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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.
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