SXSW 2011 Wrap-up

This was our 2nd trip to SXSW, and it's still an incredible experience. This year we saw 57 shows, maybe a couple more.

I'm also very excited about my "Jacket!" jacket (to the right) and listening to all the new music picked up at or soon after SXSW.

Jump to a specifc day: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4

There were some bands that I wanted to see, but didn't get to. Still, I'll be looking at getting some of the music, or the latest album for some of these that I already knew:

• !!! (pronounced "Chk Chk Chk")
  
• Okkervil River
  
• ...And you will know us by the trail of dead
  
• Family of the Year
  
• Charlie Shafter Band
  
• The Devil Whale
  
• Brandi Emma
  
• Inverness
  
• Damien Jurado
  
• Hotels & Highways
  
• Imaginary Cities
  
• James Blake
  
• Saint Motel
  

SXSW 2011 Day 4

Here are the bands we say on Saturday (Day 4):

1. The Level Spirits at Maggie Mae's: This was the first band we saw at the Aussie BBQ. Great band, maybe a bit like a raunchier version of The Beautiful South? I'm going to get their album.




2. The Snowdroppers at Maggie Mae's Gibson Room: Wow. What an act. Terrific music, although even raunchier than the previous band (The Level Spirits). What is it with these Aussies? I'm going to get their album.




3. Mother Mother @ Paradise: Another show at the Canadian Blast party. This band started strong, but didn't seem to have enough strong material for a full show, even though they have a few albums I think.




4. Tapes 'n Tapes @ ACC: We were going to see these guys at Lustre Pearl later in the day, but when we tried to see !!! and And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead at Barbarella's we couldn't see the stage. So, we left and came here instead. I'm sorry I couldn't see those 2 bands, but this was a better venue to see Tapes 'n Tapes. Great show, should get a full album someday.




5. Little Comets @ Latitude 30 (Yorkshire showcase): we caught the end of this band by accident when trying to meet up with our new friend Sharon, and her friends Mike and Victoria. They were pretty good, and when I got home found that I had their CD in my "swag bag". Must have picked it up at the trade show.





6. Rural Alberta Advantage @ IFC/Crossroads: Wow. I have both of their albums, and love this band. This was a real highlight, seeing them play live like this. Check out this recording made by IFC. We ended up seeing them again later this day too, and they were still awesome to see. Get yourself one of their albums, probably Hometowns.




7. Meema @ Hilton: Only saw this band by accident while my friends were using the Hilton's bathrooms. When I heard the band's name (really, the lead singer), I scanned the whole band quickly and saw Fred, the guy with whom we walked to the Lucinda Williams concert (he had told us he played with Meema).



8. The Just Desserts at Copa: We had originally intended to only stay for the half of this concert, so we get to half of another concert during the same timeslot. We ended up staying for the whole show. The 2 main band members brought up several other musicians during different songs to help round out their eclectic/world/bilingual music. Great fun!




9. The Fast Romantics @ Speakeasy: a great indie rock band crammed into a tiny stage! I'm going to buy their album or EP.



10. Veronica Falls @ Latitude 30: This was one of our favorite clubs last year, esp. with all the British Music Embassy parties. We only got to one of the daytime parties here this year, earlier in this day. I wasn't paying attention to the bands then, but we came back for this band. Their hit single "I Found Love in a Graveyard" had me dying to see them! The show was good, although it was hard to hear the vocals and some of the songs started sounding the same. They don't have a full-length, so I just bought the single.




11. Rural Alberta Advantage @ Central Presbyterian Church: The Veronica Falls concert got over early, so we got to catch the end of the 2nd RAA show today. Really, this band is incredible!



12. Ezra Furman and the Harpoons @ Speakeasy: This Chicago-based band first popped up at Tufts University. They still look like they're in college and some of the lyrics sound like it too. A fun live band, but I won't be getting an album yet.




13. Jukebox the Ghost @ Central Presbyterian Church: We really came back to the search to see the next band, but caught the end of this band. They were actually pretty good! One very cool thing they did was bring up some horn & brass players/students from the University of Texas. I guess these guys let the band stay with them, to save the band money and get a chance to play with the band.
    




14. Great Lake Swimmers @ Central Presbyterian Church: We saw them play an all-too-brief show on Thursday, but this was the show to remember. We had front-row seats, and the band was incredible. Ed bought an album after the show, and I bought a rare EP/soundtrack too, adding to the album and free singles I already of theirs. This is really an incredible band, and one of the real highlights of SXSW 2011 for us!
    

Jump to a specifc day: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Wrap-up

SXSW 2011 Day 3

Here are the bands we saw on Friday (Day 3):

1. Lindi Ortega @ Paradise: We caught this show by accident, while hanging out at the Canadian Blast party at Paradise. She sings OK country songs and we got a free sample CD at the show.
2. The Golden Dogs @ Paradise: Didn't really listen to these guys too much; still just hanging out at the Canadian Blast.
3. Tristen @ Mohawk: for some reason the "March into Softness" party was playing at a metal/hardcore bar. The between-sets music didn't really fit the party! Anyway, Tristen was terrific! I had a couple free singles, but now I'm going to buy an album.
4. Wye Oak @ Mohawk: You wouldn't know there are only 2 people in the band - they rock! I have a couple free singles, and should get an album.
5. Glasser @ Club de Ville: We only stopped in for one song. I have an album and think it's great, but we just didn't have time to stay.
6. Adam Cohen @ Paradise: I have one of Adam's albums from a ways back, and I have almost all of his dad's albums. Adam still isn't a very strong singer-songwriter, but he did play a couple Leonard Cohen songs, which was nice.
7. Hungry Kids from Hungary @ Maggie Mae's: I don't really remember this band. I think they were decent. We really at Maggie Mae's for the Sonicbids party, and the next band.
8. Said the Whale @ Maggie Mae's: I have several albums and several free singles from this band. I like the recorded music a lot, but the live show was just OK.  UPDATE: In 2017 I came across a documentary about Said the Whale called "Winning America", about their first trip to SXSW, this trip!  This concert is in the film, although I couldn't see Ed or me in the brief footage.
9. Laura Jansen @ Dutch Impact: didn't really pay attention during this show, so I can't comment on the music.
10. Foxtails Brigade @ The Ghost Room: a very original band and a terrific show - I need to get their album!
11. Dolorean @ Rusty Spurs: I have an album and several free singles, and like this band a lot. However, the music was too mellow for a club at SXSW. Would have been better in the ACC or one of the churches.
12. Bahamas @ Paradise: pretty good singer, but the songs started to sound the same, so we left half-way through.
13. The Dears @ Mellow Johnny's: We had to travel a long way to make it to this, and it was loud and packed. But, I love their new album and several old singles, so I was excited to see them. Ed didn't enjoy them so much, so we only stayed for half the show.
14. King Charles @ 512: This guy had a great song on the SXSW website. Not sure if he played it though, as we got here late and were way in the back.
15. Dreamend @ Skinny's Ballroom: These guys were billed as "folk", but it should have been "psychedelic/experimental folk". I might like listening to an album, but it was a horrible concert. We left, even though we didn't have anything for another hour.
16. Lucinda Williams @ The Moody Theatre: After leaving Dreamend, we bumped into a guy named Fred who was looking at the Moody Theatre. The location on the printed map was right next to us, but the Theatre wasn't there. Ed realized the address was correct (West 2nd Street), but the map was showing East 2nd. He was going to see Lucinda Williams, so we decided to find it together, and she was great!
17. Soundtrack of Our Lives @ Cedar St. Courtyard: the best show of the day! The lead singer looks like a Viking dressed as Moses. The crowd went crazy for him, and he was eating it up and showing off. So much fun! I need to get their latest album.

Jump to a specifc day: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Wrap-up

SXSW 2011 Day 2

Here are the bands we saw on Thursday (Day 2):

1. Great Lake Swimmers @ Paradise: I have one album of theirs and a couple free singles, and was very excited to see them at SXSW. Their bass player (upright bass) was missing, and they only played for 15 minutes, so that part was disappointing. But they are incredible, and we got to see a full-length show on the last day.




2. Capsula @ Sounds from Spain: high-energy rock.




3. Mujeres @ Sounds from Spain: lots of fun, we got promo copies of their CD after the show.



4. Moondoggies @ The Beauty Bar: great rock from Seattle; I'd like to buy their album soon.




5. DeVotchKa @ ACC: incredible, versatile band from Colorado that sounds like they're from Russia. I had a few free singles, need to get a full-length album!




6. Sea of Bees @ ACC: nice folk-rock band.




7. Lia Ices at French Legation Museum: this was the only completely outdoor concert we saw (only the band was under cover), and it was nice but hot out. I bought Lia's album a couple weeks before SXSW (mellow piano/rock/pop with Lia's voice being the dominant "instrument"), and was excited to see her. Nothing special concert-wise - just beautiful music in a beautiful setting.




8. Hey Rosetta @ St. David's Sanctuary: unbelievable show with front-row seats. We saw this band last year and I have all their albums, so I was excited to see them again.




9. The American Secrets @ tenOak: I don't really remember much about this; we walked out pretty early.



10. Forest City Lovers @ Habana: OK band, but nothing spectacular. Not in a rush to get an album.




11. Oberhofer @ Bat Bar: pretty good rock band.



12. Imaginary Cities @ The Parish: I think we only caught 1-2 songs (after leaving Oberfhofer), but they have a great sound. I'd like to get an album.



13. Lia Ices @ St. David's Sanctuary: we had a gap in our schedule, so decided to see Lia for the 2nd time this day. St. David's was a much better venue, but the concert was pretty much the same (although the band did change clothing between shows, something we had wondered about).



14. Cold War Kids @ Lustre Pearl: good rock band. These guys were the indie darlings a few years ago, so this show was packed. I have a few free samples, but I'm not in a rush to buy a full album.




15. J. Roddy Walston & the Business @ Soho Lounge: I love this band's new album, and the concert seemed pretty good. But we were way at the back again and frankly quite exhausted, so we just sat in the back and listened, without being able to see much.

Jump to a specifc day: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Wrap-up

SXSW 2011 Day 1

My friend Ed and I made our 2nd trip to SXSW this year. Here are the bands we saw on Wednesday (Day 1):

1. Shilpa Ray @ ACC: Noisy, angry female-fronted rock; might get the album soon.




2. Ximena Sarinana @ ACC: Terrific bilingual singer-songwriter; will get her new album as soon as it comes out.




3. Jessica Lea Mayfield @ ACC: Country/rock; already have the album.




4. Jenn Grant & Buck 65 @ the Canadian BBQ: Great singer-songwriter doing her own stuff .and an incredibly original rapper doing his stuff, and the 2 singing together was even better!






5. The Traveling Band @ the Hilton Garden Inn: we walked out very early on this show.



6. The Beat Connection @ The Beauty Bar: electronica, not bad, not great.




7. Hollerado @ Antone's: fun fun fun! These guys put on a great indie rock show! Got the album at last year's SXSW.




8. The Black Atlantic @ Esther's Follies: don't remember them much, must not have left much of an impression.




9. Low @ St. David's Sanctuary: we had to sit way in the back, but this was a beautiful show. I have a couple of their albums and several free singles, but I need to get their most recent album now.




10. Cults @ Windish Agency House: This band had an interesting sample on the SXSW website, but the concert was ruined by truly horrible sound and an annoying keyboardist.



11. The Delta Mirror @ Maggie Mae's Gibson Room: They put on a great show, and Ed and I bought the CD at the end of the show. The CD is all electronica though. It isn't bad, but the show was very rock-based, not electronica-based. Don't know if those rock songs are going to end up on an album too.

Jump to a specifc day: Day 1, Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Wrap-up