents genuinely enjoyed the music from their generation, but they also really liked more recent artists’ music and newer songs by the older artists. So of course, the love of music was passed down to me, and I’m not complaining. Like any Austinite, ACL is one of my favorite times of the year. 2014 was my first festival being older than 10, it was basically Christmas in October.

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tunes. totally for you!

download it from the App Store or Google Play today, and start streaming

your music any time

HOW BLACK PISTOL FIRE IS CHANGING THE MUSIC INDUSTRY

WRITTEN BY NATE CULBERT PHOTO CREDIT: ERIC OWEN

KEVIN MCKEOWN BELLOWS INTO THE

MICROPHONE AT ACL 2014

(PHOTO CREDIT: ERIKA GOLDBERG)

they look at the stage, we wanna catch their attention. Like, ‘Wow. Look at those guys.’ We want to make people tired just by watching us,” said Owen. Black Pistol Fire emits an atypical energy during their performances that reflects their true love for the music. Of course, every group has their roots. Black Pistol Fire is no different, with past and current artists influencing their sound. “I’d love to have Robert Plant [lead singer of Led Zeppelin] in his heyday come up and sing a song…” said Owen. He also mentioned John Lennon of The Beatles. “We don’t sound anything like The Beatles, I mean, we probably never will. Just certain things they do will definitely affect the way we look at songs and songwriting,” said Owen. Bits and pieces of these artists’ styles show themselves in each Black Pistol Fire song; however, they didn’t replicate anything. Black Pistol Fire has managed to take individual elements from these artists and manipulate them to create their own unique sound. But how can an indie band compete with bands who receive daily radio play and maintain their confidence? How do they keep up? “It’s definitely healthy competition. In that there’s just so much great music in this city that you have to stay on your toes and work really hard at it,” Owen said. “...it’s not about beating anyone, but just kinda stay at the top tier. You kinda wanna keep pushing up.” Pushing up perfectly describes what Black Pistol Fire’s recent achievements. In April 2014, they released their third studio album, titled Hush or Howl. The album has collected numerous reviews, the vast majority of which are positive. It only takes one search on Google to find reviews such

Black Pistol Fire’s success is the epitome of every local band’s dream, and their extraordinary career is just getting started. 5 short years ago, the duo wrote songs in their garage, hoping for a big break. Now, they’re playing at Austin City Limits. Kevin McKeown (vocals) and Eric Owen (drums) have discovered the lost art of blues rock n’ roll, and planted the seeds around the country. Their unique sound has made appearances on popular TV shows, including Sons of Anarchy, 90210, and Suits. They frequent the radio waves across the nation. This band has begun the long climb on the ladder of fame, and they have many more rungs to go. If you don’t live in Austin, you’ve probably never heard of Black Pistol Fire. Other than reviews, information on the band can only be found on their about page. However, they have begun the transition into a new level of popularity. Kevin McKeown and Eric Owen, best friends since kindergarten, began to collaborate during high school when they formed a trio known as The Shenanigans. One LP later, McKeown and Owen decided to form their own band. While watching a documentary about forest fires, the duo fell in love with “black fire”, a term used to describe a fire that cannot be put out. . They knew instantly that they wanted to incorporate that in their name, so they came up with two ideas: Black Fire Pistol and Black Pistol Fire. “We took both those names and called two of our very close friends in Toronto,” drummer Eric Owen recalls. “We asked them which name they thought was better, and they both right away said Black Pistol Fire. It just rolled off the tongue.” After that, the time had come to start making music. It only takes a minute to notice the passion that Black Pistol Fire puts into every single second of their music. They whip their heads and involve their entire body into the music. It’s that level of dedication to music that has constructed their rising popularity. Just think about it: yesterday, it was playing in a garage. Today, it’s Austin City Limits. What about tomorrow? Imagine the possibilities. On a smaller scale, each concert is a true rock n’ roll experience. “If someone hadn’t seen us before and

cheers as the bright lights snap on. Two men walk out onto the stage, welcomed

by the frenzied screams of drunk ACL attendees. One of them, who looks like Animal from The Muppets, sits down and stretches his wrists. He readies his weapons of choice: a drumstick in each hand. The speakers emit a deafening screech as the other man turns the microphone on. His fingers settle on the strings of his [waiting on response] guitar and prepare to create the first powerful note. He takes a deep breath, looks at the sea of fans, and shouts the first line of the intro. A sudden guitar riff slices through the air while a beat thumps through the speakers. This indie phenomenon is Black Pistol Fire, and the crowd is about to experience a new kind of performance: one with pure energy and pure rock n’ roll.

“We want to make people tired just by

watching us...”

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as this one: “...their third studio album is their best effort yet, with the band finding a certain level of maturity and honing their sound,” (KSSU Radio). “There’s definitely an evolution. You want to grow and have better songs and explore different territories,” Owen said. “This last album, actually, was the longest we’ve [taken to record]. It was 4 days in April, and then 1 day in October. So that was a total of 5 days.” Owen said, as if that was nothing. But how does a band create a full-length album in such a small amount of time? “When we start playing in a rehearsal, it’s basically just noise for the first five minutes. I’m playing something on the drums, Kevin’s playing something on the guitar, they don’t match at all. Like, it’s almost like we’re not in the same room when we’re playing. And then, somehow, something happens...one of us will pick up on

something and we’ll start jamming and it’ll be a groove or a riff, or a beat or something…. [and say], ‘Oh, that was cool. Let’s do that again,’” Owen said. This style of songwriting is uncommon and strange, but it works. Hush or Howl opens with fast-paced tracks such as “Alabama Coldcock”, “Dimestore Heartthrob”, and “Baby Ruthless”. McKeown and Owen then move into a slower groove called “Your Turn to Cry”. Hush or Howl then swoops up into their signature rapid rock, with “Hipster Shakes” and “Run Rabbit Run”. The next track, “Honeydripper”, is a another fast track that exhibits their roots in classic rock. The track sounds like it would be a Led Zeppelin song, but McKeown and Owen have managed to put their own spin on their sound. “Honeydripper” is followed by “Blue Eye Commotion”, a guitar-heavy jam. After that is “Hush”,

an energetic jam that showcases Owen’s true skill. “Show Pony”, the next track, features McKeown’s wide vocal range and Owen’s furious beat. The final track, “Grease My Wheel”, ends Hush or Howl with a slow jam that perfectly closes the album. Hush or Howl is a blend of different rock elements that shows not only their definitive sound, but their ability to produce different ones. “We’ve recorded a lot of songs that no one’s ever heard, so when we put out an album, it’s really something that we’re typically proud of,” Owen said. Black Pistol Fire’s stage presence exhibits their love for music. Instead of being stationary and boring the audience, they move with the music. You can see the passion in McKeown’s face as he bellows into the microphone. Owen slams the drums with the force of a superhero. Their live shows are equal

BLACK PISTOL FIRE PLAYS ONE OF THEIR MANY OUTDOOR SHOWS (PHOTO CREDIT: ERIC OWEN)

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to, if not better than, their studio albums. Their songs are louder, more passionate, and sometimes longer. “‘Run Rabbit Run’ is about 3 minutes or so, and then live, it’s- the thing about that one that I like is that we get to jam and kinda have fun with it, but it’s not insanely long. Live, it’ll be anywhere in between six and seven minutes.” said Owen. Every band has a different identity on stage, and Black Pistol Fire’s is one of pure energy. Post-concert deafness is likely after witnessing their pure passion live. Of course, every band has a pre-show ritual. “Just one shot of Jameson whisky before we go on stage, and that’s it.” Owen laughed. Black Pistol Fire is becoming a force to be reckoned with. This unique duo is on a fast track to fame. “If Black Pistol Fire lasts ten years, wicked. If not, who knows? Obviously- I’ll say this: in the next 5, for sure we want to keep growing and playing bigger and better shows,” Owen said. “Getting out of North America a little more...we’ve only been to Europe once, and we plan

on going more and more. Definitely South America. More places around the world. We definitely want- without keeping it too simple as saying “Oh, we wanna get bigger”, but that’s kind of the right way to put it. y’know, just kind of expand, I guess is the proper way to say that,” Expanding is exactly what McKeown and Owen are doing, and there’s no end in sight. Keep an eye on Black Pistol Fire; soon, they’ll be headlining your local festival.

Kevin McKeown -vocals + guitar

Eric Owen -drums

Black Pistol Fire

Austin, Texas+

Toronto, Ontario

2009 - present

Black Pistol Fire (LP)

Big Beat ‘59

Shut-up! (LP)

Hush or HowlMCKEOWN SHREDS ON HIS GUITAR AS OWEN EXERTS HIS FURY ON THE DRUMS

(PHOTO CREDIT: ERIKA GOLDRING)

PHOTO CREDIT: ERIC OWEN

“We want to keep growing

and playing bigger

and better shows.”

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Keeping austin

since 1984

COOL

Find the best taco for you

quick

Do you care about being neat, or are

you prepared to chow down?

Do you like sweet and

spicy or salty and savory?

Do you want something with intense flavors or something a little more

gentle?

Would you like a heavy,

decadent taco or something

lighter?

Do you prefer a wide array of flavors or something

more simple?

Are you in the mood for a quick snack, or a

hearty meal?neat

decadent

light

hearty

a lil’ messy

lots of flavors

more simple

salty and savory

sweet and spicy

local

classic

Do you want something

authentic or something with a modern twist?

Do you want to try a local trailer or a

classic chain?

conservative

hardcore

mod

ern

authentic

By Clara Richardson

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It’s lunch time at ACL, and with tacos dominating the options at Austin Eats, how can you even begin to make a decision? Take this

simple quiz to see which taco is right for you. See even more choices at aclfestival.com.

lots of flavors

more simple

salty and savory

sweet and spicy

conservative

hardcore

The Peached TortillaChoose between either a BBQ brisket taco or a pork belly taco

at this Asian and southern influenced local Austin stop.

The Mighty ConeAn ACL favorite, The Mighty Cone gives you a crispy and mouth wa-

tering explosion of flavor, with deep sauteed avocado, shrimp or chicken wrapped up with a drizzle of special sauce.

FreebirdsBe ready to take on your next show with one of these four hearty and

delicious burritos: steak, chicken, veggie or vegan.

Torchy’s TacosTorchy’s is an Austin icon, with their unique and simple flavors like Green

Chile Pork and coconut battered shrimp in “The Scallywag”.

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hydrate, feel greatget a camelbak and take on the world

A South By Southwest music programmer gives the down low of planning the perfect festival

By Clara Richardson

Photo by Erika Goldring

, 700 bands applied to play at a fresh, new festival called South By Southwest, but only 172

of these artists earned a spot. Today, with over 10,000 artists seeking a spot at Austin’s largest festival, only 2,000 of the hopeful musicians will fill these positions. In order to make South By Southwest as relevant to the attendees as possible, the programmers have to get it right. One of South By’s rare qualities results in a very advantageous environment for the 2,000 bands that earn a spot. South By Southwest presents one of the largest festivals in Austin, Texas, and lasts for 5 days across spring break. The bands send their application knowing that they have the opportunity of showcasing their work to the agents, record labels and booking agents. The music programmers, tasked with the pressure of choosing the band that not only has the most talent, also have to choose the band that has the most electric stage presence. One mistake on the programmer’s part and the whole festival could lose the delicate balance that South By Southwest takes so much pride in. Music programmer Stacey Wilhelm believes that the atmosphere among the staff remains one of the best attributes of SXSW. “SXSW developed as a sort of grassroots operation, run by friends and although the company is much larger now, there still is a very comfortable, casual and familial relationship with my

and personalize the shows in order for the sponsors to get the most out of their experience. Wilhelm graduated from the University of Texas, and found her job through a private job posting database that UT alums had access to. Luck was on her side. “It was a rare opportunity because SXSW has a strong history of not publicly soliciting positions,” Wilhelm said. The fact that this job listing was not public, shows how much the festival cares about each and every position. Only the best and most dependable people will even be offered this career opportunity and by offering the jobs privately to colleges like UT they can narrow down the people who are offered the job. Programmers add a lot to South By, but how do they make sure things do not go awry? Most of it has to do with the bands that programmers accept. “Bands can submit applications to us for review, we also directly invite certain acts,” Wilhelm said. Having the capability to choose bands from a list, the programmers can go and hunt down other bands that haven’t applied. This way, if a majority of country rock artists apply, the programmers can find some rap artists in order to maintain a balance throughout the festival. This balance of artists shows through in terms of SXSW’s target audience. “Since our target audience is the industry we are looking for acts who are both musically compelling and talented,” said Wilhelm, “but also who show evidence of career

coworkers and directors,” Wilhelm said. Because South By Southwest has held true to their original character, bands,audience members, and sponsors can come back year after year, knowing what to expect. The programmers contribute a lot to this recurring stability. “A SXSW Music Festival Programmer is one who is responsible for putting together the many components of the annual festival, including curating the performances, selecting who will showcase and when and where,” Wilhelm said. “However there are many other details and logistics involved in creating a successful event and strong year round brand recognition that are also part of the job of a programmer.” As one of the most vital positions, no show could go on without a programmer. Along with this, the programmer has the weight of planning the shows, but they build the reputation of South by Southwest. This contributes a lot to the festival because if people think of negative things when they think about South By, the bad publicity could hurt the festival. Programmers have to communicate to with people in the music industry, to line up booking agents and record labels to come to Austin for this festival. “I work with our event sponsors and other brands or companies who may have the desire to present a showcase,” Wilhelm said. With the programmers help, these sponsors who want to present the performances and shows can discuss

CHVRCHES performs their debut album, “The Bones of What You Believe” at SXSW in 2013. Photo by Anna Hanks

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LIVE >> 19

trajectory.” If too many bands that perform haven’t done anything to gain a following, then no one will want to watch them play South By, no matter how good they can perform. It falls on the programmers to keep this balance, between the new bands and the more famous. When the programmers uphold the balance, and the artists are at the right point in their development, everything falls into line for the artists’ fame. If a band has not shown the evidence that programmers look for, even if they have the best sound that a programmer has ever heard, Wilhelm thinks that this would upset the balance. “It is better to wait until you have a following and some experience under your belt so you know how to make the most of the opportunity,” Wilhelm stated. Take, for example, John Mayer. Before Mayer came to SXSW in 2000, he played at clubs in his hometown of Fairfield, Conn., he joined a duo called LoFi Masters and then released his own E.P. Rolling Stone still says SXSW gave John Mayer a big break, however if he had not worked as hard as he did, then the festival would not have furthered his career as much as it did.

Brod reports. When a small band, with a roaring attitude and breathtaking sound, play South By, programmers can use some tricks to make sure artists get maximum exposure. As another add-on to the requirements of a music programmer, they have to physically sign bands up for times to play. Like most jobs, there is an art to programming. “We create an ebb and flow situation by having lesser known acts in the opening slots,” Wilhelm explained. “This way if people come early to see the bigger band, they may catch the set of someone they didn’t know.” Not only do the less popular bands get a larger audience from attendees waiting for the headliner, if they play their cards right in terms of stage presence, they can become associated with the bigger band and gain even more attention. This method appears across various festivals, including Austin City Limits, and has worked in the bands favor for years. During Wilhelm’s first year working as a programmer, she had the opportunity of presenting one of the headliners. “It was amazing to be working with such an idol and watching [Smokey Robinson] share the stage with other, newer soul acts like Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings, Raphael Saadiq, Mayer Hawthorne and Black Joe Lewis.” The newer acts that played near Smokey Robinson contributed to his image just as he helped them gain some name recognition. What about those bands that have a larger fan base already? Why would they want to come to South By? According to Stacey Wilhelm, artists come for a variety of reasons, not just for a record label. “Artists are hoping to get in front of all kinds of people

When an artist plays South By as their first big performance, Wilhelm thinks that stage presence is one of the most important factors. “It is a real accomplishment to keep everyone’s attention from wavering,” Wilhelm said. This became especially difficult within the past 10 years when cell phones and tablets began offering endless entertainment for a bored audience member. Some artists, however, go about their performance the wrong way. “Lady Gaga, whose performance sounded like an incoherent mess. Sure, you’d never forget the vomit or the mechanical bull, but does that make a good concert?” Writer at omaha.com, Kevin Coffey reports. “If she’s gonna keep going down this path, Gaga should forget the music and become a full-on performance artist.” The idea Coffey wants to portray is that all artists, famous or not, should work towards truly entertaining their audience, not just play songs. South By Southwest’s mission is industry and growth within the music industry, and all of these bands know this when they apply. The one focus and goal that bands have, of growth and development, Wilhelm thinks brings a lot to the festival. “[My favorite part of SXSW is] how excited and appreciative most bands are to be playing and they really give it their all and still seem to be enjoying it,” Wilhelm said. When these bands try so hard to get noticed by labels, or to stand out to a booking agent, the audience has a better experience and many bands gain a larger fan base from it. Doug Brod, editor in chief at Spin Magazine, mentions the stage presence of Dinosaur Pile-Up, a small band from England. “Like all great SXSW discoveries, they played as if this was the most important gig of their lives,”

Photo by Sehar SikandarJanelle Monae plays her first show at SXSW in 2009, which ends up being her “break out” show.

“Like all great SXSW discoveries, they played

as though this was the most important gig of their lives.”

such as managers, booking agents, licensing and publishing agents, other bands that they can tour with, media outlets who will cover them, international representation,” Wilhelm said. One of many, Macklemore came to South By not looking for a label, because Macklemore prided himself in not signing to a record label. After having his songs played on the radio at least every hour, he didn’t need fame either. Even so South By was an extremely profitable for Macklemore and Ryan Lewis because of the other people programmers brought to South By Southwest, like the booking agents and licensing agents.

large number of amazing artists who performed at SXSW in their early years while they were searching for the right relationships to elevate their careers,” Wilhelm said. “Katy Perry did a solo singer songwriter performance before she was a mega pop star. Yeah Yeah Yeahs were still a NYC art rock band when they played. Other notables include The Black Lips, Kendrick Lamar, The Dixie Chicks… the list is really long.” This opportunity offered to the select 2,000 bands that secure a show in March could mean a defining moment for an artist, all because of the effort on the part of the programmer.

Without the meticulous work put in by the programmers since 1987, South By would not have the same cooperative atmosphere that artists and audience members have come to know and love. “There are a

Black Joe Lewis is one of many artists that performed alongside Smokey Robinson at South By South West in 2010 . Their eccentric performance demonstrates the outcome of successful programming.

Photo by Jon Lebkowsky

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South By Southwest was still extremely profitable for Macklemore.

through the

Follow professional photographer Erika Goldring as she walks

us through Austin City Limits music festival for the 12th time

Story By: Anna DavisPhotos By: Erika Goldring

“I loved it because you could go see all of your

favorite Texan bands in one weekend. It’s not like that

anymore.”

Being Goldring

Who: Erika Molleck GoldringBirthday: May 31st, 1967Hometown: Puria, IllinoisCurrent Home:New Orleans, LouisianaStudied:-Advertising (University of Texas at Austin 1985-1990)-Photography (New Orleans Academy of Fine Art)Current Favorite Bands:Wilco, Lucinda Williams, Houndmouth

As the bass pounds, the crowd jumps and 100,000 musical hearts of locals and visitors beat as one. The sense in the blazing hot air feels anything but dead, unlike the grass of Zilker Park below the aching feet of these music fans. Austin City Limits Music Festival, gives you 3 days of live music in the heart of Texas. One photographer grins, so familiar with it all, as she lifts her Nikon D3 to her eye. She focuses on Austin native band Spoon as they belt “I Turn My Camera On for life” and click, click goes the shutter. Erika Goldring has captured the ACL music festival experience every year. Goldring, a professional photographer, bases her work out of New Orleans. As a photographer, she carries a practiced perspective of the atmosphere, artists, and festival experience. Goldring travels across the country to photograph the expression of musicians doing what they love. ACL is just one of the places Goldring come to shoot performers. “When it first started out, it was all Texan bands. All of the music festivals are the same these days.” Goldring said. Featured artists included Texan natives Jimmy Vonn, Asleep at the Wheel, Bruce Robison, Willie Nelson, Patrice Pike, and Bob Schneider. Each year, as the size of the ACL audience increases, the amount of Texan bands decreases.”They have to get those big bands to really sell tickets and get people there,” Goldring explained. Goldring preferred the lineups in the starting years because the artists really set ACL apart. “Honestly, I don’t enjoy it as much as I used to. I loved it because you could go and see all of your favorite Texan bands in one weekend. It’s not like that anymore at all. It’s not just ACL, it’s

many music festivals. They have lost their character that originally set them apart,” Goldring said. ACL now features similar artists to those that have performed at other major music festivals such as Coachella and Lollapalooza. Performers that headlined all 3 of these music festivals just this year include OutKast, Skrillex, Calvin Harris, Zedd, Foster the People, and Lorde. One major ACL quality that has remained throughout the years is the location of Zilker Park. When you’re on the top of the hill when you come in with the Austin skyline in the background, it’s pretty. The

footprint of the festival is still the same,” Goldring expressed. The footprint of a music festival is the legacy it has left behind in its given location. The festival happened for the first time in 2002. The first year, 42,000 attendees paid $25 per day to see 67 bands. This year, 2014, over 75,000 attendees paid $90 per day to see over 150 bands. Despite the fact there has been a decrease in local music, the popularity of the music festival continues to grow. Goldring attends different music festivals across the nation each year including Lollapalooza, Bonaroo, New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival, Essence Festival, Country Music Association Awards Festival, and Voodoo Festival. “Every music festival has a concept, a mission statement, answering the question: why should I buy a ticket to come to this festival? Why should I spend over $75 when I could just go have a steak dinner?” Goldring said. Goldring photographs the concept and feel of each music festival she attends. Goldring’s day shooting a music festival is not 9:00AM-5:00PM, it is 11:00AM-1:00AM. She wakes up, grabs some breakfast, a coffee, and her cameras, and she is ready to go. Arriving at the music festival to shoot the first three songs of the first band playing, Goldring gets there earlier than most and leaves after the last performer. “I will shoot from noon to 9, so on and off, mostly on for 9 hours. Then I will come home and download all of my images on the computer that night,” Goldring said. Shooting editorial means that the pictures she takes are current, meaning in a few days they will not be relevant.

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This means that Goldring has a 12 hour deadline from when she photographs a show to send the pictures the assigned editorial. So, after getting home at 10:00PM, Goldring has to stay up for 3 to 4 more hours, perfecting her images before uploading them. “I use Photoshop and an editing software to crop, sharpen, re-size, and color to pictures. I use another software to caption the images because they have to be embedded with my copyright information, the name of the band, location, and date.” Goldring explained.After a long day, Goldring goes to sleep just to wake up the next day and do the same thing all over again. “Music festivals are so fun. I love going to them, you get to be outside and listen to music in the fresh air. When it’s not the bands you like to listen to, it’s not as fun it just becomes a job.” explained Goldring. Fun at festivals can be determined by the weather, especially rain, which can make or break the experience or a job, like Goldring’s. On October 4th, 2009, the Sunday of ACL festival, unexpected

rain poured: leaving the fields of Zilker Park in a slick mud. ACL attendees call that year “The Mud Year.” When it rains at ACL, which it often does, loyal fans stay at the festival rain or shine. “I think it’s fun because the people that are going to stay out there and watch a band in the rain, it elevates the rain because those people are hard-core,” Goldring said.Weather isn’t the only thing that can negatively affect Goldring’s festival experience, something could go wrong with the band she is trying to capture. In 2003, Ben Kweller, an artist playing at ACL, had something bad happen to him on stage. “He had a nose bleed, all of a sudden blood came gushing, it was all over his shirt and his guitar. Someone threw a tampon on stage, and he unwrapped the tampon and stuck it in his nose and then sang the next song,” Goldring explained. Erika captured this embarrassing moment, and it ended up being her most memorable shot of ACL and her first picture in the famed music

Picture This at ACLMiddle: Goldring’s 1st image in Rolling Stone of Ben Kweller at ACL 2006. Below: Goldring’s shot of the Courtyard Hounds, one of her personal favorite bands from Texas, playing at ACL 2013. Above: Her shot of Iggy Azaela at ACL 2014.

A Photographer In Focus

Top Left:Goldring focuses on performing band while standing in the photo pit. She has two Nikon D3 cameras and three lens of different sizes, 14-24mm, 24-70mm, and 70-200mm.

Top Right:Goldring, along with other music festival photographers who have credentials, look to the stage at New Orleans Heritage & Jazz Festival.

Bottom: Manipulating the lighting of the show and the expression of the performer, Erika tries to get the best shot.

magazine “Rolling Stone”. All music photographers must capture all of their photos for a show in the first 3 songs of the performance. This is a standard that was set by the music industry that most acts follow, unless the artist has another preference for how they want to be photographed. “It’s always the first 3, and after, you have to leave. I think they think it’s distracting. Of course, Kanye West only let us shoot 45 seconds,” Goldring said. In those first 3 songs of the show, Goldring takes hundreds of photographs. After the show, she has to look through these hundreds of pictures and decide which ones she wants to send to the magazine or newspaper she is working for. Similar to most jobs, some days you will have an easier time at work than others. It is much easier for Goldring to capture a musician if they show expression and the lighting is good. Some shows can also be much more enjoyable to shoot than others. The Queen of Pop, Lady Gaga, crowd surfed at Lollapalooza in 2010, but it was not her show. She ran up on the stage while the act before hers was performing and starting singing with them, everyone was shocked. She surprised the crowd even more by jumping into them to crowd surf. Goldring had backstage access, so was able to jump on stage and photograph the whole thing. These shows keep Goldring’s job interesting. In the first few years at ACL, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis performed. Goldring shot their performance when their 2 year-old son was playing at the front of the stage in his dad’s guitar case. “It was cute because it was his mom and dad up there and he was just playing, oblivious to what was going on around him. I bet he would like to have that picture someday,” Goldring said. Goldring does concert photography editorially and for fine art. Editorial photography is when you are on a job by a certain organization, newspaper, or magazine to take pictures of a concert. Fine art photography is when you are capturing the beauty of a performance and using it for art purposes to put on display for others to see or buy.

“I am a concert photographer, but what I like to do, which I don’t always have the opportunity to do is taking a picture of a person doing what they enjoy,” Goldring said. Goldring never considered photography as a profession, she majored in advertising at the University of Texas in Austin in 1990. Her father went to art school so she grew up in house where art was widely appreciated. After college, Goldring moved to Chicago and worked at an art gallery that featured artists of all different mediums, including photography. She also worked at a jewelry and clothing shop in Austin, Cado, organizing the purchases for the store. Goldring did not think she would have a career in art, even though she was surrounded by it in her jobs after college. She travelled with her boyfriend across the world for his business, visiting exotic locations like Bali, Portugal, and Australia.

“I wanted a camera for my birthday, so I could start taking pictures. And not like snapshots, of us in front of the Eiffel Tower but artsy fartsy stuff. I liked patterns and textures” Goldring said. After she began to make visual art with her camera, Erika took photography classes at The New Orleans Academy of Fine Art. Goldring had a particularly influential professor, Victoria Ryan, who taught her black and white photography. One thing that Ryan said has really stuck with Goldring as she has pursued her art as a career. “Tenacity will always pay off,” Ryan said. “Go out there and put your best foot forward. Go out there and do the very best you can and just have faith it’s going to turn out. If magazines are buying your stuff and you get hired again and again, you know you’re doing something right,” Goldring said. After 13 years of shooting ACL, Goldring must be doing something right. Goldring plans on continuing music photography, and taking pictures of music festivals in the future. “I think that when you’re capturing a festival, it’s not just about the music. That might be the primary draw but the fans, food, and art are involved. It’s the experience,” Goldring said.

“Kanye West only let us shoot 45 seconds”

>> 24

make it click,take the pic

PRECISION CAMERA Texas’ Largest Camera Store

Hand SanitizerKEEP IT CLEANWe all know that Port-a-Potties suck and the hand sanitizer is always empty. Don’t forget your own to truly keep it clean.

Guess What’s Making a Comeback? The Fanny Pack! Festival attendees across the nation dust off their fanny packs each year to take to their favorite festival. Whether a first time festival goer, or an old pro, the fanny pack gives you easy access to the basic fest necessities. We have selected the must-have festival gear, keeping you prepared for the muddy chairs in the back or the mosh pit up front. For other Festival Survival Guides go to:fuse.tv, theleverageway.com, or youngscot.org

Festival MapMAP THE RAPMake sure you know exactly where and when you want to be at different stages so that you make the most of your time and money.

Call PhonePHOTOGRAPH THE FESTIVALDon’t depend on getting service or LTE, but use your iPhone or Samsung to capture your personal experience through pictures.

Photo By: Leah DavisStory By: Anna Davis, Photo By: Leah Davis

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Lip BalmLOOK YOUR BESTAT THE FEST It’s hot, and you want to look even hotter, so make sure your lips don’t get chapped with Burt’s Bees or EOS.

SunscreenPROTECT YOURSELF BEFORE YOU WRECK YOURSELFToo much sun hurts, looks bad, and worst of all, causes cancer. Add SPF to prevent these catastrophes.

Protein BarFUEL YOURSELF BEFORE YOU FOOL YOURSELFIf you want to wait out to see your gig, food is hard to find in the middle of a crowd. Take a CLIF bar to stay full!

MoneyDON”T BE CENTS-LESSYou never know when you’ll need a little cash, whether you’re stopping for a snack at Torchy’s or catching apedicab, a little cash always helps.

SunglassesSTAY SHADYIn early October, the sun is out and bright in Zilker Park. Bring shades so you can see the best bands.

MintsSO FRESHFollow the advice of 2014 ACL headliner OutKast, by staying “So Fresh, So Clean” with peppermint or cinnamon Altoids.

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THE NEW FACES OF AUSTIN MUSICWRITTEN BY NATE CULBERT PHOTOS BY BLACK FRET

AMY COOK

DAWN AND HAWKES

QUIET COMPANY

EAST CAMERON FOLKCORE

HER TUNES SOUND: CHILLER THAN ICE

CHECK OUT: “MILLION HOLES IN HEAVEN”

Cook’s three studio albums showcase her beautiful voice and exceptional acoustic aptitude. Calm and collected jams earned her

a place on our countdown.

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: A WARM FIRE

CHECK OUT: “TEN LEAP YEARS”

Miranda Dawn and Chris Hawkes’ indie-folk ballads feature a beautiful blend of acoustic guitars and a juxtaposition of their amazing voices to create their first album, “Golden Heart”.

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: A TRIP WITH YOUR BESTIES

CHECK OUT: “YOU, ME, AND THE BOATMAN”

A local favorite, Quiet Company’s fast-paced tracks mix folk and alternative elements and make a unique and distinct sound. In fact, they were the Austin Chronicle’s Band of the Year in ‘11-‘12.

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: REVOLUTION

CHECK OUT: “ROBIN HOODS RISE”

Fast and slow melodies make listening to EFC an awesome time! If this were a baby, the parents would be Nickelback and Green Day.

LIVE >> 28

CHARLIE BELLE

THE ROCKETBOYS

DID YOU KNOW?

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: A MOVIE’S END CREDITSCHECK OUT: “ON THE OTHER SIDE”

Similar to Amy Cook, listening to The Rocketboys is chiller than a freezer full of popsicles. Their slow jams can help you unwind

after a hard day at school or work!

There are over 250 music venues in Austin!SOURCE: AUSTINTEXAS.ORG

Our #1 pick is Little Radar: an Austin four-piece that consists of Sean Hale (vocals), Trevor Hale (guitar), Grant Himmler (bass), and Taylor Stolly (drums). The band has released 2 EPs, titled Kill a Buffalo and Up in Arms, and re-leased their first full length album “Souvenirs” on August 6th, 2013. “Souvenirs” features tracks such as “Coming Clean” and “You on the Run.” They’ve played at numerous famous venues around Austin, including The Mohawk and Swan Dive. Austin music website Eye in the Sky describes the four-piece as “multiple genres interlacing indie rock licks with folk, layered with upbeat chord progressions, summery prog-psych, and textured melodies.” Austin is eagerly awaiting for news of a follow-up to “Souvenirs”, and we can’t wait to see what Little Radar comes up with next!

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PHOTO BY BARCLAY ICE & COAL

This local band features a LASA student named Zoe Czarnecki on bass! These three kids have played on countless stages in Austin, and have even performed at ACL!

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: U2’S COUSIN CHECK OUT: “COMING CLEAN”

THEIR TUNES SOUND LIKE: A GLASS OF WARM MILK

CHECK OUT: “KEY TO MY HEART”

LIVE >> 29

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with 9 different locations in Austin, we’re always around when you need a pick up

STUBB’S

BBQ+LIVE MUSIC!

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801 Red River St, Austin, TXPrepared by MagCloud for Nate Culbert. Get more at lasaezine.magcloud.com.