Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle Working their Way Up!

Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle are swinging into 2010 with a bang! Yesterday, Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle ranked 7th on Myspace UK's Alternative Music charts, beating major label bands such as 3OH!3, Death Cab For Cutie, and The Editors. What makes this such big news? Firstly, Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle is the only unsigned band in the top 30 on the Myspace charts. Secondly, the ranks are based on the amount of plays on a band's profile compared to the day before. This means that Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle have the 7th largest play increase per day in all of Myspace UK. Big deal? I think so. The band also ranks 32nd overall on the Myspace UK Music Charts, placing above the Arctic Monkeys and Paramore.

Of course, this isn't exactly a surprise. After SXSW 2009, where the band played several official showcases, they returned home and won a competition against 1700 other European bands to play the FIB Heineken Festival in Benicassim, Spain alongside Oasis, The Killers and Kings of Leon. The band also played at the Liverpool Soundcity Music Festival and headlined Liverpool's Red Festival.

2010 looks to be a promising year for Polly and the guys; with an invitation to play as an official showcasing band at SXSW 2010 and a spot at the HMV festival, the band is already looking at a massively successful year. Armed with a collection of new songs and experience gained from playing over 80 venues across the UK, Polly Mackey and the Pleasure Principle are already well on their way to becoming one of the most influential bands of 2010.

It's Bigger Than You

It's Bigger Than You is christening their Bollywood Film Series on December 3 at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar with a presentation of Monsoon Wedding.  The event will benefit IBTU and "Gimme A Break":  The Single Mom Project.

IBTU's founder, Brock Sampson, is a great guy who is putting his money where his mouth is - literally.  Their mission is to engage socially active, community-minded people in Austin to fight hunger and nutritional deficiencies around the world.

RSVP for the show and get more information about IBTU at http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=140309912104

Nortec Collective and Border Music

Texas Performing Arts has brought the Nortec Collective to Austin for a show tonight at the Hogg Auditorium.  Nortec Collective Presents: Bostich + Fussible is an audio/video performance that combines electronica, samples, rock, and Norteño music that mixes genres, generations, and geography to equal effect.


"As Mexico prepares its Centenial and Bicentennial celebrations in 2010, Nortec Collective is creating the country’s soundtrack for the next 100 years. More of a movement than a band, Nortec Collective started in the late 90s when several Mexican musicians began fusing norteño and techno. Since then, they have created a vibrant and uncharted brand of alternative Latin music that transcends its genre. The music is an energy and force, which commands people to shake, dance and move their way out of any inhibition and leave modesty behind. From the moment it begins, a Nortec Collective performance shocks the soul and their universal rhythms create a remarkable harmony between artists and audiences."

Leading up to the show, Ramón (Bostich) and Pepe (Fussible) participated in a brown bag luncheon at the Bass Concert Hall and a public forum with other panelists (including multi-grammy winner Joél Guzman) for stimulating, free-ranging discussions of cultural identity, geographical & intellectual borders, growing up in Tijuana, technology, copyrights, and music.  


Tijuana is a relatively new city by Mexican standards, evolving as a cultural melting pot estranged from the rest of Mexico and more closely defined by its relationship with the port city of San Diego, Hollywood, and music from all over the map.  While the younger people were soaking up European electronica and cutting edge music from around the world (courtesy of the massive radio broadcast towers erected by California stations), older generations were tied to the norteño styles that came from tamborazo and tejano traditions (which, of course, have their distant roots in European polka and classical music).


What Nortec Collective accomplishes now is more than simply playing one style of music on top of another.  They fuse music that speaks to different world-views and histories to create a new and exciting hybrid.  The combination of visual imagery and innovative music creates a presentation of a new Tijuana to the world, while combining the world with old Tijuana.  It is thought provoking and entertaining at the same time.  Can't wait to see them again tonight!

HAAM Benefit Day is Coming Soon

EAT, SHOP, DONATE, AND ENJOY ON THE FOURTH ANNUAL HAAM BENEFIT DAY!

On Tuesday, September 22, join the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians (HAAM) in keeping music in Austin alive and well.

Here’s how you can help:

* EAT & SHOP at 170 local participating businesses and restaurants, with 5% of your purchase going to HAAM. Download the list of participating businesses and music schedule.

* DONATE your spare change to the HAAM Benefit Day donation boxes at each of the music performances. Your donation will be matched dollar for dollar by Topfer Family Foundation.

* ENJOY live performances from over 90 local musical acts throughout the day. Download the list of participating businesses and music schedule.

* VOLUNTEER to help out at one of the music performances. It's fun and you even get a t-shirt! Sign up at http://www.volunteerspot.com/login/entry/49-624575308125

Also,
Forward this message to your friends to let them know how they can help!
Are you on Twitter? Find us at @myhaam and make sure you tweet on September 22 to keep your followers up to date on the HAAM Benefit Day happenings.

On Facebook? Become a fan of Health Alliance for Austin Musicians.

Play Your Part! Come out on Tuesday, September 22nd to support local musicians’ health!

Health Alliance for Austin Musicians was founded in April 2005 when Seton Family of Hospitals and St. David’s Foundation joined forces with The SIMS Foundation to provide medical, dental, and mental health care to the city’s hard-working, uninsured low-income musicians. More than 1,600 member-musicians, most 35 and younger, have been served.

To learn more or to make a donation, visit www.MyHaam.org.

Intimate Stranger on Spin Earth

ntime Stranger is a Chilean band that started on 2006 in London, under the duo Tessie y Lautaro. Playing in various underground clubs, back in Chile Mogles joins in 2007, and that same year Ismael was asked to join to play the keyboards. Intimate Stranger is setting they next tour for Argentina, by the end of the year they will launch their second studio album that is still in the works before their United States tour.

Spin Earth witnessed their performance in Santiago, Chile last August 13th.

Tessie rolls and plays so intense, so sensual and elegant, showing off her voice all over the SCD Bellavista stage (Author Rights Society), a place for all types of musicians to perform on an almost daily basis. Lautaro Vera rips his guitar with a "noise/shoegazer" mix that gives us a British club ambiance. Mogles bangs his drums and doesn’t give a break to Ismael’s keyboard, which sets the mood for Tessie's bass. They all carry the show to a high level presentation.

They showed some of their first album "Life Jacket", and a sample of they second one, which is almost at the top of the most prominent music sites online with songs like Eva, Under, For Annie, Back In The Box.

After the show, Lautaro tell us that he’s working on developments to help local bands (Casino, Javiera, Mena, The Ganjas) to perform in US, country in which Intimate Stranger is scheduled to visit next March for they promotional tour before their mini tour in Argentina next November. Tessie (English-Croat descendant), also comments how she sees her audience's reaction their performance sang in English.

Tessie: People approach me saying "I liked your performance, but I think that the majority of the audience would prefer it in Spanish".

Lau: Why not sing in English? Our audience and us listen to English spoken songs all the time, besides, it is the lead market in music.

SPINearth: Actually you are in amazon.com, a site where many Chilean bands are not, is that commercially a step ahead?

Lautario: It is our launch platform of choice, because it’s cheap, the online sales don't give you the pressure to make albums. Indeed places like itunes, e-music and other music sites give you the chance to show a song after you finished it. We made contact with a German record label that allocates our work at 90% of online sites.

SPINearth: How you see the local music scene?

Tessie: We believe is fine, our band left Chile three years ago and now that we return, a change is notorious; there’s more places to perform and more bands.

Lautaro: It's ok, if you compare to foreign band scenes that I like, there's still things to do.

Intimate Stranger members: Tessie Stranger (vocals/bass), Lau Stranger (guitar/backing vocal), Mogles (drums), Ismael Palma (keyboards).

Intimate Stranger on Myspace

The Horrors join Gorillaz on new album

Damon Albarn has enlisted the Shoreditch coffin dodgers to work on a song for the forthcoming Gorillaz album.

The Horrors have been enlisted by Damon Albarn to contribute to the forthcoming Gorillaz album after he heard their "exciting" new record.

"He got a copy of [Primary Colours] really early, contacted us completely out of the blue and told us how much he liked it," bassist Rhys Webb told BBC 6 Music. "We went down to the studio and he said, 'We're working on the new album and we've not collaborated with a guitar band before. Your album is one of the most exciting things I've heard in a long time. Would you be up for working on a track?'"

Gorillaz have not released an album since 2005's Demon Days, though Albarn and animator Jamie Hewlett have worked together on the project Monkey: Journey to the West. Albarn has confirmed that his attention is focused on Gorillaz now that the Blur reunion gigs are over, while earlier this summer rap group De La Soul described recording vocals for the album.

"[Albarn] played us a lot of tracks he'd been working [on]," Webb said. "They were in a really similar place to where we were at the moment."

The bands got on so well that mid-way through his tour with Blur, Albarn offered to remix the Horrors' next single, Whole New Way. Webb emphasised Blur's influence on his band. "They've always been diverse and experimental," he said. "[Blur] were the first band I went to see."

Your Twenties - Fleetwood Mac meets Elastica

Hometown: London.

The lineup: Gabriel Stebbing (vocals, guitar, keyboards), Michael Lovett (backing vocals, bass), James Hoare (backing vocals, guitar), Robin Christian (drums).

The background: The history of lesser band members (i.e. not the frontman) breaking away from the parent outfit to form a halfway decent new group is long and illustrious. Well, maybe not long, but there are a few. And illustrious might be a stretch ... Hmm. How about Fat Les? Maybe not. Still on a Blur tip: Gorillaz were all right. Then there's Bad Lieutenant, the outfit formed by Alex James and Bernard Sumner of New Order. Hold on, this is ridiculous: we can only think of bands formed by ex-members of Blur. While you try and come up with some better suggestions, please allow us to introduce you to Your Twenties, possibly – it suddenly transpires – the best group ever formed by a member of another act where he wasn't the main geezer. To coin a phrase.

If the name Gabriel Stebbing rings a bell, that's because he was the bassist and keyboard player with Devon's finest electronic popsters Metronomy. Not that he and Metronomy's head honcho, Joe Mount, fell out – in fact, the latter has been producing tracks that will comprise Your Twenties' debut album next year. Before that there is the single Billionaires, to be released on the Neon Gold label (Passion Pit, Marina and the Diamond), which was produced by Blur (them again) and Smiths whizz Stephen Street, who has piled on the gently strummed chords, the oohs and aahs and handclaps, and made it feel like a catchy blast of late-summer guitar pop.

There was a previous single, Caught Wheel, which caused a bit of a stir when it came out last November. It caused a bit of a stir because it managed to pull together the sounds and styles of Your Twenties' two favourite acts, Fleetwood Mac and Elastica. On paper, it seemed a little odd, because even though those were/are both boy-girl combos, there the similarities end. But somehow Caught Wheel – featuring the gently insistent motorik-MOR pulse of the Mac during the verse and a staccato guitar riff during the chorus that was pure Elastica – did indeed sound like that strangest of hybrids, west coast Britpop. There were also synthy bloops and bleeps in there that made you think of early-70s proto-electro novelty, Popcorn by Hot Butter, as well as lush CSN&Y harmonies, and a frenzied guitar solo redolent of Ernie Isley circa Summer Breeze. It could have been a mess, but it was actually quite marvellous. "Our ideal evenings are often spent at home listening to 45s from three decades ago and making wonky pop music," explains Stebbing. Meanwhile, the band are looking forward to completing their debut album, which they hope will sell enough copies to enable them to "move to America, marry librarians and pursue our love of yachting". Well, good luck with that, chaps. And good luck with your decision to pursue either synthy MOR or jangly indie pop.

The buzz: "A curious mix of upbeat, keys-driven alt pop and west coast-styled rock fusion."

The truth: Street might have the marquee name, but if it's an electronic MOR sound you're after, stick with Mount, boys.

Most likely to: Form a spin-off troupe called Fleetwood Macstica.

Least likely to: Become billionaires.

What to buy: Billionaires is released by Neon Gold on 7 September.

File next to: Magistrates, Empire of the Sun, Fleetwood Mac, Elastica.

Links: myspace.com/yourtwenties

AT8 - this girl pop duo have a low-rent charm that's perfect

Hometown: Buckinghamshire.

The lineup: Amber Ducker (squeaks) and Thalia Beard (shrieks).

The background: AT8 are one of two girl pop duos waiting in the wings at the moment, the other being Mini Viva, who seem a bit cooler, a bit more style mag. AT8 have a rather more low-rent charm. In short, they're less Hoxton Bar & Grill, more Harlequin Centre in Watford. Like MV's, AT8's songs are dancey, but they're slower, with slashes of guitar, which the girls actually plug in and play themselves, and they tend to speak-sing with a pseudo-bored sneer that is bound to have commentators swooning that they have "punk" edge. Not always, though – they've obviously been told (although they maintain that they're not media trained, that they do what they want, when they want, etc) not to turn that rap-singing thing into a trademark. They do proper warbling sometimes, only it's that generic, slightly shrill, anonymous Auto-tuned or pitch-shifted vocal sound that we've come to know and hear drifting over the Tannoy at Top Shop or wherever.

AT8, who were born in '88, hence the name, are managed by Amy Winehouse's team and are sassy/saucy suburbanites. They're a GaGa or Girls Aloud for girls who spend Saturday afternoons giggling outside Gap. And they are girls – not grrrls, the riot variety, as Radio 6 presenter Tom Robinson has suggested, writing on his Twitter page that they are, "Gtr-based delinquent B52s/Slits/Tom Tom Club grrrl trashpop." That's not their lineage. They're not a high street Huggy Bear – be serious - much as that notion appeals. They don't have a manifesto or programme of ideals. Unless you count, "We just go out on the piss/Cuz our names aren't on the list," as they tell us on their Skins-tastic debut single, Adam's Party. They've also declared their modus operandi to be "about having fun, rocking out and getting drunk", adding that their lyrics are inspired by "going out on the lash and generally fooling around." Sophisticated situationists they are not. They are scary, though. Thalia is the "fiery redhead who struts around like a sex mad singer" while Amber is the "platinum blonde who takes it off like a part-time stripper." They describe their chirpy electro-pop set-up thus: "We are two guitars and a drum machine … that's all we got that's all we need!" Their spelling and grammar are terrible.

The buzz: "AT8 are more punk than Gallows."

The truth: They insist they're "the complete antithesis of Dolly Rockers", but they're very much in that vein, only less cheeky and smart.

Most likely to: Misspell "insurrection".

Least likely to: Rhyme "seditious" with "Sid Vicious".

What to buy: Adam's Party is released on 5 October.

File next to: Mini Viva, Dolly Rockers, Lady GaGa, Girls Aloud.

Links: www.myspace.com/at8official

Monday's new band: Cold Cave.

SXSW 2010 Panel: What Borders? International Music in the Modern World

SXSW has added a voting component to the selection process for panels at next year's music conference. We have proposed a panel for the 2010 SXSW music conference entitled "What Borders? International Music in the Modern World". Please take a look at our description, register with the SXSW site, and vote for our panel. Voting counts for 30% of the selection process, so vote early and vote often!

Confirmed panelists:
Maryelizabeth Carter, The Underground Management
Matthew Covey, Tamizdat
Dave Dart, Dart Music International
Alan Holt, New Zealand Music Commission
Alan Mackey, New Direction Music
Derek Woodgate, The Futures Lab, Plutopia, and Dart Music International

Description: Rock & Roll has become the common language for young people across the globe. Panelists explore how touring, festivals, nonprofit organizations, and the internet are used to overcome borders to make rock music the market place of intercultural exchange for students, young professionals, and working class people the world over.

We will address the following questions:
1. What kinds of unique issues do artists face when touring outside their home countries (logistics, visas, day-to-day costs, etc)?
2. Are specialized work visas always required for all performances outside one's home country?
3. To what degree should bands be involved with international issues-based benefit performances?
4. What is the right "mix" of international festival performances, international benefits, and non-festival touring?
5. How much time is adequate to plan a tour to the US from other countries? What about multi-national touring (Europe, Latin America, etc.)?
6. How much should a band emphasize the socio-political impact of their "foreignness" versus their artistic ability when touring the US or other countries?
7. Given current demographic trends in the US and other parts of the world (as well as international superstardom for polyglot artists like Manu Chao), are we likely to see greater mainstream acceptance of languages other than English in rock/pop music?
8. What are the realistic expectations of a band's return on investment for an international tour/appearance (direct income, exposure, new sponsors, building new fan bases, etc.)?
9. What emerging technological resources - social media, virtual touring, video performances, online concerts, etc - should bands use to enhance their international presence?
10. While festivals like SXSW include lesser known international artists, what other resources exist to help up-and-coming artists reach international markets?

Little League World Series Rocks

International sports events are cultural activities that whose importance is often overlooked. Most people think of sports as nothing more than entertainment, but large-scale international tournaments take on a role much greater than mere diversion. The Little League World Series, airing right now on ESPN, is the perfect example of this. The annual LLWS is such a great celebration of the goodwill and promotion of international cultures. Baseball is one of the great exports of US culture that has taken root around the world. This year has a local connection for DMI. Jacob "The Rocket" Ramos, nephew of our friend Christy Gray, is one of the players on the LLWS team from San Antonio. They won their first game Friday and play again today at 3:00pm EST.

Besides the great coincidence of sharing a name with one of our interns, the team's second baseman Kyle Pollard is posting a blog during the week on the WOAI website.

Woody Allen to play Austin

In a rare appearance outside their standing gig every Monday night at Manhattan's Carlyle Hotel, Woody Allen and his New Orleans Jazz Band take the stage for a once-in-a-lifetime performance. As a musician, he innovatively plays the clarinet and replicates to perfection the sounds of jazz from its origins, supported by an encyclopedic musical knowledge that is evident in the colors of his identifiable musical selections. A can't miss evening at the Paramount Theatre on December 28, 2009.

Croatian band Kries mixes the traditional with 'ethno-rock' (and bagpipes)

Eastern European music has been making a starring role in Western pop in recent years. Take Beirut, or Gogol Bordello and to an extent Arcade FIre. But if you want the real thing, we might suggest the Croatian band Kries. The band draws from traditional Croatian music, an merges it with dark rock elements and, on their latest album, bagpipes and the fiddle work of the always eclectic Martin Swan.

Kries recently performed at Salmon Arm Roots and Blues Festival (August 14-16.)

The band has a new album and has also been working on film music a lot. They have also been working on music for theatre for Croatian director Rene Medvesek's new play.

Andor Vegh joined the band after their first CD 'Ivo i Mara'. Along with leader Mojmir Novakovic, Andor is a big fan of the diple, gahde, dude (different types of bagpipes in Croatia). Croatian wind instruments especially the 'bagpipes" are part of old Mediterranean tradition.

Spring is in the air...

Even though it's 100 degrees outside, Spring-time is dominating at the DMI office. We're planning for the Spring 2010 festival and touring season now. The visa application and planning processes take several months for each international band, so we begin work 6 months ahead of expected arrival dates. Right now we are working on plans for two great Chilean bands, Intimate Stranger and the Ganjas. We're also talking with several other bands from all over the world and will have more information out about them soon.

The biggest attraction for international bands during the spring is the South by Southwest festival in Austin. Each year they provide the opportunity for hundreds of international bands to gain exposure with the world's music industry and media. This year I have proposed a panel, What Borders? International Music in the Modern World that addresses many of the questions concerning international artists. Please click on that title to read more about it and cast your vote to have it accepted as an official SXSW panel.

This is also the time of year when we can really use donations to help us with our programs through the spring. For perspective, an international band that comes here to the US for a month-long tour without our help can spend nearly $1,000 per day with all the costs of visas, transportation, logistics, and everything else. With your support we are able to dramatically reduce that cost. Any contribution helps! Please see our Support Page for a link to the Network for Good credit card donation page (where you can make a monthly contribution) and other avenues for support.

The Tornado Roosters: German Rockabilly

I just got off Skype a few minutes ago with AJ, the leader of the German Roackabilly band The Tornado Roosters. It turns out they are not only a really good, fun band, but they are also really cool guys. They live in and around Giessen, Germany, which is very near the little village of Pohlheim Grüningen, where I lived for four years.

Dart Music International is going to help them come to Texas next summer for a small tour starting on July 4th. There will be more information posted soon. Until then, they promise to torture me with thoughts of cold Licher Bier (which I can't get in the US) and temperatures below 100 degrees. Prost!

July Happy Hour

The July Happy Hour benefiting Dart Music International was at Mother Egan's Irish Pub on July 27. For those you that missed out, here are a few photos from the event.

One of many volunteers, Lauren

The DJs

Dart Drawing

The Prizes

Cool Merchandise

The crowd

Oh, and it was Dave Dart's birthday...

Thanks to everyone for a great turn out. It was a fun evening!

--Melody

Zero Point Five video from We Should Be Dead

I just recently came across the video for Zero Point Five again. It really shows off the playful side of the band. Can't wait to have them here for our Meet & Greet and Benefit Show at Scoot Inn next Friday. Sadly, Gary has decided to leave the band and I'm bummed that he won't be able to come with the band this week. You can read a bit more about it on the WSBD Myspace blog. I'm looking forward to meeting the new bass player when the band arrives this week.

Voodoo Cowboy is bringing them in for their big party on Saturday, and they are graciously lending a ton of support for WSBD while they're here, including a lot of help for Dart Music International's Meet & Greet at our office and the benefit show at Scoot Inn with Black Panda and DJ's Alan B & Freddie E on Friday.

Best Newcomers winners at Scoot Inn

Black Panda, the local Austin outfit that will be supporting Irish rock band We Should be Dead at the DMI benefit at the Scoot Inn on Friday 7th August 2009 (9 p.m.) was voted Best Newcomers to Austin Music Scene in 2008. Since then the band has been taking the city by storm with its gnarly punk rhythms. Come check Black Pandas out for yourselves - only $5.

Chilean bands planned for Austin

Two bands from Chile, namely the country's most popular indie band, The Ganjas and the fast rising pop rock artists Intimate Stranger will be on a US tour that includes Austin in March 2010. Both bands will be working through Dart Music International. Intimate Stranger played at SXSW in 2008 and in January this year were the featured artists in the Latino Rolling Stone magazine.

Thanks to everyone who came out to the happy hour and all the great birthday shout outs! It sucks getting old but it beats the alternative.

Come to Mother Egan's today to help me celebrate my birthday and raise a few bucks for Dart Music International. http://ping.fm/dhFU5

Our Derek Woodgate interviewed for Austin Chronicle feature "What Would Jean-Luc Do?" http://ping.fm/DwuQ2

The language of independence is indieoma !

Got the AC fixed, now heading to meet friends and then to Reversa! http://ping.fm/RLlyt

We're sending our next e-newsletter soon. Sign up at http://ping.fm/G2kIi

Tokyo Sex Destruction, We Should Be Dead, Polly Mackey & the PP, & 127 played on KVRX tonight. http://ping.fm/yXBhI

Dave is going to be on KVRX Chocolate Primate Magnetosphere Saturday at midnight with DJ Owen & cool DMI music. http://ping.fm/VqGbY

Updates soon on our website - new Directors, happy hour July 23, and We Should Be Dead at Scoot Inn Aug 7! Stay tuned...

Special thanks to all our great sponsors from last week's happy hour. See them & the photos at http://ping.fm/O716Y

Thanks to everyone who braved the heat (105!) for our happy hour yesterday. Info about upcoming events coming soon.

Dart Music International Happy Hour 5:30 today at Tiniest Bar! http://ping.fm/2cCPw

Wednesday at Tiniest Bar in Texas: Independence beer, Tito's & Sweet Leaf, Me So Hungry... http://ping.fm/BHorD

Just made some updates to our news page http://ping.fm/GpwEn

Dr. Mark Levine is relaying messages from Iranian metalheads & rappers (in Iran) real time at http://ping.fm/faR4F

Please give your prayers & support to 127 & Hypernova and all their families in Iran. http://bit.ly/jFi1b IranElection

Board of Directors meeting tonight, lots of new announcements tomorrow!

Music Office reVisited: Item 49, Austin City Council Meeting, Thu. June 18 @ 10am. More info: http://ping.fm/RLQTj

Make sure to check out event info for the DMI Happy Hour 6/24 at the Tiniest Bar in Texas! Head to the myspace or facebook for more details!

DMI HAPPY HOUR!

Introducing Dart Music International

Come join us at our first Happy Hour on Wednesday, June 24, 2009 at the Tiniest Bar in Texas!

What: Introducing Dart Music International Happy Hour / Benefit
When: Wednesday, June 24, 2009
Where: Tiniest Bar in Texas, 817 W 5th St., Austin TX MAP
RSVP: Facebook Event Page

Introducing Dart Music International (DMI), an Austin-based nonprofit organization that bridges the cultural divide by helping international musicians enrich the culture of Texas, Louisiana, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and New Mexico.

Come out and celebrate our coming out! We'd love to meet you.

We plan to host a happy hour every month that will include musical guests and drink specials.

This month:
DJ Alan B and DJ Fred will be on hand spinning some great tunes featuring DMI artist members such as We Should Be Dead and Polly Mackey & the Pleasure Principle.

Drink specials will be available from local brewery Independence Brewing Company.

There will also be drawings for cool items and other surprises. Check our Facebook Event Page for updates.

See you there!
- Dave

Shady Grove & Sound Ordinance update from Councilmember Laura Morrison tonight at the Save Austin Music BIG MEETING 7-9pm

The Power of Email Marketing for Fan Relations at the Austin Hilton Garden Inn, 7:00 tonight. http://ping.fm/hYwfK

When people ask why we need a Music Office in Austin, point them here: http://ping.fm/hoBe4

Mark your calendars: June 24, 5:30-8:00 Dart Music Happy Hour at The Tiniest Bar In Texas. More info later this week.

We Should Be Dead are coming to Austin soon. We'll have details later this week.

Dart Music International News

Is it already almost June?! It feels more like New Year's Eve around here! We have lots of new events planned (keep an eye out for a late June happy hour), new office space, lots of new volunteers, and new opportunities for you to participate. Check out what the media are saying about Dart Music International and our artists on our Press Page and take a look at this year's events, past and present, on our Events Page. See what's on the Dart Music International horizon on our Calendar, Twitter, and our other Social Networking Sites.

1. Pachanga Fest May 30 at Fiesta Gardens
2. New Dart Music International Office with Voodoo Cowboy
3. Old Pecan Street Festival May 2-3
4. Our New Favicon - It's the Little Things!

Polly Mackey & the Pleasure Principle have been announced as headliners at Liverpool's Red Festival on July 26th.

Check out this timeless video by Lupe Olivarez, owner of Bohemeo's in Houston. http://ping.fm/4jlHM

Figuring out Ping.fm...anyone else on board? It's great stuff!

International Lunch during SXSW week at Nueva Onda

For your late breakfast, lunch, and SXSW warm-up needs, we are very proud to be working withNueva Onda to serenade you with live music from some of our great international bands. The bands will play out on the patio from 11:30am to 1:00 pm Monday through Saturday during the week of South By Southwest. Come on down to South Congress and enjoy someof the best breakfast tacos and tex-mex in Austin along with some great Dart Music International music.

Mon., 3/16: We Should Be Dead from Limerick, Ireland;
Tue., 3/17: Polly Mackey & the Pleasure Principle from Liverpool, UK;
Wed., 3/18: Bang Bang Eche from Christchurch, New Zealand;
Thu., 3/19: Capsula from Bilbao, Argentina;
Fri., 3/20: Tokyo Sex Destruction from Vilanova, Spain;
Sat., 3/21: Pedro Menéndez from Buenos Aires, Argentina.

Event Details:
Date: Monday-Saturday, March 16-21, 2009
Time: 11:30am - 1:30pm
Location: Nueva Onda, 2218 College Ave., Austin, TX 78704
Phone: (512) 477-5063