Do512 - What to do in Austin

Since 2001, Moonlight Towers have captivated a growing number of Austin music freaks by flying in the face of convention: In a town saturated with beery punk, psychedelic sludge, and more roots than an Alex Haley novel, they dare to be different by embracing clean chord changes, rich harmonies, and classic lines without sounding like a cheap knock-off of all the bands in their record collections.

First coming together while at boarding school in the late '80s, the founding members of Grand Champeen decided early on that their brand of rock & roll would be energetic, straight-ahead, and loud. Taking their cues from the Rolling Stones, Neil Young, the Replacements, early Soul Asylum, Uncle Tupelo, and others, Grand Champeen crafts honest rock songs best listened to at maximum volume. Their first album, Out Front by the Van, was released in January 2000 to positive reviews, and soon the group had a reputation as one of the best live acts in town.