As mentioned previously, the 18th Annual Folk Alliance Conference is coming to Austin Feb. 10-14. Hundreds of artists will perform showcases for conference attendees. Full conference badges run $650, with single-day passes at $280.

Waterloo Records is offering a limited number of wristbands for those who just want to see some of the private showcases, and don't particularly care about conference sessions.

The wristbands are good for Monday, Feb. 13 only, and will be priced at $21 (cash) and $22 (credit) beginning this Thursday. Any remaining wristbands will be available at the conference hotel for $25 on the 13th.

Cindy Chaffin has been running TexasGigs.com for more than 3 years now, providing music fans in the Dallas area and beyond entertaining insight into the ever-developing regional scene.

Back in December, Cindy merged Texas Gigs into the gestational Pegasus News enterprise, and with that merger comes expanded breadth of written and A/V content from a variety of sources.

Texas Gigs just keeps getting better — from more band profiles to enhanced event calendars, radio on-demand to podcasts galore. And of course, Cindy's original blog remains its heart and soul.

If you haven't been to Texas Gigs in a while, be sure to explore the new and improved site. It's essential reading and listening, from one of the most original voices in Texas music.

Midnight Rodeo in Austin will host the annual Gruene with Envy awards this Sunday.

Winners are selected by a weighted average of public votes and industry insiders. Although the latter group could sway final results, preliminary numbers from public voting point to a good night for Pat Green, Randy Rogers, and the Eli Young Band.

The awards show will feature full band performances by Wade Bowen, Micky & the Motorcars, Eli Young Band, Mike Mancy, and Cory Morrow — plus acoustic performances by Randy Rogers, Jason Boland, Roger Creager, Stoney LaRue, Brandon Rhyder, and Fred Andrews.

The best Vegas lounge act in Austin is currently touring the state and soon heading for the West Coast.

The Small Stars is an all-star collective featuring the talents of Guy Fantasy (Fastball's Miles Zuniga) on vocals and guitar, Buddy Llamas (Fastball's Jeff Groves) on sax, Brick Masterson (the New Bohemians' John Bush) on drums, Richard Steele (McLemore Avenue's Landis Armstrong) on guitar, and Godfrey McCambridge (Lil Cap'n Travis' Jeff Johnston) on bass. Completing the show are the band's "manager," Vic Odin (Nakia Reynoso), and Father Max (Willie Nelson sideman Matt Hubbard).

I haven't been able to see the band play a live show yet, but their debut CD is enough to put me in stitches — while simultaneously marveling at their tight, energetic sound.

The Small Stars will be in Houston and Bryan this weekend, with February dates in San Antonio, Gruene, and Austin. Check their calendar for the latest show dates.

Last week KUT's David Brown tackled a new study from Belmont University asserting that the music industry in Nashville is more than 10 times the size of the music-based economy in Austin — and more than doubles the impact of Austin, Seattle, Memphis, and the state of Georgia combined.

But as Jon Dee Graham says in part 1 of the two-part series, maybe Austin just doesn't care. It's really not an apples-to-apples comparison.

The Austin scene historically has thrived on being at the fringes of popular music, not the epicenter. Sure, we may not churn out megastars like Nashville, but that's not what the city is about. Austin is Austin City Limits on PBS; Nashville is Grand Ole Opry on cable and satellite. Here music is really more an avocation than an industry, more a pastime than a be-all/end-all.

Or is it? Am I guilty of over-romanticizing Austin music? Is Austin really trying to make it to the big-time, but falling short of its goals?

Listen to David Brown's report on KUT's "Texas Music Matters":
Part 1 (mp3)
Part 2 (mp3)

Grand Champeen, the Fighting Brothers McCarthy, and Milton Mapes are among a dozen artists scheduled to take the stage at Stubb's in a Neil Young tribute on Saturday, Jan. 28.

Local indie label Almost There Records is hosting the show in advance of Young's March visit for a SXSW keynote.

Festivities begin at 9 pm, with a $7 cover at the door.

Dale Dudley and Bob Fonseca — better known to Austinites as "Dudley & Bob" from their popular morning show on KLBJ — invited a few dozen lucky fans to bring "virgin" listeners to a live radio broadcast Friday.

The hosts managed to endure the virgins' plugs for rival personalities Bobby Bones and the too-big-for-terrestrial-radio Howard Stern, but clearly won at least a few over with their playful sense of humor … and of course the free Tito's bloody marys, Flipnotics coffee, and Waterloo Ice House breakfast tacos helped a little too.

But what's kept Dudley & Bob atop the ratings is their dedication to spotlighting local musicians, and Friday was no exception. Virgins and regulars alike were treated to outstanding live performances by pop quartet Dexter Freebish, blues rocker extraordinaire Carolyn Wonderland, Latin rock quintet Vallejo, and Americana quintet the Weary Boys (partially pictured) — and it's no small feat to pull off four such great mini-sets before 10 a.m.

I must admit to being a "Dudley and Bob" virgin prior to Friday's show. And while their antics elicited plenty of laughs, I'm just not one to listen to commercial radio with any regularity. But if anything could change my mind, it's musical talent like they brought in Friday.

The 18th Annual International Folk Alliance Conference is coming to the Hilton Austin Feb. 10-14.

Themed "For the Sake of the Song" in honor of Townes Van Zandt, the event is expected to draw around 2,000 attendees for panel discussions, workshops, networking, and more than 200 artist showcases.

Among the dazzling array of talent scheduled to perform:

• Austin Lounge Lizards
• Tal Bachman
• Jeff Black
• Brave Combo
• Hayes Carll
• Adam Carroll
• Judy Collins
• The Duhks
• Grupo Fantasma
• Susan Gibson
• Eliza Gilkyson
• Jon Dee Graham
• Sarah Lee Guthrie with Johnny Irion
• Butch Hancock
• Terri Hendrix with Lloyd Maines
• Caroline Herring
• Ray Wylie Hubbard
• Jimmy LaFave
• Lost Bayou Ramblers
• Robyn Ludwick
• Willis Alan Ramsey
• Darrell Scott
• Jane Siberry
• South Austin Jug Band
• Chip Taylor and Carrie Rodriguez
• Two High String Band
• Carolyn Wonderland
• Walt Wilkins

You can find the latest schedule at the official conference site.

Austin Music Magazine debuts this month as a free guide to help visitors and locals alike navigate the city's crowded entertainment scene. The new bimonthly will devote "full attention to a variety of local artists and bands, music events, and venues" according to publisher Dennis Carter's inaugural editorial.

Cover story subject Bob Schneider helped celebrate issue 1 at a launch party this week hosted by the Gibson showroom on South Congress. Local media and entertainment VIPs schmoozed freely with the help of Shiner beers, Tito's Handmade Vodka, and various mixers.

Other features spotlight the Lonestar Rollergirls, the legendary Antone's, and local electronic duo Ghostland Observatory. Venue guides and event calendars flesh out the magazine.

One issue does not a franchise make, but with its clean layout and solid editorial content, Austin Music Magazine appears to have a bright future. Pick one up next time you're in Austin looking for a night out on the town.

Last week I had the chance to attend my first Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas.

Among the thousands of cutting-edge products were a few destined to make music fans drool, none moreso than the Pioneer Inno, which combines XM satellite radio with MP3 in a compact form factor with a vibrant color screen. It should hit stores this spring, along with the similar Samsung Helix, at a projected price of $399.

Oh, and we spotted Willie Nelson playing poker in the Crystal Room at Mandalay Bay. How cool is that?

We closed out 2005 by spending last week with family in the Dallas area (and catching Hayes Carll at the Gypsy Tea Room while there), and are now back in Austin to begin the new year.

Thanks to all of you, last year was incredible. Readership more than tripled, and more importantly we were blessed to make many wonderful new acquaintances.

Here's to another great year.