The Way Too Late (and too short) SXSW Wrapup

First band: Kid Infinity

Last Band: Das Racist

In between: The White and Black Years, Lesands, Fruition & The Bellbays, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Cults, Foster The People, Twin Shadow, Givers, The Naked and Famous, Toro y Moi, Oberhoffer, Jeff & The Brotherhood, Kisses, The Orbans, Hanni El Khatib, Skiggy Rapz, Starfucker, Kyle Andrews, Oh No Oh My, ARMS, Delicate Steve, Family of the Year, Jonquil, Givers, and Cults

Best Sets (in order of appearance): Lesands, Foster The People, Skiggy Rapz, Kyle Andrews, Family of the Year, Jonquil, Givers, Cults

Random Stuff: Helping Odd Future parallel park their car. Their hype died real fast, eh?

Weirdest Thing: Givers’ guitar player looks like a young James Franco, and when he plays his eyes often roll back into his head, so you only see the whites of his eyes. Very freaky, but amusing.

CER's SXSW 2011 Plans

Always ambitious and always subject to change, but here it goes.

Thursday Night

CER (sure, I can refer to myself in the third person) lands at AUS at 8pm, assuming the flight gets in on time. Head over to where I'm staying, and then hopefully have time to pick up my PureVolume badge at the PureVolume house (504 Trinity St.) before Kid Infinity's 10pm 3D show at at Gypsy Lounge (1504 E. 6^th Street). I'm very excited for this; KI is an LA hip-hop/electroic duo whose 3D live show uses the technology Michael Jackson was going to use for his This Is It Tour. (One member of KI is the office manager at the company that created the technology). This will be the first time they’ve done a 3D show outside of LA, and the third time total. I was at the last one; there’s nothing to compare it to. Here’s a review (that I did not write): http://larecord.com/live-reviews/2011/02/15/kid-infinity-alexandria-hotel

As for the rest of the night, the KI show runs until 1am with Twin Atlantic, Funeral Party, and some DJs. May not be the worst place to spend a couple hours.

(Aside: KI is doing a second 3D show at Cheer Up Charlie's [1104 e. 6th st.] at 1am)

Then onto the PureVolume House (504 Trinity St.). Their lineup starts at midnight with The Limousines, followed by The Dears at 1am, and The Bravery at 2am.

Friday Day

Friday’s all about the Windish Agency’s party at Emo’s (603 Red River Street), mostly because Foster The People are performing , but also because the rest of the lineup is really strong. Emo’s isn’t my ideal SXSW venue (bigger and more crowded than I’d like), but this should be worth it, as long as you get there early. Here's the Emo's lineup:

12:15: Unknown Mortal Orchestra
1:00: Cults
1:15: Chain Gang of 1974
2:00: Foster The People
2:15: Toro y Moi
3:00 Twin Shadow
3:15 Esben and the Witch
4:00 Givers
4:15 Naked and Famous
500 Friendly Fires
515: Braids

All bands worthy of catching, but no one wants to stay in one place too long. The question is when to leave. Here's a couple of options:

• Home Slice Pizza (1421 S. Congress Ave. -- Congress & 15th) http://homeslicepizza.wordpress.com/music-by-the-slice-2011/

o 550: Thao with The Get Down Stay Down

o 625: The Rural Alberta Advantage

• Fader Fort (1101 E. 5th Street)
  

o 515: Ellie Goulding

o 600: Smith Westerns

o 645: Odd Future

o 730: Matt & Kim

• Lawn Party (802 San Marcos Street)
  

o 530: Tune-Yards

If I had to choose, I’d probably go with leaving Emo’s before 430 to catch a little of Givers, and then go pick up our Fader Fort bracelets (San Marcos Street between 4^th and 5^th) (about half a mile from Emo’s), get to Fader Fort in time for Ellie Goulding, and stay through Matt & Kim. Ellie Goulding is big in the UK but less known here, so it will be worth it. Smith Westerns are pretty good, if you ignore their annoying long hair and the girls who go crazy for them, Odd Future will be wild, and Matt & Kim is a remnant from my "bands I didn't get to see at SXSW 2009" list. But in exchange I'd miss out on Naked and Famous, Friendly Fires, and Braids at Emo’s. We’d probably survive, although I feel that Naked and Famous would be an enjoyable guilty pleasure.

Friday (Night)

Two good party options:

• Killer Tofu/Official Unofficial Showcase Show at Lipstick24: Really great lineup, including Oh Land at 12:30am and Kisses at 1am. The rest of the lineup should also be worth it, there’s free beer until it runs out, and it’s half a mile from Fader Fort.

o The other bands: Brahms, Aislyn, High Highs, Secret Mountains, Delicate Steve, Gobble Gobble, Hooray for Earth, Foxes in Fiction. I don’t know much about them, but here’s some videos of them in mostly-acoustic action: http://www.biguglyyellowcouch.com/post/2011/3/4/i-guess-im-big-ugly-and-going-to-sxsw.html

• Redefine party: Starfucker’s closing out this party out on the outdoor stage at 945, preceded by Casiokids. It would be fun. The only problem is that the party is happening about 2 miles outside downtown, up near UT (2610 Rio Grande St.). It’s 2.2 miles from Emo’s, for instance. Probably a dealbreaker.

Then maybe see Chromeo at midnight at La Zona Rosa (612 W4th).

After Chromeo, on to the Pure Volume House again. Baths is on at 12:45 and Jonquil at 1:30. Both are worth seeing; I especially like Jonquil.

Saturday (Day)

Saturday’s looking to be a more hop from show to show day to hit the bands that are worthwhile.

Start the day at Hotel Vegas (1500 East 6^th Street) for The Big One 2011:

- 1200: The Orbans

- 100: Hanni El Khatib

- 200: Skiggy Rapz

I’m excited about Skiggy Rapz; he’s a hip-hop artist from the Netherlands. I think he usually plays with a live band, too. The Orbans and Hanni are also good.

Then walk over to the Terrorbird Licensing SXSW Party at 501 Studios (501 N I-35). If they’re behind schedule we may catch some of Starfucker, but our main purpose is to see Kyle Andrews, who’s scheduled to go on at 3:15.

Hopefully we’re still on time, so we can walk over to The Ghost Room (304 W 4^th Street) to see Oh No Oh My at 4:30, and to cross off another band from my "missed at SXSW 2009" list.

Then we walk a couple hundred feet to Fado’s Irish Pub (214 W 4^th Street) for the remainder of the afternoon. Lineup:

- 450: Adam Arcuragi (will probably miss him)

- 540: ARMS (ex-Harlem Shakes)

- 630: Holiday Shores

- 720: TV Girl

Saturday (Night)

There’s a seriously excellent (and nicely varied) showcase at Emo’s Jr.:

- 800: Delicate Steve

- 900: Family of the Year (a CER Favorite)

- 1000: Jonquil (unlikely that we'll make their PV House Set on Friday night)

- 1100: Givers (great indie pop/rock, lots of instruments; will likely miss their 4pm set at Emo’s on Friday)

- 1200: FM Belfast (electronic from ICELAND)

- 100: Lesands (dancey pop [very 80s] from LA; fast on track to becoming a CER Favorite)

Alternatively, there’s a party at the Austin Museum of Art:

- 8:10 - Neon Windbreaker

- 8:45 – Badknight

- 9:20 - Grass is Green

- 9:55 - Dirty Dishes

- 10:30 - Moving Mountains

Dirty Dishes is pretty cool. The rest of the bands are kind of "eh."

There’s also a night party at Gingerman (301 La Vaca):

- 8:20 Colourslide

- 9:20 David Wax Museum

- 10:20 Girls Guns and Glory

- 11:20 Parallax Project

- 12:20 The Wandas

Again, generally "eh."

Oh, and Kanye's performing. If you want to wait in line for hours and hours on SXSW's last night, he's all yours.

Saturday (Late Night)

The Emo's Jr. showcase goes well past midnight, but Das Racist is performing at the PV House at 2:15 am.

On to Austin!

Family of the Year: SXSW and Video for "Psyche or Like Scope"

Back in January, CER Favorites Family of the Year premiered their video for "Psyche or Like Scope." Being negligent in my duties, I did not post the video. Allow me to correct myself:



But that's not all. After a string of successful, sold-out shows in Europe, the band will be playing two shows at SXSW. Their official showcase on Saturday night, March 19, at Emo's Jr. has a very strong lineup. FOTY is on at 9pm and you should then stick around for the rest of the night to see Jonquil (10pm), Givers (11pm), FM Belfast (midnight), and Lesands (1am). It's an incredible way to close out SXSW, and I hope to be there.

LA Bands To See @ SXSW

This is a day late (and the font is a little off), but for those of you lucky enough to be in Austin and looking for the best LA has to offer, here's CER's SXSW recommendations:

Family of the Year

• Thursday: 1:30 @ Cafe Mundi
  
• Friday: 5:00 @ Maggie Mae's, 8:00 @ Ale House

His Orchestra

• Thursday: 5:00 @ Creekside Lounge

Best Coast

• Thursday: 3:00 @ Fader Fort, 4:00 @ Red Fez
  
• Friday: 3:30 @ Emo’s, 6:00 @ Klub Krucial
  
• Saturday: 2:00 @ Maggie Mae’s, 4:00 @ Mexican American Cultural Center, 6:45 @ Max’s Wine Dive, 11:00 @ Barbarella

Letting Up Despite Great Faults

• Thursday: 10:30 @ Sneakerfest
• Friday: 1:30 @ Clive Bar
• Saturday: 1:00 @ Moose Lodge, 2:45PM @ Home Slice Pizza
  

Happy Hollows

• Thursday 12:30 @ Scoot Inn, 3:00 @ Lustre Pearl, 4:30 @ Lambert’s
• Friday: 1:30 @ Republic Live, 8:00 @ Guero’s
  
• Saturday: 5:00 @ Home Slice Pizza

Casxio

• Thursday: 5:00 @ Blind Pig rooftop, 10:10 @ Malverde
  
• Friday: 5:15 @ Shangri-La
  
• Saturday: 2:40 @ Peckerheads

Henry Clay People

• Thursday: 2:00 @ Threadgill’s, 3:45 @ Lambert’s, 8:30 @ Club de Ville
  
• Friday: 3:30 @ Anne’s on 6th, 6:00 @ Pure Volume House
  
• Saturday: 2:30 @ Kung Fu Saloon, 6:00 @ Home Slice Pizza

Nico Stai

• Thursday: 8:00 @ Uncorked Bar
• Friday: 3:00 @ The Acquarium, 10:30 @ Maggie Mae's
• Saturday: 2:00 @ The Shangri-la
  

Also, Kittens Ablaze’s showcase is at 1am on Friday night at Wave.

I'm jealous of all of you. Have fun.

SXSW 2009 Wrapup

SXSW was great. It's indie rock heaven, except it's not free, all your friends aren't there, and there's sometimes long lines (although the lines do a good job in moving you away from what you shouldn't be spending your time on). The closest thing I can equate it to is a very long Warped Tour that's not entirely outside, has better music, and isn't full of 12-16 year olds.

Best performances: Kittens Ablaze at Wave, Von Bondies at Vice, Cage the Elephant at Antone's, Ra Ra Riot at Parish, Local Natives at Central Presbyterian Church.

First Band: Future of the Left
Last Band: Ra Ra Riot

In between: We Were Promised Jetpacks, Harlem Shakes, Titus Andronicus, Nico Vega, Other Lives, Shout Out Out Out Out, Tigercity, Von Bondies, Decemberists, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Mean Highway & Magic [apparently I have their name wrong], Great Lakes Myth Society, Megafaun, Henry Clay People, The Grates, Cold War Kids, The New Wine, Hurray for the Riff Raff, Amanda Palmer, Elvis Perkins, Local Natives, Bishop Allen, We Have Band, American Analog Set, Harlem Shakes, Cut Off Your Hands, Ra Ra Riot, Trail of Dead, Future of the Left, ?, Dressy Bessy, Bear Hands, Gringo Star, Greg Lacewell, Honey Sac, 13ghosts, Kittens Ablaze, Alice Russel, Still Flyin', ?, Mason Propper, Cursive, Starfucker, Local Natives, Afternoons, Happy Hollows, Cage the Elephant, Duke Spirit, Silversun Pickups

Show that made me the happiest: Great Lakes Myth Society. I've been wanting to see them (and/or their previous iteration The Original Brothers and Sisters of Love) for 7 years. Finally.

Brooklyn representing: Kittens Ablaze and Harlem Shakes (whose album just came out last week). I'm really excited to see what happens with these two bands over the next year. Maybe I need to move.

Bands I got to talk to: Kittens Ablaze, Great Lakes Myth Society (Tim), Dressy Bessy (Tammy and Rob), Local Natives (Matt).

Biggest surprises:

• Running into high school friends at Ra Ra Riot's daytime show at the Onion party.
• The small crowd loving Dressy Bessy. They deserve that.
• Liking Amanda Palmer's set.
• How friendly people are at SXSW.
• Cupcake truck. Mmm.
  

Disappointments:

• Peter Bjorn & John. They're dead to me.
  
• Beer. Cheap, but what a waste.
• Bands not identifying themselves often enough. I shouldn't have to ask people who you are after seeing the last 10 minutes of your set -- you should have told me already.
• How infrequently I needed my badge.
• Not seeing Oh No Oh My, Matt & Kim, The Morning Benders, Via Audio, etc.
• AT&T Wireless

Goals for next year:

• Attend no matter what (March 17-21, 2010)
• Talk to more people randomly
• Bring a real camera
• Save money and not get a badge (it's a $100+/day insurance policy), but then blow the savings on hard liquor.

Related Posts:
CER's SXSW Plans
CER's SXSW Videos

Video Encounter: My SXSW Videos

Advance apologies for the audio and video quality.

Kittens Ablaze at Wave on Friday.



Local Natives playing "Airplanes" at Wave on Saturday.



Cage the Elephant at Antone's on Saturday night.



Some strange electrical stuff that I'll explain more about later when I figure out what it is

The SXSW Post

Here's how I will try to organize my SXSW plans. At bottom it's a pointless exercise because nothing will go according to plan, people I run into will have their own plans, etc. But if I don't even try, I'll be too lost.

First things first, I highly recommend just going to the SXSW show schedule site and listening to random bands. It's the definitive (although too long) list of indie bands out there right now.

I might Twitter during SXSW if I feel I have anything to say. The right side of the blog will have my last three entries. I don't like Twitter.

How SXSW Works

Not too complicated, but the sheer magnitude of events happening is what makes it complicated. Parties during the day throughout downtown Austin (parties meaning free shows and free booze). They typically start at around noon and go into the early evening. The best, although incomplete, list of these are at Sched's SXSW site. Also during the day for badge holders are panels at the Austin Convention Center (and a day stage). At night there's showcases everywhere in downtown Austin. For the showcases you really need a badge or wristband. There's also parties at night, although not as many as during the day.

Many parties require RSVPs, or at least recommend them so you can avoid the lines and/or be on the list for the open bar.

Now, down to my plans.

Bands I Must See Or I Won't Be Happy

Kittens Ablaze ("Ra Ra Riot meets Cursive") (showcase only)
Harlem Shakes
Matt & Kim (showcase only). This isn't looking likely.
Oh No Oh My (no showcase?)
Hold Steady
The Morning Benders
Great Lakes Myth Society
Local Natives

Local LA Bands I Want to See at SXSW

Local Natives - obvious pick, I want to see how they're received outside of their home state. And if there's going to be a breakout LA band at SXSW they're it. It doesn't hurt that they're playing 8 times during SXSW. Here's their SXSW flyer (and they've just posted a new song on their myspace):




Afternoons: They don't play enough in LA, and they're amazingly better live than recorded; the three-part vocal harmonies don't put chills down your spine when you listen on Myspace.

Henry Clay People: Because they're great, even though they have the April Spaceland residency.

Others: Great Northern, Earlimart, Airborne Toxic Event, Castledoor

Daytime Parties

For other suggestions, see Austin Town Hall Music Guide

Wednesday:

Throwdown at Maggie Mae's (323 E 6th Street) sponsored by Spaceland and MySpace Records. Three stages, quality bands. RSVP link (to skip the line). I'm probably just going to park myself here for the afternoon.

Future of the Left (1:25), Natalie Portman's Shaved Head (2), We Were Promised Jet Packs (2:30), Harlem Shakes (3:20), Titus Andronicus (4:10), Nico Vega (4:45), Wavves (5:30)

Hype Machine Radio Launch Party Party at The Lounge @ Peckerheads (402 E. 6th Street) . This one leans more towards bands with dance/electronic elements. Hockey (3), Casiokids (4), and The Golden Filter (7) play. RSVP link

Austinist Presents Gonna Get Down party at Mohawk (912 Red River). Akron/Family (5), The Mae Shi (4:40), Elvis Perkins (4), Kevin Devine (12:15), Telekinesis (11:45 am). No RSVP.

Thursday:

Quack Media Party at Red 7 (611 E 7th Street) with The Hold Steady, No Age, and Lucero. Great Lakes Myth Society also play. RSVP link


Paste Party at Radio Room (507 E. 6th Street). Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cursive, Bishop Allen, Au Rivoir Simone, Cursive, The Wrens, etc. Link and RSVP

Vaya Con Tacos party at Peckerheads (402 E 6th Street). Link and RSVP Henry Clay (5pm), Le Switch (6pm), J. Tillman (6:30)

Friday

Buzzbands LA Party at Cheers (414 E 6th Street). Harlem Shakes headline at 6, and Red Cortez and Local Natives play right before. Apparently no RSVP needed.



Hot Freaks Party, Friday edition, at Club Deville (900 Red River) and The Mohawk (912 Red River). Start at The Mohawk and then go next door to Club Deville. Then go 0.2 miles to the Buzzbands show. RSVP

The Mohawk Patio features has The Wrens (12:00), Bishop Allen (1:00), and the Henry Clay People (2:00)
Club Deville features American Analog Set (2:30), The Thermals (3:30), and The Hold Steady (4:30).

There's also The Onion AV Club Party at The Radio Room (507 E. 6th) with The Thermals, Trail of Dead, and Ra Ra Riot. No RSVP needed.

And there's the Fader Fort party with Solid Gold (3); The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (3:45), Women (5:15), and Peter Bjorn & John (7:45). Link and RSVP

Saturday

Lots of options, but nothing definitive.

- The strongest party is probably at Maggie Mae's, with New York Dolls, Ra Ra Riot, Airborne Toxic Event, and Edwin Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros. It's partially sponsored by Rachel Ray. Don't know why. Link Noon - 5pm

- 40 Watt Athens Day Party at Sidebar (602 E. 7th). You can rarely go wrong with music from Athens, GA, but the only band I'm familiar with is Maserati. Instrumental, but rocking.

Outside Stage 12:00 - Mean Creek 12:40 - Winter Sounds 1:10 - Still Flyin’ 2:00 - Holy Liars 3:00 - Gentlemen Jesse 4:00 - Modern Skirts 5:00 - A Armada 6:00 - Maserati
Inside Stage 12:20 - Dancer Vs. Politician 1:00 - Venice Is Sinking 1:40 - Quiet Hooves 2:30 - Gift Horse 3:30 - Dead Confederate 4:30 - Twin Tigers 5:30 - Pride Parade 6:30 - The Dumps

- Mess With Texas 3 Show at Waterloo Park (12th and Red River). Saturday. 11:30am-9pm. Two stages, over 20 bands. Link

- Mos Fuk Dupp Day Party (clever, I know). Would be the last chance to see Oh No Oh My if I haven't yet. They're on at 1:30. RSVP

- Coffee! No Pants? Party. Harlem Shakes (2:15), Princeton (3), Lonely Dear, Titus Andronicus. RSVP

- Hot Freaks Party, Saturday edtion.

- The Big One at do512 HQ (2208 S. Lamar). Red Cortez (5), Afternoons (6), and Dead Confederates (7). RSVP.

Night Parties

Wednesday

SXSW Stimulus Party at Paradise (401 E. 6th). Tigercity (8), Morning Benders (9), Harlem Shakes (11). The party starts at 11am, but this is when it gets good. No RSVP apparently needed.

Saturday

Blastro Networks. Link and RSVP. The Von Bondies, Glasvegas, The Knux, and Manchester Orchestra.

Other Parties

Purevolume.com has parties each day and each night. As would be expected with Purevolume it leans heavily emo. RSVP

Showcases

Wednesday: Cut Off Your Hands (8:45), Von Bondies (9:45), Peter Bjorn & John (10:45), and Glasvegas (11:45) at Vice (302 E 6th).

Thursday: There's way too much tonight.

There's an early showcase at Auditorium Shores Stage (which may be a bigger hassle than necessary). It's at Lady Bird Lake--Riverside Drive & S. 1st Street. Elvis Perkins (6), Cold War Kids (7), M Ward (8).

Later showcases: 5 options.
- 1) Music Gym Patio (815 E. 6th) with The New Wine (9), and Lemonade (10).
- 2) Emo's Main Room (603 Red River) with Wild Light (10) and Peter Bjorn & John (1 am)
- 3) Opal Divine's Freehouse (700 W. 6th) with Matt & Kim at 11:15.
- 4) Sup Pop Showcase at Radio Room (508 E 6th)
- 5) Central Presbyterian Church (200 E. 8th St) with Amanda Palmer (11), Elvis Perkins (12), Local Natives (1 am)

I'm leaning towards ending the night at #5 with Local Natives and Elvis, getting to the Church at around 11:30. Before that it's wide open, but I lean towards #1.

Friday: Kittens Ablaze at Wave (408 E. 6th). Kittens is on at midnight. Unfortunately the openers aren't too great. But I need to see Kittens Ablaze.
Start the night at Mohawk Patio (912 Red River) with Bear Hands at 8 and The Blakes at 9.

Saturday: A good amount of options tonight, but not as crazy as Thursday. Start early at Antone's then over to Parish. (If you don't go to the Blastro party).

- LA Bands @ Antone's (213 W 5th). Afternoons (8), Happy Hollows (9), Silversun Pickups (Midnight).
- Barsuk/Merge Show at Parish (214B E 6th). Say Hi (11), Rosebuds (Midnight), Ra Ra Riot (1 am)

Some of the Non-LA Bands I Want to See

Peter Bjorn and John, Post War Years, Hesta Prynn, Ida Maria, M Ward, Bishop Allen, The New Wine, Out From Animals, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Glacier Hiking, Casiokids, Akron/Family, The Golden Filter, Blitzen Trapper and the entire Subpop showcase, Harlem Shakes, Hockey, Bear Hands, Tigercity, Telekinesis, Ezra Furman and the Harpoons, Simplifires,
Say Hi, The Knux, . . . Trail of Dead, Dressy Bessy, Titus Andronicus, Natalie Portman's Shaved Head, Great Lakes Myth Society, Von Bondies, Sebastien Grainger & The Mountains (playing the Knit on March 26), Nico Vega, The Hold Steady, Wild Light, The Thermals, Amanda Palmer
Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Kevin Devine, Kraak & Smaak, Women, Freeway, Camera Obscura, Matt and Kim, Kittens Ablaze, Via Audio, We Were Promised Jetpacks, Beep Beep (playing the Knit on March 26), Maps & Atlases (playing Spaceland on March 24), Okkervil River, The Wrens, Mother Mother (playing at Troubador on March 25), Tigercity, Palomar, Oh No Oh My, Manchester Orchestra, Anni Rossi, Savoir Adore, Willowz, Pomegranates (playing Silverlake Lounge April 30)