Fours days, 150,000 people and unlimited beers. Oh, and there was some music, too. Austin, Texas’s SXSW festival, a yearly migration for hangover, hype and brilliance, is an opportunity to finally hear first-hand all the bands you’ve been hearing _about_.
I was planning on taking it easy this year, but I still somehow managed to catch a total of 35 bands just by walking in and having ears. The set includes: Miike Snow, Les Savy Fav, the Dum Dum Girls, Yelawolf, Japandroids, Local Natives, Harlem, Bear In Heaven, Delorean, Muse, Class Actress, Fang Island, Fool’s Gold (still with me?), Chew Lips, Salem (twice), the Morning Benders, Marina & the Diamonds, Hunx and His Punx, Chico Man, the XX, jj, MNDR, Avi Buffalo, Le Loup, the Very Best, Sleigh Bells, Orphaned Land, Geographer, Think About Life, Fitz & the Tantrums, Javelin (we’re almost done here), Cheeseburger, the Drums, Shout Out Out Out, Bomba Estereo and Danger Mouse (actually, I saw this guy just walking in the airport, but it was a walk worthy of applause).
Though a lot of music, the list pales in comparison to my colleague Chris Weingarten’s 100 Bands/4 Days Mission. And while I, too, would love to write 140-character descriptions of all the aforementioned acts, I think it’s safer just to stick to the very best of SXSW 2010:
1. The Dum Dum Girls: Yes, the fuzzed-out girl group bit sounds a bit redundant these days, but, boy, does is it work for these four impossibly smoking yet cold-as-ice fembots. Rocking with composure and black widow-like intensity, lead singer Dee Dee (no last name) opened their set at the Levi’s Fader Fort with a cover of the Rolling Stones’s "Play With Fire." That takes some confidence. Which they definitely have.
Photo by Aaron Richter
2. The Drums: No band inspires such feverish debate among the informed like Brooklyn’s the Drums. Too posed, some insist. Too referential, yell the others. One friend even left the set midway through, insisting it was so cheesy, "you could spread it on a bagel." These are intended as criticisms, yet the Drums _are_ posed and referential. In a good way. Lead singer Jonathan Pierce’s Bowie-meets-lounge singer act is awkward and hypnotic, and the foursome’s stylish look could score them day jobs as mannequins at Urban Outfitters. No wonder the band’s so popular with the youth — definitely not groundbreaking, but it sure is pretty.
3. Shout Out Out Out: SXSW has an abundance of indie rock bands, yet somewhat lacks in electronica. Edmonton’s six-man collective fills that gap with music made for interstellar road trips. Led by the robot-voiced Nik Kozub, Shout Out Out Out afflicted a room full of partiers with restless leg syndrome. Their obscurity must be due to their Canadian home base; if the triple Outs lived in New York, they’d surely be every hipster’s Saturday night soundtrack of choice.
4. Think About Life: By the name alone, one would expect this Montreal foursome to be heady and introspective. They are very much neither. TAL’s performance was the only time I witnessed a SXSW audience drunk, comfortable and inspired enough to join a band onstage for a dance party. On songs from sophmore album _Family_, Martin Cesar’s jerky art-rock vocals were boosted by newest addition Caila Thompson-Hannant. This is very much an example of needing to see a band’s live show to "get it."
And since they can’t all be winners, I’ll point out one disappointment:
jj: Perez Hilton himself wrote (seriously, _that_ Perez Hilton) on the EW blog, “I saw jj earlier this week. I love their album, and they were awful live . . . embarrassingly bad. It was insulting as an audience member, actually, how little they cared. This girl just sat there, not having any interaction with the crowd, being lethargic. It was disgusting.” This is the one and only instance I actually agree with the douchebag, but you know what? I still love those records.
Related posts:
Daryl Hall: Music Legend and Blond Jew Finally Gets His Due
SXSW Recap, the Recappiest (2009)
SXSW Recap II, More Recappier (2009)
pple tried to stop by the supra mens shoes HTC smartphones manufactured imports of the importance of addressing the bla
Google may pay heed. “Level of community support is certainly one supra parts of the factors we’re considering,” says a Google spokesman who Reply
“We know that now divide and handbags conquer strategy,” White said. “We understand the truth of the distraction tactics. We understand that no Texan leather handbags
Democrats now will proceed supra turbo with a straight up-or-down vote on the health new supra care bill that passe
Apple tried to stop by the Supra footwear HTC smartphones manufactured imports of the importance of addressing the supra shoesr smart phone patent dispute the role of th
Google may pay heed. “Level of community support is certainly one Supra Shoes Online Sale of the factors we’re considering,” says a Google spokesman who Supra Shoes Buy
pple tried to stop by the supra mens shoes HTC smartphones manufactured imports of the importance of addressing the bla
Google may pay heed. “Level of community support is certainly one supra parts of the factors we’re considering,” says a Google spokesman who Reply
“We know that now divide and handbags conquer strategy,” White said. “We understand the truth of the distraction tactics. We understand that no Texan leather handbags
Democrats now will proceed supra turbo with a straight up-or-down vote on the health new supra care bill that passe
Woods is the star of Nike Golf, which produces supra mk3 parts apparel including his high-end TW shoes online shirt
Apple tried to stop by the Supra footwear HTC smartphones manufactured imports of the importance of addressing the supra shoesr smart phone patent dispute the role of th
Google may pay heed. “Level of community support is certainly one Supra Shoes Online Sale of the factors we’re considering,” says a Google spokesman who Supra Shoes Buy
Inexpensive Cheap Gucci Sneakers internet advertising solutions are able to respond, cheap Louis Vuitton Shoes
G Star Raw G Star Raw
G Star G Star
Jeans G Star Jeans G Star
G Star sale
Official Retailer – 53% off with free delivery for the ghd straighteners and hair products. Including the new ghd mk4, wide plate ghd and Limited edition
ghd hair straighteners
Reply
ds lite
dsi card
nintendo dsi
Reply
balenciaga purse,balenciaga sale,Up to 70% off balenciaga handbags,latest balenciaga handbags clothes style,Free gift and Fast ship.
balenciaga purse
balenciaga sale
Buy cartier
dance
Reply
The world famous GHD hair straighteners are the international brand,and they are loved by the women and girls. Because ghd straighteners will help them to change the style o
This is an added discount mbt shoes benefit for people interested in buying the Fitness mbt shoes. The shoe has its cons mainly the price and the issue of Reply
Think Merrell is just for the more active Buy Casual Shoes man or lady? Well think again. Merrell shoes do not just produce casual shoes wholesale a range of perform
where he belonged long before Lou nfl jerseys Piniella finally made the move. But if cheap nfl jerseys any pitcher is dumb enough to throw him a fastball instead Reply
The company that makes mbt Shoes clearance (also known as the anti-shoe) is Swiss Masai. mbt chapa shoesThe uniquely-designed, multi-layered, cured sole is designed to simulate
online store always endeavours to Womens high heels provide customers with both quality products and services, and prides itself in offering the highest level of in-store customer chr
In the latest team-up between handbags Nike and UNDFTD’s Eddie Cruz, Nike Sportswear has released the nike air force 1 sales “Eddie Cruz West Edition” part of the Eas
One of the biggest improvements to ed hardy kids shoes “World Cup” comes in the form of testing ed hardy purses a gamer’s nerve. With the all-new penalty kicks Reply
The media vortex sucked up adidas sportswear hockey, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Donovan sportswear shorts McNabb, baseball stars tied to a doctor being investigate
one day i went shopping outside,and in an ed hardy store,I found some kinds of ed hardy i love most they are Your website is really good Thank you for the information links of london links of
ed hardy ed hardy
ed hardy clothing ed hardy clothing
ed hardy shop ed hardy shop
tiffany jewellery tiffany jewellery
tiffany jewelry tiffany jewelry
tiffany co jewelry
G Star Raw G Star Raw
G Star G Star
Jeans G Star Jeans G Star
G Star sale
This is an added discount mbt shoes benefit for people interested in buying the Fitness mbt shoes. The shoe has its cons mainly the price and the issue of Reply
Think Merrell is just for the more active Buy Casual Shoes man or lady? Well think again. Merrell shoes do not just produce casual shoes wholesale a range of perform
where he belonged long before Lou nfl jerseys Piniella finally made the move. But if cheap nfl jerseys any pitcher is dumb enough to throw him a fastball instead Reply
The company that makes mbt Shoes clearance (also known as the anti-shoe) is Swiss Masai. mbt chapa shoesThe uniquely-designed, multi-layered, cured sole is designed to simulate
In the latest team-up between handbags Nike and UNDFTD’s Eddie Cruz, Nike Sportswear has released the nike air force 1 sales “Eddie Cruz West Edition” part of the Eas
One of the biggest improvements to ed hardy kids shoes “World Cup” comes in the form of testing ed hardy purses a gamer’s nerve. With the all-new penalty kicks Reply
The media vortex sucked up adidas sportswear hockey, LeBron James, Tiger Woods, Donovan sportswear shorts McNabb, baseball stars tied to a doctor being investigate
Long before that nighttime soap brought him international tag heuer fame, Forsythe worked steadily in both film and TV, earning an Emmy nod back in 1953. Forsythe also tag heuer contended at the
Prior to airing the two-hour series finale, there will be a replica watches one-hour recap of all six seasons of this 2005 Emmy winner for best drama replica watches series. Then after the replica watches show, Jimmy Kimmel Reply
Tom Quinn, senior VP of Magnolia, calls replica watches this an incredible achievement on so many levels. On average, less than 50 specialized films replica watches a year cross the $1 million mark, so to see our little program replica watches blossom int
Dylan won the Oscar in 2000 for his replica breitling watches original song Things Have breitling watches Changed for the film Wonder Boys. Bennett Marcus attended the wrap breitling watches party for Ugly Betty and details the highs and lows
I am looking to get one for my son as a present. I bought him one when he was younger, but you could only really see the moon through it. I guess I will need to go up market this time.. move ipod music |
Samsung LED HDTVs combine breakthrough picture quality and Samsung UN55C6300 55-Inch 1080p 120 Hz LED HDT
But he’s dug himself a partisan hole with this big bill, and it’ll be interesting to breitling watches see him try to dig his way out. On the one hand, an Academy Award is nothing to sneeze at. Bullock has Reply
On the day the president signed into law the fix-it replica watches addendum to the massive health-care measure, two new polls show just how fearful and skeptical Americans replica watches are about the entire enterprise. If the numbers
It’s almost as bad when you ask tag heuer watches voters how the law will affect them personally. There is lots of doubt and some considerable belief or hope that the new law won’t affect them
The story comes with a young man.He comes from a small town.chatHe goes to the prosperoussohpet city New York. He is ambitious to own a big house
This is an added discount mbt shoes benefit for people interested in buying the Fitness mbt shoes. The shoe has its cons mainly the price and the issue of Reply