Daisy O’Connor had a wonderful time making her new album, MIXTAPE II – on an 8-track cassette recorder.

Now, if you’re at all familiar with the radiant voice and spirit of the Austin-based songwriter, it’s not odd or a big surprise, but such a task might make the more digitally-inclined cringe with worry. What about any mistakes? Or extra takes? The choices?? For O’Connor, it was a much-desired commitment to the immediacy and the magic of each moment within each song. And it rid her of the hassle of literally having too many options that can make any production overwhelming and ultimately, less satisfying. It’s a dynamic and poetic return to musical roots, directly from the source.

Don’t miss Daisy O’Connor at her album release show tonight at the Cactus Cafe, 2247 Guadalupe in the Texas Union at UT. Special guest Aubrey Hays starts out the night. Doors open at 8 p.m. Recommended.

-Photography by Gabriel C. Pérez.

Your Austin Music Minute maven relishes the crazy good times in a garage/punk rock frenzy with powerhouse trio The Blind Pets. Songwriter Joshua Logan was at the helm on vocals and guitar, drivin’ it hard with bassist Dustin Hannah and drummer Michael Anthony Gibson ’til your heart ached and your eardrums exploded.

Those days with the Pets are now in the past tense, but the passion is not. Logan’s current journey has him navigating stormy pop-rock waters as Chief White Lightning. The former Austinite makes his home in Long Beach, CA for now, but some badass Austin connections inspired a new musical life. Logan collaborated with producers Jonas Wilson and Matt Drenik to create the Chief’s self-titled debut LP, offering a bit of rock ‘n’ roll insight lined with quirky observations, delivered by Logan with devious finesse. No need for gimmickry or fancy tricks. The Chief simply invites you along for the trippiest trip.

Chief White Lightning is in town for a show tonight at a new-ish spot in the ATX, Nicolaza’s, 8504 S. Congress Ave. The bill also includes a set by special guest Booher. The music starts at 8 p.m. Swoon with the croons. Recommended.

-Photo courtesy of the artist.

Pony Bradshaw is the musical project of James Bradshaw, a songwriter who’s lived in many places throughout his life, but has spent the last 10 years calling North Georgia his home. And very much like his life, Bradshaw’s debut LP Sudden Opera is illuminated with a nomadic spirit, drifting through haunted spaces and driven by a brooding restlessness. The imagery creeps up on you, sometimes surreal, sometimes stark – a Southern Gothic path taken in search of redemption.

Pony Bradshaw is in Austin for a show tonight at Stubb’s indoor venue, 801 Red River. Austin-based hazy dark-folk outfit and AMM fave Marijuana Sweet Tooth is the perfect opener for the show. Doors at 8 p.m. Recommended.

-Image courtesy of the artist.

¿Puedes subir el volumen de la música? ¡Me encanta esta canción! The track featured on today’s Austin Music Minute, “Miradas,” is from the fiery feast Infiernes by Mexico City powerhouse ska outfit Panteón Rococó. The group has been performing since 1995, bringing their distinctive brand of ska to massive crowds with an ever-growing fan base expanding beyond Mexico into Europe, where they’ve toured countless times. They blend all manner of rock, punk, salsa, cumbia and mariachi into their ska and reggae blasts for an all-out mad energetic frenzy.

They’ve made the rounds in Austin before with SXSW gigs, but now Panteón Rococó is back for a show tonight at Emo’s, 2015 E. Riverside Dr. Austin punk/ska/reggae band Los Kurados opens the show. Doors at 7 p.m. Recommended.

-Image courtesy of the artist.

Maybe you’ve been a longtime fan. Or, perhaps your introduction to the 13th Floor Elevators was through High Fidelity. It’s the distinctive track crackling away at the beginning as the vinyl spins, moments before John Cusack‘s character utters the immortal question, “What came first? Music, or the misery?”, while gazing long faced in your general direction with headphones on.

“You’re gonna wake up one mornin’/as the sun greets the dawn…” Admittedly, some of us were mystified by a certain unique instrumentation in “You’re Gonna Miss Me” – Tommy Hall‘s quiver-shiver “electric jug,” giving it that unmistakable shudder-like signature down the spine. Hell yeah. This is the band you can trace it all back to. This was the start of what gave psychedelia its very identity. Of course, the songwriting of Roky Erickson was at the core of it all.

A multitude of Austin musicians are gathering this evening to honor Erickson, one of the most influential artists not only of our city, but one whose influence reached far beyond Texas into several music scenes embracing psych sounds.

Roky Erickson’s Birthday Tribute and Ice Cream Social happens tonight at Barracuda, 611 E. 7th St. And it’s one gargantuan line-up: Christian Bland and The Revelators, Crypt Trip, Nolan Potter, The Bad Lovers, Moving Panoramas, The Ugly Beats, Teenage Cavegirl, The Zoltars, Magic Rockers of Texas, Hong Kong Wigs, and many more, including a set by Garbled Head (featuring Billie Buck, Mike Buck, Eve Monsees and Mariah Stevens-Ross).

Doors open at 8 p.m., and the music starts at 8:30 p.m. Recommended.

-Photography by Eddie Gaspar for KUTX.