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Our community recently lost an amazing friend, activist, teacher, and music fan.  Esme Barrera was murdered early New Year’s Day at her home in central Austin.

I had the honor of working with Esme for 4 years at Girls Rock Camp Austin. We rarely encounter people so inspiring — whose compassion and joy are contagious.  Esme was the unique gift of a person who could ease a new girl’s fear at Rock Camp with a hug — who a Waterloo customer remembers for her smile — who a local band remembers for rocking out in the front row.  Esme was the epitome of awesome.

The day after I heard the news she was gone, I went in to Resonate Studios with Louie Lino to track a song I’d been holding inside for a long time and that I wanted to dedicate to Esme. Louie offered to add keyboards and the result of this January afternoon is what you hear below.

During recording, I learned that Esme once lived above the studio and was a dear friend of Louie and his family.  I’ve been overwhelmed with how many people her light has touched.  Even now Esme is inspiring our community and bringing people together (the Austinist has compiled an ever-growing list of tributes).  This song is simply an attempt to honor that inspiration and to give something back.  Thank you, Esme, for all that you gave and thank you, Louie, for working with me on this song.

You can listen to and download “Gleam” here: http://umemusic.bandcamp.com.  100% of all sales will go straight to Esme’s family.  Please give what you can through naming your own price for the song or by donating directly to http://forouresmeb.blogspot.com/.

Love,
Lauren / Ume

“The year she lived with us, Esme became part of my family.  She has been a friend, my daughter’s teacher and my musical touchstone ever since I’ve known her.  We can’t replace her.  But she will always inspire us.” ~ Louie Lino, January 2012

The Austin-based trio Ume will enter the new year with a considerable amount of 2011 momentum on the strength of their album Phantoms, released earlier this year on Modern Outsider, and their raved-about live performances. For example, here’s a Brooklyn Vegan post: “Bandleader, guitar virtuosa, and straight up bombshell Lauren Larson runs around stage like a firecracker ready to explode at any given moment, pouring all of what she is into the performance. Bassist Eric Larson and drummer Rachel Fuhrer round out the group, creating tight grooves… It’s rare these days to see a band so talented, with such unbridled passion, who are also completely down-to-earth and modest.”

Emo’s, Dec. 31, 8 p.m.
Ume at 9pm, followed by Wooden Shjips and The Black Angels

Our drummer Rachel featured in the New Blood Section of Drum! Magazine.  She also recently contributed a piece for Tom Tom Magazine – a publication dedicated to female drummers! Check it out here.

FEB. 12      DENVER, CO  @  Larimer Lounge #
FEB. 14      SALT LAKE CITY, UT  @  Urban Lounge ^
FEB. 15      BOISE, ID  @  Neurolux ^
FEB. 17      SEATTLE, WA  @  Neumo’s #
FEB. 18      VANCOUVER, BC  @  Media Club #
FEB. 19      PORTLAND, OR  @  Bunk Bar #
FEB. 20     EUGENE, OR @ WOW Hall #
FEB. 22      SAN FRANCISCO, CA  @  Great American Music Hall – NOISE POP #
FEB. 24      LOS ANGELES, CA  @  Troubadour #
FEB. 25      POMONA, CA  @  Glasshouse #
FEB. 26      SAN DIEGO, CA  @  Casbah #
FEB. 27      TEMPE, AZ  @  Crescent Ballroom #
FEB. 28      ALBUQUERQUE, NM  @  Launchpad #
MAR. 2       KANSAS CITY, MO  @  Record Bar #
MAR. 3       OMAHA, NE  @  Slowdown #

# w/ Cursive, Virgin Islands
^ w/ Cursive, Mt. Moriah

Check out the feature article “Like a Hurricane: The agony and the ecstasy of Ume.”

“…The ephemeral pull of her vocals cuts with a sharper edge as she launches uninhibitedly center stage, attacking her instrument in a flailing tempest of hair contrasting with her short black dress. She’s both possessed and in possession.

This is the essence of Ume, whose lyrically raw songs expose emotional uncertainty and wanting buffeted by the countering forcefulness of a power trio. Live, Larson’s an ambivalent siren, letting the crowd feed on its own objectifying presumptions – of sexuality, admiration, innocence, vulgarity, or vulnerability – only to shatter all of that upon the rocks of her own complete immersion in the music, the melodic lull and devastating pummel of Ume…”