Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Last day of SXSW
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
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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Sunday, March 22, 2009
SXSW is done!
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?
Friday, March 20, 2009
SXSW Day Two
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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Thursday, March 19, 2009
Day One Complete!
So I get downtown around
The formally five piece band returned to
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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.
Saturday, March 14, 2009
Getting Around SXSW: Using Capitol Metro Bus System
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
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):