Finally! Lets wrap up this party of post about the festival I attended two months ago. Let’s get something straight though before I describe the conclusion to my festivities; SXSW is more than just an interactive festival of music, film, and social media advances, it’s a social experience on several different levels. Yes there is free live music (minus official shows), free beer, free food, and free transportation (see Ray-Ban Taxi), but what makes SXSW is the adventure of it all. Even though you’re being bombarded with all sorts of corporate messages and absurdly ridiculous marketing techniques (see Giant Doritos Vending Machine Stage), SXSW is a playground for the modern young adult. You experience music you’ve never heard before, try food you’ve never tasted before, meet people you’ve never met before, and participate in all sorts of adventures that will garner stories that will eventually be shared with your friends, future children, or cats. It’s not just one of the best music festivals around, it’s one of the best communal gatherings of young, like-minded people around. I will be back again next year for sure.
Now without further ado, here’s the rest of The SUPER LATE SXSW 2012 Coverage.
Horse Feathers
Horse Feathers
Band: Horse Feathers
Venue: The ND at 501 Studios
Thoughts: Horse Feathers was a pretty good way to start out my last morning at SXSW. I had already been bombarded with every kind of music imaginable and drunk myself into oblivion, it was time for some relaxing orchestrated folk music from this Portland, OR group. They played a fair share off their recently released Cynic’s New Year, which sounded heavy on the drums and whispering vocals that I’ve come to love. Plus they didn’t stray away from older material with three songs from 2010’s Thistled Spring, plus the sweet Mother’s Sick from 2006’s Words are Dead. This is exactly what I needed.
Sponsor: Singing Sweet Nothingness
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MP3: Horse Feathers – Fit Against the Country from Cynic’s New Year (2012)
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Dark Dark Dark
Dark Dark Dark
Dark Dark Dark
Band: Dark Dark Dark
Venue: The ND at 501 Studios
Thoughts: I figured it would be safe to stay at The ND at 501 Studios a majority of the day since the line-up was pretty ace and they hadn’t run out of free beer yet. I was familiar with all the acts besides Dark Dark Dark. While I understand the draw of DDD, I really didn’t witness anything substantial. I felt like I had heard these songs before by dozens of other female fronted piano based bands, and while there’s definitely talent, it just didn’t spark anything for me. Dark Dark Dark was potential, but they didn’t reach it at this show.
Sponsor: Bored Bored Bored
MP3: Dark Dark Dark – Daydreaming from Wild Go (2010)
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Emily Wells
Emily Wells
Band: Emily Wells
Venue: The ND at 501 Studios
Thoughts: I was quite excited to see this multi-instrumentalist chamber pop artist show off her stuff at this showcase. She did not disappoint. Like a sensual female version of Andrew Bird, she looped and cycled beats, vocals, and strings effortlessly. It makes you wonder how someone could perform like this. It’s almost like watching someone juggle 10 swords in front of a crowd of hundreds and still able to keep focused and with a steady beat. Emily played a few off of 2008’s The Symphonies but it was the new songs from this year’s Mama like Passenger that hooked the crowd.
Sponsor: Woman Are Better Multi-Taskers Than Men
MP3: Emily Wells – Passenger (kid koala remix)
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Beach Fossils
Beach Fossils
Band: Beach Fossils
Venue: The ND at 501 Studios
Thoughts: If there was one genre of music that took over SXSW this year, it was the lofty garage rock genre. Their echoing guitars were set against tight, angular bass lines that completed that distinct “beach rock” sound. Dustin Payseur’s reverb-saturated vocals rounded the melancholic feeling that just made the whole package…dull. I was just ready for something a bit more weighty and this just borderline put me to sleep (seriously though, I was tired).
Sponsor: SXSnooze
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MP3: Beach Fossils – Face It from Face It/Distance 7″ (2010)
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Deerhoof
Deerhoof
Deerhoof
Deerhoof
Band: Deerhoof
Venue: The ND at 501 Studios
Thoughts: What is there left to say about Deerhoof live? Spastic, energetic, and full of character; Deerhoof is a mathematical whirlwind of avant-garde punk all done in the most professional and fun way possible. No album was sparred, from Deerhoof vs. Evil to Offend Maggie to The Runners Four, the band powered through classics as the crowd danced like they were plugged in themselves. Vocalist Satomi Matsuzaki danced on stage like she was doing a rapid fire version of Tai Chi (that’s not racist is it? I’m just calling it like I see it) as drummer Greg Saunier wailed away on a small drum kit that sounded 10 times it’s size. Plus he ended up playing drums for a different song while the rest of the band members playing something else, causing him to wonder if there was a conspiracy against him. Definitely glad I finally caught these guys do their thing.
Sponsor: This Sponsor Thing Was A Bad Idea
MP3: Deerhood – Offend Maggie from Offend Maggie (2008)
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Okkervil River
Okkervil River
Okkervil River
Band: Okkervil River
Venue: Hotel Vegas
Thoughts: I did not even know that Okkervil was playing the festival until I was walking back to my rental house and overheard For Real from a distance. I went, “HOLY SHIT THAT’S OKKERVIL RIVER!” and ran toward the sound like a kid looking for the ice cream truck. While this wasn’t my last show of the night (I decided to leave the notebook and camera at the house while I saw Django Django and Tanlines, both were very good by the way), I was quite certain this was a perfect way to conclude my SXSW day time experience. Watching Okkervil River is always a delight and even though I saw them twice last year, watching Will Sheff and crew passionately crash through each song with unrelenting power is something to be marveled over. Songs like Lost Coastlines and The Latest Toughs brought me back to why I love this festival and it’s little surprises.
See you again next year Austin!
Sponsor: Derp Derp Something Clever
MP3: Okkervil River – U.F.O. from Golden Opportunities 2 (2011)
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Okkervil River