I arrived in Austin, TX excited and surprisingly well rested for my first ever SXSW experience. Equipped with a nearly all-access Badge and a couple of cameras, I headed into the unknown…
Day 1: Tuesday
After taking a nearly 45 minute bus ride that my host had previously promised would “Take ten minutes. Tops! I take it all the time…”, I got off the bus and headed east on 4th Street. Remembering I heard someone say most stuff was on 6th, I started up to 5th and stumbled upon Antone’s. Having heard of the legendary venue, I poked my head inside and luckily caught the entire set of Akron/Family. Their blend of jammy, folk-rock was just right the thing to start off my first day and take some stress out of not knowing what I’m doing.
After a couple beers and Akron/Family’s set, I headed up to the 6th St, I’d heard so much about. A pretty cool street for sure — bars, bars, and more bars! And nearly everyone had someone playing! As I meandered down the street, sight-seeing and looking for a band I wanted to see, I stumbled upon the huge Red Bull Sound Select Stage. I heard a rumor there would be free Red Bulls and Vodkas somewhere. It seemed to make sense this would be the place. Alas, it was not. However, I did get to catch local Los Angeles band, Beach Party. I was happy to hear their indie surf rock sounds and take a few pictures. Beach Party is definitely an LA sound and opened for Best Coast which made tons of sense in numerous ways. But having seen Best Coast a handful of times before, I opted to take my RedBull and Vodka-less body to get some cheap drinks and food.
I ended up finding myself watching Austin natives Polyphonic Spree at Club Deville for their last couple of songs. The giant group, crammed onto the small stage, looked uncomfortable, but happy. After aimlessly walking out and checking my phone trying to figure out something to do, someone calls to me from nearby. I look up to see Jayson and the rest of the Cloud Nothings guys from Cleveland. After a quick convo, a couple of us peel off to the far eastside and Cheer Up Charlies to catch another guy from Cleveland’s band — The Shivery Shakes. Once we meet up with Andrew, there’s time to kill. And Cloud Nothings know all about killing time. TJ has a yo-yo to play with and he and Joe attempt a number of tricks. They’re surprisingly good, as I can’t do the basic yo-yo move. They claim that Jayson and Dylan are even better than they are at yo-yo. I’m intrigued, but since they are not here, I will have to wait. The Shivery Shakes go on inside Cheer Up Charlie’s. They’re upbeat, indie pop rock got the cramped, hot joint, jumping. The weird light visuals were an added bonus. I decide to split off from this group and try my hand at getting into Viceland.
This was the first major mistake I made of the festival. Viceland’s lines were confusing and handled poorly. After getting a number of wrong answers from staff and waiting in the wrong lines, I finally found the right one. Then we’re told we can enter a room for free drinks, but there are no bathroom and you cannot see the stage. That area is at capacity. He then clarifies, you CAN get into an area for bathrooms and to see the stage, but there’s another line for that. I figured it couldn’t be worse than the one I was just in. I figured wrong. After drinking another two free beers while waiting in line to get in, I still wasn’t near the entrance. My bladder and patience were fighting a losing battle — I just didn’t know it. Eventually, I’m let in! This is great! Now to the bathrooms! But the line for the bathroom was even longer than the line to get in! It was ridiculous. A guy near the end of the line said he had been waiting twenty minutes and he wasn’t much further ahead than I was. Finding this completely unacceptable, I gave up my entry to the Viceland party and left to find a restroom.
I headed back to the eastside and Cheerup Charlie’s to check out a new band called SW/MM/NG (pronounced “swimming”). They haven’t played a lot of shows, but they performed solidly for the small, late night crowd and got a great response to their power pop guitar performance.
Day 2: Wednesday
I think I’m going to do better with the bus system on Wednesday, but I fare no better. Arriving on 6th St at around 1:30, I decide to catch Foxygen again. I had recently seen them in Los Angeles and was a bit disappointed with their live performance. A big fan of the album, I was hoping it was just a bad night. Everyone has one. The crowd at the Stage on 6th grew to capacity and Foxygen took the stage. It was too crowded for me to get in the main room and I watched from just outside. The sound was less than stellar and Foxygen seemed upset. Not sure if it was the sound or what, but they were yelling and pouting all over the stage. The music sounded okay, but it was lacking something. I’m not sure this band is ready to pull of the Richard Swift produced album live on their own yet. I’m still a fan, but I have to say I was disappointed in the first band I saw on Wednesday.
I headed to the outdoor stage to catch Mac DeMarco. A big fan of his music, I’ve never managed to catch a live show. I was just hoping for something better than Foxygen’s show — I need a palate cleanser. Well, Mac DeMarco was everything I could have hoped for. His mix of slacker attitude with great musicianship reminds me of a less serious Pavement era Stephen Malkmus. And then they covered Dave Brubeck’s “Take Five” and blew my mind. Definitely one of the best, if not THE best, show I saw at SXSW.
A big fan of Jim James (he of My Morning Jacket fame), I decided to take a music break and catch his mini-lecture. Jim had some interesting things to say and often times sounded hypocritical regarding his views on TV and the internet that I really would have loved to take him to task for. But his views on music were inspiring and I left the talk continuing to be a huge fan.
I walked down the Convention Center hall to the Radio Day Stage to catch Devendra Banhart. They were WAY behind their schedule and I ended up catching more of Jake Pugg then I needed to, but it was fine. There were couches. Sitting was something entirely new to me since this trip started. Eventually, Devendra Banhart made it onto stage. Just Devendra, a guitar, and an amp. And being the charismatic performer that he is, that’s all Devendra needed to enwrap the audience. He even forgot how to play “The Body Breaks” for a short time. He said he couldn’t play it. After a bit more banter, Devendra said he remembered it, laughed, and went back into it. He played some new songs and some old songs in new ways. All in all, for being at lame venue and just being one dude, it was one of the better shows I saw all week. Check out Devendra when he comes to your town.
After Devendra, I went straight to Stubbs to wait in the guaranteed entry line for NICK CAVE AND THE BAD SEEDS. Yes, there’s a line for the people are guaranteed entry. Waiting in lines was annoying considering the badge I had, but I guess it all made sense and I never had to wait too long. I wanted to get in and get a good spot to take some pictures. I guess everyone had the same idea. The area near the stage was shoulder to shoulder. Not wanting to wade through the crowd that had been there for so long, I settled in an area not too far from the stage, but not close enough for good pictures. It was however, perfect for sound. Nick Cave has to be one of the coolest dudes on the planet and the performance by he and the band was mesmerizing. Another highlight of the week!
After Nick Cave, I was pretty much ready to see anything and just enjoy the high of seeing a great show. I stumbled back to 6th St. and met up with some friends at Latitude 30 for a couple Scottish bands. I saw the last song of Holy Esque and the a number of songs from the heavily nineties influenced band, PAWS. I really liked PAWS energy and that nineties guitar sound.
From there, I tried to catch a couple of different bands before the end of the night. Managed to catch a few songs by UME who are lead by a wailing (not to mention rather attractive) blonde who got the crowd at Maggie Mae’s going. A few songs in, I ran upstairs to catch a couple songs by So Cow before calling it night. And a good night it was.
DAY 3: Thursday 3/14
I finally did it right — got to a party early enough to partake in a free bbq lunch with free beer! Today was already starting off great. I booked it over to The Main to try and see as many songs by legendary punks, DEATH, as I could. Unfortunately, I got a bit confused by the signage and only got to catch their last two songs. They sounded solid and I’m looking forward to catching them at an upcoming show in Los Angeles.
I decided to stay at the Main for a bit and catch Milk Music. Their blend of punk noise lo-fi was good but wasn’t really doing it for me. I decided to head over to the mostly outdoor venue, Club DeVille, for the Insound Party, some free Brooklyn Lagers, and a couple bands.
The Soft Moon were just taking the stage as I grabbed my first free Brooklyn Lager (which was delicious, by the way). I’m a big fan of The Soft Moon when I’m writing — their Joy Division done lo-fi sound doesn’t include many vocals and has a thumping beat to keep you going. Live, they sounded awesome, but without many vocals, I found myself getting bored and ended up spending my time focusing on beer and waiting for the next band.
Cheatahs were up next, from London, they brought a bright poppy indie rock sound that better suited the warm, sunny Austin day. I enjoyed a couple more beers while thoroughly enjoying their set.
From there, I ran across the street to Beerland to check out the Cloud Nothings-hyped Protomartyr from Detroit. Cloud Nothings have yet to see the band but are just in love with their sound. Based on their sound and name, I expected to see some majorly young hardcore kids when Protomartyr took the stage. So I was shocked to see a band of three younger dudes dressed pretty casually and one dude who looked liked someone’s weird uncle — khaki shirt tucked in and with a thin mustache. But man, could these disparate group of dudes wail. I’ve gotta say, they don’t look what you might expect, but they take lo-fi punk pop to a new level. Can’t wait to check them out again when they roll through Los Angeles in April.
Had to split the Protomartyr show early to get back to The Main to catch my first Cloud Nothings show of SXSW. Cloud Nothings started off as lead singer Dylan Baldi’s lo-fi power punk project but has now grown into a full blown power rock group. They’re loud, they jam, the lyrics are great and they just absolutely destroy live. They managed to take their latest album and bring it to new heights live and even graced the SXSW crowd with a couple of still-in-the-works new songs. Nothing short of great and nothing less than I expected.
From The Main, I made my way over the to famed Fader Fort. Why is the Fader Fort so special at SXSW? Well, they have free booze all day and night and usually have some of the best shows. When I arrived, I made a beeline for the free bar as Trinidad James performed on the main stage. By the time I got my beer, Trinidad was done and he was nothing more than waiting music for me. Up next was a band I’ve seen twice before, but I couldn’t think of a better band to enjoy some free beers over. Diiv took the stage in less than thirty minutes and put on yet another great live performance. Diiv were like a number of bands I saw at SXSW — I like their albums well enough, but live, it’s just a whole other experience. To me, this is a sign of a great band and a band with a lot of promise. Diiv is both. You should catch them live now in a small venue while you still can.
After some food and a long, long hike way out to the eastside, I found myself at The Liberty to see Old Flame Records band The Pharmacy. It was my first time seeing The Pharmacy and I was hoping to hear a few of my favorite songs off “Stoned and Alone.” But like so many bands at SXSW, The Pharmacy opted to play a set of newer songs. Don’t get me wrong, I was really impressed with the new songs and can’t wait to hear what they sound like, but I just think it’s a major bummer not to hear at least one of your favorite songs by a band when you see them live. I know bands think the music is old and are more excited about the new stuff — it makes sense. But the fans want to hear the stuff that made them fans. And playing the hookiest song off your record might actually sell you merch. Something to consider… As are The Pharmacy if they make a stop in your town.
DAY 4: Friday
Took me over an hour, but I eventually made it over The Clive Bar for one of the many Filter sponsored parties. I was there to see Ducktails at 2pm, but Vacationer started the day. I’ve gotta admit, I didn’t know anything about this band. And apparently, I was the only one — the place was packed! I could see — technically, more hear — why; Vacationer had a great, sunbaked sound that reminded me a bit of Vampire Weekend. And the kids were eating it up. I opted to stay by the bar, but was bummed to find not only did the beer cost actual money at this party, but it was VERY expensive, too! Bummed, I took to nursing my beer and waiting for Ducktails as a wave of kids danced to Vacationer.
I was worried I wasn’t going to be able to get near the stage for Ducktails with all these kids swaying and booping from Vacationer. But as soon as that set was done, about half of the Vacationers took off and I was able to get a really good spot. A big fan of Ducktails, chill laid back vibes on his albums, I was really hoping it would translate live. Baking in the sun and with a fresh, overly-priced beer in hand, I’ve gotta say it was perfect. Some bands are just made to be heard outdoors during the day and Ducktails fits that bill perfectly. Live or on record, Ducktails is best enjoyed with a drink in the sun.
I was going to stay at that Filter party for another few acts, but expensive beers, limited seating and little shade forced my hand. I decided to walk over to the east side early — this time even further — to The Grackle.
I met a few friends as I walked in and Levek was playing their last song or so. I didn’t get a real good feel for their sound or their set and ended up grabbing a beer and talking to the guys from the band Shark? As we talked, UME played the outdoor stage. Again, they were totally solid and wailing over the crowd. After a couple of songs, I had to head inside to see Eagulls.
First time I heard the Eagulls single “Moulting,” I was sold. This was a band — hooky, loud, and a great guitar sound. I couldn’t wait to hear the song live. But alas, I would not. Eagulls suffered from “not playing my single at SXSW disease.” My least favorite disease after cancer and aids. A bummer for sure, I was still really impressed by their set and think they have a future. It was their first stateside shows after all, and they couldn’t be more stoked to be in America. They also can’t wait to come back. If they do get their visas cleared again, I encourage you to check them out when they visit your city.
After Eagulls, we went back outside and one of the coolest things happened — I spotted Krist Novoselic from Nirvana fame. Nirvana has long been one of my favorite bands and holds a special place in my adolescent heart and I couldn’t help but take a picture on the not so sly. Turns out, Krist was there to see Bleeding Rainbow from New York, who were up next.
Bleeding Rainbow were definitely one of the better lo-fi indie acts from New York I saw at SXSW. I was a really big fan of their vocals and song structure. They were fun to watch and have a surprising amount of pop in their punk. After their set, I saw Krist sitting down. I always feel weird talking to a celebrity/musician I look up to so it was tough, but I managed to walk over to Krist and tell him what a fan I was and that it was an honor to meet him. He smiled graciously, asked my name, and shook my hand, saying thanks. It was one of the best moments of SXSW for sure.
After a bit of dinner, it was over to The Palm for a band many of my friends were talking about incessantly — Roadkill Ghost Choir. I have to admit I was slowing down by this point and after a couple of solid songs, took a seat in the back. It wasn’t Roakill’s fault — they sounded really good. I just need a bit of a break and just so happened here. I look forward to checking them out again in the future when I’m a bit more with it. A long walk back to the east side awakened my spirits and got my ready for the rest of the night — most of which would be spent at the Carpark/Pawtracks party at North Door.
As I walked into North Door, Pawtrack band TEEN were rocking the small crowd. I wasn’t too familiar with TEEN but I did enjoy their all girl group version of a poppier Animal Collective. They were intriguing and a band I plan to explore more.
Next up were Dent May. I was a bit more familiar with this band’s work and was excited to hear “Best Friend” performed live. I’ve gotta admit, Dent May was shockingly good live. I didn’t expect it to be a bad show by any means, but I also didn’t expect it to be so lively. Lead singer, Dent, rolled around on the stage, ran through the crowd, surfed the crowd, and did it all while singing. It was quite impressive and makes you wonder why all those pop princesses have to lip synch if this dude can get it done for real, live. The stage show really enhanced their sound and made for a fun, party atmosphere at North Door.
My buddies in Cloud Nothings were up after Dent May, so I spent a good amount of time in the green room with them and a few other bands. TJ, the Cloud Nothings bassist kept coming in freaked out and leaving. Eventually, Dylan and Jayson came in saying TJ’s bass was missing and they don’t know if they can play. Dent May assured them they didn’t accidentally snag the bass, but after a bit of pleading got them to check their van. Sure enough, the bass was accidentally snagged — problem solved! Cloud Nothings took the stage to a full crowd ready to rock. I think I liked this set a bit better than The Main show, but more than likely only because it was inside, which really allowed the guitars and Dylan’s vocals to rattle around. Plus, the lights at North Door were pretty killer. Cloud Nothings played for just under an hour and left the crowd wanting more. But the time to rock was done. Now it was time to groove.
Toro Y Moi took the stage next and got the fun time vibes going at North Door to end the evening. Toro Y Moi really put the crowd in a great mood and you could tell the good vibes would continue throughout the night after his set.
DAY 5: Saturday
My final day in Austin and at SXSW, I wouldn’t be in town for all the big Saturday night shows — Prince, Tribe Called Quest, Timberlake, et al, would be missed. I wasn’t that upset. There was only one more band I really wanted to see (and could fit in) before I headed back home. I found it quite ironic that I ended up seeing this LA band for the first time in Austin, Texas, but I was glad I did. FIDLAR is again one of those bands that plays better live than on record. I really didn’t think this group of self-proclaimed degenerates would be able to keep it together for an entire live show. Instead, they absolutely destroyed it — they sounded tighter, louder, and even poppier live. It’s like they’ve been playing these for years! The band was tight and polished. I couldn’t have been more impressed and now know why it’s been so hard to get into their LA shows. Everyone else has known for sometime what I’ve just realized — FIDLAR rules!
Even though I could have run across town to catch one more show, I decided to leave on a high note — SXSW was a complete success and I really hope to visit Austin again next year. If not sooner.