Live: Alejandro Escovedo, Austin

The release of Alejandro Escovedo’s new album Real Animal is taking on national holiday proportions in Austin.  In the past seven days, Escovedo and his crack band have already appeared on “Late Night With Conan O’Brien” and “The Today Show.”  Thursday afternoon, they kicked off a three-day Austin home stand with a rollicking in-store appearance at Waterloo Records.

Escovedo remembered how he once worked at Waterloo, and how he played Iggy Pop and the Stooges on the store sound system every chance he got.  “And I was never late, and I did everything they told me to,” he joked.  “I was the best employee they ever had.”  Then he charged into his “Real As An Animal” rocker, the song he wrote about Iggy Pop.  “He (Iggy) represents everything that is exciting about rock and roll,” Alejandro said.

Led by guitar genius David Pulkingham, the band performed a handful of songs from the album including “Sister Lost Soul,” “Slow Down” and the great new single “Always A Friend.”  Escovedo and band will play a two-night stand at the Continental Club Thursday and Friday, and Saturday night they headline the “Keep Austin Weird Festival.”  Then, Alejandro said, they begin a long tour of the midwest.  Then they’ll come back home to Austin.

Real Animal is out now in record stores.  You can hear Escovedo’s Friday (June 27) night show live on KGSR radio, at 10:30 p.m. CDT.  Go here and click “Listen Live.”  You won’t regret it!  UPDATE: KGSR radio has promised that you can still hear the live June 27 show as a streaming program.  Check their website.

MP3: “Real As An Animal”

Alejandro Escovedo official website