SXSW 3.12: It Should Be Loud Everywhere

Leaving the mild cold of Brooklyn, N.Y., for the mild heat of Austin, Texas, was a thrill that reverberated through my first full day at 2008’s South By Southwest, the music festival for people who love blogging and barbeque. My love for the latter is clear, and an earlier version of this post that went live shows I’m still getting the hang of the former so bear with. The rundown of events to come would not have happened without a stop at Iron Works BBQ. Brisket in your stomach definitely will help you get through 12 hours of chasing the best jarring chords. The first stop on the day’s tour was the outdoor portion of Emo’s. It was my first time hearing the Raveonettes‘ new material from Lust Lust Lust. Getting the band hooked up with Vice has paid off, because Sharin and Sune are pushing their throwback garage rock tunes in an edgier direction. Under the blinding sun, the crowd was dense and unforgiving, so I watched from near the back.

Things cleared a bit by the time the Mae Shi were setting up for one of their what seems like 2,893 appearances during SXSW. Following the polish of the Raveonettes with the spazzy adrenaline of this Los Angeles-based fivesome was probably too much for the faint of heart, but perfect for me. If you haven’t heard their available-in-the-land-of-the-free-and-home-of-the-blogged HLLLYH release, listen now! Buy it! “It should be loud everywhere,” one of them remarked as they set up. Two of their most fiery tracks, “Lamb and Lion” and “Run To Your Grave,” are particularly enhanced in concert as the Mae Shi feverishly swapped instruments, climbed the support posts, swung their hips and aped Mick Jagger lips. Midway through, they brought out a white parachute and draped it over the crowd—like a preschool game on Sparks. This one’s gonna be hard to top.

The (blurry) Mae Shi @ Emo’s

The Parachute @ Emo’s

As I left, mind blown and heart warmed, I paused in the indoor section of Emo’s, I noticed electro-noise popmeister Dan Deacon among the crowd members enraptured in the Death Set. Kinda like crushing PEZ with a sledge hammer. I rushed over to the Convention Center to take in Akron/Family. Their release Love Is Simple was my favorite album of 2007, so it was a no-brainer to see how they’ve grown from that. A Place to Bury Strangers were finishing up a a shoe-gazey, feedback-laden set as I arrived. To clear the air, Akron/Family lead singer Seth Olinsky donning a bright orange stocking cap warmed the crowd up with some audience participation—he insisted that everyone sing the same tone before launching into a powerful take on the Lennon-inspired “Phenomena.” Their next song was “first foray into children’s music” about a silly bear. At one point, Seth ran into the audience playing a recorder. The band is getting closer and closer to a jam aesthetic. They closed out their set with what I’m pretty sure was “Lake Song/New Ceremonial Music For Moms” and twiddled every knobs and pounded every drum to the pleasure of the crowd. “You’re the best nachos ever,” bassist Miles Seaton shouted to the crowd as they exited the stage. Dinner at Guero’s was tasty, but mostly uneventful. As I left, I heard some folks speaking vehemently about Transfer, so look out for them!

Akron/Family @ Austin Convention Center

La Zona Rosa ably hosted Times New Viking, who pounded through much scintillating indie rock material that I’m grossly unfamiliar with, but I assume it’s from Rip It Off. The stage in relative darkness the entire time. Reverb was so heavy that it sloshed the Maker’s Mark resting atop the guitarists amp. Each song was a quick burst of energy that subsided almost quickly as it began, and it could have lasted much longer for me.

Times New Viking @ La Zona Rosa

Yeasayer, on the other hand was a band that I wanted to know less about as they played. Aside from the infectious “2080,” the set was limp—although the bassist’s hair was not! No success getting into the packed Stubb’s for R.E.M. (nope, not gonna bother linking to them) and many moonlighting cops wanted to make sure that we weren’t going to get into Fuze for Bun B. After some soul-searching and begging at the door of Emo’s Annex, my night was saved by Evan Dando with the newly reunited Lemonheads rocking it (including closer “Fred Mills") with the kind of smart, hard-working songs that can’t sound much better at 2 a.m. or any time for that matter. 

Check back tomorrow for Lou Reed!