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’

This entry was posted on Thursday, March 26th, 2009 at 3:32 pm and is filed under SXSW, live review, mp3's, recommended, video.