Unofficial SXSW 2009: The Hipsters are Coming
Austin is a massive, wonderful and gorgeous place. And SXSW is equally as diverse and awesome, unofficially and officially. And this is not a hipster bashing rant. But if the only stain Austin has is the big stain of Texas that surrounds it, then the one bad thing about SXSW is hipsters. Not the polite, nerdy ones, who flood the rapidly gentrifying minority establishments with cash for Lonestar and Shiner Bock so they can survive. But the assholes that don’t give a damn about who the hell is even playing, bring their own damn beer, throw it all over the... read more
SXSW 2009: Reuniting old favorites - Arc Angels, Jayhawks
Little Steven Van Zandt (left) with Arc Angels Chris Layton, Doyle Bramhall II & Charlie SextonArc Angels reunite at Antones--recording new album, touring with Clapton this SpringOne of Austin's most revered hometown bands, The Arc Angels, did a short set at Little Steven Van Zandt's "Magical Mystery Mondo Matinee" at Antone's on Friday. Van Zandt, Bruce Springsteen's guitarist and Tony's first lieutenant in HBO's The Sopranos, produced the Arc Angels' self-titled and only album in 1992. The band will open for Eric Clapton during his UK tour this Spring. Before going on stage drummer Chris Layton and guitarist/vocalist Doyle... read more
Unofficial SXSW 2009: Lost in Texas
Growing weary of the East side of the city and the hipster shantytown that has begun to develop an invisible belt around Mrs. Bea’s and Todd P happenings, I made it a point that I was going to get super random on day three and blindly attack one of the many warehouse or house parties and get more of a breath of Austin local. The way of music, I pretty much struck out, with every band I saw coming from out of town. But the caliber of Austin-bred youth that aided in my temporary hitchhiking tactic to get to said... read more
Pete Seeger B-Day Party at Madison Square Garden to Feature Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder and More
Folk legend Pete Seeger is having a birthday party at Madison Square Garden. The fact that the environmentalist crusader and pioneer of protest music is turning a spry 90 is a big reason to celebrate on its own, but when the guest list includes Bruce Springsteen, Dave Matthews, Eddie Vedder, John Mellencamp, Ben Harper, Billy Bragg and Emmylou Harris, to name just a few of the 50+ artists scheduled to pay their respects on stage, it's time to kick up your heels and grab a ticket. ... read more
Paste's Top 10 Buzziest Acts of SXSW 2009
Another year, another SXSW on the books. Somehow, amidst the parties, food and general chaos of 6th St., the Paste staff managed to see some music. Here are the 10 acts we were most impressed with:... read more
SXSW 2009: Micachu & the Shapes Compose a Song for Austin
Micachu & the Shapes' avant pop-sicle compositions were already the toast of SXSW 2009 before spry frontwoman Mica Levi's miniature guitars had even crossed the Texas state line. However, Levi, keyboardist Raisa Khan and drummer Marc Pell seemed far too fascinated and exhausted by their festival experience to let the buzz go to their heads. During our chat at Austin's Driskill Hotel, the precocious singer even showed me a short video capturing the historic hotel's wild west motifs while she whistled The Good, the Bad and the Ugly's theme, and sheepishly asked about the shows I'd seen: "Do you find... read more
Five SXSW Acts I'm Sadly Going to Miss Today
Help me out, dear readers. Due to circumstances that are out of my control, I'll be heading back on a plane from Austin (not me) to Atlanta today in the early afternoon. Below are merely five acts I'm sad to miss. Please make it your job to go see them. There are many others, of course. Click here if you're having a tough time trying to decide how to spend your SXSaturday. But seriously, don't miss these: ... read more
SXSW 2009: Nobunny makes me feel funny
I don't know who Nobunny is. I don't know if anyone knows who Nobunny is. When he performs, a sweaty, dirty, matted rabbit mask covers his face, and apparently he has a tendency to kind of just disappear after his sets. Aside from the mask, he doesn't wear much else. Today at the Scoot Inn, kind of a haul if you're used to just milling around Sixth Street, he played with a loud jumpy band on a small stage in the corner, starting off the set wearing a pair of opaque black panty hose (no shirt) and eventually stripping down... read more
SXSW 2009: Thee Oh Sees Thrill Austin
John Dwyer is part stand-up comedian, full-time musician (Coachwhips, OCS, several other bands, including last night's Thee Oh Sees) and quintessential entertainer. Guitar strapped high on his chest, gray-brown hair flopping about, eyes maddeningly wide, mic often buried deep in his mouth, Dwyer led the former Paste Band of the Week through a thrilling and frantic set at Emo's Jr. Like an ADHD kid missing his meds, Dwyer seemed unable to stop exuding sweat and words while trading off within an arsenal of supremely badass guitars. Do not miss Thee Oh Sees if they come to your town.... read more
Unofficial SXSW 2009: Where’s That Confounded Bridge?
Of all the unofficial and free gatherings, the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge show is the most infamous. Back when the internet wasn’t all the rage, people would usually either a.) show up every night of SXSW at 1 a.m. and cross their fingers or b.) hear an announcement through the grapevine. This year, despite Todd P and his listings newspaper, despite every fancy electronic level of communication, no one seemed to know a damn thing. Maybe it was a marketing strategy to build hype. Maybe procrastination. Whatever the case, it took some effort to get this grammatical misfit of a text... read more
SXSW 2009: Earthless Rattles, Psychs Up Austin
Earthless gave me a chance to try out my ear plugs, which isn't something I usually get to do at 1:30 in the afternoon. Combining LedZep riffage and an epic, almost post-rock vibe (though less meandering and boring than those words often indicate), the San Diego instrumental-psych-rock trio would've fit in nicely at Atlanta's recent Scion Rock Fest, even if many wouldn't exactly consider them metal.... read more
SXSW 2009: Blue Giant burns, burns, burns
"So, who are you going to go see tonight?" are probably the nine words most frequently exchanged between friends and strangers and new acquaintances at SXSW. Usually my answer is either vague or fraught with pained indescision, but last night I had a plan, one involving Micachu at Emo's Annex and, later, Blue Giant at Club DeVille. Somehow, though, for all the new and unknown bands playing, Blue Giant was the one that people most puzzled over when I mentioned it-- which was both a relief and a surprise. ... read more
SXSW 2009: Diplo's new documentary
Last night at the Paramount, a historic downtown Austin theater dating to 1915, mad genius Diplo screened his new documentary Favela On Blast, a valentine to the Brazilian baile funk scene. The 75-minute film takes place exclusively in the hillside Brazilian slums known as favelas, where funk culture thrives. I got a little uneasy in the first minute or two, which features explanatory voiceover from Diplo, but for the rest of the film he remains off camera and lets the favelados tell their own stories. The film feels guided by Diplo's tastes and his deadpan sense of humor, but he knows better... read more
SXSW 2009: Those Darlins are Ladies in Red
Those Darlins' Kelley, Jessi and Nikki Darlin are sisters, but by different mothers. Not only can the sassy country gals harmonize like the Carter Family and anticipate each others' thoughts, but they're completely at home scooping up sweet potatoes, spinach and deep-fried okra from the same plate. During a meal at Stubb's Bar-B-Q, they controlled the urge to scarf down a hapless barbecued chicken on the table -- flying in the face of the drunken, poultry crazed image they cultivate with "The Whole Damn Thing." For the Darlins, who reside in Murfreesboro, Tenn., image also comes from carefully planned costuming,... read more
SXSW 2009: The Heartless Bastards, Micachu and more rock SXSW lady-style
Even though dude-y bands are apparently on the rise at SXSW 2009, I've managed not to see a single one of them yet. In fact, the majority of the acts I've been able to take in since arriving in Austin Wednesday have involved totally badass women. Too many for my BBQ'd out brain to write about them all, actually, so here are some of my very favorites.... read more
SXSW 2009: Passionate Feelings About Passion Pit
I’ve just returned from our day-party with Brooklyn Vegan, which threw down with a headlining set from one of my favorite new bands, Passion Pit. It’d be easy to say that the Cambridge, Mass. quintet makes dance music for people who hate dance music, but these guys also make dance music for people who like dance music, so here’s the new paradigm: They make dance music for people who like music. ... read more
SXSW 2009: Janelle Monae - Too Good to be Human?
Janelle Monae is making some of the most inventive, refreshingly original music I've heard in a long time. The EP she released last year, Metropolis: The Chase Suite, is stellar, and I don't just mean it was like a star in its brilliance—it also sounded like it might be a strange transmission pulsing from some alien/robot-inhabited alternate dimension via some distant neutron star. Last night just after sunset, I caught Monae—who was looking dapper in a white suit, her trademark pompadour bobbing above her shapely skull—outside at Stubb's Bar-B-Q. Her performance was every bit as interesting as the sounds she's... read more
SXSW 2009: No badge? Still Awesome.
Sure, if you want to see all the buzz bands at SXSW, you're gonna need a conference badge. But if you simply want to see some good music, all you need is 21 years under your belt and a valid photo ID.For the economically challenged music lover (and there are so many these days), your best bet is to simply start walking up and down Red River, 5th or 6th St., and see if you hear anything that grabs your attention. Though you need a badge or wristband for many bars, there are plenty that'll gladly let you come in... read more
Unofficial SXSW 2009: Nerds and noise ordinances
Likewise, as last year’s navigation of badge-less activities showed us, there is no shortage of free and awesome come SXSW time in Austin. In fact, the town is so overloaded with tunage and eyes to watch it that the ultimate marketing experiment is created, party promoters forced to think less free PBR and more, say, PB&J sammies toasted with Elvis prints. Even before the festival proper kicked off, a sweet girl at Beauty Bar was slinging free manicures. Of course I didn’t plan my attack based on the level of free swag I could score. Most of it just sounded... read more
SXSW 2009: Thomas Function Wakes Up Austin
Before Huntsville, Ala.'s Thomas Function took the stage (read: corner of floor) at Headhunters modest porch space last night, I took a quick count. Nineteen. Less than 20 people (including myself) were waiting to see one of the finest examples of power-pop/garage rock the South has to offer right now, and if I were a betting man, I'd say a quarter of them were there to chat and drink cheap beer.... read more
