photos by @griffinshot - Tim Griffin

Final Night @ Emo's Red River - 12/30/2011

12/30 marked the end of an era for Austin and Red River. Emo's held their last-ever show on the Inside stage (aka Emo's Jr) with Rituals, Women in Prison, and Killdozer. Killdozer were one of the first-ever acts to sell-out Emo's Outside stage which closed in September during ACL with a DFA 1979 show. What will happen to the space now is still unknown, but one rumor is that the new owner will turn it into a hotel. Other rumors include "retail", "condos" and "new music venue" (or maybe a mix of at least two).

People came to Emo's on Friday, one night before New Year's Eve, to see the bands, but many spent a great deal of time just hanging out back - soaking in the idea that this was the last hurrah for the Emo's Red River location (after nearly 20 years). Former and current employees, family, fans, and anyone else that could fit filled the venue for the last night.

As the end got closer, pieces of the location (including the front of a hand towel dispenser??) became artifacts and souvenirs. Fan blades, bricks, torn pieces of posters - all were collected ravenously in an attempt to hold on to some molecule of what once was.

After the bands finished the atmosphere filled with goodbyes, hugs, firecrackers, Katy Perry over the PA, and general mayhem. Beer sprayed, the bar was all but emptied of its liquids, and a well-worn shirt was torched.

As for what happens now, the Emo's mantle now resides at 2015 E. Riverside (aka Emo's EAST), and talk remains of a downtown location elsewhere. While it's great to look forward to what's next - the Red River area, and SXSW, will not be the same without Emo's as a central part of it. R.I.P. Emo's.

Pictures from the final night continue below...

Continue reading "Killdozer played the FINAL show @ Emo's Red River (pics)"

"Seeing Killdozer at Emo's, thinking the last 20 years didn't happen. It was all a dream and I still have hair." - King Coffey

It's New Year's Eve! Great shows tonight include Russian Circles at Red 7, The Black Angels at Emo's East, Willie Nelson at ACL Live, and Big Freedia/Turquoise Jeep at Mohawk (that's TJ pictured above). Grupo Fantasma is playing Club De Ville instead of Beauty Ballroom, and sadly nobody is playing Emo's Inside because last night Killdozer closed down that club forever. Check out a Statesman article on the topic that includes interviews with the club's former staff. Stay tuned for our pictures from the final nights, and R.I.P. Emo's.

Speaking of last night, it's when BrooklynVegan posted their collective list of favorite albums from 2011. Check that out.

Party hard tonight, but then rest up for Free Week.

Killdozer @ Fun Fun Fun Fest 2008 (more)

As Killdozer themselves point out via Facebook:

Forget about New Year's Eve -- Killdozer will play at Emo's in Austin, TX on December 30, 2011! Yep, this will be the last gig before the doors close for good at the fabled Emo's on Red River!

We might just play the same set we played on opening night over 20 years ago, which I couldn't find so here's a clip from 12/31/89 at Emo's in Houston (RIP):

The 1989 video from Emo's in Houston is below...

Continue reading "Killdozer playing last-show-ever @ Emo's"