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