...five full days of parties at Cheer Up Charlie's

Todd P has been downplaying his participation in unofficial SXSW activities this year. He made people think he wasn't returning to Austin at all due to his latest effort in Mexico, the MtyMx Festival (March 20th-22nd in Monterrey).

Not only will he be in Austin, he's just announced five full days of shows at his old haunt Ms Bea's (though it's now called Cheer Up Charlie's). His final free Austin day show even overlaps with Mexico. That said, it looks like he did step away from SXSW at least a little bit. Almost every one of the lineups has a listed curator. You can check them all out below...

Continue reading "Todd P returning to SXSW in 2010 afterall..."

photos by Rachel Carr

Mika Miko said goodbye to seven years of being a band with a trio of year-end shows at The Smell in L.A. The three-night run culimated in a final January 1st show, in which the band played for about an hour and a half. Rachel Carr, our photographer who captured the action, described the scene as "constant stage divers, balloons, confetti, glitter, six drummers, handheld fireworks, a stage full of friends (including members of other esteemed LA bands like Abe Vigoda and No Age), and several middle-aged relatives clinging bravely to the monitors."

Two-fifths of Mika Miko will carry on as part of the Strange Boys, who have 2010 shows planned around the West Coast and the South.

Goodbye Mike Miko! More pictures from the last show (1/1/2010) and videos from all three nights (including New Years Eve) are below...

Continue reading "Mika Miko played three final shows @ The Smell in L.A. - here are pics from the last one & video from New Years Eve"

by Andrew Frisicano

Mika Miko @ their almost-last performance at Fun Fun Fun Fest

L.A. punk band Mika Miko announced in October that their set at Austin's Fun Fun Fun Fest (on November 8th) would be one of their last, but that they were in process of scheduling an official "last show" for their hometown at The Smell. They've booked three shows there for December 30th, December 31st and January 1st. The third, with Hello Astronaut Goodby Television, My Little Red Toe and OG Silver Daggers, is sold out, but you can still grab a ticket for the first show (openers TBA) and for the New Years Eve show, with Staring Problem, Ima Fucking Gymnist and DiGiTS. Mika Miko also previously mentioned a new 7" in the works through PPM.

Mika Miko's Jennifer Clavin guest drumming for Best Coast...

PPM will also be releasing a 7" by from female-fronted lo-fi duo Best Coast. Best Coast join Vivian Girls on a West Cost tour this February. That swings by the Smell on Feb. 6th. Vivian Girls are in UK from the second week of January right up to their performance at the BAM Sounds Like Brooklyn Fest, where they play at Howard Gilman Opera House with Les Savy Fav on January 29th. Tickets are on sale.

Flyers for the Mika Miko shows, a Best Coast clips and all tour dates are below...

Continue reading "Mika Miko playing THREE final shows @ The Smell including New Years Eve (tix), Best Coast touring w/ Vivian Girls"

photos by Rachel Carr

After ten years collecting sweat, The Smell's fundraiser for an A/C unit, last Wednesday night (11/11), brought out excited supporters, but also protestors who enjoy asphyxiating. Neither party could resist Health, Abe Vigoda, Man's Assassination, Man, and Tearist on one Smelly lineup.

The venue traps B.O. night after night, spiritually nourishing reckless bands and raucous audiences. "In the middle of summer when the place is super hot and packed, we always say we're getting A/C, then we end up putting it off one day when it's not so bad. But this time we're really going to do it. Right away," says co-owner Jim Smith. But will the Smell be as sweet if it doesn't reek?

"I like the Smell," a feminine voice complained from the packed crowd. "It's like doing someone--until you shower you smell them all over!" True; stench always follows when primal instincts are involved.

Notice that Health's guitar straps are reinforced with gaff tape? It's all they can do to keep from rapturously flinging their instruments. Jake Duzsik sighs and chants, holding the monster effect mic to his mouth like a grenade. John Famiglietti and Jupiter Keyes whip between amps, hypnotized and rabid, as BJ Miller pounds his drums. The audience pushed, craned, and grabbed each other responsively. [LA Weekly]

The LA benefit show was three days after HEALTH played an intense set at Fun Fun Fun Fest in Austin. They were last in NYC in September. Abe Vigoda played Death By Audio on 11/6. More pictures from The Smell, below...

Continue reading "HEALTH, Abe Vigoda & friends helped The Smell raise money for an AC - pics "