Sarah Vasquez's Accent SXSW Music Blog

Last day of SXSW

2009-03-25T11:33:00.000-07:00

It’s the last day of SXSW! I attempted to sleep in to catch up on my sleep from the past 3 days but instead I woke up at 9:30 with no problem. Great.

I left my house later than I wanted because my boyfriend wanted to have breakfast with me so that took longer than I wanted. Oh well. I missed Folio.

When I got downtown, I walked over to The Palm Door which used to be Redrum once upon a time. I don’t know why someone hasn’t scooped this place up yet. It’s a great venue. Lots of space, has a kitchen, back patio, and decent sound.

Anyway, the first band I saw was Austin’s own Dynah. They had been M.I.A. for awhile for reasons unknown so seeing them again was good. They played songs I haven’t heard before but I liked them a lot. Brought back memories of when I used to watch them a couple of years back.
Sadly, I didn’t take any photos of them with my camera because when I rushed out the door, I left my SD card in my card reader after I uploaded photos on my computer. Luckily, I noticed this mistake early on so my boyfriend rushed over to the downtown area to bring the card to me.

I did take a couple of photos of Dynah however on my phone, but they aren’t the best quality so I’ll spare you.

I stayed after Dynah to see Mt. St. Helens Vietnam Band. They have been featured in Spin Magazine and have an ice cream flavor with Molly Moon. Pretty impressive. This band had to grow on me. They didn’t appeal to me when they started playing but at the end of the show, I was a new fan.

The matching outfits were a nice touch.

I was determined to see Choo Choo since my last two efforts failed so I headed over to the Rockin Tomato on N. Lamar. Being their first time to Austin from Switzerland, this was a band I couldn’t miss.

Luckily, when I got there, the show was running two bands behind. I didn’t have another show scheduled so I decided to stick around to see Choo Choo. I ended up seeing The Parties who are from San Francisco, California.

They were a lot of fun. They reminded me of the 60’s psychedelic rock but it didn’t sound dated at all. I’ve seen a lot of bands attempt to play genres of the past and fail so it was incredible to see this band succeed.

After the next band (who’s name I can’t remember), Choo Choo finally took the stage and it was worth the wait. They started their show with the song I posted in their pre-SXSW interview “A Little Wiser Now”

Witnessing the power pop songs live was worth the 3 attempts to catch these guys live. The singer, Dan, did single me out during the show for dancing while I was sitting at a nearby booth through the performance. Hey, I’d been on my feet for 4 days, cut me some slack! Sometimes a girl needs to sit through a show. :)

Let’s see, after I made another swag dump at home and uploaded some photos, I headed back downtown for my last night of shows. I looked forward to this night the most because my out-of-town friends were playing one after another.

I made my first stop at Treasure Island to see Folio who I missed in the morning.

This band from Hollywood, California had everyone in the bar dancing to their electronic dance music, including moms and grandmothers. It was very entertaining to watch.

After I interviewed them (who were the nicest band ever!), I rushed over to Touché to see The States. I met these guys in 2006 as I waited for another band to perform and we’ve been buddies ever since. They didn’t attend last year’s SXSW so I made sure I got to see them this year.

They’ve gotten a new bass player since the last time I saw them, so some of the songs they played were new, especially since they are going to released a new album soon.

I did a short interview with the guys after their show and then rushed over to The Chuggin' Monkey to see AutoVaughn. I got lost so it took me longer than expected to find a bar I’ve been to many times during SXSW. When I got there, there was a line and they weren't letting people in until people left the bar. Eventually I got in after some drunken boys kept cutting in line in front of me though.

Man this band has come a long way since the first time I met them. I met this band on myspace when they friended me back in 2006. Because of a hilarious comment they left on my page, I went to see their show during 2006 SXSW. I remember it being an early day show on like a Thursday at Darwin’s Pub and they played to 10 people including myself. I immediately interviewed them afterwards and we’ve been in touch every since.

For the past three years, it seems Red Gorilla always scheduled them to perform on Saturday night at 11 pm at The Chugging Monkey, but I certainly understand why. The crowds love them, and with good reason. This band seems to only progress more and more with each new year. Why they haven’t been selected for an official SXSW showcase, I will never know.

Of course, the crowd loved them. Everyone dance, everyone sang the songs they knew. They performed new songs from the album that will be released soon (seems like everyone is releasing a new album this year) and the crowd just ate it up.

I can totally see the band getting more and more attention in the future so check them out, buy a cd and see a show when they come back to town. They are seriously worth the hype.

After I said hello to the guys, I decided to make the most of what was left of my wristband and headed to El Sol y La Luna to check out Arkells.

They kind of remind me of Fugazi and Constantines but a little bit more mainstream. I really liked them.

It was a great way to end my SXSW.

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SXSW Friday Recap

2009-03-25T08:35:00.000-07:00

To make up for my lack of shows on Thursday, Friday was filled with show after show of really good stuff.

My first stop was at Momo’s for the SXSW Underage Party. I didn’t know the show featured under-aged bands so imagine my surprise when I walked in and saw that I was one of the oldest people there. All the other adults seemed to be parents of the bands and fans in the venue. So my immediate reaction was “What did I get myself into?”

But my pessimism quickly went away when I heard Chief Rival. The band obviously looked like they still had some years left in high school (if they are even in high school) but the music they wrote sounded like they had been a part of the game for a while. I wouldn’t be surprised if the members were in band or orchestra because the songs were written in movements as they flowed seamlessly to one another. For fans of Explosions in the Sky, this band is worth checking out. If it’s any implication of how much they impressed the crowd, I bought the last EP they had (with handmade packaging).

Up next was The El Guapos. One of the vocalist/guitarist, Aaron Miller, actually worked with our Faculty Advisor, Matthew Connolly at Akins High School so he requested a reporter to cover the show and I was like the lucky volunteer. What a treat they were. The band was all dressed up but Miller and other vocalist/guitarist Cory Dennis really ran with the idea and wore bright colored-coordinated suits.

The show itself was full of high energy as the band danced their way through their short 15-20 minute set. The music was fun and catchy. I received a cd and got to sit with the band and interview them so a more in-depth profile will be published in the near future.

I waited for the bus to head over to Breakaway Records on 5th Street to see Choo Choo since I missed them the night before but unfortunately, the bus never came so instead, I went to see Val Emmich at Troubadour Saloon.

His name may sound familiar to Ugly Betty fans. I’d admit I didn’t know who he was until I first saw him as Jesse.

His show of his melancholy indie pop music was a welcoming change from the high-energy shows I had been watching. He played a newer song called “Absolutely Still” which he co-wrote with Better than Ezra who is apparently releasing it as a single in the near future. There were a few laughs in the crowd when Emmich stated “I’m not sure how I feel about that.”

I made the trip back to Momo’s to interview The El Guapos and grab some free dinner. When I walked in, Blues Mafia was playing. The music isn’t really the type of genre I normally listen to but the singer’s voice was just amazing. That girl has pipes.

After I did my interview with the El Guapos, I stuck around and caught Fireants. Wow, out of all the bands I saw during SXSW, this is the one band that really impressed me. Seriously.

Their country rock is well-written and the vocalist Ian Stewart is a great front man. There was no weak link as the entire band was super talented. I never played that well (as a flute player) at their age. Luckily for us, they are from Austin so you have opportunities to catch one of their live shows.

They were the headliners so the venue kicked everyone out so they could set up for the official SXSW showcase that night. I decided to head home and drop off all the swag I’ve gotten and take a break before the night shows.

I rested longer than I wanted to so I was late to my show at Blu Café. I didn’t plan my trip accordingly either so I ended up walking a lot because I got lost and the café was a lot farther than I had planned. I caught the end of the band playing but didn’t catch their name. What I heard was very mellow and show gazing like.

The Drawing Board, who I went to go see, was running a bit behind so I took a small walk around the 360 Condominiums, which is where the Blu Café is located. I discovered a new frozen yogurt place, Yummy Yo that was giving out free samples. It was so good. Since I can’t have milk products, this place will satisfy my ice cream craving. I recommend visiting this place if you get the chance.

The Drawing Board is pretty much my favorite band in Austin, but they rarely play shows so the last time I saw them was during my SXSW free show last year. I have been patiently waiting for a new album and during this show, I got some gratification when they performed the new songs I haven’t heard before.

I haven’t formed an opinion of what I think of their new direction, which is headed away from their happy pop music I fell in love with in the past. It’s definitely more experimental than the last released album “Clear to the Far Side of Way Over Yonder” but I don’t know if it’s just me refusing to accept the change.

Before I ended my night, I was walking abound aimlessly when I ran into Trent from PinkisTheNewBlog.com! I’ve been reading his celerity gossip blog for over 3 years now so meeting him was awesome. We walked around looking for a venue so he could catch the end of Erin McCarley’s show.

Trent and I went our separate ways and I headed towards Pangaea to try to get into Tinted Windows. I was a little skeptical when I saw two long lines at the door. But it confirmed my skepticism when I overheard the guy in front of me say to his friends that he had been waiting in line for an hour and they were only letting badges in. I didn’t want to wait in line forever and miss the show so I called it a night and went home.

One more day to go!

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SXSW is done!

2009-03-22T10:27:00.000-07:00

Oh man, I'm mixed with emotions with the end of South by Southwest.

On the one hand, I'm super relieved as this week was non-stop show after show, walking around in the heat, trying to find a place to eat that wasn't busy. It gets exhausting so I'm relieved all that is over.

I'm also sad that it's over because all the visitors are leaving. All my friends, old and new, are heading back towards their hometowns and I won't see them until next year or whenever they come back to Austin. But what I will miss the most is all the shows with great bands blaring around Austin. No matter where I am, there is a free show I can hear a new favorite band.

So today, I plan on playing catch up. I have Friday and Saturday recaps to post, tons of photos to upload on flickr, interviews to transcribe and spanish homework that was supposed to be done during spring break.

How did your SXSW go?

SXSW Day Two

2009-03-20T09:33:00.000-07:00

Thursday was not as successful as Wednesday. Mainly because I was so exhausted walking and standing around all day Wednesday. My shoulders were sore from carrying a heavy bag, my feet were in pain from all the standing, so I didn’t enjoy SXSW as much as Wednesday.

I got downtown later than I wanted to because I forgot my bus pass at home. I was in such a rush to get to work, I forgot my wallet. When I discovered this after my shift, I had to rush home and get it. I was a little annoyed to say the least.

So I arrived on 6th street at 1:30ish so I missed Casxio. No worries. When I was walking, I heard good music coming from BD Riley’s and stopped by. A band from Dallas, Airline was performing and I enjoyed their performance. It was a great laid back pop show to start off the day.

The bar was small so it got crowded quickly not to mention, it was super hot in there but it was better than being crowded in the hot sun.

I walked around some more until I heard some funky soul playing from a rooftop. I looked up and immediately recognized Casxio at the Blind Pig, which meant I could still catch them! Yeah, that didn’t work out because as soon as I got up to the roof, they announced everything on the merch booth was free and then said “Thank you” and started unloading the stage. Ah nuts.

Luckily, they had their showcase later in the night so I made plans to attend that. My best friend and I decided to stick around to see the next band. Who knows? Maybe they would be the next favorite band for us, but unfortunately, it was taking forever to set up the stage so we had to leave.

While I walking by the Wave, I heard another band that reminded me of Fall Out Boy playing from the rooftop so I went upstairs to see what they were all about. The band was really good but a lot of other people thought so as well because there was no room in the small rooftop to even get close to the band. So I enjoyed the music from the inside back area and cooled down in the AC. What drives me crazy is that I have no idea who the band was. I’ve used all my journalist super google-searching powers that be and couldn’t find the name. Ah well.

My next scheduled show was at the new Bird’s Barbershop on 6th street but when I got there was already a line. I refuse to wait in lines during SXSW so I took a food break across the street at Ms. Bea’s and then walked back downtown.

I went to the Rusty Spurs and caught the end of D’Urbervilles, but not enough to form an opinion of them. What I heard sounded like I would enjoy it though.

The Homosexuals were awesome! The singer Bruno Wizard has amazing stage presence but it’s not surprising since this band has been around since the late 70’s. It was an amazing show with Bruno sharing the stories behind the songs, the band name, and giving his two cents about our former president and other topics. It was a very entertaining show. If you have the chance to see one of their shows, do it.

After the show, I got to say hello to Bruno and he immediately asked me who I represented since he noticed me taking photos and when he found out it was for a college newspaper, he gave me his card with his direct number and told me to call him for an interview. So after I get settled after SXSW, I will definitely do that!

I went to see Casxio at Barcelona who was supposed to play at 7:45 p.m. I get to the venue and the people at the door told me they were opening up in 15 minutes which would be 8:00 p.m.

After I waited and got inside, the band wasn’t on stage. A couple of minutes later, the host or sound guy announces that they would play in 10 minutes. So when Casxio finally did get on stage, it was after 8:15 p.m. It was definitely worth the wait as Casxio was amazing. The crowd was dancing, the sound was great. It was a good time. The band played a cover of Michael Jackson’s Billie Jean which was a highlight for me.

I interviewed the band after they took their equipment down so look for that in the future and then walked across the street to see Choo Choo play their last song. I was sad because I wanted to see them but because Barcelona was running late, I missed them. Oh well, they are playing five more times before they head home so I have more opportunities to catch them.

I called it an early night last night because I was exhausted, already annoyed that I missed scheduled bands because of lateness and long lines, plus my cell phone battery was dying, but Friday is here! A lot of my favorite bands are performing today so I’ll have a longer update tomorrow!

Also in the future (when I have time), I will post up videos I’ve taken on my Flip video camera.

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Day One Complete!

2009-03-19T09:24:00.000-07:00

Pretty good first day. Usually Wednesdays are a bit slow trying to get into the groove of the festival and this year’s was no exception. I made a schedule to try to see all the bands I wanted to see but unfortunately, different factors such as really long lines had me changed my mind.

So I get downtown around 12:15 because the traffic is insane at noon. There was a line of cars from Cesar Chavez and East of I-35 which expanded up to Cesar Chavez and Chicon Street. I couldn’t see past that but I wouldn’t doubt the line of cars kept going.

Anyway, my first stop of the day was Maggie Mae’s to see The Boxing Lesson. The bar had three stages set up, one downstairs, one you see immediately when you climb up the stairs, and then a smaller one in a room next to the upstairs stair. That’s where The Boxing Lesson played.

The Boxing Lesson played a couple of their signature songs but also premiered a new one which strayed away from the usual psychedelic drone that they usually performed. Instead the new song showed a bit of their dance pop side which got the whole crowd was moving. I got to interview the band afterward and we talked about the song which turned out to have a light positive message directed towards their drummer Jake Mitchell and his wife who are currently serving time.

Up next, I walked to Creekside Lounge to see The Midgetmen. Unfortunately, I put in the wrong time they played in my calendar because when I walked in, they were playing their last song.

But the good news is that I stuck around and caught the next band Ezra Furman and the Harpoons.

How can I describe this band? Hmm. Well they’re definitely folksy indie rock with very light hearted lyrics. My favorite song was “Take Off Your Sunglasses”

I ran into former editor of The Accent, Kevin Stutz at the show and he recommended I attend Young Love at Peckerhead’s. I wasn’t a fan of the next band at Creekside Lounge so I took his suggestion and left.

It was perfect timing though because I thought for sure the show would be crowded, but when I walked in, the entire crowd was in the other room watching the band before playing while Young Love set up. So needless to say, I had a great view.

The show was a bit short but he played his hit (which is one of my favorite songs) “Discotech” and some other songs from his previous album and played some newer songs from this new album “One of Us” which comes out April 28^th, 2009.

The sound was a bit rough because it was hard to hear the vocals but the show was great nevertheless. Vocalist Dan Keyes really knows how to work the crowd. The show felt very intimate as he jumped off the stage and sang in the crowd. Girls swooned as he gave each one of them (including me!) eye contact like he wrote those lyrics for them. Ha. It was a good time.

After a much needed break at one of the coffee shops near by, I then walked to Plush to see Bankrupt and the Borrowers. This was another intimate show because Plush doesn’t have a stage so the band is on the ground with the crowd. I don’t know what time the bands and the fans started drinking but the energy in that place was unbelievable.

The band was recently in Austin Monthly as one of the "9 bands to watch in ’09" and as my second time seeing them, I can see why. It’s refreshing to hear music that isn’t generic or stereotypical of what is currently on the radio. I can’t even describe it, you just have to see a show for yourself.

The Murdocks played at One 2 One bar for the Health Alliance for Austin Musicians. Donations were requested at the door but wasn’t mandatory to get in. Of course, I donated money to the cause. Anyway, The Murdocks played some songs from the “Roar” which I reviewed for The Accent last year. After the show, the band handed out free samplers of music from the new album which will be released in the future.

As soon as I walked out of the bar to head over to Spiro’s, I ran into The States from New York. I met them at SXSW in 2006 and hung out with them when they returned in 2007 so this was the first time I saw them since then. They’re playing on Thursday at Annie’s West at 7:00 pm and on Saturday at Touche at 10:00 p.m.

We caught up as we walked downtown to our next destinations and then went our separate ways. I went to Spiro’s and they had a dinner meeting.

Oliver Future was playing when I walked in. I was nervous that I wouldn’t be able to get in since it was an official showcase and I have a wristband, not a badge. Luckily, there was no line when I got there so I immediately got in.

The formally five piece band returned to Austin after recording new songs for their new album with a tentative summer release called “Out of the Wreckage.” Sadly, last night’s show was the last show they played this week before having to return home to Los Angeles but I did get a change to interview vocalist/guitarist Noah Lit to talk more about the album. (I will post that up as soon as I get a moment to transcribe it.)

Now as a three piece, the tone of the music seems to be heading towards more of an experimental gazing sound, which compared to their previous album “Pax Futura,” is a huge change from their distinct indie pop driven tunes.

I left the rest of the night open because I wasn’t sure how the lines would be during the showcases so I walked around, walked around and walked around some more until I ended up at the Flamingo Cantina where Billboard en Espanol was having a showcase.

The place was crowded. It was really hard to get anywhere near the stage. So using my small frame, I squeezed my way though the crowd to get to the side of the stage.

Natalie Lafourrade was on stage and I really like her sound. Simply put, the music is just adorable.

My next stop was the Hideout. It was in the back theatre so the crowd got to sit. Finally, time to rest my feet!

Austin’s own Sunset was on stage. Now I hear this name a lot and I’m sorry I don’t see the big deal. Yes, they’re great. They are talented. The songs are pretty good, but where is the big hype coming from?

I liked them. Seriously, I did.

I rushed all the way to The Dirty Bar (man I never realized how fast I can walk) so I could catch Dananananaykroyd. Seriously, how awesome is that name?

When I walked in the bar and got settled in, who should I see? Joseph Gordon-Lewitt. Sorry there is no photo. He was talking to someone and I wasn’t going to be rude and take a photo without permission. But believe me, he was there.

Anyway, Dananananaykroyd are pretty cool. They’re from Scotland and just full of amazing energy and really got the crowd going. The highlight of the show for me was when the singer walked around the crowd (which he did throughout the night anyway) and gave everyone hugs. Seriously. It was a very entertaining show to say the least.

Well that was my night. Day two starts soon. Man, this is gonna be a long week!

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FYI about the Twitter, due to everyone having Iphones, blackberries, G1 or other data intense phones, the coverage sucks. Seriously. I noticed twitters are arriving later than when they were posted.

Getting Around SXSW: Using Capitol Metro Bus System

2009-03-14T19:56:00.000-07:00

Getting around Austin when you’re an out of town-er can be quite difficult, especially around the downtown area where South by Southwest takes place. Parking during business hours can become pricey, not to mention the risk of your meter expiring and receiving a ticket. Also, parking lots raise the parking fees during the week for uninformed attendees.

My recommendation to get around is:
First, meet someone from Austin. Become friends so you can get the inside scoop of how to get around this town. Sure, Austin may seem intimidating at first, but it’s easier to get around once you figure out how the streets work.

Second, use public transportation. Seriously. Capitol Metro, our bus system, is pretty decent especially during the daytime.

So if you find yourself wanting to get to a show near the Drag from downtown, definitely try the bus. It’s pretty inexpensive for a 24-hour day pass ($1.50), but for a better value, the week pass that covers 7 days (which is longer than the music festival) costs $7. The day passes can be purchased on the bus but the week pass is available on the website or at one of the ticket outlets (but be prepared to wait in line.)

Now that you’ve decided to use the bus, Google Maps or Capitol Metro’s Trip Planner can then plan the trip for you. I like this feature because you just put in where you are and then where you want to go and it figures out which bus to take for you. You can even put in what time you need to be at the place or what time you need to leave and it’ll figure it out for as well.

Some things to note with the trip planner though is that the program will try to route the trip so where you are picked up right where you are and will be dropped off basically right in front of the venue, which causes unnecessary bus transfers. So I recommended looking at the bus maps they give you and see if one bus ride is available and walking to your destination instead of having to transfer to 2 or 3 buses for one trip. It will save you time.

Here are some important routes to remember for “main” areas of free day/night shows:

These routes are assuming you are taking the bus from the downtown area. Main bus stops to catch most of these buses are located at 6th and Congress, 10th and Congress, or 6th and Brazos.

The Drag:
Venues around this location: Slices and Ices (2530 Guadalupe St), Hole in the Wall (2538 Guadalupe St), Antone’s Records (2928 Guadalupe), Spiderhouse (2908 Fruth St), United States Art Authority (510 W. 29th St.), Urban Outfitters (2406 Guadalupe), Dog and Duck Pub (406 W. 17th St.)
Buses to Take: #1L, #1M, #3, #7, #19

Central Lamar
Venues around this location: Waterloo Records (600 A N. Lamar), Waterloo Ice House (600 N Lamar Blvd # G) Cheapo’s Records (914 N. Lamar), Whole Foods (525 N Lamar Blvd)
Buses to take: #4, #21, 6th Street Dillo

South Congress
Venues around this location: Parts and Labour (1604 S Congress Ave), Home Slice Pizza (1415 S. Congress Ave.), Yard Dog Gallery (1510 S. Congress Ave.), Jo’s Coffee (1300 S. Congress), Dominican Joe (515 S. Congress Ave.), Gueros Taco Bar (1412 S. Congress Ave.), Saxon Pub (1320 S. Lamar)
Buses to take: Congress Street Dillo, #1L, #1M, #9

North Loop
Venues around this location: Blue Velvet Vintage Clothing (217 W. North Loop), The Parlor (100 B E. North Loop), Monkeywrench Books (110 E. North Loop), Sound on Sound Records (106 E North Loop Blvd)
Buses to take: #7

South First
Venues around this location: End of an Ear (2209 South First Street), Jovita’s (1619 S 1st St.)
Buses to take: #10

East 6th Street
Venues around this location: Scoot Inn (1308 E. 4th St), Ms. Bea’s (1104 E. 6th St.), The Compound (1300 E. 4th St.), Progress Coffee (500 San Marcos), Café Mundi (1704 East 5th St.), Breakaway Records (1704 E. 5th St. #105), Typewriter Musuem (1306 E. 6th St.), Emblem Creative (900 E. 6th St.)
Buses to take: #4

East Cesar Chavez
Venues around this location: Big Red Sun (1102 E. Cesar Chavez), Domy Books (913 E. Cesar Chavez), Okay Mountain Gallery (1312 E. Cesar Chavez, Ste. B)
Buses to take: #17

Manor Road
Venues around this location: Red House Pizzeria (1917 Manor Rd.), Salvage Vanguard Theatre (2803 Manor Road)
Buses to take: #20

Rosewood
Venues around this location: Snake Eye Vinyl (1101 Navasota St # 3), Trailer Space (1401-A Rosewood Avenue), Longbranch Inn (1133 E 11th St), Victory Grill, (1104 E. 11th St.)
Buses to take: #2

Other Venues:

Carousel Lounge (1110 E. 52nd St.)
Buses to take: #37

Austin Moose Lodge #1735 (2103 E.M. Franklin)
Buses to take: #18

Co-Lab (613 Allen St.)
Buses to take: #4

Nomad Bar (1211 Corona Dr.)
Buses to take: #37

Triple Crown Tattoo Parlour (1157 Chicon St.)
Buses to take: #2

Ruta Maya (3601 South Congress Avenue)
Buses to take: #1L, #1M, #7, #9, #20

Irie Bean Coffee Bar (2310 South Lamar, Suite 102)
Buses to take: #3

Broken Neck (4701 Red Bluff Rd)
Buses to take: Sadly, there are no buses that go to the venue.

If you are heading towards the downtown area (6th street), remember that all buses #1-99 all stop in that area through their routes.

If you get lost, call Capitol Metro’s Specific Route Information line at (512) 474-1200 and after you tell them your location, they can notify you of which bus to take.

SXSW Sneak Peek: Casxio

2009-03-14T16:54:00.000-07:00

Walking around aimlessly downtown during last year’s SXSW, I overheard this band playing through a speaker from the venue. Intrigued by what I heard, I walked upstairs of Nuno’s to see Casxio playing on stage. Unfortunately, I only caught the last two or three songs from their set, but the funky soul pop music impressed me. I grabbed a free sampler they were handing out and left.

I guess the selection committee for SXSW felt the same way as I did because although, this is their second year performing during the festival, this year is the first year they are an official showcase band.

With the number of applicants that apply to play at SXSW, what do you think made your band stand out above the rest to be selected?

Eric: Well the priority for the organizers of any massive music showcase is to book bands that have a new and unique sound to offer, as well as a powerful live show. There are also less obvious factors that come to play as far as which bands get selected. Relationships with bookers and organizers that bands build over time are most definitely factors that may open doors. The fact is that there is an over saturation of bands these days that are out there hustling and trying to make a legit career out of their music. Hence, meeting people and building relationships is the second most vital aspect of making a career in music. The MOST important is quality. But, unfortunately, as I listen to more radio, I become more and more skeptical. Cold, hard truth.

What preparation have you taken for the upcoming showcase?

Eric: We learned a lot last year about what it takes to set yourself apart from the hundreds of other bands in attendance. Our prep is, for the most part, promo related. We'll be bringing down some t-shirts and stickers but we're not concerned about making a ton of money on merchandise on this trip. Don't get me wrong, we're all about making some cheddar, but our focus is on getting people to our sets and making our show bangin'.

Here are the list of shows you can see Casxio during the week of SXSW:
03/19/2009 1:45PM @ BLIND PIG ROOF DECK – 317 E. 6th St. (near Trinity)
03/19/2009 7:45PM @ BARCELONA - 209 E 6th St. (near San Jacinto)
03/20/2009 3:45PM @ TROUBADOR SALOON - 503 East 6th St. (near Neches)
03/21/2009 12:30PM @ RUSTY SPURS - 403 East 7th St (near Trinity)

Anyone and everyone can download 4 mp3s from Casxio’s website for free just by signing up for their mailing list.
Click here for a free download of their most popular song "Seventeen". (link directs you to a downloading site)

Here is Casxio’s video for “Boiling Point” directed by Fresh Kill (freshkill.com) (released last month):

SXSW Sneak Peek: Choo Choo

2009-03-04T08:25:00.000-08:00

Choo Choo, from Bern, Switzerland, will be heading down to SXSW not only for their first officially showcase but also for their first live gigs in the United States. I met this band through their twitter and they were one of the bands I selected to watch from the massive list of SXSW showcased bands.

Lead singer and guitarist, Dan Choo took some time to answer some quick questions I emailed him.

Since this is your first year to attend SXSW, what are your thoughts and expectations of the week?

Dan: Never been to SXSW until now, but read and heard so many good things about it either in blogs and magazines or from befriended bands and people in the music Industry. We are expecting a crazy week full of music, fun and making friends. We will play many daytime parties and are generally trying to get the most out of this week.

With the large number of applicants that apply to play for the festival, what do you think made your band stand out above the rest to be selected?

Dan: There is simply no other band around playing STEAM POWERED GARAGE POP! We have our own Genre and I'm sure SXSW cannot miss out this one.

What preparation have you taken for the upcoming showcase? New songs? New merchandise?

Dan: Nothing special, really, since we released our debut album in Switzerland, we’ve constantly been playing live. We will just rock out as we always do. Of course we’re going to play new songs too, but we do that at every show. A big challenge will be to cut our set down to 30 minutes only, as this is the length of sets at most parties. But I like the idea of playing only 30 short sweet minutes. You need to reduce to the essential. That's what we try with every song.

Choo Choo will be playing a lot of shows during the festival so if you miss an opportunity to catch them live, it will be your fault:
03/17/2009 Red Scoot Inn 11 p.m.
03/18/2009 Trailer Space Records 3:00 p.m.
03/19/2009 BD Riley's 9 p.m. (Official Showcase)
03/19/2009 Space12 3:00 p.m.
03/20/2009 Breakaway Records 2:30 p.m.
03/20/2009 Flipnotics @ Barton Springs 12:00 a.m.
03/21/2009 Rockin' Tomato 2:00 p.m.
03/21/2009 College Houses Cooperatives 10:00 p.m.

YouTube video of “A Little Wiser Now”. Scroll after the video to download a free mp3 from the band!

Download: Choo Choo “A Little Wiser Now” (just click the link to box.net website)

Website: http://www.choochootheband.com
Myspace: http://www.myspace.com/choochootheband

Stay tuned during the week of SXSW where I will actually meet the musicians in person and do a more in-depth interview of the band.

Welcome and SXSW Show Recommendations

2009-02-23T09:06:00.000-08:00

My Welcome Post

Hi. I’m Sarah Vasquez and I’ve written for the Accent’s Life & Arts section for the past year. This is my fifth year attending South by Southwest Music Festival but this year I get to fully experience the festival with the help of the paper.

In the past, I attended all the free shows I could thanks to the direction of Austin Showlist (www.showlistaustin.com) and various festivals that occur during the week such as RedGorilla Music Fest and Texas Rock Fest. Because my website (www.somanybands.net) mainly features unsigned/underground bands, these free shows were great places to discover new talent to showcase on my site. I’ve met many friends through the years attending, some out of towners who have come back year after year to perform.

When the editors approached me to do a full coverage on the festival this year, I quickly jumped on it. Not only do I have the free shows to look forward to but also there are a lot of official showcases available for me to check out. Of course, when I started the sorting out process of all the bands South by Southwest had on their site, I began to feel overwhelmed and excited at the same time.

Every year, my game plan is to try to schedule as much diverse bands as I can but, every year, that never works out. See, the downside of free shows (not all of them) is that bands cancel, there’s miscommunication on what time a band is suppose to play, police shut down the party, there ends up being a “recommended donation” at the door, turns out you were supposed to RSVP to attend or I miscalculated the amount of time it takes me to get from a show on the Drag to 6th street so during those mishaps, I tend to walk around aimlessly until I hear something that grabs my attention.

Because there wasn’t enough time to sift through the massive list of bands performing, I am pretty sure some bands were overlooked because the one song provided on SXSW’s website isn’t enough to show what a band has to offer. I listed more than one show for one night. It's smart preparation to have backup plans in case there’s a really long line or the venue met its maximum capacity, etc.

Wednesday March 18th

BD Riley's
(204 E 6th St) (21+ )
The Transpersonals 8:00 p.m.
Cheeky Cheeky and the Nosebleeds 9:00 p.m.
Ron Flynt 10:00 p.m.
Ruby Coast 11:00 p.m.
Angry Vs The Bear 12:00 a.m.
Turbowolf 1:00 a.m.

Cedar Door
(201 Brazos St) (18+)
Papertrigger 8:00 p.m.
IO Echo 9:00 p.m.
The Electric Diorama 10:00 p.m.
Modern Skirts 11:00 p.m.
The Cloud Room 12:00 a.m.
General Fiasco 1:00 a.m.

Dirty Dog Bar
(505 E 6th St) (21+)
ASCAP
Death On Two Wheels 8:30 p.m.
Chief 9:15 p.m.
The Temper Trap 10:00 p.m.
Fool's Gold 10:45 p.m.
Dananananaykroyd 11:30 p.m.
The Gay Blades 12:15 a.m.
Natalie Portman's Shaved Head1:00 a.m.

Friends
(208 E 6th St) (21+ )
The Week That Was 8:00 p.m.
Come On Gang! 9:00 p.m.
Chess Club Records
Wave Machines 10:00 p.m.
Jay Jay Pistolet 11:00 p.m.
Post War Years 12:00 a.m.
Mumford & Sons 1:00 a.m.

Habana Calle 6
(709 E 6th St) (21+)
Get Hip Recordings
Black Drawing Chalks 7:00 p.m.
Amplified Heat 8:00 p.m.
Legendary Tiger Man 9:00 p.m.
The Ugly Beats 10:00 p.m.
The Cynics 11:00 p.m.
The Dt's 12:00 a.m.
The Higher State 1:00 a.m.

Headhunters
(720 Red River St (8th St Entrance)) (21+)
The Uptown Bums 7:00 p.m.
Alive
Hacienda 8:00 p.m.
Thomas Function 9:00 p.m.
Trainwreck Riders 10:00 p.m.
Left Lane Cruiser 11:00 p.m.
Outrageous Cherry 12:00 a.m.
Black Diamond Heavies 1:00 a.m.

The Hideout
(617 Congress Ave) (All Ages )
Autobus
Canopy 8:00 p.m.
The Weird Weeds 9:00 p.m.
JC & Co. 10:00 p.m.
{{{ SUNSET }}} 11:00 p.m.
Mark David Ashworth 12:00 a.m.

Red 7 Patio
(611 E 7th St) (All Ages)
Wichita Records
Mariachi El Bronx 8:00 p.m.
Lissy Trullie 9:00 p.m.
Greg Weeks 10:00 p.m.
Lovvers 11:00 p.m.
Sky Larkin 12:00 a.m.
The Bronx 1:00 a.m.

Spiro's
(615 Red River St) (21+)
Young Mammals 8:00 p.m.
Oliver Future 9:00 p.m.
Royal Bangs 10:00 p.m.
Miniature Tigers 11:00 p.m.
Magic Magic 12:00 a.m.
Dear and the Headlights 1:00 a.m.

Vice
(302 E 6th St) (21+)
Glasvegas TBA
The Von Bondies TBA

Volume
(614 E 6th St) (21+)
SESAC
Mieka Pauley 8:00 p.m.
Phantogram 9:00 p.m.
Alaska in Winter 10:00 p.m.
Voxtrot 11:00 p.m.
Holy Hail 12:00 a.m.
Young Love 1:00 a.m.

Thursday March 19th

BD Riley's
(204 E 6th St) (21+ )
Bam Bam 8:00 p.m.
Choo Choo 9:00 p.m.
Olympus Mons 10:00 p.m.
The Hot Melts 11:00 p.m.
Geeks 12:00 a.m.
Ipso Facto 1:00 a.m.

Beauty Bar Backyard
(617 E 7th St) (21+)
IHEARTCOMIX
Paparazzi 7:00 p.m.
Radioclit 8:00 p.m.
The Golden Filter 9:45 p.m.
HEARTSREVOLUTION 10:30 p.m.
Ocelot 11:00 p.m.
The Toxic Avenger & Franki Chan 12:00 a.m.
Drop The Lime 1:00 a.m.

Friends
(208 E 6th St) (21+ )
Sounds Australia
Closure In Moscow 8:00 p.m.
The Fumes 9:00 p.m.
Birds Of Tokyo 10:00 p.m.
Red Riders 11:00 p.m.
The Boat People 12:00 a.m.
The Hot Kicks 1:00 a.m.

Habana Calle 6
Maggie Mae's Gibson Room
(512 Trinity St) (21+)
Next Big Nashville
The Features 8:00 p.m.
Turbo Fruits 9:00 p.m.
Landon Pigg 10:00 p.m.
Brooke Waggoner 11:00 p.m.
Paper Route 12:00 a.m.
The Deep Vibration 1:00 a.m.

Mother Egan's
(715 W 6th St) (21+ )
Act Of Congress 8:00 p.m.
The Belleville Outfit 9:00 p.m.
DADDY (Will Kimbrough & Tommy Womack) 10:00 p.m.
Ruthie Foster 11:00 p.m.
Baskery 12:00 a.m.
Sarah Borges and the Broken Singles 1:00 a.m.

The Rio
(301 San Jacinto Blvd) (21+)
The Shackeltons 8:00 p.m.
Music From Ireland
The Guggenheim Grotto 9:00 p.m.
One Day International 10:00 p.m.
The Lost Brothers 11:00 p.m.
The Mighty Stef 12:00 a.m.
Fight Like Apes 1:00 a.m.

Rusty Spurs
(405 E 7th St) (21+)
After The Jump
A Classic Education 8:00 p.m.
Eugene McGuinness 9:00 p.m.
The Bloodsugars 10:00 p.m.
Fight Bite 11:00 p.m.
Drink Up Buttercup 12:00 a.m.
Bearsuit 1:00 a.m.

Spiro's
(615 Red River St) (21+)
Roxwel.com
She Rides 8:00 p.m.
HOWL 9:00 p.m.
Dead Confederate 10:00 p.m.
Cactus's 11:00 p.m.
Tweak Bird 12:00 a.m.
Red Fang 1:00 a.m.

The Tap Room at Six
(311 Colorado St) (21+)
This Drama 8:00 p.m.
Descartes A Kant 9:00 p.m.
Chicken Ranch
Mr Lewis and The Funeral 5 10:00 p.m.
We Were The States 11:00 p.m.
The Clutters 12:00 a.m.
The Woggles 1:00 a.m.

Wave
(408 E 6th St) (21+)
Action Action 8:00 p.m.
Death is not a joyride. 9:00 p.m.
Out From Animals 10:00 p.m.
The Electric City 11:00 p.m.
The Plastic Wave 12:00 a.m.
Moth!Fight! 1:00 a.m.

Friday March 20th

Friends
(208 E 6th St) (21+ )
My Federation 9:00 p.m.
The Queen Killing Kings 10:00 p.m.
The Golden Dogs 11:00 p.m.
Ben Jelen 12:00 a.m.
Between the Trees 1:00 a.m.

Habana Bar Backyard
(708 E 6th St) (21+)
Ground Control Touring
The Love Language 8:00 p.m.
Dawes 9:00 p.m.
The Felice Brothers 10:00 p.m.
Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit 11:00 p.m.
Tim Easton 12:00 a.m.
Deer Tick 1:00 a.m.

Headhunters
(720 Red River St (8th St Entrance)) (21+)
Bad Sports 7:00 p.m.
The Teeners 7:50 p.m.
Yuppies 8:40 p.m.
The Paranoid Critical Revolution 9:30 p.m.
Orphan 10:25 p.m.
GAGAKIRISE 11:20 p.m.
Japanther 12:05 a.m.
Peelander-Z 1:00 a.m.

The Independent
(501 N IH 35) (21+)
End Sounds
The Escape Frame 8:00 p.m.
Death In The Park 9:00 p.m.
True Widow 10:00 p.m.
Ernest Jenning
Takka Takka 11:00 p.m.
The Black Hollies 12:00 a.m.
Still Flyin' 1:00 a.m.

Lamberts
(401 W 2nd St) (21+)
Canja Rave 7:00 p.m.
BO-PEEP 8:00 p.m.
Little Thief 9:00 p.m.
The Dangerous Summer 10:00 p.m.
Tom Cary 11:00 p.m.
Talk To Angels 12:00 a.m.
The Beat Poets 1:00 a.m.

Maggie Mae's Gibson Room
(512 Trinity St) (21+)
Worlds End/Play In Traffic
Sahara Smith 8:00 p.m.
Speak 9:00 p.m.
Crash Kings 10:00 p.m.
THEART 11:00 p.m.
The Steps 12:00 a.m.
Gary Clark Jr 1:00 a.m.

Maggie Mae's Rooftop
(323 E 6th St) (21+)
Great Escape Festival
The Young Republic 8:00 p.m.
The Postelles 9:00 p.m.
Mumford & Sons 10:00 p.m.
Fighting With Wire 11:00 p.m.
Esser 12:00 a.m.
Au Revoir Simone 1:00 a.m.

Red 7 Patio
(611 E 7th St) (All Ages)
Devil Dolls Booking
Kepi: The Band 8:00 p.m.
Poison Arrows (GA) 8:40 p.m.
The Dollyrots 9:20 p.m.
The Girls 10:00 p.m.
The Cute Lepers 10:45 p.m.
The Pink Spiders 11:30 p.m.
Teenage Bottlerocket 12:15 a.m.
The Queers 12:50 a.m.

Red Eyed Fly
(715 Red River St) (18+)
Little Steven's Underground Garage/Wicked Cool Records
Little Steven Hosted By
The High Dials 8:00 p.m.
Magic Christian 9:00 p.m.
The Breakers 9:40 p.m.
The Urges 10:15 p.m.
The Cocktail Slippers 10:50 p.m.
The Woggles 11:25 p.m.
The Shys 12:10 a.m.
The Chesterfield Kings 1:00 a.m.

Volume
(614 E 6th St) (21+)
The Joys 7:00 p.m.
S.L. Feldman & Associates
The Painted Birds 8:00 p.m.
The Mark Inside 9:00 p.m.
The Wooden Sky 10:00 p.m.
Hey Ocean 11:00 p.m.
The Johnstones 12:00 a.m.

Social Code 1:00 a.m.
Wave Rooftop
(408 E 6th St) (21+)
Don't Tell Sophie 7:00 p.m.
When Girls Collide 8:00 p.m.
Loquat 9:00 p.m.
Scissors for Lefty 10:00 p.m.
The Matches 11:00 p.m.
The Lovemakers 12:00 a.m.
The Morning Benders 1:00 a.m.

Saturday March 21st

Back Alley Social
(303 W 5th St) (21+)
Poetic Pilgrimage 8:00 p.m.
Blacklisted Individuals 8:30 p.m.
Truth Universal 9:00 p.m.
Bomani Armah & Project Mayhem 9:30 p.m.
A-Alikes 10:00 p.m.
Now On 10:30 p.m.
Buff1 11:00 p.m.
Invincible 11:40 p.m.
Pigeon John 12:15 a.m.
Mr Lif 1:00 a.m.

Central Presbyterian Church
(200 E 8th St) (All Ages)
Keegan DeWitt 8:00 p.m.
Steve Goldberg and the Arch Enemies 9:00 p.m.
Steve Burns (and The Struggle) 10:00 p.m.
We Are Dios 11:00 p.m.
AJ Croce 12:00 a.m.
Earlimart 1:00 a.m.

Club 115
(115 San Jacinto St) (21+)
Solid Gold 8:00 p.m.
Holger 9:00 p.m.
Sonpub 10:00 p.m.
Thecocknbullkid 11:00 p.m.
Kamikaze Queens 12:00 a.m.
NID & SANCY 1:00 a.m.

Habana Calle 6
(709 E 6th St) (21+)
Jill Barber 8:00 p.m.
Mint Records
Hot Panda 9:00 p.m.
Immaculate Machine 10:00 p.m.
The Pack A.D. 11:00 p.m.
The Handsome Family 12:00 a.m.
The Evaporators 1:00 a.m.

Lamberts
(401 W 2nd St) (21+)
Standstill 8:00 p.m.
Green Room Music Source
The Physics of Meaning 9:00 p.m.
The 757s 10:00 p.m.
The Coast 11:00 p.m.
Mark Mallman 12:00 a.m.
Dressy Bessy 1:00 a.m.

Maggie Mae's Gibson Room
(512 Trinity St) (21+)
Amber Smith 8:00 p.m.
The Break And Repair Method 9:00 p.m.
Bryan Scary and The Shredding Tears 10:00 p.m.
Music Managers Forum
The Cringe 11:00 p.m.
Wayne Kramer 12:00 a.m.
Garth Hudson 1:00 a.m.

Mother Egan's
(715 W 6th St) (21+ )
Delco 8:00 p.m.
Idol
Shibboleth 9:00 p.m.
Here Holy Spain 10:00 p.m.
The O's 11:00 p.m.
Little Black Dress 12:00 a.m.
The Crash That Took Me 1:00 a.m.

The Music Gym Patio
(815 E 6th St) (21+)
Golden Bear 8:00 p.m.
Frank Smith 9:00 p.m.
The Laughing 10:00 p.m.
Low Line Caller 11:00 p.m.
Loxsly 12:00 a.m.
The Lemurs 1:00 a.m.

Red 7
(611 E 7th St) (All Ages)
Goner
The Magic Kids 8:00 p.m.
The Limes 9:00 p.m.
Harlan T Bobo 10:00 p.m.
Ty Segall 11:00 p.m.
Box Elders 12:00 a.m.
Jack Oblivian and the Tennessee Tearjerkers 1:00 a.m.

Submerged
(333 E 2nd St) (21+)
Minty Fresh/Milan
Drew Andrews 8:00 p.m.
The Subjects 9:00 p.m.
Ezra Furman and the Harpoons 10:00 p.m
The Dead Trees 11:00 p.m.
White Shoes & The Couples Company 12:00 a.m.
The Devil Makes Three 1:00 a.m.

I’ll be posting more blog posts with recommendations as the weeks goes on. As I mentioned earlier, there is just so much music to sort through, I’m going to keep listening before the festival and try to schedule as much bands as possible. Suggestions from you would also be helpful and very appreciative, so suggest away in the comments!