__Mon Jul 30th__ The Preservation (Austx), Thunderhawk

Monday July 30th, 2012
The Preservation
Thunderhawk
9PM
$4

The story of The Preservation is much like the story of Austin music itself: a melting pot of influences from different parts of the country creating something musically unique and genuine. Austin’s own history is of a town whose geographical location distills German, Mexican, Country and Western influences with Psychedelic rock and blues into a spirit enjoyed in the 60s and 70s by both the “hippie” and the “redneck.” The town and it’s musical renown have grown since then to mythical proportions. Becoming the self-proclaimed “live music capital of the world” has made it a place where people flock from all over the country to fulfill their musical ideas and ambitions. Bands form here everyday. Usually in an incestuous, interweaving of musicians where so-and-so plays with so-and-so, but also plays with the so-and-so’s when they’re not on tour. It can get kind of hard to follow and it is rare to stand out as something special.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3LlCsjMq3Us[/youtube]

The group’s founder/guitarist Mario Matteoli moved from northern California to Austin at age 19. By the age of 25, he was already a clubland veteran and internationally touring musician who had opened for Willie Nelson, Leon Russell, and Merle Haggard. When he left his former group, The Weary Boys, to record a couple of locally-acclaimed solo albums, he met his wife percussionist Cayce Marsh during the short-lived psychedelic rock project Lechuza. Mario and Cayce were touring the States as a duo when it was eventually decided that the time had come to start a new band. One that stands out from the rest. A band that tries to be nothing if not great.

Drummer Josh Wienholt hails from Baltimore, MD but his story began in Humboldt County, CA where he and bassist Ben Burdick of Arcata, CA formed a band with one of Matteoli’s good friends. Josh moved to Austin in 2006 and began playing with various projects, including (a pre-Honey Bears) Black Joe Lewis. Wienholt, being the ignition spark that he is, eventually talked Burdick into moving to the live music capital as well. But the whole thing came together when Josh convinced Baltimore pal Andy Bianculli to pack up for the lonestar state.

Bianculli was the final piece of the puzzle. Originally from Valley Stream, NY, this keyboardist (guitarist, singer, songwriter…) moved to Baltimore to attend Towson University. He formed a truly electric group called Earthtone which rocketed him to local and regional stardom. Bianculli, much like Matteoli, grew tired of the limits and constraints of his group and moved to Austin in 2008 in search of something better.

The Preservation officially formed in November of 2009 and have proven to be an ambitious and accomplished group in the short time since. They recorded and released a demo that Winter and went on tour for 12 straight weeks in the Summer of 2010. In the Fall, they launched a fundraiser on Kickstarter.com in hopes of recording their first full length album at a level of quality they felt it deserved. In two short months they surpassed their goal of $6,000 raising over $10,000 to put toward recording costs. In February of 2011, they recorded at Public Hi-Fi in Austin, a studio built by Spoon drummer/producer Jim Eno. The album was co-produced and engineered by Brad Bell, a recent Grammy winner for his work on Arcade Fire’s The Suburbs.

After playing their official SXSW showcase to packed house in March, The Preservation is now back on a touring schedule that will take them all over the country by the end of Summer. Be on the look out. You won’t want to miss this.

[youtube]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Gdgg3ddbnuA&feature=youtu.be[/youtube]