One of the most productive songwriters in the Austin music scene, and some might even call a mad genius of songcrafting, Bill Baird leads {{{Sunset}}} through a set of tunes on KEXP during SXSW 2009. You know I love me some KEXP and the tunes of {{{Sunset}}} continue to find their way into my head.

{{{Sunset}}} is currently on the road. Tour dates on their myspace page.

Wow, if this doesn’t bring back some childhood memories. Except I don’t remember the Arcade Fire being around then.

In answering the question “what’s the best show you saw during SXSW?”, I have to think about it in a couple of different terms. There’s the bands that I may have seen times before, who are established acts and generally put on a great show and there are the bands that are really new, almost unknown to me, that completely take me by surprise. These are the 3 bands that I enjoyed quite a bit, if not quite immensely during SXSW 2009 that fall into the later mentioned.

• Twin Tigers: I had been told by some that this band was good, but when friends recommend other friends bands, I approach with caution. So this is how it all went down. Fellow Athen’s band Dead Confederate are set to close out a party on Thursday night, and upon taking the stage, announce that they are playing two cover songs then turning the stage over to their friends Twin Tigers. After DC ripped the sky open with their Sonic Youth covers, Twin Tigers filled the hole with sonic harmonial bliss, not just musically, but performance wise as well. It’s one thing if the music is good, but a great performance is key, and not having any experience with either, my reference point was zero. From zero to ten is what these guys achieved with me that night, while securing a fan or two along the way. The band has just released a 7″ on Old Flame Records and there’s an older EP that you can find on iTunes. It’s early yet for these guys, but if my experience is of any indication of what’s to come, the rock-n-roll revolution has a serious new player.

MP3> Twin Tigers ‘Envy’

• Port O’ Brien: Quite on the opposite end of the musical spectrum than the previously mentioned band, California’s Port O’ Brien combine elements of indie rock, folk, and acoustic. Although the recorded material is nothing to shrug off by any means, but it does little to relay what an amazing performance these guys put together on the stage. After receiving a nice recommendation from a friend who had seen them earlier in the day on Friday, I caught this amazing live performance @ the Soundcheck Magazine party. A high energy performance in which each song seemed to build and build in sound and texture, while each member bounced enthusiastically around the stage. Guitarist Zebedee Zaitz danced and bobbed while almost seeming to get lost in his own sounds, that it at times it was questionable as to whether or not he would be able to land safely on the ride and in time, but never failed to do so. M. Ward recently named the band his favorite new band, and it’s easy to understand why.

Photo by: Guillermo Herren

• School Of Seven Bells: Probably a little more well known to some, Brooklyn’s School of Seven Bells are no strangers to the music scene. Former Secret Machines member Benjamin Curtis has wisely choosen the beautiful talents of sisters Claudia and Alejandra Deheza to accompany him on this musical transformation from former outlet to this dreamy, lush, psychedelic, day trip destination. There’s a small hint of Curtis’s former self, and watching him lead the trio with his highly effected guitar work, reminds me of a lost opportunity to see Secret Machines in the past. The Deheza sisters add a warm harmonic element and worldly aspect to the sound that only seemed to grow more pleasant and encompassing as the afternoon set @ the Mohawk passed. Passing only a bit too quickly. The band’s debut Alpinisms found release in late 2008.

MP3> School of Seven Bells ‘Half Asleep’

I made a list of all of the bands that I saw during SXSW last week that I really enjoyed, and I have to say that it was a pretty damn good week for some great performances by some seasoned vets as well as some new upcoming acts. Pt 1 consists of some of the bigger acts that played as well as some that I just can’t seem to get enough of their music and their performances.

• Dead Confederate: Long time favorite of mine, Athen’s Dead Confederate played a total of 7 shows this year @ SXSW, and I managed to catch a bit of 3 of those. The one more interesting set consisted of covers of two Sonic Youth songs, one of which is a Sonic Youth classic in my opinion, “Diamond Sea”. I’m not generally one for cover songs, in fact I usually despise them, but DC covers Sonic Youth almost better than Sonic Youth covers Sonic Youth. An outstanding 2 song set that lasted at the least, 20 min. I lost track of time awash in the sea of sonic dreaminess. In a time when our attention span seems to be shrinking into bits and bytes, Dead Confederate are not afraid to jam the lengthy jam.

• Silversun Pickups: I know I might catch some flack for this one, but you have to understand my history with these guys. I first saw them perform 3 years ago @ SXSW and they completely blew me away. The experience of seeing them @ the Filter party on the Cedar Street Courtyard stage, and on the patio of Moonshine will be hard to replace with anything I will ever see from them again. The 2008 ACL performance was atrocious and almost painful, but their opening spot @ Stubbs before Metallica renewed my faith in the bands ability to put on a good show. I may never be the fan that I once was, but the memories of that little band 3 years ago will always be there. The band has a long awaited follow up to their debut hitting streets April 14th.

• DEVO: One would think as long as I’ve been around and being the music geek that I am, I would have seen these guys before, but unfortunately I had not. I was half expecting a bunch of older guys to come out and do a competent job of rocking through their extensive catalog of hits while I relived my youth, but not the case. DEVO came out to play, like a young successful band, with some new material that they had to sell, and they sold it well. They were loud, they were animated, the LED screen accompanied the show with fun imagery, and they rocked both the new material with the hits. Bravo DEVO!

Thur afternoon @ 3:30 p.m. 6th street.

SXSW is that one event every year that never fails to bring a sense of excitement as well as an extreme feeling of being overwhelmed. Every year when the dust settles, I always seem to feel like I missed something great, possibly to not utilizing my time properly. In past years, to try and utilize my options, I’ve invested in the badge (move to the front of the line please) and put together intense schedules, in hopes of avoiding that sense of missing out. It just doesn’t work. This year I took a differnet approach, for several different reasons.

Now, we all know that SXSW has grown into an event that takes over the city and has spawned a whole non-official festival as well. Free day parties and shows have grown to a number that surely has the official SXSW livid beyond belief yet limited on what they can do to restrict. The Fader Fort is a prime example of how big the non-official events have become. In all my years of attending, this year seemed to be the year that SXSW flexed it’s muscle as much as it could to try and prevent bands from playing non-sanctioned events. I heard of several situations where bands were asked to not play events, resulting in bands dropping off of parties, or representing themselves a bit differently to avoid detection. Even Gomez’s Tom Gray mentioned that he was surprised that SXSW hadn’t pulled them off stage during their IFC Crossroads performance on Tuesday night. Quite honestly, I’m not exactly how I feel about this. On one hand, it comes across as petty, but I do understand to a certain extent. What’s the compromise though?

So after years of buying into the SXSW, purchasing the badge, checking out the trade show, attending panel discussions, etc., I decided to take a different approach. No badge and no schedule. I did happen into a wristband, but it really served more as an accessory than a way to access any show that I wanted to see. It sure as hell wouldn’t have gotten me into 3 different shows on Wed night that I wanted to see, as the lines were long well before the performances, and even the badges were waiting in lines that stretched for 1/2 a block or more. Is this the future of SXSW? Long lines beyond belief with the elite few and extremely patient getting to see the shows that they really want. I thought it was the present, but a couple of huge shows that I thought wouldn’t be accessible for many, surprised me. Wristbands getting into Metallica? The Austin Music Hall selling tickets for Devo to the general public? Not what I expected at all.

Maybe Wednesday’s crowds were a result of an overlap of Interactive and Music badge holders? I heard from several people who work the week in several different capacities that this year didn’t feel as busy as years past. It’s hard for me to gauge, but makes sense being the economy is in the dumps. I do know that the Fader Fort had no shortage of lines each day in it’s operation.

Where am I going with this? I love SXSW, and think it’s the greatest week of music anywhere in the world, and I look forward to each year like a young child looks forward to Christmas. I want to support the business that is SXSW, but is it necessary for someone in my position, in order for me to have the best experience during the week. Not necessarily.  People complain about the locals or non-wristband/badge folks who take advantage of all of the parties, clogging up lines, and making it more difficult for the “official” attendees to enjoy this events, but what is the solution? I don’t know, but I do know that this year I didn’t throw down hundreds of dollars in hopes of gaining better access to shows, had the best SXSW in years, and saw almost every band I set out to see. And I saw some good stuff. I hope that you did as well.

Standout bands from this year..coming soon.

If you’re a fan of the goth punk sounds of bands like Joy Division, Jesus and The Mary Chain, and Bauhaus, then you just might like The Horrors.

The band is set to release their first recording on XL records titled Primary Colours, and the first single “Sea Within A Sea” has been set to video. You can see the video on the bands website, which interestingly enough is the video. Confused? Click the pic or the link below and see what I mean.

www.thehorrors.co.uk

Or watch it here:

The band will be hitting the road with The Kills and will be stopping here in Austin @ Emos

If day one of SXSW 2009 is of any indication of what is to come, it’s gonna be friggin NUTS! Caught a few bands, drank a few beers, and chatted with some good friends.

Highlight 1: Watching the Austinists Paige Maquire on stage with the Akron Family, complete with Indian headdress. Rock on Paige!

Highlight 2: Surprisingly impressed with Dan Auerbach’s performance @ the Parish. I’ve never been much of a Black Keys fan, but Dan’s show is a must see. Joined by My Morning Jacket drummer Patrick Hallahan, Dan rocked the shit!

A few more highlights that I can’t share with you now, but maybe soon.

A little video (audio not great, but you get the idea):

Dan Auerback @ The Parish SXSW 209 –

Sorry Ultra

I held off on investing much into the Decemberists for awhile, until they caught my attention @ ACL 2007. I only caught a couple of songs then, but have been curiously awaiting the next op to see them on stage. Last night confirmed the band’s ability and talent. With the band set to play their new release The Hazards of Love in it’s entirety @ tonites SXSW performance, they settled in for an evening of exploring their catalog of personal favs and hits, and a cover or two. Colin Meloy, playful with the crowd, and the band delivering on all promises one band of this talent is capable of delivering.

A small snipit of what was witnessed:

the Decemberists @ IFC Crossroads –

I woke up this morning feeling much like a 10 year kid on Christmas morning, only to realize that there are 3 more mornings that are going to feel like Christmas. It’s SXSW! A music geeks buffet, and gluttony is the order of the day.

There are plenty of options out there for enjoying the festivities free of charge and hanging out with some good friends, and here are some events being put on by myself and my music geek comrades.

Thursday:

• Local promoter Navdo has put together an impressive lineup that spans 14 hours and promises to please the most finicky of music fan. Some unfortunate lineup changes have occured since we originally posted about this event, thanks to the heavy hand of SXSW which seems more active this year than in previous. Unfortunately RSVPs are closed, so I hope that you were listening first time around.
• Good friend and fellow blogger Covert Curiosity has teamed up with Bull Moose to put together a sweet little event in the newly opened Aces Lounge. The impressive sound system will surely compliment the bands on the bill, and earplugs are recommended. LA’s Health headline this event. RSVP Here.

Friday:

• The guys over at Austin Sound know local music better than anyone else in town and have teamed up with local radio 91.7 KOOP for a fine little event @ Creekside. RSVP Here.

• New kids on the block Austin Town Hall break into the SXSW party scene for the first time with a lineup of local up and coming acts along with a few already established.

• And then there’s this little diddy. Soundcheck Magazine celebrates B-day # 3 and we’re on board to wish them many more. Just a little side note…We just turned 2! Prepare yourself for the terrible 2′s. RSVP Here. Indie buzz bands from around the globe, including a new fave of mine, Blind Pilot.

Saturday:

• Do512.com is what to do in Austin, and they know how to do a party. This little band that made one of the best rock records of 2008 will be there. I suggest that you make plans to do so as well. RSVP here.

I’ve been to many a SXSW, and over the years have caught a band or two that have left an impression on me while seeming to fade a bit into the unknown for some reason. A band called Shiner was one of those bands, and as they caught my attention with that show and a record titled The Egg, the band soon separated much to my dismay. Much to my delight, I find that members of that band from the near past, are once again banging out the heavy drum driven rock that appealed to me once then. The newest incarnation of the band is titled The Life and Times. Hailing from Kansas City, The Life and Times is set to release the recording Tragic Boogie. Can’t say that the record title says much for the band’s sound, but what’s on the disk is worth a listen.

The Life and Times plays 8 p.m. Thur @ The Wave Rooftop.

From the upcoming release Tragic Boogie

MP3> The Life and Times ‘Let It Eat’

Austin’s own Black Angels hosted their 2nd edition of Psych Fest this past weekend, and as there was still room for a few more bodies, it was by many means a success. Plenty of music for many a music lover, great local eats, $4 Miller High Life, hula hoops for your swinging hips, and plenty of good friends made for an enjoyable weekend @ the newly opened Radio Room.

I can’t say that I’m a huge fan of some of the more traditional styles of psychedelic rock, but when the genre encompasses bands like Dead Meadow and A Place to Bury Strangers, I’m on board for sure.

The hosts of the weekend, The Black Angels closed out a cold wet Friday night, in true modern psych drone rock style, maintaining to keep the vibe intact despite issues with the PA. Issues which seemed to haunt the sound engineers most of the weekend, but failed to put a damper on the audience’s enjoyment of the music offerings. The Black Angels droned through a set that included selections from recorded material as well as glimpse of newer material that I can only hope will see availability some time this year. The band has really found it’s groove, creatively and live on stage, while arguably establishing itself as one of the best rock bands on the scene right now.

Saturday offered up two acts of interest, the first of which was San Francisco’s Wooden Shjips. They dabbled a bit much in what I consider to be the traditional psych rock, but a few songs rocked enough to keep me interested.

I have been spinning the Dead Meadow quite frequently since I caught them for the first time last January, and the live show only confirms the talent that this 3 piece outfit possess. Although the band has been around just over 10 years they are one of my favorite newer discoveries, that I highly recommend to anyone who fans a wonderful modern twist on 70′s hard rock with a slight injection of the psychedelic.

Sunday brought one of the more interesting acts to be included on the bill, Brooklyn’s A Place to Bury Strangers. Self proclaimed loudest band in Brooklyn and deliverers of total sonic annihilation. I caught the band during their last visit here in Austin, and the show was a complete sensory overload complete with throbbing strobe lights, more smoke than a Dead show, and a volume rarely experienced @ a live show these days.  Singer/guitarist Oliver Ackerman lead the trio through a ferocious set once again that attacked the auditory senses slowly working himself into a frenzy that resulted in broken guitar strings while slinging the axe around on stage. Sonic annihilation that was absolutely a grand closure to a great weekend of music.

Festival organizer Alex Maas mentioned that there are definitely plans to continue with this annual event, with a committed effort to continue to build it bigger and better in the future. I’m already planning my wish list for next year.

I just read on the old interweb over @ Austin360.com that Transmission Entertainment’s Graham Williams has confirmed Jesus Lizard for Fun Fun Fun Fest ’09. The fact that Jesus Lizard were reuniting for a tour this year was great news enough, but for them to play my favorite festival of the year?  My day/week has just been made!

MP3> Jesus Lizard ‘Puss’

KEXP.org has long been one of my favorite online radio stations for discovering new music, and for what I believe to be the 3rd year in a row, will be broadcasting live from Austin during SXSW. KEXP DJs John Richards and Cheryl Waters broadcast from Austin’s ME studios will include live performances from 15 bands over the 3 days. All of the performances will be open to the public and are free. And the lineup is pretty sweet.

KEXP SXSW – LIVE BROADCAST SCHEDULE

Wednesday, March 18th (Austin Time)

11:30am BLK JKS

1:30pm Alela Diane

3:30pm Pete & the Pirates

5:30pm Wild Yaks

7:30pm The Features

Thursday, March 19th (Austin Time)

11:30am Elliott Brood

1:30pm The Love Language

3:30pm Akron/Family

5:30pm First Communion Afterparty

7:15pm Gomez

Friday, March 20th (Austin Time)

11:30am Razorlight

1:30pm Andrew Bird

3:30pm Peter Bjorn and John

5:30pm PJ Harvey & John Parish

7:30pm M. Ward

LOCATION:

ME Television Soundstage — http://www.metelevision.com/

2130 South Congress Avenue

Austin, TX 78704

I don’t think that anyone saw this coming, but I do know that a good few of us are pretty thrilled to see it come to light. The recently reunited legendary shoe-gaze outfit My Bloody Valentine, have just announced a short series of shows around the U.S. and Austin made the cut. Tickets are on sale NOW! If you have any interest in checking out this event, I would suggest that you buy yours a.s.a.p. They won’t last long.

Austin Music Hall on April 21st. Hope to see you there!

Tickets HERE

MP3> My Bloody Valentine ‘Blown A Wish’

Dates Here:

04-18 Indio, CA – Coachella
04-21 Austin, TX – Austin Music Hall
04-22 Dallas, TX – The Palladium
04-24 Denver, CO – The Fillmore Auditorium
04-27 Seattle, WA – WaMu Theater at Qwest Field
05-28 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival
05-29 Barcelona, Spain – Primavera Sound Festival