2011 Austin Music Awards: The Bright Light Social Hour brings home a bundle

One of the highlights of South by Southwest is the annual Austin Music Awards. This year (the 29th by the way - that's a lot!) the big winner was our faves the Bright Light Social Hour, who hit the trifecta. The quartet took home the big award for Band of the Year, plus Album (self-titled) and Song (the retro-rock tempo-shifting "Detroit" -- check out our SotY playlist below). Bassist/singer Jack O'Brien also took 6th place in the Musician of the Year category, won by psychedelic rock lord Roky Erickson. If only there was a Mustache of the Year award, Jack would win without question.

Other winners: Sahara Smith (female vocalist, songwriter and folk); Freshmillions (best new band); Los Lonely Boys (best rock band); Jeff Lofton (best jazz band); and Mother Falcon (best none of the above). Inducted into the hall of fame: Bubble Puppy, ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Tortilla Factory, the Wagoneers, Okkervil River and MC Overlord.

Congratulations to all 2011 Austin Music Awards winners.

Here's the aforementioned 2011 Austin Music Awards Song of the Year playlist widget. Not quite every song from the top 20, but most. Have a favorite? An opinion on who will be the next band to break out, Mother Falcon or Quiet Company? Leave a comment.

2011 Song of the Year

1. "Detroit," by the Bright Light Social Hour

2. "How Do You Do It" by Taylor Muse for Quiet Company

3. "The Real Thing," by Sahara Smith

4. "Carrie," by Speak

5. "Who's to Blame, Senorita?" by Shawn Sahm/Doug Sahm for Texas Tornados

6. "Could've Been a Country Star," by Julian Fernandez for Los Texas Wranglers

7. "Back and Forth," by the Bright Light Social Hour

8. "Austin," by Eric Johnson

9. "Telephone," by the Black Angels

10. "Beautiful Freak," by Kimberly Freeman for One-Eyed Doll

11. "Anchor," by Alejandro Escovedo/Chuck Prophet for Alejandro Escovedo

12. "Providence," by Saints of Valory

13. "Green Diamond," by Eric Tessmer

14. "Faint Green Light," by Mother Falcon

15. "Lucky," by Kat Edmondson

16. "New Morning," by Alpha Rev

17. "If I Had My Way," traditional, arranged by Patty Griffin

18. "We Pourin' Up," by Lady & the Amp

19. "Summer of Love," by Josh Zee/Teal Collins for the Mother Truckers

20. "You're To Blame," by Elizabeth McQueen

Getting Over the SXSW Hangover: A month's worth of great shows

One very nice thing about Austin is that even after a blowout like South by Southwest -- a week in which nearly every living musical artist that's recorded a song in the last 30 years plays a live show here -- there's always something to look forward to. This year, April seems to be overloaded with good shows. Not only that, you won't have to follow a twitter feed to locate the secret mustard yellow Chevy El Camino parked in the secret parking lot that's handing out fliers with the secret phone number that tells you were to get the line for the show that's actually got more people on it than the capacity of the venue that you're trying to get into.

In a lot of ways, April is more of a month to celebrate live music here in Austin than March. A lot of locals I'm sure would agree. In anticipation of the month to come, we've put together a list of our Austin area concert picks for April 2011. 32 shows for 30 days. Also, over on the right side of our page, we've updated our Grooveshark player with a mix from the bands listed below. That way you can do a little investigative research before deciding whether to ante up.

There's much more than we could ever possibly list. If you're interested in other listings, I recommend checking out Austin360, Austinist, Do512 or Yelp! Events. Also, tickets for many of these shows are available at Waterloo Records (check the list here).

4/1 (Fri): Cold War Kids, Baths, Drew Holcomb & The Neighbors ][ Stubb's (outside) ][ sold out ][ doors @ 7:00

4/1 - 4/3 (Fri-Sun): 10th Annual Lonestar Round Up f. Alejandro Escovedo, Jimmie Vaughan, The Ugly Beats and others ][ Travis County Expo Center ][ no advance sales; $10 wristbands sold at gate for those without a car registered (more info)

• From the official website: "It's hard to believe its been a whole decade since we started this thing, just a small gathering on an old football field of like-minded gearheads, artists and musicians who love traditionally-styled Hot Rods and Kustoms, that became an annual tradition right here in Austin, Texas. It's now a huge car show with amazing rides driven here from all over the country, and attracts visitors from all over the world. Its a killer live music festival, its some seriously talented artists, pinstripers & unique shopping, its great food and cold drinks, its folks and friends and families getting together for a special Texas-sized weekend."

4/2 (Sat): Del the Funkee Homosapien (FREE!) ][ Mohawk ][ doors @ 8:00

• I have seen Del a couple of times over the last few years. Each time he put on a pretty tight show of mostly classic material. He also brings people with him from Hieroglyphics -- last time it was A-Plus from Souls of Mischief. Plus, it's free!

4/3 (Sun): Scissor Sisters ][ Stubb's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

• I have never seen a show live, but from what I've seen of their performances in video, I suspect that a dance party will break out on the 800 block of Red River that night.

4/6 (Wed): The Residents ][ Mohawk ][ TIX ][ doors @7:30

• If you're lucky, you'll find out who these people are. Nobody's been able to do that, though, for 39 years, making the identity of the members of the Residents the biggest mystery in rock music after Who's So Vain.

4/7 (Thu): Guster, Jukebox the Ghost ][ Stubb's ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

• I'm not really a Guster fan. Not that I dislike Guster -- I really barely know the group's work. From what music of theirs I've heard, they sound fine and dandy to me. Nothing planet-shattering, but then again, so little is. However, on a much more important note, the quartet formed at Rachel and my alma mater (Tufts) while we were there (a very long time ago). So go check out the biggest music sensation out of Medford/Somerville next to the Tufts Beelzebubs scoring big on "The Sing Off."

4/8 (Fri): Wire, TBA ][ Mohawk ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

• How often do you get a chance to see a legendary rock group that still has its shit together in a great indoor-outdoor venue with a capacity under 700?

4/9 (Sat): The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Twin Shadow ][ Emo's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

• We caught Pains about a year ago at Mohawk. Apparently the rise continues as they've moved on to the slightly roomier outdoor space at Emo's. The raw rockers deserve it, and I imagine they'll fill up the space with beautiful noise. Here's the Pains of Being Pure at Heart doing "Heart in Your Heartbreak" live on Letterman a couple nights ago (3/23/11).

4/9 (Sat): Warpaint, RVT, Family Band ][ La Zona Rosa ][ TIX ][ doors @ 8:00

• Warpaint opened for Sonic Youth back in October for an ACL aftershow. During that show at La Zona Rosa, they seemed ready to headline. Lots of things going on in Warpaint's music, including (Rachel notes) a moderate dose of trip-hop a la Portishead. Could bands finally have gotten over mining the 80s for inspiration?

4/10 (Sun): Maserati, My Education ][ Mohawk (indoors) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

4/10 (Sun): Bill Callahan (book reading) ][ Book People ][ 5:00

4/10 (Sun): Real Estate, TBA ][ The Parish ][ TIX ][ doors @ 8:00

• From David Bevan of Pitchfork's review of Real Estate's 2009 eponymous LP (rated 8.5/10): "[W]hat sets Real Estate apart from the rest of the herd is how evergreen its beauty can be. Despite the summery song titles and the beach balling associations that might follow these guys around, this music transcends the notion of seasons. Inside the overcast tenor of 'Black Lake' and the airy upstrokes of 'Green River,' there's much more at play here than what goes on between the months of June through September. And impressionism aside, this is a band whose chemistry and technical gifts suggest there's more coming down the pipeline: more good times to be soundtracked, and more songs and records and sounds to communicate exactly that."

4/12 (Tue): The Raveonettes, Tamaryn, Hips Have Fangs (outside) ][ Emo's ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

4/12 (Tue): Kings of Leon, Band of Horses ][ Frank Erwin Center ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

4/13 (Wed): British Sea Power, A Classic Education ][ Mohawk ][ TIX ][ doors @ 6:30

4/14 - 4/17 (Thu-Sun): Old Settler's Music Festival f. The Avett Brothers, The Richard Thompson Electric Trio, Band of Heathens, Jake Shimabukuro, Sam Bush and many more ][ Salt Lick Pavilion (Driftwood) ][ TIX

4/14 (Thu): Gogol Bordello ][ Stubb's ][ TIX ][ doors @ 6:00

4/16 (Sat): Pete Yorn, Ben Kweller, The Wellspring ][ Stubb's ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

4/19 (Tue): Yacht, TBA ][ Emo's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

4/20 (Wed): The Kills, Cold Cave, The Entrance Band ][ La Zona Rosa ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

4/21 (Thu): Foals, Freelance Whales, The Naked & Famous ][ La Zona Rosa ][ TIX ][ doors @ 8:00

4/21 (Thu): Interpol, School of Seven Bells ][ Austin Music Hall ][ TIX

4/21 (Thu): Titus Andronicus, TBA ][ Emo's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

4/22 (Fri): Cut Copy, Holy Ghost! ][ Stubb's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

4/23 (Sat): Those Darlins ][ Mohawk ][ TIX ][ doors @ 8:00

• These young ladies (and gentleman) played with a lot of fun and energy during their set at ACL last year. I bought the self-titled LP and quite enjoy the mix of punk and country, sweet and bawdy. The Mohawk is a great spot for Darlins show. They should feed off of the intimacy. If you want to check 'em out, there a free download available of the title track to their upcoming LP release, "Screws Get Loose."

4/27 Wed): Rooney, Skybombers, Voxhaul Broadcast ][ Emo's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 8:00

4/27 (Wed): Flogging Molly ][ Stubb's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 6:00

4/28 (Thu): Black Lips, Vivian Girls ][ Emo's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 9:00

4/29 - 5/1 (Fri-Sun): Austin Psych Fest f. Roky Erickson, The Black Angels, Atlas Sound, Crystal Stilts, Prefuse 73, No Joy, Fresh and Onlys, Growlers, many more (full lineup) ][ Seaholm Power Plant ][ TIX & more

• Roky's Austin's favorite comeback kid. He's just the icing on the cake at this very cool sounding festival at one of the trendiest places in Austin these days to throw down, Seaholm. Rachel and I will be relaxing in Mexico that weekend, so if you go, send us some notes!

4/30 (Sat): The Decemberists, Other Lives ][ Stubb's (outside) ][ TIX ][ doors @ 7:00

4/30 (Sat): Grupo Fantasma ][ Paramount Theater ][ TIX ][ 8:00

4/30 (Sat): Willie Nelson's Birthday Celebration ][ The Backyard ][ TIX ][ doors @ 6:00

• You probably think we end every month here in Austin with a Willie concert. I gather there was a time not that long ago when he did play pretty regularly, but he's scaled back. These days, when the Red Headed Stranger's not touring, I imagine he's mainly just chilling (and getting high). Still, count on him for a birthday party and 4th of July picnic every year. As long as there's a Willie. Here's the man performing "Me and Paul" at the old Backyard in 2008:

SXSW 2011 Bullets (3/20/11)

One final set of bullets as the festival comes to a close. Only 6 months until ACL!

• Shows that sound almost too good to be true -- huge stars, free drinks and food, cool location -- often are for the unlucky masses. Chuck Eddy of Rolling Stone on the reality of the exclusivity prevalent at SXSW as demonstrated by the closing party at VEVO Power Station: "But first, everybody had to get in. Or at least the so-called "lucky 2000" that actually got badges or VIP passes did; the lower caste horde left pushing outside – which around half past midnight felt like it was about to turn into a 1979 Who audience in Cincinnati – will have to watch a filmed version later. This writer actually had to be personally pulled up through the middle of the crowd by a helpful security agent and to jump over a barrier fence in the process, after circling his badge high in the air to signal his location, and he apparently wasn't alone. And days before that, it was necessary to repeatedly text a cryptic phrase to a secret number, and repeatedly receive texted rejections in return stating capacity had already been reached, then eventually get an email indicating otherwise and from there pick up a secret badge in the bar lobby of a secret hotel – hence hyping up an oddly elitist sense of exclusivity and scarcity that naïfs might foolishlessly think is the antithesis of a festival once meant to democratically showcase not-yet-rockstar talent. And once one got in and the show finally started, one found some of the most impossible sight lines of one's concert-going career, and sonics not a whole lot more useful." And what about the performances from the over-the-top lineup? "Mos Def proved the most rhythmically dexterous, Pusha T of the Clipse had the richest voice, and Jay- Z the hardest stomp, which partly explains why he got the crowd the most pumped up. Which left Kanye merely the artiest and most conceptual."
• For another take on Kanye's performance, check this out from Chris Riemenschneider of the Minneapolis Star Tribune: "Everything about the fest-ending VIP party headed up by Kanye West at an abandoned Austin power plant was massive on a scale befitting Kanye, and maybe no one else. For starters, the site of the event (the Seaholm Power Plant) was massive and stunning enough visually to serve as a battle scene in the next 'Transformers' movie. The roster of guest performers -- performing under the banner of Kanye's company G.O.O.D. Music -- was also very Megatron-like, starting with Jay-Z, who showed up at the end of Kanye’s 90-minute set (almost 4 a.m.) to perform 'H.A.M.' John Legend came on in the middle for a little 'Ordinary People,' and Mos Def served as the opening act, plus a small army of B-list singers and rappers, including Pusha-T, Mr. Hudson and Big Shine. Eau Claire’s own Justin Vernon (of Bon Iver fame) also did some backup singing. Oh, and an entire marching band was brought on stage during 'All the Lights,' in case we didn’t already get the idea that Kanye is king almighty." Get the sense someone's not a big fan of the shtick?
• There were other hip-hop icons that made headlines. Nate Dogg tributes seemed to be a common theme. Jeff Weiss of the L.A. Times' Pop & Hiss blog: "Though the officially advertised Nate Dogg tribute may have occurred later on Saturday night, it was clear from Snoop Dogg's Funk n' Soul Extravaganza at the South by Southwest festival in Austin, Texas, that the Death Row diaspora will spend the rest of its days paying homage to its prematurely deceased friend. Backed by longtime crew Tha Dogg Pound and Warren G, along with recent collaborators modern funk messiah Dam-Funk and slick soulman Mayer Hawthorne, Snoop and company largely wore matching RIP Nate Dogg shirts. But a visual reminder was unnecessary. Nate Dogg's (a.k.a. Nathanial Hale) Swisher Sweet voice was omnipresent on nearly every hit the crew performed, including 'Ain't No Fun (If the Homies Can't Have None),' 'Regulate' and 'The Next Episode.' ... Snoop performed with a focus that suggested the performance was more than just an attempt to honor Nate's legacy. Indeed, he offered up a singular vision for the future and a sign of just how much worlds have suddenly converged. A decade ago, when Snoop and Nate were selling multimillions singing about 'The Next Episode,' it was inconceivable that said episode would include the then-nascent underground rap powerhouse Stones Throw records."
• Another big hip-hop event where Nate Dogg was given respect was the big Red Bull party Saturday night. De La Soul, DJ QBert and Z-Trip were on the roster, so it was bound to be a nice night. Z-Trip took care of the Nate Dogg thing, but was he really the "headliner?" Marco Torres from the Houston Press' Rocks Off blog: "The headliner Z-Trip took his turn onstage, and with the capitol building in the near distance, he began with the de facto state anthem 'Deep In the Heart of Texas.' He quickly flipped the script to display his mastery of the art of mash-ups. He took us down memory lane and paid tribute to recently deceased West Coast rapper Nate Dogg, shuffling through several of Nate's most beloved hooks and contributions to the G- Funk era. A special guest appearance from hip-hop trailblazer LL Cool J provided a crowd-pleasing twist that only an event such as SXSW can deliver. Mr. 'Ladies Love' has recently been concentrating on his movies and TV shows and has not performed musically in years, but showed everyone in attendance that he has not lost a single ounce of his legendary skills."
• Pitchfork's Ryan Dombal focused on a different region of the musical spectrum on Saturday, including Man Man, Sharon van Etten and Colin Stetson, who played Club de Ville: "Stetson makes noises with his sax I've never heard before -- often while playing complicated phrases or semi-beat-box-breathing with his mouth at the same time. A big part of his appeal is originality; there is nobody playing music like Colin Stetson's at SXSW. After three days of guitars (and sometimes beats), this matters. Another part is the physical exertion that goes into every song, which you can plainly see on Stetson's face as he puffs, grimaces, and heaves through his instrument, all while eyes closed in intense concentration. This guy's sax is truly a living, breathing part of him. His act is novel, but it's hardly some freak show. He worked harder than most during his SXSW set, and the hearty reaction he got after every song justly reflected it."
• Another big headline maker -- for mixed reasons -- was the Death From Above 1979 reunion gig at The Beauty Bar, where something of a tussle broke out. Jeremy D. Larson of Consequence of Sound: "Then, about a song later, people were turning and facing the street again. Mounted police were riding through the crowd outside, about eight or nine horses. Reports were coming in of someone throwing a beer can at a horse then being chased down by the police. More police showed up and reports were that people were tased and maced. From inside, we witnessed firsthand a man being repeatedly punched in the face by a police officer. This was all happening as the band played. As DFA 1979 finished 'Romantic Rights' (I believe), two or three police walked on stage, followed by a man in charge of the venue. ... Photographers scrambled to get shots of the action, while the crowd was assured that the band would continue playing. Once the alleyway looked a bit less crowded, DFA 1979 said 'enough with this, let’s play “Pull Out”,' and proceeded on with their bonkers, weapons-grade set. After that, the show proceeded without incident. As far the actual music, it was like these songs were never even on the shelf for five years. To be honest, there’s no better way to describe the show than to say that it caused a literal riot. It was exhilarating, a little terrifying, and very rock ‘n’ roll." Come on folks, rioting at a DFA 1979 show in 2011 is so 1992.
• What was with the bad vibe at the close of SXSW? Was it just too crowded this year, making tension rise? Martin Cizmar of the Phoenix New Times' Up on the Sun blog: "​It was only because we both left his show early and in a huff that I got to shake hands with [Odd Future "front man"] Tyler the Creator, the most interesting man in Austin this week. ... During a showcase hosted by Billboard, his group's last show of what's been a very busy festival for them, Tyler found the crowd of industry types assembled to be less than sufficiently 'hype.' So he led his group off stage after only about 15 minutes, apologizing to the excited fans up front and cursing about the barely-there gawkers in the back. 'Fuck Billboard, I don't even read that shit,' he said." Then, right after this brave show of rebelliousness, Mr. Creator caved in to The Man and instead randomly shifted blame to a convenient target, the host locale: "Tyler later backpedaled a bit on Twitter: 'Billboard Is Cool. That Show Was Stupid. Thanks To The Fans And Niggas That Was There In The Front. Wasn't Billboards Fault, FUCK THAT CLUB." Right on, take a stand bro! And doing it on Twitter just makes the whole thing seem that much more radical. Anyhow, Cizmar has some other good bits in his post, so go check it out.
• One last one featuring local riser Bright Light Social Hour, who cleaned up at the Austin Music Awards. From the staff at Austin360: "The funky rockers of the Bright Light Social Hour won big, taking band of the year, album of the year ('The Bright Light Social Hour') and song of the year ('Detroit'). Also winning: Sahara Smith (female vocalist, songwriter and folk); Roky Erickson (musician of the year); Freshmillions (best new band); Los Lonely Boys (best rock band); Jeff Lofton (best jazz band); and Mother Falcon (best none of the above). Inducted into the hall of fame: Bubble Puppy, ... And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead, Tortilla Factory, the Wagoneers, Okkervil River and MC Overlord." Congrats to all the winners.
• And an epilogue. Pee Wee, just because:

SXSW 2011: ETC Presents "Smashin up at SXSW (South By Southwest Day 2) - 3/18/11"

Found a pretty cool video rundown of a typical day here at SXSW from Youtube channel ETC (Entertainment, Technology, Culture), featuring run-ins with various characters, including the busy Carrie Brownstein:

SXSW 2011 Bullets (3/18/11)

Our daily rundown of the prime SXSW coverage out there. Mostly Music today (with an unintentionally retro feel), with a bit of commentary and a video on Interactive thrown in.

• Not surprisingly, the Strokes' free set at Auditorium Shores, which drew between 10 and 25,000 depending on who you ask, is the focus of a lot of today's reviews and wrap-ups. Ryan Dombal of Pitchfork: "At this point, set list selection is a big deal with the Strokes because their arsenal isn't as stacked as it was right after Room on Fire. So it was a relief that they only grazed 2006's justly maligned First Impressions of Earth and, of the five songs from new album Angles, there were three winners ('Gratisfaction', 'Taken for a Fool', and 'Under Cover of Darkness') and two duds ('You're So Right' and 'Life Is Simple in the Moonlight'). The rest of the 80-minute set was made up of the band's towering first two LPs, and songs like 'Hard to Explain', 'I Can't Win', and the gorgeous 'Under Control'-- made even sweeter by a newly stripped-down intro-- went over as fine as ever. The idyllic weather, cool breeze, and picturesque Austin skyline behind them only added to the positive vibes."
• Melissa Locker of Oregon Live: "At Stubbs Bar-B-Q, Portland band Portugal. The Man opened for Brooklyn's TV on the Radio. The group's sonically charged prog rock did not fail to impress the large crowd gathered to hear new songs from the fresh-off-hiatus TV on the Radio. The experimental group managed to create a web of stark atmospherics and not just because of the massive amount of smoke filling the room. Headliners TV on the Radio kept the audience in an uproar with their growling energetic rock songs and surprisingly good effort at churning out crowd-pleasing arena rock. Best part of the show? No green beer in sight." Locker was also at the Strokes gig and gives it a thumbs-up as well.
• There's always more Pitchfork! Amy Phillips: "What I expected from Wise Blood's set: Pittsburgh sample sorcerer Chris Laufman fiddling with a laptop, maybe jumping around a little bit. What I got: Laufman dancing like the hip-hop bad boy in a vintage turn-of-the-millennium boy band, shouting his sing-songy choruses, invading the crowd, tearing his plaid flannel shirt halfway off his chest. ('I wore flannel to SXSW. It was the dumbest thing I've ever done.') Backed by a keyboard player and a drummer who actually tried to mimic the 'When the Levee Breaks' sample on 'B.I.G. E.G.O.', Laufman was free to play the unhinged wildman, a role he inhabited quite comfortably. He was also the most polite performer I've seen at SXSW yet, thanking the crowd profusely multiple times and apologizing for being cranky at the start of his set. Oh, and he had the words 'SLUT BANGER' written on his neck in what I really hope is brown marker and not, um, cigarette burns or something. Quite a surprise, this one."
• Deborah Sengupta Stith of Austin360 on an old band that still can rock a party: "[T]he party heated significantly when Fishbone showed up. Frontman Angelo Moore trounced onto the stage rocking a glossed up page boy get up and an Andy Warhol wig. With surprisingly sharp sound cutting through the echo chamber that is the Austin Music Hall, the group’s characteristic tight vocal and brass harmonies were as solid 20 years later as they were in the early nineties. After a couple midtempo reggae grooves the band kicked in the thrash and speed that made them famous and Angelo tossed himself into the crowd and spent the better part of the set flopping fish-style atop a sea of hands to classics such as 'Alcoholic' and 'Hey Ma and Pa.' The nineties vibe was going so hard a mosh pit broke out in the middle of the crowd, but it is definitely not 1991. The bouncing and shoving proved upsetting to a good portion the crowd and as Fishbone exited the stage security came out and pleaded with the crowd to settle down." Apparently Wu-Tang Clan's later set didn't go so well: "Finally, at around 1 a.m. a roar went through the crowd as the Clan took the stage. Most of the Clan, that is, Method Man, Raekwon and RZA were all missing. The five remaining rappers threw down, ripping through their classic joints with a fury. Unfortunately, the sound that had been intermittently rough all night became almost unforgivably awful. The booming bass created a sludge that swallowed any intricacy in the beats. Every rhyme dropped was accented by relentless feedback squeals from the mics. It was rough going."
• Speaking of sets by half-full 90s hip-hop legends, Chad Swiatecki from the same Austin360 reviewed Hieroglyphics' set: "[W]est coast indie heroes Hieroglyphics were on the bill, but in actuality you were getting members Casual and Opio and a couple supporting hangers on instead of a full-on reunion of the at one time Wu-Tang sized crew. Get past the bait and switch and all was good, though, and there was plenty of fun to be had. The two vets attacked the mic with workman-like gusto and it was obvious they’ve spent so much of their lives on stage that stirring a crowd into a frenzy is something they were pretty much born to do, even if it meant delivering only a couple verses from songs in the groups deep and lyrically rich catalog. Maybe it was too much to expect an appearance by Hiero vets like Del The Funky Homosapien or Toure to make the trip - though Del’s got a new record dropping in April, so why not? - but for what it was there were far worse ways to spend a night."
• Chris Richards of the Washington Post on the increasing hip-factor of public radio: "[T]he fans didn’t come for the swag. They came to see their favorite new bands — bands that swarm SXSW every year with big dreams. One day, with any luck, these groups will be smiling for magazine covers, singing on late-night television shows and ... hearing their music streaming on NPR’s Web site? Forget the totes — NPR has a brand new bag. The Washington-based news outlet has emerged as an influential powerhouse in a splintering music industry thanks to the growing popularity of NPR Music, a Web site that has connected with music fans by premiering new albums, streaming live concerts and landing exclusive interviews."
• James Montgomery of MTV on what sounded like a good set by Wiz Khalifa at Atlantic Records' party at La Zona Rosa: "He snarled through 'Taylor Gang' and 'On My Level,' dropped phrases like 'Time is money so I went and bought a Rolex' and 'We wake up drunk, go to sleep f---ed up,' and made the crowd go bananas with his hit 'Black and Yellow.' But really, perhaps his most lucid moment came toward the end of his set, when he stopped the music and spoke openly about the late Nate Dogg, calling the G-Funk legend 'one of my biggest heroes' and running through an impromptu tribute performance that featured he and the Taylor Gang singing some of Dogg's most memorable verses, including (fittingly enough) his off-the-cuff 'Hey hey hey hey/ Smoke weed every day,' from Dr. Dre's 'The Next Episode.'"
• Exene Cervenka (of X) is blogging her SXSW experience for OC Weekly. She had a good night enjoying the city and finagling her way into a packed Antone's to catch Emmylou Harris and The Old 97s: "Old 97s are super exciting and their new songs were superb. Ken, the guitar player, was really sick with the flu or something, just came down with it. But oh, what a show he played! He was wearing an awesome dark cowboy shirt with long white fringe on the shoulders. I sang 'Four Leaf Clover' with them which I do every time we are all in the same city. The stamina of the audiences here is astounding. People wait in line for hours, get crammed together, etc, but it doesn't matter. I love music warriors, I respect that passion so much! And you just talk to strangers everywhere."
• Paul Cashmere of Undercover: "Yoko Ono says her late husband John Lennon would have loved Twitter. Yoko was speaking today at SXSW in Austin. It was her first time ever to the Texas capital. When asked how John would like the way we communicate today and if he would use Twitter she said, 'of course he would. He would be very excited about the computer age and what we could do.'"
• Blake Eskin of the New Yorker: "Why do I dwell on the deficiencies of the SXSW app? I don’t mean to be an ingrate. (My ticket to the conference was complementary because I moderated a conversation on journalism and technology, and it is unseemly to whine about any business trip that includes bright sun and barbecue.) There is an irony in a technology conference having technology shortcomings, but that wasn’t new; and I appreciate that SXSW made it easier to get a wi-fi signal at the Convention Center than it was last year. A second irony is that a conference where so many entrepreneurs and venture capitalists preach about digital utopia still needs an unwieldy printed booklet to satisfy its corporate sponsors."
• TechCrunch presents "SXSW: Sights and Sounds":

SXSW 2011: The Needle Drop's "15 Bands I'll See @ SXSW"

the needle drop

SXSW 2011 Bullets (3/17/11)

SXSW Music is in full swing. Lots of reviews, pictures, reports, interviews, etc. floating around. Tough to keep up! Tomorrow we're heading into the thick of things ourselves, with plans to hit the Dickies/Filter party, #Offline, and/or Lawn Party. We will check back in afterward with our pictures and thoughts.

• Pitchfork has a small army staffing South by Southwest. Amy Phillips, Ryan Dombal and Tom Breihan each are posting SXSW Reports daily. Today, Phillips was lucky enough to catch an impromptu performance by a bus driver and a diddley bow player: "Jack White, solo and acoustic, playing Buddy Holly's 'Not Fade Away' and the White Stripes' 'Dead Leaves and the Dirty Ground' in a parking lot: A hell of a way to kick off SXSW. ... White's two-song set was friendly and laid-back, prompting smiles and sing-alongs from the crowd, which included Aziz Ansari and both members of the Kills. Afterwards, he introduced Third Man's latest signing, grizzled itinerant folkie Seasick Steve. (White told me that Steve inked his one-album Third Man deal by signing his office desk, rather than a contract.) Steve and his three-string guitar and stomp box only got one song in before a frantic parking lot attendant shut the celebration down." As far as catching White while he's in town, Phillips offers this advice: "[F]ollow the TMRRS Twitter to find out exactly where it's going to be, and get there early." Here's some video of Jack White's and Seasick Steve's sets via NPR.

• More from Pitchfork: Tom Breihan's and Ryan Dombal's SXSW Reports for Wednesday. Breihan highlights Gold Panda, Curren$y, Big K.R.I.T., EMA and Vaccines; Dombal focuses on James Blake, Antlers, Yuck!, and Matthewdavid. Also, photos from the Altered Zones SXSW Party "featuring John Maus, Puro Instinct, Pictureplane, Sleep Over, Laurel Halo, Matthewdavid, and Grimes, along with eye-popping live visuals from Austin-based multimedia artists Tommyboy and VidKidz on the venue's floor-to-ceiling HD projection wall."
  
• Speaking of NPR, it has lots of SXSW music coverage up on NPR.org. Live concerts, photos, Twitter updates, reviews, etc. Shantel Mitchell covered a performance by Smith Westerns, who apparently played NPR's daytime party last year: "Given that only a year has passed since that show, these guys are still jarringly young — and still the owners of shampoo-commercial-quality hair. But newer songs like 'Tonight' and 'Weekend' feel exceptionally sturdy, built on a foundation that conjures images of both Replacements-style rock and girl-group pop. That mix of brashness and sweetness loses nothing in translation to the live stage." The band plays a few times again this weekend. Download the concert here.
  
• The only people covering SXSW more thoroughly than Pitchfork may be the team over at Austin360. Among other news today is a positive review of the keynote address (remember, this is a conference) given by Boomtown Rat, Band Aid and Live Aid organizer and guy with a good image all around, Bob Geldof. Not only was he witty but funny as well: "Geldof proved to be the most articulate and pointed keynote speaker ever at SXSW, tracing the work of Austin-born Alan Lomax to rock’s ‘racket of democracy.’ The standing ovation he received when he wrapped up, exactly at the hour mark, was genuine. But first came some self-deprecating humor. 'I know what you’re thinking,' he said, with his hair in a freshly shampooed moptop. '(Expletive) me, it’s Justin Bieber.'" Well, what do you think?

photo c/o Deborah Cannon, American-Statesman

• Another from Austin360: SXSW wrap - Wednesday's highlights (from various contributors), including nice bit about Japan disaster relief efforts at the festival: "The Red Cross will have booths at Auditorium Shores on Friday and Saturday for fans to donate to Japan earthquake and tsunami relief efforts. Meanwhile, the Japan Nite booth at the Convention Center has collected thousands of dollars from SXSW attendees tossing bills in a basket. The booth has a live stream of Japanese TV so attendees from Japan can keep up with developments. ... SXSW publicist Elizabeth Derczo said only one or two bands from Japan won't make their SXSW appearances in the wake of the natural disasters. The annual SXSW Japan Nite will be Friday at Elysium. And as of Wednesday night, the fundraising site created last week during SXSW Interactive, www.sxsw4japan.org, has raised close to $67,000 between donations on the site and another $5,000 corporate donation. (The URL sxswcares.org also redirects to the site.)" Well done. Keep it up!
  
• How big is this festival? HOW BIG IS THIS FESTIVAL? Consequence of Sound staffers do a good job illustrating that with a rundown of one day -- Wednesday -- at SouthBy, from the Jack White gig at noon to The Dodos at 1:15 AM. Lots in between, including a Stubb's set from MTV golden age idols Duran Duran (from Cap Blackard): "Set highlights included the long-retired 'Friends of Mine' from their first album, the new track 'Being Followed,' an outstanding performance of 'The Chauffer' featuring LeBon on what looked like an ocarina, and their encore rendition of 'Girls on Film' featuring an interlude of the Motown track 'Poppa Was A Rollin’ Stone' and solos from every performer. ... As always, the incomparable Simon LeBon, owned the stage. Whether exuding a profound sexual presence (posturing like a badass, asking the audience who their daddy was), or just being goofy (“flying” around the stage, miming creating a large orb, then shoving the orb in his mouth and growing at the front row) there is no doubt that he is the man, and everyone in the audience had been Simon LeBoned."
  
• Brittaney Shey of Houston Press' Rocks Off blog didn't make it into Duran Duran, but is that the point anyway? "how long should one wait in line for a big name band before cutting your losses and heading on down the road? When Rocks Off saw that the line for Duran Duran at Stubb's wrapped around the block and almost to I-35, we uttered a mental 'Fuck this' and headed for smaller pastures. Which is how we found ourselves at Parish Underground, listening to a band called The Vandelles. With women on drums and bass and dudes on vox and guitar, they sounded like the Beach Boys if the Beach Boys were girls playing through 50-year-old amps. The bar wasn't event packed. It was exactly the kind of vacation-y vibe we needed after braving the thong-clad crowds."
  
• Jeff Weiss of the L.A. Times: "Under the soft lights and smoke of the outdoor venue [Stubb's], [James Blake's] cracked falsetto swooned and soared, twisting and fluttering. It simultaneously managed to be dazzling and dull. Hearing songs such as 'The Wilhelm Scream' ... in person had a poignance and power that triumphed over the large venue and outdoor acoustics. After all, he had a guitarist and drummer with him to help shore up the paper-thin constructions. It was electronic gospel, but it lacked the evangelical fervor of the best of the genre. It was pretty and well-groomed, but more Anglican than Baptist -- veneration but no violence. Slow dance music for unreconstructed Coldplay fans."
• Richard Tafoya of SoundSpike: "Yuck is an example of NPR deserving their tastemaker status. The band works from a palette that draws some reasonably dotted lines to Sonic Youth, My Bloody Valentine and even a little Foo Fighters with their ability to work in a well-manicured hook without ruining the rock sauce. But the band climbed highest when they stretched out instrumentally, allowing guitarist Max Bloom to layer, loop and weave fascinating noisescapes from his guitar rig while the rest of the group built out stormy foundations below, drawing the dotted lines out into something close to Mogwai territory."
  
• AV Club Austin runs down some of Wednesday's showcases, including The Antlers, Asobi Seksu, Baths and Braids: "It makes sense that Braids recently wrapped up a tour with L.A. beat auteur Baths. The Montreal four-piece takes a similar approach, carving buoyant but soothing indie pop out of an even split of electronics and acoustics. The comparisons end there, however—this is a bona fide band whose debut, Native Speaker, displays a strong instrumental dynamic led by the vocal stylings of Raphaelle Standell-Preston, who can’t help but channel the playful twitter of Joanna Newsom."
  
• Chris Miller of Red and Black on the end of a long and fruitful Wednesday of music: "As I was stumbling my way towards the bus stop I head some thudding drums over at Emo’s Annex and decided to finish off the night how I started it: hard. But what I got was Horse The Band. Don’t let anyone tell you they’re not metal, they are certainly that. But that’s not all they are… They’ve got synths layering in what sounds like a video game soundtrack right next to guttural growls, and then shredding guitars and chugging rhythms, and then they bust in to little indie pop dance sections. What?! I only saw about two songs, but I left baffled. If you like heavy stuff but want something different, check this band out. Now."
  
• Tim Jonze of The Guardian (UK) reviews Brother: "Musically speaking, Brother may aim to emulate the Gallaghers but the tunes sound - to these ears - more like Mansun (strictly melodically speaking of course - there are no 70 minute prog operas about Dr Who, gender identity and cancer here). But then nobody at SXSW is here expecting to catch the next developments in Witch House. They're here to listen to loud'n'lumpen British rock with some anthemic shout-along bits thrown in. Within that rather limited context, it would be hard to argue that Brother had failed to deliver."
  
• The folks at Clash Music had a busy Wednesday as well: "Emo’s threw up the first joy: Surfer Blood, Clash hot picks of 2010 and they didn’t disappoint. With so many ‘5-piece-leather-jacket-my-drummer-is-a-nutter’ style bands in attendance its easy to get numb to the sound of generic rock. Which is why when the subtle inflections that made Surfer Blood’s ‘Astro Coast’ such a strong debut came hammering through the air the name of Surfer Blood went straight into the notes. There’s something extra acerbic about their melodies and we can’t wait to hear what they do next."
  
• Neon Tommy's Emily Wilson on highlights from the FADER Fort party: "Oh Land! :: The Danish electro-pop artist’s debut album came out on Tuesday, and with the amount of shows she’s playing and the kind of talk she’s generating at SXSW, it should do well. Appearing on stage in a flowing black dress and black Doc Martins, and with her supporting musicians dressed in a matching hue, the dark appearance seemed to, at times, contradict the glowing smile from the singer’s face. She seemed to be truly enjoying herself and also seemed genuinely surprised to hear such a positive and vocal response from the crowd. But it could hardly be helped. The audience’s attraction is easy to break down: Oh Land has incredible stage presence. Dancing, twirling, drumming and singing beautifully over music impossible not to dance to made for an powerful 30 minutes set. Check out songs like 'Son of a Gun' and 'White Nights,' if not the entire album."
  
• Number four of 10 Things Seen & Overheard Wednesday from the staff at Billboard: "At the Moody Theatre, the mosh pit in front of Flogging Molly was so intense that one fan dislocated her shoulder."

SXSW 2011: Visitors Attend "Paul" Premiere

A SXSW moment: "Paul" director Greg Mottola and cast members Simon Pegg, Nick Frost and Kristen Wiig in an audience of extraterrestrials during the film's premiere at the Paramount Theater.

photo from guardian.co.uk; found on theemmastation.tumblr.com

SXSW 2011 Video Bullets (3/15/11)

Now that South by Southwest is underway, video coverage is spreading. Here's a rundown of some recent clips, from all around the festival, mostly Interactive.

KXAN Austin News runs down some of the films that will be premiered this week at SXSW. Ewan McGregor's "Beginners," which hits theaters in June, is first up. "Natural Selection" and food doc "A Matter of Taste" are also featured.

On the Interactive side of things, Metacafe explores the streets of Austin in search of answers to the question, "is e-mail dead?"

Who stole the show at Interactive? According to NewsyTech, it was Apple (specifically the iPad 2).



From Dailymotion: "Tech Expert Marc Saltzman talks about emerging technology live from the 25th Anniversary South by Southwest in Austin TX. He showcases Megamind Blu-ray from Paramount, The Boxee Box powered by Intel's Atom technology, Yoostar2's "in The Movies" game and the new Bloggie touch HD camcorder from Sony."

This is something of an odd one. This year, SXSW is featuring a few comedy-related events. So from our friends at, yes, Chevrolet, "Romany Malco talks about the future of comedy and how technology improves his sketches."



Here's a clip from the movie “Outside Industry: The Story of SXSW," which traces the evolution of SXSW’s first 25 years."

So, like, what is the deal with this South by Southwest? Thankfully, CNN's all, like, in the know and stuff.

Last but not least, breaking news from Austin. What happens when someone invades the privacy of a celebrity in a vulnerable place? Just ask Jake Gyllenhaal. Here's my favorite footage, from NMAWorldEdition.

SXSW 2011 Bullets (3/14/11)

Today's bullets start with one from the film world, then head back to music with a series of SXSW guides and other news. One more food treat at the end.

• The Film Festival is well underway, and Conan O'Brien Can't Stop is one of the big news stories. From Entertainment Weekly's Karen Valby: "How to explain the enormous goodwill in Austin, Tx. during Sunday’s world premiere of Rodman Flender’s documentary Conan O’Brien Can’t Stop? The director, who sat across the aisle from O’Brien in the theater’s last row, said he started to relax when the audience started howling en masse eight seconds in during a scene of O’Brien baiting an L.A. tour bus from his car. The documentary follows the former Tonight Show host, still choking with rage from his shoddy treatment by NBC, as he pours his suddenly-freed up energy into last summer’s Legally Prohibited from Being on Television Tour. It’s behind-the-scenes gold watching O’Brien put together bits with his devoted, happily beleaguered staff and then take his material out on the road for a grueling run of 42 shows. Within 24 hours of the premiere, the film landed a multi-platform distribution deal with Abramorama, Magnolia Home Entertainment and AT&T’s U-verse subscription TV service. The doc will first broadcast in an exclusive window on U-verse, then launch into a nationwide “event” screening tour via Abramorama; Magnolia will handle both VOD and DVD distribution. A specific release date has not yet been announced."

• The big news -- whether it was a well-kept secret or not -- is that Kanye West bill be in town for the festival. NME reports: "Kanye West is set to play live at the South By Southwest festival in Austin on Saturday (March 19). Following rumours swirling about a possible appearance at the Texas event from the rapper, the news has now been confirmed by way of a viral video. Scroll down and click below to watch it. West is set to play the Vevo Power station venue at midnight (CDT) on Saturday night." Here is said video:

• Pitchfork is the latest biggie to put out a SXSW guide. "You'll find a bunch of P4k-approved goings-on, including big official gigs with the Strokes and TV on the Radio, as well as plenty of usually-free, unofficial day parties and brain-power panels. And don't forget about Pitchfork's own events in Austin. On Tuesday night, March 15, we take over Emo's with sets from Surfer Blood, Gold Panda, Weekend, and more. On Wednesday, Pitchfork's sister site Altered Zones will throw a day part at ND @ 501 Studios, and it'll feature John Maus, Puro Instinct, Pictureplane, Sleep ∞ Over, Laurel Halo, Matthewdavid, and Grimes. On Thursday and Friday during the day, #Offline hits East Side Drive-In with performances from Smith Westerns, Toro Y Moi, J Mascis, Dum Dum Girls, OFF!, Dom, Times New Viking, and more. And we'll do our official SXSW showcase Thursday night at the Central Presbyterian Church with James Blake, Twin Shadow, tUnE-yArDs, Glasser, Cults, and Julianna Barwick. Check the full Pitchfork event schedules here." Lots of shows listed, but no Rachael Ray?
• Another big timer, David Fricke of Rolling Stone, is counting down to SXSW. Wanna pick his brain? "I have few firm plans, aside from [Queens of the Stone Age], the Strokes and a long visit to Waterloo Records. But this is some of what I'm thinking about: Josh T. Pearson, ex-singer-guitarist of the holy-fire power trio Life to Experience, making his solo bow on behalf of a haunted and compelling solo album, Last of the Country Gentlemen; British garage-roots terrors the Jim Jones Revue; Danish mods Thee Attacks; a Washington, D.C. math-rock group called Animals as Leaders; and a reunion, at the Austin Music Awards, of the Sixties Texas psychedelic band Bubble Puppy, who will surely play their '69 smash, "Hot Smoke and Sassafras" – originally issued by an independent label, International Artists. At SXSW, that is one circle that remains unbroken."
• Flavorpill's Jason Gross calls his the Official SXSW Music 2011 Survival Guide. Tip number five is to put your schedule on your phone: "Sure, you could print out pages and pages of your schedule to lug around with you and fumble through as you jump from one club to the next, but why bother? SXSW Go is the fest’s mobile app, so you can have your schedule right there on your iPhone, iPad, Android-powered phone, Blackberry, and Windows Phone 7 on the way. Best of all, if you’ve already set up your schedule on your computer, you can then sync it to your Go app and have everything copied to your phone."
• Johnny Firecloud from Crave Online also calls his a Survival Guide. His final tip? "Don't Overdo It - You're going to burn more calories than you're probably used to, and sweating more than you'll want to. Sure, you've been planning to see Kanye since you first bought the plane tickets to Austin, but if you haven't had anything to eat since the 10am free tacos and the last drink you had was the round of tequila shooters up the street, cramming into a venue at triple capacity for a two-hour bombastic audio assault could bring your adventure to a screeching halt. Know your limits, and be prepared to sit a couple events out for the sake of making it through the week."
• Alex Young from Consequence of Sound also put together a Guide to South by Southwest. He splits each day into two posts, one for day and one for night. His picks for Wednesday, day one, daytime:

– Fader Fort: Yelawolf, Raphael Saadiq, Friendly Fires, Young the Giant, Oh Land @ 1101 E. 5th Street [RSVP]
– Paste Magazine Party: Sondre Lerche, Lord Huron, Eisley, Ezra Furman & The Harpoons @ The Stage on Sixth
– Terrorbird & Forcefield PR Party: The Death Set, Cloud Nothings, Lower Dens, Pictureplane, Screaming Females, tUnE-yArDs @ Red 7
– All Saints Spitafields/I AM SOUND Party: Friendly Fires, Theophilus London, Mount Kimbie, Local Natives (DJ Set) @ Shangri-La [RSVP]

• Underwire's Angela Cutter on the food cart scene: "In years past, SXSW foodies have relied on word of mouth, Yelp, Twitter and other services — including their noses — to find the city’s best grub. This year, they’ll have some help from Foodspotting, a website–app–visual aid that gives starving diners a peek at the best nearby eats. It should be a boon to SXSW newbies, because the city’s true food gems aren’t always obvious to the untrained eye. Foodspotting, which launched last year and has been growing almost as fast as the food truck–cart craze taking off in many cities, is also hosting a Street Food Fest on Sunday to bring Austin’s best chow trucks together to a single location."