 Well
folks, it's that time of year again. Mid-March, JamBase is in Austin, and festival
season is officially getting underway, and that can only mean one thing - the annual
SXSW Music Festival and Conference.
We're here rubbing elbows with the glitterati, the rock stars, the shmoozers,
and the wannabees. Billy Idol is running around with his shirt off, Robert Plant
is both singing and speaking, telling tales of the dirty 70's, and music, ohh
my, the music. As is always the case with SXSW, it's completely overwhelming.
There are so many bands playing at so many places, you just gotta throw yourself
into it, drink a few free beers, put down a lil' barbecue, and let it run
all over you.
THURSDAY :: 03.17.05
Photo by Dustin Rabin |
We rolled into town and caught some of Tegan
and Sara's family quirk show at Emo's
before some interesting lo-fi fun with The
American Analog Set. The two bands complemented each other well. Tegan and
Sara featured a full band backing the sisters. Tegan and Sara are real sisters,
allowing their shared blood to create a certain connection on stage that can't be
replicated. It's a fun, unique show, and they are clearly very talented. To counter
the bright vocals and rhythmic guitar work of Tegan and Sara, local Austin rockers,
The American Analog Set, have a darker, more melancholy sound with vibes and an
interesting delivery.
 After
scoping the nasty long line (even with badges, which in theory, is supposed
to alleviate any waiting) to get into Ratatat,
we decided to roll over to The Parish for a bit of M.
Ward. As we slipped past the indie throngs lining up at the door (thanks
to our trusty badges), we found the Radar
Brothers engaging in some mellow noise pop. Interesting, but not all that
captivating. And before long it was time for M. Ward. Matt (referred
to by his adoring fans simply as "M.") has gained quite a bit of notoriety of
late having recently toured with Jim James of My Morning Jacket and Bright Eyes. It seems his strength lies in the stripped-down, lo-fi, ominous sounds he creates
with his guitar and voice, which were highlighted from time to time in Austin,
but the use of a full band at times lent itself to predictable refrains and
simple structures. That said, Ward is clearly a gifted songwriter, and the young
lady he had on drums did a fantastic job. All in all, it was a strong show but only
a primer for what lay ahead.
Queens of the Stone Age :: SXSW by Kayceman |
I think it's safe to say that anyone who is even remotely paying attention to music in 2005 has heard of Queens
of the Stone Age, but anyone who has not seen them perform is truly
missing out on one of the world's best rock bands. The show was held in an old
airport hangar way off the beaten track. This was the "private" party everyone
wanted to hit, but you had to know someone, or know someone who knew someone,
to get in the door. It was about one in the morning as we walked into an absolutely
raging party as The Bravery
were working the crowd into a thick lather for the Queens. By the time we cozied
up to the bar for some free booze (ya, free top-shelf booze! Now that's
a party!), Josh Homme was bringing his Queens onto the stage. First thing's
first; Josh Homme is a rock star, and he leads his team like a champ. From the
first note to the last screaming guitar chord, Queens of the Stone Age lit Austin
on fire. Loud as hell and even more powerful, this was stand in amazement rock
and roll. They blew through a mix of material with "Tangled Up In Plaid" off
the new album certainly of note. But more than any one song, it was the whole
long set - grinding guitars and slamming drums. Dark overtones and impressive
instrumental segments brought images of Homme's dusty desert upbringing. It
was only the first night, but I'm skeptical to think any band can match what
the Queens of the Stone Age did in the abandoned airport hangar. But then again,
you just never know, and that's why we're down here - to get the goods and send
'em back to our people. So be sure to keep checking in, and we'll see if any
of these young indie bands can step it up.
FRIDAY :: 03.17.05
After checking out some panels in the conference center, it was time to get into Bloc Party. With a bunch of press and the "right" people speaking the name, Bloc Party at the SPIN party was certainly a hot spot for Friday afternoon around four. Standing towards the back of Stubb's, it was easy to see the masses up front getting down to the indie beats and up-tempo delivery. And while it was certainly a solid outing, I just wasn't grasping what all the hype is about. Bloc Party certainly brought a fiesta, but they also sounded like a handful of other bands doing pretty much the same thing, and as we rolled from bar to club and from venue to watering hole, there were plenty of bands doing the Bloc Party thang.
Two Gallants :: SXSW by Kayceman |
Two Gallants hit Maggie Mae's at about eight in the evening. There was a good sized crowd ready for the San Francisco punk-folk guitar/drums duo, and they certainly didn't disappoint. Starting with a long instrumental intro, the band had the crowd on their toes waiting for the drop-in, and when guitarist Adam Stephens began to scream with his emotionally-drenched cries, it was clear that Two Gallants have that intangible "something." Moving from his Gretsch hollow-body to an acoustic guitar, Stephens displayed quite a bit of versatility, often covering bass lines while picking the guitar leads as well. With drummer Tyson Vogel slamming incessantly on the drums and providing back-up harmonies, the Gallants had the entire bar in the palms of their hand. A solid "Crow Jane" off The Throes, the band's only release, and the anthemic "Nothing To You" led to a slide guitar meltdown jam to close out the set. By the time it was over, I was pretty sure this would be the best show of Friday night... and it was.
Following Two Gallants, we headed over to The Parish for another young band that has received some favorable press as of late; Dead Meadow. While it took some time to get things going for the youthful rockers, when they finally did, it was a tumbling mess of dark rock, grungy overdrive, and huge instrumental moments. Not for everyone, but certainly worth checking out if you dig the fuzzed-out heavy rock of bands like Black Sabbath and Nirvana.
Kevn Kinney |
Kevn Kinney and his Sun Tangled Angel revival trio would hit the stage at the Soho Lounge around eleven o'clock. Continuing to craft tales of the road and life on the go, Kinney may be one of the most under-appreciated musicians of our day. Part Dylan, a dash of Vic Chesnutt, a wee bit of Dan Bern, and a smorgasbord of other noticeable luminaries, Kinney infuses his music with those who have led him down this path, but it never sounds contrived and it always comes from deep within the man's being. Fan favorite, "Broken Hearts and Auto Parts," was well received as was the instrumental fire that Topaz added to the mix with his saxophone.
After seeing the insane line to catch Stephen Malkmus of Pavement fame, we decided it was time to freshen up and maybe even sit down for a spell. So we kicked back at the room for a moment before making our way over to Los Angeles' Isis. Having no idea what this band was about but hearing from a trusted source that it was worth checking out, we did just that, and wouldn't ya know it, another damn fine band was making itself known at SXSW. Isis was very, very heavy metal, but what pulls a band like Isis out of the mess of metal these days is their instrumental prowess. These guys could flat out play. And while some of the singing was a bit much (especially that heavy-metal, sort of throat scream that makes no sense and is clearly contrived), it was not the focus. The highlight of the show came at the end when they drove a droning, dark progression into the ground with spaced-out noise affects, no words, and just melting guitar work. A nice find for a late Friday night in Austin.
SATURDAY :: 3.18.05
Two Gallants :: SXSW Conference Center
by Kayceman |
After such an impressive performance the night before, it made sense to catch the Two Gallants acoustic set at the conference center at about twelve-thirty in the afternoon. With fans sitting just a few feet from the duo and the band working a far more mellow (and appropriate for noon) side of their sound, it was hard to not once again have images of much bigger crowds running through the head. Keep an eye out for Two Gallants and their sea-chantey songs, original delivery and emotional content.
Dakah :: SXSW by Kayceman |
At about two-thirty it was back to Stubb's for the roughly 60-piece Dakah hip-hop orchestra. More than anything, this is just a great idea. The actual show was good, and the musicians, MCs, back-up vocals, and conductor are all great, but it's really the concept that captures the attention. It's like classical music being brought up to today's standards. One hopes that perhaps by seeing music performed this way, the younger generation will take a look back, consider where all the music we dig came from, and get some history lessons under their belt. While "California Soul" was beautiful, and the "Roots Medley" cool, the most interesting parts were the rare instrumental segments. Again, everyone on stage is talented, but what sets Dakah apart is that they are an actual orchestra, and thus, they should focus more on that and a little less on the MCs who by nature, capture the attention of the audience and force the strings, horns, turntable, etc to the back of the sound.
The skies opened up and dumped hard while at The Vibe for the High Times party. We stayed for some of Papa Mali's swamp funk, but before long it was time to regroup for the evening's festivities.
Buck 65 :: SXSW by Kayceman |
Saturday night was hip-hop night at Emo's, and thanks to Biz3, the line-up was smoking. By the time Buck 65 hit the stage, the place was packed, and Buck definitely brought his "A-Game." Showing incredible skills on the turntables, remarkable showmanship which brought David Byrne to mind, and truly amazing word play, Buck put on what was shaping up to perhaps be the set of the night. Buck pulled out a few songs from a recently completed album with Tortoise, and he also dipped into his heady stash with "Wicked and Weird" and a triple-speed version of "4-6-3." He ended the show with the words "Craftsmanship is a quality some lack. You gotta give the people a reason to come back," and it was clear that this sentence defines Buck 65. He takes the time to do things right, he's not looking for the quick dollar, and he takes pride in every word, every beat, and every moment of his show.
Not long after Buck 65 left the stage socially relevant hip-rock star Saul Williams took the mic to a rowdy crowd. With multi-instrumentalist/DJ Thavius Beck and a wonderfully talented young lady on violin, Saul put on a solid show - not the best I've seen but certainly full of emotion, deep thought, and interesting sounds. As he performed "African People" off his incredible 2004 self-titled album, it was hard to not consider the words in direct relation to the fact that we were sitting in George Bush's back yard. Don't forget - it may be Austin, but it's still Texas. The mantra "Telegram" was well received as was the crunked out "Grippo," but the most poignant moment came when Thavius slipped offstage leaving just Saul with a touch of violin following his monologue. Saul Williams is a genius, and while he's a good performer and a decent MC, his strength is truly in his words and the manner in which he can deliver the goods in a stripped-down setting.
Son Volt :: SXSW by Kayceman |
After the grimy confines of Emo's, it was time to hit the streets and catch some rock 'n' roll. Jay Farrar and Son Volt were setting up before a packed Stubb's, and for damn good reason. One would expect Son Volt (who was of course part of the Uncle Tupelo, Wilco split) to be good, but the full-bore rock show they put on far exceeded this journalist's expectations. Crunching guitars gave way to pummeling bass lines, and the whole thing took on a life of its own. There was a touch of Neil Young tucked into the overall vibe, but more than anything, it was Jay Farrar with a new cast of characters who appear ready to re-emerge into the music scene. The new Son Volt guitarist provided beautiful accompaniment to Farrar's stories allowing him to move from smoking leads to subtle slide and back to a roaring conversation. The new Son Volt put on a hell of a show and clearly won the right to "Best of Saturday" for SXSW.
After the head split from Son Volt, it was off to Exodus for the remainder of Ambulance Ltd. Another young indie band with a lot of hype, I'm happy to report that with Ambulance Ltd, you can actually believe all the high-praise. Performing inspired, youthful rock, the band even closed their set (prior to the encore) with a wonderful rendition of Pink Floyd's "Fearless." Now just consider that. You either nail Floyd, or you look the fool. As I glanced around at the freaking masses and took in the swarming sounds, it was clear that Ambulance Ltd is for real.
Well that's it folks. Another year in Austin and another South By Southwest under the belt. While it was clearly impossible to do it all, and there were no doubt bands and shows that could have topped what was digested (by all accounts Kasabian blew it up), here's a little run-down of The Kayceman's Best of SXSW 2005:
#1 Queens of the Stone Age
#2 Son Volt
#3 Two Gallants
#4 Buck 65
#5 Ambulance Ltd
Thanks for playing. We'll be back next year. We hope you will be too.
Kayceman
JamBase | Austin
Go See Live Music!
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