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March 2008
Musicmainia top 10 for the week ending March 30
1. Big Moe, ‘Unfinished Business’ (Koch)
2. Rick Ross, ‘Trilla’ (Def Jam)
3. Keyshia Cole, ‘Just Like You’ (Geffen)
4 . Devin, ‘Volume 1 Smoke Sessions’ (BCD)
5. Fat Joe, ‘Elephant In The Room’ (Terror Squad)
6. Day 26, ‘Day26’ (Bad Boy)
7. Danity Kane, ‘Welcome To The Dollhouse’ (Bad Boy’)
8. Webbie, ‘Volume 2 Savage Life’ (Asylum)
9. Snoop Dogg, ‘Ego Trippin’ (Geffen)
10. Soundtrack, ‘Meet The Browns’ (Atlantic)
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Roches sue Austin promoter
It’s the case of a local promoter who says she “got in way over my head” and a New York-based singing group that was guaranteed $7,500 to perform at Unitarian Universalist Church on Dec. 1. The Roches claim in a breach of contract suit filed March 12 in Travis County, that they’ve received only $200. Through their SRO Artists booking agent, the Roches are suing Sally Cooper of Austin Acoustic Series for money owed, plus attorney fees and court costs.
“I will do everything I can to pay the group, even if it means getting a second job,” Cooper said Monday. Needing to sell 250 tickets to break even, Cooper said she sold only 111 tickets to “The Roches With a Holiday Twist.” In a Dec. 6, 2007 email to SRO, however, Cooper lamented “I am painfully aware that we only sold 150 tickets” at $35 each.
“I knew I wouldn’t have the money to pay them, so I offered to cancel the show, to put it all on me,” Cooper said. She said she told the group this at 2 p.m. on the day of the show.
“They were already in Austin, so they decided to do the show on good faith,” said Jeff Laramie of Madison, Wis.-based SRO. “We were told that the money was tied up with the ticketing agency, so we gave her a Fed Ex number to send the money. We were expecting to be paid in full… And then we got two hundred dollars.” Laramie said the Roches told him that the 300-capacity venue looked about 90% full.
Cooper said almost all of the ticket money went to expenses for the concert. Another act, Seattle-based Tingstad & Rumbel, also claims to have been stiffed by Cooper in late 2006. They were guaranteed $2,500 and received a check for that amount after the performance. But manager Carol Tingstad said the check bounced. Tingstad said Cooper said she’d pay the debt in increments, but the duo has yet to see a penny.
“We like to work with smaller promoters, to help them out,” Tingstad said. “They usually eventually come through. But in 23 years of booking, we’ve never been not paid anything.”
Cooper said the Tingstad & Rumbel show was poorly attended and so she didn’t have the money to pay the group. She said she told the duo the check wouldn’t clear, but to hold onto it until she had paid the guarantee in full. “It’s being taken care of,” said Cooper, who was served papers by the Travis County attorney’s office to make good on the check.
Austin-based agent Val Denn, who booked Ray Bonneville to play the Austin Acoustic Series March 28, said her acts have always been paid in full by Cooper. “I think she made a mistake with the size of the ($7,500) guarantee with the Roches and she probably learned a big lesson,” Denn said of Cooper, whose music business experience before promoting shows was working at Camelot record stores for 11 years.
Meanwhile, the Austin Acoustic Series continues at Unitarian Universalist Church with Johnsmith on April 11 and Kate Campbell April 13.
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Questlove DJ set at Whisky Bar on Saturday
As we reported in this blog last week, the headliner for this year’s 40 Acres Fest at the University of Texas is the instrumental hip-hop powerhouse, The Roots. 40 Acres Fest is a day-long, student-run extravaganza, and it’s free and open to the general public.
However, if the campus scene isn’t quite your speed, but you’d still like to catch a little Roots action, the group’s drummer and music director Questlove will be throwing down a DJ set later on in the evening at the Whisky Bar. The party will be hosted by local MC Bavu Blakes along with Pikahsso of the excellent Dallas act PPT. Questlove is well known for his massive vinyl collection and his exemplary musical taste (not to mention his compulsive blog habit). It should be a good party full of old school funk, soul and much more. Details on the cover charge haven’t been fully nailed down yet, but word on the street says it will be somewhere around the $10 range.
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Willie Archives: McLeese’s dilemina
This great column by Don McLeese originally ran Jan. 5, 1997:
Even some of us who don’t bother to make resolutions that we know we’d break use the new year’s transitional lull as a chance to get our houses in order, to come to terms with those obligations that we’ve been postponing for way too long. To that end, I hereby promise my editors that I will finally get around to writing Willie Nelson’s obituary.
This is an assignment I’ve been dreading since it was given to me a year and a half ago. In my mind, a Texas without Willie is unimaginable, and the prospect of writing about him in the past tense, even before the fact, is more than a little creepy. So what if the calendar says that Nelson will turn 64 on April 30, and photos show the Red-Headed Stranger with a gray beard? Whether through good karma or the medicinal properties of marijuana, I fully expect Willie to live longer than I do.
Yet newspapers routinely assign appreciative obits of prominent figures well in advance. If Nelson should somehow lose his life while I put this off, I could lose my job. Thus, when a friend said that he might be touring with Nelson this summer, all I could think was, “Please, keep him alive.”
It’s tough enough to do the obit reporting at the proper time, to intrude upon private grief for public consumption. In the name of my chosen profession, I have interviewed a sobbing Buddy Guy after Stevie Ray Vaughan’s helicopter crash, called a stunned Lyle Lovett when Walter Hyatt’s plane went down and spent the evening at Second City’s “show must go on” vigil when the overdose of hometown hero John Belushi sent all of Chicago into mourning. In the aftermath of John Lennon’s murder, I was so frazzled writing a memorial section for the following day’s newspaper that I had no time to feel anything but numb.
At such times, newspapers provide a ritualistic catharsis, offering a connection through which an entire community can share its grief and ensure proper due to the deceased. When one considers how large Willie has loomed in Austin, in Texas, in the world of music and the world at large, it is hard to imagine the extraordinary outpouring that will occur when he dies.
Which is part of the problem for a writer trying to conjure the proper ex post facto spirit, while Nelson remains so very much alive. Should I start by calling his friends and asking, “When Willie dies (or if, since I’m still not entirely convinced that the man is mortal), how bad do you think you might feel?” How can I put an assessment cap on the career of an artist whose creative juices continue to flow?
It’s a dirty job, but somebody has to do it, and I can procrastinate no longer. With the tragic inevitability of Townes Van Zandt fresh in mind (and with Willie’s tender voicing of Townes’ “Pancho and Lefty” fresh in ear), I enlist your help. If you know Willie, share with me what makes him special — an enlightening incident, a funny story. If you’re a fan, share the reasons why the man and his music have meant so much to you.
And Willie, wherever you are, I’m offering you a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Though it is common to fantasize about spying on one’s own funeral (if only to count the house and gauge the grief), few folks get the chance to read their obituary. In this case, I’ll not only let you read it, I’ll let you write it.
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Review: Texas night at the Long Center with Willie, Lyle and Ray Benson, among others
The last time I saw Willie Nelson, a little more than three weeks ago at the Star of Texas Rodeo, his opening acts were saddle broncs and bull riders. Dust was, let’s say, ubiquitous.
But Saturday night he returned to play the hoitiest-toitiest new honky-tonk in town: the Long Center for the Performing Arts, which was throwing a gala, weekend-long grand opening party.
Nelson was one component of an all-star Texas music evening, which saw the Red-Headed Stranger mixing it up with Lyle Lovett, Asleep At the Wheel, Flaco Jimenez and Rick Treviño.
The acoustic gem which is the Michael and Susan Dell Hall at the Long Center might seem an odd setting for twin fiddles, steel guitars and songs about drinkin’, cheatin’ and redneck bonhomie. But the show was in keeping with the Long Center’s stated mission of serving a “broad spectrum” of the arts. (Hey, next week I’m returning to the hall to see opera diva Kathleen Battle — whether she, too, will sing about whiskey remains to be seen).
“Thirty-five years ago I moved to Austin and played at the Municipal Auditorium with Ernest Tubb and Hank Thompson,” reminisced the Wheel’s Ray Benson before the band swung into “Faded Love,” “Black and White Rag” and “Big Ball’s In Cowtown.” “I knew I was in heaven,” he continued. “Thirty-five years later, we get to play in the most beautiful concert hall this town has ever seen.”
Musically, the evening was a mixed grill, with Asleep At the Wheel taking the stage first and remaining to serve as a de facto house band for the other performers. The end result was refreshing, forcing Nelson, Lovett and Treviño out of their familiar respective contexts.
Thus it was a treat to hear Nelsonian standards like “Crazy” and “Whiskey River” adorned with fiddles and steel guitar, instruments that don’t feature in Nelson’s Family Band lineup. Likewise, the Wheel musicians, abetted by a trio from Lovett’s Large Band, turned “Blues For Dixie” into a jaunty romp and hot-wired “My Baby Don’t Tolerate” into a feral, prowling blues showpiece. (Lovett’s take on “What Do You Do/The Glory of Love” — with Wheel bandleader Ray Benson taking Large Band vocalist Francine Reed’s distaff part — was a showstopper in its own right).
Nelson, Lovett and the various Wheel vocalists also harmonized on several songs, a rare treat for fans of each.
Another highlight was Ruby Jane Smith, a crackerjack 13-year-old fiddle player guest-starring with the Wheel, who jumped into the proceedings with polished gusto.
Rick Treviño, along with accordion maestro Flaco Jimenez (who seemed somewhat disjointed and disoriented) joined the festivities for a plaintive conjunto ballad, and Treviño remained onstage to sing backup to Nelson’s ever-poignant “Always On My Mind.”
The whole deal wrapped up with all 18 musicians onstage romping through Nelson’s anthem “On the Road Again.”
The road that led to the Long Center’s fruition was a long and winding one; it was only appropriate to have some hometown icons on hand to celebrate the last mile of the journey.
(Left to right, Ray Benson, Willie Nelson and Lyle Lovett perform Saturday night at the Long Center. Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Review: Voxtrot at Emo’s
It’s been almost a year since local indie big leaguers Voxtrot played Austin (by singer Ramesh Srivastava’s account, since last May), and the group proved Friday night at Emo’s that absence can make the heart grow fonder.
Everyone missing the group’s supercharged, bouncy indie pop came out in full force and crowded under the canopy and there was plenty of talk about how they missed their musical friends. Voxtrot started things off with the infectious and explosive “Firecracker” off their self-titled full-length debut released last year, for which the band has a video on MTV. This song, as with many of the group’s, is performed live with a bit more enthusiasm and energy than the recording.
Srivastava led an easy-to-follow, dance-inducing chorus while furiously fanning at his guitar and hopping around. Another crowd favorite, “Your Biggest Fan,” off an older EP of the same name, had fists pumping to the masterful pop structure and prancing keys as Srivastava took the mike and sang out the soaring chorus with his eyes shut tight.
By the end for “The Start of Something” the band disappeared in a mob of other musicians and crowd members that had amassed on stage for this Smiths-esque, sweetly doleful tune filled with jangling guitars. A strong cast of local openers included the quirky, minimalist rock of Jennifer Moore and the rest of Yellow Fever along with the upbeat rock of Hollywood Gossip. Ringo Deathstarr brought a wall of feedback and lazy-lipped, warm vocals.
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Review: The Dirtbombs at Emo’s inside
For anyone who doesn’t remember playing with dirtbombs as a kid, they can be rough, messy and irresistibly fun. And for those who missed the show by the band of the same name Thursday night at Emo’s inside, they can be exactly the same.
It began as a deep and wild thud coming from two drummers in tune at the back of the stage. Then, one by one, the other players boarded, picking up their instruments and adding to the crude rock ’n’ roll sound. By the time this Detroit fivesome got into “Underdog” off the older and widely appreciated “Ultraglide in Black,” the crowd was wiggling about and jostling against each other like a pot full of loose noodles.
The distorted garage punk guitars combined with the powerful drumming to create a sonic battering ram. A husky, soulful rock ’n’ roll three-person chorus inspired the crowd to sing along with all the “yeah, yeah”s and pump their hands in the air. The Dirtbombs played a few older tracks, such as the cover of “Chains of Love” that recently appeared on “The Diving Bell and the Butterfly” soundtrack, as well as songs from “We Have You Surrounded,” released earlier this year. On “Wreck My Flow,” one of the more popular songs from the album, singer/guitarist Mick Collins bounced across the stage with a big smile on his face and a shirt that read “You Are Being Watched” during the sirenlike guitar solo.
San Francisco singer/songwriter Kelley Stoltz and band opened along with the funky and soulful local Black Joe Lewis and his group including a three-piece horn section and an organist.
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Review: Daniel Tosh at the Paramount
Those of us who are not cute sorority girls or the guys who follow them around like terriers in ballcaps, hate Dane Cook. If comedy were nutrition, Cook would be a Tab and a Milky Way bar. The anti-Pryor sells out 18,000-seat arenas because his tight-jeaned brand of physical “comedy” shows off his tush. We curse his name.
But Daniel Tosh must really despise Dane the Bane. Although Tosh, who played a sold-out show at the Paramount Theatre Friday, is sick and twisted and truly original, he’s often lumped in with Cook because they’re both glicks, which is how to pronounce GLC - Good Looking Comedians. If you’ve ever drawn a thousand UT students on a night when their basketball team was playing for a trip to the Final Four… you might be a glick.
A fairly new phenomenon, the attractive funnyman era (ushered in by Jon Stewart,, a lame standup who eventually found his niche when he sat behind a desk) is a far cry from the days when you looked like Buddy Hackett or Woody Allen or Don Rickles or Totie Fields when it was your job to make people laugh, at a two-drink minimum. You became a comedian because your father was an abusive drunk, not because you found this killer web designer who can set you up. The best standup is revenge for not getting dates, for being left out of life’s reindeer games.
Daniel Tosh is a surfer for crissakes! That’s at the top of the pyramid of popularity. Tosh could be Tom Brady’s brother, but somehow he taps into the rage of a geek. Perhaps growing up the son of a Florida minister gave Tosh his blue rebellious streak. (Tellingly, his exit theme was “Sinnerman” by Nina Simone, not Dusty’s “Son of a Preacher Man.”)
Tosh’s comedic persona is that of a self-centered, misogynistic, politically inconceivable spoiled lout who has no use for people unless they give him sex or pump themselves full of steroids for his entertainment. He even feigned contempt for his adoring Tosh-eebas, chiding them for not laughing louder or in the right places. He kept looking at a watch he set on his water table because, he said, he wasn’t going a minute over the contracted performance time. Indeed, the show ended with a dud at exactly the one-hour mark, about 20 minutes after Tosh had run out of new things to say.
The comic had a snippet of good topical material about the presidential race, likening Hillary Clinton to Eli Manning (“She’s not even the best one in her house, but she just might have enough to win the big one”), but about 2/3 of Tosh’s wickedly crude set can’t be published here. His penchant for threading absurd sequences would also get lost in print, but let’s see what we can get away with.
He doesn’t go to strip clubs to “make it rain, “ he said, alluding to hip hop jargon for throwing dollar bills in the air. “I like to make it hail. I throw handfuls of change at (strippers) and if they yell ‘hey! hey!’ I tell them I’m a baller on a budget.”
He purported to be conservative except on one issue. “I want to wear a t-shirt that says ‘I heart abortion,’” he said. “On the back it’ll say ‘problem solved.’” He then went into a bit about the morning after pill, “or as I like to call it ‘breakfast in bed.’ Have you read where some women have died after taking the morning after pill? Talk about two birds with one stone. Looks like I’m going to the game after all.” The date night crowd roared at every unflinching observation.
Tosh doesn’t do much physical shtick, exaggerating frailness for effect, but he had one hilarious visual bit about how it makes more sense to sit backwards on a toilet, thus turning the tank into a place to rest your head or to eat a bowl of cereal. He was also a source of arcane references; who else is telling Gilbert Grape jokes these days?
Despite all the howls and kneeslaps all around, Tosh showed that he’s got a way to go before his comedy specials air on HBO instead of Comedy Central. Until he can do an hour without recycling old material (the Nebraska routine? Again?) he’s not ready for the majors. When Tosh did try to woodshed new stuff, he had to clumsily consult a couple scraps of paper, saying “not tonight” until he found one that might work. A joke about using the guy who draws on the UPS commercials as a Pictionary ringer was inspired. A diatribe about race car driver Danica Patrick not being that attractive wasn’t. “Let’s file that one under ‘room to grow’” Tosh said when one of his toddlers fell.
“Room to grow” sums up this glickster quite well. He sells out venues like the Paramount every night of the week, often adding second or third shows. But as Dane Cook and Larry the Cable Guy and Carlos Mencia prove, the mark of a great comedian is not putting fannies in seats. You haven’t really made it until, like Chris Rock, like Bill Hicks, like George Lopez and Eddie Murphy and Bill Cosby and Sam Kinison and Jerry Seinfeld and George Carlin and St. Richard, you haven’t made the A-team until you can kill for an hour and make time stand still.
It’s probably the hardest thing in all of show biz- getting a new standup set together. But if you’ve got only half an hour of fresh material, don’t do “an evening with…” Retire bits that have been shown on TV or heard on records. I know college kids don’t know any better; their taste in comedy is generally as bad as the music they choose to embrace. But in respect for the craft, Tosh should package himself with another known comic until he’s truly ready to headline a venue that doesn’t have “chuckles,” “giggles” or “funny bone” on the sign out front.
Well, this is supposed to be a music blog, so we’ll get you out with this incredible performance by Nina “Sinnerman” Simone:
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CD reviews: South Austin Jug Band, Jo Carol Pierce
South Austin Jug Band - ‘Strange Invitation’
(self-released)
Some argue that bluegrass and popular music combine as appetizingly as cottage cheese and chardonnay. James Hyland countered recently onstage at Threadgill’s. “I’ve heard (‘Come to Me’) called a pop song,” the South Austin Jug Band singer told the crowd. “I’m OK with that.” Fair enough. Even traditionalists would have difficulty disputing its winning marriage of glide and flair.
That flickering flame gently opens “Strange Invitation,” but airtight instrumentals quickly spill gasoline. Buckle up: “Trek of Beandip Perkins” and “Po Boys in the Glovebox” — dreamy splashes of frenetic Jackson Pollock imagery across a wheat field backdrop — peel out like teenage brothers jacking a ‘69 Camaro. Meanwhile, “Reprise” rolls and thunders and explodes like their parents rediscovering honeymoon thirst, its gentle coda a blood-orange sunset. Exhilarating.
Of course, that’s only a third of the album, which comes out Tuesday. Elsewhere, occasional misfires mire an otherwise robust collection. Tedious tunes like the lyrically inert ballad “Falls So Fast” and “Chicago,” a train song that starts but stalls, fizzle where they could flourish. On the other hand, engaging story songs “Wheatfield with Crows” and “Avenue of the Americas” — “Crime or an illness, everyone’s a witness,” Hyland sings on the latter, “Help is locked inside a cold steel pen” — filter complex themes with admirable finesse.
The stinging sociopolitical commentary “Neutral Ground” particularly resonates. “Ideas been evolving toward the truth that nobody’s coming to New Orleans,” the story scolds; “War’s been drowning out their tambourines.”
Fans know the trio — Hyland (vocals, guitar), Dennis Ludiker (mandolin) and Brian Beken (fiddle) — pinched the album title from their cover of alt-rock superstar Beck’s “Jack-Ass.” Excellent choice. Boundlessly skilled arrangers, the South Austin Jug Band reinvents its kindred spirit’s nonlinear masterpiece as a locomotive porch jam. Better than the original. Recommended tracks: “Trek of Beandip Perkins,” “Neutral Ground” — Brian T. Atkinson
Jo Carol Pierce - ‘Dog of Love’
(self-released)
Songs seem to spring so eloquently, so poetically, so fully formed from the quirky core of Jo Carol Pierce, especially with her musical partner (and fellow Lubbock native) David Halley as a sounding board. It’s amazing, then, to realize that it’s been 12 years since Pierce’s debut “Bad Girls Upset By the Truth.” So how does she follow up that funny, creaky, theatrical LP of absurd thoughts and heart-wrenching imagery?
She makes a rock ‘n’ roll record. “Dog Of Love” closes tenderly, with a pair of hypnotic, soul-baring numbers (“I’ve Got Your Eyes,” “Barb Wire Crown”), but it’s the crunchily melodic numbers such as the title track, “My Boyfriend” and “Don’t Miss This” (a long-lost Beatles song?) that give the album its irresistibly rompish quality. With the spoken snippet of “Criminal Thinking” leading into “Rock In My Shoe,” Pierce even sounds like a West Texas Patti Smith. This is the kind of record Lucinda Williams might make without the weight of expectations. The credits say “Dog of Love” was “spanked into life” by surf guitarist Mike Vernon and “driven” by bassist Mark Andes; indeed, this is a band record, even on the slow songs such as “Drunken Rain,” with the players sounding like black clouds overhead.
If there’s an overriding theme to the songs of Pierce, who spent decades as a social worker, it’s that this crazy life is worth savoring — every last drop of it. “Don’t Miss This” is about what unfounded fear takes away, and “Life Is Sweet” compares the story of who we are to the unfolding of a rose. The social work continues.
Pierce’s voice is her own and nobody else’s. And her lyrics go where the heart takes them. Add the creative contributions of the players, and “Dog of Love” is a rich banquet.
Fifteen years ago, a cadre of Austin musicians released an amazing tribute album called “Across the Great Divide: Songs of Jo Carol Pierce.” The 64-year-old songwriter has just put out material for “Great Divide II.” Recommended tracks: “Dog of Love,” “Don’t Miss This,” “Quicksand” — Michael Corcoran
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Last-minute Bill Callahan show at the Mohawk
Bill Callahan will play the inside stage at midnight Sunday at the Mohawk. Opening (at 11 p.m.) will be Jonathan Meiburg of Shearwater, for whom Matador Records will release a new album, ‘Rook,’ on June 3.
Doors at 9 p.m. and cover is $8/$10 for over/under 21.
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‘America’s Best Dance Crew’ season 2 auditions in Houston
While most of my time over the past couple months has been consumed with Austin’s biggest music event of the year, my secret obsession has been the latest venture of ‘Idol’ big dawg Randy Jackson, ‘America’s Best Dance Crew.’ I started watching out of curiosity, but quickly found myself roped in by the raw skills and pure heart of the dance crews who were competing. Last night during the season finale my boys, Jabbawockeez (in the video above) took the title. I loved this crew for a lot of reasons, beyond their technical prowess and mad flava, there was something really profound to me about the crew’s choice to perform in white masks. Apart from the dramatic stage effect, it signaled to me a surrender of individual ego for the good of the team.
I’ve been a huge fan of breakdance crews since being blown away at a B-Boy City dance competition in 2001. B-Boy City, produced twice a year by Romeo Navarro and crew, provides an excellent opportunity for Austinites to get a glimpse into the gritty and intense world of urban street dancing. The video above is a crew on crew battle featuring Jive Turkeys vs. Masterz of Mayhem in the B-Boy City 13 finals last year. The excellent instrumental funk the dancers break it down to is provided by local powerhouse Brownout. The next B-Boy City competition is coming up next month at the Parish. The dates are April 24-27 and the event being billed as a 10-year Anniversary Hip-Hop Festival. This has become an important institution in Austin’s urban music scene and I highly recommend local hip-hop fans check it out.
Also, this season of ‘ABDC’ featured crews from the South, East Coast, West Coast and Midwest but none from the Third Coast. I have this great dream that when I tune into the next season I’m going to see a Texas crew on the lineup. Apparently the show’s producers share my sentiment. There’s an open call audition for the next season of the show on April 22 in Houston. More details here. Represent, y’all!
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CD review: the Sword, ‘Gods of the Earth’
The Sword - ‘Gods of the Earth’
(Kemado)
If anything, this Austin metal band has turned up the knob marked “nerd” on this, its sophomore album.
This is not a knock. Metal and geek culture have crossed over again and again in music’s history. One forgets how geeky a lot of the Led Zeppelin songs were (lots of Tolkien in there) because they were more popular than Bacchus on pay day.
Sword song titles include “The Frost-Giant’s Daughter” (also the title of a Conan story) “Mother Maiden and Crone” (a reference to the Fates, Furies or Kindly Ones, depending on the particular myth) and “To Take The Black,” (a reference to a band of warriors in George R.R. Martin’s “A Game of Thrones”).
The music is essentially the same: galloping, twin-guitar hard rock that has as much in common with the thump of 1973 as the thrash of 1983 and indie-label lifestyle of 1993. Guitarists J.D. Cronise and Kyle Shutt lock up and peel off with ease, bassist Bryan Richie and drummer Trivett Wingo remain rock solid.
Only one question remains: Can a Sword role-playing game possibly be far behind?
Recommended: “Under the Boughs”
(The Sword performs at Fun Fun Fun Fest last year. Photo by Bret Gerbe for American-Statesman)
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CD review: Hayes Carll, featured in iTunes this week
Here’s our review of the new Hayes Carll release. You can get a free taste of the record on iTunes right now. Carll’s single, “She Left Me for Jesus,” is one of the free singles in the store.
Hayes Carll - ‘Trouble in Mind’
(Lost Highway)
Behold a most uncommon pleasure: Romantic poetry cresting a wave of rapid-fire rock ’n’ roll. “I’ve got a girl out in Henrietta, and her love is like tornado weather,” Hayes Carll sings on the swelling cautionary tale “A Bad Liver and a Broken Heart.” “It’s girls like this that keep me tryin’, she goes off like an air raid siren. Come in clean, leave torn apart, a bad liver and a broken heart.” Picture John Keats wearing faded jeans and a six-string.
Carll carries that epic burden with a familiar everyman’s grace throughout this major-label debut. In fact, “Trouble in Mind” — a ceaseless thrum of polished portraits and priceless punch lines — sketches a peerless blueprint of songwriting as unpretentious modern art. Heart-sore novellas “Beaumont” and “Knockin’ Over Whiskeys” double down on that claim. “Faulkner Street,” on the other hand, simply ties on dancing shoes and amplifies Carll’s mission statement to the unrepentant ragged and unwashed: “Living for the best, leaving all the rest behind.”
The Woodlands native certainly has plenty of cheeky fun here, too. “Wild as a Turkey,” for one, detonates as much wiseacre bravado as his unrecorded fan favorite “Ain’t Enough of Me to Go Around.” “Well, I’m wild as a turkey, higher than a Christmas moon, empty as my wallet on a Sunday afternoon,” Carll hiccups on the unapologetic twister. “I come around too fast, and I always leave too soon. Ain’t that what they always say?”
Pay particular attention to the bookend proclamations “Drunken Poet’s Dream” and “She Left Me for Jesus.” Braced equally by rapture and risk, the wobbly powder kegs spotlight Carll’s complex secular and spiritual symmetry. Few songwriters — “You be the sinner, honey, I’ll be the sin,” he coaxes on the former — dare draw tighter lines. Fewer still darken them with razor wit.
Recommended tracks: “Drunken Poet’s Dream,” “A Bad Liver and a Broken Heart,” “Knockin’ Over Whiskeys”
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The Roots to play 40 Acres Fest
Philadelphia hip-hop band the Roots will headline the 40 Acres Fest, a free annual concert on the main mall of the University of Texas campus. The show starts at noon Saturday April 5. Did we mention that it’s free?
The Roots, one of the best live bands on the planet, will play a mix of old faves and tunes from the upcoming (April 29 droppage) CD “Rising Down.”
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Escovedo previews new material
Alejandro Escovedo’s traditional Sunday night SXSW closeout included songs from his upcoming June 24 release, “Real Animal,” produced by Tony Visconti, who Escovedo calls “the coolest dude I’ve ever met.”
The new record, as well as the rest of Escovedo’s career, will have the powerful management team of Jon Landau and Barbara Carr behind it. Since Landau is Bruce “the Boss” Springsteen’s Karl Rove, maybe we should start calling Al “the Night Manager.”
The Escovedo documentary to be directed by Jonathan Demme looks like it’ll be filmed at Las Manitas in May, Escovedo says. It was originally planned for January 2008, but since Las Man is still standing, there was no rush.
Fans will be wise to catch Escovedo at the Continental Club on Tuesday, when he opens the five-night stint of Southern Culture On the Skids. There may not be too many more gigs at the cozy confines after the album comes out.
Here’s another new song:
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Weekend Picks: From Cambodian pop to 80s rock
Friday: Moe at Stubb’s. Guitar pop that goes with both Cheap Trick and the Grateful Dead. The newest album, ‘Sticks and Stones,’ was written and recorded in about three weeks — this is the first time they have recorded an album of unheard, new material. Expect tighter songs that can nonetheless spiral into jams. $23. — Joe Gross
Friday: Brownout, Dengue Fever at Club DeVille. Austin’s ridiculously tight 8-piece Latin funk ensemble (they smoked that SXSW set!) joins forces with L.A.’s Dengue Fever, a band that blends Cambodian pop with everything from Brazilian psych-pop to California surf music. $8 — Deborah Sengupta Stith
» More on Dengue Fever
Friday: Voxtrot at Emo’s. Are they still obsessed with the Smiths’ jangle-rush? Are they still making tasteful EPs? Can they survive Vampire Weekend eating their aesthetic lunch? With Yellow Fever, Ringo Deathstarr and Hollywood Gossip. $10. — J.G.
Saturday: Bassnectar at Antone’s. I might have overlooked this Frisco-based electronic act’s Antone’s gig, were it not for the fact that just earlier this week a girlfriend of mine raved about how utterly amazing a party she attended in the Bay Area was. Based primarily around the experimentations of Lorin Ashton the music ranges from drum and bass to breakbeats and ambient jazz. Austin’s adventurous turntable tag team, DJs Manny and Bigface open. $14-$16 — D.S.S.
Saturday: Rock the Casbah with Mel at the Parish. Party-rocker Mel was hosting these shindigs featuring ’80s outsider music long before it was all the rage. Break out the leg warmers and acid-washed denim and get your vintage angst on. Cost unspecified. — D.S.S.
Saturday: Les Claypool, Tim Fite at Stubb’s.You might recall Les Claypool from his time as the slap-happy bassist/singer in Primus. He’s pretty much stuck to the sort of complicated rock that mixes funk and Frank Zappa-style riffs. These days, he’s rolling with a quartet breaking out old and new material. Tim Fite’s nerdy, oddball hip-hop opens. $26. — J.G.
Saturday: Grimy Styles at Flamingo. Catch Austin’s dub sensations before they embark on a 2-week tour of the Gulf Coast and Florida. — D.S.S.
Sunday: Jazz Night featuring Ephraim Owens, Brannen Temple, Red Young at Lamberts. A native of Dallas, Ephraim began playing classical trumpet at the age of 8, later attending Booker T. Washington High School for the Performing and Visual Arts. He is a master in the jazz arena, especially well-known for his signature solos and ability to improvise. He has an uncanny ability to imagine his music laid on top of anything else he hears, and his adaptability makes him a welcome addition to almost any lineup. Free. — Blair Shiff
Sunday: Steven Will and the Salingers at The Saxon Pub. The songwriting pair of Steven and Jessica Will had a somewhat auspicious beginning. Steven had a sultry voice and Jessica was a strong-willed bassist determined to get in the band. After proving herself and marrying the band leader, Jessica shares the spotlight. Cost unspecified. — B.S.
Sunday: Suede Austin at Cedar Street Courtyard. Suede plays a mix of “Radio Rock from the ’70s and ’80s — Journey, Toto, Kansas, the Police, Cheap Trick and Bryan Adams.” Their set includes Don Henley’s ‘Boys of Summer,’ Toto’s ‘Hold The Line’ and ‘Cuts Like A Knife’ by Brian Adams. Cost unspecified. — B.S.
Sunday: Heybale with Redd and Earl at the Continental Club. Austin roots rock supergroup. Heybale! is Redd Volkaert, Kevin Smith, Earl Poole Ball, Gary Claxton and Tom Lewis with Special Guest Erik Hokkanen on Fiddle. $7 — B.S.
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Paula Nelson kicks “drunk” offstage
Can this possibly be real?
No it can’t. Jimmy Kimmel showed this video on his show a couple days ago as a “don’t mess with Willie’s daughter” thing and it’s up on YouTube. But the guy getting kicked at the Saxon Pub last week is actually Paula’s boyfriend Jeff Schwan, the stunt coordinator for “Friday Night Lights.” The couple staged the whole thing for the bemusement of friends in the audience.
This looked fishy from the start because the production value is better than that martial arts movie Willie made with Master Sam Um.
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YouTube video of the day
The Highwaymen perform Steve Goodman’s “City of New Orleans,” which most people know as “Good Morning America.”
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Vallejo’s back… and better
The new single “Move On.”
“Thicker Than Water,” Vallejo (Quadra)
It’s been six years since the release of their previous studio album “Stereo,” but Vallejo jumps right back in the high life with “Thicker Than Water.” The new album forsakes the old funk/ rock for a more melodic/ harmonic sound that suits the three Vallejo brothers and their cohorts. A.J. Vallejo sings with such smooth confidence, you get the idea that when the band was chasing trends (Red Hot Chili Peppers, 311, “Rock En Espanol” etc.) this was the sound that was really inside him. “Thicker Than Water” certainly showcases his shimmering voice better than the previous four albums.
On “Sweet Maria,” Vallejo is reminiscent of the platinum collaboration between Santana and Rob Thomas, while “Temptation” benefits from the band’s rhythmic textures. “Salvador” is a standout Spanish rocker that leads into the roof-blowing horn workout on “Sonata Del Toro” and then it’s into “Without You,” which could be called a ditty except there’s so much going on around the simple melody.
There are so many overdubs that the “Thicker” in the LP title seems to be as much about the sound than bloodlines. But these stage professionals will have no trouble pulling off the new stuff at Antone’s Friday night.
The only songs the record might’ve been better without are the fluffily trite “Temporary Thing,” which is reggae like Culture Club was and LP-closing “Tu Corazon Es Para Mi,” which sounds a little forced, as A.J. tries to match the quirky Latin phrasing of duet partner Zayra Alvarez (from “Rockstar: Supernova”). Oh, well, at least there are no collaborations with Flickerstick.
It was good to run into A.J. (or was it his twin, that monster drummer Alejandro?) at SXSW a couple weeks back and to see him so excited about the band’s career restart. “Thicker Than Water” is the most consistent album of the band’s career and knowing just how hard Vallejo can work a good thing, 2008 looks to be a great year for the fresh-faced veterans.
To read the band’s studio diary on the making of “Thicker,” click on here.
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CD review: Raconteurs ‘Consolers of the Lonely’
Raconteurs - ‘Consolers of the Lonely
(Third Man/Warners)
There’s an old adage about test-taking: If you don’t know the answer, talk about the question.
The Raconteurs, also known as “That Band Jack White is In on White Stripes Off-Years,” have done that brilliantly on “Consolers of the Lonely.”
A few weeks ago, the band — White and Brendan Benson on vocals and guitar and garage rockers the Greenhornes’ rhythm section (bassist Jack Lawrence and drummer Patrick Keeler) — announced they were rush releasing their new album, “Consolers of the Lonely,” which they had just completed. No promos, no hype, no leaks — CD, downloads and vinyl would be made available to all on March 25.
Which was admirable — worth adding a star, in fact. Making recordings available as soon as possible is the wave of the future and the announcement generated a fair amount of hype in and of itself.
All of which was a nice way to distract fans from the fact that this it’s a weirdly overblown and curiously dull album. More than the band’s 2006 debut, “Consolers” is rife with that too-many-cooks feeling that one gets from supergroup albums (see also: Blind Faith). The last one clocked in at an old-school 33 minutes; this one’s nearly an hour. The songs were obviously worked over and refined, complicated tunes with twisty dynamics (the title track) and soft rock harmonies (“You Don’t Understand Me” — gee, was Wings a supergroup? Nah). The album was also mastered entirely too loudly. It’s a lame grip in this day and age, but for guy who fetishes past recording techniques as much as White does, this is now the second album in a row from him that sounds just brutal (and not the fun kind of brutal) in the digital domain.
The only keeper is a cover of Terry Reid’s “Rich Kid Blues.” Reid was slated to be a member of another supergroup, this band nobody ever heard of called Led Zeppelin. Too bad this isn’t the Raconteurs’ “II.”
(The Raconteurs play Austin in May.)
(Photo of the Raconteurs by Autumn DeWilde)
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Check out the new video from Austin band Full Service
Local group Full Service dropped us a line with a preview of the new video for “Blueberry Farm,” the first song off their new record, “The Dig.” Check it out below - and check out the band when the play the Flamingo Cantina on Friday. They’re scheduled to play around midnight, with Electric Touch at 10:45 p.m. and Girl Fart at 9:15 p.m. Cover is $5. Full Service’s Web site is here.
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Lollapalooza tickets on sale now
Tickets are now on sale for Lollapalooza, scheduled to be held in Chicago’s Grant Park Aug 1 to 3.
Lollapalooza is a C3 Production. C3 is the Austin-based company behind the Austin City Limits Music Festival.
Early bird three-day passes are $175.
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SFCL Fest?
First San Francisco stole Janis Joplin and copied the 13th Floor Elevators. This year, a group of Bay Area promoters are completely nicking the city park/ sampler booking format of ACL Fest. Read more about Outside Lands here and count all the acts that have played ACL.
But in case you’re wondering how much Radiohead would hike the prices at ACL, note that three-day tix to Outside Lands are $225 plus service and delivery charges. Three-day passes to ACL Fest are $170 period. So that’s $55 plus an average of $35 in additional fees. Would you pay $90 extra to stand in a field half a mile away from Thom Yorke? Even if he was also joined for a superjam by Robert Plant, Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus?
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Tickets on sale Thursday for Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett at the Paramount
Tickets go on sale Thursday for what’s being described as the “Mount Rushmore of American songwriters and musicians.” Guy Clark, Joe Ely, John Hiatt and Lyle Lovett will perform at 8 p.m. May 5 and 6 at the Paramount Theatre, 713 Congress Ave.
Tickets are $40 to $101 and will be available online and or by calling (866) 4GET-TIX.
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Review: Moody Blues at Austin Music Hall
What was most surprising about the Moody Blues show Friday at Austin Music Hall was that the band pulled off such a fine show in such a dreadful-sounding venue.
Though the Moodies have yet to enter the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Austin Music Hall should win an award for being one of the worst-sounding venues in town.
I was seated 10 rows out, which was all well and good for viewing purposes, but having to wander around to try to find a place to hear decent sound should not happen in a recently renovated hall.
Yet the Moody Blues — who have 40-plus years of touring, recording melodic/symphonic pop-rock and selling millions of records around the world in their history — performed all the old favorites with aplomb. Songs such as “Lovely To See You,” “Out There Somewhere,” and, of course, “Nights In White Satin” were all given standing ovations by an appreciative and energized audience.
The band members — Justin Hayward (looking like someone’s aging maiden-aunt) and John Lodge (dressed in unreasonably tight leather pants), along with snow-bearded drummer Graeme Edge (ably backed-up by second drummer Gordy Marshall) — were treated like returning heroes and deserved every accolade.
The band seemed really into the show, with Lodge by far the liveliest of the main stays, although flautist/vocalist Norda Mullen also provided bundles of energy and superb musicianship. The music was tightly delivered and consummately played.
This is a group in its twilight years to be sure, but judging from the smiles and abundance of melody drifting from the stage, the Moody Blues should not wait too long before returning. But, please guys, just play a better venue next time.
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Waterloo Top 10 for the week ending March 22
Vampire Weekend, ‘s/t’ (XL)
She & Him, ‘Vol. One’ (Merge)
MGMT, ‘Oracular Spectacular’ (Sony)
Joe Ely & Joel Guzman, ‘Live Cactus!’ (Rack ‘Em)
Bob Schneider. ‘When the Sun Breaks Down On the Moon ’ (Shockorama)
Ghostland Observatory, ‘Robotique Majestique’ (Trashy Moped)
What Made Milwaukee Famous, ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ (Barsuk)
Ravonettes, Lust Lust Lust’ (Vice)
Black Crowes, ‘Warpaint’ (Silver Arrow)
Spoon, ‘Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga’ (Merge)
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Musicmania Top 10 for the week ending March 23
Big Moe ‘Unfinished Business’ (Koch)
Rick Ross ‘Trilla’ (Def Jam)
Webbie ‘Volume 2 Savage Life’ (Asylum)
Snoop Dogg ‘Ego Trippin’ (Geffen)
Keyshia Cole ‘Just Like You’ (Geffen)
Devin ‘Volume 1 Smoke Sessions’ (BCD)
Rocko ‘Self-Made’ (Def Jam)
Flo Rida ‘Mail On Sunday’ (Atlantic)
Scarface ‘M.A.D.E. Chopped & Screwed’ (Rap-A-Lot)
Alicia Keys ‘As I Am’ (J Records)
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Roots Music Awards to be in San Antonio
San Antonio will host the annual Roots Music Awards, to be held in conjunction with the Roots Music Association’s upcoming Radio Seminar, Music Conference and Festival on June 26-29.
The Alzafar Shrine organization will be the event’s major sponsor and will host the event at its premier convention center.
If this somehow leads to roots rock stars driving around in those little cars, I’m there.
Check out www.rootsmusicassociation.org. for more information.
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Exclusive!!! ACL Fest poster!!! (It’s a fake)
Imagine getting this in a mysterious e-mail on Easter Sunday, three weeks before the official ACL Fest lineup announcement. The person who sent it claimed to be an employee at C3 Presents, who saw it on a screen he was passing, so he e-mailed a copy to himself and, later, to Austin Music Source. We all got pretty excited, but then C3’s Charles Attal said it was a fake. What’s he gonna say? “Yep, you guys got the real poster? Might as well cancel that April 15 announcement.”
But after checking with some of the names on the poster, including Bruce Robison and Slaid Cleaves, it turns out the whole thing is a hoax. Neither Robison, billed as playing with brother Charlie, or Cleaves are booked for ACL.
But what a fake fest this jokester put together. Especially the superstar jam (it’s in small type) featuring Robert Plant, Thom Yorke, Thurston Moore and Stephen Malkmus. Sometimes you want to believe something so much, you look over the obvious inaccuracies. Like why would Raconteurs be so high on the bill and Feist, Al Green and John Fogerty be so low?
Tell us: What other signs are there that this poster is a fake?
Update: Turns out, as Eddi pointed out in our comments, that the “C3 employee” who e-mailed this to us got it from the fans on the ACL boards at austincitylimits.com. More details here.
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Shhhhh! Music being played
We hear a lot about the music business “going green” these days, but noise pollution is a much worse problem in local clubs. Austin audiences are known for their understanding of and passion for live music, but this town is turning into Dallas, where half the audience has its back to the bands, while they’re chatting away.
I went to Momo’s last night to see the amazing South Austin Jug Band, who could be the best band in Austin, now that Spoon’s Britt Daniel lives in Portland, Okkervil River’s Will Sheff moved to Brooklyn and the Gourds’ heyday has passed. Dennis Ludiker and Brian Beken are master stringmen and with the addition of drummer Rob Kidd, SAJB is more musical, more driven than ever before. I’ll have a story in the paper on them next week.
The set was marred, however, by two groups of unbridled jabberers. There was the table of four women, practically shouting to hear each other over the music, and a trio of burly, guffawing, beer drinkers who were carrying on like they were at a backyard barbecue. An incredibly fluid musical conversation was happening onstage, but these louts were lost in their trivial nonsense. I mean, I don’t think they were discussing Heidegger.
Rather than spending time on campaigns like Troy Dillinger’s “Year of Austin Music,” Austin should get behind a citywide awareness program to get people to stop yapping when guitars are a’strummin.’ Maybe print bumper stickers that say “Paying cover doesn’t give you a license to jive.” Or something like “Nobody’s here to hear you” at the entrance of clubs. When I asked the guys at Momo’s to pipe down, they got defensive and a bit belligerent, but they eventually took their chitchat out to the patio. I think a lot of folks have no idea that their prattle is rattling the rest of us.
I love what Lane Gosnay does at the Bugle Boy in La Grange, giving a little speech before the show about how talking will not be tolerated. Our clubs have got non-smoking sections; why not implement blather-free zones? Churches have crying rooms; why can’t clubs have chatter boxes in the back?
I’d like to see Momo’s, which has a great inside/ outside layout, take the lead on this, by putting up a sign by the sound booth that says “Listeners only beyond this point.” And I’d like to see Mayor Wynn spearhead a campaign where a concerned citizen group, like Curtis Sliwa’s Guardian Angels, goes from club to club, looking for blabbermouths. When they find some, they hand them balled up pairs of dirty gym socks as a message to put a sock in it.
Let’s let the world know that we truly are serious about live music here and we’re not going to let the experience be negatively affected by a couple of loudmouths debating whether or not D.J. Augustin should go pro next year. (He shouldn’t, by the way, unless Texas makes it to the Final Four in San Antonio.)
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Review: Bob Mould at Antone’s
- Photos: Bob Mould at Antone’s
A week earlier, pretty much all of Austin was slammed with SXSWers, including Antone’s, which was uncomfortably packed for Vampire Weekend’s ridiculously hyped showcase. Thursday’s patently ferocious Bob Mould show at the same venue was a great way to reclaim our town.
Late of Husker Du and Sugar, the bellowing alternative rock icon and former Austinite opened by plowing into “The Act We Act” and “A Good Idea” (the one-two opening punch from Sugar’s debut, “Copper Blue”) and barely took a breath until almost two dozen career-spanning songs passed. By this time, longtime fans know what they’re going to get: a killer band, a taste of the newest record (in this case the fine “District Line”) and not much if any banter. The guy, with a shaved head and gray, elder statesman beard, is all business and as aggressive as ever.
The new record, while unapologetically guitar-based, has a slight whiff of Mould’s other life as a sometimes-DJ and electronic musician, which wasn’t so apparent Thursday. Rather, the set showcased a body of work going as far back as “Chartered Trips” from Husker Du’s 1984 double LP “Zen Arcade” and including “Again and Again” and a sprinkling of other tunes from the new record. Mould may not have been the first to hitch great melodies to the sonic wallop of a monster truck, but does anybody do it better? (Let me answer that.) There was also room for the occasional freakout, such as “Hanging Tree” from Mould’s appropriately titled “Black Sheets of Rain.”
For old fans (and in case you haven’t heard I’m a little bit partisan) the sweet spot came at the close, before the encore, with the Huskers’ “I Apologize,” “Celebrated Summer” and “Divide and Conquer.” For somebody who once somewhat cheekily claimed to hate alternative rock, Bob Mould certainly knows how to wield its power — and he’s somehow managed not to calcify into a nostalgia act. Which is why people will be listening to Bob Mould when Vampire Weekend, much as I enjoy them, is little more than the answer to a trivia question.
(Musician Bob Mould, right, plays Thursday at Antone’s. Photo by Larry Kolvoord/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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T-Bone, Old Settler’s and more
A new T Bone Burnett album titled “Tooth of Crime” (Nonesuch) should arrive in stores May 6. It is something of a collaboration with playwright/former Holy Modal Rounder Sam Shepard — the songs vibe off of Shepard’s 1972 play of the same name. Session players include Marc Ribot (who contributed some amazing guitar to the Burnett produced Robert Plant and Alison Krauss album “Raising Sand”) and drummer Jim Keltner.
Former Austin act Windsor For the Derby releases its new album “How We Lost” in May. I suspect it will sound like it could have been on Factory Records circa 1984, but that’s just a guess.
The 21st annual Old Settler’s Music Festival takes place April 17 to 20. Participating acts include Delbert McClinton, David Grisman Bluegrass Experience, The Waybacks, Marty Stuart & His Fabulous Superlatives, Bettye LaVette, Ralph Stanley & The Clinch Mountain Boys, The Jones Family Singers and many more. Check out www.oldsettlersmusicfest.org for more information.
Hey, a Feelies reunion with Bill Million! Attention C3 Presents and Transmission Entertainment: We’d love to see them at ACL or Fun Fun Fun. Thanks.
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Joe Nick interviews Mckey Raphael
So what is it like to play with Willie Nelson?
It doesn’t feel like a job. The guy’s crazy but it doesn’t feel like you’re working for a lunatic. All you need up there is Willie and his guitar. All the rest is icing on the cake. The way it’s always worked is, we listen to Willie, and we just play accordingly. You never want to cover him up and you always want to give him room to do what he does so well, which is play and sing. Grady Martin told me and he told Charlie McCoy in the studio: ‘Do not play when the singer is singing. Make sure you don’t cover up the words.’ He gave me the best advice, although he wasn’t very tactful in saying it. One night after a show he goes, ‘Man, smoke a cigarette. Take that damn thing out of your mouth. You play too much.’
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Weekend Picks: Decompress and get back into Austin’s music scene
Friday: Gary Clark Jr. and Black Joe Lewis at the Continental Club. Clark is an old school bluesman, recently featured in a John Sayles film. Lewis is a soulful retro-rocker. Both are young Austin musicians with sonic sensibilities beyond their years. $12. —-Deborah Sengupta Stith
Friday: Justin Timberlake Sing-Along at the Alamo Village. I’ll admit it: I tried hard to ignore JT, scoffing easily at his boy-band, Britney-lovin’ past for years as he forged forward into white-boy soul. Even as the former Mouseketeer coaxed inadvertent hip switches out of me with the ridiculously infectious pop R&B of Sexy/Back I tried to resist. But when he dropped the genius SNL ‘Box’ sketch before Christmas 2006 he got me. It was a slam dunk. Fine. I’m a fan now. $12. —D.S.S.
Friday: Jo Carol Pierce CD release at Patsy’s Cowgirl Cafe. Pierce’s voice is her own and nobody else’s. And her lyrics go where the heart takes them. Add the creative contributions of the players and “Dog of Love” is a rich banquet. Help Pierce and the band celebrate the release of this terrific record Friday at 8 p.m. at Patsy’s Cowgirl Cafe. —-Michael Corcoran
Friday: SXSW decompression party at the Parish. Get back into the swing of Austin’s live music scene with the spirited indie rock of Peel. The Black and The Story Of also perform. $7.
Friday-Saturday: Wild Style at the Alamo Drafthouse South Lamar. Enjoy this essential chronicle of early hip-hop which features appearances from Grandmaster Flash, DJ Theodore, and Busy Bee alongside legendary breakdancers Rocksteady Crew and the Cold Crush Crew. Midnight. $10. —D.S.S.
Saturday: Nick D presents the 512. Get to know a mess of new local hip-hop acts at Ruta Maya. $5. —D.S.S.
Saturday: Austin Girls Rock Camp Benefit at the Alamo Drafthouse Downtown. “Girls Rock!” the film, documents the Rock ‘n Roll Camp for Girls a national organization that brings 8 to 18-year-olds together for a week-long intensive experience in which they form bands, write songs and stage a performance. This screening benefits Austin’s own Girls Rock! Camp and graduates of the camp will perform before the film. Help out this fantastic organization dedicated to helping young female rockers find their voices. Noon. $12.
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Jo Carol’s fine followup: a decade and change later
Jo Carol Pierce
“Dog of Love” (self-released)
Songs seem to spring so eloquently, so poetically, so fully formed from the quirky core of Jo Carol Pierce, especially with her musical partner (and fellow Lubbock native) David Halley as a sounding board. It’s amazing, then, to realize that it’s been 12 years since Pierce’s debut “Bad Girls Upset By the Truth.” So how does she follow up that funny, creaky, theatrical LP of absurd thoughts and heart-piercing imagery?
She makes a rock ‘n’ roll record. “Dog Of Love” closes tenderly, with a pair of hypnotic, soul-baring numbers (“I’ve Got Your Eyes,” “Barb Wire Crown’), but it’s the crunchily melodic numbers such as the title track, “My Boyfriend” and “Don’t Miss This” (a long-lost Beatles song?) that give the album its irresistibly rompish quality. With the spoken snippet of “Criminal Thinking” leading into “Rock In My Shoe,”, Pierce even sounds like a West Texas Patti Smith. This is the kind of record Lucinda Williams might make without the weight of expectations.
The credits say “Dog of Love” was “spanked into life” by surf guitarist Mike Vernon and “driven” by bassist Mark Andes; indeed, this sounds like a band record, even on the slow songs like “Drunken Rain,” with the players sounding like black clouds overhead.
If there’s an overriding theme to the songs of Pierce, who spent decades as a social worker, it’s that this crazy life is worth savoring- every last drop of it. “Don’t Miss This” is about what unfounded fear takes away and “Life Is Sweet” compares the story of who we are to the unfolding of a rose. The social work continues.
Pierce’s voice is her own and nobody else’s. And her lyrics go where the heart takes them. Add the creative contributions of the players and “Dog of Love” is a rich banquet.
Help Pierce and the band celebrate the release of this terrific record Friday at 8 p.m. at Patsy’s Cowgirl Cafe (5001 E. Ben White Blvd.) Call 444-2020 for more info.
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“BZZZZZ-crash-WUWUWUWU-BMBMB”
The Austin version of the International Noise Fest takes place April 7 at Emo’s Lounge.
Cover is $5.
Here is the MySpace page.
Bring earplugs.
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John McCain’s daughter loves indie rock
Check out the playlists on her blog for proof.
Attention Transmission promoter Graham Williams: She is a huge Dead Milkmen fan.
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The Raconteurs coming to Stubb’s May 2 and 3
The Raconteurs are booked to play Stubb’s May 2 and 3. Birds of Avalon open.
Tickets go on sale 10 a.m. Saturday only through www.stubbs.frontgatetickets.com or (512) 389-0315 to charge by phone.
This will be Jack White’s first Austin appearance since the White Stripes bowed out of their ACL music fest gig last September.
On Monday, the Raconteurs announced their new album “Consolers of the Lonely” will be released March 25, mere weeks after they finished recording, producing and mastering the thing.
In an effort to prevent leaks and engage the market’s fondness for instant gratification, the band decided to bump the release date up from April to ASAP. No advances, no real promotion until after the album is released on vinyl, CD and digital format, everyone gets it at once.
Good for them. This is the way of the future - release an album as soon as you can, promote it after it’s in stores. Just ask White Denim.
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Your A-List: Latin Singer/Group
They’ve played with the mighty Purple One at home and overseas. They sell out venues from New York City to Los Angeles. Even Latin diva extraordinaire, J-Lo, has shaken her legendary derriere to their irresistible cumbia-funk grooves. Consequently, it’s no surprise that powerhouse ensemble Grupo Fantasma topped our Your A-List poll for Austin’s best Latin Singer/Group.
The band started casually in the early 00s, when a group of musicians, primarily old friends from Laredo with a history of rocking all-night border funk parties, decided to take a whack at playing cumbia, a Colombian folk form with its roots in that country’s slave culture. They were overnight sensations in Austin, packing venues with a diverse cross-section of Austinites spinning their way through the dance floor.
The band soon took the show to the road, criss-crossing the country relentlessly, maintaining an exhausting schedule, sleeping in vans and on dirty couches to play the music they loved. The road made them tighter and through the years they evolved from being essentially a top-notch jam band into a world-class Latin music ensemble.
By the time Prince discovered them in late 2006, they had already taken home numerous Latin music awards in Austin, but with his stamp of approval Grupo was suddenly thrust into the international spotlight where the band would only shine brighter. These days Grupo Fantasma travels far and wide, playing to ordinary music fans and glitterazi alike, but they never forget their roots in the ATX. And when they show up at a gig, they also never forget their prime objective: to make you move.
Others receiving votes
- Del Castillo, 27 percent
- Alejandro Escovedo, 10 percent
- David Garza, 9 percent
- Maneja Beto, 5 percent
- The Brew, 3 percent
- Brownout, 2 percent
- Lila Downs, 2 percent
- Patricia Vonne, 2 percent
- Latin at Heart, < 1 percent
- Ocote Soul Sounds, < 1 percent
- Charanga Cakewalk, < 1 percent
- Kanko, < 1 percent
- Ghandaia, < 1 percent
Write-in vote: Frenetica
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“A Peaceful Solution” covered
Check out this rendition of Willie’s song by Canadian singer Markchelle.
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“What Would Willie Do”
Lyrics to “What Would Willie Do” by Bruce Robison. (Recorded by Gary Allan.)
by Bruce Robison recorded by Allan Gary on his Alright Guy album
I was lost in trouble and strife, I heard a voice and it changed my life And now it’s a brand new day, and I ain’t afraid to say You’re not alone when you’re down and out And I think you know who I’m talking about When I don’t know how I’ll get through I ask myself what would Willie do
What would Willie do, well he’d travel so far with nothing but a song and his old guitar And a tour bus and some semi-trucks, thirty crew men and a little bit of luck Well he loves all the people, the ugly and the randy If you don’t believe me take a look at the family And they’ll tell you that it’s true When skies are gray what would Willie do
Well long ago he came unto us, his words were simple but they went right through us And the whole world sang along, but then they didn’t want to hear his songs He was gone and we thought we’d lost him But he grew his hair and he moved to Austin And all of the people smiled, they came to hear him sing from miles Like a miracle all those rednecks and hippies From New York City down to Mississippi Stood together and raised a brew When it’s all gone wrong what would Willie do
You know sometimes I wonder when I ain’t gettin’ nowhere What would old Willie do when it all gets too much to bear And I can see him on his lonely old tour bus And he’s got his problems just like any of us Well he’d just take a deep breath and then he’d let it all go And he’d take another deep breath and let it all go And he’d take another deep breath…and he’d hold it Ah and I bet he’d feel hungry in a way that seems strange Yeah hungry for all the things that he just can’t change Like the time he passed out in is own bedroom And his wife sewed him up in the sheets and beat him with a broom and he forgave her And you think that’s rough, well then the IRS came and they took away all of his stuff They took his golf course and his recording studio, and he just went out and did another show So when it’s all coming down on you You better ask yourself what would Willie do
What would Willie do, well he’d take a little time And talk to old rooser as he’d drive on down the line And there’s millions down that road, and with a word he’s gonna lighten their load He loves all the people no matter their races Hell he even had a hit country song with Julio Iglesias And that ain’t easy to do, so when it’s all too much, what would Willie When the game gets tough what would Willie When they call your bluff what would Willie do time saved time saved
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Post-SXSW: Bridge show possibly not attended by NME. com; Clockcleaner finds Killeen
A few small post-South by Southwest bits and pieces:
Local punk rock promoter Timmy Hefner said Wednesday that there was no riot for the No Age/ (Expletive) Up/ Brutal Knights show on the pedestrian bridge near Lamar Boulevard early Saturday morning as was reported in NME.com.
“Yeah, that was all ((Expletive) Up guitarist) Mike (Haliechuck) pulling NME’s chain,” Hefner said. “I seriously doubt anyone from NME was there.”
The folks at Exclaim did their part to dial down NME’s hype
Hefner did confirm that there were probably about 1,000 people there, easily double the crowd of the most popular bridge shows in years past.
“It was absolutely insane,” Hefner said, “Not that 500 people doesn’t qualify as not insane, but this time was wild. People were playing on top of their amps because there was no place to stand. It was just awesome.”
But it was no riot. “The police stopped by but then they just left,” Hefner said.
Poor Clockcleaner. After a solid set at the Load showcase Saturday during SXSW and a monster set at Beerland on Sunday night, this Philadelphia trio managed to miss their Monday 5 p.m. flight. So they tried for the next one on Tuesday. That flight was cancelled due to mechanical issues. So Delta Air Lines bused them to Killeen for the earliest Wednesday flight they could get to Atlanta, then on to Philly. Hopefully, they got out and the band still exists. The band recently recorded about half an album and a few tracks for singles. The new stuff is slow and Gothy and pretty excellent.
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Wilco tickets on sale
(Jeff Tweedy of Wilco performs at last year’s Austin City Limits Music Festival. Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Waterloo Top 10 for the week ending March 15
Vampire Weekend, ‘s/t’ (XL)
Joe Ely & Joel Guzman, ‘Live Cactus!’ (Rack ‘Em)
Ghostland Observatory, ‘Robotique Majestique’ (Trashy Moped)
Sara Bareilles, ‘Little Voice’ (Epic)
MGMT, ‘Oracular Spectacular’ (Sony)
Various Artists, ‘KGSR Broadcasts vol. 15’ (KGSR)
What Made Milwaukee Famous, ‘What Doesn’t Kill Us’ (Barsuk)
Stephen Malkmus & Jicks, ‘Real Emotional Trash’ (Matador)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, ‘Raising Sand’ (Rounder)
Shelby Lynne, ‘Just a Little Lovin” (Lost Highway)
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Musicmainia top 10 for the week ending March 16
Rick Ross, ‘Trilla’ (Def Jam)
Snoop Dogg, ‘Ego Trippin’ (Geffen)
Fat Joe, ‘Elephant In The Room’ (Terror Squad)
Webbie, ‘Vol. 2 Savage Life (Asylum)
Wendell B, ‘Love Life & Relationships’ (Smoothway Music)
Mary J Blige, ‘Growing Pains’ (Geffen)
The-Dream, ‘LoveHate’ (Def Jam)
Erykah Badu, ‘New Amerykah Part One’ (Motown)
K-Rino, ‘Vol. 2 -Triple Darkness’ (BlackBook)
Scarface, ‘M.A.D.E. Chopped & Screwed (Rap-A-Lot)
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ACL lineup to be announced April 15
C3 Presents booker Charles Attal says the lineup for the 7th annual Austin City Limits Festival will be announced April 15, almost a month earlier than last year. Tickets will not go up then; they’re already selling at a top tier of $170 for all three days, Sept. 26- 28.
Let the unusually quiet rumor mill begin.
Got any hunches or inside info on who’ll be playing Zilker Park? Personally, I’ve got a feeling about Pearl Jam or Neil Young headlining this year. Radiohead, on the other hand, probably costs too much for a fest that has had no problem selling out and has already reached its top price. And please don’t start any Led Zeppelin rumors. That’s just not going to happen.
From the ranks of the latest SXSW, I can see the Cool Kids, Carbon/Silicon, Vampire Weekend, Santogold, the Heavy, Bon Ivor and Brothers & Sisters stepping up onto the next rung.
And I’m especially hoping Attal finally books the Campbell Brothers, the great sacred steel band that showed ACL perennial Robert Randolph the ropes, yet has never played in the state of Texas.
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Another music magazine folds
After seven years of publishing, Harp Magazine has put out its final issue, with Dave Grohl on the cover. The Maryland-based national publication, which was well-respected but ill-timed, launched in the Fall of 2001 with an Alejandro Escovedo cover. Last year Harp named “The Stage Names,” by Austin’s Okkervil River, as the best album of 2007.
Last month, No Depression magazine, another friend of Austin musicians, ceased publication.
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Driskill denies Perez Hilton rumor
After cewebrity gossip Perez Hilton wrote than Van Morrison was blacklisted from the Driskill after allegedly throwing a room service tray at the delivery person because the order was wrong, hotel managing director John Spomer issued a statement that said the incident never happened.
“In regards to a blog posting regarding The Driskill Hotel and one of our recent guests, please be aware that Mr. Van Morrison has not been banned from our hotel,” Spomer said in an email.
“The person responsible for disseminating this information has not spoken with, nor otherwise contacted, any member of The Driskill’s management team and did not verify the accuracy of the information. The incident mentioned in the blog absolutely did not occur. Throughout his stay, Mr. Morrison, as well as members of his party, treated our staff with the utmost professional courtesy and respect. We look forward to the opportunity of hosting him again in the future.”
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SXSW final thoughts: Deborah Sengupta Stith
When I talked to her the afternoon before her set, DJ Rekha asked me what the Desi scene in Austin was like. I told her it’s young, predominantly comprised of UT kids. We shared a moment over the fact that as 30-somethings, we’re old for Desis. There were no Indian sororities and fraternities when I came up. At the party later that night, there were scant SXSW badges in the house, but a pack of young Desis showed up and they danced and danced. It made me happy to see my people represent like that. | Video
The Mexican American Cultural Center is my new favorite performance venue in Austin. The building itself left me awestruck during the Frog Design Interactive Fest party, but it was the Border Music Sessions party on the plaza on Friday night that really stands out as my favorite SXSW experience. It was a balmy night and dancing on the banks of the river to the irresistible rhythms of Venezuelan powerhouse Los Amigos Invisibles was amazing. Light patterns from the stage pinwheeled across the graceful arch of the building while the city’s ever expanding skyline glittered in the distance. Simply divine. I gushed ridiculously in the video we did (I’m new to this whole video thing), but I was really moved. | Video
David Banner is crazy. He’s wild, uncontrollable and utterly off the chain. He told the audience at the Fader Fort on Saturday that he likes playing SXSW because he can showcase his work that won’t get commercial airtime. Then he proceeded to rock the majority of his killer set in the audience, moshing, spraying beverages of every ilk and even climbing on the shoulders of one of the photographers in the front row who carried him through the crowd. Oh yeah, and apparently his DJ canceled at the last moment, so he brought along hip-hop legend Manny Fresh as a replacement. | Video
Perez Hilton in person was everything I expected he might be, goofy, enthusiastic and packing a quick-witted self-promotional scheme. The party seemed promising when we first showed up. We bumped into friends, sipped mojito’s and contemplated getting coiffed at the beautification station. But if the hour-long set change before N.E.R.D. took the stage at 3 a.m. wasn’t a buzzkill, the crappy house mix which bumped away during said set change certainly was. It included a take on Enya’s “Sail Away.” Really. Why would they do such a thing? At one point I thought it might just be me, but only handfuls of hipsters were dancing. By the time N.E.R.D. finally appeared I was cranky and quickly figured out there’s a huge sonic chasm between the Neptunes I love so much and the thrashy aggro-vibe of N.E.R.D. We left after a few songs. | Video
Pleasant surprise: Believe the hype. Swedish songstress Lykke Li is not only mad talented but adorable. I’d heard a lot of buzz around her name, but I wasn’t planning to see her. When I inadvertently caught her set at the Fader Fort, I was very impressed. | Video
Home team plug: Austin’s Brownout! tore it up at Club DeVille on Saturday. The ultra-tight instrumental funk ensemble proved that Austinites never have to leave town to see world-class music.
Overheard at the fest: Club DeVille, Saturday night, hipster girl in short black dress to older gent: “Well, I just sell my panties on the Internet…”
(Pictured: David Banner at the Fader party)
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SXSW video roundup: Perez Hilton, Vampire Weekend, David Banner, more
See clips from showcases you missed as well as interviews, scene reports from side parties and much more. Got video from SXSW 2008? Send us your You Tube links for our SXSW You Tube roundup.
- Wed.:Lou Reed | Quiet Company | More videos
- Thu.:British Embassy | Yo La Tengo | More videos
- Fri.:Grupo Fantasma | Vampire Weekend | More videos
- Sat.:Perez Hilton | David Banner | More videos
Wednesday, March 12
Lyle Lovett at the Austin Music Awards by Jenni Jones
Lyle Lovett performed “The Songs of Walter Hyatt” and presented Hyatt’s family with an award as part of the 26th Annual Austin Music Awards on March 12, 2008 at the Austin Music Hall where Andy Langer was emcee. | Play video
‘Lou Reed’s Berlin’ by Jenni Jones
Lou Reed showed up to the SXSW screening of the documentary “Lou Reed’s Berlin” at the Paramount Theater on March 13, 2008. | Play video
Quiet Company by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
Austin Indie rockers, Quiet Company play a free show at the Scoot Inn and Bier Garden on East 4th Street. | Play video
Chris Bathgate by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
Austin Indie rockers, Quiet Company play a free show at the Scoot Inn and Bier Garden on East 4th Street. | Play video
The So So Glos by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
The So So Glos from Brooklyn, New York play a free all ages show at Ms. Bea’s on East Sixth Street. | Play video
Staking out the Fader Fort by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Deborah Sengupta Stith infiltrates one of the hottest SXSW side parties, the Levi’s/Fader Fort. | Play video
Thursday, March 13
SXSW on SoCo by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
There’s plenty of SXSW music on South Congress. Best of all, most of it is free. Includes performances by Spain Colored Orange, A Kiss Could Be Deadly and Kelly Stoltz. | Play video
The Whiskey Priest by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
On a small patch of grass in front of the Therapy clothing store, Austin’s own Whiskey Priest plays to a steady stream of pedestrians. | Play video
Peter Moren by Matthew Odam
Swede Peter Moren of last year’s SXSW uber-buzzy Peter, Bjorn and John at the Paste Magazine Party Volume Night Club on Sixth Street on March 13, 2008. | Play video
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons by Matthew Odam
Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, a brash set of rockers from Boston who all met at Tufts University play the Lou Reed tribute at the Levi’s Fader Fort on March 13, 2008. | Play video
Dr. Dog by Matthew Odam
One of the bands Reed had said earlier was one of the current groups he likes, Dr. Dog played the Lou Reed tribute at the Fader Fort on March 13, 2008. | Play video
My Morning Jacket by Matthew Odam
Kentucky rockers My Morning Jacket took the stage at the Fader Fort on March 13, 2008 after being introduced as ‘one of the best live bands in America.’ | Play video
King Britt by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Philadelphia’s King Britt details his SXSW showcase to Deborah Sengupta Stith outside Club 115. | Play video
The British Music Embassy by Jenni Jones
Deborah Sengupta Stith, austin360.com music writer, talks with British delegates at the British Music Embassy on San Jacinto Street. | Play video
Yo La Tengo’s Lou Reed Tribute by Jenni Jones
The Levi’s Fader Fort on E. 4th invited a number of bands, including Yo La Tengo to perform at their Lou Reed tribute. | Play video
Sixth Street Scene by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
So many bands, so little time. Here are just a handful of bands that had shows on Thursday evening in the Sixth Street area. | Play video
DJ Rekha by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Austin360.com’s Deborah Sengupta shared a few moments with New York’s Electric Bhangra DJ, DJ Rekha who performed at Club 115. | Play video
Alex Cuba by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Brazilian artist Alex Cuba performs at Copa on March 13, 2008. | Play video
Tokyo Police Club by Matthew Odam
Canadian rockers Tokyo Police Club played their jauntily syncopated rock outside Emo’s on March 13, 2008. | Play video
Friday, March 14
Keeping cool at SXSW by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
SXSW party go-ers keep cool by the pool at the JellyNYC and Gibson Guitar rooftop party in downtown Austin. | Play video
Grupo Fantasma by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
Austin’s own Grupo Fantasma plays the Batanga Day Party at Habana Calle Sies Restaurant. | Play video
Spin Party: Ravonettes and Vampire Weekend by Matthew Odam
The SPIN party at Stubb’s featured the Raveonettes and Vampire Weekend on March 14, 2008. | Play video
Flatstock Poster Show by Jenni Jones
Poster artists from around the world were at The Austin Convention Center March 13th, 14th, and 15th for the bi-annual convention sponsored by the American Poster Institute as part of SXSW 2008. | Play video
Daniel Lanois by Patrick Beach
Patrick Beach catches Daniel Lanois on the streets during SXSW. | Play video
Pitchfork Party by Matthew Odam
As the Seattle-based Fleet Foxes took the stage and prepared to play for fans at the Pitchfork Party outside at Emo’s, two-thirds of comedy troupe Human Giant, Azi Ansari and Rob Huebel, rushed the stage with t-shirt cannons and began firing off balled up shirts into the audience. | Play video
Los Amigos Invisibles by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Venezuelan band Los Amigos Invisibles plays a free SXSW side party at the Mexican American Cultural Center during SXSW 2008. Deborah Sengupta Stith gushes about how cool it is. | Play video
Saturday, March 15
Perez Hilton by Jenni Jones
Austin360 music writer Deborah Sengupta Stith interviews online celebrity Perez Hilton before his SXSW party at the Palm Door. | Play video
David Banner by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Austin360 music writer Deborah Sengupta Stith talks to rap artist David Banner at the Fader/Levi’s SXSW side party at SXSW 2008. | Play video
Rachael Ray at Beauty Bar by Peter Mongillo, Meredith Hight and Jenni Jones
Rachael Ray hosted a party on Sat. March 15, 2008 as part of SXSW at The Beauty Bar on E. 7th. Her husband John Cusimano and his band The Cringe were among the acts and she served up three recipes for the event. Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top joined in. | Play video
‘Torta Rock’ at Beerland by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
Slab City brings “Torta Rock” to Beerland from Imperial City, California. | Play video
Lykke Li by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Swedish artist Lykke Li performs at the Fader/Levi’s SXSW side party at SXSW 2008. | Play video
Hector Ward and the Big Time and Tat by Jorge Sanhueza-Lyon
Austinite Hector Ward and the Big Time and Tat from England play on day four of the SXSW music festival. | Play video
Dokkebi Q by Deborah Sengupta Stith
Japanese ‘death dubbists’ Dokkebi Q at Flamingo Cantina. | Play video
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SXSW scene: The Red Bull Moon Tower
Early Sunday morning — around 2:30 a.m. — the Red Bull Moon Tower on East Cesar Chavez was jam-packed with thirsty souls that (amazingly) didn’t imbibe their maximum amount of alcohol or hear enough music over the previous four days of SXSW.
The raucous late-night party scene was a site: a couple thousand people milling around under the glow of giant plasma televisions, bad bands playing punk rock music (looks like all of the good Austin band played early Saturday morning), an oversized party room created out of a giant erector-set and Red bull-and-alcohol cocktails being poured at little bars at every compass direction of the party. There was even a Facebook Lounge inside an old Quonset Hut where two party-goers could duel each other in Guitar Hero II on a giant projector screen.
By evidence of the Austin/Travis County police in attendance, it appeared Red Bull party organizers had jumped through the proper hoops in order to safely administer a super-loud, late-night party without fear of SXSW officials calling the police.
The New Zealand band the Mint Chicks played a mediocre-yet-polished set of punk rock around 3 a.m.; Austin’s the Octopus Project, Black Joe Lewis, the Lemurs, the Lions, the Black and White Years, Brothers and Sisters and Vehicular rocked the party from 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. March 12.
The Moon Tower Party had to cost Red Bull an unbelievable amount of money to produce, but it appeared to fulfill its goal of making people think Red Bull as they reminisce about the “good times” of free music and late night alcohol-fueled hi-jinks from SXSW 2008. According to the Alamo Drafthouse’s Web site, Austin actor Willy Wiggins was part of the inspiration for the Red Bull party.
SXSW final thoughts: Matthew Odam
A joint best and worst moment of the fest came during the Ezra Furman and the Harpoons mini-set at the Lou Reed tribute at the Fader Fort. Furman, a fresh faced Tufts University student came out wearing a T-shirt that proclaimed “I did it for the money” and let forth an indictment against corporate-sponsored events such as the one he was playing. Although it was kind of hard to take the indignation seriously from such a young performer, when he let forth a scathing and epic solo acoustic rendition of “Heroin,” his vitriol seemed to have a little more credence. That performance, along with Ira Kaplan of Yo La Tengo’s guitar shredding during “One of These Days” had to be my highlights from the Lou Reed genuflection set.
Biggest disappointment, so disappointing that it fact could almost be a joke, would be Saturday night’s show on the balcony at Maggie Mae’s. And I’m not even here to complain about the 30 minute wait to get into the club at 9:30 p.m. Once upstairs I realized the bathrooms are past the bars and behind the stage, and situated such that one actually has to walk across the stage to get to the restrooms, preferably following a hastily taped line on the stage to the bathrooms. That would be insulting and unnerving for the musicians enough as it is, but then you add in the horrific sound coming out of the speakers, and the fact that only about 100 people could get close enough to the stage to see the band. Then add that the music from the downstairs bar was flying up into the balcony, basically unobstructed. Then add that there is another stage through a side door adjacent to the balcony. What do you get? Nightmarish sound, horrible site lines, ridiculous layout and a general travesty of a SXSW venue. Needless to say, I won’t be going back to Maggie Mae’s for a SXSW showcase. Ever.
Biggest regret: Not making time to see Daniel Lanois or Bon Iver.
Happy accident: Popping over to Emo’s Friday in between the Raveonettes and Vampire Weekend at the Spin party, I caught the first 20 minutes of Fleet Foxes, a Washington band of which I had admittedly never heard, and was really impressed by their Laurel Canyon-y psychedelic folk rock and harmonies that would put a grin on the faces of Crosby, Stills and Nash.
Highlight of the day Saturday in the afternoon had to be relaxing on the verdant lawn of the French Legation in East Austin listening to the surf pop, country sounds of She and Him. Although I was surprised to discover M. Ward actually did none of the singing, it was a pleasant surprise, as Zooey Deschanel has a lovely voice, reminiscent of Neko Case in places.
As for the night’s highlights, it’s always fun when you stumble into the backdoor of a party. Such was the case at the Perez Hilton shindig on Sabine late Saturday after my thankful departure from Maggie Mae’s (where the one highlight was meeting the charming and hilarious Colleen Theis of Alternative Distribution Alliance). Although I had a laminate to get into the event, I was not sure where the front door was, but imagined it was somewhere at the front of a line I saw. And about the only thing I was prepared to wait in line for at that point was a BBQ slider from Go Bites!
So I walked around back and there seemed to be a conversation going on among the security staff, so I breezed by and kind of covered my jangling laminates, as if to obscure that which had my proper credentials for said party. Once inside I walked down a hall and into a room full of booze and energy drinks then headed down another hall and found myself standing by the side of the stage and the night’s host, Perez Hilton, an odd looking fellow indeed, who played the gregarious and attentive host, standing by the stage for each of the bands and crossing the barricade to the backstage a few times to take the occasional picture with adorning fans. I assume that’s what they were, anyhow.
After chatting a little with SXSW Film producer Matt Dentler (who deserves great praise for another amazing festival) and a few friends-for-the-night (those wonderful late night friendships that spring up so often at an event like SXSW), it was time to escape the din of buzz surrounding the possible showing of Pharell and N.E.R.D. (rumors at a Perez Hilton show? Shocking) and make my way over to Emo’s Annex for some good old fashion kick butt rock ‘n’ roll from Philadelphia’s Dr. Dog to close down my SXSW experience. Actually, I guess the sliders at Go Bites! officially closed it. That or the colorful words I had for a cab driver who tried to charge me a flat fee of $30 to drive me 3 miles to my house.
Ah, SXSW. It’s all about the music. Except when it’s about the money. Even with the cab drivers.
(Actress Zooey Deschanel, center, performs with her band, She and Him, at a day party Saturday at the French Legation Photo by Jack Plunkett/The Associated Press)
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SXSW final thoughts: Patrick Beach
Memo to every 20-something guy in a band: I don’t care if you don’t have enough quarters to do your reeking bag full of laundry. I don’t care if the van needs an alternator before you can get to the show in Dallas tomorrow. Go to the CVS, buy shaving cream and a razor and use them. Just wet your face, squirt the cream on and drag the razor across your mug until the hair comes off. Half the young men I saw around town and onstage looked like they were about to star in some high school play about Abraham Lincoln, with clumpy, glued-on-looking and tragically ill-conceived facial hair. Even if your girlfriend says she likes it, she doesn’t. And neither do we.
Single favorite moment of the week: Watching some guy definitely of enough years to know better stage-dive during the X show Saturday night at Emo’s. You know, old time’s sake. We wish him a speedy recovery.
(Basia Bulat of Toronto performs Friday at Antone’s. Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW scene: M. Ward and Jim James
About 250 lucky music fans got a glimpse at what heaven must be like during the sets by M. Ward and Jim James at St. David’s Episcopal Church on Saturday night (or Passover Eve).
The two talented singer-songwriters, who have toured and recorded together before, essentially merged their showcases into one — with M. Ward singing a few songs, including one from an upcoming album to be released in June, and then James, the frontman for My Morning Jacket, joining him soon after. After their pairing on “Chinese Translation,” James was there to stay, and he performed an unplugged version of MMJ’s Thursday night set at the Austin Music Hall before the riveted crowd.
Spotted at the set: Bobby Bare Jr.
(Photos of Jim James and M. Ward by Peter Mongillo/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW scene: Perez Hilton party
At one point, as I stood backstage talking to a musician who splits his time between Austin and Los Angeles, a man, obviously trying to get a handle on the small scene and try to separate the VIPs from the regular P’s like me, came over and asked if I had a blue wristband, presumably the required credential for this section of the party. I casually fumbled the plethora of laminates hanging around my neck, and the guy got impatient, rolled his eyes and walked off. After a long week of work, sometimes it’s fun to act like a clown and be somewhere you’re not supposed to, even if it means absolutely nothing to you.
(Michael Corcoran’s take on the Perez party here, and Deborah Sengupta Stith’s take here. )
(Perez Hilton at his ‘One Night In Austin’ late night party Saturday. Photo by Jack Plunkett/The Associated Press)
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SXSW final thoughts: Joe Gross
Some South by Southwests, one leaves ready to hear nothing but dead silence for a few days. This one left me more excited about heading to the record store than I was before. Seeing strong act after strong act is a reminder of how much creativity is out there, how a good song can revitalize a tired form, how there are still a lot of possibilities in a guitar, bass, drums, turntables, samplers, keyboards, banjo, cello, amps, pedals and chords.
SXSW is also about the hang. For regional journalists, it’s a chance to touch base with editors at various publications, put faces to names and e-mail addresses. It’s wonderful to see colleagues that one only gets to see in the flesh once a year. What a blast.
Favorite bands: I was thrilled with many.
Los Llamarada’s delivered the sound of two vintage No Wave bands playing at once, delivered by Mexican 20-something guys and gals, one of whom was named Johnny Noise, one of whom was in braces. Fantastic.
Monotonix: I have seen the future of noise rock and it’s three Israeli guys who look to be in their 40s.
Sex/Vid: The best hardcore punk band in the United States.
Blues Control: Never has ambient guitar and synth textures sounded so refreshing live. Word has it they rocked the American Apparel store, of all places.
(Expletive) and Shine: Three British noisemakers (guitar/sampler, bass and drums) fly here, hire five more drummers for the gig, and create one of the most physically arresting, viscerally thrilling walls of thunder and groove I’ve ever been witness to. A bit like industrial-dance music being performed live, right in front of you, sans machine generated rhythms.
Bummed I didn’t see: Kurt Vile, David Banner at the Fader Fort
SXSW final thoughts: V.M. Black
Best guitar solo: Yoshiaki Manabe of Japan’s The Pillows
Best show: X at their Friday evening, Direct TV taping in the Austin Convention Center’s Bat Bar
Best Overheard quote on Sixth Street: “Could you believe he was walking around with a prostitute, just like that guy from New York?”
Worst SXSW volunteer: The one who wouldn’t let M. Ward’s manager in to see M. Ward perform at St. David’s Church (it was at capacity)
Best SXSW volunteers: a tie between the hundreds of volunteers manning the convention center and the ones at Elysium
Worst sound ordinance show shutdown: The Arclight Records showcase at the Light Bar
Best sound person: The young gentleman running sound at the Beauty Bar during Foot Parol’s Wednesday day set
(Photos of John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X performing at the Austin Convention Center by Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW final thoughts: Parry Gettelman
The second-most pure fun: Shawn Sahm & the Tex-Mex Experience. Accordion-rock’s time has come.
Lost marketing opportunity: What, no “Are you Tex-Mex Experienced?” T-shirts?
Most amazing voice: Shingai Shoniwa of the Noisettes
Prettiest voice: Emmy the Great
Most uplifting voice: Eric Bibb
Best song: “We Almost Had a Baby,” Emmy the Great
Best Austin jukebox hit waiting to happen: The Krayolas’ and Augie Meyer’s bilingual remake of his “Little Fox.”
Best commentary on sound problems: Eric Bibb, for “The chain saw’s not really in my band….”
Artist to pick if you have to choose one as a road trip companion: Syd Straw. It would undoubtedly be hilarious, even if you were only going to, say, El Dorado, Ark.
Best catharsis: Liam Finn, who left me a little dazed, although Girl in a Coma has more of that invaluable adolescent angst …
A very small sample of British opinions of the American presidential race: A member of Emmy the Great’s band wearing an “Obama ‘08” t-shirt.
The one show I couldn’t get into: Mostly, I am either the greatest SXSW strategist, or have the most esoteric taste, so no lines, no waiting — but by the time Justin Townes Earle’s Yard Dog set was over Friday and I got to the Iguanas’ happy hour at the Continental Club, they were on stage and the queue was down the block. I had just seen drummer Doug Garrison earlier at Joe’s Coffee and he told me they have a few new songs since I saw them at the Continental a couple months ago, but I guess I will have to wait to hear them.
My one and only celebrity sighting, but my cool neighbors will be so jealous: Mick Jones of Carbon/Silicon on the sidewalk behind La Zona Rosa after Was (Not Was) with a friend trying to figure out which way to J. Black’s (he sat in with Alabama 3 in the set before Was (Not Was) and stayed to hang out — Malford Milligan was also there, he’s in Was (Not Was) guitarist Randy Jacobs’ way cool band the Boneshakers).
Exasperated sign: “NO!!! PUBLIC RESTROOM” (on the door of Thai Passion, just off Congress Ave. downtown).
(Mick Jones, formerly of the Clash, performs with his band Carbon/Silicon at the Free Yr Radio/The Current Broadcast Corner day party on Friday. Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW review: Was (Not Was)
Best show, far and away: Was (Not Was), who probably played the last note of SXSW, since La Zona Rosa staff finally had to turn the lights on Saturday night and point us all toward the exit. If they’d given the band 10 more minutes, they could have just finished tearing the roof off, so we could all leave via levitation.
The band has been on a very long semi-hiatus — leader-bassist Don Was said it was the first show they’d played with all three original singers since 1992 (and the band’s first show in Texas in 20 years). But instead of sounding like they were shaking the dust off, they played like a band just peaking.
They opened with the Temptations’ “Papa Was a Rolling Stone,” a song you better not even try to go near unless you conveniently happen to have three singers as fantastic as Sweetpea Atkinson, Sir Harry Bowens and Donald Ray Mitchell, along with a killer rhythm section and a great guitar player. Randy Jacobs played a couple guitar solos so wild, all you could do was gape at the person next to you and maybe after 30 seconds form the word “Wow.” Don Was played like a monster — and a happy monster, because he was playing with drummer James Gadson, whom he introduced as the guy who played on “Express Yourself,” Bill Withers tracks such as “Use Me” and Marvin Gaye’s “I Want You.” Gadson played some of the funkiest beats I’ve ever heard in my life, and I could not stop dancing even though I’d been dragging around all day with sore feet and a hinky back just waiting for SXSW to be over.
The unfamiliar songs they played from the forthcoming “Boo!” were as irresistible as old favorites such as “Walk the Dinosaur” and “I Blew Up the United States.” Let’s hope the tour behind the album will bring Was (Not Was) back soon. What are they doing Tuesday? La Zona Rosa was nowhere near capacity for Was (Not Was), probably because everybody was wiped out by then. People, you messed up. Unless you were at X.
Seriously, I just told someone Saturday afternoon that I was tired of music and only wanted to watch TV, but I would pay $35 to go see Was (Not Was) play a full 90 minute show tomorrow night. Actually, I would pay $35 to see James Gadson play Motown tunes with a lousy cover band, or hear Atkinson, Bowens and Mitchell do karaoke, or see Randy Jacobs play air guitar.
SXSW scene: Hear the Metal Mansion when you can
“Is this the way to the Metal Mansion?”
A guy in a black T-shirt asked me this as I was walking down Seventh Street on Thursday after parking on San Antonio. I had just passed one of the historic homes at the corner of Eighth and San Antonio streets and marveled at the people in black T-shirts spilling out the door, accompanied by pounding rhythms and gnawing guitars.
“There’s a house around the corner with a big racket coming out of it,” I said.
“That’s it! Thanks!”
When I was walking back to my car later, a guy in a black T-shirt asked: “Is this the way to San Antonio Street?”
“Are you going to the Metal Mansion?” I asked.
“Yeah!!!!!”
Apparently the Metal Mansion, like Brigadoon, only makes occasional appearances. I parked my car on San Antonio again Saturday, and instead of surly guitars, I heard dulcet strings coming from the Chateau Bellevue mansion across the street, where a late-afternoon wedding was taking place. Later Saturday evening, a carriage driver took a couple tourists past and mentioned the Chateau Bellevue and the wedding — but not the Metal Mansion.
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SXSW final thoughts: Chad Swiatecki
Fulfilling expectations: It was a tall order, but the Mae Shi repeatedly took all the noisy pop brilliance of their new album “HLLLYH” and twisted and magnified it throughout the week.
Biggest surprise: Dark Meat — Word is their membership fluctuates based on the previous day’s drug use, causing only six members to make it to Wednesday’s show, but by Thursday their systems were clean (enough) for a full 18 people (including four guitars, three drummers and seven horn players) to cram onto the stage at Vice. The resulting cacophony — Animal Collective meets Zappa as a starting point — is further proof that there’s something seriously wrong with the water in Athens, Georgia.
Biggest letdown: Calling the Raveonettes detached is like calling the sky blue, but even so many of the Danes’ dozen-plus shows throughout the week might as well have come with a sign behind them that said “autopilot: on,” with the exception of their dynamo new drummer. Playing almost the exact same sets each time, pretty soon they’ll be able to do the whole thing purely by muscle memory.
Building buzz: Even on a so-so year, getting to play the Spin party carries a lot of cred. Getting asked to play a second time inside Stubb’s by the magazine’s owner — as he was watching the air leak out of Vampire Weekend’s balloon — takes it to a whole other level, which is what Detroit’s Hard Lessons did each time they got on stage with a straight-ahead rock/soul sound and exhilarating live show. Get on board now before this train gets too full.
SXSW: 2 Live Crew at the Fader Fort
There were many, many unfortunate things about 2 Live Crew’s closing performance at the Fader Fort Saturday evening. One was, of course, the absence of 2 Live Crew’s front man Luther Campbell who hasn’t performed with the group in years. So the not-quite-as-drunk-as-they-should-have-been-for-this-show-to-work crowd was treated to Fresh Kid Ice and Brother Marquis cranking out verses from “Move Somethin’” and a mess of songs with unprintable titles and lyrics.
Another unfortunate thing was the dancing. It was like a joke about SXSW come to life: Here was a rap group well past its prime de-mothballed for an invite-only party, but since the majority of attendees were skinny hipsters and aging sorority sisters, the dancing was mostly terrible. I’ve never seen a rap group looking like they wanted to de-invite gals from coming on stage to shake it. (Word to that redhead, however.)
Yet, the beats are world-historical. The filling-shattering thump of Miami bass music was popularized by this crew, and their bawdy, sing-along rhymes, schoolyard-dirty in spots, genuinely pornographic in others, changed the game, influencing everyone from arty hipsters such as DJ Shadow to the entirety of the Dirty South rap scene.
As the party wound down, a gent from Rhapsody.com said to a few pals, “Where can they go after 2 Live Crew? Too Short, maybe?” My vote is for Tupac, live from Cuba.
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SXSW review: The Soundtrack of Our Lives
Gothenburg, Sweden, band the Soundtrack of Our Lives took the Esther’s Follies stage 23 minutes late for their midnight, early-morning Sunday set, but the resulting hot-blasts of classic rock ‘n’ roll were no joking matter. The building was filled to capacity with an international audience, many of which had traveled from Sweden and Denmark.
The band — lead vocalist Ebbot Lundberg, guitarist Ian Person, bassist Kalle Gustafsson-Jerneholm, keyboardist Martin Hederos, drummer Fredrik Sandsten and guitarist Mattias Bärjed — were in a fine form once they finished their impromptu, extended soundcheck. The band made up for lost time by forging a brilliant set of over-the-top rock songs. The band’s sound falls somewhere between swampy, stomping American southern rock and the Who’s 1960s’ mod-meets-rocker ear-pulverizing pop songs.
Vocalist Lundberg emerged while playing a skinny snake charmer’s horn during the band’s first song. He was comfortably dressed in an overflowing, exquisitely designed Eastern European shirt which appeared to match the band’s classic and carefree influences.
Nick Drake’s plaintive ballad “Fly” appeared toward the beginning of their set; except for the lyrics, the song was almost unrecognizable as the band put their own rock ‘n’ roll grit on the song’s primary melody and instrumentation. Meanwhile the band cushioned the rest of their set with predominately new songs from an album to be released in the fall.
SXSW review: Guitar Women showcase
The last set of the last night of South By Southwest is always a crapshoot. Do you take one more walk on the wild side (that Croatian ska band playing at the gay bar?) or go for the tried and true to round out the weekend?
I decided to split the difference and see some familiar figures in an unusual context. Thus, the “Guitar Women” showcase at Antone’s at 1 a.m.
All of the featured women of the quartet were familiar to Austin audiences; drummer Lisa Pankratz divides her time between any number of country and rock ensembles; Cindy Cashdollar began her local resume playing steel guitar with Asleep At the Wheel, but her most recent gigs were with Van Morrison; bassist Sarah Brown is a charter member of the famed Antone’s house band and the possessor of a long and distinguished resume; and guitarist/vocalist Sue Foley might live elsewhere now, but she practically grew up at the late Clifford Antone’s blues emporium.
Besides providing a forum for their instrumental prowess, it was plain to see the four women simply enjoyed each other’s company. Frequently during the set, one or another of them would peer raptly at one of her compatriots as she played, absorbed in the moment. It was a contagious mood.
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Overheard at SXSW ….
“He cheated on her FOUR TIMES!!!” (Sometimes when you’re outside, you should use your inside voice, as when you’re talking on the cell phone on your porch and a lot of people are parking on your street.)
“We gotta go back and get that money. I told you, I’M BROKE!!!”
“Alright, let’s not walk down Sixth Street.”
“We’re probably getting back together,” four or five times in the course of one conversation, from a woman who wouldn’t shut up during a performance, and gee, I wonder why he broke up with her in the first place? I just can’t imagine.
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SXSW review: GZA
First an admission; the supposed brilliance of “Liquid Swords” is lost on me. Sure it’s a competent, frequently engaging record and one of the better from a Wu-Tang Clan solo member, but it’s in no way worthy of standing with East Coast legends like Jay-Z or Nas.
But when there was a rumor circulating around Austin than GZA/Genius would perform the record in its entirety Saturday, maybe this was the presentation that would make it click and as soon as the MC opened his mouth the lyrics would rise above the beats I’ve always felt overshadowed them.
It didn’t start off in that direction, with Genius walking on stage in a brown leather jacket and polo shirt and black jeans — pretty much as nondescript and uninspired as a Wu-Tang member could be — and his flow and delivery didn’t get much more inspiring. He still managed lots of cheers from the several hundred fans gathered at Stubb’s, but the loudest response and chant-alongs came from a segment of “Clan in the Front,” which is from “36 Chambers,” the Clan’s debut record.
Best that can be said is GZA’s rhymes lock in from so many different angles and make so many unexpected connections, that songs like “4th Chamber” and “Those That’s Bout It” bear hearing in as many different settings and perspectives as possible.
Unfortunately a set that barely passed the 35 minute mark didn’t do much to accomplish that and as GZA headed off with barely a “So long, Austin” to mark the end of the performance at least one crowd member (you’re reading him now) remained unclear as to what all the fuss is about.
SXSW scene: Ice Cube at Auditorium Shores
Fans of the legendary West Coast rapper got dosed with a few hits and lots of new rhymes Saturday with an hour-long set at Auditorium Shores. Taking to a stage that featured west side gang signs on each side, Ice Cube — ever a fan of a certain plant — teased the crowd about how clean the air was, prompting many to pull out pipes (and more) and light up as the tones of “Check Yo Self” and “A Good Day” caused them to nod and rhyme along to even newer, less well-known material.
(Ice Cube performs Saturday at Auditorium Shores. Photo by Bret Gerbe for American-Statesman)
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More on Justin Townes Earle’s stolen van: Gibson, other musicians step in to help band
We talked with Skylar Wilson, keyboard player for Justin Townes Earle, whose van was stolen; the van was parked on 12th Street at a meter while the band was at a nearby venue.
“I couldn’t believe that the van and everything in it got lifted. But you come to the realization that, ‘OK, my stuff is gone now.’ It was really bad for our strings because things like a mandolin and violin are even harder (to lose) than the other stuff,” Wilson said. “You become very passionate about the guitars and things you have.”
Police say it’s a lost cause; once that stuff is taken it’s too easy to move/resell.
The van (a rental) had about $4,000 worth of equipment inside. Gibson guitars stepped in to provide new equipment and instruments.
“Gibson did a lot for us, but so have the people here by being so warm and helpful to us,” Wilson said. “Once the musicians here (in Austin) found out they stepped forward to say whatever we need they’ll help with. I’d normally be totally deflated about something like this, but there’s so much heart here that you are grateful there are so many people trying to help.”
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SXSW review: British Sea Power
With the stage setup at Maggie Mae’s on Sixth Street not equipped to handle the amount of people in attendance for the evening’s showcase, British Sea Power took the stage around 1:20 a.m. for the final set of the night. The band’s new album has not been receiving the same amount of critical praise as did their early work, and the songs in the setlist from their first couple of records were definitely more compelling than the more recent tunes. That is not to say that it wasn’t a great show, with one of the most enthusiastic crowds that this reviewer has witnessed throughout South by Southwest. It did feel at times, however, that the band traded some of the charm of their studio work for the bombast of a live rock show.
(British Sea Power performs at Maggie Mae’s. Photo by Bret Gerbe for American-Statesman)
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SXSW review: Roky Erickson and the Explosives
Roky Erickson has been working hard this week, with a performance at the Austin Music Awards as well as a couple sets at Threadgills as well as the Convention Center, but his 10 p.m. set Saturday at Stubb’s did not reveal any signs of fatigue. The godfather of psychedelic rock came out energized and ready to play, and play he did.
Roky and gang delivered a rocking, professional set with plenty of hard-hitting guitar solos, satisfying those who stuck around after Okkervil River’s 9 p.m. set. The sound at Stubb’s, however, left much to be desired, including microphone feedback as well as a strange moment midway through the set when additional speakers toward the rear of the venue popped on, much to the surprise of those in the audience.
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SXSW review: Jacob Golden
Although the capacity crowd (which wasn’t very many people) for Jacob Golden’s 8 p.m. set at St. David’s Episcopal church was mostly there to see later performances by M. Ward and My Morning Jacket lead singer Jim James, Golden proved to those in attendance that he was not just another disposable opening act. Among those in attendance tonight was Conor Oberst, aka Bright Eyes, who has collaborated with both Ward and James in the past.
While Golden definitely falls into the category of those who make a habit out of finding beauty in the pain of everyday life, he separates himself from the pack with exceptionally strong songwriting. Drawing heavily from his experience as a struggling musician as a metaphor for relationships gone wrong, Golden’s singing ranges from moving falsetto laments to more upbeat and humorous songs rooted in the blues.
Highlights of the set included one song where he described dealing with record executives as hellhounds snapping at his heels, as well as his recent single, “Out Come the Wolves,” which reminded this reviewer of the not-too-recently heard from band Holopaw. Judging from the positive response of the audience, I have a feeling that Golden won’t be unknown for too long.
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SXSW review: X
I was thinking the Donnas might be a little annoyed having better chops than the band they preceded at Emo’s Saturday night, but X did what every great punk nostalgia act does — they pulled their last best trick by turning out to be a pretty great band. With the original lineup able to push through some early onstage sound problems (not to mention the lack of a set list, according to vocalist Exene Cervenka, who now looks more like your aunt than ever), the band that made the ’80s L.A. punk scene happen tore through everything anybody in the house would have wanted — and there were a lot of die-hard fans in the crowd.
Lest we forget, these guys were maybe the first to find the connective tissue between rockabilly and punk. Of course they did “Breathless,” which should have killed Jerry Lee Lewis, but then there was “Johnny Hit and Run Pauline,” which could have been the greatest song Chuck Berry ever wrote, or his worst nightmare or both. Guitarist Billy Zoom grinned his way through “Your Phone’s Off the Hook But You’re Not” and everything else in the hour-plus set. I’ve never been wild about Cervenka’s vocals, or the way she harmonizes with bassist/vocalist John Doe, but they’re still around and they made a lot of people happy Saturday night. If I’m not mistaken, “The New World,” which was something of a hit 18 years ago, was as recent as they got. But then “punk nostalgia act” stopped being an oxymoronic term around then.
SXSW review: The Donnas
I love a blonde pushing a Gibson through an overdriven Marshall stack. That’s the key to the Donnas’ sound — thanks to monster guitarist Allison Robertson — but not to their fun. The veteran all-female quartet are cheeky but sincere in their unabashed love for every hard rock cliche in the book, whether it’s that gunshot drum break straight out of Kiss’ “Love Gun” or Eddie Van Halen’s hammer-ons and pull-offs. And their poppier stuff Def Leppard could proudly call their own.
Their new album, “Bitchin’,” which they showcased at in an 11:15 p.m. showcase Saturday at Emo’s, is typical first-shaking stuff — funny in a guilty pleasure kind of way but by no means a joke in its great affection for the source material. “Save Me” (which they curiously dedicated to their producer) had a guitar solo straight out of the Ace Frehley loopy lick book, while “Girl Talk” and “Like An Animal” sounded like anthems for an especially raucous sleepover. (Not an original idea — they had an album called “Spend the Night” back in ‘02.) Vocalist Brett Anderson kept the party going, not missing a single cliche (“Austin!” Do you want to hear another song? You guys know how to clap?” Etc, etc.) And they made room for older stuff like “Who Invited You?” and “Take It Off.” I really hope they never outgrown their love for this stuff, and I hope I never do, either.
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SXSW review: Tift Merritt
Coming back after being dropped by Lost Highway with maybe her best album ever, singer-songwriter Tift Merritt opened things at 8 p.m. Saturday at the Parish to a full house and a fairly rousing set showcasing “Another Country,” a mature work somewhere in the middle of the sensitive-gritty continuum. “Something to Me,” “Broken” and “I Know What I’m Looking for Now” came in rapid succession and showed this supreme talent to not be off her game in the slightest. Why this woman isn’t huge and hasn’t been for some time is baffling. A couple of years ago she was at the ACL fest and seemed to be heading for greatness.
She didn’t act bitter or resigned, though. In fact, she seemed like she was having a great time. Before “Keep You Happy” she told the crowd, “I’m starting to think I should move to the Hotel San Jose. We’d have the best party every night. … My liver would die.”
Parts of the set, such as the afore mentioned “Happy,” hit that sweet spot between Muscle Shoals soul and the timeless but imaginative kind of country, which is right where Merritt should be.
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SXSW review: Nino Moschella and Darondo
After the excitement of standing in line at Club de Ville, wondering if the fire marshals conferring with the gatekeepers would ever let us in, the first few songs I finally got to hear of Nino Moschella’s 10:45 set were a bit of a disappointment.
Keyboardist-guitarist Moschella has a very good voice, with a Prince-ly falsetto, but the songs were just kind of Prince knockoffs, and although his two-piece horn section and the conga player were kicking it, the drummer had more of a rock than a funk feel, which didn’t go with the rest of the music.
But then Moschella brought Ubiquity labelmate Darondo out. Darondo was a soul sensation in the Bay Area decades ago, but dropped out of the scene completely after releasing just a few singles, which are now highly collectible. A collector duly tracked Darondo down not too long ago, and Darondo showed Saturday that although his career had been in mothballs, he never forgot how to work a crowd. The band’s energy went up tenfold as soon as he walked out on stage, natty as all get-out in his brown suit and high pompadour. Even audience members who had been busy texting and playing with their iPhones howled as soon as Darondo started to sing, in a powerful, astringent voice (a little bit like a more tightly-wound Al Green).
Darondo did a couple of numbers that could make him R&B’s answer to Dr. Ruth, singing instructions on how to treat your woman right, and even advocating a stop on the way home to purchase “that can of whipped cream — and a can of cherries,” before embarking on a rap about what to do with those aids to romance.
“Get down on your knees,” sang Darondo, and he wasn’t talking about praising the lord. The crowd loved it. Once he had them, he turned to other matters, such as a socially conscious “Let My People Go” (not the more familiar song) and cheery “My Momma and My Poppa.” Finally he got back to the topic at hand, and the number fans were waiting for: “Legs.”
Darondo appeared just as delighted by the crowd as they were with him, proclaiming “I might have to change my home!”
SXSW review: Eric Bibb
The Smokin’ Music venue across from the Convention Center was apparently some kind of temporary temple to its sponsor, a natural brand of cigarettes, although of course you could only smoke out on the patio. Whatever — acoustic bluesman Eric Bibb turned it into a place of communion during his phenomenal 9 p.m. set Saturday.
The title track of Bibb’s newest album, the gospel-infused “Get Onboard,” had the enthralled crowd clapping along as though at church.
“This feels so good,” Bibb said at the end of the song. “When a couple hundred hearts in a room start to beat as one, you know you got something good.”
Bibb’s voice is a sweet, smoky baritone, and his finger-picking style is understated, coloring the songs rather than adding technical flash. Saturday, he also had a tremendous rhythm section: drummer Larry Crockett and bassist Danny Thompson. Crockett played only a snare drum, using a floor tom as a mere sidetable for his brushes and mallets and other things, but he provided beautiful textures as well as sensitive rhythm. Thompson, who often plays with guitarist Richard Thompson, is simply one of the greats, with a jazz musician’s gift for listening and responding. He looked like he was in heaven as he closed his eyes and listened to Bibb, while he played accompaniment that was intricate yet full of magnificent small silences. Crockett, too, smiled like he was exactly where he wanted to be right now.
Bibb told the crowd his mother had advised him one song should always be in his setlist: “Don’t Ever Let Nobody Drag Your Spirit Down.” The gospel elements of the song brought a little growl and gravel into his vocals, and inspired him to make the next song a spiritual.
“A spiritual means nobody remembers who wrote it,” Bibb said. “Nobody’s getting the ASCAP money. But you know somebody had to come up with that first line — and then those are the kinds of songs that last 100 years.”
Bibb’s version of “Hold On” was more spare and contemplative than the powerhouse one recently recorded by the great Mavis Staples, but was just as moving. He followed with a quiet but stirring instrumental version of “I Shall Not Be Moved,” leading directly into a wonderful spiritual he said Taj Mahal taught him, “Kneeling Time.”
The quieter, more reflective aspect of the blues doesn’t get a lot of attention, but when Bibb plays, blues and gospel can become one glorious whole.
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Stray scene reports
It always happens once during SXSW: Equipment stolen. This time it was Justin Earle’s van. …
As the final evening closes, it looks like New Year’s Eve or Halloween or when UT wins a national championship on Sixth Street: Stumbling drunks high-fiving indisdriminately.
The Perez Hilton event flies with rumors, of course. The queen of media keeps vigil by the stage during performances. Will Pharrell from Nerd show, as buzzed?
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SXSW scene report: ‘It’s not a reunion’
Austinites bassist Jeff Copas and multi-instrumentalist Steven Hall were absorbing X’s Direct TV taping in the convention center Bat Cave on Friday evening when they revealed that the former Sixteen Deluxe (Austin’s ruling noise-pop shoegazers during the 1990s) bandmates are recording together again, this time with Copas serving as audio engineer. Hall and Copas haven’t recorded together since the criminally under appreciated final Sixteen Deluxe record, “Vision Take Me Make Me Never Forsake Me.”
Interestingly, the super-secret recording sessions include their former Sixteen Deluxe bandmate, vocalist/space rock guitarist extraodinaire Carrie Clark.
“We are all working toward a common goal: to help each other record each other’s songs,” Copas explained.
Hall continued with a knowing smile, “We’re not sure what (this project) is yet, but we know for sure that it is not a reunion … not yet.”
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SXSW review: Duffy
We’re talking, say, writers and playwrights and whiskey-makers and actors and spies and motorcars and queens and such.
And, oh yeah, they also have a gift for ginning out Anglo-Saxon and Celtic women who seem put on Earth to channel their inner Carla Thomas; Young lasses from the mists and the moors of the Auld Sod who sing like they came of age in Memphis and hung out at the Stax studio. You’ve got your Lulu, your Dusty Springfield, your Joss Stone, your Amy Winehouse and now a young 23-year old from Wales named Duffy.
Virtually unknown on this side of the Pond, she has held down the No. 1 spot on the U.K. charts for the past five weeks. Her performances at SXSW (she played a number of parties before her Stubb’s gig) marked her first U.S. appearances “I’ve never played outdoors before,” she marveled.
With her peaches-and-cream complexion and bouffant blonde hair, dressed to kill in the proverbial Little Black Dress and scarlet stilettos, Duffy was the visual antithesis of Winehouse. But comparisons don’t really do justice to either singer.
Essaying a nine-song set of original material (she writes with a collaborator) Duffy cruised the streets of the soul and R&B ‘hood. There was the velvet-glove Philly/Motown groove of “Delayed Devotion,” the brooding, powerful, anthemic “Rockferry,” the moody soul-noir of “Stepping Stone,” some R-rated funk ‘n’ grind on a song whose title I didn’t catch, and — last and far from least — the insanely catchy single “Mercy,” with its ping-pong hook and impassioned, yearning vocal. It’s a song that Martha Reeves or Aretha herself would have killed for, and Duffy acquitted herself in fine fashion.
As soul divas go, Duffy comes down stylistically on the cool and elegant Dionne Warwick side of the ledger. As good as her set was, if she could manage to add a little Etta James or Bettye LaVette sass and grit to her mix, there might be no stopping her.
(Duffy performs at Stubb’s during her showcase Saturday. Photo by Deborah Cannon/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW scene report: Bayonics on Sixth
The drum corps from San Francisco hip hop band Bayonics usurped Direct TV’s street-illuminating production lights and their own infectious musical spirit to turn the intersection of Trinity and Sixth Street into something resembling a hedonistic, Brazilian Carnival dance party. The band’s nationwide tour brought them through Austin for a show last Wednesday at the Unicorn Media launch party in Union Park.
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SXSW review: Fruet e os Cozinheiros
Brazilian rocker Marcelo Fruet called his band “Os Cozinheiros” — “the Cooks” — to indicate their skillful use of many ingredients, and the name is certainly apt. While their configuration at Club 115 at 8 p.m. Saturday was not unusual — a standard twin-guitar rock quartet plus a percussionist — they gave Fruet’s songs a Brazilian tinge that went beyond the warmth of his Portuguese vocals and incorporated international elements including punk, jazz and ska.
Fruet sometimes scatted George Benson-style while playing jazz licks on his guitar, an unusual model that gave new meaning to the term “hollow body.” (It had a fretboard and the empty frame of the body, making it see-through.)
On “Todo Tempo,” second guitarist Nicola Spolidoro scratched out dramatic scraping sounds from his strings that amplified the tension that kept building up in the song through touches of dissonance. Bassist Leonardo Brawl upped the ante considerably with his fierce playing, and was tremendous throughout the set, displaying the technique of a jazz player with the energy of a punk-rocker, often striking a wide-legged stance and seeming to flail at his bass while executing with utmost precision.
This band obviously had a lot more tricks up its sleeve than it could possibly deploy in a short showcase. And Brawl is such a versatile and compelling bassist, I’d go see him in any band without even bothering to ask its genre.
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SXSW review: Quebe Sisters
I don’t know about anyone else, but nothing quite perks up my Saturday night like watching three pretty women with fiddles play Western Swing and cowboy music. Lucky me, the Quebe sisters were on hand to fill the bill at Jovita’s.
The Quebes (rhymes with “babies”) hail from Burleson, which is also, for what it’s worth, home of Kelly Clarkson, the first “American Idol” champion. Burleson is a bland bedroom community south of Fort Worth, but for my money it’s close enough to West Texas to infuse the Quebes with plenty of Panhandle soul.
Between the three young women — Grace, the oldest, Sophia the youngest and middle sister Hulda — they have enough state and national fiddle championship medals and trophies to stock a good-sized pawnshop.
There was something mesmerizing about watching the trio (abetted by rhythm guitarist Joey McKenzie and bassist Drew Phelps) swing into a tune like “Right Or Wrong” or “Air Mail Special,” their fiddle bows sawing in triplicate, silvery solos bouncing from one sister to another. And when they harmonized, a’la the Andrews Sisters on, say, “Along the Navajo Trail” or “It’s A Sin To Tell A Lie,” well, the decades fell away. You halfway expected to see GIs queuing up for coffee and donuts over in the corner from the USO volunteers.
It was the kind of homespun gig where one of the band members could crack that their new release was a million seller (“We’ve got a million of ‘em in the cellar”) and there were genuine laughs instead of groans or embarrassed silence.
The Quebe Sisters probably aren’t the Next Big Thing (but then that’s probably what they said about the Dixie Chicks), but they don’t exhibit any pressing need to inhabit that role. Which leaves lots of room for heartfelt music and a twirl on the dancefloor on a Saturday night.
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SXSW review: Mess with Texas
The free-for-all Mess With Texas music festival rocking Waterloo Park all-day Saturday was a welcome respite from the sweaty clubs and the roving hordes that overran downtown Austin during “festival week” (the unofficial name given to SXSW by unaffiliated, independent promoters in order to avoid trademark infringement).
Although there were thousands of people in attendance, by sunset, all three stages had plenty of room to dance and room for some fans to do steady-mobbing head bobs.
Sightlines were excellent, even for shorter attendees, because the stages were all constructed at the bottom of the parks’ slight hills. The moon and the 20th century park lamps were bright enough to cast Impressionist shadows.
The universal problem that audience members shared was the lengthy beer lines; alcohol imbibers had to wait up to 30 minutes for a single drink.
While this reporter was in attendance, Lucero increased its ever-growing fanbase with a loose set of tight alt-country and rockabilly songs. And on an adjacent stage the Breeders started on time, down to the second, playing several new songs that were unrecognizable to even the majority of their fans.
“This is going to be awesome,” said Masonic guitarist John Mason as he waited for the Breeders to bring it. “The light show has been really amazing too.”
Between Fun Fun Fun Festival and the now annual Mess With Texas festival, event producers Transmissions Entertainment have elevated throwing an enormous party in Waterloo Park into an art form.
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SXSW scene report: Nada Surf lines
Badge line for Maggie Mae’s stretches down East Sixth Street 100 people. All for Nada Surf? They say it is full. Weird. Location, location, location. No cash customers are getting in. Wiristbands can line up like badges. One in, one out. This early? Seems strange, especially considering Nada Surf has already played several day shows. Only about a quarter of the fans who get in can get near stage at Maggie Mae’s upstairs. And bathroom line for balcony shows actually goes across the stage. Which is impossible to get to. Ridiculous.
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SXSW review: Carbon/Silicon
Mick Jones made a huge mark on rock as a member of the Clash, and enjoyed a very successful second act with Big Audio Dynamite. He has another winner with Act 3, Carbon/Silicon, a collaboration with his old mate, Tony James of Generation X (and Sigue Sigue Sputnik, but we won’t hold that against him). What started as their recording project in 2002 has morphed into a proper band, now also including B.A.D.’s Leo “Eazykill” [cq] Williams on bass and Domonic Greensmith on drums.
Jones and James used so many samples in early, dance-beat-based Carbon/Silicon recordings that they couldn’t release the music commercially (all those licensing issues), giving it away over the internet instead. At Waterloo Records around 5:30 Saturday, they showed themselves a terrific rock ‘n’ roll band as well as masters at fusing genres. Jones and James have such a great dual guitar mesh that it wasn’t even too big of a disappointment that the vocals were too low to hear a lot of the witty, pointed lyrics to songs such as their new hit “The News,” which simultaneously conjures utopia and underlines the impossibility of achieving it.
The de-emphasis on the vocals gave an opportunity to appreciate even more the quality of their single’s irresistible central guitar riff, as well as a couple of secondary riffs and an insinuating bassline. As in the best dance music, Carbon/Silicon’s appealing themes really stand up to repetition with slight variation. Although they played quite a long version of “The News,” they probably could have let it go on another five minutes and still kept the big crowd jiggling happily along.
“Really the Blues” likewise took an extended form, featuring some succinct guitar solos as well as the sharp-edged interaction between Jones and James.
Jones was characteristically funny and engaging, introducing “Caesar’s Palace” with the explanation that “Although the song is about consumerism, and we’re in a shop, this is a nice shop, and we don’t mean in any way to say anything about this venerable establishment here!” He worked the band introductions into a semi-melodic form in the long final number, “Why Do Men Fight,” and reacted to a switch-up Williams threw in the bassline by singing a quick snatch of Bob Marley’s “Stir It Up” to go over it.
The crowd included a wide range of ages, from little kids and 20-somethings to folks of Jones and James’ vintage. While some rock ‘n’ roll legends keep repeating themselves to please their original audience, Jones and James have remained excited enough about new ways of doing music to pull in new generations of fans.
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SXSW interview: Brad Breek of the Mae Shi
Chances are even the most devout gear geek you know doesn’t know what in the world an Omnichord is. To find out, get a listen to “Run To Your Grave,” the ecstatic sing-along single from Los Angeles noise-pop band the Mae Shi and their new record “HLLLYH”.
Once made by Suzuki, it’s a keyboard/touch screen/drum box hybrid with an out-there sound. And it’s probably one of the most orthodox components of the band, which punctuates its live shows with bouts of chanting, instrument swaps and and wide-eyed revery that makes The Polyphonic Spree seems sedate. After one of its half-dozen shows this week, Mae Shi multi-instrumentalist caught his breath and talked about the results of Omnichord jams, personnel changes and making the great creative leap.
austin360: First thing, where did you guys manage to find an Omnichord?
Brad Breek: I think this one I got on shopatgoodwill.com. It’s like eBay, but with all the Goodwill’s going in together to put surplus things they think they can get more money for online. But they’re on eBay all the time, too.
Did you seek one out or just happen to find it?
I friend of mine had one, I think it was eight years ago and it was obviously a magical instrument, so we stole his steez and got one for ourselves.
So did you use it just for this record?
I think we’ve had it on everything other than the first EP, so there’s at least one Omnichord jam on each record.
This record seems so up from what you done, and takes all the energy and chaos you’ve had and puts it into great pop songs. Was there a decision that basically, “Let’s really go for it?”
There was a member change John joined the band and this guy Ezra Buchla who was part of the core of the band left, and first it was kind of scary but it would up being liberating. We were able to go against the rules of what we were as a band. Things like pop structures and traditional song harmonies with a pop trajectory. We embraced those things and we started really writing.
Well people can actually sing along instead of just yelling. You’ve got to view that as a step.
We don’t necessarily feel like this record is any better than the other records. We’re super proud of the others, but we’ve gotten some reviews with this record that have been like, “Finally they figured out how to write music.” As if we weren’t doing things intentionally before, you know? I have a master’s degree in music, our old singer had a master’s degree in music and is a genius. Not that any of that means anything in the end, but we are a little self-aware about what we do. We just decided to do something different.
Are any ideas brought in at least listened to and given a fair shot?
This record was difficult and there were things that were rejected outright but we’re democratic for the most part and if someone absolutely hates something we get rid of it. A lot of these songs were not well liked in their early stages and it took months sometimes of people resinging it to clarify the idea and convince people.
Is there a particular song where that happened?
Yeah, “Run To Your Grave” was not well liked in the band at first and it took a while for it to become a Mae Shi song because it was very different. We made it into a Mae Shi song by just working on it so everyone could contribute to it.
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SXSW interview: Ice Cube, DJ Pooh and Dave Marsh
Ice Cube and DJ Pooh’s 1:30 p.m. interview with editor and publisher of “Rock & Rap Confidential” Dave Marsh was pretty exciting after DJ Pooh finally showed up.
Marsh would go on to give Pooh a hard time throughout the interview about his late arrival, but Pooh was undaunted by the ribbing as he and Cube explained the concept of their new website, UVNTV.com to fans and music business professionals. Pooh said that UVNTV.com is a broadband social network website — created by Cube and himself — that will stream member-created videos.
“I am looking to have 20 channels myself (on the website),” Cube said. He went on to affirm that “There are no rules or censorship … anyone may create a channel as long as you have the content (initially at least 2 hours) to support it.
“If you’re dope, you’re on,” Cube continued. “We won’t have no crazy standards like B.E.T. and Viacom (MTV’s parent company) have. We wanted to do something to create a synergy so B-boys and Hip hop heads can have (original content) that isn’t watered down by the networks.”
Cube explained that they closely watched the TMZ.com business model and how that website transformed into a commercial television show. He and Pooh expressed hope that young filmmakers and other artists can start original programming on UVNTV.com, which could later be purchased by a network.
“We will have a year long beta process to show advertisers what UVNTV.com can (potentially) be,” Pooh said.
Cube also gave a little advance juice to his new album, “Raw Footage,” to be released independently on June 17.
“During the late ’80s and early ’90s, political Hip hop was king,” Cube said.
“But during the ’90s we got into an escapism kind of rap,” Cube continued. Then he joked, “Blame it on Viacom.”
Cube related that Hip hop fans really want a return to music that carries an uplifting message: “People want that … they yearn for that … what hip hop was back in the day.”
He explained that the flow on his upcoming album will be “dedicated to the brain and not the booty.” The audience followed the pronouncement with extended applause.
Later, when an audience member asked about the potential for Barack Obama to have a channel on UVNTV.com, Cube answered, “We would love for Obama, Hilary and John McCain to do a channel. We’re urging anybody with something to say to come say it with us, worldwide.”
Pooh said that UVNTV.com will utilize Microsoft Corporation’s new Silverlight 1.0 platform. Pooh said that their developers have built “an expensive back-end so that we will know data on how many people are watching” various programs, which can in turn be reported to advertisers and subscribers.
UVNTV.com features exclusive channels such as Snoop Dogg’s Snoopadelic TV, fashion designer Christian Audigier’s Live TV and Ice Cube’s own Hip Hop 24/7 TV. Pooh explained that UVNTV.com’s users can create profile pages to showcase their talent, collaborate and meet like-minded fans (a la Myspace and Facebook).
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SXSW scene: Sound on Sound
Jason “Jug Costanzo, owner of Sound on Sound Records, made a conscious decision regarding this year’s SXSW: He was only going to host one day party and it was going to feature only bands that he personally liked.
“I didn’t want to see anything I had to suffer through,” Costanzo said. After all, he was the only person who was required to be there to watch them.
This was smart. Costanzo was a little concerned that Mess With Texas 2, the free concert in Waterloo Park put together by Transmission Entertainment, not to mention the downtown day parties, would draw all of his potential audience. He need not have worried.
Fortunately, a couple of other businesses in the East North Loop mall were hosting shows. A garage rock show (featuring a terrific set from garage buzz band the Cococomas) was happening at the Parlor a few doors down. Monkeywrench Books was hosting some bands outside their shop. So all three shows made for a strong draw.
Psychedelic Horse(expletive), one of last year’s buzz band’s, put in a short, tight set of fuzzy, muddy pop songs with Pink Reason’s Kevin DeBroux playing bass. So far, so good.
Dead Luke, coming straight outta Wisconsin, play dark new wavey stuff with a gothic tinge. Using a drum machine without looking like a complete doofus is something of a lost art that seems to be coming back into vogue. These dude do an excellent job.
The Electric Bunnies were a revelation. Clearly heavily influenced by Northwestern proto-punk godfathers the Wipers, these Floridians cranked out spare, overdriven power trio rock, the kind the greatness of which seems so stunningly obvious when you hear someone nail it over and over again that you wonder why this stuff isn’t in every town. Someone put out an album by these dudes.
But the jaw-dropper, as it was last Friday night, was Los Llamarada, the quintet of young Mexican folks who sound like two or three classic New York No Wave bands playing at the same time - noise, beat, feedback and friction all pile up without ever getting dull. Judging from comments, I’m pretty sure everyone who has seen them has been floored by their passion, their smarts and their screamy, rumbly noise rock. Singer Sagan occasionally switched to synth, which he often played with his fist as Estrella Ek Sanza took over on vocals, finishing off entire generation of riot grrrl rant-style with her killer moan. Nothing quite like seeing a band hit home runs two days in a row.
Nice job, Jug.
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SXSW review: Chromeo
It’s not a fail-safe measuring stick, but a survey of hairstyles and headwear at a concert can go a ways into revealing how broad an artist’s appeal is. Judging by the crowd collected Saturday at Stubb’s — bandanas, clear visors, B-boy ball hats, trilbys, headwraps, even a couple irony mullets — Benetton could film its ads at Chromeo shows, no problem as its playful, rubbery disco-funk drew from across the SXSW audience spectrum.
Hitting the stage accompanied by a welcome and needed afternoon breeze, the Montreal duo Dave One and Pee Thug took to their guitars and banks of keyboards — resting atop pairs of women’s legs like “A Christmas Story“‘s iconic lamp — and got the crowd moving. The men of Chromeo are unabashed fans of ’80s black pop music groups like Chic and the Jets and they’ve created plenty of converts with uninhibited, pure fun songs like “Tenderoni” and “Bonafied Lovin’ (Tough Guys)” that brought continuous cheers and dancing throughout. For the nearly hour-long set the crowd soaked up Dave One’s perpetual smile and Pee Thug’s vocoder-affected vocals.
If most of the duo’s songs are proudly goofy and thin on lyrical insight, kicking off their encore with the Oedipus-lite quandary of “Momma’s Boy” showed Dave One has earned his literature Ph.D. (really). Of course, that was followed by a medley of Journey songs “Don’t Stop Believin’” and “Anyway You want It” and “Your Love” by the Outfield — done so Pee Thug could give the vocoder a workout — to remind the cheering crowd the group’s in no danger of taking itself at all seriously. Which guarantees these songs and this band probably won’t have much in the way of historical staying power, but for a fun-seeking crowd on a sunny afternoon that was more than OK.
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SXSW review: Billy Bragg
If Billy Bragg spied Chicken Man as he played for the UTNE Reader party Saturday afternoon at the Thirsty Nickel, he gave no sign. Maybe he imagined he was hallucinating the whole episode anyway. It was his umpteenth showcase of the week and maybe a guy in a chicken suit could just be chalked up to the god of Why-the-Hell-Not.
Bragg, of course, was his usual ebullient, opinionated self. His political passions permeate his music, but he’s no humorless martinet. Whether going on about the deficiencies of American football (“It’s bollocks!”) or singing an impromptu Shangri-Las cover, Bragg’s wit and great good humor informs his performance at every turn.
Of course, it is songs like “Farm Boy,” “I Dreamed I Saw Phil Ochs Last Night,” a cover of Woody Guthrie’s “I Ain’t Got No Home In This World Anymore,” “O Freedom” and “Sing Their Souls Back Home” that galvanized his audience.
Bragg recalled his life changing irrevocably the day he saw the Clash at a massive Rock Against Racism rally in England in 1978. The sight of so many kindred spirits shocked him out of his complacency and cynicism and into a career singing about human rights and social justice. “It wasn’t the Clash that changed my world, it was the audience,” he recalled. “It’s possible to for music to send the audience away with a very different view of the world.”
That has been Bragg’s mandate ever since, and audiences are the richer for it. Heck, maybe he even converted the guy in the chicken suit.
(One of Billy Bragg’s many appearances this week was Thursday at the Body of War showcase at Stubb’s. Photo by Jay Janner/American-Statesman)
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SXSW Scene: Rachael Ray’s Feedback showcase
Rachael Ray’s Feedback showcase at the Beauty Bar today was a smashing indie success, leaving many waiting in line outside to see bands like the Raveonettes and in a surprise appearance, Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top.
Ray dismissed the reaction of some on the indie rock scene who balked at her hosting of the SXSW showcase.
“Everyone here is having a great time. These are great bands. This is a great mix of people. And, I brought food! I had one of the burgers. Phenom, phenom, phenom,” Ray said. The menu included SXSW sliders, a burger inspired by seven-layer dip, mac and cheese suiza, and chips and salsa.
Ray, an enthusiastic fan of her husband’s band the Cringe, rocked out to their performance, which included the appearance by Gibbons. Unplanned, the performance came about the day of the showcase as a result of Gibbons being a fan of Ray and the Cringe. They asked him to jam, and he was game.
Regardless of the flak from some on the indie scene, more than a few hipsters lined up for pictures with Ray. Including one of the owners of the Beauty Bar, who put in a special request to get a photo with the Food Network star. “My mom just loves her,” he said.
Before she leaves town, Ray plans to hit Maria’s Taco Xpress and Jo’s for iced coffee. “We are having a fantastic time,” she said. “It’s hot, but we are having a great time.”
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SXSW: No badge? Some problems
(We sent our intern out with $50 and a one-sentence instruction: See how many shows you can get into. Wednesday night was a big success. Friday, not so much. This is his report.)
Lacking the status symbol of a SXSW badge or wristband was not a problem on Wednesday night, when most shows were generally accessible for a price. It even seemed like the sensible thing to not have purchased one Thursday afternoon, when free shows abounded.
Friday, however, was a string of disappointments, culminating in the death of my analog recorder (and tape), which contained interviews for both this piece and another story.
In anticipation of a busier night, I started with a more comprehensive plan than I had on Wednesday. I made a list of bands I wanted to see (by the hour) with a variety of backup showcases listed by genre. If you are coming to the festival with only cash, include second- and third-string backups in your plans.
Starting with the Velveeta Room, every single showcase on my list was restricted to badges and wristbands. Even though most participating venues are relatively close to one another, I learned that walking from one showcase to another loses a lot of valuable time, especially since foot traffic was comparable to peak times during Mardi Gras.
Where a cover could be paid, there was usually a big line. Emo’s was a prime example early in the night. According to a shouting staff member, the wait for the cash line was “at least an hour” before the music even started. It was about 100 to 120 deep.
In one of a small number of free shows, a group of SXSW artists played short sets at Barcelona. Electro act Afrobots performed a hip hop-tinged dance set in matching Members Only jackets. It was more entertaining to look at them than to listen to the lackluster performance. I generally got what I paid for, including another free show at Troubadour with a forgettable first act and a disco group complete with disheartening falsetto singing.
That is not to say the street was not entertaining in its own right. I was hit on by a drunk younger woman, who had smoothed out a strip of skull-and-crossbones tape on my thigh before I knew what happened. I saw a man on a motorized scooter pulling a wooden platform holding a single lawn chair.
I also encountered Afrobots again, this time walking with a microphone behind a bicycle pulling a DJ, large speakers and its own light show. The man kept telling everyone to “take it to the streets.” Whatever that meant.
I even ran into cross-dressing Austin fixture Leslie. As always, he was happy to talk with the crowd and pose for provocative photos.
Though access to most shows was unlikely or impossible, many shows could be seen and heard from the street, including acts at the Ninety Proof Lounge and Habana Annex Backyard. While watching rock band Story of the Year from outside a chain link fence at the latter venue, a staff member opened the gate and let a group of us in right next to the stage for free. Singer Dan Marsala incited the crowd to jumping and pushing and put on a great show. Unfortunately, a mosh pit broke out in my midst and destroyed my tape recorder, which was knocked out of my pocket.
As I left downtown, the amount of litter in the street was unacceptable. This problem could have easily been avoided had trash cans been more available.
The bottom line: On Wednesday, options were already limited for those paying cash at SXSW. By Friday, even wristband holders were finding themselves on the outside of key shows. I won’t even try to get into anything Saturday night as a cash customer.
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SXSW scene: The French Legation party
Matthew Odam reports people are flowing in and out of the French Legation party downtown off Eighth Street - so much for RSVP-ing. It’s a rather small tented stage for such a large area.
Also, the longest line yet for booze, which costs a nominal fee. South by: It’s all about the music, except when it’s about the free or even cheap booze.
(Free ice cream from the “ice cream man,” as well.)
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SXSW breaking update: Liam Finn replaces Lemonheads tonight
An alert from SXSW tells us that Liam Finn will replace the Lemonheads in the 9 p.m. slot tonight at SXSW Live’s Bar Bar in the Austin Convention Center. No word on why the switch was made.
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SXSW scene: ZZ Top jams with the Cringe
The omnipresent Billy Gibbons of ZZ Top played with Rachael Ray’s husband’s band (John Cusimano of the Cringe) Saturday at the Beauty Bar during the Rachael Ray-hosted day party. (How could Rachael Ray’s hubster not be in a band called EVOO?)
They did a cover of John Lennon’s “Cold Turkey.”
The food at the party was delish, by the way: Seven-layer sliders, Mmmmmm.
(Billy Gibbons with the Cringe; photo by Peter Mongillo/American-Statesman)
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Review: Vampire Weekend
OMG! OMG! It’s Vampire Weekend! Otherwise known as The Presidents of the United States of America of SXSW 2008. Every year somebody is insanely hyped and then what happens to them? Oh, right. Amy Winehouse. That was last year? Never mind.
Playing SXSW the week after they were on “Saturday Night Live,” just as Artic Monkeys did a couple of years back, the nuclear-strength buzz (cover of Spin, new parents naming their children Ezra Koenig) could have sunk a band that believed a word of it. But Vampire Weekend simply came out on Antone’s stage Friday night, said nice things about our breakfast tacos and then played pretty much all of their debut album.
It’s a safe bet there’s not a shred of irony at play here. If Paul Simon’s”Graceland” had come out in 1975, this is what “Talking Heads: 77” would have sounded like — the indestructible beat of Soweto as interpreted by kids at a Martha’s Vineyard clambake. It’s ridiculously sunny and strikes me as the perfect disc to replace calliope as the soundtrack to every merry-go-round in the world.
After having already played the Spin party earlier in the day, the band opened with “Mansard Roof” and the place went nuts. “Campus,” with its intimation of faculty-student commingling, was next and then they pretty much plowed through the record, including “A-Punk,” and then the place really went nuts. As a live band they’re plenty capable for an outfit that’s been together all of a couple of years, but neither Koenig nor any of his bandmates yet have that can’t-avert-your-eyes charisma that natural stars have.
As a guitarist, Koenig says a lot while not playing all that much — few bands welcome and incorporate so much air in their arrangements. It is all but impossible to resist. So why do hipsters sound apologetic when they say they like them? Is it the whole cultural imperialism guilt thing or what?
But they seem like such nice boys, the fact that “Oxford Comma” has the F word in the lyric notwithstanding. They’re a fine indie band and if people expect something more, well, like the song says, “The Kids Don’t Stand a Chance.” (Ezra Koenig of Vampire Weekend performs Friday at Antone’s. Photo by Jay Janner/American-Statesman)
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Two minutes with Diplo at the Spin party
Friday’s punishing heat and sound problems could have derailed Diplo’s DJ set st Stubb’s during Spin’s afternoon party, but like the superstar tune spinner he is the Philly resident pulled through to keep the people-watching masses entertained, or close to it. The bathrooms at Stubb’s weren’t available, so the sidewalk out front had to work as the venue for Diplo to talk about playing for the beautiful people, his Mad Decent record label and surviving the Texas heat.
360: In so much as you have one, what’s the strategy for DJing a party like this versus an actual show?
Diplo: Nobody even cared when I was playing and from the monitor it seemed like only a bass frequency was coming out of the mixing board, so I figured I’d just play some random stuff. I had to play some psychedelic rock and garage rock but I also screwed around. After Vampire Weekend I was playing the “Coming To America” theme song just to be a (jerk), but nobody heard that one either.
Yeah, the people here were pretty aloof. You’ve got to be looking forward to doing some other parties then.
I’m leaving now to DJ with Santo Gold, play some music for her, then I’m gonna go hang out the rest of the day at the Jelly’s (NYC Texas) Garage where all the bands for my Mad Decent label are playing. Two of them missed their flights today and didn’t make it here but we’ve got Blackstar, Drop The Line, me and related artists like the Death Set and Black Ghosts.
How do you approach those shows versus what you just did here?
Oh, I just totally play the hits of today. All these people come from all different cities and all different scenes, whether it’s here in Austin or L.A. or down from Canada, New York, Baltimore, Philly … my people in Philly are telling me that this house party we did, everyone’s saying it was legendary.
When was that?
We just did it. That was last night till like 5 in the morning.
So how are you doing all this? In this heat you’ve got to be dead.
I’m just drinking water, man. I’m from Florida, this is easy. I’m just happy to be in some sunshine for a change.
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Review: Ponderosa Stomp showcase
It’s one of life’s piquant little mysteries how a myriad collection of has-beens, never-quite-weres and one-hit wonders can deliver such a satisfying package of entertainment at a forward-looking event like South by Southwest.
But for the third year running, the Ponderosa Stomp — the New Orleans-based traveling festival of roots music, soul, R&B, swamp pop and blues — served up a full plate of veteran performers who relished the chance to get onstage once more before a sweaty, dancing, beer-drinking, downright happy crowd. The festival exists, as their Web site says, to “celebrate the unsung heroes of rock ‘n’ roll.” And so they do. The Stomp is “all killer and no filler,” as they used to say.
The event ran all night at the Continental Club (the parent festival goes for a jam-packed two days next month in New Orleans), and I had other obligations around town and so was able to catch only a woefully small fraction of the festivities.
That was enough time, however, to see some sizzling performances from Herbert Wiley, guitarist Herman Hitson and Ralph “Soul” Jackson (“Soul is his name and soul is his game!” raved the overheated emcee). There wasn’t, alas, an opportunity to see the great Philly soul singer Barbara (“Yes, I’m Ready”) Mason or Little Freddie King or the Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indians.
Still, there was enough visual spectacle and charismatic, danceable music for a half dozen SXSW showcases. Between Herbert Wiley’s red zoot suit, Herman Hitson shredding notes on his vintage Strat and Ralph Jackson working the room like a tent-show preacher with the Devil breathing down his neck, it was hard to single out individual moments and performances.
But Hitson helped define the prevailing zeitgeist when he paused in the middle of a song to ponder the ineffable nature of the human heart: “She may look like dried-up hamburger to you, but she’s T-bone steak to someone else!” Even Cole Porter couldn’t have said it better.
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Review: Half Japanese
Jad Fair, the Michigan-native-now-Manor-based musician, is the sole constant member of the band Half Japanese. But the band started back in the mid-’70s as a collaboration between Jad and his brother David Fair. Their earliest material — the “Calling All Girls” 7-inch EP, the chaotic double LP debut “Half Gentlemen/Not Beasts” and the album “Loud” made with an expanded line-up — are considered stone classics of outsider rock art, possessing of a two dorks against the world quality that noise-nicks have been trying to chase ever since. David Fair has been absent from the band for years.
A good percentage of the classic Half Japanese lineup — the Brothers Fair, bassist Mark Jickling, saxophonist John Dreyfuss, drummer Rick Dreyfuss and guitarist John Moremen — played at 11 p.m. at Spiro’s Amphitheater Friday night. There’s always been a childlike quality to Half Japanese’s music, a mix of naive art and skilled musicians who really like naive art.
Jad played a tiny, toy-like electric guitar and David Fair (aging astoundingly well) jumped around like a little kid while the band cranked like the old pros they are (Yo La Tengo guitarist Ira Kaplan sat in on saxophone). The large crowd was, naturally, mighty nerd-heavy — not too many hipsters there to hear the next big thing. Attendees were there to hear the old thing than gave rise to a whole lot of the new things or inspired the band that then gave rise to the old things. It was surreal to hear these songs by these people in 2008 (and a little Half Japanese goes a long way), but it was certainly welcome.
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Review: Shelby Lynne
“I love these songs!”
Thus spoke Shelby Lynne onstage during her 9:30 p.m. show Friday at the Austin Music Hall. Her tone of voice sounded as though she were caught up in the revelatory moment for the first time. In point of fact, she has been living with the songs from her new album, “Just A Little Lovin’,” for some time now.
But the album’s music — songs, for the most part, made famous by Dusty Springfield — seems to still touch Lynne in ways that are as fresh, invigorating and unexpected to her as they are to the audience.
Lynne seems less to cover Springfield — her arrangements and vocal approach differ significantly from Springfield’s recordings — than to channel her. “I decided to make this record as a fun adventure, but I truly think she’s here with us,” Lynne said at one point.
If so, Springfield’s shade must surely have been applauding. Lynne’s rendition of “You Don’t Have To Say You Love Me,” “I Only Want To Be With You,” Randy Newman’s “I Don’t Want To Hear It Anymore” and other songs from the late singer’s canon were cool, smoky, sexy marvels.
Hiding mostly behind her mane of blonde hair, backlit through a scrim of artificial smoke until she almost seemed ghostlike herself, Lynne seemed to be singing from some inner landscape of emotion that many musicians never approach.
“I was terrified when I made this record. I thought it would be either the beginning or the end, because these songs were so amazing,” she said. Well, never mind. After voyaging across an ocean of uncertainty, Lynne has arrived on the distant shore safe and sound. Her stellar performance Friday night was proof of that.
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Review: Amy Lavere
There’s something downright diverting about the sight of a diminutive woman playing a big ol’ upright bass, but that’s the least of Amy Lavere’s appeal. Lavere, who performed Friday night as part of the Memphis showcase at Opal Divine’s Freehouse (and seemingly all over town in addition) is also the possessor of a chirping, malleable voice and a songwriter’s sensibility that can range from sunny to downright mordant. The combination can be arresting or even jarring.
Her two albums (the most recent having been produced by Jim Dickinson) don’t really prepare the listener for Lavere’s stage show. There is a patina of stylistic similarity between the album tracks that Lavere and her group mostly set aside onstage.
Her live set varied from crunchy punk/pop (“Washing Machine”) to Americana wistfulness (“Nightingale”) to rockabilly shuffles (her left-of-center cover of Michelle Shocked’s “If Love Was A Train”) and country with a pop sheen (“Take ‘Em or Leave ‘Em”).
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Review: Los Llamarada
By Friday night at SXSW, the serious fatigue begins to set in. Friends tell you, “I’m chilling at the hotel for a few hours” only to fall into a deep and peaceful slumber until the alarm wakes them the next morning. Sixth Street is littered with trash — fliers for shows unseen and plates which formerly carried tacos, hot dogs and pizza and what looks like a billion empty beer cans. Feet hurt, skin has been sunburned, the bands are beginning to blur together. One’s patience is sorely tested; if what you’re watching isn’t fascinating in the first two songs, one leaves. If more than one friends tells you, “You need to see this,” you go.
Such was the case Friday night at 10 p.m. at Spiro’s Amphitheater, the outdoor venue. Evangelista is the name of the current project from Carla Bozulich, whom you might recall from the Geraldine Fibbers. It’s a collaboration with several Montreal musicians associated with the same scene as Godspeed You Black Emperor. It’s smart, challenging music from an artist in whom I am interested.
But enough people said, “You need to see Los Llamarada right now,” a band playing on Spiro’s inside stage, that I headed inside.
Best decision I’ve made all festival.
Los Llamarada hail from Monterrey, Mexico, five middle-class-seeming kids, a few of whom don’t look old enough to drive. The guitar player, whose stage name is Johnny Noise (at least I assume it’s a stage name) has the word “noise!” written on his Strat copy. A gal with braces named Estrella Ek Sanza plays a tiny keyboard and sings now and then. The main vocalist (Sagan) jumps up and down yelling. The second guitarist looks about 15.
Their primitive-sounding punk belied a smart sense of junk culture roots. Keyboards surged and fell as Sagan would lean on them when Ek Sanza sang, then they would switch and Sagan would go back to freaking out. Johnny Noise’s lead guitar has a very specific clang which recalls noisemakers from the Germs to Sonic Youth and back. Why they are not yet national heroes (or at least on the cover of some magazine — Fader, I’m looking at you) is completely beyond me. Everyone’s jaws weres on the floor.
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Review: Flosstradamus and Kid Sister
After equally boisterous and playful sets by Chicago rappers The Cool Kids (“The brand new black Beastie Boys”) and DJ A-Trak (Kid Sister’s love interested) joined by the members of Chromeo, it was time for the commanding young emcee to take over. She didn’t hesitate, sharing the mic with her brother while electro-heavy beats full of keyboards and squiggly bass lines served as the frame for hits like “Control” that feature her Twista-on-estrogen lyrical flow. With a voice that’s either raspy beyond her years or overtaxed from working crowds into a frenzy (we’ll go with the latter), the Kanye West-endorsed rapper worked the stage like a tested veteran while chiding the crowd into more applause or urging them to dance. Not that they needed it. If you weren’t moving at this show it’s a good idea to make sure you still have a pulse.
(Kid Sister performs Saturday at Volume Saturday. Photo by Bret Gerbe/For AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW review: Moby
New York City DJ Moby has made name for himself by creating beautiful soundscapes that combine disparate musical selections such as Gregorian chants, downtempo beats, and ethereal electronic keyboard textures mixed with blues music samples from the early 20th century. Unfortunately his 12:30 a.m. DJ set late Friday evening at Vice felt slightly dated compared to some of the cutting edge music spinning from flavor of the month DJs appearing at SXSW like Diplo (M.I.A.’s producer) and Austin’s own DJ Chicken George.
After strolling in 15 minutes late, I gave Moby three songs to see if he could hold my attention enough to keep me from going down to check out Lucero’s 1 a.m. set at the Red Eyed Fly. Fifteen minutes passed (which felt like much longer) while Moby just cut up one unfamiliar song over and over, raising his arms to the sky during the song’s breaks. Although the audience definitely appeared to be feelin’ it, a 20-year-old electronic music fan who fed me at Coco’s Restaurant later explained that I may have not been captivated because “Moby is old (news). There are lots of other people out there doing fresh stuff. Better stuff.”
Words of clarity from the youth of America. Indeed, Moby’s show did not have a line stretching around the block, or require any difficulty to get in to see. There was no evidence from outside that just inside the doors of Vice was a little vegan artist — who has sold more than 9 million albums worldwide — spinning records to his adoring fans. Maybe I didn’t stick around long enough to be infected by the rhythm, but I was expecting a little more from the whale of a DJ.
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Review: She and Him, Destroyer
I missed the beginning of Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward’s midnight set at the Parish, getting there just in time to hear their soulful cover of the Miracle’s “You Really Got a Hold on Me.” Ward and Deschanel, otherwise known as She and Him, had a backing band in tow, which joined them on stage for part of the set. Highlights included the toe-tapping “This Is Not A Test,” with the band sounding a lot like they just stepped out of George Harrison’s “All Things Must Pass.” Deschanel’s vocals sounded even better live than they do on their new album, “Volume 1.”
Next on was New Pornographer Dan Bejar and his band, Destroyer (which was introduced by the keyboardist as Dan Bejar and the Destroyers). Technical difficulties prevented the band from starting right at 1 a.m., but once they got going Bejar and crew launched into a hard rocking set that had the fairly small crowd dancing along. This was my first time seeing Destroyer perform live, and I was surprised that the feel of the show leaned more toward classic rock (in a good way), without too much of Bejar’s vocals, and less toward the operatic, lyric laden vibe of 2006’s “Destroyer’s Rubies.” Guitars ruled the day, with Bejar often turning his back to the crowd as he conferred with his drummer.
(Zooey Deschanel, one half of She and Him, plays Friday night at the Parish. Photo by Kelly West/American-Statesman)
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Review: David Dondero
Singer-songwriter David Dondero, who just released his new album “Simple Love” on Conor Oberst’s Team Love label, took the stage at the Habana Calle 6 patio at 11 p.m. Friday. Dondero’s emotional and sometimes humorous songs take you from one end of the country to the other, and when he plays live he embodies the spirit of the songs with a quavering voice and understated guitar work.
Singing about everything from relationships gone awry to eating po’ boys in New Orleans, Dondero comes across as a cup-half-empty kind of guy, but one who is going to drink every last drop. Highlights included several songs off of the new record, as well as a backing band (he has appeared by himself in the past) that filled out the set with a solid country rock sound.
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Review: Heloise and the Savoir Faire
Forget for a minute that this is the band that Elijah Wood is in town to promote (their forthcoming album is being released on Wood’s Simian Records label). While Wood was in attendance, Heloise and the Savoir Faire are their own band, from their raucous disco-rock sound to Heloise’s backup singers/dancers, who began the 9 p.m. show at the Ale House donning kimonos and white face paint.
The crowd loved every minute of the highly theatrical performance as the band made its way through a set that ranged in sound from thumping disco to more synth-heavy dance rock tunes. One highlight of the set was what Heloise described as “a song about spring break,” where she and one of her backup singers acted out a comedic encounter between a middle-age man and a college girl visiting Mexico.
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Review: Petty Booka, Ketchup Mania and Girl in a Coma
I only managed to catch the last two songs of Japanese ukulele duo Petty Booka’s midnight set Friday, by the time I negotiated the nerve-wracking downtown traffic, found a place to park and ran to Elysium. But they made it worth the effort of crossing back over the river after earlier shows at Jovita’s, to briefly enjoy some pretty harmonies and a little taste of the surreal.
It was pretty strange hearing two very high soprano voices earnestly singing Richard Thompson’s dark “I Want to See the Bright Lights Tonight,” but backed by mandolin, guitar, bass and fiddle, Petty Booka sounded quite good, with a nice vocal blend. Thompson, with his dry sense of humor, would probably have been amused.
When the duo announced they had one more song, the audience cried out as one a disappointed “AWWWWWWW,” which was also a little strange, because the crowd was predominantly made up of guys who looked like they would be more prone to yelling at a sporting event than sighing at a ukulele concert. Petty and Booka (that’s what they go by — each is the second woman in the duo’s history to be Petty or Booka) flashed grateful smiles, looking fetching in their matching navy cowgirl outfits with red piping and navy-blue straw cowboy hats. The final number was a light-hearted one that suited their airy voices, although it wasn’t a song I’d expected to hear covered at SXSW: Mungo Jerry’s “In the Summertime.” The band bounced along cheerily, the mandolin player picked out a sweet solo, and Petty and Booka’s harmonies were like whipped cream and sugary strawberries. The crowd applauded wildly, and Petty and Booka waved and screamed excitedly “We love Austin!,” then exited the stage to more cheers while the band played the final measures.
The crowd dispersed quickly, some to the merchandise table where CDs seemed to be moving quickly. One guy was singing “In the Summertime” as he headed toward the exit, and his friend said “Hey, weren’t you just singing that earlier today?”
Perhaps Mungo Jerry has somehow once again entered the zeitgeist.
The mood was not nearly so festive 15 or 20 minutes later, when Friday’s final Japan Night band, Ketchup Mania, appeared. A respectable-sized audience reassembled in front of the stage, still predominantly male, but the air of gentility had evaporated, perhaps in keeping with the band’s sound. Despite the cute name, Ketchup Mania played monotonous speed-metal-punk, distinguished only by the shrieking vocals of female vocalist Hiro, who looked more fashion-y than punk in a black mini dress covered with dangling metal thingies. Four songs was really all I could take, especially since so many guys were smoking in the airless room that I was starting to feel sick.
It was a lot quicker leaving downtown, fortunately, and I managed to make it back to Jovita’s for four compelling songs by San Antonio alternative-rock trio Girl in a Coma. The median age of the audience seemed to have decreased significantly since earlier in the evening. After 1 a.m., there were a lot of women who looked to be in their 20s, like Girl in a Coma bassist Jenn Alva, drummer Phanie Diaz and singer-guitarist Nina Diaz (Phanie’s sister). They named their band after the Smiths’ “Girlfriend in a Coma,” and had some of the Smiths’ dark, swirling quality, but Nina Diaz’s guitar style showed more of a slashing punk intensity — no wonder Joan Jett became such a fan, she signed them to her label — while Alva’s basslines were moodily melodic. Nina Diaz’s magnificent powerful, murky voice was often more like another instrument, conveying emotion and adding to the melancholy textures rather than delivering lyrics. Her complete involvement in the music made her great to watch, too.
Although the music was full of angst, the three women seemed terribly sweet. Alva thanked the audience sincerely for having come to see them when so many other things were going on. And when she started the audience singing “Happy Birthday” to Nina Diaz, the singer looked like she might be blushing behind her curtain of long bangs.
Having already developed a striking style and presence at such an early stage, Girl in a Coma seems likely to have an interesting career ahead.
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Review: New Bloods
Portland, Ore., punk rock band New Bloods barely had a discernible pulse during their 9 p.m. Friday performance at Emo’s IV Lounge. The band took so much time setting up their gear that they started 15 minutes late. Turns out their late start was just the first in a series of missteps that showed New Bloods has a lot to learn when it comes to being a professional, rock-solid touring entity.
New Bloods — drummer Adee Robeson, violinist Osa Atoe and bassist Cassia Gammill — possessed a spark in their live show that does not come across on their K Records recordings. Their set’s few interesting moments were mainly propelled by Atoe and Robeson’s ability to sing and play with great dexterity. Yet, the tenor and pitch of their vocal delivery was painful at times. The young womens’ take on punk rock was so unique — and their backgrounds so disparate (Gammill was living in New Orleans when Katrina hit) — this writer desperately wanted to root for them to be great. Sadly, the girls’ music never rose up past what felt like an artistic experiment that seemed to have a hard time captivating the handful of people in the audience.
If there had been a song with even one memorable refrain, it would have been detailed here. But there was no aspect of New Bloods’ set that you could take away and long to hear again. Let’s hope the multi-cultural, queer identifying band will improve with age; that they will allow their subcultural experiences to inform their writing even more (punk rock can be patriarchal and monolithic in its culture). With a little work, New Bloods could breath some welcome new life into punk rock. They’ve only been a band for a few years, and it shows.
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Review: Foreign Born
The sometimes moody but reasonably catchy pop of Foreign Born is like playing the most frustrating game of Name That Reference: Echo and the Bunnymen? The Smiths? Fine enough. They did a bunch of new songs Friday, and I was frankly too busy getting jostled by 9,000 impatient Vampire Weekend fans to pay much attention to it. Not their fault. They can always say they opened for Vampire Weekend. Which is better than closing for them.
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Review: Basia Bulat
She’s pretty, she’s got a great voice and a remarkably propulsive groove going for a singer-songwriter with a largely acoustic band — Basia Bulat could be trouble. The young singer from Toronto started a capalla, then brought her band out (including ukulele, fiddle and her brother on drums) for a pretty remarkable set at Antone’s Friday, drawing largely from her Rough Trade album, “Oh, My Darling” but making room for local favorite Daniel Johnston’s “True Love Will Find You in the End,” which was cool in more ways than I can describe.
Aforementioned amazing lead vocal voice aside, there were also some pretty great three-part harmonies. “Snakes and Ladders” and the album’s title track were standards, but the whole thing went by much too quickly — partly because Bulat was fussing (politely, ‘cause she’s Canadian) about the mix in the monitors. She might play harpsicord now and then, but this energetic, charismatic and extremely talented woman rocks.
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Review: Bear in Heaven
Brooklyn’s Bear in Heaven, who had a crowd of “probably the most people we’ve played in front of” Friday, according to vocalist-keyboardist-soundscape artist Jon Philpot, have the whole early Floyd/Eno/Joy Division/New Order thing down. And the Antone’s crowd (almost all of whom were there to see Vampire Weekend three hours later) were fairly appreciative of the band’s sound, coming from from two (I think) analog synths and propulsive guitar (one time with an E-bow, an effect that seems to be making something of a comeback).
The grandiose sound spotlights Philpot’s expressive tenor — which was intentionally sodden with reverb in the mix Friday night — but I wanted more ideas completed when it came to songwriting and structure. Just when they got something cool going, it stopped. Maybe that’s a function of the short sets at SXSW, maybe not.
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Review: Portastatic
Portastatic’s 8 p.m. set at the Parish appropriately opened the Merge Records showcase (he is a co-founder of the label) with a 40-minute set of make-out songs for the fragile-hearted, executed as only frontman Mac McCaughan knows how.
McCaughan played a slew of songs from his prolific, 20-plus-year recording career. “San Andreas” melodically circled over its perfectly understated guitar riff. “Impolite Cheers,” “Be Still Please” and “I Wanna Know Girls” reminded fans of just how lyrically clever McCaughan can be. (On the last line of “I Wanna Know Girls” he even lyrically samples Public Enemy’s “My Uzi Weighs A Ton” for one line, increasing the power in his ode to mothers and daughters.)
The set’s song choice was well crafted; it built in the middle while still possessing an air of being off-the-cuff. McCaughan’s crestfallen vocal delivery creaked and cracked in all the right places. The set’s varying degrees of emotion felt as if he’d written the songs especially for you as recovery fuel to get you through your latest heartbreak.
Portastatic is actually McCaughan’s side project to his legendary slack rock underground band, Superchunk. Yet Portastatic has played many more shows and released many more records over the past several years than Superchunk.
Friday evening’s show was evidence of a slight downside: since Superchunk has been on an extended “qui-a-tus” for years now, McCaughan’s short set felt like a teasing appetizer. One diehard McCaughan/Superchunk fan prayed aloud that the three Superchunk bandmates would emerge from the stage wings (one of their last public performances was SXSW a few years ago). But that longed-for Superchunk reunion was a dessert that never got baked.
McCaughan’s set displayed his forte for working happy-sad-happy-sad emotional land mines into his songs the way regular songwriters use the verse-chorus-verse-chorus structure. Looking at the back-catalog of all of the artists playing at SXSW, McCaughan’s discography and early evening set proved he is one of the strongest and most prolific songwriters in rock ‘n ‘roll.
There must be an alternate, parallel universe where McCaughan is on some kind of wonderful, heavenly “pop” radio station 24/7/365. (If you discover this universe, please e-mail me directions on how I can fold-space to get there.)
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Reviews: Krayolas and Tex-Mex Experience
SXSW helps Austin stake its claim to being the live musical capital of the world, but San Antonio certainly stepped up to show its mettle at Jovita’s Friday night with fantastic sets by the Krayolas at 9 and Shawn Sahm’s Tex-Mex Experience at 10.
Rock ‘n’ roll reunions can be stodgy affairs, but after some two decades out of the limelight, the Krayolas have clearly gotten back together to have themselves a blast and show the audience an equally good time.
Guitarist/lead singer Hector Saldana joked about the Krayolas having started as “a little teeny bop band.” One could only wish that boy bands these days had as much musical talent. Saldana, drummer David Saldana (his brother) and lead guitarist Van Baines harmonized beautifully, showing how they got their reputation as “the Tex-Mex Beatles” in the late ‘70s. A cover of the Beatles’ “I’ll Be Back” was downright gorgeous. Even better was a rocking cover of the Dave Clark Five’s “Any Way You Want It,” although Hector introduced it by jesting “We always like to learn one on stage.”
The Krayolas had plenty of strong material of their own, including “Nolan Street Bridge” and the surf-rock instrumental “Alamo Dragway,” which showed off Baines’ soloing as well as the tight rhythmic mesh between his guitar and Hector Saldana’s, and Joe Sarli’s rumbling bass.
Their friend and mentor Augie Meyers, of Sir Douglas Quintet fame, joined them partway through the set to play keyboards on songs such as his “We’ll Never Tell” and “Little Fox.” Hector Saldana announced proudly that their new bilingual re-recording of “Little Fox” with Meyers has become a “local hit,” and it certainly was irresistible.
The Krayolas seemed to be selling a ton of CDs after the showcase, and female fans converged on Hector as he was trying to take care of equipment and merchandise. He had joked that whenever the band enters a nightclub now, “We raise the median age by 30 years,” but he clearly still has star quality.
Shawn Sahm and the Tex-Mex Experience offered a different kind of time warp, frequently recalling the Sir Douglas Quintet while also making you think history has been changed to allow the accordion to take its rightful place as the lead instrument in ‘70s country-rock. Shawn Sahm, the son of Sir Douglas Quintet great Doug Sahm, is a terrific lead guitarist, but he mostly bashed away on rhythm, grinning like mad, to leave plenty of room for dazzling accordionist Michael Guerra on everything from the power ballad “The One and Only” to rave-ups such as “My Little Groover,” “Why Doncha,” “One Shot” and “Too Little Too Late” (written by Shawn and his late father).
Frontman Nunie Rubio is the kind of powerful vocalist who seems to throw his entire body into his singing. He got terrific harmony support from bassist Neal Walker as well as Sahm and Guerra. Guerra provided beautiful high harmonies on a cover of Freddy Fender’s “Wasted Days and Wasted Nights” that had the crowd swooning and singing along.
SXSW showcases don’t usually generate a lot of singalongs, or a lot of dancing, with so many industry and hipster types in attendance. But the wooden floor in front of the stage at Jovita’s was vibrating from all the moving feet Friday, especially when the Tex-Mex Experience launched into “Open Up Your Heart.”
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Scene: Rachael Ray and John Cusimano
The Food Network’s Rachael Ray may be most well known for her love of things culinary, but she loves music, too. And Ray, who took up drum lessons at 37, and her husband John Cusimano, whose band The Cringe is playing SXSW, both love Austin. So it doesn’t seem so unusual that Ray is hosting the Feedback day party on Saturday, which includes her SXSW Seven-Layer Slider burgers and a band named Holy (expletive).
“We have very eclectic taste. We listen to everything,” Ray said in an interview with the American-Statesman in Austin Friday night. “We are both devout followers of the Foo Fighters. We both love John Coltrane, Ella Fitzgerald, opera and indie rock. That’s what I like about Austin, it’s not just one scene.”
Ray first discovered Austin a number of years ago after she saw Bob Schneider on “Austin City Limits” and decided to make a trip to Texas. “I wanted to come here because it was the live music capital of the world. And, I wanted to see Bob Schneider,” Ray said. “He’s just such a great musician, a great storyteller. We (Ray and Cusimano) were both listening to his music on the plane on the way down.”
Though Schneider will not be playing the Feedback party, a number of emerging bands, including Scissors for Lefty, Autovaughn, the Stills and, of course, The Cringe, will be performing for the invitation-only event at the Beauty Bar on Saturday afternoon. Ray and Cusimano selected the lineup themselves, citing the Sirius “Left of Center” radio source for discovering much of the music.
“We are psyched about the lineup. We were lucky enough to get the Raveonettes, which was great,” Cusimano said. The showcase also features DJ sets from Efrem Ramirez, better known as Pedro from “Napoleon Dynamite.”
A lunch menu by Ray will include the aforementioned SXSW seven-layer sliders (burgers based on seven-layer dip), macaroni and cheese suiza and barbecued ribs.
Ray and Cusimano are looking forward to their first SXSW. They hope to see Vampire Weekend, as well as the Vines and Bob Schneider.
When in Austin, Ray and Cusimano stay at the Hotel San Jose and hit the South Congress shops and restaurants, from the vintage shops to Service Menswear to Jo’s for coffee. Ray also likes the coffee at Cissi’s Market. “We’re going home with a pound of coffee and some peanut butter from there,” Ray said. Both hope to eat at favorite spots including Shady Grove, Iron Works, Home Slice, Guero’s and the Salt Lick.
The September issue of her magazine Every Day with Rachael Ray will feature the visit to Austin on the cover and include recipes from the showcase.
— Meredith Hight
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Scene: King Britt and Cool Kids
I was heading to Emo’s to check out the Cool Kids when I decided to pop by King Britt’s party Friday night at the Beauty Bar. Britt himself was working the wheels in the front room, throwing down a chunky mix of ’90s hip-hop, ’70s funk and assorted soulful dance gems.
The dance floor was less than packed but the vibe was nice and there was a crazy white cat doing what looked awfully like a new school version of the Charleston to a “Flashlight” remix. I got distracted. By the time I made it to Emo’s (at 11 p.m. sharp for the Cool Kids’ set) long lines stretched out the door with a 15-minute wait even for badgeholders.
Apparently the Cool Kids, who allegedly killed a set at a side party earlier in the day, are cool indeed. Also, there’s a lot of hype behind Chicago MC Kid Sister who was also on the bill. I retreated back to the Beauty Bar where the dance floor was starting to fill out and the Philly soul was bumping hard.
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Video: DJ Rekha
DJ Rekha from NYC dropped Bhangra, hip-hop and dance music at Club 115 last night.
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Review: Los Amigos Invisibles
Sometimes the best SXSW shows are the ones you’re not looking for. Last-minute adds and side shows crop up and sometimes trump your scheduled plans. Consequently when I found out that Los Amigos Invisibles, a disco funk outfit from Caracas, Venuzuela was playing the free border media sessions party Friday at the Mexican American Cultural Arts Center (and nowhere on the official SXSW roster), I hightailed it over.
First off, iIve been wanting to see the ensemble ever since my little garage band did a clunky cover of their international dance hit “Mas Sexy” back in ‘98. Secondly, the center is very possibly my new favorite party venue in the city. For a little context, this site used to be a warehouse and now it’s a beautiful architectural achievement containing multiple gallery spaces, classrooms and both an indoor auditorium and a white plaza overlooking Lady Bird Lake.
The band was set up outside and, as they threw down a ridiculous mix of rhythmic funk, ’70s grooves and assorted Latin sounds, colorful starburst projections pinwheeled across the gracefully arched building ,occasionally accented by bursts of strobe. Meanwhile, the sizable crowd gave themselves over completely to the irresistible rhythms and danced and danced. I was fully taken.
Am I gushing? Perhaps. This was by far the highlight of my SXSW experience thus far.
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Scene: John Croslin back at the Parish
Remember back in the day (circa 1998 and earlier) when you could walk up to a SXSW venue and pay $10 to $20 for admission? It was often the best plan of attack if you only wanted to see one - and only one - band during the entire conference.
Instead of trying you with a laundry list about why Austin feels like Eden after “The Fall,” here’s just one story from the city Friday night that can be filed under: “Isn’t there any justice in the world?”
The Reivers, Austin’s best indie rock band during the 1980s, have no showcase at this year’s SXSW. Yet they sold out the Parish two nights last month for a reunion. Back at the Parish on Friday for a Merge Records showcase, Reivers frontman John Croslin was unable to pay a cover, like in the old days, to get his wife into the club.
If you split Austin’s cultural timeline into P.C. (pre-highrise condos) and A.C. (after highrise condos), Croslin’s door jam-up would fall into the latter.
(Did we mention that we miss many aspects from when SXSW was a growing adolescent? Including inexpensive cover charges for all people.)
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Review - Harvey Milk
Harvey Milk (the band not the man) formed in Athens, Ga., in the early 1990s, when Michael Stipe was buying property to keep it from being torn down and the gentle, super-stoned Elephant 6 collective was putting on shows around there. According to myth, almost nobody liked them.
In the last 10 or so years, everything the Harvey Milk does well (noise rock and ZZ Top riffs slowed to a crawl, more or less) has become very popular with a certain brand of music dork. Hence, a spate of reissues over the past two years and the dork-heavy attendance at their admittedly outstanding set Friday night at Spiro’s as part of the WFMU showcase.
It’s amazingly hard to make very, very slow-moving heavy metal catchy. Most really slow metal bands don’t bother. Harvey Milk does bother and the results are utterly head smashing. Long a capella passages give way to elephantine riffs, the sound of brontosauri moving through tar as a planet-busting comet soars ever closer to Earth. Tempos occasionally break into a gallop as classical-music samples flicker in and out of the music and guitarists trade solos. Absurdly powerful stuff; no wonder every T-shirt size below XL sold out.
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Scenes west and east — Torche rules
Boy howdy, it’s hot out. But you knew that.
Hit the Fader Fort for the first time around 1 p.m Friday. That whole place would be much funnier if everyone in line was there to buy pants. But Andy Warhol-branded jeans were going for more than $100, as were vintage jackets.
Some atrocity from Denmark called the Fashion was playing. This is why kids listen to hip-hop. Oy, I have no idea how all these hipsters are gonna survive in tight jeans and hoodies. It was 95 degrees, people. These are clothes that say, “I’m going to pass out and end up at Brackenridge hospital.”
Biked east over to the Longbranch Inn afterward. Felt fortunate to be alive and weirdly proud of myself — maybe I’m not quite as hideously out of shape as I thought.
Monotonix were blowing minds over at the Kenny Dorham’s Backyard area. Three Israeli gents who looked to be in their mid-40s — guitar, voice , drums — pounding out dangerously asymmetrical noise rock. The singer was stripped to the waist and soaked in sweat, long curly black hair and the week’s most non-ironic mustache made him a hypnotic figure, a totem, if you will, of middle-aged Israeli rock power. He rolled in the dirt, moved each individual drum 10 feet up the hill and looked vaguely like a caged animal the entire time. The thickness of his accent (and mustache) was life affirming.
The SXSW award for best band I heard but could not see goes to Torche. Even standing on a bench, they were tough to make out, such was the lowness of the Longbranch stage and the size of the crowd squished in there.
Torche’s pile-driving, monolithic metal sounded less like a band than a large turbine warming up. The band was the bulldozer; we were merely the mice who realize the end is really, really nigh. Giant chord changes stretched over four and five minutes, the guitar surreal and thick. When the drummer hits so hard that he propels himself out of the chair now and then like a meerkat popping up on his hind legs, all is right with the world. (Also, a Torche soundtrack to “Meerkat Manor” would totally rule.)
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SXSW scene: Want to get into Vampire Weekend showcase?
You better have a wristband or a badge. At 7:20 p.m., the line at Antone’s, where the buzz band is scheduled to play at 11 p.m., was about a third of the way down Lavaca Street.
And they’re already saying “badges and wristbands only.” If you get in, don’t leave.
Bear in Heaven, Basia Bulat and Foreign Born are scheduled to play before VW. DeVotchKa and the Constantines follow.
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SXSW Review: Bloodshot Records and New Bohemia parties
Bloodshot Records’ Yard Dog party, now a hallowed SXSW tradition, sometimes offered people-watching more compelling than the bands in the middle of Friday afternoon. While the Deadstring Brothers played familiar Stones-y rock distinguished mostly by a particularly good drummer and a shrill female vocalist, and ex-Screaming Trees drummer Mark Pickerel and His Praying Hands left no particular impression, the beer line snaking way down the alley was a great source of entertainment.
A middle-aged guy with short, sturdy legs (definitely not our lean-limbed Leslie) sported a Harley tank top and a short, flippy skirt with a loud starfish print and a raggedy hem that fluttered in the breeze. People with half-full cups of Lone Star beer got right back in line, so as never to run out. One guy who didn’t exactly look like a fashion maven announced with great authority to his female companion “No big fishnet tights before 7 p.m.” After spotting a woman wearing footless black fishnets with red gym shorts, I had to agree with him.
I wandered out to Congress Avenue and down the block trying to find a quieter spot to make a phone call, and heard some propulsive, keyboard-accented rock emanating from behind the vintage store New Bohemia. Forgetting the phone call, I drifted over just in time to see three guys banging melodically on the drum kit while the lead singer urgently crooned “oh no, oh no, oh no, oh no, no.” I had managed to catch the very end of a set by Los Angeles-based the Deadly Syndrome. When I asked the band’s Jesse Hoy where else they were playing, he checked a PDA and gave me a number of options, including the Vinyl magazine party and a party at, of all places, the Elks’ Club. The best thing, he said, was that they get to be honorary Elks for three days, and he pulled the membership card out of his wallet to show me.
There was hardly anyone at New Bohemia’s backyard party, which was a little sad, but on the other hand, there were some good bargains on the sale racks — and the portapotties were pristine. I headed back over a bit later, and ended up beguiled by an ethereal yet driving instrumental keyboard-drums-electronica duo, which turned out to be Austin’s Lymbyc Systym. There were still only a few people around, but keyboardist Jared Bell invited everyone to come stand in the shade in the tent behind the band, which made it seem like a command performance instead of an underattended one. By the end of the set, quite a few more curious people had been lured into the yard.
I made sure to get back to Yard Dog in time for Justin Townes Earle’s 4:15 p.m. set. One of Steve’s kids, his debut, “The Good Life,” is due March 25. He and his fine band — keyboard, mandolin, fiddle and bass — played old-school honky-tonk country, and looked the part in their dark suits and western shirts. Earle himself could have been a casting director’s dream of a ‘50s country & western singer — tall and lanky, with penetrating blue eyes looking out from under the brim of his straw cowboy hat.
“Are there enough pearl snaps up here for everybody?” Earle joked, after generating smiles throughout the crowd with the lively, tuneful “What Do You Do When You’re Lonesome.”
“It sure is hot — but I wouldn’t let them get out of wearing the suits,” Earle said of his band, before launching into the title track of the new album. There was only time for a few songs, and none for his folkier material, but Earle made a strong impression with his warm baritone and terrific rhythm guitar playing that drove the band as a drummer would.
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SXSW Review: Duffy
When 23-year-old Welsh singer Duffy took the stage at the Parish on Friday afternoon, she had the number one album in the U.K., but is virtually unknown in the States. That will change, my friends. Like Lulu and Dusty Springfield, she’s got a smoky quality to her voice, but the dimpled Duffy can air it out better than those two, as she proved on “Warwick Avenue,” one of those timeless soul numbers that is both 1968 and 2008. Let’s put it this way: if Duffy was a contestant on “American Idol,” David Archuletta would slink back to the Urban Outfitters that spawned him. She’s got the vibrations in her voice without being showy.
Sorry Shelby Lynne, but your career will be history when Duffy’s “Rockferry” is released in the U.S. in May.
The six-song set, as part of the Mercury Records party, ended with “Mercy,” with it’s “Stand By Me” bassline and “Sisters Are Doing It For Themselves” defiant streak. The band was so tight and Duffy so loose. The best act I’ve ever seen at SXSW was the BellRays in 2001. Don’t think I’ve got it in me to see a better set. The SXSW act I’m most certain will be a superstar is Duffy. Catch her Saturday at 8 p.m. at Stubb’s and I think you’ll agree.
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SXSW Scene: Human Giant
Despite what schedules say, you just never know what you are going to see when you hit up a day party at SXSW. Maybe an unscheduled musician sitting in with some friends. Maybe a special host doing some announcing. And sometimes it’s much more odd. Such was the case Friday afternoon at Emo’s. As the Seattle-based Fleet Foxes took the stage and prepared to play for fans at the Pitchfork Party outside at Emo’s, two-thirds of comedy troupe Human Giant, Azi Ansari and Rob Huebel, rushed the stage with t-shirt cannons and began firing off balled up shirts into the audience. Maybe the host of the afternoon were just warming up for their show later at the Velveeta Room, or maybe it was just clever marketing wrapped in some physical comedy.
The Foxes took the move in stride, though they were obviously surprised. Bearded and seated lead singer Robin Pecknold was actually rather amused at the demonstration, saying it was just a few weeks ago that he was downloading Human Giant off of iTunes. “What a crazy world,” he said a couple of times before the band finally broke into song.
Video: Pitchfork party with Human Giant and Fleet Foxes
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Party review: Fleet Foxes
The Pitchfork Media day party at Emo’s outside was reasonably accessible, perhaps due to the Spin party that was happening at the same time at Stubbs that included performances by Vampire Weekend, among others. The Seattle band Fleet Foxes took the stage around 3 p.m. after a strong set by Bon Iver. The Foxes started off with a gospel-style tune that was heavy on harmony at first and evolved into upbeat country rock. The set continued on in the same fashion, with songs that seems rooted in ’70s easy rock, except with more teeth. This band might draw some comparisons to My Morning Jacket, but the vocal work pushes past such comparisons, giving them their own unique, enjoyable sound.
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SXSW Review: The Hard Lessons
Vampire who? While that might be overstating the case — though as one Spin party VIP attendee said in reference to turbo-hyped band Vampire Weekend, “It isn’t exactly Beatlemania down there” — the New York combo had a lot to contend in Stubb’s basement Friday afternoon. That was where Detroit indie/soul/rock trio The Hard Lessons were brought in for two blistering sets by Spin honchos apparently looking to add some muscle to the B-team lineup inside.
They made the right choice. Tables overlooking the concert pit became de facto front-row balcony seats as soner guitarist Augie Visocchi, keyboardist/singer Korin Cox and drummer Christophe Jajac-Denek plowed through everything from indie-pop (“Milk and Sugar,” “See and Be Scene”), to Cox’s soul-fueled shouts like “Carey Says” and “Don’t Shake My Tree.”
There weren’t many occupied forks in the place by the end of either set, proof that a trip to the stage outside in years to come wouldn’t be a stretch for these folks.
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SXSW Scene: One last Spin
The annual jockey for laminates was back on Friday as, even more than usual, it seemed everyone was trying to get in to the always popular Spin magazine party to see Vampire Weekend, a band whose buzz has grown exponentially over the past few weeks, reaching a maddening din in Austin. Despite the alleged and rumored onslaught for entrance, the crowd was very manageable, as was getting in and out.
I caught some of the Danish New Yorkers the Raveonettes, maybe the most overexposed bands of this SXSW, shredding their surf-inspired punk that rides on huge waves of fuzzed out guitar before heading over to Emo’s and then back again for Vampire Weekend.
Despite the heat, the crowd had quite a bit of anxious buzz working for a day show. The young Ivy Leaguers took the stage after being introduced by indie rock kingmaker Nic Harcourt of KCRW and burst into their signature Afro-pop tinged sound that seems completely genuine and unpretentious despite the pedigree of the clean-cut preps from New York.
The band enthusiastically tore through much of their debut album at their first outdoor show in Austin, playing tunes such as “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa,” “M79,” “Bryn,” “I Stand Corrected,” and the call-and-response infused “One (Blake’s Got a New Face),” which proved that even the hip crowd in the sweltering heat was not too hot (or cool) to do a little dancing.
Despite the fact that the band switched up their Afro-pop with some California surf sounds, a little bit of ’50s rock and some Rusted Root-inspired groove tunes, the set still seemed a little monotonous at times, but the mood may have been partially influenced by the nature of the venue.
Video: Raveonettes and Vampire Weekend at SPIN party
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SXSW Scene: Spin party
The scene at Stubb’s for the SPIN party Friday wasn’t much to talk about. At least not from the VIP section, where there were plenty of P’s, none of whom were terribly V or I.
As buzzy bands The Whigs, The Raveonettes (on a mission to repeatedly play virtually the exact same set this entire week) and Vampire Weekend coped with the heat to keep the sweaty masses entertained, upstairs there was a lot of schmoozing and people-watching, ocasionally broken up by bopping along to the music. But not too much; don’t wanna muss the hair any more than it already is. The most notable appearance was a tall drink of water with slicked back black hair and a priest’s robe and collar. Talk on the platform was it might have been Gary Oldman, but your reporter didn’t see a resemblance.
Final verdict: Fun? Sure. Worth the Rumplestiltskin-like bartering it took some folks to snag a coveted laminate? No way.
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SXSW Scene: The heat
With the temperature soaring into the 90s, the buzz words today are shade and water. After a long night of partying, there is quite the Night of the Living Dead feel among party hipsters whose fair night-club enhanced complexions have taken a beating these past 24 hours. But this is definitely no teetotaling crowd, as can be attested to by the steady lines for free booze at day parties along Sixth Street and Red River.
A note to our partying brethren: Don’t wait, hydrate. Maybe the hot temps will discourage some of the hundreds from New York who may have been considering relocating to Austin. Though if we really want to discourage that trend, maybe we should hold SXSW in July.
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SXSW Interview: Mick Jones and Tony James
An award of some sort should be given to the SXSW staffer who decided to have Mojo Magazine editor-in-chief Phil Alexander interview British punk legends Mick Jones (The Clash, Big Audio Dynamite) and Tony James (Generation X, Sigue Sigue Sputnik) Friday afternoon. Jones and James, who have started a new band, Carbon/Silicon, were ridiculously entertaining, creating the same spontaneous, anything-goes aura that the Beatles used to disarm interviewers during press conferences.
“(SXSW) reminds me of Cannes, but instead of films you go around and see bands,” Jones said when asked what he thought of his first SXSW experience.
Multiple times Alexander tried to get Jones and James to comment on what the counterculture used to be and what it means to be a part of the counterculture now.
“In the ’70s, if you had long hair it was very clear (you were a part of the counterculture),” James said.
Jones touched his balding head and joked, “that’s not an issue anymore.”
Stealing sips from a Corona that Alexander seemed to have brought out for himself, Jones displayed a quick wit and a knack for the off-topic segue that revealed him to be remarkably well-read and intelligent. At one point he analyzed Cormac McCarthy’s work; later, he offered an oral history of the Texas war for independence against Mexico.
“Lenny Kayes’ ‘Nuggets’ was really important,” Jones said of the classic compilation of ’60s garage rock when asked about his influences. He explained that he was lucky as a youth because “my mom was already in the States and she got me a subscription to Creem and sent it back to me.”
Jones also spoke about his early days with the Clash.
“We were always lucky ‘cause we (just) did it for the right reasons,” he explained. “We were in the right place at the right time. We weren’t totally fake.”
James mostly played the straight man to Jones’ cut-up. James made it clear that the two of them started Carbon/Silicon not only because they’ve been friends since 1975, but also because they had such a great time creating a song together about five years ago. Carbon/Silicon is a full-on band now, James said. “We’ve recorded three records and more in three years, and we’ve given them all away for free (on the internet).”
“The only problem with mp3s is that you can’t roll a joint on them,” Jones quipped.
During the audience Q&A session, one attendee pointed out that the punk rock ethos that birthed The Clash seemed in direct opposition Jaguar’s recent use of “London Calling” in a commercial aimed at punk rockers who have grown into middle age.
“I know about that,” Jones said smiling. “Life is full of contradictions.”
In response to another audience question, Jones noted that he identified with the 1980s American hardcore punk movement, but that he thought the real spirit of American punk was rap. “Music of the streets,” he said. “Rap was the equivalent.”
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Urban Music Festival lineup announced
And now for something completely different….
Yes, we’re deep in the throes of the perennial March music madness that is SXSW, but we’re also less than a month away from the Urban Music Festival, which will take place on Saturday, April 5, at Auditorium Shores. The lineup, which was announced today, features R&B artist Trey Songz, old school soul act After 7 and headlining act Jeffrey Osborne. For one day, tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 7 p.m., $15 tickets will be available at Mr. Catfish, Under One Roof and Mitchie’s Fine Black Art. Tickets will also be available online. After Saturday, the ticket price goes up to $25 in advance and $30 at the gate. For more details check out urbanmusicfest.com.
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SXSW Scene: Daniel Lanois
“I’m keeping my answers short because I’m losing my voice and I have to play at 8 tonight,” superproducer and musician Daniel Lanois said during a brief chat at the Austin Convention Center Friday afternoon.
Wearing a zipped up black leather jacket to ward off the 90-degree chill, the midwife to albums by everyone from U2 to Willie Nelson and Bob Dylan joked he was “just trying to get some rest” while in town this week to promote his album and film, “Her is What Is,” a documentary that he says celebrates the “beauty of creation” and offers a window into the creative process.
Long celebrated — and sometimes mocked — for creating works exuding mood and atmosphere, Lanois laughed at the idea of his lighting incense and burning candles in the studio to create a vibe. His secret is much simpler, he said: “I just associate myself with people who deliver.”
Being on the same wavelength with artists is a result of having “four philosophical discussions” with bands before the process starts, he said, and he’s begun to have those conversations with U2, with whom he’ll work again soon.
“They’re looking for an innovative, hand-played electro record with soaring melodies,” Lanois said. “And Bono’s got them.”
While some artists who are comfortable onstage cringe at seeing themselves on a film screen, Lanois said he didn’t have that problem.
“Vanity comes into play a little bit, which is a problem,” he said. “But I might have a career. I just got an agent.”
Asked who he would choose if he could work with anyone living or dead, Lanois didn’t have to think long before naming his choice: Jimi Hendrix.
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Another SXSW gastronomical update
Spotted: Rachael Ray in Cissi’s market this morning. She had one of their Sausage Biscuits (both biscuits and sausage are made in house). She’s hosting a day party beginning at noon Saturday at Beauty Bar, 617 E. Seventh St. The lineup includes the Cringe, the Raveonettes and the Stills.
Ray’s husband, John Cusimano, leads the Cringe.
Lunch — a menu created by Ray — will be served from 1 to 3 p.m.
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SXSW in the WSJ; equal opportunity sound enforcement
South by Southwest director Roland Swenson (or a small, well-rendered drawing thereof) appeared on the front page of the Wall Street Journal Friday morning. The piece, written by Ethan Smith, discussed what Statesman readers have long known: That SXSW, “once rebels,” according to WSJ, is considered “The Man” by many for aiding APD in shutting down parties.
The most striking quote comes from Tara Ryan, JetBlue’s manager of national promotions (the airline is sponsoring a number of parties this week, including Mess With Texas 2 on Saturday at Waterloo Park):
“Attendees don’t know the difference between official and unofficial events. This mix gives us the broadest possible exposure.”
This attitude is exactly what SXSW is afraid of, exactly why the company is so concerned with unofficial events. If people think they can be entertained without a badge or wristband, then they won’t buy them. If they don’t do that, then the festival dies. This comment provides a justification for every tactic Smith attributes to SXSW. Swenson owes Ms. Ryan some flowers.
In non-WSJ related news, Fire Marshall Don Smith said Thursday that he had a list — which he characterized as “very short” — of approximately nine parties that the Public Assembly Code Enforcement (PACE) Team was planning to investigate. Smith said some came from SXSW, some were noise complaints. He declined to name the parties in question.
“We’re not trying to drop a dime on anyone, we’re not rolling over anyone,” Swenson said Friday. “Our point is if you’re (the police) are gonna enforce code at our clubs, you gotta enforce it everywhere.”
And enforce it they did. The Arclight showcase on the roof of the Light Bar (408 Congress Ave.) was shut down due to excessive loudness. Swenson also said there was a brief question of loudness at the Cedar Door, but that was quickly resolved.
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SXSW scene: Day parties with our intern
As a member of the general public, my first day on the SXSW party scene was like hitting green light after green light. I had heard of the free bands, the free food, the booze, and could not believe these rumors were true.
Good planning is required for day party adventures. By way of Austin360.com’s own side party guide, the ideal partier must rank three categories by degree of importance: location, performers and freebies. Favored events should then be organized by time with backup parties listed as appropriate. RSVP when necessary in advance for any one you might attend.
Since I was to be on the go, I elected to take my car. Trying to find a meter downtown was time consuming, so a cab might be well worth the investment (especially since you’re not going to be paying for anything). After finally parking near the Capitol, I had to walk 20 minutes to get to the early afternoon party at Red Eyed Fly.
Once inside, a common theme began to emerge from the partiers I spoke with: There are enough quality, free side shows to keep any average Joe happy throughout the festival. “I can always get in everywhere I want, even without a badge,” said Ash Gray, who had been getting the most out of these events since the fun commenced on Wednesday.
Although I would recommend planning on any given band starting their set around 15 minutes after their scheduled time, Danish rock act the Raveonettes were surprisingly prompt. Their poppy, surf-inspired sound eventually drew a large crowd; when I left the show early for the next party, a huge line had formed where there had been no wait upon my arrival.
I jetted over to Bird’s Barbershop (2110 S. Congress) to catch London emcee Dizzee Rascal. Parking was tight but available in the surrounding residential area. Dewar’s and Lone Star provided free drinks. A bad PA system threatened to ruin the show, provoking Rascal to call the sound guy out. However, the rapper kept the crowd involved and made what he could of the performance.
As far as having the most complete package, the Sensa Playground party at 700 Dawson Road was a bigger steal than the Enron scandal. They actually had free food (hot dogs). A variety of free drinks were provided. They had on-site parking. There was even free shuttle service to downtown. If you come, be sure to take a turn playing John Travolta on the mechanical bull.
The only side party I didn’t get into was at the Fader Fort, where N.E.R.D. was scheduled to go on. Ironic, considering that I was actually on the list.
Between 8 and 9 p.m., most day parties start to wind down. I would suggest making your last stop downtown if you plan on attending a showcase that night.
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SXSW Review: Geno Delafose
Each year before SXSW, we ink-stained wretches are charged with coming up with a covey of “critics’ picks,” touting the cream of the crop. Each of the picks calls for a short description, and you’d be surprised at how hard it is to boil down a life’s work into about a dozen and a half words.
In the case of zydeco maestro Geno Delafose, however, the task is simplicity itself; just cite the name of his band—“French Rockin’ Boogie.”
Delafose played as part of a world music showcase at Momo’s, and the context was entirely appropriate; Zydeco and Cajun music are distillations of the world as filtered through the prism of south Louisiana. Together they incorporate influences from the British Isles, Africa, the Caribbean, France, Latin America and even — these days —domestic infusions of hip-hop and techno.
Delafose, when he is so inclined, can split the difference between the peppery, blues-based melodies of zydeco and the waltz-time “chanky-chank” rhythms of Cajun music. He grew up in both traditions, learning from his father, John Delafose, and playing in the old man’s band, the Eunice Playboys.
Today, Geno is apt to apply a zydeco spin to the Everly Brothers (“When Will I Be Loved”) or Sam Cooke (“Bring It On Home To Me”) as sing a classic like Clifton Chenier’s “Done Got Over” or some of the snappy old French waltzes.
But, hey, whatever fills the dance floor. As they say in Louisiana, “C’est bon, c’est tout.” In other words, it’s all good.
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SXSW Review: Raveonettes
New Yorker’s-via-Denmark’s The Raveonettes lived up to the hype surrounding their distortion-drenched new release, “Lust, Lust, Lust” during their 12:30 a.m. performance at Vice.
One of the best parts of the performance was that the club was just big enough so that anyone with a wristband, a badge, or $20 to slip the doorman was able to gain safe passage into the club. There was plenty of room to dance, chairs to stand on, and by the end of their set there was even enough room to see as many folks had departed in order to catch a 1 a.m. set at a different venue.
Much has been written about The Raveonettes’ heavy Jesus and Mary Chain influence on the songs from “Lust, Lust, Lust,” and it’s all true. The Raveonettes definitely usurp the influential band’s formula of fuzzed-out guitars crunching over four-on-the-floor drums and traditional pop song structure. But it should be noted that The Raveonettes name doesn’t bear a close resemblance to The Ronnettes by accident. Core members Sune Rose Wagner and Sharin Foo also incorporate Phil Spector’s wall of sound from the ’60s into their pastiche of influences, as well as American West Coast surf music and elements from Italian psychedelic pop.
Remember how during SXSW 2007, the Swedish band Peter Bjorn and John played almost 20 shows over four days, which either made the band more endearing considering their hard work or it made you never want to hear their hit single, “Young Folks” ever, ever again? The Raveonettes are on a campaign to rival Peter Bjorn and John - they’re playing nine shows in four days - but luckily The Raveonettes don’t have that one lone pop song at risk of over-saturation. Catch them while you can at one of their free day shows, because it’s likely their Saturday night 10 p.m. show at Emo’s will be nearly impossible to get in to see.
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SXSW Review: Trombone Shorty
OK, here’s the set-up: A horn player from the inner-city wards in New Orleans walks into a faux-Irish bar deep in the heart of Texas… The punchline? A smokin’-hot set by Troy “Trombone Shorty” Andrews and his band, Orleans Avenue.
Any metaphors about blowing like a hurricane would be heavy-handed in referring to any musician from the Crescent City. Suffice it to say, however, that Shorty is living proof that the musical spirit of the city remains unbroken and unbowed, despite the travails of its citizens.
The scion of a musical family (his older brother, James, is a mainstay of the Treme Brass Band) and the product of a musically rich downtown neighborhood, Shorty alternates between trombone and trumpet and layers his Second Line beats with funk, rock, Latin accents, hip-hop and soul. Beyond his New Orleans tutelage, tours with Lenny Kravitz have clearly helped open his musical horizons.
Playing off, and in tandem with, saxophonist James Martin (who kills in his own right) and the rest of his ensemble, Shorty exhorted the crowd in the tiny venue as though he were playing for a sold-out Jazzfest crowd. Blowing clean, hard, precise lines over a stew of funky grooves, he romped through his own “Like Mike,” Rebirth Brass Band’s “Feel Like Funkin’ It Up” and a jazzy version of “St. James Infirmary,” among other tunes. Sometimes, he jumped up and down in tandem with the crowd, or just put down his horn and surfed the band’s musical wave. His enthusiasm was, to say the least, contagious.
He proved himself a sly and canny showman, too. Prior to a Herculean effort at pulling the highest notes humanly possible out of his trumpet, he pulled a tube of lip balm out of his pocket, dabbed some on and cautioned, “Kids, don’t try this at home…”
Here’s another bit of advice: Run, don’t walk, to catch this guy next time he comes to town.
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SXSW Review: Syd Straw
Syd Straw deserves her own television show. It would probably have to run very, very, very late at night, but she made me laugh so hard at Bourbon Rocks Thursday that I had to wipe tears from my eyes.
Straw, of course, is a singer, not a comedian. Fans of the Golden Palominos will remember her stellar contributions to that illustrious band, which also featured some guys named Michael Stipe and Matthew Sweet. She has also sung with a long list of greats, including Rickie Lee Jones, Van Dyke Parks, Leo Kottke, Marc Ribot and Dave Alvin. Her voice is uncommonly bracing, like the first northerly wind that tells you autumn is at last around the corner. However, Straw has only managed to release two albums of her own, both cult favorites, the most recent some dozen years ago.
But although Straw’s long-anticipated third album, “Pink Velour,” is apparently still waiting in the wings for a label or backers of some kind, she showed no particular inclination to promote it, other than to joke it was her first “in 200 years,” and proffer a fine new song that, she said, was “like a new-born baby, and should be treated tenderly, and probably changed.”
Straw brought a terrific guitar-mandolin army that included Austinites Gurf Morlix (on electric) and Rich Brotherton (on mandolin), both of whom seemed to be having a capital time. But when a fan called out “Great band!” she replied “I don’t deserve them! One day I will grow into them.”
The bizarre clamor of Sixth Street and the unsuitability of a venue that let so much of that leak in led Straw to spend as much time hilariously marveling at the madness as actually singing. It probably didn’t help that she had been introduced with wild enthusiasm by none other than Beatle Bob, which prompted her to muse “I think we should do nine or ten really slow ballads now” as a response.
Straw riffed on the silly name “Bourbon Rocks,” and ruminated that “Sound checks are highly overrated,” and really, rehearsals are overrated, too. She proclaimed that the band was only doing songs they hadn’t rehearsed, “Because as Dad used to say, ‘It’s good enough for who it’s for.” Somewhat flummoxed, nonetheless, she expressed a desire that someone bring her a fancy, expensive cocktail, and when not one, but two, materialized, she exclaimed “They’re stacked up like planes on the runway! This might not be so bad….”
Straw introduced one feisty song as having “the parenthetical title ‘Don’t date arrogant European avant-garde jazz record producers.’“ She played a fan request for her old song “CBGB’s,” but only after a lengthy comedic detour, and only with some prompting on the chords from guitarist Francis X. She also sang a ballad by Austin’s Jo Carol Pierce, holding a spiral notebook to remind herself of the lyrics. She later produced another, smaller notebook in search of something or other, only to announce “Juan invites you to the hairy-tongued horror of a kiss,” which she explained was the best graffiti she’d ever seen, inscribed on a bridge over the Cuyahoga River in Ohio.
It was probably one of the most disjointed SXSW sets ever, but most of the crowd seemed to richly enjoy the rare spectacle of an artist simply reacting to the SXSW experience, which Straw summarized as “All about rubbing elbows in hell.”
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SXSW Review: Sex/Vid
As was suggested in these pages earlier in the week, Beerland has pulled off their non-SXSW showcases with aplomb. I regret that I have not had more time to spend there, but man alive, the time spent in that little bunker was just killer, thanks mostly to Sex/Vid.
Sex/Vid are sort of the Vampire Weekend of hardcore punk. Many doubt the accompanying hype and cannot believe the praise that is heaped upon their heads. Such doubters would be silenced (or at least certainly should be, by force if necessary) after witnessing the band’s devastating set at Beerland at midnight Thursday.
Sex/Vid hail from the very proud and shamefully underutilized tradition of ur-hardcore act Void - lots of guitar feedback linking songs that seem to go everywhere at once.
Such chaos is tempered by a genuinely sophisticated sense of melody (or at least riff-logic), a smart sense of how to put parts together and a singer whose voice will probably be completely gone this time tomorrow. Riffs ascended and descended like a serial killer transversing the stairs, knife in hand. Everything swung harder than most Stones tribute bands. The gulf between what these puds do and what nearly everyone else in their genre is vast. Sex/Vid, in all their sweaty, balding glory, reminds you just how emotionally inept and formally rigid the vast majority of hardcore punk really is.
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SXSW Review: Body of War
The premise behind “Body of War” — the documentary that premiered at the SXSW Film Festival, the compilation CD soundtrack and the all-star concert at Stubb’s on Thursday night — is simple and powerful: No one has a greater moral authority to protest an unjust war than the soldiers who fight in it.
The soldier in this case is Tomas Young, who was crippled in an attack after less than a week in-country in Iraq.
Young, in a wheelchair, watched the musical proceedings from the side of the Stubbs’ stage. The myriad performers in the two-hour event rendered what was referred to as his “soundtrack” — the artists he turned to to help him cope with the wrenching dislocations of paralysis and trauma.
For all the emotion attached to the event, however, it was, early on, a musically pallid affair for the most part. Musicians, including Brendan James, Mason Jennings, American Bang, the Rx Bandits and Brett Dennen performed one or two numbers in an acoustic format. They sang from a variety of perspectives — as soldiers, appalled citizens, Iraqi civilians, or from a spiritual plane — but an acoustic guitar only reaches so far across the crowded Stubbs amphitheater.
Things started to heat up with the rich baritone and quirky musical signatures of Serj Tankian (of System of A Down), who sang, “Wouldn’t it be great to heal the world with a song?” No, it’s a lot more complicated than that, riposted Billy Bragg, who followed Tankian. “We can’t change the world with a song,” said Bragg, who is as much a political activist as a musician. “But we have a platform and it’s how we use that platform that matters.”
Ben Harper, the crowd-pleaser of the evening, followed Bragg onstage for a pair of songs, but it was left to Tom Morello of Rage Against the Machine to really rouse the rabble, as it were.
Performing a furious mini-set that included some mordant anti-war material including “Gather Round the Stone,” “Flesh Shapes the Day” and “Battle Hymns,” Morello exhorted the crowd with cheerful, R-rated monologues before leading the cast of performers and a pogo-ing audience in a punked-out rendition of Woody Guthrie’s “alternative national anthem” (as Morello put it), “This Land Is Your Land.”
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SXSW Review: Mike Rep
Rock bands with a mix of the young and the older in lineups are fraught with the potential for hackery of the first order. Referents, worldviews, a theory of the music’s place in the world - all of these things are different and often competing. Or the younger members remain deferent to their elders, which does nobody any good at all.
Consider, for example, the generations of helpless locals who would back up Chuck Berry, who, according to myth, simply expected the locals to know his material forwards and backwards.
Sometimes, however, bands with an older leader and a backup band young enough to be said leader’s children works out just great. Mike “Rep” Hummel’s set at the Soho Lounge Thursday night was just such an occasion.
Mike Rep was a proto-punk, which means that in those strange and confusing days after, say, Woodstock and before the Ramones, this Ohio native was cranking out primitive, anti-fidelity rock music with a one man against the world quality that was almost pyschedelic in its intensity. Why is he not famous? Well, that’s how life works sometimes.
Thursday, he was using buzzy indie rock band Times New Viking as his backing back and it’s hard to think of a more sympathetic set of students. Rep cranked through his blasts of Rust Belt pound with joy and verve, TNV matching his every step. Thirty-year old songs were followed by newer material, and of course they didn’t sound all that different. The band also cranked through what music be the most demented (read: fantastic) cover of the Archies’ “Sugar, Sugar” the assembled had ever heard. A very special night indeed. They are welcome back to Austin any time. How about a tour, guys?
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SXSW Review: The Heavy
Seeing UK funk rock band The Heavy play Thursday, it was hard to not feel like someone was selling a false bill of goods. That’s at least partially a compliment since the fivesome from Noid, England, sound like the sexiest, funkiest group on this or any shore on their great debut, “Great Vengeance and Furious Fire,” which finally gets a U.S. release next month.
Full of sweaty Curtis Mayfield-mimicking vocals from singer Swaby, the record has a Stax-like muscle to its horns and rhythm section, which is almost a must to do that kind of music well.
So the problem with the band’s hotly anticipated set at Elysium? No horns, just four-beat prerecorded horn figures played from a sample box hooked up to a keyboard that stood in ably for the real thing at first, but soon became constricting. This was the case because soul and funk bands, particularly horns, bass and drums, work best when there’s an elastic push and pull to the rhythm that allows for improvisation at the drop of a hat.
Lacking that moving pocket, you had an able band and a vocalist who’s clearly a star in the making reigned in almost as bad as a rap artist rhyming live over recordings, giving them no room for spontaneity. The lesson in all of this? Next time, guys, drop the cash to bring on some real brass that’ll let you shine even better than on the record.
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SXSW Review: Samulnori drummers
Foot traffic along Sixth Street at Trinity and later Neches around 9:30 p.m. slowed to a crawl or stopped altogether Thursday as crowds whipped out their cellphone cameras and watched as a group of Samulnori percussion musicians showed their stuff.
Playing four different instruments — from large side-saddle drums to small frying pan-like cymbals — the group of 15 Asian-American students, most of them University of Texas students, played the Korean-based music in round, marching formations while wearing red, white, blue and yellow robe-like uniforms.
The shows were brief at around 10 minutes each, but were an out-of-nowhere surprise for the crowds milling about and heading to their ultimate destinations for the night.
Definitely one of those anything-can-happen South By Southwest moments that keep people at home and from far away talking after the music has stopped.
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SXSW Review: Evangelicals, Bon Iver, Jens Lekman
While I’m not overly familiar with the Austin-based Evangelicals, who originally hail from Norman, Okla., their set last November at the Fun Fun Fun Festival was enough to persuade me to put them on my list of bands to see at this year’s SXSW at the Mohawk Patio. Drawing comparisons to the Flaming Lips for songs that are at once dark and airy, lead vocalist Josh Jones’ vocals do sometimes seem to float off into the atmosphere while he simultaneously deals with weighty subject matter. The band attended to sound problems before they could start, but got going soon after, and played a solid set that included plenty of onstage theatrics as well a guitar solo or two thrown in for good measure.
Next up was Justin Vernon, aka Bon Iver. As a Yankee transplant who dearly misses the autumns and winters of New England (although I have heard that it has snowed in Austin in the not-too-distant past), the idea of a musician like Eau Claire, Wisc.’s Bon Iver appeals to me greatly (according to his SXSW bio his name is a play on the French bohn eevair, meaning “good winter”). Vernon’s self-released debut album, “For Emma, Forever Ago,” was conceived during a four-month solo recording session in a cabin during one of Wisconsin’s long, snowy winters. Vernon was accompanied on stage by a drummer and a second guitarist, who complemented Vernon well as he made his with through a set that alternated between emotional ballads with vocals that border on wailing and more upbeat folk-rock style songs. At one point he asked the crowd to sing along; he was clearly having a good time on stage.
What was perhaps the biggest crowd of the night squeezed in for Swedish musician Jens Lekman. I had previously heard that Lekman was a solo act the last time he appeared in Austin, and was pleasantly surprised this evening when he appeared on stage with a full band, including a violin, cello and a laptop/DJ. On his most recent record, “Night Falls Over Kortedala,” Lekman relates feelings of romantic pain and loneliness over upbeat violin swirls that are evocative of disco and lounge-act pop from the 1960s. His set tonight included a selection of songs from that record, which the band made their way through with great energy. The set was not without some entertaining gimmickry, including the DJ mixing “Give Me Just A Little More Time” in the middle of “The Opposite of Hallelujah” as well as another point where the entire band put down their instruments to dance with arms extended.
Peter Mongillo
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SXSW Review: Liam Finn
Liam Finn undoubtedly has one of the hardest-rocking bands at SXSW — and it’s just him and backing vocalist-percussionist-autoharpist E.J. Barnes. At the crammed-solid Ale House Thursday, Finn mostly played electric guitar, but sometimes set electronic loops of guitar going and pounced on a drum kit to up the ante. That might sound gimmicky, but he has such a natural feel for dynamics and subtle grasp of drama that every moment of the music felt completely organic.
It’s hard to say whether Finn is a better guitarist or drummer, because he played both instruments with equal intelligence, finesse and ferocity. He’s perhaps not quite as phenomenal a vocalist as his father, Crowded House frontman Neil Finn, but has a very good falsetto, delivered songs with exceptional conviction, and blended brilliantly with Barnes’ high harmonies and even her first-rate rock ‘n’ roll scream.
Finn recently released his solo debut, “I’ll Be Lightning,” to critical acclaim and considerable buzz. The album has those layered, finely textured, Beatle-esque arrangements that seem to be part of the Finn DNA. Liam Finn not only conjured the same richness live, but was an absolutely captivating performer. (Judging by the number of Aussie and New Zealand accents heard just in the front rows, the word has already gotten around Down Under). He was not hindered even by the initial lack of lights on the stage, which merely prompted him to joke about how good the audience looked, and suggest maybe all the people in front with cameras flashing should take lots of pictures.
After a while, a few people with powerful flashlights came down front to provide some illumination, and one larger stage light shone half-heartedly from up above. The dimness didn’t impede the enthralled crowd’s appreciation of powerful numbers such as the tightly coiled “Energy Spent” and fierce “I’ll Be Lightning,” although it was pretty awe-inspiring if you happened to be standing close enough to watch Finn play drums, as the kit seemed about to fly apart and his sticks were a psychedelic blur in the strobing of camera flashes. Finn and and Barnes really went above and beyond on “Lead Balloon,” which elevated into a vocal harmony freak-out that brought the White Album to mind.
Certainly it might have taken Finn a little longer to get noticed without the famous last name, and there’s a definite genealogical connection between his music and that of both his father and uncle Tim Finn. His songs particularly recall the more thorny, less-appreciated (at least stateside) Finn Brothers collaborations. However, Liam Finn is such an amazing musician and brilliant performer that he’s in no danger of standing in anyone’s shadow.
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SXSW Review: Islands
The Pecan Street courtyard seemed like it was almost at capacity for Islands’ 8 p.m. performance.
Born from the now defunct Unicorns, Islands, a six member band from Montreal, took the stage with their lead singer in white mime-style face makeup. The band immediately kicked into high gear and stayed there for their entire set of operatic pop rock.
The sound was eclectic and the variety of instruments being played on stage, including a violin, allowed the band to shift between country, rock and even a bit of hip-hop when former collaborator Busdriver appeared on stage, camera in hand, and rapped with the band.
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SXSW Review: Emmy the Great
Emmy the Great, aka Emma-Lee Moss, is the kind of artist who really should be seen in a great listening room like the Cactus Cafe. But although conditions at Latitude 30 Thursday night were less than ideal, with indifferent acoustics, an uneven mix and a configuration that guaranteed the maximum commotion and jostling in the audience, she still proved a very winning performer.
Moss has a quietly stunning voice, with the springwater clarity of the late British folksinger Sandy Denny. Moss’ songs have charming, unassuming but very memorable melodies, and lyrics that can make you catch your breath. She told alarming stories with the starkest understatement, and displayed a real gift for creating impact with first lines. “We Almost Had a Baby” started with the matter-of-fact declaration “You didn’t stop when I told you to stop,” and goes on to detail a welter of conflicting emotions, beginning with anger: “I would have liked to have something above you, to have something to hold, and know I could choose to let it grow, and I would have told you, and I’d have said hey, I’m in control, I’ll let you know if you have to come and choose a name.”
“MIA” recreated the confusion and disconnection that followed a car accident, with shards of detail emerging around a recollection of the song (by hip-hop artist MIA) that was playing on the radio when the crash occurred.
London-based Moss, who has self-released one EP, accompanied herself on acoustic and had spare backing from fiddle, acoustic guitar and Euan Robinson (Stars of Sunday League) on subtle backing vocals. Although the songs were intense, she was low-key and self-deprecating, joking after she had to ask for more guitar in her monitor: “We’re very high-maintenance for such a small band.” With such a voice, and such a gift for songwriting, Emmy the Great really shouldn’t be a “small band” for very long.
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Spotted: Michael Stipe at Raveonettes
Apparently R.E.M. frontman Michael Stipe is a Raveonettes (or Jesus and Mary Chain) fan. Stipe was spotted watching The Raveonettes’ 12:30 a.m. set at Vice, sipping on some suds and singing all the words.
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SXSW scene: Zizek crasher
While it’s far from a full house at the Zizek Urban Beats Club, the mix is a hot blend of musica urbana and the dance floor is hopping. One random passerby was so inspired by the sounds that he hopped the fence on the patio to get in, taking out a couple of bar stools, a table and a cocktail or two in the process. He lasted less than a minute before the bouncers found him.
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SXSW scene: Vampire Weekend sighting
Members of the buzziest of buzz bands were spotted at Jens Lekman’s show at the Mohawk. Also in the crowd: Neko Case of New Pornographers.
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SXSW scene: Sound problems
Every year there is at least one SXSW sound ordinance horror story that leaves a bitter taste in the mouth of musicians and music fans.
This year’s battle commenced promptly at 9 p.m. Thursday during the Arclight Records showcase at the Light Bar.
Austin instrumental punk rock band Tia Carrera made it through their blistering set by ignoring the venue’s soundman’s request for sonic temperance.
At 10 p.m., Brooklyn, N.Y. band Freshkills made it about halfway through their set before the venue’s soundman pulled their plugs.
Club employees attested that City of Austin police arrived at the club with a decibel reader.
“They told us the police said the music was too loud,” Arclight Records founder Mauro Arrambide said.
“We knew we were going to get shut down before we even played our first note,” Magnet School vocalist/guitarist Mark Ford said, laughing through his frustration.
An enormous PA was in place, but there was no evidence of sufficient sound dampening devices in the venue.
“They’ve got three of Austin’s loudest bands playing in a venue that is totally inappropriate,” said Tia Carrera drummer Erik Conn. Most of the musicians that were supposed to play that evening said that evening that the rooftop venue was not appropriate for the Arclight Record’s hard rock showcase. Austin’s ever-changing skyline — where open condo windows litter the landscape — is going to make this an issue that needs to be addressed.
(For instance, what is going to happen to Club de Ville and The Mohawk when the condominiums across the street from them on Red River open for residents?)
Despite the fact that his entire showcase was a wash, Arrambide eked out a smile while apologizing to his bands, two of which had traveled from New York.
“Hey, maybe we can hit four for five and get almost all of our bands shut down,” Arrambide quipped as the New York City band Phonograph hesitantly began to set up their gear.
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SXSW scene: Austin Music Hall
OK, so the idea was tonight I’d see two very popular bands I felt a little guilty for not knowing a little better, Yo La Tengo and My Morning Jacket. Love the guitar and the husband-and-wife thing (and cool covers) going on with the former, love the guitar sound (if not so much Jim James vocals).
But I just have to talk about something else. Friends, I saw you rocking, but you saw two good bands in a terrible-sounding room. The ongoingly remodeled Austin Music Hall needs much, much better sound for a venue so titled. It was brittle all over and too bass-heavy in places, depending on the song.
The best thing? My Morning Jacket had a pretty fantastic light show. Sympathies to any sound person who has to do the job there. I’m sure they’re quite capable, but that place is unforgiving.
And forgive me, MMJ, but I left before you finished.
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SXSW scene: Playboy party line
The line for the Playboy party in the old Whitley building at Third and Brazos stretches down the corner and around the block. There’s also a big crowd hovering around the Third Street entrance and crowding the street trying to VIP their way in. No doubt the projections of vintage topless pin-ups visible from the street is doing no small part to help build the hype.
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Surprise! It’s Serj Tankian
If you’re one of those folks constantly checking the Internet during a night of partying, it may be of interest to you that Serj Tankian, lead singer of System of a Down, is playing a surprise show starting very soon at La Zona Rosa, according to the SXSW SMS system. Cover is $10. Rock!
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SXSW scene: Alexia Bontempo
It was a laid-back scene when I showed up at the world music showcase at Copa around 10 p.m. The crowd was clustered in a half circle around the stage with the front row seated on the floor as Alex Cuba finished his set. Cuba was working the crowd well, leading his diverse group of enthusiastic fans in a call and response before bringing his set to a climax with a wild thrashing of his acoustic guitar.
Disappointingly, I realized that the electronic act I was looking forward to O Quarto das Cinzas had canceled.
Video: Alex Cuba at SXSW
As the stage was set for Alexia Bontempo a somewhat younger, predominantly male and (interestingly) shorter group jockeyed for good vantage points at the front. When the modelesque blond vocalist took the stage, it started to make sense.
Closing her eyes, clutching her heart and oozing sensuality, the half-Brazilian, half-American vocalist launched into a set of easy, laid-back bossa nova. Her clear voice was lovely, and the backing ensemble played beautifully intricate rhythmic and melodic patterns. And while a good group of the audience drifted in and out, perhaps confused, like myself, about the lack of Quarto, those who stuck around received Bontempo warmly.
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SXSW review: The Life and Times
Are you sick for brutally awesome power trios? Does your heart palpitate during math rock time signature changes? Does your soul long for in-your-face progressive rock birthed from the late 20th century underground indie rock scene?
If you answered yes to any of the questions above, you should have witnessed The Life and Times — your next favorite band — play an ear-punishing set on the Wave Rooftop during their 9 p.m. SXSW set.
The Life and Times — vocalist/guitarist Allen Epley, bassist Eric Abert and drummer Chris Metcalf — worked their way through broken guitar strings and a static-ridden amplifier backline to pull-off a crowd pleasing set.
Musically, The Life and Times are very similar to Epley’s previous band, the criminally under-appreciated shoegazing math rock band Shiner.
During the entirety of the set, Metcalf’s polyrhythmic stop-and-stutter bass lines cushioned Epley’s adrenaline-packed rock while Metcalf whirled his four limbs around the drums as if he were fulfilling a blood vendetta. Epley’s vocals were ethereal. Sigur Ros, Sweredriver, The Doves and My Bloody Valentine have all slipped a dose of influence into Epley’s songwriting ether, but the The Life and Times synthesized their inspirations into textures and soundscapes that are much more profound and original than the typical amalgamation of influences.
“My Last Hostage,” from their full-length album “Suburban Hymns,” proved a jaw-dropper; the middle-eight section circled like a six-string screeching cyclone and left nothing in its wake (except smiles from newfound fans and likely a little fear from any of the bands that had to follow up their performance).
Musicians in the audience appeared to love The Life and Times; you could see them inching closer to the stage to watch what chords and tunings were being used. Here’s hoping their fan base grows into music for the masses. Thursday evening’s SXSW set to an international crowd was definitely a leap in the right direction.
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SXSW review: Blues Control
The eponymous (and second) album from the Queens, N.Y., band Blues Control, is the best music-to-write-to I’ve heard in a decade. I crashed on a whole mess of work last week to that record; its waves of distortion, deep focus piano and tape loop percussion were mighty conducive to extreme focus.
I don’t recall this material, or maybe it was songs from their earlier effort, “Puff,” making much of an impression at last year’s Siltbreeze Records showcase. Then again, there were about eight people there last year and we were all a little tired. This year,for reasons that absolutely pass understanding, the Soho Lounge is packed for what has to be some of the most willfully obscure music performed at this year’s South By Southwest. Heck, maybe every single one of these people is absolutely stoned out of his or her gourd, but it seems unlikely. Maybe they just hide it well — this is Austin after all.
Nevertheless, Blues Control’s rapturous drones are greeted with wild applause. Russ Waterhouse, his day-glow T-shirt and ball cap suggesting a refugee from a Hootie and the Blowfish cover band, strangled his four-string Ibenez like it owed him money, slowly coaxing out sheets of distortion the tonal color of smoked glass. With canned, distant rhythms in the background, he and keyboard player Lea Cho delivered a haze for the ages. Ladies and gentlemen, we are floating in mud, and it feels so good.
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SXSW review: Pyeng Threadgill
Singer Pyeng Threadgill won critical acclaim for her 2004 debut, “Sweet Home: The Songs of Robert Johnson,” but at the Elephant Room Thursday night, she stuck to newer, original material that showed a sinuous, cerebral melodic sense that sometimes recalled Patricia Barber.
Threadgill, who pronounces her first name “pie-eng,” is the daughter of jazz giant Henry Threadgill. With a backing band that featured deft coloration and texturizing from Kevin Louis on trumpet/percussion and Mike Gamble on guitar, Pyeng Threadgill melded jazz with echoes of soul, blues and light funk. Her alto was warm, lovely and assured, her phrasing easy yet elegant.
Threadgill still seems to be developing as a lyricist, combining some cliches — roads leading back to you, the climbing of mountains — with some very interesting ideas. She introduced the new “Igloo” by explaining “Igloos really bug me out.” With Gamble playing wintery, languid fills, she sang ‘How can snow keep me so warm?” “Mining for Sapphires,” she explained, was inspired by friends who wanted to take the ultimate do-it-yourself route to designing wedding rings, but since they couldn’t find a gem mine in New York, they ordered dirt with sapphires in it and sifted through it in their living room. In the chorus she mused “All you do is dream and dream — drive yourself crazy.”
In the percolating “Inner Lining,” from her last album, “Of the Air,” Threadgill sang the oblique line “No money — lots of time — my man must be some kind of gold.”
Threadgill sometimes took a turn at the keyboards, where her playing didn’t have a great deal of presence. However, she showed more of an instrumentalist’s intuition as her voice interacted with Louis’ jabbing trumpet on “Igloo.” There were no great revelations in the set, but Threadgill is an appealing performer who shows considerable promise as a writer.
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Day party madness: lines, booze and bands
So many day shows, so little time. I was standing in the Mohawk yesterday afternoon at the Austinist day party, the highlight of which had to be local band Shearwater, who played their beautiful moddy brand of rock for a packed house, their sound supplemented by Scott Brackett (Okkervil River) on trumpet and Kevin Schneider (Black Before Red) picking up duties on guitar. I hope to have some video of the band up tomorrow, featuring some sweet hammer dulcimer playing by percussionist Thor Harris. The band’s sound reaches a sort of ethereal beauty punctuated by the falsetto of banjo and guitar-playing lead Jonathan Meibrug and the lush sounds of the enchanting Kim Burke that at times resembles something akin to a more traditional pop sound blend of Antony and the Johnsons and The Decemberists. It seems only a matter of time before the band starts to get the same national recognition as their friends in Okkervil.
Anyhoo … my point was, at that party, I saw a guy approach a lady friend of his. To her, in a complete deadpan, “You’re alive. Congratulations.” That’s how most of us feel throughout SXSW, and there is no rest for the wicked. After a long night of showcases, it’s out to day parties, which have become over the years one of the main draws of the fest, especially for the badgeless.
I headed back over to Mohawk today, and despite the fact that there were simultaneously dozens and dozens of parties being thrown simultaneously, the line for the Rhapsody music party stretched down Red River. And this was for an RSVP-only party. Oh, the madness. Once inside, the most popular place at the party was the most popular place at every party this week, the free booze. In fact, that jockeying to get upstairs caused quite the stir itself, as I spotted many friends grouping and trying to slide off VIP wristbands to perform the ol’ pass-em-downs, thus ensuring all of their friends could convene on the rooftop deck. It’s not just who you know at these things, it’s who you know that has what you need. And during SXSW, if you’re not looking for free food and beer, you’re looking for the next hot act, as evidenced by the wild text messaging, of which I am always willing to partake.
After chatting with local juice and smoothie purveyor Matt Shook of the Daily Juice (pictured), who was in full irony attire with his Pebble Beach hat and Austin Country Club golf shirt, it was off to Emo’s to check out the Onion A.V. Club party, where Canadian rockers Tokyo Police Club played their jauntily syncopated rock outside. Inside, it looked like a band of fresh-faced teen hooligans. As it turns out, that may have been pretty close to the truth. The very young-looking Welsh septet with the Spanish name, Los Campesinos, just weeks ago released their debut album, and their energy, bravado, nontraditional instrumentation and coed membership will likely start to bring them more and more attention over the coming years, I would imagine. (Watch Tokyo Police Club at Emo’s here.)
Riding on the melodic wave of Phosphorescent, it was over to the Paste Magazine Party (more free food! Although I seem to never take advantage of said) at Volume Night Club on Sixth Street for some music from Swede Peter Moren of last year’s SXSW uber-buzzy Peter, Bjorn and John. After dealing with some technical issues, Moren took the stage about 30 minutes late inside the rather sweltering club, performing his first tune, which sounded, not surprisingly, rather Beatles-esque. (Watch Moren at Paste Magazine party here.)
The night closed with the man himself finally taking the stage. Following a song by Moby, Reed joined the bald turtablist on stage for a version of “Walk on the Wild Side.” (So that’s who got to play that one.) Reed must have figured if one song was good enough for MMJ, he could do the same, and left the stage, after making a proclamation of his place in punk rock history, to more fans cheering and jeering for more music. Some people are never satisfied. Fortunately for them, there are about 1,000 shows left over the next 60 hours or so. No rest for the wicked. Or weary.
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Video: King Britt
I had just finished a brief interview with DJ Rekha, host of NYC’s internationally renowned Bhangra Basement parties, when Philadelphia’s King Britt rounded the corner from Club 115. You might remember King Britt from the excellent ’90s hip-hop/jazz fusion group Digable Planets. He’s hosting a big blowout event tomorrow night on two stages at the Beauty Bar. Live bands will perform outside while DJs spin in the house. Expect to hear a multitude of variations on reggae, hip-hop and house. But I’ll let him give you the full spiel himself. Check out the video below.
[an error occurred while processing this directive]Incidentally, DJ Rekha will be spinning Bhangra tonight at Club 115, and your girl is amped about it!
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Spotted at SXSW …
Rolling Stone co-founder Jann Wenner, perusing his schedule, on Congress Avenue between Fifth and Sixth streets.
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SXSW scene: R.E.M ‘Austin City Limits’ taping
Who would have thought the hottest ticket in town during South By Southwest wouldn’t have much of anything to do with SXSW?
“You know how lucky you are to be here, right?” “Austin City Limits” producer Terry Lickona asked the crowd at R.E.M.’s taping Thursday afternoon.
The studio audience, pretty much all of whom knew somebody on the inside, whooped appreciatively. It was a chance to see the band that was like Wednesday night’s premiere showcase but in an intimate venue (“I can’t believe I’m 15 feet away from Michael Stipe,” one fan said) with primo sound and nobody’s badge blowing in the wind and whacking you in the face.
The set list, however, was similar to Wednesday’s Stubb’s show — long on material from their upcoming album, “Accelerate,” which, based on the selections they played Thursday, is going to be a powerhouse. Vocalist Stipe introduced “Houston” as an updating of Jimmy Webb’s “Galveston” and “Electrolyte” as “a valentine to the 20th century.” And unlike a lot of SXSW venues, where sound is mixed on the fly and a lot of attendees seem more interested in yacking through even the quiet stuff, you could hear everything. For instance, the inexplicably cool lyrics to “I’m Gonna DJ:” “Death is pretty final/I’m collecting vinyl/I’m gonna DJ/At the end of the world.”
The new material has a certain winning buzz and grit that they haven’t quite gotten right for a good while, and it’s an improvement over the distressingly tepid live album/DVD from last year (which included “I’m Gonna DJ”). Guitarist Peter Buck enjoyed assistance from longtime pal Scott McCaughey, late of the Young Fresh Fellows, and looking none too young but reasonably fresh, and some of the new material is plainly if obliquely anti-Bush and anti-Iraq war. But even though Stipe never met a liberal cause he didn’t like, there was no bludgeoning.
What there was was stopping and starting. Stipe was chatty and laughed at himself for flubs that were all but undetectable. “I’m gonna make more mistakes like that but it’s going to be charming and make it more fun,” he said after a small goof on “Man Sized Wreath.” And they played another new one, “Supernatural Superserious,” twice because of another (also undetectable) slip.
There were sops to old fans. Most welcome was “So. Central Rain (I’m Sorry). Stipe recalled, “The first time we performed this song on television in…1983? It didn’t have a name.” (Stipe didn’t name the program, but it was “Late Night With David Letterman”.) Other oldies: “Drive,” “Man on the Moon” (Stipe doing Andy Kaufman doing Elvis is still a gas), “Fall On Me” and, of course, “Losing My Religion,” the song they can’t get away with leaving off the set list even after they’ve long since put “Radio Free Europe” in a drawer and forgotten about it.
“I’m not going to keep you here,” Stipe said after “Fall On Me.” “I’m sure everyone is hungry and has to pee.”
But honestly, nobody wanted to be anywhere else Thursday afternoon. And nobody had a better time than two young boys named Simon and Eliot (sorry if I misspelled your name, Eliot), whom Stipe invited onstage toward the end.
“Is this your first time at a concert?” he asked.
“Yeah.”
“What do you think?”
“You’re awesome!”
And so they were. If Simon and Eliot see a better show any time soon in their young lives, they’ll be lucky. And if anybody sees a better show at SXSW, it’ll be a miracle.
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SXSW review: The Hard Lessons
Five o’clock is the new 9 o’clock. That’s the verdict of The Hard Lessons guitarist/singer Augie Visocchi after the Detroit trio’s headlining spot at a Thursday afternoon party at Darwin’s Pub, where the early hour and daylight didn’t stop the rock band or packed crowd from reaching an almost revelatory interplay.
That it was actually 4 o’clock - guess they’re still on Michigan time — didn’t matter a bit once keyboardist/singer Korin Cox started things a cappella on the almost country/soul balled “Love Gone Cold.”
Cox has a dynamo voice that suits the band, no matter its forays into straight rock, indie pop or and combination thereof, and played perfectly off of Visocchi as he climbed into the crowd and on top of the bar, or leaned out an open window on Sixth Street, coming back with a mascot horse head from an observer outside. As the crowd clapped and chanted to the band’s dozen-plus hooked-filled tunes, The Hard Lessons threw in an apt cover of Neil Young’s “Hey Hey, My My” that had Visocchi, Cox and most in attendance screaming along that “Rock ‘n’ roll will never die!” Safe to say that it’s not going to on The Hard Lessons’ watch, no matter what time it reads.
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2 minutes with James Monger of Great Lakes Myth Society
First thing you notice about Detroit’s Great Lakes Myth Society, besides the quintet’s tuneful, bygone era pop rock that crosses Okkervil River and Simon and Garfunkel, is the suits. Even in Texas afternoon club heat, there they are in subtle pinstripes, jackets and tie clips, giving off a turn-of-the-century, Westward Expansion type vibe. Guitarist and backup singer James Monger was game for stepping into the men’s room after GLMS’s Thursday show at Darwin’s Pub to talk about snakeoil salesmen, getting naked in the woods and the relative merits of Febreeze.
360: So I’m interested in the interplay between the suits, your music which is kind of old-timey, and this whole snakeoil salesman vibe you give off. Monger: It’s the only thing we had that was the same outfit, so from there it turned into a snakeoil salesman thing. I like the idea of a bunch of guys who get out of the van and you just go right up into the club in these suits. It makes you seem more formidable.
360: So do you wear them all the time? Monger: We come in with them. Yesterday we had to hop out and get dressed at this rest area because we were so late for our show - we’re kind of out there naked in the woods getting ready for the show.
360: That’s rock ‘n’ roll, I guess. How’s the festival treating you? Monger: It’s been good. This is day two. We spent most of the first day at a Dodge dealership in Oklahoma City fixing our van. We rolled in here just in time, like an hour from the set.
360: How many suits do you have? Monger: I only have one suit, but I have like 15 white shirts. We all just go into Salvation Army and buy whatever we can. And, yeah, it stinks. We go through gallons of Febreeze.
360: They should be a sponsor. Monger: You have Febreeze on the side of your van, that’s not very cool. The Febreeze pace car never wins at Daytona.
360: Do they have a Febreeze pace car? Monger: I don’t know, but if they do that guy gets his [tail] kicked all the time.
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SXSW scene: Vice Saves Texas party with Enslaved, Naplam Death, High on Fire and Motorhead
The color of choice for the Vice Records/Magazine/media empire’s “Vice Saves Texas” metal show Thursday afternoon at Stubb’s? None more black, of course. With a bill that included Norwegian “viking metal” band Enslaved, grindcore vets Napalm Death, stoner metal dudes High on Fire and the almighty Motorhead (the king of ‘em all, y’all), did you expect anything else?
“People were lining up at 5:30 a.m.,” Vice records general manager Adam Shore said. (Doors opened at noon.) And indeed, the folks at the front of the line sure looked like they had.
Enslaved went on first, their music pile-driving complicated riffs on top of occasionally oddly lush keyboard parts. The highlight was “Isa,” the rampaging title track to one of their better albums.
Napalm Death was up next. The 27-year-old band has gone through more line-ups than Spinal Tap has drummers, but this seems like one of the better ones. And word to bassist/longest serving Napalmer Shane Embury for sporting a T-shirt for Houston metal act Insect Warfare, a band who owe more than a little of their sound to Napalm. There’s an earnest, everyday streak that runs through the band (and vintage grindcore in general) that’s weirdly touching. Singer Mark “Barney” Greenway did some good old fashioned ultra-left-wing yakking between songs (pro-free-thinking, pro-choice, anti-God, the usual). It was a strong set, but sounded slightly underpowered.
No such problem with High on Fire. You think their galloping metal, part Motorhead, part Blue Cheer would get old after awhile. It doesn’t; they’re both one of the most surefire live acts in metal and one of the few whose song writing seems to be getting stronger with every album. Guitarist Matt Pike (T-shirt = absent) seems to find endless variety within the same basic framework, which is metal that makes you want to charge the gates of something, possibly with flaming swords. A homerun every time I’ve seen them.
Motorhead on the other hand are simply in a class by themselves. It’s hard to think of another rocker, let alone another regular human being, who could get away with Motorhead leader/singer/bassist Lemmy Kilmister’s stage get-up: black shirt, tight black pants tucked into custom black and white cowboy boots, a spaghetti western-style cowboy hat and a bolo tie around his neck (as in not around his shirt).
The dude has been living rock ‘n’ roll since he was a roadie for Hendrix, then in Hawkwind. People forget he was 29 when he launched Motorhead; they been slaying ever since. That said, it takes a true pro to tell lots of the songs apart. I heard “Stay Clean” and at least one Thin Lizzy cover, but mostly I was floored by the power this trio is still able to generate. After all, Lemmy’s amp says “HAMMER” for a reason. A band to end all bands and easily a highlight of this year’s day party scene.
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SXSW scene: Clipse at Mohawk
Perhaps thanks to a terrible history with their record label, the Virginia Beach, Va., hip-hop act Clipse (who headlined the Rhapsody party Thursday afternoon at Mohawk) realized awhile back what everyone else in hip-hop needs to realize: The music no longer sells itself.
For the past decade-plus, hip-hop sales have been (quite literally) money in the bank for major labels. The acts didn’t even have to tour all that much — just make a hit record and the fans will flock to it. This is no longer the case. Hip-hop took a 30 percent hit in sales last year, more than any other single genre. But the Clipse are prepared. They tour like crazy and, as a result, have a tight live show that only seemed slightly off due to a late arrival into Austin (for which they apologized — when was the last time you heard a hip-hop act admit they weren’t on their A-game; mostly they just yell at the soundman).
Malice and Pusha-T drew on their mixtapes with the Re-Up Gang (Re-Up member Ab-Liva joined them at one point) and their amazing 2006 album “Hell Hath No Fury,” including the smart cocaine-dealing allegory “Keys Open Doors” and the slightly snide lament “Momma, I’m So Sorry.” They tossed in their verses from New Orleans rapper Baby’s “What Happened to that Boy?” and “Hot Damn,” their track from the Neptunes’ “Clones” album.
The Clipse work it and it pays off.
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SXSW panel: Thurston Moore and Steve Reich
Although Sonic Youth guitarist Thurston Moore might have more name recognition, minimalist composition maestro Steve Reich did the majority of postulating and theorizing during their hour-long discussion Thursday at the Convention Center.
While Moore played the role of interviewer, Reich explained how he began his career experimenting and manipulating analog tape recordings.
One of the few comic moments of the mostly academic discussion emerged as Reich explained how he created his own pair of stereo headphones during the mono-oriented early ’60s.
“Do you still have those?” Moore asked.
“No,” Reich answered adamantly. Then he turned toward the audience and said in a matter-of-fact aside: “This guy is (trying) to buy me out!”
Reich also revealed that the bassline from Junior Walker’s “Shotgun” was a turning point in his compositions. “It is a tune that said ‘stay put’ harmonically and it created a whole different kind of musical energy,” Reich said.
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SXSW panel: Music Supervisors
The full house at Thursday’s ‘On Set with Music Supervisors’ panel offered testimony to the panel’s central theme: With the record industry in the dumps, music licensing now represents one of the few major income streams an artist can hope to tap into.
It used to be uncool or controversial to sell a song for commercial use, as moderator Jason Cohen noted, before asking “What was the tipping point?”
“Bands got more and more broke,” said Lyle Hysen of Bank Robber Music, who represents artists and labels in licensing matters.
Jennifer Czeisler, VP Licensing for Sub Pop Records, noted several advantages to placing songs in television, ads, movies and other commercial media.
“They’re not subject to illegal downloads, and those companies track what they’re using. They have to pay,” Czeisler said. “It’s a more steady and guaranteed income stream for artists.”
In addition, licensing a song while it’s hot can add to an artist’s momentum, Czeisler said. “It keeps the music in people’s ears and keeps it alive on the air and in sales.”
The panel members noted that the world of licensing and music supervision is fairly small, and in addition to conversing about how television placement had aided artists such as Sia and Band of Horses, they traded humorous war stories with the sometimes ribald humor of a barroom bull session. They discussed the necessity of revealing up front to an artist if a scene where their music will be used contains something objectionable, which led Gary Calamar, a DJ and music supervisor for GO Music Services, to reminisce about trying to get rights to a Manu Chao song for the cable series “Weeds,” about a pot-dealing suburban mom. It turned out not to be a problem, he said: “He is a marijuana enthusiast.”
Perhaps the most useful advice for artists came from Alicen Schneider, VP of Music Creative Services for NBC Universal Television Music. A musician in the audience had a question about having licensed a song to a company that insisted she give them the publishing rights.
“Don’t give away your [stuff]!” Schneider exclaimed.
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SXSW scene: The Raveonettes at Red-Eyed Fly
Even though they’re playing close to a dozen shows this week — and that’s just the ones that were previously scheduled — getting close to the Raveonettes has been a tough task — lead singer Sune Rose-Wagner even begged off an interview request prior to Thursday’s packed show at Red-Eyed Fly.
Chalk part of that popularity up to the great return to noisy, ghostly rock that is the latest record “Lust, Lust, Lust” (Vice) which the crowd that began swelling an hour prior got to hear lots of. Doing business as a three piece these days - Rose Wagner, primary member Sharin Foo and a female drummer - the Danes sounded great on new tunes like the somehow optimistic “Dead Sound.” They’re worth your time, especially since they seem to be on a quest to play every club and street corner in Austin these week. Just make sure to get there early.
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SXSW scene: Seymour Stein panel
Sire Records founder Seymour Stein spoke in the laid-back cadence of a retired grandfather as he detailed many of the stories behind how he signed some of the most influential bands in the history of rock ‘n’ roll.
Some of the highlights from his interview with David Katznelson of Birdman Recordings included Stein explaining that the Pretenders were originally supposed to be called the Chrissy Hynde Band. Stein also recalled how the graffiti in New York club CBGB’s bathrooms used to be as informative as a newspaper. “It read ‘Seymour Stein finally signed a good band, the Dead Boys.’ I loved it,” he exclaimed while poking fun of himself.
Stein — who was a main impetus in helping break the Smiths, Madonna, Echo and the Bunnymen and pop punk pioneers the Ramones — reminded the young (younger than him) audience, “If you don’t know (who) the Ramones (are), leave the room!” He continued that the band played 18 songs in 15 minutes during a private show, whereupon Stein signed them minutes later.
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SXSW panel: Through the Lens: Photographers On Musicians
In a digital era when anyone with a cellphone camera can be a “rock photographer,” the journeyman pro who makes his or her living shooting for magazines and newspapers or album covers or live events is “the last of the cowboys.” Thus spoke Tom Wright, who made his bones photographing the Who, the Eagles and Rod Stewart. Wright was one of the participants in the Thursday morning panel “Through the Lens: Photographers On Musicians” at the Austin Convention Center.
Besides Wright, the panel featured Autumn de Wilde, best known for her stylized portraits of Beck and Death Cab For Cutie, Paul Natkin, who began photographing for Creem magazine and went on to photograph Prince, Bruce Springsteen and the Jacksons, and Tom Weschler, who went from being Bob Seger’s road manager to shooting some of the biggest stars of the day.
The three (along with moderator Michael Azerrad) agreed that the advent of digital photography and the Internet utterly transformed — either by democratizing or debasing — their profession.
“Now anybody can create a blog and say they’re the chief photographer for that blog and have the same access as me,” Natkin said. “Anyone with a $300 point-and-shoot,” he said, can aspire to the same legitimacy as a professional with thousands of dollars of camera gear and a professional assignment. Natkin cited the lack of civility in the photo pit at last night’s R.E.M. show, which he likened to “a rugby match.”
The front row of the audience “doesn’t watch the show,” de Wilde said. “They watch it through their phone.”
Though they vary in technique and approach, the three photographers tacitly agreed that watching cultural history being made through a lens is an intoxicating way to go through life. Weschler, who began his career taking snapshots of the Beatles off a TV screen summed it up: “I wanted to document what was going on. … A little kid takes his camera out and tries to impress girls, and … bingo!”
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2 minutes with Call Me Lightning’s Nathan Lilley
Fans of Milwaukee’s Call Me Lightning better be in store for some big changes on the punk trio’s next record. At least, that’s the impression the band’s blistering set at the Mohawk on Wednesday gave, full of big guitar chords, bridges and hooks instead of standard stop/stop/yelp songwriting. To discuss the band’s development, singer-guitarist Nathan Lilley humored us for Two Minutes in the Bathroom With … Nathan Lilley.
360: The thing that hit me is the difference in new songs as opposed to the old songs. Where was your head at with the new stuff?
Lilley: The first thing is we have a new bass player (Kriss Maedke-Russell). You know, it’s hard to be serious when you’re in the bathroom.
That’s kind of the point.
Right. Well, we simplified the songs because we lost our bass player so me and the drummer (Shane Hochstether) wrote the songs together. They became a little more chord based, a little more guitar rock kind of sounding and simple versus being strictly post-punky. Our name comes from the Who, so now we’re starting to sound that way. I was never much into being jammy, because I love punk music. But punk music is guitar based.
Will the next record be that big of a departure?
I don’t know. It’s not done yet. We’re recording in the spring and hopefully it’ll be coming out in the fall.
Do you think people will take to the change very well?
I don’t know. We’re not that popular anyway, so it doesn’t really matter.
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Lou Reed’s keynote: Take a walk on the dry side
“I feel like Tony Soprano and his shrink,” producer Hal Willner told South By Southwest keynote speaker Lou Reed Thursday morning at the Austin Convention Center. “So last time we were talking about your anger toward your mother…’” Willner had to try to do something to loosen up Reed, the former Velvet Underground member and indie rock godfather who’s been famously cranky since he was, oh, 4 years old.
But with the guidance of Willner — a friend and sometimes collaborator — Reed relaxed into what turned out to be a freewheeling conversation about Julian Schnabel’s film of his “Berlin” show, the lousy sound of MP3s and the mysteries of songwriting.
“I’ve never understood how they get written,” Reed said. “If I knew, I’d have ‘Son of Wild Side’ and have an island in the Caribbean or something.”
He did, however, say he was inspired by writers such as Allen Ginsberg and William S. Burroughs, fusing gritty themes onto songcraft. (Perhaps Mr. Reed should check out the new Beats exhibit at UT’s Ransom Center.)
“I saw an opportunity to write about things that thematically no one was anywhere near,” he said. “It was an empty continent.”
Reed seemed at times to dwell on perceived slights and failings — where “Berlin” wasn’t or won’t be staged, which of his albums were out of print and the reviews that his drug- and jealousy-soaked 1973 suite received on its release.
“Worst album ever made,” he deadpanned (there was a lot of deadpan). “Most depressing album ever made. ‘Berlin’ was used in a lawsuit against me by management to show why I shouldn’t handle my own affairs.”
Reed, who’s been chasing the perfect guitar sound his entire career, also got wound up about digital music.
“With MP3s, you have a very bad sound,” he said. “The tradeoff is you have a lot of them available to you and they sound bad … It’s like technology is taking us backwards. It’s making it easier to make things worse.”
(Photo by Jack Plunkett/Associated Press)
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SXSW Review: R.E.M.
R.E.M. - at one time the biggest rock band in the world - entertained a filled-to-capacity crowd at Stubb’s during the Athens, Ga., band’s midnight SXSW slot that had fans young and old bopping and swaying to vocalist Michael Stipe’s every body contortion. The concert was recorded and presented live on National Public Radio in what appeared to be a SXSW first.
The songs were all up-tempo and inspired; they shot forth from the opening moments in rapid-fire succession. Old-school rock ‘n ‘roll veterans - vocalist Michael Stipe, bassist Mike Mills, guitarist Peter Buck - have figured out all of the tricks that make their trade work worldwide (pop song structure and sing-a-long vocal melodies). Buck’s black Rickenbacker guitar tone was much more crunchy and distorted than the clean tone guitar jangle that predominated his tone back in the day. Meanwhile bassist Mills and his angelic backing vocals and harmonies on the choruses made you realize just what an essential part of the trademark R.E.M. sound he has always been.
Among the old hits, “Drive” got an enthusiastic response from the audience. Likewise, “Fall On Me” - the 1980s song that proved R.E.M. was environmentally conscious before it was politically correct to be - unexpectedly appeared mid-way through the set and received what appeared to be the most spontaneous and enthusiastic applause of the entire evening.
By the end of the set, new songs and tunes from late in the band’s career dominated, “Electrolyte,” “Until the Day Is Done,” and “Bad Day” were all full-on rockers.
Stipe has transformed himself from the original Mumblecore vocalist into a clear-word-enunciating, political protest singer. During Stipe’s between song banter, he paused to relate that one new song was about former first lady Barbara Bush’s off-the-cuff response to Hurricane Katrina evacuees at the Houston Astrodome.
Later in the set Stipe said, “I don’t want to sound like,” and then he trailed off. (Could he have meant, “I don’t want to sound like Bono”?) Ultimately, his pause didn’t stop him from introducing various songs as the lyrically themed political protest songs that they were: one new song was dedicated to being sick of politicians “telling me what to be afraid of,” while another was dedicated to “a man who heard it and loved it…Heath Ledger.”
Despite their lyrically political slant, the band ultimately was the same old R.E.M. (minus original drummer Bill Berry) that fans from the past quarter of a century know and love.
Later in the set, Stipe intoned, “I know that Austin came out strong for Barack Obama. I want to salute you for that.”
Although there was a line wrapped around the building waiting to enter before the band began, by the end anyone with a wristband or badge was able to glide right in the door. Audience members didn’t make a mass exodus out of the venue during their hour-and-a-half set, but they did trickle out of the door. The newfound room to move and breathe was welcome.
(Michael Stipe photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW Review: Bun B
Like many venues at SXSW, it was a weird combination of luck, timing, luck, patience and luck that anyone at all got in to Fuze after about 11 p.m., the site of the early, early morning set by Bun B, the surviving member of the Houston hip-hop duo UGK and an increasingly mythic dude in his own right.
At SXSW, hip-hop shows are either packed (thanks to the relative scarcity of hip-hop) or empty (poor Sway, the excellent UK rapper whose ’07 showcase was all but empty). This was one of the former.
At times, the crowd outside was so thick it didn’t look like anyone could get in. At other times, badge holders could walk right in. But the club itself was packed virtually all night. A surprise appearance from Geto Boy Bushwick Bill yielded a line from “Mind’s Playing Tricks on Me” a couple of freestyles and few minutes where he seemed to morph into the host (“The next artists ain’t here so Bushwick Bill gonna have some fun!”)
Austin MC Gerald G killed it with sharp verses over a spare beat from Rapid Ric - we need to hear more from that guy.
Eventually, after some more freestyles, a couple of tributes to Bun B’s late partner Pimp C, including moments of silence, (unlikely, given the packed crowd), various chants of “Pimp C, Pimp C, Pimp C” and “Texas, Texas, Texas” (much more likely) and a few SXSW officials saying “If you’re not with Bun B, you got to get off the stage” (again, kind of a tall order considering how packed it was) Middle Fingaz knocked out a quick song.
When will we see Bun B, long promised as right outside?
Suddenly there was Bun B at 1:29 a.m., no fanfare, no nonsense, dressed in black, holding a mic and reminding everyone how charismatic live hip-hop can be in the hands of a good M.C. (The filling-shattering bass didn’t hurt.)
Bun flew through verses from his solo joint “Trill,” line from UGK songs and more, even as technical problems with Bun’s mic were clearly frustrating him (“Let’s not make this an issue tonight”).
Surrounded by Texas MCs who knew the words to all of his hits - as well as the British MC Dizzee Rascal, who tore it up in the middle of Bun’s set while some technical issues were sorted out - Bun was what Texas insiders have for years insisted he was - an elder statesman who still seems to have plenty of great years left.
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SXSW Review: White Williams
The overflowing crowd at Antone’s, on hand to see the midnight set by The Kills, mostly cleared out by the time New York’s White Williams came on, which was unfortunate, as the band’s poppy, electronic sound set the stage for quite the dance party.
Lead singer Joe Williams had trouble with the sound on stage throughout the set, but that did not impact the music, which seems to pull from some obvious places like David Bowie and even at times West African Paul Simon material, but not so much that it doesn’t have a life of its own.
Williams’ cool detachment from the songs adds an arty element to the music at points, but he doesn’t overdo it. The energy of the crowd and the music died down a bit as the end of the night approached, but people left with smiles on their faces.
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SXSW Review: Blue Mountain
There’s nothing like burnout and a breakup to put the spring back in a band’s step. That, at least, appears to be the story behind the reinvention of Blue Mountain. The Oxford, Miss., trio, which performed Wednesday at Pangaea, went their separate ways in 2001 after an onset of Perpetual Tour Fatigue Syndrome and personal disarray.
Six years of side projects and reconciliations proved however that, in Ian Fleming’s playful phrase, “nothing propinks like propinquity,” and the band reunited in June of last year. They came to Austin with a satchel full of new material from a forthcoming album to be released in May.
A forthright guitar/bass/drums trio, Blue Mountain romped through a nine-song set that bounced between material from their five previous albums and new songs from their reunion effort.
Coming as they did on the heels of Daniel Lanois’ insular and inward-looking set, songs like the amphetamine-paced hoedown “Jimmy Carter” and the twangy, easy-rolling “Myrna Lee” sounded particularly fresh. “Skinny Dippin’,” a new tune featuring Cary Hudson’s slippery bottleneck guitar, “Generic America,” a rant against the mall-ification of the continent, and a radio-ready jukejoint travelogue, “Midnight In Mississippi,” also sounded engaging and energized.
Hey, maybe these guys should break up more often…
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SXSW Review: Times New Viking, Yeasayer
There was less of a crowd than I expected by the time Philadelphia’s DJ Dave P, whose set for the Free Yr Radio pre-show party at La Zona Rosa included entertaining dance mixes of Stones’ tunes like “Emotional Rescue,” wound down to make way for Times New Viking.
The punk trio from Columbus, Ohio, didn’t waste time, jumping into a set of short lo-fi songs with a sound that was hard to pin down — at times the band stuck to a classic punk style (albeit more melodic), but some of the songs had more of a 90s alternative feel to them, which, as one member of the audience pointed out, the band’s roots point to Pavement and Guided by Voices (another Siltbreeze label alum). Although the stage was dark, making it difficult to get a good look at the band’s setup, it was a strong set, bolstered by a pretty cool light show.
A larger crowd assembled for the second band of the evening, Brooklyn’s Yeasayer. Riding on the strength of last fall’s “All Hour Cymbals,” it comes as somewhat of a surprise that, except for a recent New York Times story, there isn’t as much hype surrounding this band as there is with certain other New York City band that incorporates West African percussion and draws from late 70’s/early 80’s influences (although a quick survey of the crowd said that Vampire Weekend lived up to the hype).
Coming across a bit grungier than expected (I was thinking more David Byrne, less Jimmy Page), the set put the full range of the band on display as they moved energetically through songs with haunting, layered vocals and rocking synth and drum licks.
The band moved through its songs with the feel of a group that has been playing live together for quite some time, and loving every minute of it. The audience certainly loved it. Also, more kudos to the person working the lights on stage.
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SXSW Review: Air Waves
Things got off to a slow start Wednesday night at the Mohawk, when Brooklyn-based Air Waves, who were supposed to go on around 9 p.m., didn’t get on stage until almost 9:30. Once things did get started, however, the indoor room filled quickly to hear the trio’s edgy, driving songs.
It’s a shame the set didn’t last longer, as the band’s sound — a folky punk at times reminiscent of the Pixies — perfectly complemented lead singer Nicole Schneit’s compelling songs. One of the many impressive things about this group is their lack of pretension. There are no wild fashion statements or rambling declarations to the audience, just music, and good music at that.
As the attentive crowd bobbed their heads to Schneit’s vocals and guitar work, a friend in attendance compared the band to a tighter, harder rocking version of the Moldy Peaches. I would definitely wait for them again.
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SXSW Review: Jeffrey Lewis & The Jitters
Jeffrey Lewis is a New York artist able to find a happy medium between folk and indie rock.
His most recent album, “12 Crass Songs,” is a collection of acoustic covers of Crass songs. Crass was an English punk band who all but invented the ultra-left wing subgenre “peace punk,” a brand of hardcore that often seemed convinced that the apocalypse or the revolution of the proletariat was just around the corner (either one would have been acceptable).
Lewis is probably the only person on the planet who thought these tunes would work acoustically, but work they do. Lewis, thinning hair combed straight forward, drew on this album for some of his set at Club De Ville, declaiming the lyrics as much as singing them, which fit the music nicely. His (amplified) acoustic guitar was joined by bass, electric guitar and drums now and then, his distorted acoustic providing shambolic rhythm for his more conventional songs.
The highlight was the weirdly compelling fan favorite “Williamsburg Will Oldham Horror”” a shaggy dog story about running into indie rock icon Will Oldham (a.k.a. Bonnie Prince Billy, Palace, etc.), whose spare, folkie albums embodied indie-folk for an entire generation. Lewis is on his way to re-master an old album when he spots Oldham, or someone who looks just like him, on the subway. Lewis suddenly has a crisis of faith about rock’s relevance, his place in the world and art in general (“Is it worth being an artist or an indie-rock star or are you better off without it?”).
He accosts Oldham, demanding answers. In the song, Oldham responds by, well, beating Lewis senseless, tying him up and sexually assaulting him. It’s such a jaw-dropping turn and Lewis’s delivery is so matter of fact about the assault (thanks to the pure absurdity of the obviously fictional situation) that it comes off as funny rather than anything else. Nobody who heard it is likely to forget it any time soon. Same with Lewis in general.
(Photo by Bret Gerbe/For the American-Statesman)
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SXSW Review: Night of Pleasure
Wednesday night is sort of the experimental night of SXSW. Not as in music, but as in presentation. For example, there were no lights at the Lambert’s Patio, so the Columbus Discount Records showcase got started about 45 minutes late. By that time, Night of Pleasure, the Columbus punk outfit that was supposed to hit the stage at 8 p.m., was chomping at the bit to go out.
As soon as the lights arrived, they hit the stage and blew everyone away, pounding out classic Ohio burn in the tradition of such 1990s Midwestern standouts as Gaunt and New Bomb Turks.
Except the P.A. didn’t work. And the band was relying on stage volume only. Which, for a small space such as the Lambert’s Patio, can sound amazing. Singer Jim Cowman, hurling himself around the stage, finally grabbed a wireless mic that worked decently and gave his vocals an extra layer of decay and crackle.
Then the band blew out the power, right as one tune was hitting an obvious climax. Now so many things had gone wrong it got a little funny. The Night guys headed off stage, hung out, power was restored and they literally dashed back on stage to finish out the set. The punchline is that it was a fantastic performance, energetic without being obnoxious, riff-filled without seeming poppy. Gaunt and V-3 would be proud, guys.
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SXSW Review: Paul Kelly
There were pounding basslines bleeding through into Esther’s Follies from some nearby venue during Paul Kelly’s set Wednesday, but the Australian singer-songwriter was so mesmerizing, the noxious booming soon ceased to be distracting, as it seemed to be happening in an entirely different world from his sharply etched characters and tightly spun tales.
Kelly has been around since the ‘70s, but first enjoyed U.S. success in the mid-’80s with his old band the Messengers, and roots-rock hits such as “Darling It Hurts” and “Before Too Long.” His more recent material hasn’t gotten much play stateside, but proved just as exceptional Wednesday as the still-fresh ‘80s single “Dumb Things,” with its litany of mistakes including the extraordinary line “I’ve melted wax to fix my wings — I’ve done all those dumb things.”
Kelly’s songs frequently have such literary allusions, while maintaining a completely down-to-earth simplicity. The lovely “Gift That Keeps on Giving,” from 2002’s “Nothing But A Dream,” was a homespun distillation of one side of the Song of Solomon. Adam and Eve conversed as married couples do in Kelly’s “Stolen Apples Taste the Sweetest,” from 2007’s “Stolen Apples,” which Kelly said dryly had been a little delayed in its U.S. release — “How surprising.” (For now, you can get it on iTunes, he noted.)
One of the most stunning songs was the understated “They Thought I Was Asleep,” from Kelly’s 2005 bluegrass album “Foggy Highway.” The narrator is a child becoming accidentally aware that there’s something very wrong between his parents.
After opening solo, Kelly brought out his nephew, Dan Kelly, to accompany him on acoustic and electric guitar and sing beautiful high harmonies. The humorous rapport between the two was delightful. The uncle half-boasted, half-teased about the high notes which his nephew, among only a select few residents of the southern hemisphere, might very well be able to hit, even after a 26-hour flight — “So wish him luck!” The contrast between Kelly’s rough-hewn but powerful vocals and his nephew’s sweeter voice was lovely, and the younger Kelly proved a superb colorist on guitar.
Paul Kelly was exceptionally funny and engaging between songs, right down to his expression of admiration for the aquatic decor of Esther’s Follies, which he said stemmed from an appreciation of swimming pools that had led him and Dan to a wonderful swim at Stacy Pool earlier in the afternoon.
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SXSW Review: Martha Wainwright
Martha Wainwright may be less theatrical than her (at least temporarily) more famous brother Rufus, but her voice is just as distinctive as his, in its own way. Her tone is honeyed when she sings soft and low, but when her melodies rise or her she starts to sing with more intensity, her vocals have an intriguing lemony quality. The acidity suits her tendency to deliver alarming lyrics — such as “My heart was made for bleeding all over you” — with a certain nonchalance.
At Club de Ville Wednesday, Wainwright announced that it was her first show together with her new four-piece backing band, and claimed they hadn’t rehearsed very much. However, they sounded extremely tight and appeared to be having a grand time. With Jim Campilongo (of the Little Willies) on guitar and Thomas Bartlett (a/k/a Doveman) on keyboards, songs from Wainwright’s forthcoming “I Know You’re Married But I’ve Got Feelings Too” seemed to belong everywhere and nowhere on the spectrum from country to folk to rock to pop. When she wailed “I’ve been calling since four o’clock last night” in the hooky new “You Cheated Me,” it could have been a big rock moment, but there was a kind of lurking sense of triumph, as though she were gloating to be proven right, that kept the song from being an ordinary done-me-wrong rocker.
Toward the end of the set, Wainwright said “Let’s do something maybe someone will recognize,” into which category fell another song full of subtle ambiguity, “When the Day is Short,” from a 2005 EP.
Wainwright reminded the crowd that the new album is due out June 10, and thanked them “for serving as guinea pigs” for the new material. Experimental subjects are seldom so well treated.
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SXSW on $50 a night, or ‘no wristband? no problem’
We sent our intern out with $50 in cash and a one-sentence instruction: “See what you can get into.” This is his report.
I headed downtown Wednesday evening with the goal of having the best South by Southwest experience possible as a member of the general public. The hierarchy was pitted against me — with badge holders getting first pick and the wristband holders getting the remaining scraps. Essentially, I was to forage through the dog’s leftovers.
Before the first bands took the stage, Sixth Street already was enjoying a steady stream of traffic comparable to any other moderately busy downtown night. Skateboards and bicycles abounded, one of which almost knocked me over.
At 8 p.m., a line exceeding 50 like-minded cash-holders was ready to throw down the $20 cover at Emo’s. Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears were playing inside. The queue was moving along at a steady clip, about 15 people every 5 minutes. Speaking with some of the people in line revealed a trend: Most attendees without a wristband or badge seemed to be interested in seeing only a single act, not an entire showcase. “I’ve lived here for so long that I’m just trying to pick and choose, and I have an unlimited amount of time. So if I was going to go all four days, I’d definitely consider a wristband,” Matt of Austin said.
The seemingly lonely downtown bars not participating in the festival actually serve an important purpose. They typically don’t charge cover and serve drinks considerably cheaper than those found at official showcases. There’s also a clear path to the generally available bathrooms. So available that some gentlemen I ran into in an unnamed bathroom felt it discreet enough to smoke weed in. When nature calls, popping your head in these bars between shows is a wise decision.
Besides Emo’s, I encountered no lines at the many venues I checked out (mostly on Sixth Street). Cover at the different showcases varied, but averaged about $10 a pop. Logic dictates that if you plan to attend more than 16 shows during the festival, a $165 wristband (at press time) would be a good investment. The coveted things were on sale Wednesday at Emo’s and a couple of other joints.
That is not to say all of those bands are worth ignoring. The Fat Fox Music showcase (15$, at Latitute 30) was a perfect example. Kitty, Daisy & Lewis are a rockabilly family band from London. Though plagued by a poor, exhausting sound check, the outfit got a great audience response from their sound. After the show, Daisy said the band made the trip to Austin “just to get people to hear our music.” Experiencing Austin nightlife was out of the question. “We’re all so young that we can’t really get in to the clubs and bars,” the 19-year-old explained.
Even if you run out of money or are snubbed in favor of a badge holder, there are still things to see and performing acts to meet in the streets. Multi-instrumentalist Phil from SXSW artist the Hanks (of Los Angeles) could be found promoting his band’s showcase with a large sign. “Basically, we want to get signed and become so huge that we’ll eventually break up because we all hate each other. But, you know, that’s every band’s goal I think,” the musician said about his goals for the festival.
Wednesday is not the biggest day of SXSW, but the food chain of festival-goers still left cash customers out of key shows in three places I checked out: Stubb’s snubbed everyone not wearing a wristband of a badge outright, with many fans already lined up for the highly anticipated R.E.M. show. The UGK Family/Hot 93/Ozone Magazine showcase at Fuze turned out to be my biggest disappointment; I could have gotten in before 10 p.m. for $15, but badge-holders were the only ones getting in after 11:30 p.m., when I had hoped to wait for Bun B’s 1:15 AM set. Lastly, the Black Keys’ performance at Emo’s Main Room was a tease for those paying cash — the venue allowed us to wait, only to watch a line of wristband holders watching a line of badge-holders that was actually moving.
The night had a good ending. With most of the people in the vicinity scrambling to get into the nearby Black Keys show, Esther’s Follies cut their cover in half for Australian singer/songwriter Paul Kelly, who played a beautiful set.
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SXSW Review: Daniel Lanois
Daniel Lanois has demonstrated many things in many musical arenas—as a producer (of U2, Willie Nelson, Emmylou Harris and Bob Dylan, among others), as a musician in his own right and as a magnetic figure of iconic stature (a documentary about Lanois screens this week at the SXSW Film Festival).
Wednesday night, at Pangaea, he seemed determined to demonstrate one thing more: If you come to his music, you come to it on his terms.
Joined by his longtime cohort, the superbly swinging and tasty drummer Brian Blade, Lanois spent a good chunk of his set — five songs over about 40 minutes — with his back to the audience, communing with Blade and finding his way into and out of melodic byways.
That wasn’t necessarily a bad thing. Listening to Lanois noodling around (not the way he would characterize the process, surely) until his musical figures resolved into, say “The Maker” or “The Messenger” is probably as close a glimpse as we of the Great Unwashed will ever get into his creative process.
On the other hand, he wasn’t so in-the-zone that he couldn’t interrupt “Still Water” to mediate a dispute between a musician cohort and a Pangaea security man.
Alternating between guitar and pedal steel guitar (which he appeared to play without fingerpicks, a new wrinkle in this reporter’s experience), Lanois labored to create dense and dreamy soundscapes full of shifting tonalities and textures. A couple of atmospheric instrumentals — at least one of which was still a work in progress, he noted — further contributed to a slightly dreamlike environment in which Lanois (nearly anonymous in a black leather jacket and black cap) seemed just one more dynamic element.
It was fascinating to watch the guy work; His imagination and instrumental proficiency are beyond reproach, and his track record speaks for itself. But his inward-looking performance seemed to leave a slight chill in the air.
(Daniel Lanois photo by Kelly West/American-Statesman)
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SXSW Review: Kitty, Daisy & Lewis
Being unusually gifted can be a liability on a small stage at SXSW. The three teen siblings in Britain’s Kitty, Daisy & Lewis had so many instruments that setting up at Latitude 30 after the previous band ran late proved something of a nightmare, with stage crew members tripping over each other and the monitors, cords going missing or acting up and family members (including stand-up bassist mom, Ingrid, and accoustic guitarist dad, Graeme) conferring nervously and trying to sort things out as the crowd grew restive over a 35-minute delay.
But once Kitty and Daisy crammed together at a single mic to open with an a capella version of the racy ‘50s R&B favorite “The Walkin’ Bllues (Walk Right In, Walk Right Out)”, the crowd hushed and all was forgiven. The sisters had a lovely blend and snappy phrasing. Their individual voices were terrific as well, with the older Daisy unleashing rockabilly yelps in her solo spot on their original “Oo-Wee” and Kitty powering her way through “Honolulu Rock-a-Roll-a” and Johnny Horton’s “Mean Son Of a Gun” like a latter-day Janis Martin.
Lewis revealed a strong voice as well, and even had a bit of an Elvis curl to his lip when he sang “Blue Moon of Kentucky.” But he was even more impressive slinging rockabilly licks on a hollow-body Gretsch guitar or pounding the keyboard like Jerry Lee (perhaps his namesake). He played a sort of boogie-woogie rumba on “Buona Sera,” where Kitty not only sang but added a hearty trombone solo. Kitty also wailed away on harmonica on several songs, and if you closed your eyes, you might have thought you were listening to an old bluesman from Chicago.
You wouldn’t want to close your eyes, however. The whole family played with exceptional verve and animation, especially the two girls as they took turns on the drum kit, and their mom as she slapped away at her bass. And the dark-haired, dark-eyed, olive-skinned siblings could have been the stars of some Bollywood version of an Elvis movie — Lewis with the King’s pompadour, the girls with ponytail versions — although the girls’ short-shorts and black tights were more punk-rock than Ann-Margret.
The set had to be cut short for time, and Lewis said plaintively that they’d be playing a lot of other shows around SXSW, “where you’ll actually be able to hear all the instruments.” But although sound problems did break the momentum, and the banjo, lap steel and ukulele never got their due, the band had invested so much heart in each song that the crowd buzzed with excitement as it spilled outside.
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SXSW Review: Fatal Flying Guilloteens
The sign outside the Mohawk might as well have said Shawn Adolph and the Fatal Flying Guilloteens since Wednesday’s performance proved the TNT in tight jeans singer is practically a show in and of himself.
As soon as the Houston five piece began its two-guitar, barbed wire angular punk attack, Adolph fell/leapt into the crowd and kept his arms, legs and torso pretty much in perpetual motion the entire 40 minutes. It’s clear Adolph has more than a little in common with former Dennis Lyxzen — one-time barker for hardcore punk favorites Refused — and it’s more than just a way with a scream, like the sarcastic, sly way Adolph introduced his band: “Hi, we’re the black sheep of French Kiss (Records)” in reference to the band’s label and presenter of Wednesday’s concert.
FFG’s blazing performance last year at South by Southwest, at Red Eye Fly with label honchos Les Savy Fav, made them a band people are looking out for, particularly because of the impossible intensity the whole band brings and how it’s invigorated angular post-punk the same way The Gallows rescued hardcore last year. A huge bit of credit for this goes to bass player Roy Mata, whose bouncing, rumbling lines add a sense of danceability and size to songs that would otherwise zip by. It’s a testament to FFG’s songwriting and musicianship that not a beat was missed when Adolph and guitar player Michael Bonilla switched roles for two songs that were different but no less vicious. Kind of like the Fatal Flying Guilloteens in a nutshell.
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SXSW review: Centro-matic
Denton indie rockers Centro-matic’s 1 a.m. set at Friends on Wednesday night was rife with sweaty bodies and an overflow of passionate, contemplative, country-soaked rock ‘n’ roll which easily confirmed they are one of the best (and sadly, most under-appreciated) underground bands in Texas.
There was a line of wristband holders still waiting to file in at 1:30 a.m. because the inside of Friends was wall-to-wall with Centro-matic fans watching, dancing and singing-along to frontman’s Will Johnson’s unique soulful vocals. Johnson was so earnest and humble in his delivery that he made the packed club feel like he was performing on a backwoods porch.
Soaked in perspiration, the overwhelming claustrophobia in the tiny club felt entirely worth the trouble by the time the band played their poignant heart-melter, “Flashes and Cables.”
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SXSW review: Foot Patrol
Austin’s favorite foot fetish funk group, Foot Patrol, took only a few songs to prove that they are not just a foot-worshiping novelty act. Foot Patrol’s 8 p.m. opening set brutalized the audiences’ ears with funk grooves, punk spirit and even more highly danceable shake-the-junk-in-your-trunk rhythm and blues soul music that energized the Beauty Bar on Wednesday and released the venue’s soul from its all too familiar stoic hipster, arms-folded, cool pose.
Initially audience members might have thought that frontman/keyboardist T. J. Wade was pulling on pant legs as song after song lyrically unfolded into anthems obsessed with the worship of human feet and foot fetish parties. Wade’s singular “smellabration” of feet finally leveled certain members of the audience into curious “Is this guy for real?” and “I think this guy is for real” outbursts.
Foot Patrol has grown from a two-piece featuring bassist Hang Nguyen and vocalist Wade, into a nine-piece ensemble including three super-tight horn players and “The Tone Deputy Dance Squad” (two female go-go dancers).
The band and their dancers were clad in fake mustaches. Other members wore wigs and the guitarist even wore a prison orange jumpsuit. The band repeatedly toyed with audience expectations and performance conventions, but the tenor of the vocal performance and the power of their inescapable rhythms — more James Brown than Parliament Funkadelic — was enough to make you surrender to their outrageous presentation.
Midway through the set, the audience appeared to come to terms with the fact that Wade was stone-face serious and 100 percent committed to his would-be/could-be hit songs concerning his fondness for female feet. Dropping rhyme upon rhyme with the tonal precision of Stevie Wonder and Prince, Wade simultaneously revealed moments of his classical piano virtuosity in quick, subtle flashes on his electronic keyboards. And as good as the kid is on keys, when he does a blurry-fast run, you get the impression that he’s almost reigning in his skill for the measured poppy funk of his band.
The “S.W.A.T.” theme song received a pretty reverent interpretation (although its poignancy and irony seemed to be lost on the predominately under-30 crowd). Wade and band likewise sampled bits of the Human League’s “Don’t You Want Me” during their memorable original “Such A Pity.”
If only an adventurous advertising mogul were in the audience: There must be a shoe/sock/sandal maker in the world that could create a “perfect storm” of pop cultural candy by combining a Foot Patrol song with just the right images. Out-of-towners should note that as weirdly original and inspired as Foot Patrol is, their freak funk claims underground Austin music scene lineage to local punk and funk juggernauts the Big Boys, the Butthole Surfers and Brown Whornet.
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SXSW review: Bonnie Bramlett
“Push the Aretha button!”
Thus spoke Bonnie Bramlett to her soundman before her Wednesday night set at Pangaea. But truth be told, there was little need to juice the voice that once beguiled Eric Clapton and Leon Russell and helped bridge the gap between Etta James and (to cite but one example) Susan Tedeschi.
There might have been too much echo added to Bramlett’s voice in the sound system, but her warmth and immediacy transcended any technical shortcomings. She’s old school, referring to Marlboros and such as “cig-a-rates,” effusively praising her bandmates and the songwriters whose material she samples and the audience she seemed determined to entrance.
Along with mixing up her set between driving, Muscle Shoals-flavored rockers and ballads, Bramlett also found time to dip into the songbooks of Stephen Stills (“Love the One You’re With”), Delbert McClinton (“Sure Got A Way With My Heart”) and her brother Randall Bramlett, who also accompanied her on keyboards.
There were some flat spots—a deliberately paced rendition of Robert Johnson’s “Come On In My Kitchen” that illuminated nothing new in the material, and a heavy-handed topical song called “Some of My Best Friends”—but Bramlett changed mood and tempo as though she were channel surfing. And, no, that’s not a criticism.
A certain piquant pleasure was to be had in watching Pangaea’s regulars, in a roped-off VIP section, sipping premium-priced champagne as Bramlett employed some soulful Dixie body English to wring the last bit of juice out of a lyric.
It’s the sort of ironic tableau that seldom works in a song, so she just took a running start and used that still-formidable voice to punch a hole in another new tune entitled, appropriately, “Shake Something Loose.”
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Spotted at SXSW: Elijah Wood
Actor Elijah Wood was nothing less than cordial with the handful of fans that noticed him registering for SXSW at the Convention Center Wednesday afternoon. When queried about what bands he was looking forward to seeing, Wood opportunely replied that the main band he was concerned with was Heloise & the Savoir Faire. He recently signed them to his label, Simian Records.
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SXSW review: Call Me Lightning
Who says a punk band can’t play jam music? Apologies to George Clinton, but it’s a question that deserves asking after Call Me Lightning’s eye-opening, virtuosic set Wednesday at the Mohawk. A more-than-competent angular punk band in previous years, the Milwaukee trio had all the tricks seemingly necessary for a band on the French Kiss Records roster; start/stop guitars, unrelenting rhythmic tension and build-and-release vocal histrionics.
All the was on display for the passable if unremarkable first half of the band’s set, but it was the new songs written prior to the arrival of new bass player Kriss Maedke-Russell where Call Me Lightning showed real growth and suggested they’re ready to set themselves apart. Full of two-part vocals and patient, almost classic rock guitar from singer Nathan Lilley, it’s as though the band has spiked its early sound with a dose of Creedence Clearwater Revival or Kings of Leon — with his long locks and scruffy beard, Maedke-Russell already looks the part.
It seems the new direction has spilled over into CML’s previous material as well, judging by a five-minute-plus version of the title track from the debut record, “Soft Skeletons” where Lilley was often head down working his strings like a ’70s rock pro. And while the new stuff was mostly a step down in energy, the presence of a crowd that swelled throughout the set suggests this new turn is headed in the right direction.
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SXSW review: Van Morrison
There was a moment there, when Van Morrison swung into “Don’t Go To Nightclubs Anymore,” a song from his forthcoming album, “Keep It Simple,” when a flicker of ironic disbelief might have ignited behind the singer’s gold-tinted aviator glasses.
After all, just the night before he had played around the corner at the Austin Music Hall, singing for the swells who could spring for tickets that started at a hundred-bucks-and-change. Now here he was, back playing in a former transmission repair shop — La Zona Rosa in its current incarnation — for any snot-nosed punk with a SXSW badge or wristband.
Perhaps he was chagrined by his sudden change in fortune. We snot-nosed punks, however, thoroughly enjoyed the rare chance to savor one of Ireland’s greatest and most enduring exports up close and personal.
Morrison and his 11-piece band mostly confined themselves to tracks off the new album, ranging from the tough, street-gritty old-school R&B of “How Can A Poor Boy” to the more rural, ethereal, Tupelo Honey-esque entreaties of “Keep It Simple” and “Song of Home” and the canny, seemingly effortless pop of “That’s Entrainment.” He also tipped his hat to a native Texan with his affecting rendition of Johnny Bush’s whiskey-soaked anthem, “There Stands the Glass.”
Striking a James Cagney pose in a fedora and tailored gray suit, Morrison moved between saxophone and (who’d of thunk?) ukulele as he and his spit-shine band moved between older material such as “Magic Time” and “This Love of Mine” and a lovely new set-closer, “Behind the Ritual.”
For this listener, whose most recent glimpse of Van Morrison was via a distant video screen far across a field at the Austin City Limits festival the year before last, his La Zona Rosa set was an anomalous episode to savor.
(Many thanks to Bernard Vasek of Music Mania, who provided song titles and other essential information.)
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SXSW review: Walter Hyatt tribute
Those of us fortunate enough to have heard Uncle Walt’s Band, and their indelible renditions of the songs of UWB co-founder Walter Hyatt in the little hole-in-the-wall on Congress Avenue named the Waterloo Icehouse, felt a surge of gratification at hearing his memory and his sublime and elegant music celebrated by a multitude Wednesday night at the Austin Music Awards.
Hyatt died in a tragic commercial plane crash in 1996, but his graceful, Dixie-inflected music lives on in the persons of Lyle Lovett, Jimmie Dale Gilmore, David Ball (the surviving member of the Uncle Walt trio) and his descendants, both literal and musical.
All of those and more were on hand to celebrate Hyatt’s legacy as the kickoff of the annual music awards show at the Austin Music Hall.
The segment began with Ball and the late Champ Hood’s son Warren and nephew Marshall, essaying one of Hyatt’s songs. The onstage population soon swelled with the addition of Jimmie Dale Gilmore (and his son, Colin), followed by Ball’s daughter Audrey and Walter’s son Taylor (channeling Capt. Jack Sparrow, to judge by his coiffure). They were followed in short order by the group the Belleville Outfit, and then Lovett and his accompanists.
Listening to the ensemble render Hyatt originals like “Deeper Than Love,” “Going To New Orleans,” “I’ll Come Knocking,” “Desiree, “Going To New Orleans” and (the final all-hands-on-deck ensemble number) “As the Crow Flies” is to be reminded once more of what a graceful and timeless composer he was (his peer, to my mind, is Johnny Mercer). His songs, at their best, are both playful and stately, redolent of the South (it’s humid music) — light-footed, courtly and ever seeking a state of grace.
Walter is missed, lo these dozen years later. His music, happily, continues to resound.
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SXSW: Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears, When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth and Witch
Please pardon the cliche, but Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears lit a fire under Wednesday’s SXSW. There was a good-sized line outside Emo’s well before 7:15 and the house was quite close to full when one of Austin’s favorites took the stage at 8 p.m. Two tenor saxes and a trumpet player (never overpowering, that horn section), great grooves and a stomping Stax-Volt sound. … Nobody wants to know what kind of baby Otis Redding and James Brown would have made. But I have an idea. The band needs to work on its showmanship, only to match its huge sound, but what a way to begin the week: Austin felt like Muscle Shoals.
When Dinosaurs Roamed the Earth: They look like such nice boys. And lots of facial hair, too, almost rivaling My Morning Jacket. But Austin’s noise rock freakoids, with two drummers for extra heaviosity, felt like a modern-day Scratch Acid Wednesday night, only without the humor and the charisma of David Yow. Huge and sludgy and always tight, their set nonetheless felt as dutiful as a snowplow. “Business Casual” was cool; I don’t know what “a song about Alec Baldwin” was about.
OK, J Mascis is a fierce drummer. Seeing the dude from Dinosaur Jr., with his big grandma glasses and long, white grandma hair behind a trap kit twirling a drum stick has got to be one of the small, sublime treats of this year. And he can really, really play the drums (his first instrument, as we all know.) Did I kind of say that already? Fans of Witch got a big taste of their new record. And I do hate to be reductive but yes, it’s ’70s stoner metal. But I meant that in a nice way.
(When Dinosaurs Ruled the Earth performs at the Red Eyed Fly Wednesday night. The band features two singers, George Dishner (left) and Jesse Hodges (right). Photo by Bret Gerbe for the American-Statesman)
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SXSW: The Steve Reich showcase
From the looks of things in the upstairs recital hall of St. David’s Episcopal Church Wednesday night, SXSW’s first foray into classical music was a hit. A capacity crowd of “new music” aficionados responded enthusiastically to performances by members of the Austin Chamber Music Center, the SOLI ensemble from San Antonio, guitarist C. E. Whalen and the New York-based group So Percussion.
Sponsored by publisher Boosey & Hawkes in collaboration with Gramophone magazine and Nonesuch records, the program featured music by John Adams, Michael Torke, Elliott Carter, Elena Kats-Chemin and Steve Reich, who was in attendance. The showcase explored a broad spectrum of contemporary chamber music, all of which was exciting stuff; but the highlights of the evening had to be the Reich pieces played by So Percussion. Who would have thought that sticks and human hands could move at the speed of hummingbird wings — literally turning into blurs, from which emerged amazing sounds.
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Spotted: Lou Reed at Pangaea
Spotted at the Daniel Lanois showcase at Pangaea: Lou Reed, a few hours after screening of “Lou Reed’s Berlin” at the Paramount. Not sure what time he left, but we hope he gets some sleep before his 10:30 a.m. keynote speech Thursday.
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Austin Music Award winners
Here are the winners from the Austin Music Awards handed out Wednesday at the Austin Music Hall.
BAND OF THE YEAR
Spoon
SONG OF THE YEAR
“The Underdog,” by Britt Daniel for Spoon
ALBUM OF THE YEAR
Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon
BEST ROCK BAND
Spoon
BEST MALE VOCALIST
Britt Daniel, Spoon
BEST SONGWRITER
Britt Daniel, Spoon
BEST RECORD PRODUCER
Mike McCarthy, Britt Daniel, and Jim Eno for Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, Spoon
MUSICIAN OF THE YEAR
Roky Erickson
BEST NEW BAND
White Denim
BEST PUNK BAND
Krum Bums
BEST METAL BAND
Broken Teeth
BEST INDUSTRIAL BAND
Tungsten Coil
BEST DJ BAND<br>
Toddy B
BEST INDIE ROCK BAND
Okkervil River
BEST JAZZ BAND
Blaze
BEST BLUES BAND
Gary Clark Jr.
BEST ELECTRIC GUITARIST
Gary Clark Jr.
BEST HIPHOP ACT
Boombox ATX
BEST INSTRUMENTAL BAND
Explosions in the Sky
BEST EXPERIMENTAL BAND
Ghostland Observatory
BEST COUNTRY BAND
Rusty Wier
BEST BLUEGRASS BAND
Bob Schneider & the Texas Bluegrass Massacre
BEST ROOTS ROCK BAND
The Gourds
BEST FOLK ACT
The Brobdingnagian Bards
BEST LATIN TRADITIONAL BAND
Los Texas Wranglers
BEST LATIN CONTEMPORARY BAND
Brownout!
BEST WORLD MUSIC BAND
Atash
BEST COVER BAND
The Eggmen
BEST TEEN BAND
Jenny Wolfe & the Pack
BEST NOVELTY BAND
Jolly Garogers
BEST NONE OF THE ABOVE BAND
White Ghost Shivers
BEST FEMALE VOCALIST
Ruthie Foster
BEST ACOUSTIC GUITARIST
Stephen Bruton
BEST BASSIST
Bruce Hughes
BEST DRUMMER
John Chipman
BEST KEYBOARD PLAYER
Pinetop Perkins
BEST HORN SECTION
Austin Symphony
BEST STRING SECTION
Austin Symphony
BEST MISCELLANEOUS INSTRUMENT
Yvonne Lambert, Theremin
BEST NEW CLUB
Lamberts
BEST LIVE MUSIC VENUE
Stubbs
BEST ACOUSTIC VENUE
The Cactus Café
BEST ALL AGES VENUE
Emo’s
BEST RECORD STORE
Waterloo Records
BEST INSTRUMENT EQUIPMENT STORE
Strait Music
BEST RADIO STATION
KISS-FM
BEST RADIO PROGRAM
The Bobby Bones Show, KISS-FM
BEST RADIO PERSONALITY
Bobby Bones, KISS-FM
BEST RADIO MUSIC PROGRAM
Chillville, Raydog 101X
BEST CONCERT POSTER
Johnny Winter at Antone’s
Jerry Clayworth, Artist
BEST LOCAL LABEL
Fat Caddy
HALL OF FAME
Pinetop Perkins
HALL OF FAME
The Skunks
HALL OF FAME
Rosie Flores
HALL OF FAME
Uncle John Turner
HALL OF FAME
Roy Head
HALL OF FAME
Bad Livers
HALL OF FAME
Gary Primich
HALL OF FAME
Spot Barnett
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Review: the Noisettes
Even without the heavy artillery, the Noisettes are a force to be reckoned with. For their set at the Good Magazine/NRDC/Hotel San Jose party Wednesday evening, guitarist Dan Smith and bassist Shingai Shoniwa both played acoustic guitars, forgoing the metallic crunch but not the urgency of their 2007 debut, “What’s the Time Mr. Wolf?.” Though playing with brushes, drummer Jamie Morrison pounded the heck out of the kit. Smith’s solos had a sharp blues-rock edge (he gave a shout-out to Jimmie Vaughan between songs), while he and Shoniwa meshed powerfully on rhythm.
The focal point of the British trio, however, is Shoniwa’s spectacular voice. It’s velvety in the lower ranges, diamond-hard and bright at the dizzying upper end, with an Eartha Kitt-like feline sultriness in the middle. Shoniwa leapt octaves so easily that technical feats never seemed acrobatic — merely a response to the theatrical quality of songs such as the galloping “Don’t Give Up,” which had a little Violent Femmes punkiness; slamming, angular “Scratch Your Name” and thorny “The Count of Monte Cristo.” If Stephen Sondheim started a rock band, it would be the Noisettes.
Shoniwa was visually arresting, too, with her towering, tapered Afro and dangling earrings, whether she was sitting down like Smith and Morrison or prowling the stage. Between songs, like Smith, she was low-key and charmingly affable. She dedicated a striking, literary new song inspired by “To Kill a Mockingbird” to “the singer who went before — I don’t know her name, but I know her guitar’s called Stella ‘cause it said so on the side.” (That would be Kimya Dawson.)
The Noisettes riveted the adults in the crowd, and despite the sophistication of the material, were a hit with the younger set as well. One tiny girl moved her arms and waist in perfect time on the shoulders of her dancing mother, while a small boy with lights on his sneakers dashed around and around in ecstatic circles.
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Review: Bowerbirds
How to judge a band like Raleigh, N.C.’s Bowerbirds, where oodles of talent and creative ambition lead to songs that too often manage to get in their own way.
Taking the stage at Emo’s Jr. on Wednesday afternoon it was apparent by looking at the instruments littering the stage — dulcimer, accordion, violin, bass drum played with concert batons along with a guitar — that the trio’s take on indie pop was going to be anything but traditional.
Let’s start with the good, because there’s a lot of it: Whether sung by guitarist Phil Moore or multi-instrumentalist Beth Tacular (or especially both harmonizing wonderfully) the band’s detailed and rich lyrics — about retiring with a love and eating crab and krill on “Slow Down” or “we’re only human, this at least we’re learning” on “You Are Free” — grab attention right away and don’t let go. And for using so many outre instruments, there was never a gimmicky moment to be had where the band could be accused of saying, “Look at us, aren’t we cute?”
So the hangup? With all that talent running in so many directions it seemed like too many songs were circling around killer melodies and hooks (think Ladybug Transistor’s better moments) but never grabbing onto them and holding for dear life.
Get that down, and this band is heading somewhere. But as of now, pleasant and promising are the most accurate adjectives the Bowerbirds get.
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Times New Viking plays backup; lighting issues at Lambert’s
Times New Viking will be serving as the backup band for Ohio underground mainstay Mike Rep at the Siltbreeze showcase Thursday night. The Siltbreeze showcase begins at 8 p.m. at Soho Lounge, 217 E. Sixth St. The lineup includes noisemakers such as Ex-Cocaine, Blues Control and Pink Reason.
The showcase at the Lambert’s patio is running about an hour late because a full lighting rig didn’t arrive until 8:30 or so. It’s about to start.
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Two minutes with Steve Garcia of Austin’s Diagonals
Diagonals will make you dance, often times despite themselves. An Austin five-piece that recalls early R.E.M. with the instrumentation and twisted sensibilities of the Deathray Davies, there’s a lot here to like even if lead singer/guitarist Steve Garcia and company aren’t the most energetic showmen up on stage.
Since the streets are swarming with people this week and getting a quiet moment is all but impossible, Garcia agreed to be the guinea pig for what will likely be a running bit here this week: “Two minutes in the bathroom (at Emo’s IV) with…”
Austin360: Would you want to punch me in the face if I said I detected an early R.E.M. influence in your music?
Garcia: Not at all. The first show I ever saw was R.E.M. show. We drove down to Detroit, my mom drove us and we got to see them on the Reckoning tour. It was awesome because we got to go backstage and we met Bill Berry and Peter Buck and my friend gave Peter Buck this bandana and made this big deal about it. Then, when they came out to play (Buck) was wearing that bandana up on stage.
It seems like everyone in town has already run into Michael Stipe this week…
Really?
That’s what I’m told. I just got in, but I guess there are sightings of him all over the place. So if you run into him, what would you say to him?
Um, forget the ’90s? I didn’t like any of those R.E.M. albums from the ’90s at all. But other than that? ‘Hey Mike, let’s jam!’ (laughs) It would remind him of his youth.
30 seconds left; give people a reason to come see one of your shows.
I think we’re pretty good, if you like kinda jangly stuff. I consider us a dance band, but we’re often so boring up on stage that it’s sometimes hard to get that across. You know, that wasn’t exactly the best quote. Can I go again?
Nope.
(Diagonals play at 10 p.m. Sunday at Emo’s Jr., 603 Red River St.)
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Review: Mala Rodriguez
More than half the people at the Convention Center’s SESAC Day Stage Cafe raised their hands when Mala Rodriguez asked how many spoke Spanish. But you didn’t have to be bilingual to appreciate the Madrid-based rap star’s dazzling flow (or undulating hips). In just a few brief songs, she showed a lot more versatility and imagination than the typical swaggering American rapper. Sometimes she let words tumble out in a torrent, sometimes she spat them percussively, sometimes she broke off little phrases and played with them. Her rapping always had a melodic quality, and at times she sang in a sultry alto, with spot-on harmonies from her female dancer. The tuneful, rhythmically dramatic “Nanai” would doubtless have had a less self-conscious crowd singing lustily along.
“La Mala,” as she is also known, brought an old-school style crew — her female dancer-backing vocalist, two male dancer-background rappers (one in a “Public Enemy No. 1” t-shirt) and a terrific turntablist who supplied fascinating beats with an often jagged feel. When not deploying her snaky hips, Rodriguez, wearing jeans so tight the pocket linings showed through, interacted with her dancers in a way that gave non-Spanish speakers the gist of her lyrics. For instance, she casually shoved away the two male dancers as they crowded into her personal space. She also showed a sense of humor about rap cliches, striking a few stereotypically macho poses with her dancers for the numerous photographers and videographers at the end of “Por la Noche” before flashing a little grin and assuming a mocking super-model stance.
Rodriguez’s songs have appeared on the soundtracks of movies that found a U.S. audience, including ‘Y Tu Mamá También’ and ‘Lucía y el Sexo.’ She was nominated for a Latin Grammy in the urban album category for 2007’s “Malarismo,” her first album on Universal’s successful Machete imprint, which specializes in reggaeton, dancehall and urban genres. With a commanding stage presence and a style that makes so much U.S. rap sound hopelessly homogeneous, La Mala certainly has the potential to start gaining a lot of fans here.
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Need to park your guitar?
AMLI on 2nd, JellyNYC and Gibson Guitar are sponsoring a guitar “hospital and garage” during South by Southwest. They’re offering 24-hour security, tech help, live performances, swimming pools, games and more.
It’s in the AMLI on 2nd parking garage; enter on Lavaca between Second and Third streets.
From a release: The Texas Garage is a three-day free party, open to those 21 and older … from 2 p.m. to 2 a.m. Thursday-Saturday.
In The Texas Garage, musicians who signed up at www.thetexasgarage.com will find free parking and round-the-clock protection (on Friday this will be provided by soldiers volunteering from nearby Fort Hood) as well as the Gibson Guitar Hospital, co-sponsored by The Recording Academy, Texas Chapter and Musicmakers.
The Guitar Hospital will be open 11 a.m. to 4 p.m. Thursday-Saturday and staffed by Gibson technicians to help musicians with set-ups, broken strings and minor repairs. The Gibson bus will be on site beginning Friday at the Guitar Hospital and will be available to the soldiers volunteering their time to provide security for musicians’ parking.
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Mae Shi: the short version
Let’s hear it for 20-minute sets. It’s only Wednesday afternoon and already the vague panic is setting in, what my smart friend Alex once called then “Can’t talk, gotta get to Antone’s” fugue. Forty-minute sets, the length of a night showcase set, seems on the short side the rest of the year, but during SXSW, with 1,700 acts in various states of rock, the 20 minutes the Mae Shi played at a party at an already-jammed Emo’s feels just about perfect.
The Los Angeles band is part of the same arty scene that’s given us such buzz bands as No Age and Miko Mika. Their jumpy, panicked art-punk doesn’t seem like it’s from L.A. - that whole scene feels like it was transplanted from Portland or San Francisco or somewhere not automatically associated with plastic surgery and generations of bands who really want to “make it.” Perhaps this is a redefinition of L.A. music. Rock music breaking out of that city hasn’t sounded this DIY since the earliest days of hardcore (and never this earnest).
Even with few hooks and some slap-dash harmonies reminiscent of, but not as triumphant as, the Arcade Fire, the Mae Shi felt like a sugar rush, a quick blast of art-for-art’s-sake and a nice way to kick off a week that’s only going to get hotter and more fugue-like.
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Review: Robert Gomez
Robert Gomez’s 20-minute afternoon set at the SXSW Day Stage offered a tantalizing taste of what promised to be a sumptuous banquet of an evening showcase. The Denton songwriter’s daytime ensemble included drums, violin, cello, accordion, trombone and keyboards. He played the tres, a type of Cuban guitar he’s studied with the phenomenal Nelson Gonzales (Gloria Estefan, Cachao). The tres and drums gave the music the propulsion of rock, while the other instruments created a dream-like landscape with arrangements so lush, it sometimes seemed like a whole orchestra was on stage. (Nevertheless, a larger ensemble was on the menu for the evening.)
Gomez had a bookish look, wearing a blazer over jeans and stylish spectacles. His warm vocals seemed more part of the music’s atmosphere than the centerpiece, sometimes giving the lyrics a subliminal effect. He occasionally used a gauzy falsetto or raised the volume and intensity a little to emphasize a phrase, but his voice followed the same subtle, organic approach to dynamics as the instruments. The drama was in the beauty of the whole, rather than momentary displays of virtuosity.
Gomez’s melodies tend to shimmer gently and draw the listener along, rather than stamping themselves into the consciousness with obvious hooks. When the songs ended, they seemed to be not so much reaching the conclusion of a statement, but offering the promise of new developments, as when “On This Day” reached a final sigh that seemed like the musical equivalent of a cinematographer’s dissolve. Each song spun its spell, but music so gorgeously enveloping definitely calls for a longer timespan to bask in it fully.
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SXSW: Interview with eMusic’s Yancey Strickler
Yancey Strickler, eMusic Senior Director of Editorial and Features, offered his take on South by Southwest via e-mail — who he wants to hear, why he keeps coming back and some advice for bands trying to promote themselves. eMusic is one of the world’s largest retailers of independent music.
Shows I am most excited about: My most anticipated show is definitely the High Places (editor’s note: the band is on eMusic). They are an incredible duo from Brooklyn. High Places plays this incredibly inventive mix of world music, hip-hop and dream-pop. This description is inadequate, but imagine the Cocteau Twins singing over M.I.A. beats. Really amazing. Do not miss them.
It will be interesting to see how Vampire Weekend is received. How will the mostly justified hype and unjustified backlash play out? It is a good live show — just intensely likeable — and they’re one Jack Johnson or Dave Matthews opening slot away from being the biggest college band going.
Santogold from Brooklyn, who is clearly ready for something big. She sometimes sounds like Yeah Yeah Yeahs, at other times M.I.A.
Cool Kids are totally fun, throwback hip-hop.
The Raveonettes — to a lot of peoples’ surprise — just released their best record yet, and watching them shimmer and howl live should be a real treat.
Austin favorites: I am such a tourist. My primary foray outside of Sixth Street is very, very predictable: the Salt Lick. It’s very worth it, obviously.
What keeps us coming back: What makes SXSW so important is a combination of the music you can so easily discover there and Austin itself. One of my favorite SXSW memories was stumbling across this absolutely insane Japanese metal trio behind a taco stand last year. They were amazing — Green Milk from the Planet Orange, they are called — and it just made the whole festival. Austin is the kind of place where that can happen.
Hopes for this year’s festival: One of eMusic’s goals at SXSW is discovering new artists for our eMusic Selects program. eMusic Selects is an outlet we created on eMusic.com for unsigned artists - we feature two artists a month - and we are hoping to find some amazing talent down there. We already have a nice healthy list of people to check out. You can check the site in April for what we found.
Advice for bands: If you are a young band right now, you have to work twice as hard at self-promotion. The tools are out there - both on the web and off - and it’s become up to you to build a loyal audience. Do it with compelling music, but don’t be afraid to let people know who you are as people. Even if not everyone likes your music, everyone likes a good story and it pays off to share yours.
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Review: Van Morrison at Austin Music Hall
Van Morrison took the Austin Music Hall stage, as promised, at the stroke of 7 p.m. Tuesday. Exactly 90 minutes later, he dropped the words “big hand for the band!” into the rambling wrap-up of a song that few listeners seemed to know. About three minutes later, stagehands were clearing instruments, the hall’s harsh fluorescent tubes were on (the place is obviously a work in progress, if acoustics under the balcony are any sign) and listeners were bemusedly filing out. Most may have been Of A Certain Age, but they were clearly willing to risk a 9 p.m. bedtime in exchange for an encore — in fact, many looked annoyed at being sent home so early.
But the show wasn’t as lazy as the perfunctory running time might suggest. True, it slogged down here and there, but Van the Man earned his keep — sometimes gaining artistic cred perversely by not giving the crowd what it obviously wanted: Only two songs in the set list could remotely be called hits. Of those, “Bright Side of the Road” was nearly unrecognizable, countrified with banjo and tambourine; “Moondance,” the early crowd-pleaser, featured a nicely playful lead vocal but also, weirdly, was the tune on which Morrison chose to dish out introductions and perfunctory solos to most of his dozen or so bandmates.
The rest of the evening leaned heavily on tracks from “Keep it Simple,” the songwriter’s forthcoming album, and if the tunes weren’t classic they at least let Morrison prove he’s no slave to the nostalgia circuit. He’ll play the songs he wants, thank you, showing off his capable handling of the alto sax and scatting enough to make the least interesting lyrics worth hearing. The night’s highlight was an oddball: the group’s eerie, New Orleans-inflected take on “St. James Infirmary,” a song nobody paid to hear but all were lucky to get.
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$165 SXSW wristbands on sale at 7:30 p.m. tonight
From SXSW:
SXSW Wristbands on sale 7:30 p.m. tonight at Antone’s, Austin Music Hall, BD Riley, Continental Club, Emo’s Jr, Molotov, Rio, Thirsty Nickel, Volume, Mohawk and Waterloo Records. $165 CASH ONLY. Wristband will be placed on wrist at time of sale.
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SXSW: Can’t make the R.E.M. show tonight? Listen on NPR
R.E.M.’s South by Southwest show tonight at Stubb’s will be broadcast live on NPR, stream online and archived online, according to a release from NPR.
The entire lineup Wednesday at Stubb’s will be broadcast, in fact: Summerbirds in the Cellar, Johnathan Rice, Papercranes, Dead Confederate and R.E.M.
The NPR showcases (two Thursday) also will be broadcoast on select stations and streamed online.
Details here.
Side note: Michael Stipe has been in town since Sunday, when he was spotted walking down South Congress near Oltorf and taking photos. We’re assuming he was recovering from playing a concert the night before in the Florida swamp at the Langerado Festival.
(R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck strolls along Red River during SXSW on Wednesday. Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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SXSW scene: Veggies and R.E.M.
If you see a bald, skinny, charismatic fellow (vocalist Michael Stipe), a gentleman with glasses clad in a flamboyant suit (bassist Mike Mills) and/or a lanky, shaggy-looking guitar player-type (guitarist Peter Buck) at Mother’s Restaurant, Casa de Luz, Whole Foods Market, Mr. Natural or Aster’s Ethiopian Restaurant during the next couple of days, you are very likely dining with the Athens, Ga., rock stars, R.E.M. A source confirmed that a list of these well-reputed Austin vegetarian restaurants was complied by SXSW for R.E.M. on Wednesday.
Update: Writer Patrick Beach reports that sources say Michael Stipe had a late-night dinner Tuesday at Wink before Peter Buck sat in with the Silos at the Hole in the Wall. Check with us for R.E.M. gastronomical updates!
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Free shows: Red Gorilla Music Fest, Mess with Texas 2 and some SXSW options
Two other music-related events are happening in Austin in the next few days, and they’re both free and open to the public.
The Red Gorilla Music Fest opens Wednesday and runs through Saturday at various locations on Sixth Street. More than 200 bands will play. Check out the schedule and lineup here.
On Saturday, Waterloo Park will be taken over by the second year of Mess With Texas. The music and comedy lineup includes the Breeders, NOFX, Simian Mobile Disco, Janeane Garofalo and Eugene Mirman. Check out the lineup and schedule here.
And South by Southwest has some free options for music fans. The shows at Auditorium Shores on Lady Bird Lake are free to the public (Ice Cube, Spoon and Grupo Fantasma are just three of the acts playing the outdoor venue). The Lone Star Lounge and Bat Bar inside the Austin Convention Center also will feature free shows, with tickets offered to the public on a space-available basis.
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History of SXSW: part three
1999
Number of acts: 829
Keynote speaker: Lucinda Williams
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Trail of Dead, Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Built To Spill, Patty Griffin, Cibo Matto, the Hives
The magic is so quickly followed by mayhem. The night after Tom Waits plays the Paramount Theatre, one of the all-time highlights of SXSW, his friend and sometime-promoter Don Hyde is savagely beaten by bouncers at La Zona Rosa. The bouncers were trying to clear out the crowd after Alejandro Escovedo’s set, but when Hyde wants to go backstage to get his bag, there is some jostling, and push soon turns to punch, then to kicks in the side. Hyde suffers five broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a separated shoulder. Waits vows to never play Texas again and has stayed true to his word.
A major Thursday night thunderstorm forces cancellation of all outdoor events that night, including a Willie Nelson concert at Stubb’s. Emo’s is flooded with knee-high water, but most of it drains by showtime.
2000
Number of acts: 1,314
Keynote speaker: Steve Earle
Buzz, buzz, buzz: At the Drive In, Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Elliot Smith, Marah, Blackalicious, Jennyanykind, Backyard Babies, Morphine, Cibo Matto, Bright Eyes, Tenacious D
Friction sparks between SXSW and Revolver magazine after Revolver flies in Guided By Voices, not an official festival act, to play a private party. Revolver charges SXSW with threatening to call in the fire marshals (a charge denied), but the jam-packed party goes off without a stumble. Good food, too.
Neil Young, in town to hawk his new concert film ‘Silver and Gold’ locks himself out of his suite at the Driskill and conducts a news conference, with a handful of critics, in the hallway.
Los Super Seven is born at a party at Las Manitas when members of Los Lobos jam with Raul Malo and Austin’s Joe Ely, Ruben Ramos and Rick Trevino.
A grouchy soundman cuts the magic at Momo’s, just as Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads joins Bernie Worrell onstage for an encore of music from ‘Remain In Light.’ A cooler dude would’ve let the show go past 2 a.m.
2001
Number of acts: 1,159
Keynote speaker: Ray Davies
Buzz, buzz, buzz: White Stripes, the Strokes, Death Cab For Cutie, Aterciopelados, Kasey Chambers, Bellrays, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Mogwai, the Shins, New Pornographers
During that small window in which he’s a star, Pete Yorn pulls a star trip, refusing to leave the La Zona Rosa stage after his allotted time. Even after the houselights go up, Yorn continues to play and eventually does leave the stage, ‘not by our own choice.’ The following act, North Mississippi Allstars, finally starts at 2 a.m.
Revolver magazine tries to stick it to SXSW again, flying in the Cult for a private party, but when staffers show up to register, they discover that their badges have been revoked. ‘The roadrunner would be nothing without the coyote,’ Revolver’s Brad Tolinski says, relishing the controversy.
Ike Turner plays to a crowd lousy with musicians and a few protesters who’d seen ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It.’ By the end of the incredible set, the crowd chants, ‘We like Ike!’
2002
Number of acts: 1,011
Keynote speaker: Robbie Robertson
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Los Lonely Boys, Clinic, Mastodon, Norah Jones, Eels, Drive-By Truckers, Polyphonic Spree, KaitO, Tift Merritt, Mooney Suzuki
The worst SXSW booking of all time puts Norah Jones, who has the No. 1 album in the country, in the upstairs banquet room of the Clay Pit Indian restaurant. Forget, for a moment, that it’s a little rude to put the daughter of Ravi Shankar in an Indian restaurant, but what is the woman about to win six Grammys doing playing any restaurant?
Courtney Love draws the biggest crowd ever for a non-keynote, and her rambling, self-indulgent, ‘one on none’ interview doesn’t disappoint rubberneckers. Love complains of a tequila hangover, but they don’t serve tequila in the men’s room of the Hole In the Wall, where she had locked herself with a couple of unsavory locals for an hour the night before.
Los Angeles rockers the Icarus Line make national news when the singer smashes a display case at the Hard Rock Cafe and tries to play a guitar that once belonged to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bouncers chase the singer four blocks before he gets away.
2003
Number of acts: 1,079
Keynote speaker: Daniel Lanois
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Raveonettes, the Rapture, Junior Senior, Granddaddy, the Darkness, Eisley, Petty Booka, the Locust, Tegan & Sara, D4
With the invasion of Iraq imminent, war becomes a big topic in President Bush’s former backyard. First you had the flap over Natalie Maines’ expressed embarrassment that the president was from Texas, which hit the news just as SXSW was starting. Then, 7,000 anti-war protesters flooded the already packed streets near the Capitol.
Several hundred counterfeit wristbands are confiscated on the last night of the fest. The pirate bracelets are traced to a print shop near the UT campus. Four men are charged and plead guilty.
A mini-riot of about 600 disappointed Molotov fans breaks out outside the sold-out show by the Mexican hard rockers. Police on horseback break up the melee.
The Saturday afterhours Spin party, long the hippest invite at SXSW, goes daytime Friday at Stubb’s. The previous year, the bash was halted by TABC officers who claimed it did not fit the guidelines for a private party after hours because names of invitees were not kept on a list. (Apparently, ‘Sia Michel plus 220’ isn’t good enough.)
2004
Number of acts: 1,260
Keynote speaker: Little Richard
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Mindy Smith, Hold Steady, Franz Ferdinand, Dizzie Rascal, Decemberists, Broken Social Scene, N.E.R.D., the Thrills, Scissor Sisters
The year of the Ozomatli bust. Austin police look silly arresting two members of the Latin rock band after a conga line on Sixth Street turns into some roughhousing and a cop claims percussionist Jiro Yamaguchi hit him with a drum. The charges are eventually dropped.
Local breakout band Los Lonely Boys break all attendance records with their free show at Auditorium Shores. If the Town Lake venue holds 10,000 comfortably, there are 25,000 on hand. But the trio also plays in the back of Las Manitas at a party celebrating the making of Alejandro Escovedo tribute album ‘Por Vida.’
2005
Number of acts: 1,326
Keynote speaker: Robert Plant
Buzz, buzz, buzz: M.I.A., the Go! Team, Bloc Party, Giant Drag, Kaiser Chiefs, Futureheads, We Are Scientists, Nine Black Alps, Aqualung, Dogs Die In Hot Cars
- SXSW comes to East Austin, the new daytime party hub. But even with so many festgoers venturing on ‘the other side’ of the freeway, downtown is clogged beyond belief and waits outside Sixth Street clubs are the longest ever.
*Those clueless kids from MTV’s ‘Real World: Austin’ drag themselves out of the Dizzy Rooster long enough to film a documentary about SXSW, following around those white-hot buzz bands Halifax and Enon.
*The weather is brutally cold the first day of SXSW, but heats up nicely by the next day. Not so at the huge aircraft hangar Charles Attal rents out for its annual after-hours party. Jessica Simpson is among the freezing guests who come out for Queens of the Stone Age.
*Who knew Robert Plant is so funny and charming? The former Led Zep singer’s ‘keynote conversation’ with Bill Flanagan is the best SXSW opener ever.
2006
Keynote speaker: Neil Young
Number of acts: 1,400
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Arctic Monkeys, the Like, KT Tunstall, Chamillionaire, Dresden Dolls, Subways, Magic Numbers, the Sword
The year of the stowaway. Chicago fashion designer Catherine “Cat” Chow is so intent on getting to SXSW that she stows away in the bathroom on a sold-out flight from St. Louis. Chow is arrested upon arrival in Austin.
Arctic Monkeys play SXSW the week after appearing on “Saturday Night Live,” hitting town with incredible synergy. But there’s not much of a line outside their showcase at La Zona Rosa because everyone figured (a la Tony Bennett) that there’d be no chance of getting in.
In a rare case of SXSW unselfishness, the Invincible Czars invite fellow Austin band Opposite Day, who did not make the SXSW cut, to play a song during the Czars’ showcase at Latitude 30.
2007
Keynote speaker: Pete Townshend
Number of acts: 1,400 Buzz, buzz, buzz: Amy Winehouse, Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings, Peter, Bjorn & John, Lily Allen, the Pipettes
Things seemed to have gone swimmingly, but when word gets out that SXSW organizers provided fire marshals with a list of private parties, resulting in three big bashes being shut down, Internet comments sections exploded in rage. In one of his many defensive posts, SXSW co-founder Louis Black uses a truly bizarre analogy concerning an abacus.
Gossip queen Perez Hilton is spotted all over town, christening SXSW as a celebfest.
- Some chucklehead newspaper critic accuses the Stooges of using a bass loop on one song and Iggy Pop fires off a letter to the editor saying they would never even consider such a thing.
2008
Keynote speaker: Lou Reed
Number of acts: 1,700
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Vampire Weekend, Duffy, Sons and Daughters, Vampire Weekend, Yeasayer, Vampire Weekend
- SXSW has apparently forgiven “disrespectful” Reed for the sin of playing on the same night as the Austin Music Awards.
High honors for folks behind rodeo barbecue
The annual barbecue that kicks off Rodeo Austin is more than just a place to score a tasty meal.
Much more.
Nearly 60 teams took part in the three-day event this year, raising $302,000 for the rodeo’s scholarship fund.
For their work, members of the barbecue committee were honored with the President’s Volunteer Service Award from President George W. Bush’s Council on Service and Civic Participation.
“There wasn’t a dry eye on the committee,” said member Karen Sironi. “It was a total surprise and great to be recognized for all the hard work that had been done over many, many years.”
In a letter, President Bush thanked the committee for “demonstrating the outstanding character of America and helping strengthen our country.”
According to Ernie Beltz, Jr. the award was certified and presented by the Central Texas Heroes Foundation.
Rodeo Austin runs through March 15 at the Travis County Expo Center.
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SXSW: Interview with FM3
FM3 is a Bejing-based electronic act made up of Christiaan Virant of Omaha, Neb., and Zhang Jian, who was born in China. They arrive in Austin this week to promote the release of their second Buddha Box, an electronic device that plays looping audio tracks, the same way another band promotes a CD release. The catch: The group’s newer music can only be acquired with the purchase of this device.
“Every one of the tracks in the Buddha machine is based on a different Chinese instrument,“ Virant explains. They record the instruments before editing them on a computer for placement in a chip inside the box, which is about the size of a pack of cigarettes. The musical loops range in length, and the last loop on FM3’s first box runs a mere two seconds. The device costs about as much as a new DVD.
Virant was classically trained in multiple instruments before moving to China as a student, after which he remained for 20 years. His bandmate “comes from a heavily Western classical background,” Virant says, while he feels influenced by “more of a punk rock/electronic music background.”
Jian initially focused on his love for punk rock and had been in some of China’s earliest punk rock bands before making history as a founding member of FM3, one of the first electronic bands in the country. In those days, the group had more members, played standard rock instruments (guitar, drums, etc.) and released music on CDs. The live techno that the band played, says Virant, gave way to “something you can put on and listen to rather than having to go to a club and dance to.”
Virant and Jian came up with the idea for the Buddha Box in response to the threat of music piracy. Virant also saw an opportunity to take advantage of the vast industrial potential of China, adding that “everything’s made in China.”
The band avoided U.S. tours in favor of a more electronica-friendly Europe. Ironically, the box took off in America, when they “got a good review from The New York Times and suddenly we were selling thousands of them,” says Virant. After this success, FM3 had to make the difficult transition from “two guys who are better at hanging out and smoking and talking about playing music” to businessmen exporting a product, he says.
Virant says the box is popular because “it addresses a number of issues that are really relevant now in American music dialogue. Questions about MP3 downloading. Questions about digital distribution of music, and questions about attaching value to a music release.” He says the box releases serve the “collectibility” of recording, and that CDs have made buying music less interactive.
FM3 will be performing “Buddha Boxing” at SXSW to promote their invention, 80 percent of which have been sold in America. During their performance, Virant and Jian sit at opposite sides of a table with a collection of multicolored boxes. They arrange them to create different patterns of sound, sometimes while a camera projects the action on the table for the audience.
(FM3 will perform at 1 a.m. Friday at The Hideout.)
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SXSW: Interview with High Places
As indie sensation High Places prepares to perform at South by Southwest, the duo find themselves beneficiaries of the growing popularity of experimental music, an underground culture that increasingly relies on the online world. With the help of college press and caffeinated hipsters, bands using obscure soundscapes and seemingly inaccessible compositions are enjoying unprecedented success.
Mary Pearson (vocalist) and Rob Barber (multi-instrumentalist) have different musical influences, grew up in different states (she in Michigan and he in Pennsylvania), and are 10 years apart in age. Although both members of High Places “like more experimental music,” Pearson says, they “like having a melody that people can relate to.” Her subdued lyrical style connects with Barber’s musicianship, which he says makes use of “pop music but weird noise, too” to create “psychedelic children’s music.”
The band received attention earlier this year as a noteworthy unsigned artist on Emusic.com, a Web site that offers downloadable music for sale. The little brother of a staff member was apparently a fan of the duo, and they “came up with the concept of wanting to do something to help unsigned bands,” Pearson says. High Places was featured as one of two “eMusic Selects” artists in January.
With a lack of digital rights management (DRM) technology, EMusic is free from limits set by copyright holders restricting the accessibility of purchased tracks (such as competitor iTunes). Whereas many songs purchased through iTunes will play only on an iPod, music acquired from Emusic can be played on any MP3 device. However, a lack of DRM technology also allows for songs to be more easily pirated online. Ironically, Barber sees the financial problem of piracy as a promotional advantage. “It’s sort of a drag,” he says, “but then I feel like less people would know about you if they had to buy your record.”
A favorable review of High Places EP also surfaced on Pitchfork.com, which has established itself as a central hub for indie music discourse on the Web. (Pearson is the sister of a former Pitchfork employee, which was disclosed in the review.) Praise from the popular site seemed to catapult the band. “We were surprised how well it sold,” Barber says of their EP after the review. High Places’ sound has been hard to classify, Barber says, “We played a show with a band from South Africa and one guy said we sounded like music from a country that doesn’t exist yet.” Melodies are influenced by American pop as well as pan-Asian styles. All recordings are relatively lo-fi. Pearson’s lyrics are also pop-inspired — often simple, memorable and accessible to children. Rhythms can be abstract, but appear to pull from African and Latin styles.
Barber, having “heard that Austin is completely different from the rest of Texas,” says he hopes SXSW audiences will respond well to his music, which is equally as unique. (High Places plays at 10:40 p.m. Thursday at Habana Annex Backyard, 708 E. Sixth St., and midnight Saturday at the Mohawk Patio, 912 Red River St.)
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Joe Nick Patoski interview
This is from www.stillisstillmoving.com the great site for all things Willie Hugh.
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SXSW history, pt. 2: the middle years
1997
Number of acts: 788
Keynote speaker:Carl Perkins
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Atari Teenage Riot, 24-7 Spyz, Whiskeytown, Archers of Loaf, Jimmy Eat World, Ron Sexsmith, Ben Lee, Gomez, Less Than Jake
A sign of the times; the most noteworthy panel, hosted by Jon Pareles of The New York Times, is ‘What’s Behind the Drastic Slump In Record Sales?’ Or, more to the point: Where Are All the Big Label Parties This Year?
Wayne Coyne of Flaming Lips keeps things interesting with his Parking Lot Symphony, in which 30 cars parked in a garage at Seventh and Brazos streets play 30 cassette tapes simultaneously with the car doors open. More than 2,000 fans show up.
This is also the year Tony Bennett plays the Austin Music Hall, to about half a house because everyone figures it would be a mob scene.
SXSW organizers stubbornly refuse to let their fest compete with the Austin Music Awards, but because most clubs have been jumping the gun, Wednesday is finally added as the official starting night of SXSW.
1998
Number of acts: 1,043
Keynote speaker: Nick Lowe
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Imperial Teen, the Donnas, Dust Brothers, Get Up Kids, Rufus Wainwright, Queens of the Stone Age, Olivia Tremor Control, Plastilina Mosh, Damnations
For some reason, SXSW organizers hate bands flown in by outside entities to play private parties. When they hear that Philadelphia-based Internet retailer CDnow is paying Sonic Youth big money to play a party in a 300-capacity club, they work hard to persuade CDnow to move their party to 1,500-capacity La Zona Rosa and make the Sonic Youth set follow the bash as an official SXSW showcase. Wristband-wearers and fans willing to pay cover are ecstatic at the chance to see the Youth, but few get in, as those attending the party just stick around.
Austin band Breedlove doesn’t get signed, they get served, with a summons for breach of contract charges by manager Jan Mirkin as they step off the stage at Steamboat.
1999
Number of acts: 829
Keynote speaker: Lucinda Williams
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Trail of Dead, Lo-Fidelity Allstars, Built To Spill, Patty Griffin, Cibo Matto, the Hives
The magic is so quickly followed by mayhem. The night after Tom Waits plays the Paramount Theatre, one of the all-time highlights of SXSW, his friend and sometime-promoter Don Hyde is savagely beaten by bouncers at La Zona Rosa. The bouncers were trying to clear out the crowd after Alejandro Escovedo’s set, but when Hyde wants to go backstage to get his bag, there is some jostling, and push soon turns to punch, then to kicks in the side. Hyde suffers five broken ribs, a broken collarbone and a separated shoulder. Waits vows to never play Texas again and has stayed true to his word.
A major Thursday night thunderstorm forces cancellation of all outdoor events that night, including a Willie Nelson concert at Stubb’s. Emo’s is flooded with knee-high water, but most of it drains by showtime.
2000
Number of acts: 1,314
Keynote speaker: Steve Earle
Buzz, buzz, buzz: At the Drive In, Black Eyed Peas, Modest Mouse, Elliot Smith, Marah, Blackalicious, Jennyanykind, Backyard Babies, Morphine, Cibo Matto, Bright Eyes, Tenacious D
Friction sparks between SXSW and Revolver magazine after Revolver flies in Guided By Voices, not an official festival act, to play a private party. Revolver charges SXSW with threatening to call in the fire marshals (a charge denied), but the jam-packed party goes off without a stumble. Good food, too.
Neil Young, in town to hawk his new concert film ‘Silver and Gold’ locks himself out of his suite at the Driskill and conducts a news conference, with a handful of critics, in the hallway.
Los Super Seven is born at a party at Las Manitas when members of Los Lobos jam with Raul Malo and Austin’s Joe Ely, Ruben Ramos and Rick Trevino.
A grouchy soundman cuts the magic at Momo’s, just as Jerry Harrison of Talking Heads joins Bernie Worrell onstage for an encore of music from ‘Remain In Light.’ A cooler dude would’ve let the show go past 2 a.m.
2001
Number of acts: 1,159
Keynote speaker: Ray Davies
Buzz, buzz, buzz: White Stripes, the Strokes, Death Cab For Cutie, Aterciopelados, Kasey Chambers, Bellrays, Coldplay, My Morning Jacket, Mogwai, the Shins, New Pornographers
During that small window in which he’s a star, Pete Yorn pulls a star trip, refusing to leave the La Zona Rosa stage after his allotted time. Even after the houselights go up, Yorn continues to play and eventually does leave the stage, ‘not by our own choice.’ The following act, North Mississippi Allstars, finally starts at 2 a.m.
Revolver magazine tries to stick it to the man (SXSW) again, flying in the Cult for a private party, but when staffers show up to register, they discover that their badges have been revoked. ‘The roadrunner would be nothing without the coyote,’ Revolver’s Brad Tolinski says, relishing the controversy.
Ike Turner plays to a crowd lousy with musicians and a few protesters who’d seen ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It.’ By the end of the incredible set, the crowd chants, ‘We like Ike!’
2002
Number of acts: 1,011
Keynote speaker: Robbie Robertson
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Los Lonely Boys, Clinic, Mastodon, Norah Jones, Eels, Drive-By Truckers, Polyphonic Spree, KaitO, Tift Merritt, Mooney Suzuki
The worst SXSW booking of all time puts Norah Jones, who has the No. 1 album in the country, in the upstairs banquet room of the Clay Pit Indian restaurant. Forget, for a moment, that it’s a little rude to put the daughter of Ravi Shankar in an Indian restaurant, but what is the woman about to win six Grammys doing playing any restaurant?
Courtney Love draws the biggest crowd ever for a non-keynote, and her rambling, self-indulgent, ‘one on none’ interview doesn’t disappoint rubberneckers. Love complains of a tequila hangover, but they don’t serve tequila in the men’s room of the Hole In the Wall, where she had locked herself with a couple of unsavory locals for an hour the night before.
Los Angeles rockers the Icarus Line make national news when the singer smashes a display case at the Hard Rock Cafe and tries to play a guitar that once belonged to Stevie Ray Vaughan. Bouncers chase the singer four blocks before he gets away.
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Lou Reed does Lou Reed
SXSW keynote speaker Lou Reed will be playing a tribute to himself Thursday at 5:45 p.m. at the Levi’s/ Fader Fort. Other acts doing a song or two are My Morning Jacket, Moby, Yo La Tengo, Joseph Arthur and Dr. Dog.
It’s a private party and the Fader Fort is known for annually having the surliest bouncers at SXSW. In other words, “But I’m Mo Tucker’s acupuncturist” ain’t gonna cut it. But if you want to stand outside, it’s on Fourth Street, near the Convention Center.
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Spin party winner!
It was a very tough choice, but the pair of passes to see X, Vampire Weekend, Raveonettes and more at Stubb’s Friday goes to Emily Thompson Payne. Here’s the winning entry:
I packed my patent leather,
my pleated skirts, and khaki pants,
and went to grad school at Columbia
seeking indie prep acceptance.
But my timing was too early.
Vampire Weekend were still adolescents.
They’re my long-lost indie prep soul mates.
Those other fans don’t stand a chance.
Back home here in Austin
Drag rats mock my appearance.
They drown out my heart’s Afro Pop beat
with judgmental silence.
My kwassa kwassa would shake Stubbs’ walls
to see the Spin party performance.
If only you’ll tell me you agree
those other fans don’t stand a chance.
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History of SXSW: First ten years
From Huey to Louie: 22 years with the monster of mid-March
1987
Number of acts: 172
Keynote speaker: Record producer Huey P. Meaux
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Dash Rip Rock, Reivers, True Believers, Buck Pets, Wagoneers, the Rev. Horton Heat
- SXSW organizers can’t get the computers working at registration, so even though the turnout is moderate, waits are as long as two hours. That’s something that the first year has in common with this one. That and Patrice Pike.
1988
Number of acts: 415
Keynote speaker: Spin Editor Bob Guccione Jr.
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Poi Dog Pondering, Fleshtones, Material Issue, Gunbunnies, Jayhawks, Hundredth Monkey
The convention is booked into the spanking new Waller Creek Hotel, but when the hotel goes bankrupt before opening and stalls on construction of a promised ballroom, organizers are forced to scramble. The Crest, which is now the Radisson, turns out to be an ill-fitting concession. The noise from each panel bleeds into the next room and the hotel staff freaks out when a late-night party in the ballroom, featuring Joe Ely, attracts a few thousand drunk and wired party people. Most of the potted plants end up horizontal and the bathrooms are trashed.
Also, first tangible sign of a backlash comes from art rock band Ed Hall, who print ‘SXSW SUX’ T-shirts. Ed Hall applies and is accepted the next year.
1989
Number of acts: 345
Keynote speaker: Music critic Robert Christgau, with an ‘invocation’ from Mojo Nixon
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Chickasaw Mudd Puppies, Lucinda Williams, Gin Blossoms, Wednesday Week, Pato Banton, Bluerunners
- SXSW is still fairly unknown outside indie rock circles, when Flock of Seagulls starts the trend of former platinum artists trying to revive their careers at the festival. Thing is, the band doesn’t know it. They have no idea that they’re supposed to play a 40-minute showcase on a bill with four other bands for almost no money. Wanting nothing to do with SXSW, the band and their surly British roadies run off the SXSW volunteers and throw the rest of the bands off the bill.
1990
Number of acts: 424
Keynote speaker: Singer Rosanne Cash, with opening remarks by Gov. Ann Richards Buzz, buzz, buzz: Flat Duo Jets, Trip Shakespeare, Three On a Hill, Twang Twang Shock-a-Boom, Kennedy Rose, Sister Double Happiness, Vulgar Boatmen
- The usually dull rock critic panel is dubbed ‘The Chris & Claudia Show’ after Billboard’s Chris Morris and Claudia Perry of the Houston Post (passing around a flask) rip the industry good — to uproarious laughter. The outspoken Morris is the breakout star of the fest, and he returns the love with a column touting SXSW as a blast (even owning up to striking out in the bottom of the ninth of the softball championship game with the bases loaded).
1991
Number of acts: 499
Keynote speaker: Kinky Friedman, with invocation by Exene Cervenka
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Barenaked Ladies, Treat Her Right, Drivin’ N Cryin’, Dixie Chicks, Phranc, Love Tractor
- SXSW takes place the week of spring break, when all the students head to South Padre Island and points beyond, every year except this one, which means Sixth Street is swarming with frat boys and the women who can stand them. Alarmed by the crowds, the fire marshals crack down, ridiculously, often making fans exit a half-full club to comply with outdated load card figures. Wristband wearers are livid — another SXSW tradition begins! But a pair of club owners are even madder. The owner of Abratto’s, a Fifth Street disco meat market, who is given an opening night bill of Houston hard-core bands, cancels the rest of his showcases and the shuttled acts, including the Dixie Chicks, play their showcases in quickly converted conference rooms in the host hotel. Then, when the owner of Mexico Carribe announces that the fire marshal will order the show stopped if people don’t voluntarily leave — and nobody does — he pulls out a pistol and fires a shot into the ceiling. To make this the all-time worst year of SXSW, arsonists ignite a stack of Austin Chronicle newspapers outside the SXSW offices, causing extensive smoke and water damage.
1992
Number of acts: 398
Keynote speaker: Michelle Shocked
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Beat Farmers, Holmes Brothers, Junior Brown, Cracker, Blood Oranges, Poster Children, Southern Culture On the Skids, Bruce Hampton & the Aquarius Rescue Unit
Poor Michelle Shocked. Her pathologically unfocused speech on the history of minstrelsy is supposed to be 20 minutes, but when co-keynoter Willie Nelson gets hung up on the border and cancels, organizers tell Shocked to go as long as she likes. Big mistake.
SXSW books Helmet and L7, then red-hot, into a 500-capacity dance club, and when more than 2,000 kids show up, it’s pandemonium. Some fans storm the door, others climb the walls and break windows to try to get in. People are even jumping on the roof from neighboring buildings. 911 is called and exactly two cops show up, which tempers the anarchy only slightly.
1993
Number of acts: 468
Keynote speaker: None, but Gov. Ann Richards gave opening remarks
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Pete Droge, Jill Sobule, Freedy Johnston, Green Day, Robyn Hitchcock, Blue Rodeo, Lisa Loeb, Three Mile Pilot, Tripping Daisy
International news is happening with the Branch Davidian standoff up the road in Waco, and some freelance journalists in town do double duty.
‘If you lived in my neighborhood, you’d be selling your (body) for me!’ Bushwick Bill, the dwarf (a label he embraces) in the Geto Boys, starts a shouting match with a handful of people in the audience of the hip-hop panel. One guy comes up to the dais and flips off Bushwick, who calls him a slur directed at gay people. Suddenly, everyone is screaming and a couple of guys have to be restrained from charging the 3 1/2-foot rapper. Afterward, Bushwick tells the panelist coordinator that he had a good time.
In another bizarre panel, an unknown singer calling himself Marilyn Manson sits on a panel about his namesake Charlie.
1994
Number of acts: 482
Keynote speaker: Johnny Cash
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Beck, Veruca Salt, Presidents of the United States of America, Ben Harper, Mary Cutrufello, Letters To Cleo, Morphine, That Dog, Follow For Now
Cash plays an incredible solo acoustic set at Emo’s, where the stool he sat on later hangs over the bar. Worst booking was putting Lucinda Williams in La Zona Rosa, which is only a fifth as big as it was to become. Co-director Roland Swenson is surrounded by angry fans who couldn’t get in.
After Entertainment Weekly becomes a sponsor, Billboard refuses to recognize SXSW as an industry event. The industry bible will continue to ignore the conference for nearly a decade.
1995
Number of acts: 567
Keynote speaker: Bob Mould
Buzz, buzz, buzz: Elastica, Wilco, Bush, Todd Snider, Toadies, R.L. Burnside, Bettie Serveert, Guided By Voices
- The ‘94 folding of New York’s New Music Seminar vaults SXSW as THE major and indie label confab. Boston-based Rounder Records celebrates its 25th anniversary by hosting a free outdoor concert at Sixth and Brazos streets, featuring a New Orleans-heavy lineup of Irma Thomas, Johnny Adama, Beau Jocque and Rebirth Brass Band.
1996
Number of acts: 861
Keynote speaker: Krist Novoselic
Buzz, buzz, buzz: The Fugees, Dandy Warhols, Ben Folds Five, Girls Against Boys, Boo Radleys, Sixteen Deluxe, Guided By Voices
Charles Attal was recently named promoter of the year by Pollstar, but in 1996, the Stubb’s co-owner is so green he pronounces the Fugees, his big second-night headliner, ‘the Fudgies.’ Right when the Fugees start, there’s a downpour and the show is stopped. Attal figures that’s it, but Lauryn Hill gets in his face and says ‘We want to play!’ so after it stops raining, about an hour later, the Fugees play a long set as the empty venue quickly refills.
SXSW co-director Louis Black says Lou Reed ‘is showing disrespect for the Austin music scene’ by playing a concert that competes with the Austin Music Awards.
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Lambert won’t perform at rodeo tonight; Ingram steps in
Singer Miranda Lambert fell ill late today, forcing her to cancel this evening’s scheduled performance at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo.
Ticketholders will see Jack Ingram in her place, according to a news release issued a short time ago by rodeo officials.
Things get started at 7 p.m. with a pro-rodeo competition at the Travis County Expo Center, immediately followed by Ingram’s concert.
Learn more about Ingram, who has previously performed at the Austin City Limits Music Festival and alongside singer Sheryl Crow when her tour rolled through town, by reading this 2006 Austin American-Statesman profile.
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Spin party turns 21 (though only 13 officially)
Spin magazine has been passed by Blender in ad pages and number of subscribers, and it’s not as current as Maxim, which just panned the Coldplay record currently being mixed. But when it comes to SXSW parties, a Spin laminate is still a hot piece of plastic.
Spin’s relationship with SXSW goes back to year two, when then-publisher Bob Guccione Jr. was the keynote speaker. When the Gooch and suite mate Bart Bull weren’t showing each other upper body excercises they could do using furniture in their hotel room, they had little impromptu parties late at night. This was the first time the words “Spin party” were uttered at SX.
For the next seven years, the Spin party was held in a hotel suite at the Hyatt Regency on Saturday night after the clubs had closed. It was usually the only place to get booze after you’d been amped up all night.
The first official Spin party, with sponsors and everything, was in 1996 at the Hyatt, with Money Mark from the Beastie Boys playing records, as well as a keyboard. The next year, Spin glommed onto the free Iggy Pop show on Brazos Street at Sixth, renting the Governor’s Suite at the Driskill, which overlooked the stage.
Spin started getting serious with their closing party soirees ten years ago, taking over the Naked Grape dance club (currently Spiro’s) to present Old 97’s (with guest John Doe) and something called Q Bert Abstract Message.
Let’s continue this stumble down memory lane:
1999: Scarborough Building with Built to Spill, Flaming Lips and Juan Atkins.
2000: Covert Buick with Meat Puppets & Supersuckers
2001: The ARCH with the BellRays, Idlewilde and Brassy
2002: Strait Music with South & Elbow. The cops busted this party at 3:30 a.m. because it didn’t meet the TABC standards as a private party. (There was no list of invitees, just a bunch of people in line with fliers.)
2003: The Spin party moved to Stubb’s on Friday afternoon and Hot Hot Heat, Black Keys, D4 and Sahara Hotnights played to sparse crowds. The Spin party lost its lustre in the sunlight.
2004: Saved by Sweden! The party rebounded with the Hives putting on a great rock show and rebuilding the tradition. Also on the bill at Stubbs were the Killers, Von Bondies and the Bronx.
2005: The New York Dolls headlined, giving many scensters under the age of 50 the chance to finally know how cool it is to say, “I’m goin’ to see the Dolls.” Hold Steady, Bloc Party, Futureheads and Louis XIV were also on the bill.
2006: Charlatans UK, We Are Scientists, the Stills, the Go! Team and the Cribs played at Stubb’s.
2007: Buzzcocks, Kings of Leon, Galactic, Mew and the Fratellis, with guest Pete Townshend. K. of L. stole the show.
2008: Featuring Vampire Weekend, the biggest SXSW buzz band since Arctic Monkeys, and headlined by X. With the Raveonettes, the Whigs, Ben Jelen, Switches and deejay sets from Diplo and Pandemonium Jones, this is going to be, perhaps, the toughest Spin party to get into.
But one Austin360 poster will receive two passes via our “Write and Win” contest. Find out Monday who that lucky person is.
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Perez Hilton’s SXSW party
First Rachael Ray and now Perez Hilton? Remember when only record labels, magazines and Charles Attal hosted SXSW parties? Now we’ve got foodies to go with the hoodies and the hottest bash is thrown by a guy who got famous scribbling naughty stuff on paparazzi photos.
The “Queen of All Media” - Hilton, not Ray - will partay Saturday at the old Redrum location (401 Sabine Street), which has been renamed the Palm Door (get it?) for SXSW. Since the Seattle party runs from noon to 6 p.m. Saturday, the Hilton blowout will probably be afterhours. As it should. The only act (of 10) Perez has confirmed so far is the Swedish dance-pop singer Robyn.
Just a hunch, but the five SXSW acts most likely to be booked for the Perezidential party are: 1) Sissy Wish 2) the Ting Tings 3) Ryan Cabrera 4) Duffy and 5) the Black Ghosts. Sia would be obvious, but she has a date in Dallas that night.
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The Spin party pass contest is officially closed
Thanks to all who entered, we’ve had a great time reading your entries. We’ll notify the lucky winner by Monday.
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Ice Cube and gospel?
The Jones Family Singers, the ACL Fest faves from Bay City, have been added to the free March 15 show at Auditorium Shores headlined by gangsta rapper Ice Cube. The JFS hit the stage at 2:30 p.m. followed by Christian Scott (3:30pm), Lyrics Born (4:30pm), Strong Arm Steady (5:30pm), Jean Grae (6:15pm), Talib Kweli (7pm) and Ice Cube (8pm).
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Juanes to play Erwin Center
The Erwin Center has announced that Colombian singer Juanes will play April 16 in Austin. It’s a stop on the singer/songwriter/guitarist’s “La Vida World Tour.”
Tickets, which will be priced from $39.50 to $84.50, will go on sale at 10 a.m. Saturday March 15 at all Texas Box Office outlets. More details here.
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Review: Styx at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo
Styx was a band that was truly reviled back in the day. Punk-adoring elitists like David Wild, Robert Hilburn and Lester Bangs threw invective upon invective at them, yet they sold a remarkable 54 million albums.
Nowadays the press ignores them, but Styx are still plying their trade on summer package rock tours, making a bundle in the process, and giving the 40-plus brigade something to cheer about.
The band’s Thursday night concert at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo really was all about how it once was; before “no-talents” like the Ramones, and later the ghastly White Stripes, gave rock ‘n’ roll a frontal lobotomy. For the Styx fans in attendance it was about the majesty and pomp of it all and, for one night at least, the elite critics could take their “realism,” their “minimalism” and their “credibility” and, well, shove it.
Songs like “Blue Collar Man,” “Grand Illusion,” “Fooling Yourself” and “Lorelei” were delivered with style and the fans lapped it up, as if they’d been transported to a time where rock made sense to them once more. They cheered their returning heroes on passionately for the hour or so performance and why shouldn’t they?
Despite a puzzling cover version of “I Am The Walrus” this “new” lineup of Lawrence Gowan, Austin residents Ricky Phillips and Todd Sucherman playing behind the remaining old-guard of James “JY” Young and Tommy Shaw gave it their all. Sure, it might have been served with a little ham and cheese, but that didn’t matter.
This Styx show may not be remembered in the annals of rock history, but this audience were hugely entertained and left deliriously happy.
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Weekend picks: Celtic punk, battling laptops and free drinks
Friday: Dropkick Murphys at Stubb’s. The song everyone knows from this decade-old Celtic-punk band is the hysterical and frankly wicked-awesome ‘I’m Shipping Up to Boston’ from the soundtrack to ‘The Departed.’ The rest of their songs are almost as wicked-awesome. With Big G and Everybody Out. This show is sold out. —- Joe Gross
Saturday: AMODA Digital Showcase at the Mohawk. It’s a mashup of music and technology as 16 Texas electronic musicians square off in a “laptop battle.” DJs New Berlin and Richard Gear and MCs Zeale 32 and Phranchize will also perform. $7, $4 for AMODA members, free with SXSW Interactive badge. —-Deborah Sengupta Stith
Saturday: Psych Fest 1 at The Red Barn. The Black Angels host a festival of psychedelic rock. Acts include Spindrift, the Strange Boys, Acid Tomb, the Quarter After and more. $10. Doors at noon. The Red Barn, 6701 Burnet Road, north of RM 2222/Koenig Lane. —- J.G.
Saturday: Faceless Werewolves at Beerland. A release party for the band’s new album, ‘Pardon Me, Are Those Your Claws On My Back?’ This shindig will also feature sets from Dazzling King Solomon, Ripe and more. —- J.G.
Saturday: Wanda Jackson at the Continental Club.Yes, this 70-year-old rockabilly pioneer is still with us. With 71-year old R&B rocker Andre Williams. —- J.G.
Sunday: imeem.com’s Smash Up at the Beauty Bar. Streaming music site imeem.com (which, incidentally, has created an excellent SXSW audio guide) hosts a shindig featuring performances from DJ Klever, Prince Klassen and The Fluokids and an open bar from 8 to 10 p.m. And, bless them, it’s free and open to the general public. —-D.S.S.
Sunday-Tuesday: Yeast by Sweet Beast 2008.All the noise and avant-garde music you can handle. Sunday night, check out A Pink Cloud, Muzak John, Doug Ferguson and more. Monday’s performers include Aurora Plastics Company, Ralph White, Like Dogs and more. Tuesday, get your ears blown by Omar Tamez and Gustavo Lorenzatti, Headdress and more. $5 a night. Doors at 7:30 p.m. Sunday and Monday shows at Plush. Tuesday show at Salvage Vanguard Theatre. —- J.G.
Bonus Tuesday picks
The day before the SXSW music festival starts. A pre-SXSW music frenzy in all but name.
- Naked Raygun, Hex Dispensers, Iron Lung, Fight Amp and more throw down at Red 7, 611 E. Seventh St. 476-8100.
- White Denim headlines a massive bill at Emo’s, 603 Red River St. 477-3667.
- There’s a Guided By Voices hoot night at Club DeVille, 900 Red River St. 457-0900.
- Art Disaster 5 includes sets from Belaire, Brothers And Sisters, Golden Bear, the Mercers and many more at the Beauty Bar, 617 E Seventh St. 391-1943.
- Van Morrison is playing Austin Music Hall, 208 Nueces St. 263-4146.
- The Silos, Syd Straw and Jon Dee Graham are at the Hole In the Wall, 2538 Guadalupe St. 477-4747.
- Assuming they all get their visas, Iranian bands 127 and Hypernova join bands from all over the world at Friends on 6th, 208 E. Sixth St. 320-8193.
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Dolly Parton will not be playing SXSW
SXSW reports that Dolly Parton has formally dropped out of SXSW.
Parton was forced to cancel her upcoming tour due to an back injury, but there was hope that she would be able to appear at SXSW.
Alas, she is not.
Review: Willie Nelson with the Dallas Symphony
Photos: Willie at the rodeo | More Willie
DALLAS — It was like seeing Tiger Woods’ knees knocking on a five foot putt on Sunday or Barack Obama stumbling during a speech on unity. Willie Nelson looked uncomfortable onstage early in his set Wednesday with the Dallas Symphony and the icon-in-the-headlights look had nothing to do with the opulent Meyerson Symphony Center setting, as would be proven later.
Nelson seemed out of his element because he was following the symphony, when he’s usually the one in control. It was strange seeing Willie take vocal cues from conductor David Campbell on such well-worn classics as “Crazy” and “Funny How Time Slips Away.” He barely touched his guitar except on “Night Life,” with its stinging “listen to what the blues are saying” tangent. And he “got totally lost” on one tune and had to start over. Harmonica player Micky Raphael was his lone musical security blanket.
But the 45-minute set with the symphony had its stirring, chicken skin moments, such as when the crescendo of strings lifted “Healing Hands of Time” to a spiritual place and when Willie sang Frank Sinatra’s “Oh! What It Seemed To Me,” as if his idol were standing next to him, ready to sing the next verse. The set ended with Willie’s “Valentine,” with a poignant solo intro, and the standard “I’ll Be Seeing You,” our hero comfortably in the pocket.
Have you ever been cooped inside on a beautiful day wearing church clothes and tight shoes and then you’re outside, free, off to the beach with the jacket, tie and shoes tossed into the back seat? That’s how Willie looked when he bounded onstage for the second part of the show, backed by Family. “Whiskey River” never flowed so jubilantly. The next 90 minutes were something special. “Still Is Still Moving To Me” was a brilliant swirl of musical hues in the acoustically perfect concert hall, while the old standbys — “Help Me Make It Through the Night,” “Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain,” “Angel Flyin’ Too Close To the Ground” were invigorated by the “high cotton” trappings.
The only “eh” number of the Family set was a curious, samba-sounding “Me and Bobbie McGee.” Willie could be nicknamed “the red-headed strangler” for what he did to that one.
The show’s climax came with a rousing “On the Road Again,” with the sellout crowd of 2,000 on its feet and clapping a beat, followed by “Always On My Mind,” a great vocal showcase that will never get old.
That seemed to be a perfect place to end the concert. But Willie and the band played another half hour, highlighted by a gypsy-speckled musical conversation between Willie and sister Bobbie Nelson on Django Reinhardt’s “Nuages.” At the end Willie signed autographs from the stage for Poodie knows how long, while the band kept playing the groove from show-closing “A Peaceful Solution.”
They never talk about his smile, but it can light up any room, whether it’s a rodeo or a symphony.
Willie Nelson at the Morton H. Meyerson Symphony Center March 5
Set list
Willie and the Dallas Symphony
1. “Ain’t It Funny How Time Slips Away”
2. “Crazy”
3. “Night Life”
4. “Healing Hands of Time”
5. “Falling In Love Again”
6. “All the Things You Are”
7. “If I Had My Way”
8. “Oh! What It Seemed To Be”
9. “Valentine”
10. “I’ll Be Seeing You”
Willie and Family
1. “Whiskey River”
2. “Still Is Still Moving”
3. “Beer For My Horses”
4. “Down Yonder”
5. “Workin’ Man Blues”
6. “Help Me Make It Through the Night”
7. “Me and Bobbie McGee”
8. “Over You Again”
9. “Moment of Forever”
10. “Me and Paul”
11. “If You’ve Got the Money”
12. “Blue Eyes Crying In the Rain”
13. “Blue Skies”
14. “Georgia On My Mind”
15. “All of Me”
16. Mamas Don’t Let Your Babies Grow Up To Be Cowboys”
17. “Angel Flying Too Close to the Ground”
18. “On the Road Again”
19. “Always On My Mind”
20. “Nuages”
21. “Pancho and Lefty”
22. “City of New Orleans”
23. “Superman”
24. “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore”
25. “Will the Circle Be Unbroken/ I’ll Fly Away”
26. “A Peaceful Solution”
SXSW meet the bands — Little Freddie King
Meet Little Freddie King of New Orleans. He’s part of the Ponderosa Stomp showcase at 10 p.m. March 14 at the Continental Club, 1315 S. Congress Ave.
Describe your sound for someone who has not heard your music before.
King: It ain’t rocket science; it’s the blues from the backwoods of my Delta birthplace and the common law marriage of my ass to the urban, street sounds of New Orleans black community. “Messin’ Around Tha House” (2008 release) is just me drinking and thinking about all the bad women in my life.
Name five albums you could not live without.
Being poor and a sharecropper’s son, I didn’t buy albums. I had a few 45 rpms of Muddy and “The Wolf” — I listened a little to the radio and liked Lightnin’ Hopkins and Jimmy Reed. I can live without albums, but not my guitar.
Name five acts you want to see at SXSW.
I don’t even know who’s playing. They’re probably young enough to be my grandchildren. I was playing my guitar before most of them were born.
What’s the story behind your name?
My name came from Big Freddy (King). I knew him back when he used to come over to New Orleans. I played bass guitar on a couple of gigs when I was a youngster and knew all his songs. When Big Freddy left town and I would play the juke joints the people would call me Little Freddie King. I just call the band Little Freddie King band.
What is the one thing you want everyone to know about your band?
Very dependable and keep me in the groove with my jump timing.
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Fire marshal to party planners: You need a permit. You have always needed a permit
Assistant Fire Marshal Don Smith, on behalf of the members of the Public Assembly Code Enforcement (PACE) task force, would like to make something as clear as possible:
If you are having a party during SXSW at place that does not feature live music the other 51 weeks a year, you need a permit.
Not sure if you need a permit? Look here for a list of permit-related questions.
“I think that was some of the confusion last year,” Smith said Wednesday. “There has always been a fire code a requirement for a permit for a temporary change of use.”
For example, if you are changing from a store or warehouse to public assembly (i.e., a party/day show/ night show/ etc.), you need a temporary change of use permit.
Smith has said the department has received about 50 requests for permits.
“It’s the process by which the city of Austin can look at your facility and say, for example, ‘You can have a capacity of 200 people if you move this set of display racks’ or ‘We can’t allow people to use a second floor if there’s just one exit.’”
Investigations during SXSW are complaint-driven. Complaints can range from a neighbor calling about noise or car blocking a driveway.
“The main two objectives are to keep the people safe and maintain the quality of life,” Smith said.
A PACE team will be out during the festival as well as a complement of fire inspectors.
Smith said that complaints came from both the neighborhoods and SXSW. “South By Southwest were complying with the requirements and other people were not,” Smith said.
Lists of day parties are easy to find on the Web including at Austin360.
The bottom line is this: If you are holding a day or night party during SXSW, there is no reason to think that you won’t get a visit from PACE or fire marshals. Make sure your permits are in order and that you know what they mean.
If you have any questions, Smith says to email pace@ci.austin.tx.us, where one of 63 city experts on the various codes and laws will give you an answer
In the immortal words of Public Enemy on the opening of “It Takes A Nation of Millions to Hold Us Back,” “consider yourself….WARNED!”
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More free SXSW shows
John Conquest and 3rd Coast Music takes over Opal Divine’s Penn Field March 13-15. All shows are free and open to the public.
THURSDAY MARCH 13 11 a.m. Chip Taylor noon Sally Spring 1 p.m. Jo Carol Pierce 2 p.m. Jitterbug Vipers 3 p.m. Jenny Reynolds 4 p.m. Freddie Steady 5 w/Jenny Wolfe 5 p.m. Michael Weston King 6 p.m. Leslie Anne & Her Juke Jointers 7 p.m. James Hand 8 p.m. Mary Cutrufello & the Havoline Supremes 9 p.m. Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles
FRIDAY MARCH 14 11 a.m. Rod Picott 11:35 a.m. Mary Battiata 12:10 p.m. Ronny Elliott 12:45 p.m. Troy Campbell 1:20 p.m. Michael Weston King 2 p.m. Gurf Morlix & Sam Baker 3 p.m. Dave Insley & the Careless Smokers 4 p.m. The Rizdales 5 p.m. The Swindles 6 p.m. Larry Lange & His Lonely Knights 7 p.m. Rick Broussard’s Two Hoots & A Holler 8 p.m. Sally Spring 9 p.m. Bill Kirchen & friends
SATURDAY MARCH 15 11 a.m. Ed Pettersen 11:30 p.m. Jim Patton & Sherry Brokus noon Chip Dolan 12:30 p.m. Will T. Massey 1 p.m. Band of Heathens 2 p.m. Erin Harpe 3 p.m. Jim Stringer & the AM Band w/Ruby Jane 4 p.m. David Serby 5 p.m. Jaimi Shuey 6 p.m. Demolition String Band 7 p.m. Dave Insley & the Careless Smokers 8 p.m. Jesse Dayton & Brennen Leigh 9 p.m. Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles
Catching up with Willie before the rodeo
In an impromptu interview with Willie Nelson before his Texas Star and Rodeo show Tuesday, we learned ….
WILLIE AND WYNTON: Nelson used some time before the show on Tuesday to show some guests on the bus a rough cut of the forthcoming DVD (and album) project featuring himself and Wynton Marsalis live at Lincoln Center. The duo, accompanied by Family Band member Mickey Raphael on harmonica, along with Marsalis’ quintet, recorded four performances at Jazz At Lincoln Center’s Allen Room on Jan. 12 and 13. The album/DVD project is scheduled for a fall release. Watching the video, Nelson sang along softly to “Basin St. Blues” and “Bright Lights, Big City” as the performances played onscreen.
Here’s a link to Sony Legacy, which is planning a huge Willie box set for release on April 1, the kick-off to a year-long celebration by the label.
A PEACEFUL SOLUTION: Nelson has a new Web site dedicated to the Willie Nelson Peace Research Institute, an entity dating back to at least April 2007 (see site for archives). The site seems to be a clearinghouse and forum for political and ecological activists — as well as for Willie himself of course. Their mission statement describes WNPRI as believing “in the promise of Peace on Earth in our lifetime as the birthright of our global human family.”
Nelson has written a song, “Peaceful Solution,” which is posted on the site, along with an invitation for anyone to download and/or record their own version of the tune — even rewrite it as they see fit. So far, he noted on the bus, upwards of 150 people have either recorded the song or filmed videos, including his 6-year-old great-grandson Zack, who sang the song as a school project. Zack joined Willie and the band onstage at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo Tuesday night to sing along on the tune, the closing number of the set.
Nelson said he and his daughter Amy wrote the song at 3 in the morning on board Nelson’s bus on the way to the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival (and when was the last time you heard a member of the Country Music Hall of Fame say, “…and we were on our way to Coachella”?!).
END OF AN ERA, GUITAR-STRAP WISE: For the first time in my experience (except for when Trigger was in hiding after the IRS seizures of Willie’s property), Nelson wasn’t wearing his famous woven red-white-and-blue guitar strap on stage. The distinctive item — for decades as much a part of his persona as his bandana or long hair — looped around his neck, rather than over the shoulder as most straps do.
But Tuesday night, he was playing Trigger with a plain leather strap. Poodie Locke, Nelson’s longtime stage manager, said the woven strap had begun hurting his neck. “We had to buy him the softest (new) strap we could find,” Locke said.
(Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Review: Willie Nelson at the Texas Fair and Rodeo
Rodeos agree with Willie Nelson.
There is something about the quality of his crisp, twangy, slightly mournful voice that goes hand-in-hand with the smells of the chutes and the working stock, the roughhewn textures of the rigging and the saddles and the dust of the arena that hangs in the air after the last bull has thrown the last cowboy.
Acoustically, the Travis County Expo Center, where Nelson performed at the Star of Texas Fair and Rodeo on Tuesday, is, let’s say, a light year or two from Lincoln Center. (On his bus, prior to the show, Nelson proudly screened a forthcoming DVD of he and jazz trumpeter Wynton Marsalis performing at that very venue).
And, as with most rodeo concerts, the musical part of the program was truncated, just an hour long — barely more than a soundcheck by the marathon standards Nelson sets onstage.
But for an audience replete with barbecue, beer and bareback bronc riding, a Willie Nelson concert full of sad songs, waltzes and honky-tonk standards was the perfect nightcap to the festivities.
Nelson seems to have recovered completely from the carpal tunnel surgery he underwent a couple of years ago (he’s opening shows with the demanding “Whiskey River” again, rather than easing into his set) and his playing has regained seemingly all of its fluidity and power.
During the medley of “Funny How Time Slips Away/Crazy/Night Life,” which he has been playing since just after the Red Sea parted, he found new ways into the venerable music by alternately hammering the strings and coaxing out silvery filigrees of melody. As much as his set seems carved in stone, Nelson still finds a way to eke out something fresh and unexpected in every performance, even at a rodeo gig that lesser performers might have phoned in.
Along with the mandatory hits — “Good-Hearted Woman,” “Me and Paul,” “Blue Eyes Cryin’ In the Rain” (which segued neatly into Irving Berlin’s “Blue Skies”) — Nelson also essayed some more recent material, including the tongue-in-cheek “Superman” and “You Don’t Think I’m Funny Anymore” and his meltingly lovely cover of Kris Kristofferson’s “Moment of Forever.”
The evening ended with Nelson joined onstage by his 6-year-old great-grandson Zack Thomas, who joined the him in singing “Peaceful Solution,” a new Nelsonian plea for personal and political renewal and reconciliation.
(Photo by Jay Janner/AMERICAN-STATESMAN)
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Enchanting SXSW party
Propaganda Media has got quite a lineup for its day party, Thursday March 13 at Enchanted Forest, a three-acre outdoor art gallery at 1412 W. Oltorf St. It’s five bucks to get in, but look at all the cool bands from Britain (and Austin) you get on two stages:
2-2:30pm The Barker Band
3-3:30pm Hey Negrita
4-4:30pm Alabama 3
5-5:30pm Buttercup
6-6:30pm Jet Lag
7-7:30pm People in Planes
8-8:30pm Scissors for Lefty
9-9:30pm the Dedringers
10-10:30ppm Magic Wands
11-11:30pm Dan Dyer
12-12:30am Mike Farris
Stage 2
2:30-3pm John Smith l
3:30-4pm The Summer Wardrobe
4:30-5pm Dustin Welch
5:30-6pm Caroline Herring
6:30-7pm Band of Heathens
7:30-8pm Chris Rees
8:30-9pm Graham Weber
9:30-10pm Tommy Womack
10:30-11p Robert Towey
11:30-12pm Wailing Walls
Who doesn’t love SXSW?
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Radio SXSW
Here’s an idea whose time has come: an Internet radio station that plays only music by artists coming to SXSW. Click here to listen.
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Willie and Wynton and the boys?
Further proof that Willie can play with anyone. Two months ago, Nelson and Wynton Marsalis played together on four sold-out shows at Lincoln Center. The shows were recorded and are headed to being the subject of a new CD. Since Willie just released “Moment of Forever” on Jan. 29, the Willie/ Wynton project may be on hold for awhile.
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Lovett to salute Uncle Walt
As a young songwriter, Lyle Lovett was profoundly influenced by the sophisticated folk music of Uncle Walt’s Band, the South Carolina-to-Austin trio led by Walter Hyatt. So it’s fitting Lovett will be performing a couple songs at the Austin Music Awards tribute to Hyatt, who died in a 1996 airplane crash.
The awards show, to be held Wednesday March 12 at the Austin Music Hall, will be headlined by Roky Erickson and Okkervil River.
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Rachael Ray, “Pedro” at SXSW
Big Bob Scheider fan and Food Network super-mmmmer Rachael Ray is hosting a “Feedback” party at the Beauty Bar on Saturday March 15th. Bands set to perform are the Raveonettes, the Stills, Scissors for Lefty, the Cringe and Autovaughn. At the turntable will be Efrem Ramirez, aka “Pedro” from “Napoleon Dynamite.”
Ray is married to John Cusimano, the lead singer of the Cringe.
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Review: Marilyn Manson at Austin Music Hall
When the black shroud with two sharp and bloody Ms over the stage finally dropped, the crowd erupted with appreciation and anticipation for this reunion of Marilyn Manson and Twiggy Ramirez for the Rape of the World tour.
The enthusiasm of the roaring masses of all-ages fans clad in black T-shirts, corsets and fishnets Saturday night at Austin Music Hall didn’t seem hindered by the hour wait between the opening act and Manson.
As the group took off with “Cruci Fiction in Space” on a stage barely illuminated by faux candlelight, the balcony crowd leaped up to the railing and the floor audience writhed like a dense bed of worms. They refused to settle down for the remainder of the set, which lasted an hour and change.
The band started out strong with Ramirez’s numbing bass line and Manson joining in singing, then screaming, then chanting into the hilt of a knife-shaped mic bending into the crowd like a stygian hunchback. But the stage theatrics had simmered since earlier dates in the tour. Sure there were strobe light explosions, colorful displays on a light screen behind the band and even a spotlight tirade about President Bush between gloomy, grand rock songs. But where were the mannequin decapitations and songs played from towers on stage?
The majority of the crowd didn’t seem to mind, however. Maybe they were a little preoccupied. The rough and romantic, catchy chorus of “Heart-Shaped Glasses” off their latest — “Eat Me, Drink Me” — had some fans full of emotion and kissing while being tossed about during this song reportedly about Manson’s actress girlfriend, Evan Rachel Wood. The stage went black during the Eurythmics’ “Sweet Dreams” except Manson’s headlight glasses as the guitar intro started up, and the crowd recognized and welcomed the song at once.
Manson’s voice was deep and eerie, then he screeched along with the guitar before tossing an intimate keepsake to the audience - a towel garnished with his crotch sweat.
New York’s Ours opened with entrancing guitars and intense, soaring vocals.
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Review: Justice and the MySpace tour launch
While rave culture remains, well, a cult in the United States, electronic dance music that works in song form is doing pretty well for itself. Daft Punk and its Pink Floyd-ish ziggurat can entertain thousands at Lollapalooza. LCD Soundsystem’s “Sound of Silver” is as much one of last year’s best pop albums as one of the most compelling electronic records. And then there’s Justice, a whole lot like Daft Punk in sound, not so much in execution. No robot helmets, for example. But plenty of juiced-up electro hammered into (largely instrumental) verse-chorus-verse.
Justice — also known as the team of French electro artists Gaspard Augé and Xavier de Rosnay — is headlining this year’s MySpace tour, which kicked off Monday night with sold-out show at Stubb’s. It also happened to fall on the coldest night Austin’s seen in some months and it was often hard to tell if the crowd was dancing or simply rhythmically huddling together for warmth.
Opener Fancy was not able to play — no explanation was given — so DJ Medhi rocked the crowd longer than he might otherwise have. The French-Tunisian DJ shares a European label with Justice (the brilliantly-named Ed Banger Records), but his set of spiky, thudding electro reflected his interests in American hip-hop producers Timbaland and the Neptunes, who both have blurred the borders between techno, house and hip-hop.
Justice took the stage around 9 p.m., light-up white cross in the center of a bank of blinking lights, a wall of Marshall amps flanking Augé and de Rosnay, both of whom were decked out in leather biker jackets. The mix of rock and electronic visual trope matched the tone of music. Their electro is kind of junky stuff, somewhere between the subtle nuance of rave-worthy house and the Big Beat blasts of a Chemical Brothers. But it was a weirdly paced set. Hits such as “D.A.N.C.E.” and “The Party” were present, if cut to pieces, repurposed and remixed. The duo refused to pay off some of the big four-on-the-floor moments when the music seemed to demand it. This scanned as strange from a group that trades on exactly those sorts of almost cheesy, hands in the air moments. Perhaps these moments will be pumped up in subsequent dates, but it made Justice seem not meathead rockerish, but oddly progressive and arty, as if they wanted the dancers to stand there and listen in spots.
Needless to say, it also seemed really French.
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The SXSW Levi’s/Fader Fort returns
Hipsters and hip-hop heads rejoice! The wildly popular SXSW Fader side party will return to the Fort, the old American Youth Works building on Fourth Street that they occupied last year, once again. I caught Redman, Kid Sister, Datarock and a whole mess of others at this free event last year. This year’s lineup is yet to be solidified, but the Fort, located at 204 E. 4th Street, will host events from 1 to 8 p.m. daily. And yes, libations will be served. All events are invite only/RSVP required. Here’s the RSVP link, if you’re trying to get on the list. And of course, don’t forget to check out our comprehensive SXSW side party guide to keep up to speed on all of next week’s free events.
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Hot SXSW tip!
SXSW keynoter Lou Reed is not scheduled to play the fest, but the word from a top-secret source is that he’ll play Thursday with an Austin band. We know he’s a big fan of Okkervil River, but their only official show is at the Austin Music Awards with Roky Erickson. Best bet is Reed acolyte Alejandro Escovedo, who’s playing 10;30 p.m. at Stubb’s on Thursday.
Also, wonder if Sweet Lou will turn up for the “Berlin” party on Thursday afternoon at 204 E. 4th St.? Acts such as Joseph Arthur are doing Reed covers.
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Not SXSW- Tuesday and Wednesday
John Conquest of 3rd Coast Music does a great job compiling all the music happening around town March 11-16 that isn’t part of SXSW. Here’s the action on the day before SXSW and the opening night. Shows are free and open to the public unless otherwise noted. Also, the Opal Divine’s and Waterloo Ice House locations are the ones on West Sixth Street.
TUESDAY 11th
5:30 Bonneville County Pine Box at Freddie’s 6 p.m. Brennen Leigh at ArtZ; 6:30 Jason Weems at ArtZ
7 p.m. ‘40 Years Of Rock & Roll Photography’ by Larry Hulst; music by Ted Roddy, Eric Hisaw, Chrissy Flatt, RG Stark, Craig Marshall, Bonny Holmes, Penny Jo Pullus, Ron Flynt, Shelley King, Leeann Atherton, Dave Newbould, Greezy Wheels at Opal Divine’s Freehouse (SIMS benefit)
7:10 Chip Dolan at ArtZ; 7.30 Josh Halverson at Freddie’s; 7:50 Alyse Black at ArtZ; 8 p.m. Erin Harpe at Evangeline Cafe; Susan Cowsill at Saxon Pub; 8:30 Claude ‘Butch’ Morgan at ArtZ; 9 p.m. Erik Hokkanen’s Laboratory at Flipnotics; 9:10 Bob Cheevers at ArtZ; 10 p.m. Bruce Hughes at Saxon; midnight Warren Hood at Saxon.
WEDNESDAY 12th
11 a.m. HalleyAnna Opal Divine’s Freehouse;; 11:30 a.m. Patterson Barrett at Opal Divine’s; Noon John McNicholas at Yard Dog; Mark Jungers at Opal Divine’s; Randy Weeks at Mother Egan’s; 12:30 Malcolm Holcombe at Yard Dog; 12:40 Steve Poltz at Mother Egan’s; Jimmy Baldwin at Opal Divine’s; 1 p.m. Ed Harcourt at Yard Dog; 1:15 Jason Eady at Opal Divine’s; 1:20 James McMurtry at Mother Egan’s; 1:30 Sylvie Simmons at Yard Dog; 1:45 Ronny Elliott & Rebekah Pulley at Yard Dog; 2 p.m. Eric Hisaw Band at Guero’s; Chris Stamey at Mother Egan’s; Jay Boy Adams at Opal Divine’s.
2:30 Lorna Bracewell at Yard Dog; 2:40 Nels Andrews at Guero’s; Tom Freund at Mother Egan’s; 3 p.m. Steve Poltz at Opal Divine’s, Danny Fast Fingers at Freddie’s, Rich Minus at Hole in the Wall, giddy up, helicopter! at Yard Dog.
3:20 Ana Egge at Guero’s; Shawn Mullins Mother Egan’s; 3:45 Starsailor at Yard Dog;
4 p.m. Sam Baker and Walt Wilkins at Opal Divine’s, Beaver Nelson at Guero’s, the Swindles at Hole in the Wall, Jon Dee Graham at Mother Egan’s, Have Gun, Will Travel at Yard Dog; 4:40 AJ Roach at Guero’s; 4:45 the Ditchflowers at Yard Dog.
5 p.m. Hey Negrita at Hole in the Wall; 5:20 Michael Fracasso at Guero’s, Chip Robinson/Eric Amber at Mother Egan’s; 5:30 Guitar Shorty at Yard Dog, Darryl Lee Rush at Opal Divine’s, Andy McIntyre at Freddie’s.
6 p.m. Matt the Electrician at Guero’s, Blue Mountain at Mother Egan’s, Tesa Canzona at ArtZ, Buzz Cason, Tommy Alverson, Dallas Wayne and Trent Summar at Waterloo Icehouse on Sixth, Barker Band at Hole in the Wall, Bo Porter at Saxon.
6:20 Pear Ratz at Opal Divine’s; 6:30 Amanda Cunningham at ArtZ, Michael Fracasso at Flipnotics (Triangle); 6:40 Monahans at Guero’s; 6:45 the Silos at Mother Egan’s; 7 p.m. T Tex Edwards w/Joe Dickens and the Transgressors at Hole in the Wall, Cleve and Sweet Mary Hattersley at Evangeline; 7:10 the Flyin’ A’s at ArtZ; 7:20 Moonlight Towers at Guero’s; 7:30 Mikey Wysocki at Freddie’s; 7:45 Patty Hurst Shifter at Mother Egan’s; 7:50 Abi Tapia at ArtZ.
8 p.m. Elizabeth McQueen and the Firebrands at Guero’s, Walt Wilkins and the Mystiqueros at Waterloo Icehouse on Sixth, Ring Shout at Flipnotics, Paula Nelson at Saxon ($5); 8:30 Brian Kremer at ArtZ; 8:45 the Drams at Mother Egan’s.
9 p.m. Eleven Hundred Springs at Waterloo Icehouse, Darryl Lee Rush at Opal Divine’s,
Sea Legs at Flipnotics, BoDeans at Threadgill’s WHQ ($20), 9:10 Amelia Spicer at ArtZ;
10 p.m. Darryl Lee Rush at Waterloo Icehouse, Astronaut Suit at Flipnotics; Nathan Hamilton at Flipnotics (Triangle), Monte Montgomery at Saxon ($10);
11 p.m. Miles from Nowhere at Waterloo Icehouse, Wiretree at Flipnotics; midnight Meagan Tubb at Saxon
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PCP party open to public
The annual Pop Culture Press party, Saturday, March 15th at the Dog & Duck Pub, has released this year’s lineup. It’s an all ages show and invites are not needed. The music starts at noon with the Susan Cowsill Band, followed by a Cowsills reunion.
Other acts include the Slits (1:15 p.m.), Magic Christian featuring Eddie Munoz, Clem Burke, and the Flamin’ Groovies’ Cyril Jordan (2 p.m.), the Service Industry (3 p.m.), the Rite Flyers (4 p.m.), the Stems (4:45 p.m.), Antietam (5:45 p.m.), Radar Brothers (6:30 p.m.)
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Village Voice party at SXSW
… And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead will headline a strong bill at the Village Voice party Friday, March 14 at La Zona Rosa. Also playing will be the Black Keys, Cribs, Soundtrack of Our Lives, and Health. Organizers are saying the party is open to the public (21 and over only), but that doesn’t sound right. My advice: print out a copy of this item and present it at the door for admission.
Recently dropped by Interscope like a sack of old Chinese food, Trail of Dead are currently recording an album with producer Mike McCarthy (Spoon, Patty Griffin) and will, no doubt, use the VV party as an excuse to blow off steam and break stuff.
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Waterloo Top 10 for the week ending March 1
Ghostland Observatory, ‘Robotique Majestique’ (Trashy Moped)
Vallejo, ‘Thicker Than Water’ (Quadra Entertainment)
Vampire Weekend, ‘s/t’ (XL)
Robert Plant & Alison Krauss, ‘Raising Sand’ (Rounder)
Bob Schneider, ‘When the Sun Breaks Down on the Moon’ (Shokorama)
Carolyn Wonderland, ‘Miss Understood’ (Mri Associated)
Radiohead, ‘In Rainbows’ (ATO)
Original Soundtrack: “Juno,” (Rhino)
Cat Power, ‘Jukebox’ (Matador)
Various Artists, ‘KGSR Broadcasts vol. 15’ (KGSR)
Review: Ghostland Observatory at Austin Music Hall
Ghostland Observatory’s extremely sold-out show Friday night at the Austin Music Hall had grown adults screaming like prepubescent teens and ultimately provided a eyeball-popping show climax that proved the current kings of the electronica-rock underground scene still possess numerous theatrical tricks and sonically blissful treasures up their sleeves.
Ghostland Observatory — drummer, keyboardist, man-behind-the-curtains (and powder-blue Dracula cape) Thomas Turner and guitarist, vocalist, good vibrations-shaman Aaron Behrens — crested a new wave in their career with their release party for their third full-length CD, “Robotique Majestique.” The electricity in the room generated by the interplay between band and audience was overwhelming.
Gentle reader, you need to understand something about Ghostland’s Friday’s show that unfortunately you would almost have had to witness to believe. After viewing more than 1,000 concerts in Austin over the past 30 years, your erstwhile reporter has never viewed an audience respond to an Austin band — or few world-renowned acts touring through town — like the cheering thousands responded to Ghostland Observatory at the Music Hall. Just to hear the applause and screams after each song, you would have thought the Beatles were in the room.
For 90 straight minutes, serotonin-flushed brains inspired deafening shrieks and hollers from the audience made up of all ages, from high school-age kids with their parents to hipsters to old-schoolers who danced to similar beats during the ’80s New Wave scene.
Sound quality at the revamped Austin Music Hall still needs work to make the venue audience-friendly for the majority of attendees under 6 feet tall who are not standing near the stage. If only the redesign architectural engineer had taken a cue from the acoustics and design of Greek amphitheaters; the melancholy and frustrated soul of the venue longs for an inclined floor that slopes toward a lowered stage (such as Austin’s Paramount Theatre, the old Ritz Theatre and all well-designed venues).
Ghostland’s laser light show and super-sized glimmering disco ball strategically accompanied the centipede-like twists of Behrens’ pelvis. Turner’s experience producing raves at the Music Hall multiple years ago was evident as every part of the performance was choreographed, resembling the way in which a rave DJ manipulates an audience.
Stand-out tracks from their first two albums have now transformed into battle-tested hits: “Stranger Lover” and “Rich Man” and the sing-along anthem, “Sad Sad City.” Although “Robotique Majestique” has only been out a few days, the audience was just as familiar with and enthusiastic about those songs as the old ones.
Behrens somehow managed to channel the soul of Freddie Mercury and the unpredictability of Screamin’ Jay Hawkins, transforming the genre-pastiche into copulation-inspiring dance music.
The jaw-dropping moment of the evening came during “The Band Marches On” a deep cut from their latest album, when — seemingly out of thin air — the University of Texas marching band drum corps appeared in uniform from behind the curtains of stage left and stage right, locking into the tribal rhythm of the song. During the tracks’ second verse, the Longhorn marching band brass section appeared from the flanks, filling the entirety of the stage behind Behrens and Turner. The inspired moment was the evening’s coup de grace, recalling the way Fleetwood Mac mixed pop song elements with USC’s marching band bombast in the equally punishing song “Tusk.” By that moment in the set, even the venue’s stone-faced security personnel were dancing and writhing, overtaken by Turner’s inescapable beats.
The set’s finale was bittersweet. The young dance music-loving hipsters who nursed Ghostland’s rise up to this point inevitably will have to yield their beloved band to the masses; Turner and Behrens’ continued ascent toward becoming an international phenomenon appears unstoppable.
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Roy “Pia” Ramos 1945- 2008
Singer Ruben Ramos, “El Gato Negro,” is the star of popular Austin band Texas Revolution, but bass-playing younger brother Roy Ramos was the musical driving force. Roy “Pia” Ramos had the idea in 1969 to move Ruben from behind the drums to the forefront with Mexican Revolution, which changed its name during the early ‘80s Tejano craze. Roy Ramos passed away Sunday morning after a brief illness. He was 62.
“I’m just so saddened,” said singer Little Joe Hernandez, whose band had played with the Ramos brothers in El Paso two weeks ago. “Besides being a great musician, Pia was such a lovely person. I never once heard him say a bad thing about anyone. He was always the first to praise you.”
Roy Ramos was the youngest of seven siblings who played in older brother Alfonso’s orchestra in the early 1960s. Roy and Ruben Ramos called their next band Mexican Revolution to tie in with the Chicano civil rights movement of the late ‘60s.
“I feel like we lost not just a musical brother, but a true brother,” Hernandez said.
Services will be Thursday at 10 a.m. at the Mission Funeral Home at 1615 East Cesar Chavez St.
Willie vid of the day
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SXSW: Meet the Bands - Miz Metro
Our e-mail chats with SXSW continue with NYC’s Miz Metro.
Music Source: Describe your sound for someone who has not heard your music before.
Miz Metro: Quirky soulful pop with jazz-blues-hip hop undertones, post modern lyrics with infectious melodies that make you scratch your head and ask, “Who’s that girl?”
Name five albums you could not live without.
“Etta James Rocks The House- The Live Recordings” - Etta James
“The Miseducation of Lauryn Hill” - Lauryn Hill
“Eraser” - Thom York
“Legend” - Bob Marley
“Dark Side of The Moon” - Pink Floyd
Name five acts you want to see at SXSW.
Santogold
Florence and The Machine
J Davey
6th Sense
Fire Flies
What’s the story behind your band’s name?
I started making earrings out of “trash” when I was bored one day waitressing and decided to turn old champagne corks into earrings. I ended up doing the same thing with old Metro cards.
Not too far after this, I was interviewing Lady Sovereign at the 2006 Winter Music Conference for Pangea.com and I had my full size door knocker Metro card earrings on. She was very fond of them. Lady Sov and I exchanged numbers because she was going to be recording in New York. The day after we met she texted me, “What’s up Miss Metrocard (yada yada)” and when I saw the “Miss Metro”, I dropped the “card” and the “s” and texted her back, “Ha-Miz Metro that’s it- you just named me”.
The name fit like a glove because I’ve grown up in Manhattan and have seen many sides of this city from the insane private penthouse views to the Fredrick Douglas Projects elevators. I’ve grown up playing basketball on the streets, running around for auditions, and taking the subway everywhere. I’ve thrown many of my “Urban Gypsy Circus” SoHo loft parties and I’ve sold comedy tickets on the street. I am the city girl who’s always on the grind. I’m Miz Metro.
What is the one thing you want everyone to know about your band?
That I’m a real storyteller and a serious songwriter who is dedicated to developing a craft. If you come to one of my shows or listen to my music, you’re going to have more than just fun, you’re going to learn something about me and hopefully yourself - and walk away with at least one of my songs stuck in your head.
(Photo from myspace.com/mizmetro )
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SXSW: Meet the Bands - The Choir Practice
Here, Coco Culbertson of The Choir Practice answers our questions via e-mail.
Music Source: Describe your sound for someone who has not heard your music before.
Coco Culbertson: Fresh and delicious… but a little too much.
Name five albums you could not live without.
- “Rumours” - Fleetwood Mac
- “On the Beach” - Mr. Young
- “XO” - Eliott Smith
- “Candy O” - The Cars
- “Let There be Rock/Powerage” - ACDC
Name five acts you want to see at SXSW.
I can’t narrow it down to just five!
What’s the story behind your band’s name?
Well we wanted to call ourselves The Choir ( pointing out the obvious) however, the choir was taken… damn Brits…. so we are named after their first record.
What is the one thing you want everyone to know about your band?
We are horny… no I mean we are hungry. I always get hungry and horny mixed up.
(Photo from myspace.com/thechoirpractice. )
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SXSW: Meet the Bands - The Pack A.D.
We continue our Meet the Bands series with a brief q&a with The Pack A.D. from British Columbia.
Music Source: Describe your sound for someone who has not heard your music before.
The Pack A.D.: Loud, awkward punk blues. Rock ‘n’ roll high school.
Name five albums you could not live without.
Maya Miller - Drummer
“Fevers Mirrors” - Bright Eyes
“Silent Hill Soundtrack” (the videogame one) - Akira Yamaoka
“Kid A ” - Radiohead
“F A (Infinity)” - Godspeed You! Black Emperor
“Demon Days” - Gorillaz
Becky - Vox, guitar
“Harold Maude Soundtrack” - Cat Stevens
“Split” - The Groundhogs
“Modern Lovers” - Modern Lovers
“OK Computer” - Radiohead
“The Complete Recordings” - Robert Johnson
Name five acts you want to see at SXSW.
The Black Keys
The Black Diamond Heavies
Dolly Parton
Monotonix
Dolly Parton and Monotonix together because that would be amazing
What’s the story behind your band’s name?
We were The Pack… and then we found out that we were not alone. So, we decided to change our name. But, we’d already been so used to being The Pack that it was next to impossible for us to agree on a different name. So, then we decided to keep the name and just add to it. Hence… The Pack A.D.
What is the one thing you want everyone to know about your band?
We like to drink. But we like to drink responsibly. For example, we’re big believers in coasters. That’s just how we roll.
(Photo by Mark Maryanovich)
