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DAY III :: FRIDAY :: 3.17.06
Head Of Femur :: SXSW |
On this particular day, it wasn't just day three but also the day when SXSW had to co-exist with St. Patrick's Day - that one day of the year when it is socially acceptable to be a drunken buffoon (at least in America). Add to that a bunch of yokels who feel it's okay to be openly intoxicated just because they're in the state of Texas, and you've got one interesting day. But it wasn't all Erin Go Bragh for me as I hoofed it 37 blocks from 6th Street all the way to the Spin Art/Rough Trade day showcase at the Peacock after obtaining shitty directions that said it was less than a mile away. Luckily, that kind of hike is worth the long hoof if you're en route to see Apollo Sunshine.
By the time I got there, Head of Femur was just about to get started when I learned that Apollo Sunshine was a no-show at the last minute. Regardless, Head of Femur played their own hybrid of Bacharach meets Phil Spector tunes in a lush tone peppered with indie pop. Their most recent release, Hysterical Stars is opulent enough to win a Tony Award. The Brakes threw down a rockin' good time as I finally came to believe what everybody said about the Peacock making the meanest Bloody Maries in all of the Lone Star State.
Mendoza :: SXSW |
Over at the Red Eyed Fly, Austin's own Grand Champeen played some indie twang with a skewed sense of warmth, and while Neko Case may have been the songstress that melted hearts with her Americana noir, she wasn't the only one as Shannon McArdle of The Mendoza Line sang like a bird while at the helm of her band's rustic, power pop, punk sound. Even though The Mendoza Line features members in their late 20's to early 30's, one couldn't help but notice that half of the concertgoers in attendance at their showcase at Maggie Mae's were in their mid to late 40's, if not 50's.
Apollo Sunshine :: SXSW |
At Habana Calle 6, some in attendance were nervous that Apollo Sunshine might not show up, but they did! Rumors were circulating throughout the crowd that the band was in the midst of a beef with their label as guitarist Sam Cohen had the words FREE AGENTS embossed across his shirt in masking tape. But all that aside, their set was one for the ages. At only 26, Cohen plays guitar like a modern day virtuoso way ahead of his time, and he made Apollo Sunshine the essential live band to see during this particular night. People in the crowd felt every note emitted from the instruments of these Boston boys, especially while Cohen was shredding on the lap steel. Someone in the crowd was overheard screaming, "Move over Robert Randolph!" especially when they did their own rendition of "Crosstown Traffic." Before anyone knew it, their 45-minute set was over and the venue's bouncers were standing on the side giving the band members the evil eye so they would pack up their gear, but the crowd kept cheering and they had to allow an extended encore version of "Today is the Day." Walking out, one couldn't help but notice the fire marshal giving the staff at Habana Calle 6 a hard time because the venue was over-packed.
My last show of the night was the Bar/None showcase at Friends where The Spinto Band came on to give the packed house a jolt of pop with their bubbly melodies. The band members threw down a kazoo boogie with makeshift holders made from coat hangers while they played their ever-so-catchy "Brown Boxes." The stage at Friends is located in the front of the venue by a huge window, so fans that couldn't get in congregated outside and danced to the tunes before some of them forced the large window open in order to hear the band play. One would think that the St. Patty's Day alcohol factor had something to do with it, but once you pick up a copy of their release Nice and Nicely Done, you'll realize that it probably would have happened on just about any other night too.
DAY IV :: SATURDAY :: 3.18.06
The final day of South by Southwest was a particularly shitty one in terms of meteorology due to the rain and cold wind, but that didn't stop Austin from partying. Over at the Cedar Street Courtyard, Filter Magazine threw a little shindig that was more like an invasion of young Brits.
20-year-old Michael Ferrick and his band Amusement Parks on Fire threw down an ultra fuzzed-out shoe-gazer rock set, and the amps must have been turned up to eleven. Somebody tell Bright Eyes to get his ass back to the Nebraska wheat fields because this kid is younger and has way more chops than Conor. The knight in shining armor at this gig was whoever was handing out the free earplugs.
The Subways :: SXSW |
Up next were the UK teen sensation The Subways, who rawked out with some tuneful garage pop and a twist of ADHD as singer/guitarist Billy Lunn scaled the amps and everything else on stage like a lemur. He told everyone to keep quiet because he "saw Charlotte have a beer," referring to his 19-year-old fiancé/bassist Charlotte Cooper. After Nine Black Alps shredded with their angst-ridden Nirvana guile, it was off to Beerland to indulge in the cheeky and creepy psych-pop of The Gris Gris. One can't help but wonder if Syd Barrett was back in England and secretly controlling this band with a voodoo doll.
At Jaime's Spanish Village, it appeared that indie princess/actress Chloe Sevigny was chilling with her hipster crew, all of whom were just so damn cool, while JamBase threw down a bash of its own at Tambaleo. I was blown away by the Canucks in Chris Colepaugh and the Cosmic Crew as the gravelly soul in Colepaugh's voice was at the helm of this band, which can lay down a wicked Southern-fried boogie with a kick in the ass. The dude has a cool beard too.
The last place I hit was the Blender Bar at the Ritz (sans a trip to the bathroom) where Aussie quintet The Morning After Girls laid down some arty psych-rock with the groovy vibes laid on thick like a slab of vegemite. Dingos were let loose, but no babies were reported eaten. As I walked back to my hotel, tired and tipsy with aching feet, I saw all the fliers and promo postcards littered in the streets and felt really sorry for the poor bastard who has to clean up this town.
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