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SXSW preview: Sixteen Deluxe
Sixteen Deluxe - one of Austin’s most prominent noise-pop bands from the ’90s - have reformed after a decade-long hiatus wherein their particular sub-genre of rock ‘n’ roll has not-so ironically come into vogue.
Today, Sixteen Deluxe will commemorate their own “Sweet Sixteen” birthday at the Mohawk with the band’s first performance in years, kicking off the first of five reunion shows during South by Southwest (including an official showcase on Wednesday night and a few free parties).
At a recent rehearsal at the Music Lab on St. Elmo Street, the band sounded even more psychedelically blissful than they did at the peak of their late-’90s powers.
Bassist Jeff Copas and drummer Steven Hall solidified low-end grooves with backbeats and algebraic rhythms while vocalist/guitarist Chris “Frenchie” Smith and vocalist/guitarist Carrie Clark manipulated their effects pedals, altering harmony and aural spectral density like Impressionist painters blending colors.
The series of reunion shows was possible because of a perfect storm of fan demand, schedule juggling and the precarious mending of the band members’ interpersonal relationships.
“I started thinking about (a reunion) when Jeff and Steven made this amazing MySpace page,” Smith said. “Then I thought: Is (the MySpace page) an amazing cemetery of what we used to be, or are we trying to bait interest in our band … ’cause I’m in the business of pleasing the people.”
Shortly after the page went up in 2006, invitations for the band to reunite started sprinkling in from around the country. Austinite and longtime fan Aasim Syed finally persuaded the band to play his annual birthday party in 2009, although each member’s busy schedules would take more than a year to coordinate (Smith is a working producer and Clark recently married).
“The weird part was we didn’t all say no (to the idea of a reunion),” Clark said with a hint of sarcasm. “Initially, even before it was being scheduled around SXSW, we said, ‘If we’re going to get together, it better be for something good.’ ”
“If we’re gonna play, we need to donate the proceeds to something that matters to us … like the SIMS Foundation,” Hall said.
Smith chimed in, speaking with the same passion that he uses to shred guitars: “In many ways, Austin was fantastic to us. And if this is one gesture we can do collectively to give something back to Austin — to do a benefit for the SIMS Foundation — that is not something we take lightly.”
Like many things surrounding the Sixteen Deluxe discography and mythology, the synergy appeared perfect.
“SIMS Foundation provides a much-needed service that’s a hot topic right now with the whole health care debate,” Clark said. “Austin prides itself on having a lot of musicians and lots of artists … and musicians and artists generally don’t have good health care.”
Sixteen Deluxe were quick to deflect questions about their future, even though bands like Silversun Pickups and Beach House are bringing elements of the noise-pop/space-rock genre into the mainstream.
“Our music has a lot of static in it and that may be a sign of the times,” Smith said, reflecting both the band’s uncertain future and the uncertain economic future of the United States.
“We’ll see,” Clark said. “We’ll see, we’ll see, we’ll see.
“Grittier times call for grittier music. It might not be a very fun time to be around right now if you’re 20 years old and looking for a job. But there are probably going to be a lot of really good bands that come out of all this.”
Sixteen Deluxe reunion shows
Saturday, March 13: 9 p.m., the Mohawk, 912 Red River St. $8 advance, $10 at the door (www.transmission entertainment.com)
Wednesday, March 17 (official SXSW showcase): 1 a.m., Encore, 611 Red River St.
Thursday, March 18: Roky Erickson’s Psychedelic Ice Cream Social, Threadgill’s South, 301 W. Riverside Drive. $10. www.threadgills.com
Friday, March 19: 5 p.m. AasimFest ’10! The Independent at 501 Studios, 501 Interstate 35
Saturday, March 20: 4:30 p.m.: NY Night Train Fifth Annual SXSW Hoodang, US Art Authority at Spider House, 2908 Fruth St.
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