Perez Hilton "One Night in Austin" Party

One thing is for certain when it comes to Austin and the SXSW Music Fest, every day and every night there is going to be a party happening somewhere. One of the biggest parties this year was the 6th annual Perez Hilton "One Night in Austin" mega party held on March 16, 2013 at the Austin Music Hall. Perez and his friends have turned this opportunity to get together into more than just a good time. This year, $53,000 was raised for the VH1 Save The Music Foundation and GLSEN.  Limelight Imaging was honored to be on hand to capture the festivities of the night. 

Celebrity blogger and music enthusiast Perez Hilton walks the red carpet during his 6th annual "One Night in Austin" party during SXSW 2013.

FOXES entertains the party goers at Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin."

KERLI performs for "One Night in Austin" during SXSW 2013.

Angel Haze on the stage of Austin Music Hall for Perez Hilton's SXSW party.

Karis Anderson, Courtney Rumbold, and Alex Buggs of STOOSHE walks the red carpet before their performance for Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin."

CHARLI XCX on the stage at the Austin Music Hall for "One Night in Austin."

Ryan Merchant and Sebu Simonian of CAPITAL CITIES walk the red carpet before their performance at "One Night in Austin" during SXSW 2013.

WYNTER GORDON sings during Perez Hilton's SXSW party.

LISSIE performs for Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin" party during SXSW.

Perez Hilton takes to the stage to introduce each act performing for his "One Night in Austin" during SXSW 2013.

PALOMA FAITH adds her musical stylings to the festivities at the Austin Music Hall during "One Night in Austin."

Macklemore  of MACKLEMORE AND RYAN LEWIS shows off his "Thrift Shop" find for Perez Hilton's SXSW 2013 "One Night in Austin" party.

BROOKE CANDY entertains the crowd at Perez Hilton's SXSW party, "One Night in Austin." 

Peter Wentz of FALL OUT BOY performs with the band for Perez Hilton's "One Night in Austin" party during SXSW 2013 in Austin, Texas.  FALL OUT BOY was Perez's special "surprise performance" for the evening. 

mtvU Woodie Awards and Music Festival

Last week Austin was inundated with musicians and music fans from around the globe as the ever-growing music festival portion of South by Southwest (SXSW) hit the streets and venues of The Live Music Capital of the World. Music filled the air and every piece of real estate possible. Limelight Imaging was on the scene to capture the 9th annual mtvU Woodie Awards and Music Festival on March 14, 2013. The 8 hour plus outdoor show featured live performances from several of the award winners and nominees. It was also recorded for broadcast on MTV.

The Lonely Biscuits open 2013 mtvU Woodie Awards Music Fest

 

The festival kicked off at 2 PM with a performance by The Lonely Biscuits from Belmont University. They were honored with the first Chevrolet Sonic College Artist Woodie as the Best Emerging College Artist.

Rapper Travi$ Scott performs with special guest, T.I. during the music fest portion of the mtvU Woodie Awards 

HAIM performs for the mtvU Woodie Awards Music Fest during SXSW2013 in Austin, Texas

Rapper Trinidad Jame$ performs for the enthusiastic crowd at the mtvU Woodie Awards Fest

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis perform during the mtvU Woodie Awards

Macklemore and Ryan Lewis took away the Branching Out Woodie as The Artist Finding Creative Ways to Reach Fans Via Social Media.

Indie pop twins Tegan and Sara co-host the Woodie Awards 

Co-hosts for the 2013 awards show with Machine Gun Kelly, Tegan and Sara were also nominated for the Team Tag Woodie for their collaboration with Morgan Page. Tegan and Sara performed during the show.  

Woodie Award nominee Machine Gun Kelly presents the Woodie Award to The Lonely Biscuits

Acting as co-host for the Woodie Awards, Machine Gun Kelly presented the Chevrolet Sonic College Artist Woodie Award to The Lonely Biscuits. Machine Gun Kelly also earned his own Woodie on the night, as he was presented with the Woodie of the Year for the Artist of the Year. 

2013 Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association Awards

The State of Texas is known all across the globe as a very special place. The mere mention of its name conjures up thoughts of independence, strength, pride, and accomplishments. "Remember The Alamo," "Houston, the Eagle has landed," and "Don’t Mess With Texas" are words that have been heard around the world. With a strong history, diverse ethnic population, and fierce belief in our own abilities, Texas is one of a kind.

The Lone Star Flag

One factor that makes Texas unique is our heritage. The flags of six different nations have flown over our state, including the Lone Star Flag, which not only represents the 28th state of the United States, but also the Republic of Texas. Yes, we were our own nation. Texas’ rich heritage is impacted by the diverse cultures of the many people who have called her home. Everywhere you go you see the impact of the pioneers of old from Germany, France, Spain, Mexico, as well as every state in the Union. And yet with all this diversity, one thing remains constant; Texas is Texas. We have a very unique culture all our own. And one of the most unique parts of Texas’ culture is the incredible music produced by the people of our great state.

Each March, as our great state celebrates the anniversary of its founding, the Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association takes time to celebrate and honor those fine Texans who have gone above and beyond in representing Texas’ great culture through their participation in the music industry.

 

The Willie Nelson Award presented by the Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association

The highlight of this celebration is the Hall of Fame Awards Show. At this time, many of Texas’ music greats gather to honor the new members being inducted into this prestigious group. Past inductee’s have included Willie Nelson, Larry Gatlin, Kris Kristofferson, Mac Davis, Clint Black, Lyle Lovett, and Townes Van Zandt. Each of the honorees were presented with the Willie Nelson Award; a statute in the likeness of Willie Nelson, another great Texas music icon. 

This year’s honorees were presented during the annual Texas Heritage Songwriters’ Association Hall of Fame Awards Show held on March 3, 2013 at Austin City Limits Live at the Moody Theater. Those honored were Roger Miller, Ronnie Dunn, and Sonny Curtis.

Ronnie Dunn accepts the Willie Nelson Award from the Texas Heritage Songwriters' Association

Ronnie Dunn, one half of the famous country music duo Brooks and Dunn, was born in Coleman, Texas. As part of this award winning duo, he has earned 20 Country Music Association Awards and 28 Academy of Country Music Awards. The duo has also been named Entertainers of the Year four times.  Mr Dunn has twice been named the BMI Country Songwriter of the Year and a Gospel Songwriter of the Year in 2006. 

Sonny Curtis performs before he is honored with the Willie Nelson Award.

Sonny Curtis was born near Meadow, Texas. Sonny is a member of the quintessential rock and roll band, The Crickets, Buddy Hollies' band, and still tours today with founding members J I Allison and Joe B Mauldin. Sonny has written numerous hits including "I Fought The Law," "More Than I Can Say," and "Walk Right Back" as well as television and radio jingles and the theme song for the Mary Tyler Moore Show, "Love Is All Around." 

Connie Nelson presents the Willie Nelson Award to Roger Miller's wife,  Mary Miller.

Roger Miller was born in Fort Worth, Texas. After a stint in the Army, Roger was hired as a fiddle player for Minnie Pearl and then co-wrote songs with George Jones. He wrote such hits as "Invitation To The Blues," "That's The Way I Feel," "When Two Worlds Collide," and his smash hit "King Of The Road." Roger won a Tony Award for his score of the Broadway hit Big River. Roger passed away in 1992. He was inducted into the Country Music Hall of Fame posthumously in 1995.  

Red Steagall MC's the TxHSA Hall of Fame Awards

The Master of Ceremonies for the event was Red Steagall, best known for his Texas swing dance music and songs like "Here We Go Again," "Party Dolls and Wine," and "Lone Star Beer and Bob Wills Music." Mr Steagall has had over 200 of his compositions recorded by himself and other artists. In 1991, Red was named The Official Cowboy Poet of Texas by the Texas State Legislature. He was later named the "2006 Poet Laureate of Texas."

Larry Gatlin performs before presenting the 2013 Darrell K Royal Patron Award

Each year the TxHSA honors those who have provided recognition and support to songwriters by presenting them with the Darrell K Royal Patron Award. This year the award was presented posthumously to Robin Shivers. Larry Gatlin performed and presented this award. 

Ronnie Dunn performs at the Tx HSA Awards show 

Other performances on the evening were provided by Jack Ingram, Trannie Stevens, Scotty Emerick, Sonny Curtis, and Ronnie Dunn. Toby Keith performed in honor of Roger Miller.

  

Toby Keith performs in honor of Roger Miller at the 2013 Texas Heritage Songwriters'  Hall of Fame Awards Show

Jack Ingram performs at the TxHSA Awards Show

Review by Margy Moore

Photographs by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging

Austin Crowd Encounters A Little FUN.

The calendar might have read “Fat Tuesday” but the traditional beads and parades weren’t the only things happening in Austin as music lovers found another way to celebrate Mardi Gras and have a little fun. Fresh off their amazingly successful night at the 2013 Grammy Awards, FUN. took to the stage at Austin’s Stubbs BBQ on Tuesday, February 12, 2013.



Nate Ruess of FUN. performs at Stubb's BBQ in Austin, Texas



Long before the band arrived in Austin, Tuesday night’s show was a sell-out. After a very popular performance at last year’s SXSW music festival, local audiences already knew what the rest of the world realized during the Grammy Awards show held on Sunday, February 10; FUN. Is a lot of fun to experience. With their recent wins for Song of the Year, “We Are Young,” and Best New Artist, along with four other Grammy nominations, Fun. looks like they are a new force to be reckoned with in the music industry.



Nate Reuss of FUN. performs at Stubb's in Austin, Texas



Fun. (Yes, that period belongs there.) is an indie rock/pop band based in New York City comprised of Nate Ruess, Andrew Dost, and Jack Antonoff. They are touring in support of their second album, Some Nights.



FUN. performs at Stubb's in Austin, Texas



Thousands of fans braved the mid-winter chill of the Stubbs outdoor venue to catch an up-close glimpse of what is sure to be the next big thing in music. Fun. gave the audience 90 minutes packed with all of the songs from their second album and several from their first, Aim and Ignite. The band started out the 15 song set with their latest album’s bonus track, “Out OnThe Town, and quickly had the crowd begging for more. Other tracks on the night included “All The Pretty Girls”, “At Least I’m Not As Sad (As I Used To Be)”, and “Barlights.” They ended the regular set with probably the most anticipated song of the night, “We Are Young”, leaving the title track “Some Nights” and “Stars” for their encore.

While some bands are great to listen to on recorded tracks, Fun. proved to the appreciative audience that their live performances are even better. It looks like we will be hearing much more from and about this band in the near future, if the reaction from the crowd at Stubbs is any indication.

Review by Margy Moore

Photographs by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging

The Incomparable Miss Ross Reigns Supreme

The legendary Motown artist, Miss Diana Ross, graced the stage of Austin’s ACL-Live at the Moody Theater on Wednesday, January 30, 2013. Ross, who was the lead singer of The Supremes and helped shape the Motown sound of the 1960’s, went on to become one of the most successful female artists of all time, selling more than 100 million records. She has received Academy Award and Grammy nominations, and won Golden Globe, American Music, and Tony Awards during her illustrious career. In 2007, she received the Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts Honors Award.


Diana Ross performs at Austin City Limits- Live at the Moody Theater



On this night, Miss Ross amazed the packed Austin audience once again. From the moment the curtain fell revealing her incredible red sequined gown, the audience was on their feet, cheering their approval. The audience turned into a swaying sea of bodies and waving arms as they were transported to another time when Motown reigned supreme and divas needed only their voices to entertain. On this night the audience was treated to the supreme diva of them all as Miss Ross brought her soulful sounds to the stage for one powerful performance.

Diana Ross performs at ACL- Live at the Moody Theater

Review by Margy Moore
Photography by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging

Ed Sheeran Performs And The Crowd Goes Wild

British singer-songwriter, Ed Sheeran stopped by Stubb’s Barbeque in downtown Austin, Texas on Saturday, January 19, 2013 to perform for a sold out crowd of fans. While Sheeran has been gaining popularity in the UK for a couple of years, he burst into the US scene just this past year after working with Taylor Swift on her “RED” album and writing songs for the boy band, One Direction.



Ed Sheeran performs at Stubb's BBQ in Austin, Texas



With a strong teenage fan base, Sheeran’s show at Stubbs was a sell-out shortly after it was announced. His music and persona seem to connect deeply with his fans. Sheeran’s charisma and charm kept the audience smiling and entertained throughout his entire set. Sheeran urged the audience to sing a long with him and during one part of the show he divided the audience into two groups, asking each to sing better than the Dallas audience from the night before. He took time to explain how he writes songs from the beginning to the end and how he did not like his own voice on his first recordings, but has kept working and getting better.



Ed sheeran trills the sell-out crowd at Stubb's Austin, Texas



 

Sheeran told the crowd he loves Austin and the great BBQ we have here. Sheeran will be back in Austin in May as he will be opening for Taylor Swift on her “RED” tour.



Review by Margy Moore

Photography by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging

Keane Thrills Audiences World-wide with Austin Performance

British rockers Keane took to the stage of ACL Live at the Moody Theater on Jan 17, 2013 for a very special concert presentation. Not only did the band thoroughly entertain the packed venue in Austin, Texas, which also plays host to the PBS series Austin City Limits, but thanks to the World Wide Web, fans around the globe were able to have a front row seat as well.



Tom Chaplin of Keane performs at Austin City Limits- Live a the Moody Theater

Keane’s performance was the second concert in the new series, STAGESIDE LIVE from Austin. STAGESIDE LIVE is a live-streaming concert series featuring some of music’s biggest stars and rising talent broadcast live from the world-famous Austin City Limits Live studios and webcast live on CBS.com.



Tim Rice-Oxley of Keane performs at Austin City Limits-Live at the Moody Theater



Keane is on tour to support their latest album, Strangeland which was released in May 2012. The band is comprised of singer Tom Chaplin, keyboardist Time Rice-Oxley, drummer Richard Hughes, and bassist Jesse Quin. Keane performed a powerful, 21 song set for an enthusiastic sell-out crowd.



Keane performs at ACL-Live at the Moody Theater



Keane’s Setlist:

YOU ARE YOUNG

BEND AND BREAK

ON THE ROAD

WE MIGHT AS WELL BE STRANGERS

NOTHING IN MY WAY

SILENCED BY THE NIGHT

EVERYBODY’S CHANGING

SHE HAS NO TIME

NEON RIVER

SPIRALLING

A BAD DREAM

HAMBURG SONG

MY SHADOW

DISCONNECTED

IS IT ANY WONDER?

THIS IS THE LAST TIME

SOMEWHERE ONLY WE KNOW

BEDSHAPED

SEA FOG

SOVEREIGN LIGHT CAFÉ

CRYSTAL BALL

Review by Margy Moore

Photography by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging

Austin City Limits Music Festival 2012

The 11th annual Austin City Limits Music Festival took over the 350 acre Zilker Park in the heart of South Austin, Texas for three days of incredible fun from Oct 12 through 14, 2012. The Fest included everything you would expect to find in a music festival held in the “Live Music Capital of the World” including culinary specialties and libations from thirty of Austin’s most unique establishments; fashionable clothing, fine art, and iconic souvenirs from a plethora of local artisans; a farmer’s market; and over 130 incredible musical acts.

ACL Festival takes over Zilker Park in downtown Austin, Texas, USA.

The acts were distributed throughout the park on eight individual stages for eleven hours each day. The genres of the acts ran the gamut from blues to pop to rock and everything in between. One stage was even solely dedicated to kid’s music.                                                                        


Ray Benson of Asleep at the Wheel performs at ACL Fest 2012

Some of the musical acts lending their voices to Friday’s session included Asleep at the Wheel, The Wombats, Delta Spirit, Tegan and Sara, Alabama Shakes, Florence and the Machine, and Thievery Corporation. The headline act for the evening was The Black Keys.



Brittany Howard of Alabama Shakes performs at Austin City Limits Festival 2012























Saturday brought out another crop of great entertainers including Dev, Rufus Wainwright, Metric, Band of Skulls, Gotye, The Shins, and The Roots. Two great artists vied for the fans attention as two stages presented headliners on this night: Jack White appeared on the west side to the park while Neil Young and Crazy Horse rocked the east side. Though rain fell for part of the day, the fans’ enthusiasm was not dampened in the least.


Florence Welch of Florence and The Machine performs at ACL Fest 2012






















Sunday brought back the sunshine and massive crowds anxious to hear more music. Fans were treated to the likes of Kimbra, Freelance Whales, Needtobreathe, Gary Clark Jr, The Civil Wars, The Avett Brothers, and Iggy and the Stooges. Closing out the festival as the Sunday headliner were the Red Hot Chili Peppers.



Joy Williams and John Paul White of The Civil Wars entertain the crowds at Austin City Limits Festival 2012
















Once again, the 75,000 tickets for each day of this year’s festival were sold out months in advance. The festival organizers and city of Austin officials, knowing a good thing when they see it, have decided to extend next year’s festival to include 2 weekends (Oct 4-6 and 11-13), 3 days each weekend, for a total of 6 music packed days. If you’ve always loved watching the hit PBS music show, Austin City Limits, or dreamed of attending an incredible music festival staged in one of Texas’ and America’s greatest cities, now is your chance. Advanced tickets have already gone on sale. Hope to see you next year.





Review by Margy Moore
Photographs by Scott Moore/ Limelight Imaging