South by Southwest Music Festival 2017 Final Thoughts

Once again, I'm going to do a brief overview of my South by Southwest experience this year. Here's a complete list of everyone I saw:

Day 1 (Monday): RF Shannon / Hot Nut Riveters / The Kraken Quartet / Fragile Rock / Hard Proof / Holladay Brothers / Madame Gandhi / Suzanne Ciani
Day 2 (Tuesday): Dude York / IAN SWEET / Diet Cig / Creepoid / Little Simz
Day 3 (Wednesday): Tim Darcy / Forth Wanderers / Aldous Harding / Merchandise / One Week Wonder / Sylvan Esso / Chastity Belt / Albin Lee Meldau / Die Heiterkeit
Day 4 (Thursday): Cosmonauts / No Joy / Free Mint / Merchandise / Death Valley Girls / Boogarins / The Blind Suns / Vedett / Frankie Rose / Ringo Deathstarr / Tempers / Indrajit Banerjee / Golden Dawn Arkestra / Matt Hollywood & the Bad Feelings / Survive
Day 5 (Friday): Let's Eat Grandma / Middle Kids / Spoon / Perera Elsewhere / Agnes Obel / Robyn Hitchcock / Ela Minus / Priests
Day 6 (Saturday): Khruangbin / Ray Wylie Hubbard / Survive / Anna Meredith / The Living Hour / The Dumplings

This was the first year in which I was (mostly) free from work for the whole week. Hence, I took my time and saw more bands than I had in any previous year. I could've seen even more, but tried not to overdo it nor stay up too late. I saw a lot of really good music, and this may have been my best year yet.

After two years of seeing and hearing about less hype, fewer big names, and a general (relative) lack of excitement at SXSW, this year seemed to put rumors to rest that the festival was losing its edge. There's still plenty of room to complain about corporate takeover, but the selection of performers was strong. On the other hand, the police presence this year was more intense than ever before, and even more than last year, I frequently heard talk of fire marshals and venues at capacity.

Correspondingly, there were many shows I wasn't able to see. Part of this may have been because film and interactive badge holders were allowed into music showcases, or it may have been that the strong lineup and increased hype meant there were simply more people at the festival, or it may have been that venue capacity limits were being enforced more strictly.

As always, there were more bands that I wanted to see than I had time for. I would've liked to see Real Estate, Jay Som, Weaves, and plenty others, but it just didn't work out. As always, there were several interesting bands that canceled after being announced (Anna von Hausswolff, Yemen Blues, Imarhan, etc.) and a few that I was planning on seeing that canceled at the last minute (Trementina and Soviet Soviet) because of visa problems that seemed to stem from the recent political shitstorm in the USA. Then there was Mammút, who canceled last-minute due to weather and travel delays, and James Chance & The Contortions, who canceled last minute without any sort of explanation that I could find.

Lastly, I will share one anecdote. While at the Levitation showcase at Hotel Vegas on Thursday, I got fairly close to the stage during Golden Dawn Arkestra's set. (I've never hidden my adoration of that band.) However, whenever I am able, I take notes and try to write down the setlist. Well, on this occasion, while looking down and writing a lyric to help me remember the name of "Dimensions", the lead singer stage dove in my general direction. Thankfully, the people around me caught him, but you can see the effect on my notes:

Pardon my bad handwriting; I could hardly see what I was writing. Anyway, that was supposed to say "Come and Join Us"...

P.S. Thanks to Jacob, Mustafa, Peter, Andrew, and Eric!

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 6 (Saturday)

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 6 (Saturday)
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 18 March 2017

I've heard about the free day parties at Hotel San José on South Congress for years now, which they amusingly call "South by San José". They usually manage to get most of the best bands every year to play there, and this year was no exception. However, since I live north of downtown, it's always seemed like too much of an ordeal to prioritize the extra distance to get there. This year, despite how sore my legs were, I made it happen and rode my bike there.

My goal was Khruangbin, an East Texas band claiming influence from 60s Thai funk. It seems bizarre or ridiculous, and it kind of is, but when I listened to the band in advance, I liked them so much that I immediately bought their album. You can argue about cultural appropriation, but the only real questionable element is their name. The music itself is complicated, since it's not like the original Thai funk musicians existed in a vacuum. Besides, the supposed influence is somewhat tenuous: this is decidedly Khruangbin's own style.

The trio is smooth, relaxed, and chill, but always tight. The grooves were infectious and their lyrics were infrequent and simple. They played just as much as necessary and not much more. The guitarist was the nominal lead player, but his style was not overwhelmingly flashy. Meanwhile, the bassist was studied but casual and the drummer precise but uncomplicated. (When asked to solo by the guitarist, he just stopped playing for a measure.) There's a lightness or breeziness to the band that risks seeming pedestrian, but they reach a good balance. The guitarist did most of the talking, and he was a bit over the top, but even that was forgivable. The only other downside was that the bass was overwhelming at first and it seemed there was some sort of low-frequency hum or feedback that was interfering with their sound.

[Khruangbin at Hotel San José.]

On my way back downtown, I made a slight detour to visit a friend at Threadgill's, where Ray Wylie Hubbard was performing acoustic guitar country blues with his son on lead electric guitar and a drummer. The guitarwork was superb, although I wished that Ray would've taken more leads instead of leaving most of them to his son, whose style was more conventional.

I headed back to Red River Street to see Survive (which they often annoyingly stylize as S U R V I V E) at the Sound on Sound + Brooklyn Vegan day party at Cheer Up Charlie's. Unlike Thursday night, I actually saw most of their set, and they performed somewhat longer than anticipated. The band is just four men operating synthesizers without any hint of interaction with the audience. They sound cinematic, spatial, and (dare I say) epic, much in the vein of Tangerine Dream's sequencer heyday. They've been on my radar for a while, since they are based in Austin and play the festivals here frequently, but it seems they've recently simultaneously increased their recognition and improved their abilities.

After a stop at the Peruvian food truck, I went to Latitude 30 to see Anna Meredith, an English composer. She performed keyboards, vocals, clarinet, percussion, and glockenspiel and was accompanied by tuba, drums, electric guitar, and cello. Most songs were instrumental, but all five musicians sang, usually together. The sound was underpinned by electronics, but existed in a strange semi-classic continuum that certainly isn't rock but also isn't really what people think of when they hear "classical". Even "art rock" and "prog rock" aren't appropriate, but if the terms hadn't already been co-opted, they might have worked. At any rate, the music was energetic and unconventional. It was a bit hard to tell what was what, as some instruments were occasionally apparently inaudible, but at other times were effected to such an extent as to sound synthetic. The guitarist would do these crazy runs that recalled speed metal, but the tone was usually more like a buoyant synthesizer.

[Anna Meredith at Latitude 30.]

Next was The Living Hour from Winnipeg at Esther's Follies. I enjoyed their warm dream pop sound on record, but on stage, it didn't quite come together. They just sounded like a slow indie rock quintet without much energy or groove. It didn't help that there was interfering noise coming from neighboring venues. The highlight was that the singer occasionally wielded a trombone. She wasn't even exceptionally skilled with the instrument, but that extra element entirely improved the texture of their sound. Even more rarely, the drummer picked up a trumpet, which also helped. Otherwise, there were good parts here and there, such as some atmospheric guitar and rousing crescendos, but none of their songs were particularly notable.

[The Living Hour at Esther's Follies. Note the trombone and trumpet.]

I was at a loss for what to see next, as there weren't a lot of bands that I hadn't already seen left on the schedule that interested me. After another break for more food, a friend and I decided to take a chance on the young Polish electropo duo The Dumplings on the patio of Swan Dive. They started out fairly conventionally and unconvincingly, but they gradually picked up energy and improved their performance as they went along. The singer's vocals became more impassioned and impressive as she started singing more songs in Polish. I also appreciated the other member's use of drum pads and live bass guitar.

[The Dumplings at Swan Dive Patio.]

At that point, I was tired and ready to be done. There were still a couple hours left of the festival, but nothing called out to me enough to make the detour worthwhile.

Scores:

Khruangbin: B+

Survive: B

Anna Meredith: B+

The Living Hour: C

The Dumplings: B

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 5 (Friday)

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 5 (Friday)
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 17 March 2017

I started my day at the Twin Peaks-themed Showtime showcase at Clive Bar. It was fairly weird, as I'm not really sure if there was any connection whatsoever between the bands playing there and the television show. In fact, considering the nature of the show, the one band I saw there is perhaps an odd choice. But anyway, I was there to see Let's Eat Grandma, an electronic pop duo of two teenagers from England. They were a fairly hyped act, and I was impressed by the creativity of their studio recordings. However, on stage, most of their songs were slow, drawn out, and not very inspired. They both sang fairly well, but the guitarwork and electronics were rather plain. There was one brief sax solo that seemed included solely for the sake of having a sax solo. After about twenty minutes, they seemed to be experiencing laptop problems in the middle of a song. After both members had a try at fixing it, they unceremoniously gave up, closed the set early, and walked off. I think this band has promise and plenty of time to grow and learn, but that was not the show I was hoping for.

[Let's Eat Grandma at Clive Bar.]

I then biked across town to Waterloo Records in the hopes of seeing Middle Kids from Australia. However, there was a surprisingly long line, and I didn't get through it until after their set was finished. I could hear something of a general indie rock sound, but I couldn't discern enough to form any real opinions.

At least I was able to make it in to see the headliner of the day party: hometown favorites Spoon. Since I hadn't been able to make it to one of their "residency" shows at The Main (they didn't go on until 1am each night), I was really hoping to catch this show. It paid off. Spoon brought their top game and played a strong set of a few new songs and a bunch of career highlights. Even in their five-piece touring formation, they still remain tight, focused, and well-honed. They strip their songs down to the essentials and leave no excess. That isn't to say there aren't any flourishes, but rather that you sense that every note they play is there for a reason. They still remain inventive, dynamic, and fresh after all their years. Here's the setlist (with help from here):

01. Do I Have to Talk You Into It

02. Hot Thoughts

03. Inside Out

04. Small Stakes

05. I Ain't the One

06. Can I Sit Next To You

07. The Underdog

08. Rent I Pay

09. My Mathematical Mind

Encore:

10. The Beast and Dragon, Adored

That encore was a legitimate surprise! Encores are already very rare at SXSW, and in this case, the record store staff had announced that the show was over and the band wasn't coming back on. People were already streaming out of the exits when the cheering broke out and the band reappeared for one more.

[Spoon at Waterloo Records.]

After a break for food, I went to my first official showcase of the night at Barcelona to see Perera Elsewhere, born in London but based in Berlin. The venue is entirely underground beneath 6th Street, and the vibe is something of a techno dungeon. It was long, narrow, dark, not entirely clear where the performer was or when she started, and full of drunken revelers entirely unconcerned with a live music performance. The music was something like electronic folk music made as if lost in the woods and attuned to the sounds of nature. Perera's voice was airy and sounded like it was just a part of the larger soundscape. She also played trumpet with effects that recalled Jon Hassell. Her chosen name is appropriate; the style is hard to place and sounds like it came from some unknown place that's barely known. It was very strange but fascinating. It's a shame that the drunks were loud and oblivious to their interference. While I liked the music, I was glad to escape the weird vibes of the venue.

I went to what might be the polar opposite, specifically the "historic sanctuary" of St. David's Episcopal Church, where I saw Agnes Obel, originally from Denmark. She straddled a line between being a singer-songwriter and a classical composer. Primarily working with cellos and keyboards, she and her band created a stately, operatic, bizarre, intense, ominous swell of music. This is perhaps what was originally meant when the label "gothic" was first applied to music. The venue was oddly appropriate, or at least the acoustics worked in her favor. The drunken frat boys seated in front of me with beer and a vaporizer did not, and unfortunately the enforcer figure did not catch them. On my way out, I was amused by the young greeter's parting words: "See you in another year," spoken in such a way as to be ambiguous whether it was meant sincerely or sarcastically.

I then went a block down the street to another church, the Central Presbyterian, to see Robyn Hitchcock. I know him best from his long-ago membership in The Soft Boys, but he's maintained a prolific solo career since their dissolution in 1981. He appeared alone with just a guitar, playing a sort of weird singer-songwriter folk music in a whimsical, witty, and surreal vein. His songs would often end up where you wouldn't expect, both lyrically and musically. His voice is unusual but skilled, much like his guitar technique. Between songs, he would tell jokes or stories that carried the same air of fancy, humor, and wit. Rarely did his narratives make sense from start to finish, but I was smiling during the whole thing. The acoustics of the venue were superb and for once I could hear and understand every word that he said or sung.

[Robyn Hitchcock at Central Presbyterian Church.]

As quickly as I could, I jumped on my bike and headed to Rainey Street to catch as much of Colombian electronic musician Ela Minus on the patio of Lucille as possible. I liked her cool, chill synth tones although they were abstract and nebulous. The environment was both distracting and advantageous: the well-heeled crowd that sipped their drinks and conversed carelessly seemed largely unaware that a live performance was underway, but I also had the impression that Ela Minus' music was well-suited to being a part of a larger setting. She risked fading into the background, but you could listen actively or passively and enjoy it either way.

I ventured up the street to get in line for Neko Case at the Clive Bar, but the badgeholder line was long enough that I didn't think I would make it in. Having just seen her last summer as part of case/lang/veirs, I accepted my fate and moved along. I met up with a friend, ate some more food, and eventually made my way to Cheer Up Charlie's, where I ran into another friend by chance.

I was there to see Priests, a Washington, DC post-punk band with a heavy political angle. They actually leaned more punk than post, and their aggressive, unrelenting energy was a bit overmuch. Even though I agreed with their political diatribes during and between songs, I found their approach to be unappealing. There's something impressive about their intensity, and there was skill in their angular, sharp-edged performance, but I couldn't get into it.

[Priests at Cheer Up Charlies's.]

Scores:

Let's Eat Grandma: C-

Spoon: A

Perera Elsewhere: B

Agnes Obel: A-

Robyn Hitchcock: A-
Ela Minus: B-
Priests: C+

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 4 (Thursday): Levitation Showcase

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 4 (Thursday): Levitation Showcase
Venue: Hotel Vegas
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 16 March 2017

Every year I've gone to SXSW, I've ended up at the Austin Psych Fest/Levitation showcase at Hotel Vegas on Thursday. I've never been disappointed, even if there are often hiccups. This year, I decided to simply spend my entire day at the showcase. I was well rewarded.

Hotel Vegas expanded this year by taking over the adjacent property at 1504 E 6th St., which they called the annex patio. This caused some sound bleed between that and the main patio stage, but it was still pretty cool to have four stages active at one venue.

Cosmonauts (annex patio): This band has been on my radar for years, but I never managed to see them until now. They had a rocky start with some mix problems. They produced a psychedelic smog that was a bit dirtier than I would've liked but still fairly strong. The real weak point was that their vocals were sloppy and the lyrics were bad.

No Joy (annex patio): I recently got into this band and was really looking forward about this set. However, when they got on stage, guitarist Laura Lloyd was nowhere to be seen. Instead, singer/guitarist Jasamine White-Gluz was accompanied by another guitarist, a drummer, and a backing track for the bass. That was already a bit disappointing, but the mix wasn't very good, either. Vocals were mostly inaudible (even more so than on record), and the second guitar was too low. Furthermore, they were having problems with their in-ear monitors. They eventually pulled them out, tried one song without them, and then just gave up after four songs. They only played for about fifteen minutes.

[No Joy.]

Mint Field (Volstead inside): I only caught a few minutes but found them interesting enough to make note of. Hailing from Tijuana, they made a shoegazer storm that sounded promising albeit vague.

Merchandise (main patio): I just saw them the day before but couldn't resist another opportunity. Here's the setlist:

1. Intro jam

2. Lonesome Sound

3. In Nightmare Room

4. My Dream Is Yours

5. Become What You Are

This time, the intro jam wasn't as noisy and actually had words, but I couldn't understand them. "In Nightmare Room" was a delight, and "My Dream Is Yours" was a good additional selection from the new album. Carson Cox remarked that it was the "festival version", presumably because of a simpler arrangement, but I thought it worked well. "Become What You Are" was again the weaker slow version, but it's still a great song, and this time, they brought out Rat Bastard for the second half to make a delightful noise jam. They'd brought him out the last time they played at Hotel Vegas two years ago, but this time his contribution was much better suited. Cox also threw in a few lines of The Velvet Underground's "Sister Ray" in the midst of it. It seemed like their set was shorter than the one the day before, but the sound was better, they played stronger, and it made for a tighter package.

[Merchandise with Rat Bastard.]

Death Valley Girls (annex patio): At first, their retro rockabilly style seemed hokey and artificial, but their enthusiasm was infectious, and I gradually realized that their lyrics were hilarious, particularly with songs like "Pink Radiation" and "I'm a Man Too". When the frontwoman switched to an organ, their sound improved, and the songs where drummer sang lead were a bit better executed.

[Death Valley Girls.]

Boogarins (annex patio): I first saw this band at my first SXSW three years ago (and saw them again mere weeks later at Austin Psych Fest) and while I don't like their second album (Manual, 2015) as much as their first, I still wanted to see them again. The sun-drenched sound of their first record was mostly absent, replaced by a lot of psychedelic guitar jams with vocal effect experimentation. The new drummer was quite active and was a good addition. The new songs weren't as melodic as the older ones, but they've also become better musicians and improvisers, such that even the older songs were retooled and rearranged into something new. I missed the harmonies, though; only "Lucifernandis" from the first album featured them. [Edit 2018.11.10: Here's the setlist:]

1. [Unknown]
2. Falsa Folha de Rosto
3. 6000 Dias (Ou Mantra dos 20 Anos)
4. Infinu
5. Lucifernandis
6. Auchma

[Boogarins.]

The Blind Suns (Volstead inside): A French psych band with English lyrics and slight country and rockabilly touches. They ranged from melodic pop with a bit of jangle to heavy rock jams. I liked their use of a partially electronic drum kit, but was disappointed by what sounded like a backing track for the bass parts. I couldn't quite figure them out, but I appreciated their juxtaposition of styles. I was also entranced by the unaffiliated team of projector artists working their magic.

[The Blind Suns.]

Vedett (Volstead inside): A French band on the line between punk and psych. They used keyboard backing tracks that almost sounded like synthpop underneath the noisier, aggressive live instrumentation. It was an odd mix that didn't quite gel right.

Frankie Rose (main patio): I was very interested in seeing her in part due to her strong track record in other bands, but her set seemed to get off on the wrong foot with monitor and mix problems. She kept complaining about a "vocal sample" not being in her monitors, but I never really heard anything that fit that description during the set, and I question the use of such a thing in a rock band. I liked their post-punk style and the reverb- and delay-heavy guitar tones, but the second guitar and keyboard were hardly present in the mix. At least the bassist had a solid, driving style that meshed with the drummer to venture into Krautrock territory at times. It seemed like their set was short, perhaps because the sound crew was tired of dealing with her petulance.

[Frankie Rose.]

Ringo Deathstarr (main patio): I've seen them a couple times before, and while their basic formula hasn't changed (My Bloody Valentine-style shoegaze with wild guitar solos), their execution has only gotten better with time. They follow the Jesus & Mary Chain aesthetic of noise plus pop, except that they prefer a bit less pop and a bit more punk. They've clearly worked on their dynamic range, because they managed to cover ground from the heavenly shimmering of The Chameleons to power trio hard rock riffage. The guitarist and bassist seemed to do a lot more singing together, which also worked in their favor. This was their best set I've seen yet.

Tempers (Volstead inside): An electronic duo with a darkwave edge. They mostly relied on backing tracks, but one member played guitar throughout and occasionally provided backing vocals. The combination worked well, and their stark appearance fit the sound. The light show had moved outside, so they were shrouded in dark shadows and white light. At times I was just barely reminded of the darker sides of Beach House.

[Tempers.]

Indrajit Banerjee (main patio): A highly skilled sitarist accompanied by Gourisankar on tabla. They played just a few pieces built around captivating improvisation, and although each one was rather lengthy, I hardly noticed how much time had passed.

Golden Dawn Arkestra (main patio): I've seen them many times before and they've never disappointed. This time, they didn't march through the crowd as is their norm, but there were still about fifteen people on stage, a lot of dancing and messages about taking care of our planet, and a really strong dose of astral funk. They played several of their best songs along with what I believe are two new songs. They are always an incredible sight to behold and it's practically impossible to resist their grooves. Here's the setlist:

1. Osaka

2. Spacewaves

3. The Wolf

4. Stargazer

5. Promised Land

6. Dimensions

7. Masakayli

[Golden Dawn Arkestra.]

Matt Hollywood & the Bad Feelings (annex patio): After rejoining The Brian Jonestown Massacre around 2010 and recently being unceremoniously removed, Hollywood has taken a break from band associations and has begun touring under his own name. He performed several BJM songs, a few by his other major band, The Out Crowd, and one or two new compositions from an upcoming solo album. While the BJM songs are classics that I was pleased to see Hollywood carry the torch for, I started to notice that all of his songs followed a similar pattern. They start with a slow guitar groove and spaced out singing, invariably about sex or drugs, and then suddenly they break into a big distorted jam with psychedelic guitar solos. At least in musical terms, it's a good pattern, but it did start to get old. Here's most of the setlist:

1. B.S.A. [originally performed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre]

2. Got My Eye on You [originally performed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre]

3. Miss June '75 [originally performed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre]

4. new song?

5. Drugsick [originally performed by The Out Crowd]

6. Honey, I Ain't High [originally performed by The Out Crowd]

7. new song

8. Oh Lord [originally performed by The Brian Jonestown Massacre]

[Matt Hollywood & the Bad Feelings.]

On the way out past the main patio, I caught a bit of Survive's synthesizer soundtracks, but I was too tired to stick around.

Scores:

Cosmonauts: C

No Joy: D

Merchandise: A-

Death Valley Girls: B-

Boogarins: B

The Blind Suns: B

Vedett: C

Frankie Rose: C+

Ringo Deathstarr: A-

Tempers: B+

Indrajit Banerjee: B
Golden Dawn Arkestra: A+
Matt Hollywood & the Bad Feelings: B-

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 3 (Wednesday)

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 3 (Wednesday)
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 15 March 2017

I started out my day at the AdHoc showcase at Cheer Up Charlie's. I unfortunately came too late to catch Jay Som, but the rest of the afternoon looked like a great lineup. First I saw Tim Darcy of Ought on the inside. He played indie rock with slightly odd arrangements, deadpan vocal delivery, and a consciously wry and arty edge. The songs didn't stand out that much to me, but there was something appealing in his weirdness. He played one song that he described as "older" that was much more conspicuously folk-oriented.

I went outside and caught the last few minutes of Pill. I was curious about them for their supposedly aggressively progressive lyrics, but all I really heard was a lot of noisy sax punk. Next up outside was Forth Wanderers, a straightforward indie rock quintet. Their youthful energy was encouraging, but they played loose and too much by the numbers.

[Forth Wanderers at Cheer Up Charlie's.]

I got bored and went inside to see some of singer-songwriter Aldous Harding. She played an acoustic guitar and sang with a strong voice and an intense look of focus. On some songs, she was accompanied by a guitarist/pianist that shared her precision. Unfortunately, she was somewhat drowned out by the outside stage, and I wish I'd been able to hear more of her words and listen in a more suitable condition.

For a complete change of pace, the next (and last) band on the inside was Merchandise. This was my fourth time seeing them, and thankfully they put on a much better show than their last SXSW appearance in 2015. This time, they appeared as a quartet with a drummer I didn't recognize. Here's the setlist:

1. Intro jam

2. Lonesome Sound

3. Brief unknown "special" song

4. Schoolyard

5. Become What You Are

6. Little Killer

7. True Monument

8. Anxiety's Door

They started with a lengthy, noisy jam that made me wonder if they were just going to fool around and use their set as an excuse to experiment on stage. Eventually they finally settled into "Lonesome Sound", the only song they played from their new album, A Corpse Wired for Sound. They made some excuse about it being hard to do the new ones at SXSW (presumably because of a lack of a keyboardist or the setup to play samples and such), but played a brief song that I didn't recognize as a sort of special bonus for the festival. An updated "Schoolyard" was the real treat, though. I was also thrilled to hear "Become What You Are", one of their best songs, but they played it at a bizarrely slow tempo, such that it lost half the energy. "True Monument" was great, and "Anxiety's Door" was spectacular, with bassist Pat Brady even adding backing vocals. It was a good set, even if it seemed like some pieces were missing.

[Merchandise at Cheer Up Charlie's.]

After a break for food, I made my way to the Speakeasy Cabaret to see the folk rock band One Week Wonder from Iceland. I was surprised by how small the audience was compared to how nice the venue was, but I guess that's what you get for calling yourself a speakeasy and only admitting entry from the back alley. Anyway, the band used each instrument (electric guitar, acoustic guitar, keyboard, bass, and drums) effectively to create an interplay that made each song sound carefully thought out. The acoustic guitarist also provided pleasant harmony vocals. They sang mostly in English but had one number in Icelandic. It seemed like they ran out of material after half an hour, despite that I think they had more time available. I would've gladly stayed for more.

[One Week Wonder at Speakeasy.]

I then tried to get in Mohawk to see Le Butcherettes, but the lines were long due to a popular lineup including a surprise appearance of At the Drive-In. I gave up after half an hour and walked over to Stubb's, where I practically walked right in. I'd been expecting a long line there as well due to a strong lineup, but I suppose it is a large venue. Sylvan Esso was a bit late, but I forgave them, because I was quickly won over by their charm, ebullience, and frequent dance breaks. They played electronic music in a minimalist, pop-oriented style that might otherwise make me skeptical, but they pulled it off with a creativity that convinced me that they weren't just pandering to mainstream tastes. The singer was powerful and skilled, and while I'm not sure exactly how much the other guy was actively contributing, I enjoyed what I heard enough that I stopped worrying about it.

[Sylvan Esso at Stubb's.]

I went straight from there to Barracuda's backyard to see Chastity Belt, since I'd missed them the day before. The quartet had a slight 90s rock vibe but with better atmospherics. Their songs had trance-like patterns with faded vocals that just barely kept things grounded. They largely eschewed traditional solos, but when they did resort to one, it was a minimalist, noisy affair that was delightfully contrarian. They surprised me when the drummer and one of the guitarists swapped instruments and vocal duties for one song. It seemed all the members could sing comfortably, but they never went so far as to grace us with harmonies.

[Chastity Belt at Barracuda.]

I then went to Esther's Follies, where Albin Lee Meldau was still in the middle of his Swedish pop/R&B mashup. I hardly knew what to make of him and his band: they played convincingly, but there was a weird nervous energy and a retro vibe that seemed out of place and time. The grooves were decent and I was impressed that the drummer managed to play keyboard parts with one hand while still keeping the beat going.

The real reason I was there was for Die Heiterkeit from Hamburg. Their austere, dramatic style fit the theatrical venue well. I was expecting something along the lines of serious-minded electronic pop, but they played with a rock band lineup (guitar, bass, keyboard, drums). If "slowcore" is a real genre that is worth upholding, then I suppose this band fits the label. Their songs were grand, powerful, and unconventional. The guitarist sang with effortless finesse, and the bassist and keyboardist provided excellent harmonies on just about every song.

[Die Heiterkeit at Esther's Follies.]

Scores:

Tim Darcy: B-

Forth Wanderers: C-

Aldous Harding: B-

Merchandise: B+

One Week Wonder: B+

Sylvan Esso: B

Chastity Belt: B
Albin Lee Meldau: C
Die Heiterkeit: A-

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 2 (Tuesday)

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 2 (Tuesday)
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 14 March 2017

I know Tuesday is usually quiet, but there really wasn't much going on during the day that I was interested in. An easy choice was the She Shreds day party. Unfortunately, the bands I was most interested in were spread far apart in the lineup, but I figured it was worth stopping by. It took place in an empty lot behind Las Cruxes, right next to where the wonderful Vegan Nom food trailer sits.

I first caught some of Dude York's set. The trio were playing standard punk fare, but they had a moment when they were jamming where the guitarist and bassist got near to each other and suddenly switched to fretting each other's instruments for a few bars. It was a nice trick and they managed to pull it off nearly seamlessly.

IAN SWEET is another punk trio, but they leaned more towards post-punk. All three instruments were performed with delightfully interweaving parts that were both melodic and rhythmic. The arrangements were creative, such that they traded leading roles fluidly. The only downside was that the vocals were variable and occasionally yelpy and off key.

[IAN SWEET at She Shreds.]

The last set I saw there was Diet Cig, a pop-punk duo of just guitar and drums. They made a bigger sound than I would've guessed. Their songs had the slightest edge of catchiness, but they stayed a little too straightforward and minimalist.

I then took an extended break. There wasn't much going on in the early evening that interested me, but several things were happening simultaneously later in the night. First I went to Latitude 30 to see Let's Eat Grandma, but the venue was full and there was a line of badgeholders already waiting. There was no hope of getting in with my wristband, so I moved on. I then got in line to see The Bright Light Social Hour at The Main. However, the line for badgeholders only got longer as I waited in the "other" line with my wristband. There was some confusion about who belonged in which line, which didn't help. The popularity may have been due to Spoon, who were set to close the show as part of the first night of their three-day "residency". There were also rumors of a lengthy VIP list.

Eventually I gave up and went to ACL Live at the Moody Theater, where the lineup was topped off with an Erykah Badu DJ set, Thievery Corporation, and Wu-Tang Clan. However, the lines were longer than I've ever seen there and only getting longer. Again, there was confusion about which line was which. After a while of comparing notes with a friend and other people near us in line, a few officials came by and basically said we had no chance of getting in.

In my past three years of attending SXSW with a music wristband, I've never had such a hard time getting in shows. However, this year they made a significant change: now anyone with a film or interactive badge is given "secondary access" along with the music wristband holders. However, it seems many venues are giving priority to the other badges and putting wristbands in the same line as people with cash. Furthermore, the simple increase in attendance numbers because of the other badgeholders appears to be lengthening lines for anything remotely popular or trendy.

My next idea was to see James Chance & the Contortions, an original no wave legend who only had one appearance scheduled, official or otherwise. By the time I finally made it into Barracuda and got to the backyard to see them, it was five minutes after their planned start time and a different band was introducing themselves on stage. I finally found a posted schedule and it very clearly said "No James Chance". I still haven't found an explanation.

After four failures, I was running out of ideas and it was getting late. I stuck around the inside stage for a while to see Creepoid. They were playing standard shoegazer fare, which was reasonably good, but mostly just a guitar assault. They made a pleasant escapist drone, but there just wasn't much depth to it. I was also a bit confused why they appeared to play backing tracks between a few songs, but not during them.

[Creepoid at Barracuda.]

I was about ready to call it done and just go home, but my friend mentioned a show he was interested in just around the corner at The Main II, which might just be a temporary warehouse venue. After a lengthy anonymous DJ set, British rapper Little Simz suddenly appeared on stage. Her style was rapid and energetic, and the beats were bass-heavy and deafening, which made it almost impossible to understand the words. I appreciated her prowess, but I found the beats uninspiring and I couldn't follow her songs.

[Little Simz at The Main II.]

Scores:

Dude York: C

IAN SWEET: B+

Diet Cig: C+
Creepoid: C+
Little Simz: C

South by Southwest Music Festival 2017, Day 1 (Monday)

Event: South by Southwest Music Festival, Day 1 (Monday)
Location: Austin, Texas
Date: 13 March 2017

Introduction: What do I really need to say? Well, maybe one thing: this is likely to be my last SXSW for the foreseeable future. (More on that another time.) I'm excited to make the most of this one while I can. To that point, SXSW has conveniently made the preceding Monday part of the official music festival. It was a relatively quiet day, which is saying something, since Tuesday is usually rather quiet, too, but it was still cool to get to see a few things before the crowds overtook everything.

RF Shannon (at Spider House): My best description for this band is "shoegazer country". Somehow it actually works. The lead vocalist had just enough twang to be convincing without being annoying, and the pedal steel was so heavily effects-laden that it was hard to tell what exactly it was. It blended with the organ and piano so well that it was often difficult to discern what was what, but it didn't matter, because the sum output was beautiful. They were a bit slow-moving, and they risked losing focus, but they played a strong set.

[RF Shannon at Spider House.]

Hot Nut Riveters (at Spider House): A bizarre five-piece old-timey band that defies categorization. They had a manic intensity with offbeat humor and a pre-war sensibility. All members sang and played multiple instruments, including washboard, lap steel, accordion, double bass, assorted percussion, and uneffected electric guitar. Their songs were either standards (such as "This Land Is My Land") or semi-nonsensical. There was lots of banter and cross-talk, often even during the songs. They were hard to pin down and hard to stop watching.

[Hot Nut Riveters at Spider House.]

The Kraken Quartet (at Spider House): This group relied solely percussion and keyboard instruments to create a sort of jazz fusion. One member mostly played marimba, another mostly vibraphone, another mostly synthesizer, and all four played drums. There were no vocals, but they kept up an impressive set of complex rhythms for the whole set. I was left with a feeling like there was something missing, but I also found their limited instrument selection to be a compelling challenge.

[The Kraken Quartet at Spider House.]

While ordering amazing tacos from Cool Beans, I caught glimpses of a couple other bands at Spider House before I left. Fragile Rock was another fantastically weird concept: puppet-based emo. I still don't quite know what to make of it. Meanwhile, funk ensemble Hard Proof was tearing it up, but I just saw them at Sound on Sound in November.

After a break, I went back downtown and went straight for the Moogfest showcase at Cheer Up Charlie's. It didn't appear that all the bands were actually using Moogs (not that that was actually requirement, as far as I'm aware), but they did have a couple instruments, including a theremin, set up on the patio for the curious to play with.

Professor Toon was the first band up on the outside stage, but I couldn't get into it. His beats were too basic and the lyrics didn't strike me as notable. I ended up back inside, where the Holladay Brothers had set up an installation of lamps synchronized to their laptop electronica. The music was chill but unrelenting and static. However, it appeared that they'd played for most of the afternoon and would be playing all night, too, so I suppose it isn't quite fair to complain too much about a lack of dynamics. I liked the visual concept, but it's also far from the first time I've seen something similar.

[Holladay Brothers at Cheer Up Charlie's.]

Madame Gandhi (at Cheer Up Charlie's): The solo act of M.I.A.'s drummer. She used samples and looping to build a bed for her raps, but spent most of her time behind a drumkit, behind which she continued to rap. She played in a way that augmented the sampled beats into something far more complex while still maintaining perfect rhythm with her voice. It was impressive. Her lyrics were unabashedly feminist (e.g., "the future is female") and I appreciated the care with which she addressed the topics at hand.

[Madame Gandhi at Cheer Up Charlie's. Not the best picture, sorry.]

Suzanne Ciani (at Cheer Up Charlie's): Her setup was just a large old-school synthesizer, seemingly the same type of setup she's been using since the 70s. She started strong with cool synth pulses, but as time went on, the music started to wander. At a few points, there appeared to be problems as no sound was audible but she continued to patch cables around. It didn't help that there was basically no visual aspect to the set. I was really excited to see her, but was ultimately bored and a bit disappointed.

[Suzanne Ciani at Cheer Up Charlie's.]

Scores:

RF Shannon: B

Hot Nut Riveters: B

The Kraken Quartet: B-

Professor Toon: C-

Holladay Brothers: C+
Madame Gandhi: A
Suzanne Ciani: C+