NEWS & PRESS
Five Years on the Guadalupe for Splice Records’ River Revival
A wailing saxophone echoes through the air as the sun sets on towering cliffs above the Guadalupe River.
A quick stroll through art vendors and temporary-tent resorts greet you at the entrance to the fifth-annual River Revival, a one-of-a-kind experience that puts the focus on the festival attendee above all else.
Vast-stretching horns from a steer bob along with the subtle current followed by a cast of costume-clad campers as the sun starts to fade. The annual float parade contest showcases the love attendees have for this peaceful oasis just out of reach of the sounds of city life.
Houston man splices together a record label
“I was thinking he’d ask for thousands of dollars,” Brennan says. “He told me, ‘How about 250 bucks.’ And I said, ‘Let’s do it.’”
That show was the real entry point for a mortgage banker into the Houston music scene. Before long, Brennan had founded Splice Records, which over the past four years has been putting out recordings by some of the city’s best musicians: Craig Kinsey’s “American Roots and Machines,” Ancient Cat Society’s self-titled album and John Evans’ “Polyester.” This year, the label issued “Down to Funk” by Bayou City Funk and “After You,” the latest album by Yoria.
Interview with River Revival Texas Music Festival Founder Shaun Brennan
If you’re looking for a music festival where you don’t have to Instagram every moment, River Revival Texas Music Festival is the place to be! You’ll find a communal, Bohemian spirit vibe reminiscent of Woodstock but done Texas style. How does live-music, communal meals, and camping along the Guadalupe River sound? That’s what you’ll get at River Revival according to Splice Records founder and creator of the festival, Shaun Brennan. Now in its third year, the festival will host around 500 campers and musicians for a weekend filled with music, outdoors and an escape from the city.
Meet Shaun Brennan
Today we’d like to introduce you to Shaun Brennan.
Every artist has a unique story. Can you briefly walk us through yours?
I started a Record label called Splice Records 4 years ago after working in video production for about 10 years under Splice of Life Productions. We currently work with Texas musicians that span through many genres of music. When people ask what kind of music represent, I often answer with, “We like the music to reflect our community in the fact that Houston is made up of many different people.
Splice Records Won’t Give Up on the Good Times
Houston is not especially known for its music industry. Great bands start up and break up here, sometimes without ever being heard outside the city limits. But sometimes this lack of structure and history gives a chance for something new to happen.
Shaun Brennan and Craig Kinsey founded Splice Records after a night of drinking and sharing music. The name of the label came from home movies Brennan made with his brother as a kid under the moniker “Splice of Life Films."
PRESS REQUESTS
BARRELHOUSE MEDIA
Jonathan Beitler
jonathan@barrelhousemedia.com