8 1/2 Souvenirs
- Treaty Oak Distilling Ranch 16604 Fitzhugh Road Dripping Springs, TX, 78620 United States (map)
"Formed in earnest in 1994 by French-born guitarist and singer Olivier Giraud, then buttressed by Glover Gil's piano and accordion skills, 8½ Souvenirs came to local acclaim with happy hours at venerable South Congress speakeasy the Continental Club. A musical confluence of European cafe society and rockabilly, slacker, and jazz fans - the quintet saw the venue's record label release its debut Happy Feet in 1995. Heavily influenced by both jazz guitarist Django Reinhardt ("Souvenirs") and Nino Rota, composer of Federico Fellini's film 8½, the group featured a succession of female vocalists (Kathy Kiser (Benayoun), Julianna Sheffield, and Chrysta Bell) singing in English, French, and Italian, Giraud sharing lead mic duties. Presaging the 1990s swing and lounge craze, 8½ Souvenirs released Souvonica in 1997 and landed RCA/BMG to put out their third disc, Twisted Desire, in 1999. The group evaporated around the new millennium, but 8½ Souvenirs will alaways enjoy a firm place in Austin music history." – David Lynch
UPCOMING EVENTS
After ten years, five albums, innumerable sold out shows, and countless libations, Americana mavericks Horseshoes & Hand Grenades appropriately consider themselves a “family” on a wild, wonderful, and often whacky roller coaster. The bond between the quintet— Adam Greuel [guitar, vocals], David C. Lynch [harmonica, accordion, vocals], Collin Mettelka [fiddle, vocals], Russell Pedersen [banjo, vocals], and Samual Odin [bass, vocals]— fuels their creativity and chemistry on stage and in the studio.
“Sometimes, it feels like we’re modern day cowboys on some kind of strange journey,” Adam affirms with a laugh. “We’re five friends who set out to do something we enjoy doing, meet interesting people, see old friends, and make some new buddies along the way. Because of that sense of friendship, everything seems to happen organically.”
That’s been the case since these five musicians first met in Stevens Point, WI at college, joined forces, and hit the road harder post-graduation in roughly 2013. They have ignited stages alongside everyone from Greensky Bluegrass, Yonder Mountain String Band, The Infamous Stringdusters, and Trampled By Turtles to Railroad Earth, Merle Haggard, and Marty Stuart in addition to appearances at festivals such as Telluride Bluegrass Festival, Delfest, High Sierra Music Festival, Blue Ox Music Festival, Northwest String Summit, John Hartford Memorial Festival, and many more. Their five albums—Another Round [2012], This Old Town [2013], Middle Western [2015], The Ode (2018), and Miles in Blue (2020) take the listener through a wide range of musical and emotional landscapes, something surely provoked by the five different members all sharing songwriting duties.
Their most recent album, “Miles in Blue” is an 18-track album that celebrates their 10 years together as a band. While the album certainly nods to their tried and true blend of “new-time old-time” music, it also explores new musical avenues as the band pushes themselves to discover what else “can be”.
“It marks a point of growth,” explains Adam. “We’ve got those ripper type tunes we’re known for on there, but we’re experimenting with other elements. Little pieces of everybody are encapsulated in this record. We were really conscious of allowing our respective musical curiosities into the fold. Sam drops in a jazz and classical feel. Dave brings that Zydeco, Cajun, and old school blues vibe. Collin turned up this kinda pop folk energy, and Russell gives us the old-timey banjo feel. For me, I’m trying to play out my singer-songwriter curiosities. There are five songwriters in the band, and we’ve gotten better at harnessing our individual creativity and bringing it to the collective.”
The boys found the perfect place to bottle those signature spirits. They retreated to Cannon Falls, MN in order to live and record at Pachyderm Studios — where Nirvana recorded In Utero — for just a week. Joined by the Hard Working American’s Chad Staehly in the producer’s chair, they tracked the eighteen numbers that would comprise Miles in Blue over the course of a marathon session.
“Pachyderm is in the middle of nowhere,” he elaborates. “We’re all outdoorsy people, so the setting was super comfortable. It contributed to the laid back approach. It was by far the easiest recording project we’ve done. The whole experience was super positive and uplifting.”
The Horseshoes & Hand Grenades family grows stronger by the day. “The best part of this has been building a community,” Adam leaves off. “In this day and age, it’s wise to look for things that bring people together rather than separate them. We’re creating an extended family to get through these times together. That’s the ‘Horseshoe Crew.’ Everything happens because of that bond between the band and the folks there fueling the fire.”
Come Join Us for Our
1st Annual
Family-Friendly Friendsgiving
Adults: $55
Kids: $20
Under 3 is Free
Saturday, November 16th, 2024
5-8 PM
16604 Fitzhugh Rd, Dripping Springs, TX
Live music by Robert Parker Jr. Trio
6 PM - 9 PM
- Posted in LIVE MUSIC