SXSW | 03.15.08 | Austin, TX – Day 4
By Team JamBase Mar 17, 2008 • 1:00 pm PDT
SXSW :: 03.15.08 :: Austin, TX
For many, Saturday is the last real day of SXSW. All the walking, all the beer, all the sun and ALL THE MUSIC really starts to take a toll, and the only way to push through is to go see more live music! Lucky for us, we live on that shit!
#3
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#2
Our number two slot is a shared affair. Going down at the JamBase/Press Here/Harp party at the lovely French Legation Museum, the back-to-back slot of indie rock guitar heroes J Mascis and Thurston Moore was a treat. There are few bands as influential as Dinosaur Jr. or Sonic Youth. To watch these living legends perform in this intimate atmosphere in such a gorgeous location was amazing. The fact that they could pull off their respective styles in such a stripped-down setting was a testament to their power and skill.
#1
Our final number one pick from SXSW is again broken up amongst two bands. Performing at the official JamBase Showcase at Austin’s Smokin Music (which just may be the coolest new venue in town), Dusty Rhodes and the River Band threw down a passionate performance that proved their 2007 debut, First You Live (a top 20 pick from this writer) was no fluke. Featuring six musicians, three lead vocalists, violin and accordion, their tent revival atmosphere included a great cover of “The Weight” and one of the best frontmen I saw all week. Dusty Rhodes is onto something special. Coming on after Dusty was JamBase favorites Rotary Downs. Building the new sound of New Orleans one rock show at a time, this is one band that gets better each and every time they play. By mixing pedal steel with driving guitar lines, deep bass with perfect drums and just the right dash of trumpet, they set up a solid foundation for soaring multi-part harmonies to float above the fold. Layers upon layers of sound and just really cool songwriting continue to make Rotary Downs one of the most interesting acts rising from the Bayou.
Honorable mention goes to Howlin Rain. Although it was way too loud and they experienced some technical difficulties, this band melts the paint off walls. Their set could have been better, but seeing Rolling Stone stud David Fricke and super journalist Jaan Uhelszki was a nice reminder that this was the place to be at 11:30 on Saturday night.
 SXSW :: 03.15 by Kayceman |
Looking back over this massive week of music, we decided to break it down one last time for y’all with an overall Top 3 from SXSW.
#3
Bon Iver
#2
Yeasayer
#1
My Morning Jacket, Tuesday night at The Parrish. This show has actually not been addressed on JamBase until this point, but it was by far the most overwhelming gig at SXSW. Playing a private gig for about 200 people with perfect acoustics and an open bar, this was impossible to beat. We could spill pages of ink as to why, but I reckon the words My Morning Jacket, 200 people, open bar pretty much sum this one up.
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JamBase | Austin
Go See Live Music!
Continue reading for Day 3 coverage…
SXSW :: 03.14.08 :: Austin, TX
Friday was possibly the greatest single day of music to cross these ears at South by Southwest in all the years I’ve stumbled through Texas. Generally you see one great band, two average ones, a crappy one, then another good one, and so on. Yesterday, everything I saw was stellar; and for the sunlight hours, it all went down at Emo’s.
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I happen to practice at the Church of Reverb Nation; therefore, number three had to be Seattle, Washington’s Fleet Foxes. There’s something rootsy and Americana about them but they also sound like the thick, moist Pacific Northwest moss that hangs from trees in the dense forest. The tight song structure, four-part harmonies and reverb drenched vocals wowed the crowd, causing roars of applause and undisguised praise to overwhelm singer-guitarist Robin Pecknold.
#2
Holy fucking Bon Iver. Eyes closed with reverb pouring over my soul, this is where I hear the spirits. Taking a page from the world of acoustic My Morning Jacket (frontman Justin Vernon even looks a lil’ like Jim James), “Skinny Love” and “Flume” had me on the verge on tears. With the huge, looped-out, feedback guitar meltdown to end the set, Bon Iver was second to no one… except maybe Yeasayer.
#1
Yeasayer is some tribal, ancient, futuristic shit. Somehow both earthy and space age, these four cats are bridging some serious gaps. With hypnotic songs like “2080” and “Sunrise,” this band is capable of appealing to the coolest hipster and the dreadiest hippie. Electronic drum pads, stacks of gear, fretless bass, Middle Eastern guitar progressions, walls of rock, samples out the ass, a convulsing David Byrne-esque frontman – Yeasayer is absolutely the real deal.
Today’s honorable mention goes to two bands. First up is the darkest act I’ve seen in Austin: A Place To Bury Strangers. With almost no lights on stage, oceans of feedback and a My Bloody Valentine approach, this is one heavy band. Our second mention goes to Helio Sequence. Like the Black Keys earlier in the week, whenever two guys sound like four, you can’t ignore them. This is dream-pop on overdrive. Go see Helio Sequence, you will not be disappointed.
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SXSW :: 03.13.08 :: Austin, TX
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The dark, thick, droning heroin jams of Black Mountain at two in the morning proved to be the perfect end to a day packed full of music. Although the vocals can at times be grounding, when the instrumental sections get going it’s like traveling into a wormhole deep in outer space.
#2
Coming in at number two is Dr. Dog at the FADAR Fort Party celebrating the music of the Velvet Underground. With Lou Reed in the audience (he was the keynote speaker at SXSW this year) the Dog busted out beautiful, well rehearsed versions of “Who Loves The Sun” and “Ride Into The Sun” with gorgeous vocal harmonies.
#1
Number one was a no contest: My Morning Jacket. No explanation is really needed as to why, but in case you are living under a rock here’s the deal: MMJ are capable of moving from huge rock anthems like “One Big Holiday” to intimate, spine-tingling acoustic numbers like “Golden” and they just so happen to have a slew of new songs (Evil Urges comes out June 10) like “Highly Suspicious,” which sounds like Prince on serious LSD. This band gets better everyday and they always deliver. Gawd bless the Jacket. They give us energy and hope when we need it most (like during a two week bender where we’ve barely slept and really need some solid food).
Honorable mention goes to young Ezra Furman for his passionate reading of the Velvet Underground’s “Heroin” at the FADAR party.
Continue reading for Day 1 coverage…
SXSW :: 03.12.08 :: Austin, TX
It’s that time of year again kids. SXSW is back in action. Over the next five days well over a thousand bands will be playing in every nook and cranny in Austin. As it would clearly be impossible to see even a fraction of this action – and as it would obviously be unwise to spend too much time blogging in our room – we’re here to bring you our Top 3 Moments from each dirty day.
 SXSW :: 03.12 |
On the first official day of SXSW, coming in at number three was Wax Fang. This Louisville, Kentucky freakout trio brought the noise to a packed bar of amped-up rock fans. What made this act special was the relentless drumming and huge, loud, psychedelic sections that exploded without warning.
#2
Coming in at number two was Dark Meat. With what appeared to be 19 people with painted faces, they couldn’t even fit on the stage and spilled out to fill in the floor with six horns, a flute, all kinds of percussion, two drummers and lots of guitars. If Frank Zappa actually ate acid and fronted the Polyphonic Spree, this would be his band.
#1
The Black Keys. Whenever two guys sound like four, they win. With heaps of feedback and a stellar batch of new songs, this was the most overpowering gig of the night. Bouncing from frantic guitars to pummeling Rhodes electric piano, Dan Auerbach is slowly growing into a true rock hero.
Honorable mention goes to The Weather Underground who set up their anthem-pop with well placed hooks and passionate delivery, not to mention a nice lil’ “Dear Prudence” cover.
Check back soon as we’ll be reporting each and every day from Austin…
