SXSW 2008
SXSW: Awards for Best & Worst
Monday, March 17, 2008 | 1:32 PM
See the picture to the left? That's an actual photograph taken from my brain on the final day of SXSW--everything was turning into one big blur. It was another fun (yet busy) year in Austin, TX, and I was amazed by the amount of day-shows that all the bands were playing. I wouldn't be surprised if bands started playing SXSW morning matinees in the very near future. Nothing like watching your favorite indie group while eating scrambled eggs and bacon. Before I say goodbye to SXSW 2008, I'd like to hand out some awards for the best-and-worst of this year's festival...
SXSW: MSTRKRFT (Live)
Sunday, March 16, 2008 | 3:26 AM
Armed with a mixer, two turntables, a CD-deck, and a laptop, MSTRKRFT closed out the night with a thick blend of dance grooves, or as Al-P likes to say, "maximal beats." Jesse Keeler is definitely the rockstar of the group, as well he should be--being a former member of the powerhouse thrash duo Death From Above 1979. I know purists claim electronic music is faceless, but when Keeler wipes back his bangs, or throws up his fist (dice-rolling style) during build-ups and break-downs, it only adds to the spectacle.
SXSW: Modey Lemon (Live)
Sunday, March 16, 2008 | 3:20 AM
Classic rock on anabolic steroids--that's the best way I can describe the sound of Modey Lemon. By far, this was the loudest performance that I've taken in at this year's SXSW. When a drummer has two floor toms, that's a good indication that things are going to get noisy. Speaking of which, Paul Quattrone obliterated his drum-kit throughout the set and bassist/organist Jason Kirker isn't going to have a neck left in 5 years the way he thrashes it around on stage. Frontman, Phil Boyd also shouted out the band's hometown a couple times, proving once again that people from Pittsburgh love telling people they're from Pittsburgh (I've been guilty of this a few times myself).
SXSW: Jim Noir (Live)
Sunday, March 16, 2008 | 3:12 AM
I think a lot of people were surprised by Jim Noir's new look. He's done away with his three-piece suit and bowler's hat and replaced it with a headband, a shaggy hairdo, and a pair of blue jeans. Noir sandwiched his set tonight with his two biggest hits to date--opening with "Eanie Meany" and closing with "My Patch." In the midst of a song, Noir's voice sounded sweet and confident. In between songs though, Noir seemed uncomfortable as a frontman, having a hard time connecting with the audience. Without a suit and tie to hide behind, Noir lost his Mr. Bean-charm and just seemed a bit awkward--that was--until he started singing again.
SXSW: Day #4
Saturday, March 15, 2008 | 5:57 PM
The final full day of music at SXSW (whew). It's no longer a music festival--it's an endurance test. Bands, managers, publicists, bloggers--everyone's dragging. I'm excited for all the performances tonight, but I'd be lying if I told you I wasn't anxious to get back home and log some Z's. Today I met up with Vampire Weekend, My Morning Jacket, Matt & Kim, and MSTRKRFT. Keep in mind all of these full-length interviews will be posted at a future date (don't have enough time to transcribe them right now)...
SXSW: Nada Surf (Live)
Saturday, March 15, 2008 | 3:19 AM
Nada Surf is the Seabiscuit of indie-rock music. They went from one-hit wonders, to not having their label release their sophomore album, to resurrecting their career and becoming one of the most consistently good bands in indie rock music today. It must have been "Hat Night" for the Nada Surf--Matt Caws was decked out in a top hat, while drummer Ira Elliot was wearing a cowboy hat. Daniel Lorca probably skipped out, cause there's no way he's going to fit a hat over his years of grown-out dreadlocks. Nada Surf showed the youngsters how to do it tonight. As a band, they're very tight, displaying their mastery of the sweet up-tempo rock ballad. It's also refreshing to see Caws, Elliot, and Lorca laugh with each other during stop downs in between songs. If you've been in a band as long as they have and can still share a laugh with each other, you must be doing something right. The only part of their set that distracted me was Caws constantly changing out his guitars following each song. At first I though he did it for tuning reasons, but after a while it seemed a bit obsessive (I'll have to get on the case and find out why he does this). Sadly, Nada Surf hit curfew at 2AM and weren't able to properly close out their set.
SXSW: Tapes 'N Tapes (Live)
Saturday, March 15, 2008 | 3:12 AM
I guess I shouldn't have been surprised when I saw the members of Tapes 'N Tapes set up their own equipment. Despite being a case study in the successful "blog band" phenomenon, they all still work day jobs when they're not touring. Tapes 'N Tapes' set echoed the band's demeanor--nice, honest, not overly dynamic, and a bit unpredictable. They showcased a few new tunes, which I won't be able to explain, cause I've never been able to pinpoint Tapes 'N Tapes' sound. Tonight, whenever I predicted a high-hat hit or a certain chord progression on the new material, they always seemed to prove me wrong. Though drummer Jeremy Hanson is the resident "nerd" of the group (with his Coke bottle glasses and math geek tie) I couldn't keep my eyes off of him the whole set, especially during his handiwork on "Insistor". By golly, he may be the secret rockstar of this group.
SXSW: Vampire Weekend (Live)
Saturday, March 15, 2008 | 3:03 AM
Denied. The picture to the left sums up my Vampire Weekend experience. This is the first time in all the years I've come to SXSW that I wasn't able to get into a show. I got to the venue a good 40 minutes before Vampire Weekend's set, and in those 40 minutes I probably moved up 10 feet. The irony in all of this, is that for all the people wrapped around the building to see Vampire Weekend, they didn't even notice when frontman Ezra Koeing popped out a side door, hung out for a couple minutes and brought some of his friends inside Antone's.
SXSW: Day #3
Friday, March 14, 2008 | 7:10 PM
BREAKING WEATHER REPORT:
For the first time all week, the sun came out in full force. Temperatures are nearing the 90's--alas, warm weather in Austin, TX!
Ah, a good night's sleep, it's first time I logged more than five hours the whole trip. This morning I also got to eat breakfast and sort through my SXSW goodie bag for the first time. I've got my second wind!
On the bummer-end of things, Nada Surf and Billy Bragg had to cancel our interviews scheduled this week. No hard feelings though, since I'm sure their schedules are pretty packed at this point in time. Bands are playing more day-shows now than ever. Today I met up with Tim Fite, Tapes 'N Tapes, and Murs...
SXSW: The Presidents of the U.S.A. (Live)
Friday, March 14, 2008 | 1:58 AM
I always feel a bit guilty watching a high profile rock group at SXSW, since my conscience tells me I should be watching a struggling up-and-coming indie band. But every now and then I need a little sugar--a little pick me up if you well. It's not like the President's of The United States of America are smoking hundred bills in a hot tub filled with supermodels, but they've tasted the fruits of rock success. After poking my head into a bunch of SXSW day parties, seeing various younger indie-acts, I almost forgot how much fun a polished rock band can be. The Presidents don't seem like they've lost a step. Lead singer Chris Ballew sounds as good as ever--his scissor kicks haven't lost any air either, and newest member, Andrew McKeag, looks like he's having a good time out there (lots of bouncin' around). The Presidents broke out most of their hits including 90's staples, "Dune Buggy," "Lump" and "Peaches", and ended their set with a quick one-chorus cover of "Let the Good Times Roll." Amen to that!
SXSW: Money Mark (Live)
Friday, March 14, 2008 | 1:48 AM
I have seen Money Mark perform 20-plus times with the Beastie Boys, but I have never caught one of his solo gigs. So tonight, I thought I owed it to myself and the Beastie-family tree to take in Money Mark's set. I'm also a fan of his work, so I was long overdue for a live show. Early in the set Mark was having technical difficulties. His echo-box (for his guitar) wouldn't work and a friend who came on stage to play theremin couldn't figure out how to position it in the microphone. After the glitches were ironed out, Mark leisurely went through his freeform set. His performance was so laid back, at one point he looked over to the side of the stage and said, "Just tap me on the shoulder when you want the next band to come on." Money Mark mostly played guitar, but slipped behind his bread-and-butter instrument, the keyboard, for a couple of tunes. One of the highlights of Mark's set was a song he did for the film Beautiful Losers that ended up not making the cut. Mark prefaced it by saying, "This song didn't make the soundtrack. It was very controversial. It's called, 'When Beautiful Losers Get Mad.'" Upon finishing his set, Mark looked out to the audience and said, "My echo went out, my shit failed, but I still kicked it old-school for y'all."
SXSW: Tim Fite (Live)
Friday, March 14, 2008 | 1:38 AM
Folky-country-hip-hopper, Tim Fite looks and acts like a big, little kid (think Pee Wee Herman with a rounder face). Tonight he was backed by only band member, and performed all of his songs to a backing track that synced up to a movie screen displaying various childlike, storybook images (damn, this is going to be a tough one to explain). On other songs, Fite would perform with three other versions of himself on the screen. Lost yet?
Fite's live show is his own unique vision of Pee Wee's Playhouse and Captain Kangaroo. Everything is broken down into childhood terms (tonight's set even included "story time" about one character wanting to "stab a motherfucker" after his friend finished eating a sandwich). The genius of Fite's show is when you start to pick out his various political and social commentaries. When Fite breaks things down, you soon realize that its certain high ranking members of society that are behaving like children.
SXSW: Day#2
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 5:54 PM
If I was a top-notch blogger in the same arena as Perez Hilton, and--see, I can't even name another prominent blogger. Anyway, if I was blogging by today's standards, I should have already posted five or six blogs by now. Keep in mind though, I come from the 'zine world. Back in the day, all of the info I'm gathering here at SXSW would be used for one issue of a 'zine--which probably wouldn't come out until a month after the event. It's not like I'm sitting poolside licking BBQ off my fingers. It just so happens I've only been able to get to my laptop a couple times each day...
SXSW: The Black Keys (Live)
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 4:40 AM
There was a huge line to get into The Black Keys performance at Emo's. After about 40 minutes, I finally managed to make my way in. I think I only missed a song or two. There was a lot of buzz over this particular performance, because everyone was excited to hear some new material from The Black Keys (they have a new album coming out April 1). The Black Keys played four new songs, but Dan Auerbach only introduced one of them, saying, "This is a new one, we could mess it up." The new stuff didn't stray too far from The Black Keys playbook, but just enough to notice a small smidgen of change. I also noticed Key's drummer Patrick Kearney had an effects pad on his kit. Don't know if he ever had one before--maybe he did, but I just didn't notice? I only have one suggestion for the Black Keys as they hit the road in support of their new album--give Patrick a microphone. He is one of the funniest people I have ever interviewed, and his banter could only add to the stage show.
Following the performance I quickly met up with The Black Keys. Dan admitted he was very nervous to play the new stuff tonight (you wouldn't have been able to tell from the show), and Patrick greeted me with an apology. It goes back to one of my last episodes of Subterranean where I was joined by The Black Keys. We were in a really dingy basement and Patrick made a joke that the show was going to get cancelled. He accidentally jinxed me, but I have since forgiven him :)
SXSW: The Kills (Live)
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 4:32 AM
The Kills played right after Sons and Daughters at the Domino Records showcase. A lot of people saw them at a day party (Fader Fort), but c'mon, you can't watch The Kills during the day, that's like eating breakfast with a vampire. The Kills play best at night (I'm actually not trying to be clever here, VV and Hotel once told me this themselves).
The Kills set-up was very sparse--two guitars and a drum machine. It doesn't sound like a whole lot of fun, but trust me, it was. VV and Hotel somehow make it work--they believe in what they're selling, and they make you believe it too. Sort of a nerdy observation, but because I was so close to the stage I noticed that Hotel doesn't play his guitar with a pick, he strums with his fingers. It's pretty neat watching him play.
SXSW: Sons & Daughters (Live)
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 4:29 AM
Talk about a line to get into Domino Records SXSW Showcase tonight --sheese! I thought the line wouldn't be that long considering the showcase was taking place at Antone's, a venue that's a good 10-15 minute walk from the main drag on 6th Street. Apparently, this was the place to be. Even Vampire Weekend made sure to stop by the V.I.P. box to catch the Sons & Daughters performance.
The band started off with a bang, opening up with their new single, "Gilt Complex." Their chuggy rock anthems sounded tight, thanks in part to Adele Bethel's spot-on vocals and Scott Patterson's tight guitar playing. Though, Bethel was dressed in a sparkling gold top, it easy to see that Patterson is the rock star of the group. Bethel's not exactly there yet, in between every couple of songs she would kindly ask the soundman to turn up her vocals up in the monitor, almost as if she was asking him to borrow some money for lunch. C'mon, there's a line stretched around the building for you, don't ask, demand. Sons & Daughters were impressive tonight, but only played a 30-minute set. Short--but sweet.
SXSW: Corn Mo and .357 Lover (Live)
Thursday, March 13, 2008 | 4:25 AM
A partial resemblance to Sam Kinison, a good dose of Meat Loaf's rock opera tendencies, the falsetto of a well-seasoned arena rocker, and the whimsicality of Dr. Demento--add all of these together and you're just beginning to scratch the surface of the man known as Corn Mo. Besides being well-known in New York City for doing a one-man accordion show (where he also wedges a drum stick in his shoe and wallops a crash symbol), he's been featured in Rolling Stone and has toured with the Polyphonic Spree.
When not performing solo, Corn Mo teams with his band .357 Lover to add a rock twist to his quirky, yet passionate songs. I was actually going into the night a little tired, but after hearing a couple .357 Lover songs, I was filled to the brim with some much needed joy and energy. Corn Mo rotated between keys and rockstar frontman duties tonight, but I have to admit, I'm a little partial to rockstar Corn Mo. It gets no better, when he grabs the mic stand, leans back, closes his eyes, and lets his falsetto roar.
As always, Corn Mo provided an entertaining set. .357 Lover did add a lot of heft to Corn Mo's existing catalog of songs, especially on "Shine On, Golden Warrior" (a song about wrestling legend Kevin Von Erich). My only complaint is that his band never cracked a smile once. If I was playing alongside Corn Mo I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face all night long.
SXSW: Play Ball!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | 6:32 PM
Sorry, this is sort of a random post, but it cracked me up for a second. I'm definitely a sports nut, but even I found this pitching cage to be completely out-of-place. When you pick up your SXSW goodie bag at the Austin Convention Center, you're greeted by a huge Major League Baseball spread, complete with pitching cage. Um, okay?
SXSW: Saul Williams
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | 6:03 PM
Just got done chatting with Saul Williams at the Austin Convention Center. Williams has three performances scheduled for this year's SXSW. He's actually just finishing up his first now, which is a solo acoustic set, but will be joined later tonight by his band for their 1AM performance at Vice. I think they're also doing a day show at the Fader Fort tomorrow.
On my may out I also bumped into Thurston Moore. He's plays tomorrow night (sans Sonic Youth) at 12:45AM (Mohawk Patio).
Word on the street, is that tomorrow around 5PM at the Fader Fort there's going to be a Lou Reed Tribute show (with Lou Reed in attendance). Apparently a handful of bands will be performing Velvet Underground songs. Rumor has it that Dr. Dog, The Shout Out Louds, and Thurston Moore will be partaking in the event. We shall see.
He's an excerpt of my interview with Saul Williams. Look for the full-length later this month:
SXSW: Day #1
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | 12:23 PM
I didn't feel too beat up this morning, probably because I only caught two performances last night. Around 10AM I hit Las Manitas for some huevos rancheros and a large glass of OJ (gotta stay ahead of the curve and load up on my vitamin C).
SXSW: The Eagle Has Landed
Wednesday, March 12, 2008 | 2:25 AM
Not that I'm very eagle-like at all, but I have arrived in Austin, TX for SXSW 2008! Things started off pretty quickly. Soon after my arrival I met up with some IFC colleagues at Iron Works BBQ for a production meeting. We do things right here--forget the conference room--head straight for the rib joint. Oddly enough (because I just posted about it yesterday) I bumped into Matt Pinfield again. Unlike last year's Iron Works encounter, I made sure to keep my greeting at a low volume level, just so Matt could sneak out without having to play music trivia with everyone (I guess it comes with the territory though). I also spotted Tokyo Police Club enjoying some Texas BBQ.
Before I even I had a chance to run back to my hotel to grab my camera, we were off to the IFC Crossroads Party at a club called The Parish. Yo La Tengo kicked off the proceedings--not a bad way for me to start off my SXSW 2008, huh? The indie veterans were in town because they had scored a film that was screening at the SXSW movie festival.
Since it was a party and not a proper music showcase, many people were taking advantage of the free drinks during the early portion of the performance. As I scanned the crowd, I noticed half were socializing and half were watching Yo La Tengo. Though the band was scheduled to play 45 minutes, it felt a wee bit shorter than that. In Yo La Tengo's brief set they did manage to show their sweet, tender side, their punk rock leanings (which included a couple spaz-outs on guitar by Ira Kaplan) and their hankering for jamming out. It was also fun watching the trio swap instruments every couple of songs. I wish more people were into it, but what are you going to do? Free finger foods can be an evil temptress.
Once the drinks kicked in, everyone was ready to rock out for My Morning Jacket. Beer bottles were raised as the band took the stage behind some epic backlighting and an endless supply of stage smoke. These guys are so ready to tour arenas (that's to be taken as a compliment). My Morning Jacket showed off some new material and jammed out extensively on a few of their catalog goodies ("Off The Record", "One Big Holiday"). They sounded amazingly tight, and like Yo La Tengo, showed that they can be good quiet or be good loud. While taking in the set I thought to myself, "If they ever include one of these guys' songs on the next Guitar Hero, there's going to be some kids out there with achy fingers."
Pictures of tonight's show will be posted as soon as I get 'em. Also, please bear with me throughout the week. There's a ton of people here at SXSW with their laptops, and the wireless internet is running S-L-O-W. I'll get my posts up as soon as I can.
IT'S LIKE THAT: SXSW 101
Monday, March 10, 2008 | 7:58 PM
Sometimes I forget to realize that not everyone knows about SXSW. Maybe some people think it's a vacation resort that hands out oval decals? Maybe they think it's a sport? Possibly an airport? Before you get SXSW confused with OBX or LAX, let me be kind enough to explain (and fear not my friends, no question is a stupid question. I promise not to roll my eyes at you like the kid in tight jeans working the CD section at Best Buy):
SXSW: The "Dance" Bands
Monday, March 10, 2008 | 10:11 AM
I go to SXSW every year with incredibly high expectations, and surprisingly they are always met. The best thing that SXSW has to offer (besides all the free drinks, food, and goodies) are the bands that you normally would have never heard of, if it weren't for the festival. It seems that each year, the dance bands have been the ones who won me over, and after doing a little research, I'm left asking myself, "Where are all the new dance bands?"
SXSW: The British Are Coming
Monday, March 3, 2008 | 11:29 AM
The best four days of the year, aka South by South West (SXSW), will soon be upon us. For an Anglophile like me, SXSW is all about seeing as many bands from the UK and Ireland as possible. I feel it is my duty to tell the world about some of the great bands coming from across the pond.
SXSW 2008 Music Schedule Released
Tuesday, February 26, 2008 | 4:29 PM
The music schedule for SXSW (March 12-16) was recently announced, find it here. Start plotting and planning and figuring out who you're going to see when.
If you can't make it down to Austin, TX, make sure you check out this fine blog during SXSW week. We'll be covering it from all angles. I'm also thinking about setting up a SXSW second-stage performance space in my hotel room. If I can make it happen (without getting kicked out), I'll be sure to tape all the performances and post the video here. I'll let you know how it goes (I'm sure getting permission from all the labels to allow their artists to perform in my hotel room will be opening a whole other can of worms). If it doesn't happen, there will be plenty of other stuff going on (sorry, I'm just feeling a little ambitious today)!
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