Austin Music Awards

Local artists and unsung heroes honored at annual Austin Music Awards

Billy Joe Shaver was only one of the amazing local artist who performed during the 33rd annual Austin Music Awards.

Photo by Nicole Raney

On Wednesday, some of our city's most remarkable artists were honored during the33rd annual Austin Music Awards. Every year, the The Austin Chronicle and SXSW team up to host an evening that is part awards ceremony, part local music showcase.

Emcees Laurie Gallardo and Rick McNulty from KUTX took guests through a stunning lineup of performances and award announcements for this year's winners, which were voted on by Chronicle readers during the annual Music Poll.

Gina Chavez walked away with the most honors, raking in a total of four awards for her 2014 album up.rooted and beating out artists such as Gary Clark, Jr., Spoon and Shakey Graves. Band of the Year went to Riders Against the Storm, an innovative hip-hop group centered around husband and wife duo Chaka Mpeanaji and Qi Dada.

This year's Hall of Fame inductees represented a wide range of local talent, from singer Margaret Wright to guitarist Redd Volkaert to instrumental band Explosions in the Sky. But no matter what genre they play (or where they originally came from), the evening's winners had only love for their fellow Austinites for putting them up there on stage. "There is no music scene without you," Malford Milligan declared as he accepted the award for Best Male Vocals.

"There is no music scene without you," said Malford Milligan, thanking fellow Austinites for their contribution to the industry.

Interspersed among the congratulations on Wednesday were several mind-blowing performances that captivated the audience. "True Texan" Billy Joe Shaver kicked things off with a small set of original songs, but the night's most buzzed about performance was a touching Ian McLagan tribute from Alejandro Escovedo, Patty Griffin, The Bump Band and surprise guest Little Steven Van Zandt.

Earlier in the night, the late McLagan was posthumously awarded Best Keys player. "This man we consider an honorary Austinite, and we loved him dearly," said KUTX host Jody Denberg as he presented the award to McLagan's only son, who flew all the way from England to accept the honor on behalf of his father. "My dad would be thrilled to be here today because he loved this city so much," said Liam McLagan to the sound of warm applause, adding that Austin "gave him a home."

Homegrown musicians Gary Clark Jr. and Shakey Graves took the stage with fellow all-stars Phranchyze, Eve Monsees, Suzanna Choffel, Elias Haslanger and Warren Hood during "Return to Austin High," a range of performances that was just as diverse as our city's music scene. Austin's most talked about female artists banded together for "Viva la Diva," including Dana Falconberry, Tameca Jones, Sunny Sweeney, Carson McHone, Nina Diaz, Jazz Mills and 2014 darling Gina Chavez.

The industry winners were announced earlier in March, with titles such as best radio station (KUTX), best music venue (Strange Brew) and best recording studio (Arlyn Studios) going to the most deserving Austinites working behind-the-scenes. Casey Monahan — who headed the Texas Music Office since its inception before being removed from his position in February — was also inducted into the Hall of Fame and awarded as this year's Unsung Hero.

The artists who took away top titles from the 2014 Austin Music Awards are below. For the full list of winners, visit The Austin Chronicle.

Band of the Year: Riders Against the Storm
Musician of the Year:up.rooted by Gina Chavez
Album of the Year: Gina Chavez
Song of the Year: "Siete D" by Gina Chavez
Best New Band: Migrant Kids
Hall of Fame inductees: Explosions in the Sky, Redd Volkaert, Margert Wright, Blaze Foley, Conjunto Los Pinkys

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Movie Review

Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are both funny and deep in A Real Pain

Photo courtesy of Searchlight Pictures

Kieran Culkin and Jesse Eisenberg in A Real Pain.

Comedy film duos have a long history, from Laurel and Hardy in the 1920s and ‘30s to Tina Fey and Amy Poehler in movies like Baby Mama. But the majority of duos have either been friends or work partners; relationships that can be close, but not as close as family. The new film A Real Pain aims for the comedy that a great duo can bring, but hits deeper because the two lead characters are related to each other.

Benji (Kieran Culkin) and David (Jesse Eisenberg) are first cousins who decide to take a trip to Poland to visit the childhood home of their grandmother, who has recently passed. Their personalities could not be more different, with David buttoned-down and reserved and Benji extremely social, if a little wild. This contrast is on display from the moment they leave on their trip, affecting almost every aspect of their journey.

The two meet up with a diverse tour group in Poland, including guide James (Will Sharpe), recently divorced Marcia (Jennifer Grey), married couple Mark (Daniel Oreskes) and Diane (Liza Sadovy), and Eloge (Kurt Egyiawan), an African man who has converted to Judaism. As the group visits various historical sites, David confronts contrasting feelings about Benji, who goes from charming to abrasive seemingly at the drop of a hat.

Written and directed by Eisenberg, the film is about both the family we have and the history of those who came before us. With Benji and David being Jewish and their grandmother having escaped from the Nazis in World War II, the themes hit harder than they might in other situations. Eisenberg takes care to honor his Jewish ancestors both in the way he has Benji and David talk about their grandmother and the places they visit.

But even though emotions are heightened due to the significance of the trip, the film is far from a dour affair. Benji keeps things interesting at almost all times with a series of impulsive decisions, many that are entertaining for both the tour group and the audience watching the film. He is one of those film characters that is great to watch on screen, but would likely be too much to handle if you were confronted with him in real life.

The relationship between Benji and David is a complicated one; the two obviously have love for each other, but they rarely see eye-to-eye on the best way to approach certain situations. This tension keeps the film grounded, and Eisenberg does a great job at showing the push-and-pull the two cousins have with each other. The little moments, especially when Benji and David go their separate ways, say a lot as the characters try to reconcile where each is at in their respective lives.

Eisenberg has always been an understated performer, so this role is almost perfect for him. Culkin, fresh off his Emmy-winning role in HBO’s Succession, is an ideal foil for Eisenberg, as he has a manic energy that he can control or not control at will. It’s also nice to see Grey in action again, as she brings just the right touch to her supporting role.

The drama in A Real Pain comes from the life experiences of its two main characters, which are on full display despite the story only doling out details in small doses. The film is subtle yet powerful, a testament to Eisenberg’s filmmaking ability and the actors never trying to make too much of their scenes.

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A Real Pain opens in theaters on November 15.

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Austin Music Awards

Local artists and unsung heroes honored at annual Austin Music Awards

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Jesse Eisenberg and Kieran Culkin are both funny and deep in A Real Pain

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