Breaking: SXSW turns 25, madness begins

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Image courtesy of SXSW

This just in from SXSW press central: The big to-do known as the South By Southwest Music and Media Conference and Festival (and World’s Largest Parade of Public Intoxication) is now accepting registrations for attendees and submissions from bands and artists.

This is year 25, and I’ve probably attended 1/2 of those years. It’s a blast, but I’ve long wondered why more St. Louis bands don’t make the trip. I know it’s expensive, I know it’s a clusterfrack, I know you’re not going to get a deal with EMI (who really wants that?). Still, you never know who you’ll meet or who will see you or who you’ll see.

I once saw Band of Horses play in the corner of a dingy little record store before its first album was released. That doesn’t happen at Pitchfork Fest.

Plus, according to SXSW: “A new addition this year is the Music Accelerator, a competition in front of a live audience and panel of expert judges with product demonstrations by the most ambitious talents in the world.”

OK, so that sounds like Star Search Fail, but my calendar is still marked. Get the full scoop.

Posted by | August 2, 2010 | Music, News | 1 Comment 

SXSW 2010 Photos, Part 2

Mayer Hawthorne at the French Ligation Museum Party

Tyler Ramsey at Central Presbyterian Church

Band of Horses at Central Presbyterian Church

Sixth Street in Austin

Delorean at Emo's

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Posted by | April 2, 2010 | Music | Comment 

SXSW 2010 Photos, Part 1

I’ve lost count. This was either my 11th or 12th South By Southwest, and easily the most hectic, but also one of the very best, from a purely musical point of view. The KDHX and Twangfest Day Parties at Jovita’s were stellar — and beyond packed. Read my reviews of all four days (and see more and better photos by Dana Plonka) at the Riverfront Times A to Z Blog.

We Were Promised Jet Packs at the Fader Fort

Real Estate at Red 7

Jason Collett at Peckerhead's

Miranda Lee Richards at Central Presbyterian Church

The Unthanks at Emo's

Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly. at Prague

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Posted by | April 1, 2010 | Music | Comment 

The Band Of Heathens on Interstate Friday 3/12/10 at 11 a.m.

Sorry, but it went down to the wire as to whether the band was going to make it or not, but it’s a go! They recorded their set late this afternoon (before thier gig at Off Broadway tonight) and will air just after 11 a.m. Friday, March 12 on the Interstate. The Band of Heathens is an Austin group whose star is rising fast, with their 2009 album One Foot in the Ether hitting #1 on the Americana music charts, as well as one of my personal favorite Top Ten albums of last year. If you miss it, the show will be streaming online at KDHX.org for the next 2 weeks, so check it out!

Posted by | March 11, 2010 | Music | Comment 

SXSW: Wed, Thursday and Friday Micro Blog

Little Steven, host at Antone's garage rock showcase

Little Steven, host at Antone's garage rock showcase

A  break in the Austin action for iced coffee and South By San Jose, where the Mother Hips are presently doing a very good impersonation of Crazy Horse (Mark Olson and Gary Louris are up next). Quick takes on the free day parties this afternoon: Bishop Allen was tighter and more musical than I guessed, Great Northern more shoe gaze and sexy than I dreamed, Living Things more inclined to light dollar bills on fire than I’d recommend, and Chesterfield Kings more rock than you or I combined.

If you want to catch my full takes on Wed and Thurs at SXSW, head over to the A to Z Blog for my recaps, here and here. See you at Jovita’s for the Twangfest / KDHX Day Parties on Saturday!

More photos from today after the jump….

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Posted by | March 20, 2009 | Concerts | Comment 

SXSW Tuesday Report: Day Zero in Austin

Minx Reaction at the Beauty Bar

Minx Reaction at the Beauty Bar

South By Southwest 2009 doesn’t begin until Wednesday, so I consider Tuesday as Day Zero, St. Patrick’s Day, something of a warm-up and acclimation to the coming onslaught of bands, beer and blogging. To start, the weather so far is sick, mid 70s by day, upper 50s by night. Fish tacos at Guero’s on South Congress and espresso and wifi at Jo’s further confirms that I really am at my tenth or eleventh South By, but I’ve stopped counting.

I’ve also stopped wondering why I come. To say that SXSW has become a corporate, industry clusterfrack is to say that capitalism still exists, despite even the capitalists’ efforts to the contrary. Truth be told, I’d rather be soul deep in industry weasels than the turgid green St. Paddy’s Day hordes at my first destination, the Dog and Duck, an “Irish” “pub” where the Reivers were playing an early evening free party.

But the band is no longer called the Reivers, just as they are no longer called Zeitgeist. Right or Happy is the new name for John Croslin, Kim Longacre, Cindy Toth and Garrett Williams, plus a newish keyboard player, who are trying to put some distance between themselves and their history as the Reivers, one of Austin’s darkest of dark horse alternative rock bands of the late ‘80s, focusing on new material and a new identity. But the band still sounds like the Reivers. Croth’s songwriting is melodic and shrewd, a little big jangly, but not for jangle’s sake. And Cindy Toth is still a purely beautiful rock singer. The Right or Now’s set on the parking lot of this “pub” was short and to the point, despite the utter disinterest of the 500 or so green collegiates and post-collegiates. But I was very glad to hear them again. A new album may appear this year.

The next move was towards the Beauty Bar, for the Art Disaster party, where I hoped to catch a set from the Pomegranates, a fuzzy and sweet indie band I have a soft spot for on record, but have missed every time they’ve played Saint Louis. It should be noted that many of the free day parties at SXSW are by invite only, though what that means in practice is open to interpretation. My attempts to RSVP by web failed, but in line for the party, I wasn’t about to let a white lie stand between me and free vodka tonics. “Did you RSVP?” the door dude asked? “Yeah.” He took my ID, shuffled through his list, nodded, and waved me in.

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Posted by | March 18, 2009 | Concerts | Comment 

Discovery: T-Bird & the Breaks

First there was Black Joe Lewis & the Honeybears and now there’s T-Bird & the Breaks. As young Austin rhythm & blues bands go, both pack a big, horn-fueled sound, a smacking rock rhythm section and a one-two punch of West Side Chicago blues guitar and gritty Stax-influenced singing. Tim Crane started T-Bird & the Breaks a few years ago and the band has burgeoned to 11 members who (judging from the three tracks they’ve offered up on their web site) have a soulful feel that belies their years. They’re set to release their first album, Learn About It, on January 27.

They’ll be playing SXSW in March. I’m going; no way will I miss them.

T-Bird & the Breaks on Myspace.

Take Time

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Posted by | December 23, 2008 | Music | Comment