Austin Insider: Monarchs

Monarchs Sad Accordions

Who: Monarchs

What: Local Show

Where: Lamberts, 401 W. 2nd

When: 10 PM. Friday, September 25th, 2009

Sound: Soulful, Roots Rock

Our quest to provide our readership with quality music content centered around the live music scene here in Austin, Texas continues this week with Monarchs, an up and coming local (via Birmingham) band. Their show at Lambert’s on Friday, September 25th marks their crowned return after a short summer hiatus.

Monarchs is fronted by Celeste Griffin, a southern beauty from the fertile music land of northern Alabama.  Much like colloquial drawls distinguish a southern, music of those raised in the south always seem to carry a similarly distinguishing element.  The lifestyle and society ingrains itself into the soul of the inhabitants and truthful music is born from one’s soul.  It is this raw, down home soulfulness that intertwines itself so wonderfully with Griffin’s voice.  Like a vine, this braiding of two halves is a delightful and fulfilling creation.

Go I'll Go-Monarchs

More Upcoming Shows

Oct 8th (10 PM) – Hole in the Wall w/ The Bremen Riot & Bridge Farmers

Oct 10th (1 AM) – El Cosmico After-Party in Marfa

Oct 22nd (10 PM)- Mohawk w/ Hotel Hotel & The Eastern Sea

With an acclaimed EP released this past spring“Those Words, Those Frames,” Monarchs began gaining steam in the Austin scene.  After a few months studying in Paris, Ms. Griffin is back in Austin and ready to pick up where she left off.  She recently sat down to answer a few questions for HBH.

HBH: You took part in KVRX’s Austin Sessions recently.  When does that air?

Celeste Griffin: It actually airs tonight (September 24th) on TSTV in UT dorms.  KVRX will post the session on their internet sites next week.  Also, this Sunday, Sept. 27th, a documentary on Monarchs making “Those Words, Those Frames” is being screened at Sidewalk Film Festival in Birmingham Alabama.

HBH: You moved to Austin from Birmingham and have a backing band in both cities.  Was the move for graduate school, the scene, or a combination of both?

one_colorCG: It was most definitely a combination of the music scene and school.  I wanted to get an urban planning masters degree because that is something I’m truly interested in… and I like the idea of having some semi-job security in a field I like.  So, my move to Austin was about pursuing music and pursuing a degree that will provide a stable career option if the music thing can’t support me.  More than anything, though, I want to write and play music for my career.  When I graduate, I’m going to really try and go for the damn thing: labels, touring, all the stuff.

HBH: Top five albums?

CG: Aw, shit…That’s tough.  These are albums I have played top to bottom repeatedly over the years (in no particular order):

Top 5

  1. Neil Young: On The Beach
  2. Lauryn Hill: The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill
  3. Aretha Franklin: Aretha’s Gold
  4. The Beatles: The White Album
  5. The Grateful Dead: American Beauty

Monarchs (Austin): Rhett Flowers, Alex Tomaino, Phil Ajjarapu, Katie Holmes

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  • labrev
    Sad Accordions are solid as well.
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