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SXSW highlight: Can’t beat Paul Collins
My SXSW peaked a tad early when I happened upon an act that I didn’t know was playing; in fact I didn’t even know the front man was alive. When I saw the name “Paul Collins and the Beat” in marker outside Beerland, which is not an official venue for the first time, I gasped audibly. You see, about 30 years ago I was mainly into two things musically: Bruce Springsteen and power pop, and Collins was the most Springsteenian of the skinny tie gang. His show at the Hullabaloo in Rensselaer, N.Y., in 1980 was as tight, powerful and melodic as any club show I’d seen.
Well, 28 years later and Collins hasn’t lost a thing, besides his hair. Currently living in Madrid, his backing Beat are a trio of Spanish kids that can really play with feeling. And Collins’ vocals were strong as ever. I couldn’t believe my luck as the band churned out some of my old faves like “Work-a-Day World,” “Take Me Back” and “Don’t Wait Up For Me.”
When they ended with “Rock N’ Roll Girl,” a song I’d play 10 times a day in 1980, and “Hangin’ On the Telephone,” from his pre-Beat band the Nerves, I was in heaven. I’m pretty certain I will not have a better SXSW moment this year and it was not even five o’clock on Wednesday.
If the line to get in to see White Denim at Red Eyed Fly wasn’t so long, I might’ve not stopped in at Beerland, which has got a cool scene going during SXSW. It’s free during the day and $5 at night for most shows.
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By Thomas
March 16, 2008 2:03 PM | Link to this
The Paul Collins Beat were the best and most rockin’ band at SXSW this year. For the people who missed their shows, you can download free concert cds as mp3 and videos for dvd on the official website by The Paul Collins Beat.