SXSW: Our final thoughts

Strip away the hype, the parties, the grouchy label heads, the pushy publicists, the managers of questionable import, the endless booze, the street food, the steady adrenalin flow and the only important question for acts playing the festival: Can you throw down?

Once you hit the stage, you either deliver or you don't.

Here are some that did, from our team of writers who covered the fest — catch these bands when they're back in Austin or buy (don't steal, Quincy Jones reminds us) some of their music:

JOE GROSS

1. Flower Travellin' Band – Psychedelic rock warlords, who split up in the mid-1970s and reformed in 2008, undertake first U.S. tour and deliver like Domino's. Rolling, thunderous, spacious prog rock sung by a guy who sounded like the male Japanese Billie Holiday cir. '56. The gents were more than 60 years old. They knew their instruments inside and out and could generate whatever mood or world they wanted with them. If I'm as physically fit at 60 as singer Akira "Joe" Yamanaka, I'll be thrilled. Fantastic set that left jaw-drops and grins on many, many faces.

2. Speaking of that, it was a great year for old people in bands at SXSW and by "old," I mean older than 35. Folks were singing the praises of the aforementioned Japanese guys, Devo, Slough Feg, Obits and many more.

3. The Jarvis Cocker lecture on lyrics and songwriting. Holy cow. From the straight-forward, funny tone to the brilliantly picked-apart examples to the acoustic renditions of Leonard Cohen, this thing was a revelation from top to bottom. No wonder the man got mobbed afterward as if his name was Morrissey.

4. The XYX/Gun Outfit/Kim Phuc line-up at Beerland on Saturday night (not an official showcase) was one of the greatest one-two-three band bills I've ever seen. There was XYX's oddly melodic bass/drums duo, Gun Outfit's punky indie guitar rock and Kim Phuc, who played one of the weekend's most devastating sets. Five older (see?) Pittsburgh cats who played roaring, muscular, chaotic-seeming punk rock that was nonetheless extremely well-arranged and timed, a step too many punk bands forget.

5. Ponytail's joyous set at Club DeVille. Sure, it's dance rock, but there's a lot more going on, the music at once evoking classic late '70s no wave noise, the Japanese band the Boredoms at their spaciest, Afro-pop's rolling, roiling guitar interplay and much more, without ever sounding too much like any one influence.

6. David Yow's surgical strike at the Austin Music Awards. The Dicks went on late and, while the O.P.s (original punks) were good, and the former Austinite/singer for Scratch Acid and the Jesus Lizard turned everything up with his presence. He belted and twitched thought "Wheelchair Epidemic," a Dicks classic the Jesus Lizard had covered. He seemed to know the changes better than they did, and their game stepped up accordingly. The song ended, he dropped the mike, grabbed his drink and walked off stage. A perfect two minutes.

7. There's no way anyone can ever say anymore that SXSW doesn't feature enough hip-hop. Rap was everywhere, from Big Boi to the Knux to scads of backpacker underground crews. Too bad Kanye managed to suck the air out of everything, naturally demanding that all eyes were on him, that his name was on everyone lips at the expense of everyone except maybe Janelle Monae. I'm sure it was fun, but whatever, man.

8. The extraordinary tetration of logistics and civility that is SXSW, which could be chaos. With close to 1,900 showcasing acts, the production folks at SXSW get the trains running on time amazingly well. Add 200 or so acts not showcasing but playing associated parties plus the bands playing things such as Mess With Texas, the Texas Rock Fest and the Red Gorilla Music fest. Add to that the tens of thousands of registrants and fans, many of whom have been drinking for days and Austinites just trying to get around town and it's a miracle there aren't more arrests, injuries and accidents.

MICHAEL CORCORAN

1. Playing For Change at Opal Divine's on Friday night. The sheer exuberance was off the charts, especially on the cover of "What's Up" by 4 Non-Blondes. Let's hope someone will post that on YouTube.

2. M. Ward's taping on ME-TV (aired Saturday). Experiencing SXSW from the home couch never felt so good.

3. Ladyhawke and Those Darlins back to back on Wednesday night. So glad I decided to cross the street from Stubb's to Club DeVille, even though my feet were killing me.

4. Press hospitality at Carrera Cafe (Moonshine). P.R. maven Elaine Garza of Giant Noise gets the SXSW hostess award.

5. Seeing so many old friends Friday night at Devo (Austin Music Hall). It was the Beach '83 reunion show, and the band was rockin'.

CHAD SWIATEKI

1. Devo: Pop quiz, hot shot. You're interviewing one of the most iconic punk bands of the past 30 years, and at the end of it you're staring at one of their red power dome hats just sitting there on the table. What do you do? If you're me, the correct answer is slap that baby on, whip out a camera and come away with arguably my favorite picture ever. I'm not Devo, but I'm a man.

2. Metallica: It would have been fine if the metal gods had come out and done only a run through of three or four hits. And I would have smiled till I hurt for a normal 45-minute SXSW set. But to get 90 minutes of unchecked power and aggression at a packed Stubb's was flat-out incredible. Anyone know the keycap combo for devil horns?

3. Primal Scream: They'd been lingering on my "need to see" list for years and as their set time at Cedar Street Courtyard approached, I hoped they'd at least acknowledge the boogie rock side they often get panned for. Instead of dipping their toe in those waters they jumped right in for a hot, sweaty show that delivered on years of expectation.

4. Glasvegas: From the stand point of moving me musically, these guys should be higher up. A simply great synthesis of fuzzed-out melodic guitars, soaring, yearning vocals and unbridled energy. They've got to develop a little more lyrically, but I'm not at all worried they'll be able to do so in a Muse-meets-Coldplay fashion.

5. Asher Roth: I'm even surprised to be putting him here. Sure he sounds too much like Eminem. Sure there's a nice skill set that's kind of being wasted on dumb party tracks and goofy entendres. But put him on a stage in a packed club with the Cool Kids coming out to help close the deal and I'm done arguing. Dumb fun is still fun, after all.

MARC FORT

Best music panel: Bands, Brands and Fans

"It's not about selling music anymore; It's about building your brand," said Umut Ozaydinli, global music marketing manager for Coca-Cola Co. during the informative panel that explored how companies around the world use music as a platform for delivering a brand experience. Ozaydinli continued, albeit self-servingly, "Stop seeing (corporations/brands) as a revenue stream and start seeing us as a partner (for distribution and awareness)."

Best artist: Janelle Monae

Her live show Thursday night at the Austin Music Hall was nothing short of a star-making performance and evidence that she is on the cutting edge of a new subgenre of music: electro-R&B, afro-punk, future-funk? I'm not certain what we're going to call it, but you can be sure that you've never heard anything like it. Mon?e's set was cleverly very short (four songs) so that the audience would be left begging for more ... and they were. Look for her to be a household name within the next few years.

Best private party show: Jane's Addiction at the C3 party

We'll always hate shows like this where you have to know somebody to get in while true fans are turned away, left to fend for themselves. But witnesses report that Jane's Addiction — complete in their original line-up — was phenomenal.

Best free-for-all party: Levi's/Fader Fort

Well now we know that you have to RSVP online, then show up on the first day and receive a wristband so that you can get in on the following days after they stop giving wristbands out. The four-day event is essentially a micro-festival, carefully branding assorted products so that the audience associates free alcohol, the possibility of casual sex and good times along with the sponsoring brands and products, but we'll forgive the manipulation because the musical guests were so damn good. The highlight was the "special guest" Kanye West and his G.O.O.D. music posse.

PATRICK CALDWELL

1. Anni Rossi's cover of "Living in Danger" — The singer and violinist was to many the only unknown quantity on Wednesday's 4AD showcase at the Central Presbyterian Church. But it takes a special kind of lady to turn an Ace of Base song into a dark folk hymn, so clearly Rossi is going places.

2. Vivian Girls — The increasingly popular New York all-girl indie rock trio banged out 17 shows in four days, a staggering slate made all the more impressive by their refusal to phone it in. Any singer who can resume a song three seconds after being slammed into a drum kit by an overenthusiastic mosh pit has a future in this industry.

3. Free rollerskating at the myopenbar.com party — Because after a long day of goofing off, nothing says detox quite like a spin around a makeshift rink.

4. Ponytail — This almost entirely lyric-less art rock band subs meaningless vocalizations for words. While this style may be off-putting on a recording, it's a revelation during the band's riotous, dance-crazed live shows.

ALEX DANIEL

1. I've loved Sam Amidon's wistful renditions of traditional folk songs for a few months, but seeing him perform them on the dimly lit top floor of the Hilton Garden Inn against the backdrop of Austin's skyline was the highlight of my festival. Check out Amidon's music for a surreal trip back in time, or go to his live show to see him do some pushups onstage.

2. As I realized on Saturday at the Barsuk/Merge Records showcase, I couldn't be happier with the Wooden Birds, Andrew Kenny's latest incarnation of American Analog Set. Austinites owe it to themselves to check out this powerfully understated local gem.

3. The members of Rhode Island's Deer Tick are younger than any of the other country or folk-tinged rockers I saw at this year's festival, but they played with a more inspired energy than any of their peers behind lyrics with a poignancy beyond their years. And my goodness, how incredible were those solos?

BRIAN T. ATKINSON

1. James McMurtry's solo set Thursday at Fado's Guitartown/Conqueroo party probably didn't convert many — he was preaching to the choir — but it was stunning nonetheless. "Hurricane Party" stilled the already captivated crowd.

2. The Avett Brothers' Thursday afternoon show at Radio Room was one snowballing highlight. "Distraction #74" nearly melted the tented stage.

3. Guy Davis' cover of Bob Dylan's "Sweetheart Like You" Thursday night at the Driskill eclipsed everything else. Few interpretations are both as reverent and inventive.

4. Best discovery: Samantha Crain and the Midnight Shivers.

5. Best interview: Tim Easton. He's honest, easy and engaging. Easton's Wednesday afternoon set at the Pop Culture Press party included boatloads of brilliant new material and a rock star reinvention of the fan favorite "Same Old Song and Dance."

JOHN T. DAVIS

1. Alejandro Escovedo Orquesta; SX San Jos?, Friday — "Isn't it great to be in South Austin, Texas?" Escovedo enthused from the stage, as he led his 15-odd piece orchestra in a stirring set on a gorgeous spring night on one of the city's most distinctive thoroughfares. For free. Yes, Al, it was great.

2. Doug Sahm Tribute; Antone's, Thursday — The late, great Sir Doug Sahm was properly celebrated in a crowded, chaotic musical mash-up that veered from blues to country to psychedelic rock to Tex-Mex, just like the man himself. Doug would have loved it.

3. Rosalie Sorrels; The Victorian Room at the Driskill, Thursday — The 75-year-old "Travelin' Lady" is an utterly charming storyteller, whether she is couching her tales in songs or the warm and witty reminiscences between them.

4. 10 p.m. Saturday — Let's see, an hour to kill ... Shall we drop in to see a band from — holy smoke! — Glasgow or Malaysia or Mexico City or Montreal or Oslo or Yokohama or Barbados or Iceland or Rio de Janeiro or ... ? You gotta love SXSW!

5. Kat Edmonson, The Elephant Room, Saturday — What a great way to wind down SXSW. A handful of standards rendered by a young Austin jazz singer with poise and chops well beyond her years. Best of all, when all the hipsters, hangers-on and too-cool-for-this-world scenesters catch the next plane home, she'll still be here.