Ardent at SXSW 2012

With this year’s South By Southwest Music Conference fast approaching, we wanted to make a list of all things Ardent happening in Austin that week. If you’ll be at SXSW, stop in and say hello! 

Big Star’s Third Live at SXSW

In it’s third iteration, this performance of the material from Big Star’s Third will feature an all-star lineup including Jody Stephens, Ken Stringfellow (The Posies, Big Star), Jon Auer (The Posies, Big Star), Chris Stamey (The dB’s), Mike Mills (REM), and Mitch Easter (Let’s Active) along with some special guests TBA. Previous shows have included Michael Stipe, Ira Kaplan, Norman Blake, Matt Ward, Matthew Sweet, and many others. 

The show will be at The Paramount Theater on March 15th, directly following the sneak preview showing of Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (see info below). 

Video from the first show in North Carolina: 

Thursday, March 15 7:00 PM: Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me sneak preview at The Paramount Theater 

From the press release: “BIG STAR: NOTHING CAN HURT ME is a feature-length documentary about legendary Memphis band Big Star. While mainstream success eluded them, Big Star’s three albums have become critically lauded touchstones of the rock music canon. A seminal band in the history of alternative music, Big Star has been cited as an influence by artists including REM, The Replacements, Belle & Sebastian, Elliot Smith and Flaming Lips, to name just a few. With never-before-seen footage and photos of the band, in-depth interviews and a rousing musical tribute by the bands they inspired, BIG STAR: NOTHING CAN HURT ME is a story of artistic and musical salvation.

“The film was produced by Danielle McCarthy (who is also the Manager of Publicity & Marketing at Magnilia Pictures), Drew DeNicola whose ongoing documentary project Natural Soul Brother: The Original Black Radio DJs was a finalist at the IFP Market 2007, and longtime costume designer (Shortbus, Cadillac Records) turned first-time producer Olivia Mori. The Executive Producers include John Fry who started Ardent Studios where Big Star recorded their three seminal records, which Fry also engineered. Spirit Awart Producer of the Year nominee Gill Holland also serves as Executive Producer. Holland is a partner at The Group Entertainment.”

For more info on the film: http://www.bigstarstory.com/

Star & Micey

Friday, March 16: Second Stage show at the Radisson Austin at 7:00 PM

Saturday, March 17: Lucero Family Picnic at Cedar Street Courtyard (time TBD)

Star & Micey's Muxtape

The Scruffs

Long time Ardent clients and friends The Scruffs (www.thescruffs.com) will be playing an official showcase at SXSW this year. Ardent’s Adam Hill plays 0n, records, and helps produce their releases here at Ardent.

Saturday, March 17 8:00 PM: Official Showcase at Ten Oak Lounge

Dirt Brothers at Ardent

Memphis southern rock and country act The Dirt Brothers have been in and out of the studio this year and last, working on 14 songs that will make up their LP debut, Riding Dirty. Most recently the guys have been in Studio A under the guidance of Nashville producer and engineer extraordinaire Mike Clute (Faith Hill, Diamond Rio).

Ardent’s Mike Wilson has made Clute’s and the band’s settling in as smooth as possible, making whatever they need available to them at a snap of the fingers. 

But with the Dirt Brothers, it’s more a stomp of the foot than a snap of the fingers. The band stands firm on its commitment to Memphis as a hometown, and their belief in what they do has been heard echoing through the halls of Ardent throughout the time they’ve been working here. Those who would say that country is a Nashville thing, take heed – The Dirt Brothers are comin’.

Look for their 14 track LP to release in March of this year, and keep an eye out for The Dirt Brothers on the road in support of Riding Dirty. 

In the picture, L to R: Producer/engineer Mike Clute, Chad Gatewood, Justin Gatewood, Mike Wilson, Andy McCullough, Traci McCullough, John Salazar, and John “John Boy” Hall.

Colin Elmore in Studio C

Memphis based engineer Wes Leyshon recently brought a new project through Ardent in an effort to capture his client’s sound in the best way possible. The artist, Colin Elmore, met Wes at the wedding reception of a mutual friend, and a new working relationship was forged. This is the second project that Wes has produced for Colin. The first was a Springfield, MO based indie rock project with Elmore’s previous band, Berch (2010′s Before and After the Fall). This time around, and under a solo moniker, Colin wanted to put his songwriting in the center of the project. Looking for that “warm and slightly dirty” sound, they knew they wanted to cut to analog tape, and they knew that Ardent was the best choice for just such an undertaking. 

Over the course of 4 days, and with the help of in-house engineer Mike Wilson, Elmore and his band (consisting of Emmet Franz and his family) cut seven songs and two instrumentals, mixing on the final day. This release will fittingly be billed under the name of Colin Elmore and the Franz Family band, and will be entitled This Side of the Sun. The instrumentation on these recordings reflects a recent return to acoustic roots for many artists – acoustic guitars, dobro, upright bass, mandolin, banjo, fiddle, etc. Some of the songs were flushed out further with Hammond organ, cello, french horn, flugle horn, trumpet, piano and accordian. 

According to engineer Wes Leyshon, “[Mike] was everything I could’ve hoped for in an assistant. Loved the new board in C and the assortment of compressors Mike held for me to mis with on Thursday. The mic choice I had was a dream. The live room is amazing and we made good use of it. All of the Ardent staff seemed excited and encouraging about the whole project. I really hope to be back there in the near future.”

Be sure to check out a great video of Colin and Emmett performing an acoustic version of one of the album cuts in Ardent’s Studio C here:

In the picture, L to R: Caleb Franz(mandolin, banjo, BGVs), Savannah Franz, Audra Mohnkern (upright bass, BGVs), Colin Elmore (songwriter, acoustic guitar, piano, lead vocal), David Fiser (photographer), Mike Wilson (engineer), Olivia Jahnke (fiddle, piano, BGVs), Wes Leyshon (producer, engineer), and Adam Jahnke.