mustseemorebands

[mustseemorebands]

52 bands in 96 hours: My Top 15 bands at SXSW 2023

1. Party Dozen at Latchkey and Side Bar (Sydney Australia) - My favorite discovery this year and one of the most thrilling live bands I’ve ever seen. Sure, you’ve heard musicians blow a sax so hard that it sounds like they’re screaming. But you’ve never heard anyone literally scream into a miked-up saxophone like Kirsty Tickle, whose voice and playing - eerily distorted and drenched with reverb against the ferocious drumming of Jonathan Boulet - didn’t command attention so much as demand it.

2. Sunny War at Empire Control Room (Nashville) - This former punk rocker has transformed into an enthralling folk-country artist with her latest album Anarchist Gospel. Backed by guitarist Anthony da Costa, her acoustic set spotlighted her deep and comforting, captivating voice and ability blur classic blues, country and folk styles into fresh sounding ballads like “Can I Sit With You,” “No Reason” and “New Day.”

3. BALTHVS at Far Out Lounge (Bogata, Colombia) - This cool trio fronted by guitarist Balthazar Aguirre embraces a psychedelic funk vibe similar to Khruangbin on their latest album Cause and Effect. But in concert, BALTHVS locks into a sunny, soulful groove that is as hypnotic as it is seductive.

4. The Courettes (Denmark) - Husband and wife duo featuring guitarist-singer Flavia Couri and drummer Martin Couri traveled from Denmark and Brazil to play their first ever U.S. shows at SXSW this year. Their latest album is a retro homage called Back in Mono - and while they couldn’t exactly reproduce the record’s Phil Spector-style wall of sound live, they compensated by rampaging through “Daydream,” “R.I.N.G.O” and their signature “Want You! (Like a Cigarette)” with a ferocious, fuzz-fueled energy that celebrated all of their garage-pop influences and showed no signs of jetlag.

5. Banditos at Lambert’s (Birmingham AL) - While they can rock as hard any band on the road, Banditos tailored their setlist for the small upstairs bar at Lambert’s and - between the ‘60s girl-group homage “Time Wasted” and a cover of the Dead’s “Deal” - focused on their soulful side. “Said and Done,” “One More Time” and “Old Ways” were showstopping vehicles for singer Mary Beth Richardson, whose soaring voice could easily skyrocket to Janis Joplin wailing - but she’s tasteful enough to restrain herself, and the tension created as she tries to reign in her unbridled passion was even more powerful.

6. Julianna Riolino at Swan Dive (Toronto) - Daniel Romano’s Outfit has emerged as a self-contained triple threat, with the hard rocking leader and singers Julianna Riolino and Carson McHone backing up each other and fronting the band on any given night. This was Riolino’s turn to be frontperson and she made the most of it: Armed with a red Rickenbacker, she romped through “Lone Ranger” and “Why Do I Miss You” from her 2022 album All Blue with the snarling glee and tenacious twang of early Lone Justice and the Let it Bleed-era Stones.

7. Danielle Ponder at GSD&M (Rochester NY) - A former public defender, Ponder gave up her day job in 2018 to pursue her dream of becoming a singer. Her short set in the back lot of an Austin advertising agency was a head-turning exhibit of poise and power as she performed songs from her 2022 debut Some of Us Are Brave. By the time she hit the last chorus of “Someone Like You,” it was clear that she has made the right decision.

8. Blvck Hippie at the Radisson Hotel bar (Memphis) - As leader Josh Shaw and his quartet looked up from setting up for their happy hour set, they started to laugh at the thought of unleashing their high-octane, low-fi indie-rock in a hotel lobby to a crowd that had mostly come to eat. But they soldiered on, turning down the volume but maintaining their trademark energy level on such Cure-inspired favorites as “Mansion” and ‘If You Feel Alone at Parties.”

9. The Prescriptions at Lambert’s (Nashville) - This twang-pop trio got their Econoline van and half of their equipment stolen in New Orleans on the way to SXSW and had to perform their multiple showcases with borrowed gear. But they were in good spirits and fine form, seamlessly blending elements of alt country, power pop and folk-rock into a marvelous set highlighted by the soaring “Not the Issue.”

10. Michigander at High Noon (Nashville) - Jason Singer, who performs under the name Michigander, broke his leg last year while filming a music video in the California mountains. This was his first concert since the accident, and he was clearly happy to be back in front of an audience. “You gotta stand up,” he said to the fans who had claimed prime positions in the front row of the Astroturf-covered venue before launching into an upbeat, downright rocking set that included “Let Down,” “Better,” and “Stay Out of It.”

11. Hannah Jadagu at 13th Floor Bar (Mesquite TX) - Now going to college in New York, this 20-year-old signed to Sub Pop last year on the heels of an EP that she recorded on her iPhone. Her new songs from her upcoming Apeture album like “Warning Sign” and “What You Did” are more fleshed out, lending themselves to a live trio presentation that adds more muscle to the melodies without overwhelming her hushed vocals.

12. Superchunk at the Mohawk (Chapel Hill NC) - The first time I saw Superchunk in 2010, it was a total accident: They were billed as “Special Guests” at a Merge Records showcase and I thought they were the new band Let's Wrestle. Thirteen years later, I’m more familiar with the albums, especially last year’s superb Wild Loneliness, so I knew who they were. But I didn’t know they could rock so hard after 30+ years, with leader Mac McCaughan throwing himself into songs like “Crossed Wires,” “Tiny Bombs” and “This Night” with youthful abandon.

13. OK Cowgirl at the Mohawk inside (Brooklyn NY) - Their name made me assume they were going to be a wild alt-country act - but like Drive By Truckers, they were so much more. Fronted by singer Leah Lavigne, the band can erupt from moody beauty into a cacophonous fury thanks to guitarist Jake Sabinski’s crazy Crazy Horse solos.

14. Bartees Strange at Austin Motel pool (Washington DC) - This England-born, Oklahoma-raised indie rocker left his full band at home and performed multiple shows at SXSW this year in a duo setting, among them events for the Texas Working Families progressive political party and the Give a Note Foundation for music education in underserved communities. The only thing stronger than his social consciousness is his supple, soulful voice, an opera-trained tenor that can sound croon, float and soar, often on the same verse. His stripped-back performances of “Heavy Heart,” “Hennessey” and a tender cover of the National’s “About Today” were both poignant and powerful.

15. The Garrys at Swan Dive (Saskatoon, Saskatchewan) - Canadian sisters Erica, Julie and Lenore Maier were supposed to perform at SXSW in 2022 but had to cancel due to COVID. Their delayed debut appearance was well worth the wait as they fused psychedelic pop with surf guitar solos and gleaming harmonies from their latest album, Get Thee to a Nunnery, with cool confidence.

I also saw: Baby Rose, Near Beer, THICK, Joanna Sternberg, Shadow Show, The Nude Party, Thee Sacred Souls, The War and Treaty, Max Stalling, Sarah Shook and the Disarmers, Esther Rose, Bad Ends, Cheekface, Been Stellar, The Stools, Husbands, Be Your Own Pet, Divino Nino, Friko, Algiers, Peter One, Kate Davis, Militarie Gun, The Hypochondriacs, Sorry Mom, Hien, Overcoats, Jaguar Jonze, Ava Maybee, Arny Margret, Julie Dioron, Bailen, Brendan Abernathy, Black Angels, Noah and the Loners, Jobber, Madison McFerrin

[mustseemorebands]

56 bands in 5 days: My Top 15 shows at SXSW 2022

1. Gustaf at Augustine (Brooklyn, NY) - Over jagged guitars and quirky dance rhythms harkening to the B-52s and Gang of Four, singer Lydia Gammill ranted and raged with such theatrical gusto that she jumped offstage, pushed photographers aside, pawed her way through the crowd and sang most of the first song while lying face down on the venue floor. Eventually, the band’s punk angst transformed into ferocious fun, with Gammill admitting to the crowd that “the bit” needs a break every now and then. She then launched into the disarming “(I Hope You’re) Happy,” which started with a smirk but ended as a wish.

2. Abby Hamilton at Idle Hands (Lexington, KY) - The most telling sign of a new artist’s impact at SXSW is how fast they can stop a crowd devouring free food in mid-forkful. Hamilton is a country star waiting to happen, a gifted singer-songwriter who conveys the clever nuances of Nashville with the twang-pop soulfulness of early Lucinda Williams. Her powerful voice literally turned heads as she sang about the pitfalls of dating older men and living on Tito’s and corn chips and threw herself into the hard-rocking “Change Things.”

3.  TEKE::TEKE at Cheer Up Charlie’s (Montreal, Canada) - Nothing says SXSW like witnessing a seven-member band from Canada blending surf guitars, flute, trombone, and traditional Japanese instruments into a soaring, psychedelic blast.

4. W.I.T.C.H. at Hotel Vegas Patio (Lusaka, Zambia) - One of psychedelic rock’s best kept secrets is an east African band who released their first album in 1974 with lead singer Emanuel "Jagari" Chanda. Rediscovered recently via vinyl reissues of their catalog, Chanda has joined forces with a younger band of Dutch rockers including Jacco Gardner and can still command the stage and overpower the wah-wah guitars with his roaring voice and funky showmanship.

5. Wet Leg at Half Step (Isle of Wight, UK) - Excuse me: If you were betting this duo who broke through last year with the relentlessly catchy “Chaise Longue” was just a one-novelty hit wonder, their SXSW showcase would have been a huge disappointment for you. Greeted by the packed house like the indie-rock heroes they are, Rhian Teasdale and Hester Chambers twirled in unison with their guitars and previewed a few unreleased songs from their forthcoming debut album with remarkable cool and confidence.

6. The Continental Drifters at Lucy’s Fried Chicken (Los Angeles/New Orleans) - The roots-rock supergroup featuring Susan Cowsill, Vicki Peterson of The Bangles and Peter Holsapple of the dB’s reunited on stage for the first time in 5 years and celebrated the occasion with a glorious extended afternoon set that exuded all the playfulness of an open rehearsal. They traded lead vocals on original songs like “The Rain Song” and “I Want to Learn to Waltz with You” and their trademark covers of Gram Parsons’ “A Song For You,” Michael Nesmith’s “Some of Shelly’s Blues,” Alive and Kicking’s “Tighter and Tighter” and a mindblowing rampage through Richard Thompson’s “You’re Going to Need Somebody.”

7. Blunt Bangs at The Green Jay (Athens, GA) - This high octane power pop band fronted by  former Black Kids leader Reggie Youngblood became a late must-see curiosity after I spent the 4 hour drive to Austin hitting the repeat button on the ultra-catchy “She’s Gone." And to emphasize their good taste, they covered Teenage Fanclub’s crunchy “Everything Flows,” an obscure track from 1990’s A Catholic Education.

8. Cassandra Jenkins at St. David’s Episcopal Church (Brooklyn NY) - My quietest show was also one of the most emotional, with Jenkins and a two-saxophone quartet recreating songs from her stunning 2021 breakthrough An Overview on Phenomenal Nature. “Hailey” and the Laurie Anderson-like “Hard Drive” rocked harder live than on record, while her comforting voice found the perfect balance of being both meditative and moving.

9. Pom Pom Squad (Brooklyn, NY) at The Pershing - Bandleader Mia Berrin takes no prisoners as she defies all eras, celebrating her affection for everything from girl-group pop to grunge. “Drunk Voicemail” is the only song in history to melodically tap into “Smells Like Teen Spirit” while quoting Melanie’s “Brand New Key,” a move as brazen as it is brilliant.

10. Horsegirl at Hotel San Jose (Chicago, IL) - Newly signed to Matador Records, the teenage trio, with two guitarists and a drummer, were already generating a buzz before the festival. But on stage, they came across unfazed and unrivaled as they casually churned out a droning, fuzz-fueled racket that drew inspiration from Sonic Youth and My Bloody Valentine. But within the slow building urgency of “Billy” and “Sea Life Sandwich Boy,” melodies peeked out, proving they can make songs as well as noise. And pretty good ones at that.

11. Tayla Parx (Los Angeles, CA) at Container Bar - The Dallas native who has been nominated for Grammys as co-writer of hits for Mariah Carey and Justin Bieber is also a dazzling performer who swirls elements of R&B, disco, hip-hop and pop. Between such solo hits as “Dance Alone” and “Fixerupper,” she tested out a few new songs destined for her forthcoming third album, zigzagged octaves and made even her snarky songs sound poignant.

12. Geese at the Pershing (Brooklyn NY) -  Not to be confused with Goose, Geese is a former teenage basement band that mixes up a volatile blend of classic rock, The Strokes and early ‘80s post punk that unspools into an indescribable but riveting style. Lead singer Cameron Winter prowls and paces the stage, seemingly unsure of what to do when he’s not at the mike but knowing exactly what to do when he is.

13. Katie Toupin at The Pershing (Louisville, KY) - Celebrating 4 years of sobriety and her uplifting “Astronaut” being adopted by NASA, Toupin brought an undeniable charm and an enrapturing  positivity to a crowd that didn’t seem to know of her previous career as being “formerly of Houndmouth.” Her 2019 album Magnetic Moves cemented her strengths as a solo artist and she clearly enjoyed giving songs like “Someone Like Me” and the title track the post-pandemic showcase they deserved. She reclaimed the Houndmouth hit “Sedona” toward the end of her set, but most of the crowd thought it was a cover. “That’s my song,” she said with a grin, avoiding putting emphasis on the second word and sounding proud, not bitter.

14. Neal Francis at The Mohawk (Chicago IL) - Armed with a Clavinet customized with a whammy bar, Francis unleashed a flurry of groovy, ‘70s-soaked originals that were expanded into funky, sometimes bluesy jams reminiscent of The Meters and even the Allman Brothers.

15. The Heavy Hours (Cincinnati, OH) at Geraldine’s - This quartet could be the poster boys for the power of pure pop simplicity - sunny melodies and romantic lyrics delivered with an effortless groove that sits somewhere between Americana and folk. ”Don’t Walk Away,” co-written with Dan Auerbach, was the most instantly irresistible song I’ve heard at SXSW since 2012 when the then-unknown Lumineers wandered into the crowd and unveiled “Ho Hey.”

I also saw: Penelope Isles, Creamer, Jon Dee Graham, Blue Mountain, Flower, The Wild Seeds, Jon Langford, Sun Room, Buzzard Buzzard Buzzard, Merex, Near Beer. Teenage Halloween, Wish Kit, No Ice, Ritt Momney, Ber, +/-, Couch Prints, Grace Cummings, Ural Thomas and the Pain, Roller Derby, Ezra Furman, Yard Act, Self Esteem, Le Ren, Sasami, Night Moves, Baby Queen, Little Quirks, Malen Peterssen, SUSTO, Madison McFerrin, Pillow Queens, Sir Woman, Circuit Des Yeux, Ayoni, Melts, Seratones, Mamalarky, Cuffed Up, and Alex Chilton tribute with English Teeth and guest singers Steve Wynn, John Doe, Chuck Prophet and others  - DO

[mustseemorebands]

The 10 bands I wish I could have seen at SXSW 2020

1. Yumi Zouma (New Zealand)  - Electro-pop band’s dreamy Truth or Consequences is my favorite album of 2020 (so far). Christie Simpson’s hushed vocals  flow over lush, keyboard-dominated arrangements subtly spiked with real drums, tasteful guitar licks and the perfectly placed handclap. At their most delicate, they remind me a little of Two Wheels Good-era Prefab Sprout, while the more danceable tracks harken to Everything But the Girl after they ditched acoustic guitars for beats. Their seductive sound is designed to wash over more than bowl you over, creating a compelling sense of intimacy that feels especially comforting during a time when distance is the new norm.

2. Lauran Hibberd (Isle of Wight, UK) - This 22-year-old Weezer fan is a rising punk-pop star who doesn’t let the humorous snark overwhelm her charm.

3. Devon Gilfillian (Nashville) - SXSW has been a tremendous launching pad for the 21st century soul music revival, introducing us to Charles Bradley, Leon Bridges, Durand Jones and the Indications, and last year, Austin’s fiery Black Pumas. Gilfillian would have easily been a breakout act this year,  blessed with a creamy Curtis Mayfield-like tenor and a stunning command of R&B, world beat and psychedelia.

4. ROOKIE (Chicago) - This sextet wears its ‘70s-rock influences loudly and proudly, veering more toward the power pop of Big Star and Cheap Trick than the bluesy stomp of the Stones.

5. Nordista Freeze (Nashville) - You have to be curious about a band that attempts to marry the taut jangle of Tom Petty and the Heartbreakers with the grand ambition of Brian Wilson in a single song. And then you have to admire them for pulling it off.

6. The Orielles (Halifax, UK) - They would have come into SXSW 2020 with all the baggage of a “buzz band” but likely would have lived up to the hype. Like a pure pop incarnation of Stereolab, their genre-blurring, gear-shifting fusion of ‘60s girl groups, disco, funk, shoegaze and samba comes across as a seamless vision instead of a kitchen-sink mishmash. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=StIrPbglNPc

7. Great Grandpa (Seattle) - Grown-up grunge rockers rightfully take their place alongside Hop Along and Big Thief as a young band that realizes the difference between merely changing and truly evolving. “I get anxious on the weekends/when I feel I’m wasting time,” Alex Menne sings on the aptly titled “Bloom.” “But then I think about Tom Petty/and how he wrote his best songs when he was 39." https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ANVWCL8jyXE

8. The Frights (San Diego)  - This former surf-punk act has been around for eight years and has changed their sound almost as often. Lead singer Mikey Carnevale is writing more direct, more introspective songs nowadays and the acoustic folk-pop sound of their new album Everything Seems Like Yesterday draws tremendous power from its poignancy. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HaDtKcF-w10

9. Dry Cleaning (London) - The forceful sting of their post-punk guitars and familiar ring of Florence Shaw’s droll talk-sing vocals will have you rifling through your early ‘80s LPs wondering if you’ve discovered a lost Pylon, Patti Smith or Grace Jones track. But then the lyric references to Instagram, Meghan Markle and “Saw 2” make you realize you’ve stumbled onto an enthralling British garage band ironing out the difference between rambling and having a lot to say. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wJICYtDmH7Q

10. Shadow Show (Detroit) - Kate Derringer, Ava East, and Kerrigan Pearce embrace all of the trippy hallmarks of ‘60s psychedelic rock on their debut album Silhouettes. The vibe may be groovy throwback, but the attitude is pure rock ‘n’ roll. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ld_ElYkVWV4

[mustseemorebands]

46 bands in 96 hours: My 16 favorite acts at SXSW 2019

1. The Black Pumas at Hotel San Jose and the Mohawk - The biggest Austin buzz band since Gary Clark Jr. in 2012 surpasses expectations with galvanizing sets that balance smooth showmanship with gritty funk-soul.

2. Bad Moves at The Shed - D.C punk-pop band turns unison vocals into an art form by utilizing every combination of their four voices to elevate the tension, accelerate the pace, and escalate the fun

3. Black Pistol Fire at The Historic Scoot Inn - Mixing brute-force originals with snippets of Fleetwood Mac’s “Oh Well” and Childish Gambino’s “Redbone,” this Canadian by way of Austin duo is the missing link between Led Zeppelin, the White Stripes and Japandroids.

4. Pink Sweat$ at The Historic Scoot Inn - Philadelphia soul is alive and well in the hands of this romantic crooner who came in known for his wardrobe but left renowned for his velvety voice

5. Angie McMahon at St. David’s Episcopal Church - The husky-voiced 24-year-old Australian delivers introspective anthems with the skyrocketing power of Brandi Carlile and the snarl of Chrissie Hynde

6. J.S. Ondara at the Mohawk Indoors - Kenya-born singer-songwriter’s emotive tenor recalls the quiet rebellion and hushed intimacy of Tracy Chapman. The crowd was pin-drop silent and so mesmerized that it took until the chorus for the smiles to register as everyone realized he was covering “Smells Like Teen Spirit.”

7. Gymshorts at Side Bar - This fun, ferocious Rhode Island band owes a debt to the raunchier, metal-tinged side of the Ramones, with lead singer Sarah Greenwell waiting only one song before storming into the crowd, moshing and sharing the microphone with a fan, and flailing on the bar room floor.

8. Moritz Simon Geist at Cedar Street Courtyard - The strangest “band” at SXSW was a group of small self-built robots that helped their leader make thumping techno music by rhythmically dropping a stylus onto a record to create a bass drum, clacking hard drive arms to create percussion - and making inventive use of motors, circuits, relays and good old fashioned water glasses. 

9. Altameda at The Bungalow - Sometimes, the best American roots-rock is played by bands from Canada.

10. Robert Ellis at Hotel San Jose - The best-kept songwriting secret in Texas re-invents himself (temporarily) as The Texas Piano Man, a Lone Star version of Elton John and Billy Joel, on tongue-in-cheek songs like “Passive Aggressive” and “Topo Chico.” The showboating took a backseat to his impressive piano chops and a brilliant re-arrangement of his moody “California” that fit right in.

11. Laura Jane Grace at Continental Club and solo at Central Presbyterian Church - The former leader of Against Me and her new group, The Devouring Mothers, rock just as hard and loud as her previous band. But she made the most indelible impression with just an acoustic guitar. Between stripped-down originals, she covered two songs by the Mountain Goats (”The Best Ever Death Metal Band in Denton,” “Original Air-Blue Gown”) and the Replacements’ “Androgynous,” spilling her guts and opening her heart

12. The Beths at Container Bar - This co-ed New Zealand quartet fronted by Elizabeth Stokes crafts harmony-laden indie pop songs they way they all should be - powerful, punky, and perfect.

13. E.B. The Younger at Hotel at San Jose - Eric Pulido’s solo side-project finds the Midlake frontman veering into breezy, Southern California-inspired pop with help from members of the Texas Gentlemen. Great cover of Nilsson’s “Gotta Get Up” too!

14. Ben Kweller at The Mohawk - Many artists celebrate the power of rock ‘n’ roll, but this Greenville, TX native is one of the few who effortlessly embody it

15. Molly Burch at The Parish - This Austin singer’s voice swoops and swerves, switching octaves and shifting tempos mid-song, sometimes even mid-thought. She grapples with self-doubt and being an introvert but her hypnotic songs also ooze with a sense of wonder and quiet determination.

16. Weakened Friends at the Barracuda - Lead singer Sonia Sturino’s yelping, jittery voice gives this Portland, ME trio their edge, but their bouncy energy and heartfelt debts to alt-rock icons ranging from Weezer to Dinosaur Jr give them their charm.

I also caught: Sasami, Combo Chimbita, Wyclef Jean, Ambar Lucid, Barrie, Duncan Fellows, The Nude Party, Cassia, Priests, Durand Jones and the Indications, Black Midi, William Tyler, Pool Party, Tunic, Chai, Stef Chura, John the Martyr, Priscilla Renae, Sontalk, Graham Coxon, Guy Forsyth Jackie Venson, Mystery Lights, Bush Tetras, Yahyel, Sidney Gish, Cherry Glazerr, Dylan Cartlidge, Her’s, and Larkins

[mustseemorebands]

52 bands in 96 hours: My 15 favorite acts at SXSW 2016

Aubrie Sellers at Swan Dive - The 25-year-old daughter of Lee Ann Womack raised a righteous ruckus. Imagine the Black Keys playing country music? This was better

Beach Slang at Sidewinder - I have seen rock ‘n’ roll future, and it’s wearing a sweater vest

Chicano Batman at San Jose Hotel - Groovy California quartet churns out Latin-soul slow jams and Farfisa-fueled psychedelia that sounds reverent but never retro.

Margaret Glaspy at GSD&M courtyard/Hotel Saint Cecilia courtyard - New York singer-songwriter signed to ATO looks petite and polite, but her smart, edgy pop songs lean more toward Liz Phair than Lilith Fair. Extra points for covering Lucinda Williams' "Fruits of My Labor."

Vince Staples at the JW Marriott - The dynamic rapper inspired screaming, moshing, dancing and bouncing - and that was just his entrance.

The Strumbellas at Sidewinder - Canadian roots-rock band defied all expectations the minute they started singing - and keyboardist Dave Ritter started dancing.

Loretta Lynn at Stubb's - The 83-year-old legend delivered such crowd-pleasing classics as "Fist City" and "Coal Miner's Daughter." But the goosebump-raising moment came when she had to be convinced to perform her brand new "She's Got Everything It Takes (To Take Everything You've Got"), with her bandleader's daughter whispering the verses into her ear.

Car Seat Headrest at Cheer Up Charlie’s - They opened with simmering, harmonics-soaked guitar dirges but closed with a volley of crunchy power pop anthems worthy of Teenage Fanclub.

Margo Price at Cheer Up Charlie's - Like Maria McKee, this Jack White discovery possesses a classic country voice that is as pure as it is powerful.

Robert Plant with Jimmie Vaughan and Charlie Sexton at Austin Music Awards - We knew the Led Zeppelin frontman would show up for the last set of the night honoring the late Austin DJ Paul Ray. But we had no idea he would have so much fun raiding his record collection for playful covers of The Coasters’ “Young Blood,” Clyde McPhatter’s “Let the Boogie Woogie Roll” and the Jive Five’s “When I Was Single.”

Charlie Belle at 100 Pizzitas - Teenage Austin brother-sister duo channels the lilting charm of ‘90s British pop with an R&B edge.

Tacocat at Cheer Up Charlie’s - Seattle punk band puts a feminist spin on girl-group pop by lashing out at street-corner harassment and Internet trolls with unbridled glee.

Bombino at Waterloo Records - The buzz around the festival billed him as the Nigerian Jimi Hendrix, and he lived up to the hype with bluesy jams that stretched but never meandered.

Lawrence at Swan Dive - Young New York R&B outfit turned a cover of Destiny’s Child’s “Say My Name” into a creamy soul number worthy of Earth, Wind and Fire.

Elliot Sumner at GSD&M courtyard - Sting’s 25-year-old daughter sings like her dad, rocks even harder.

I also caught: Eleanor Friedberger, Sunflower Bean, Joseph, Run River North, Joon Moon, Cactus Blossoms, Lydia Loveless, Luther Dickinson, Angelica Garcia, Barns Courtney, Baxter Ryland, Phases, Waxahatchee, Haelos, Wild Feathers, Aurora, Lily and Madeleine, Baio, Freaks and Geeks featuring Mother Falcon, Blazing Bows featuring Warren Hood, SIMS anniversary tribute with Britt Daniel, Antone’s tribute with Jimmie Vaughan, Lou Ann Barton and Barbara Lynn, Banditos, River Whyless, Esconido, Cloves, James TW, Niykee Heaton, We Are the Willows, Trapper Schoepp, Diet Cig, Robbie Fulks, Gwenno, Japanese Breakfast, Christian Lee Hutson, Lucy Dacus, Big Thief -  David O

[mustseemorebands]

53 Bands in 4 Days: My 15 favorite acts at SXSW 2015

1. Alvvays (Toronto, Canada) -  “Archie, Marry Me,” my favorite song of 2014, got elevated to one of my favorite songs of all time at the end of this indie-pop quintet’s shimmering Friday night showcase at Cheer up Charlies. Singer Molly Rankin’s yearning voice soared above the fuzz-drenched, Teenage Fanclub-like guitars as she condemned a lover following his head rather than his heart (“You've expressed explicitly your contempt for matrimony/you've student loans to pay and will not risk the alimony”). Each time she hit the “Hey, hey” kicker of the chorus, she sang it just that much louder, the drums kicked in just that much harder. And as she dropped her red Fender Jag-Stang onstage as the band exited, the squalling feedback served as the bittersweet snapshot of a relationship stuck in limbo, and the resonating echo of a song so good, I never wanted it to end.

2. Courtney Barnett (Melbourne, Australia) - Critical hosannas for her fierce, often funny new album brought her to SXSW as the Must-See Indie-Rocker, but she treated the hype with the same self-deprecating shrug that she uses to deflect raised expectations (“Put me on a pedestal/I’ll only disappoint you”) and rock-star bravado (“You say you’ll sleep when you're dead/ I'm scared I'll die in my sleep”). At Stubbs, the 27-year-old guitarist led her band through a rousing set of clever, Lou Reed-influenced rock and seemed genuinely moved to see fans pressed against the stage in the pouring rain instead of running for cover. “I wouldn’t stand in the rain to see ANYBODY,” she laughed. It would have taken a monsoon to force me to vacate my spot - and I still wouldn’t have left until she sang “Avant Gardener.” 

3. Run the Jewels (Brooklyn, NY) – Rap veterans Killer Mike and El-P took the stage at Stubbs to the strains of Queen’s “We Are the Champions” and it was no idle boast: The duo’s latest album has set the gold standard for modern hip-hop and their charismatic chemistry and raucous energy flowed as relentlessly as their rhymes. For 45 minutes, they raged against injustice and police brutality in songs like  “Close Your Eyes and Count to F----” and the remarkably poignant “Early” but they balanced their provocative rants with inspiring calls for respect, love, and unity.

4. Frank Turner (Winchester, England) – The scruffy singer-songwriter, whose 2013 full-band show in Dallas ranks as one of the most thrilling rock ‘n’ roll experiences of my life, had played so many SXSW sets that he announced that this final appearance at Saturday’s Brooklyn Vegan day party would be entirely dedicated to requests for songs he hadn’t yet performed in Austin and even some that he never plays live. Armed with only an acoustic guitar, he treated us to passionate new numbers like “The Next Storm” and “Get Better,” deep cuts like “Hits and Mrs.” and a reverent cover of Tom Petty’s “American Girl.”

5.  Brandi Carlile (Seattle, WA)  - I’ve seen her before, but never like this: No microphones, no amplifiers, just voices and acoustic instruments creating music by employing the “instrument of the room,” in this case the sanctuary of Central Presbyterian Church. Frequently leaving the stage to stroll down the aisles, Carlile’s husky voice carried well, especially on “The Story” and a faithful cover of Fleetwood Mac’s “The Chain.” But the hushed, goosebump-raising harmonies created with twin brothers Tim and Phil Hanseroth transformed the performance from majestic to downright magical.

6. Mitski (Brookyn, NY)  – At age 24, the Japan-born singer-bassist has graduated to indie-rock darling with empowering anthems and a captivating voice that growls, coos and soars with nods to both “Guyville”-era Liz Phair and Kate Bush. The maddeningly catchy “Townie” was easily the highlight of her Red 7 patio performance, capturing the angst of being a teenage outsider, desperately wanting to escape but having no idea where to go (“I’m holding my breath with a baseball bat/though I’m not sure what I’m waiting for”). When she first slammed into the chorus of “I’m not going to be what my daddy wants me to be,” it sounded like a lament – but by the end of song, it became a mission statement.

7. The HillBenders (Springfield, MO) – Turning The Who’s “Tommy” into a “Bluegrass Opry” sounds like a joke on paper. But during a lively outdoor performance at Threadgill’s, the ambitious band deftly covered the legendary concept album in its entirety, replacing Pete Townshend’s guitar solos with dobros and mandolins and adding high, lonesome nuances to “Acid Queen” and “Pinball Wizard.”

8.  Leon Bridges (Fort Worth, TX)  – I arrived late to the Spotify House (only at SXSW is one hour early considered late) so with the outdoor venue at capacity, I had to settle for craning my neck to see this young soul-music savior’s face from the exit door. But even at a distance, the smooth grooves and honey-coated vocals driving “Better Man” and “Brown Skin Girl”  justified all of the Sam Cooke comparisons.

9. Girlpool (Los Angeles, CA) - Armed with only electric guitar and bass, Harmony Tividad and Cleo Tucker channeled the Roches and the Raincoats at a day party hosted by She Shreds magazine. Their charming unison vocals buzzed and snarled into a minimalistic trademark that was sometimes shrill, but rarely less than thrilling.

10.  The Reverend Peyton and His Big Damn Band (Nashville, IN) - With their washboards and plastic-bucket drum, they look like they stepped out of a “Hee Haw” rerun, but this twangy trio showcased some serious country and delta blues chops. And just when I thought they were simply raucous revivalists, they stormed through a passionate 21st century protest song called “Scream at the Night” that attacks conformity and settling for mediocrity (“The pop charts are pop tarts/ with empty songs with no heart”) with a righteous rage.

11.  Kate Tempest (London, England) - This 29-year-old poet-turned-rapper’s words have earned her literary accolades, but nothing prepared me for the stomping intensity of her bone-rattling, beat-propelled performance at the tiny Red Eyed Fly. As convincing as she is as an MC, she was even more affecting when she stepped forward for “Hold Your Own,” an unaccompanied spoken-word rant against consumerism and the myth of more.

12. Gateway Drugs (Los Angeles, CA) - SXSW is often the first chance to see the talented children of rock stars. And since I’ve witnessed sets by everyone from Joe Walsh’s daughter to the sons of Charlie Sexton and Jon Dee Graham over the years, I felt obligated to check out this LA outfit fronted by Gab, Noa, and Liv Niles, the grown-up kids of bassist Prescott Niles of The  Knack. Their psychedelic punk-pop set was moody and mesmerizing, capped by a raucous romp through the Count Five’s “Psychotic Reaction.”

13. Will Butler (Montreal, Canada) – I’m not a huge Arcade Fire fan, but this side project by the bassist brother of lead singer Win Butler is everything that band is not: Fizzy, fun, and just a little silly as it joyfully paid homage to garage rock (“Take My Side”), German new wave (“Anna”) and the Violent Femmes (”Son of God”).

14.  San Fermin (Brooklyn, NY) - They’ve been called a baroque pop band, but their intricate mix of keyboards, violins and horns is surprisingly accessible, even danceable. Lead singers Allen Tate and Charlene Kay added soulful showmanship to keyboardist Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s ambitious compositions and by the time the horn players jumped into the crowd, San Fermin felt far more like a cool bar band experience than art.

15.  Ibeyi (Paris, France)  - French-Cuban twin sisters Naomi and Lisa-Kainde Diaz dazzled an early morning crowd at the Four Seasons Ballroom with haunting harmonies, jazzy riffs, and hypnotic chants accented with finger snaps and knee slaps. They capped their set by putting a luscious neo-soul spin on rapper Jay Electronica’’s “Better in Tune With the Infinite” that would have made Erykah Badu proud.

Other acts I saw: Jacco Gardner, Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne, Jamie Lin Wilson & Kelley McKwee of the Trishas, Curtis McMurtry, Title Fight, Bully, Steve Gunn, Downtown Boys, Chastity Belt, Hinds, Ryley Walker, Mansionair, Torres, Grace London, Matthew E. White, Riders Against the Storm, Handsome Ghost, Misterwives, Deerhoof, Gang of Four, White Reaper, Earl Sweatshirt, METZ, Viet Cong, Twin Shadow, Kate Boy, Screaming Females, Everyman, Twerps, Chuck Prophet, Amy McCarley, Bill Kirchen with Redd Volkaert, Gabriel Garzon-Montano, Houndmouth, Unlocking the Truth, and The McCrary Sisters. - David O.

Jacco Gardner

Clean Bandit with Jess Glynne

Unlocking the Truth

Screaming Females

[mustseemorebands]

My 16 favorite acts at SXSW 2014

1. Run River North (Los Angeles, CA) - Formerly called Monsters Calling Home, this co-ed Korean-American band echoes the stomp-clap folk-rock of Mumford and Sons and the Lumineers. Onstage, the drums rumble, their guitars distort, and their vocals soar to achingly passionate heights. It's not that they're louder - they just have more heart.

2. Pinata Protest (San Antonio, TX) - If Joe Strummer had played accordion instead of guitar, the Clash might have sounded a lot like this riveting Mexican-American punk band.

3. The Mowgli's (Los Angeles, CA) - My favorite indie pop band embraces its songs about seizing the day with a youthful charm that doesn't just make you feel good - it makes you feel alive.

4. Public Service Broadcasting (London, England) - Using snippets of WWII-era propaganda films for vocals, this electronic duo builds lively, cinematic soundscapes by augmenting their arsenal of knobs with live drums, Rickenbacker guitars and yes, even a banjo.

5. Against Me! (Gainesville, Florida) - Leader Tom Gabel's transformation into Laura Jane Grace and a new rhythm section has changed their look, but their punk-pop anthems about always clinging to your dreams and never compromising have never rocked harder. At Stubb's, they made the previous set by indie darlings Cloud Nothings sound like, well, nothing.

6. St. Paul and the Broken Bones (Birmingham, Alabama) - I've seen soul music future, and it's a guy with glasses who looks like a talk-show host and sings like Otis Redding reincarnated. They turned Paul McCartney's "Let Me Roll It" into the Memphis soul rave-up I always knew it could be.

7. Charli XCX (Stevenage, England) - I came expecting a fizzy dance-pop show, but in concert, Charlotte Emma Aitchison commands the stage and jettisons keyboards in favor of a three-woman rock band. She covers "I Want Candy" and punctuates her moves with karate punches and liberal use of the f-word. If she had been in the Spice Girls, she wouldn't have been Posh or Scary - she would have been Bad-ass.

8. Hurray for the Riff Raff (New Orleans) - This Crescent City quartet, fronted by singer Alynda Lee Segarra, blends gospel, blues and country into soul-stirring, gut-spilling stories of struggle, loss and hope.

9. Jamestown Revival (Magnolia, Texas) - Jonathan Clay and Zach Chance come across like a high-energy, Texas version of The Band, if they had recorded Music From Big Bend instead of Music From Big Pink.  

10. Those Darlins (Nashville, TN) - Once a kitschy alt-country act, guitarist Jessi Zazu and her group now rampage onstage like the missing link between the New York Dolls and Patti Smith. A blistering cover of "Dancing Barefoot" was eclipsed by "I Ain't Afraid Anymore," which opens by railing.against cancer and grows more defiant with each verse.

11. Ex Hex (Washington, D.C) - Ex-Helium leader Mary Timony's new power trio runs the rock 'n' roll gamut from glam to punk to metal. It might get loud, but it's never sloppy.  

12. Vaadat Charigim (Tel Aviv, Israel) - 11:55 a.m. in the lobby of a comedy club may not seem like the ideal setting for an Israeli shoegaze trio on its first U.S. tour. But as they unleashed their My Bloody Valentine-like sonic assault, they proved to be a brute force to be reckoned with.

13. Lydia Loveless (Coshocton, Ohio ) - There are moments when she sounds like a young Loretta Lynn, and others when she sounds like a young Lucinda Williams. But she's coming from an angrier, darker place and it's fascinating to hear her clawing her way toward the light.

14. Mary Lambert (Seattle) - A year ago, she was a struggling bartender. Today, she's collecting royalties for writing the haunting chorus of Macklemore's stunning "Same Love" and basking in the stardom that put her onstage next to Madonna at the Grammys. That she seemed equally thrilled to be in front of a packed bar at the Driskill Hotel made her more endearing. "She Keeps Me Warm," her new single based on the "Same Love" chorus, drew the loudest cheers. But her solo piano ballad version of Wheatus' "Teenage Dirtbag" almost moved the room to tears.

15. J. Roddy Walston and the Business (Baltimore, MD) - Every time I see them, I have to stop myself from declaring them the greatest rock 'n' roll band on the road today. Because then I'll have an excuse to keep coming back to make sure.

16. The Painted Redstarts with Lili and Io Hickman (Austin, TX) - I've now lived in Texas long enough to see the children of some of my favorite performers grow up and form their own bands. At the Austin Music Awards, the teenage sons of Jon Dee Graham and Charlie Sexton raised a roots-rock ruckus, while the daughters of Sara Hickman harmonized like folk-rock angels on a tender cover of Daniel Johnston's "True Love Will Find You in the End."

- David O.

[mustseemorebands]

My 15 favorite bands at SXSW 2013 that I didn't have time to write about

1. The Mowgli's

2. Vintage Trouble

3. Hurray for the Riff Raff

4. Waxahatchee

5. Corey Chisel

6. Delta Rae

7. The Relatives

8. Billy Bragg

9. Mikal Cronin

10. Red Baraat

11. The Relatives

12. The Lone Bellow

13. Walk Off the Earth

14. Z.Z. Ward

15. Jason Isbell

- David O.

[mustseemorebands]

My Top 16 shows at SXSW 2012 (or Why Not Getting Into See Springsteen's Show Simply Didn't Matter)

1. Emily Wells (Brooklyn Vegan Day Party) - The taxi had just dropped me off at Cedar Street Courtyard when I realized that my final chance to catch this fascinating New Yorker was occurring in 20 minutes at another club. The sleep-deprived, geographically challenged part of my brain (i.e., my brain) estimated a four-block walk to 1500 E. Sixth Street. By the time I reached Congress, I realized it was actually a 1.2-mile walk clear on the other side of I-35. So I did the only sensible thing: I ran. And when I burst through the door of the tiny club, I was greeted by the sight of a woman behind a makeshift tabletop of consoles and wires. She started by creating live violin, melodica and keyboard loops, triggering them with one foot while the other foot kicked a bass drum. Then she stepped to the mic and sang like a heartbroken angel while pounding two tom-toms. For hand-ear coordination alone, Wells qualifies as gifted. For creating a sensuous, primal sound that blends classical, jazz, art-rock and hip-hop all alone, she is awesome. "Symphony No. 1 - In the Barrel of a Gun" (from YouTube)

2. J. Roddy Walston and the Business (Cedar Street Courtyard and Hotel San Jose parking lot) - My cardinal SXSW rule is that I never see the same act twice in the same weekend. But I made an exception for this Baltimore band - partly because I only caught their mindblowing final South by San Jose number, and mostly because I needed to find out if they were really that good. They opened their Cedar Street set full-throttle with “Don’t Break the Needle” and never slowed down. Imagine a fist-pumping Jerry Lee Lewis fronting the Faces and you’ll understand why they are a gale force to be reckoned with.  "Used to Did" (from YouTube)

3. The Alabama Shakes (Aquarium Drunkard day party) - All that hype you’ve heard about this band’s thunderous blend of delta blues, Muscle Shoals soul and Zeppelin-esque rock, about lead singer Brittany Howard ’s roaring, rafter-rattling voice, about them being the first great band of 2012? It’s all true. "Hold On" (from WFUV)

4. JC Brooks and the Uptown Sound (Yard Dog Gallery) - If Bruno Mars was as passionate as he is entertaining, he might hold a candle to the soul-music ruckus stirred up by this funky Chicago artist. Commanding the stage with James Brown's swagger and Otis Redding's tenacity, frontman Brooks lit into his Stax-soaked cover of Wilco’s “I Am Trying to Break Your Heart” and made its oddball opening line - "I am an American aquarium drinker" - sound like a manifesto.  "I Am Trying to Break Your Heart" (music video)

5. Norah Jones (La Zona Rosa) - Ten years after discovering Jones as a nervous newcomer at her first SXSW, it was a pleasure to see her greeted like the heroine she is. The line that start forming more than a hour before her show wrapped two blocks, and the adoring crowd gladly accepted the absence of her hits for the chance to be among the first to hear her new band play every song from her sublime, soon-to-be-released Danger Mouse-produced album Little Broken Hearts.   "Say Goodbye" (from YouTube)

6. Bruce Springsteen’s keynote speech (Austin Convention Center) - There are very few artists who can enthrall an audience by talking instead of singing. But for 50 minutes, The Boss pinballed from prepared notes to insightful asides with self-depreciating humor and rambling, often riveting detours down memory lane that ranged from the first time he picked up a guitar to the first time he saw Elvis and heard Eric Burdon and the Animals. He spoke eloquently about coping in a "post-authentic world" but kept his tone more personal than political. The most revealing moment came when he pulled out an acoustic guitar to demonstrate how he borrowed the iconic opening riff of "Badlands" from "Don't Let Me Be Misunderstood." "Listen up youngsters!" he joked. "This is how successful theft is accomplished."  See his entire keynote speech (from NPR)

7. Crooked Fingers (Stage on 6th Street) - This co-ed band fronted by Archer of Loaf’s Eric Bachmann has been the anchor of the venerable Merge Records roster for years, but I only discovered them two years ago when St. Vincent and The National covered their indie hit, “Sleep All Summer.” Crooked Fingers' original 2005 version ranks with Wilco’s “Jesus Etc” as my candidate for Most Beautiful Ballad by a Rock Band Ever. The hushed duet between Bachmann and keyboardist Liz Durett was the highlight of an otherwise hard-rocking set, as they squeezed every ounce of longing from the haunting chorus tag of “Why won’t you fall back in love with me?” ”Sleep All Summer” (from YouTube)

8. Typhoon (Dirty Dog Bar) - This Portland collective managed to squeeze 10 musicians onstage, including two violinists, two horn players and a ukulele player. Their sound was both mesmerizing and majestic, evoking the earnest, uplifting energy of Arcade Fire with all of the heart and none of the bombast. ”The Honest Truth” (Letterman appearance from YouTube)

9. Glen Hansard (Antones) - The endearing star of “Once” played countless solo acoustic gigs during this year’s festival, but his Friday night show found him enraptured by his good fortune and surroundings. Joined by Jake Clemons (nephew of the late Clarence Clemons) on saxophone and other guests, Hansard delivered a passionate cover of Bruce Springsteen's “Drive All Night,” followed by a heavenly take on Van Morrison’s “Astral Weeks” that radiated with scruffy charm and unabashed joy. ”Drive All Night” (from YouTube)

10. Tribute to Big Star’s Third (Paramount Theater) - Getting in to see an all-star rendering of Big Star’s entire 1974 swan song was the consolation prize for those of us who didn’t win the ticket lottery to see Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band a few blocks away. And while R.E.M.’s Mike Mills was a no-show due to a sudden attack of vertigo, the rest of the revolving ensemble turned into a power-pop dream band featuring Peter Buck, M. Ward, Peter Case, Tommy Stinson of the Replacements, Jon Auer and Ken Stringfellow of the Posies, Chris Stamey of the db’s and Mitch Easter of Let’s Active, among others. Alex Chilton-penned rockers like “Kizza Me” and “O Dana” raised the roof, but it was Big Star drummer Jody Stephens’ tender reading of “For You” that raised goosebumps. ”Kizza Me” (from YouTube)

11.  Gary Clark Jr. (Radio Day Stage at Austin Convention Center) - This 28-year-old guitar hero has emerged as the blues kingpin of the Austin scene. But if he's feeling the weight of all the critical hosannas, he doesn't show it - especially during this laidback, early-afternoon live radio broadcast performance, where he left his blistering band and Hendrix riffs behind. Cradling his trademark red Epiphone, Clark delivered such future classics as “When the Sun Goes Down”  and “Bright Lights” with a fierce, focused intensity that showcased his oft-overshadowed voice. ”Bright Lights” (from WFUV)

12. Michael Kiwanuka (St. David’s Historic Sanctuary) - This 24-year-old British singer-songwriter started gaining attention during his brief stint as Adele’s opening act last year. Accompanying himself on acoustic guitar, Kiwanuka’s husky voice echoes such latter-day folkies as Bill Withers, John Martyn and David Wilcox. The attentive audience soaked up every soulful nuance of the uplifting “I’m Getting Ready” and bittersweet “Always Waiting,” relishing the opportunity to witness a rising star who comes across both gentle and genuine. ”I’m Getting Ready” (music video)

13. Tommy Stinson (Lambert’s) - The former Replacements bassist/current Guns N’ Roses guitarist opened his set with a blistering Stones homage called “It’s a Drag,” but his raucous performance was anything but. As the 46-year-old Minneapolis native rampaged through songs from his latest solo effort, One Man Mutiny and resurrected “Never Aim to Please” and “Friday Night Is Killing Me” from his glorious 1992 album with the short-lived Bash & Pop, he rocked with a playful abandon that stayed loose but never felt sloppy. ”Never Aim to Please” (from YouTube)

14. Hospitality (Home Slice Pizza) - This Brooklyn quartet  is the latest and perkiest discovery to land on Merge Records’ unbeatable roster. They played 8 shows in 3 days at SXSW and the finale was on a makeshift stage on the parking lot of a popular South Congress pizzeria. Singer Amber Papini led her band through quirky numbers like “Friends of Friends” and “Betty Wang” that sounded a little like The Waitresses and a lot like the most utterly charming indie pop band of 2012. ”Friends of Friends” (music video)

15. Chuck Prophet (Waterloo Record parking lot) - I’ve had dozens of opportunities to see the former Green on Red guitarist at SXSW and passed on everyone of them until this year. Shame on me. Armed with a goofy grin and backed by a tight four-piece band, Prophet didn’t entertain the crowd so much as hold court. In between such rollicking originals as “Temple Beautiful” and “White Night, Big City,” he reclaimed “Always a Friend,” which he cowrote with Alejandro Escovedo, by making it sound more like The Velvet Underground than the Stones, tipped his hat to the late Alex Chilton with a faithful cover of “Bangkok” and gave one of the funniest  commands ever uttered mid-song by a bandleader: “Now, everybody solo - even you!" ”Always a Friend” (from YouTube)

16. Grace Woodroofe (Maggie Mae’s) - The Australian journalists I met at Antones while waiting for Glen Hansard had two tips for me and my friend: (1) Neil Young was going to play a secret show at the club later that evening, and (2) this 21-year-old blues-folk singer, discovered by Heath Ledger and blessed with a smoky, gutwrenching voice, would blow me away. They were half right. ”I’ve Handled Myself Wrong” (music video)

I also saw: Blouse, The Loom, Chuck Rangan, Glossary, Ugly Beats, Peter Case with Paul Collins Beat, Sara Petite and the Sugar Daddies, The Bombettes, Ivan & Alyosha, Pond, Husk, Bass Drum of Death, Delta Spirit, Torreblanca, Ancestros, Father John Misty, Heartless Bastards, The Little Willies, The Barr Brothers, The Lumineers, The Belle Brigade, Two Cow Garage, Seapony, Jimmy Cliff, Eliza Gilkyson, Jimmy LaFave, Juanes, Mariah McManus, Dan Mangan, Family of the Year, The Mynabirds, Alice Russell with Quantic, Daughter, and Lee Fields and the Expressions. - David O

[mustseemorebands]

Dispatch from the Front of the Line: My Top 15 shows at SXSW 2011

1. Yoko Ono and the New Plastic Ono Band (Elysium) - I thought hard about fighting my way into this show on the final night of the festival: On one hand, why did I need to see Yoko? On the other hand, when would I ever get another chance? Flanked by son Sean Lennon (sporting a beard and glasses that made him look more like his dad than ever) and members of Wilco, Cibo Matto, Cornelius, and Deerhoof, the 78-year-old artist commanded the stage with intimate poetry, angelic warbling and primal yelps. As Sean tore through bluesy riffs while never losing eye contact with his mom, you got a goosebump-raising glimpse into what it must have looked like in 1969 when she and John performed together. It was thrilling to witness, and surprisingly listenable - her guttural, avant-garde screeches are not nearly as alienating now that we've all heard Bjork, Kate Bush, and Lady Gaga. I'm not saying that I'll be playing "Don't Worry Kyoko" every day from now on - I'm just saying that the Yoko jokes stop here.

2. Jesse Malin and the St. Marks Social (Aquarium on Sixth Street) - Former leader of D Generation channeled his inner Springsteen and delivered a blistering set of passionate rock 'n' roll anthems. The only quiet moments came when he turned the Replacements' "Bastards of Young" into a glorious piano ballad and convinced the sweaty crowd to sit on the floor to briefly recreate the love-in vibe of John Lennon's "Instant Karma." Even when Malin simmers down, he rocks out.

3. The Dum Dum Girls (Waterloo Records) - There are dozens of lo-fi all-woman indie bands updating the '60s girl-group sound, but few do it as cleverly as Sub Pop's Dum Dum Girls. Borrowing equally from the Ronettes, the Ramones, and the Cramps, this West Coast quartet rocked tough and made a steamy parking lot feel like a nightclub. When lead singer Dee Dee sang "Take care of my baby/I don't think he can do it himself," she didn't sound bitter - she sounded like she cared.

4. Yuck (East Side Drive In) - One of the buzziest bands of the festival, this British band lived up to its hype by delivering a dynamic set that opened with laidback, fuzz-laden pop nuggets and climaxed with a rafter-rattling jam worthy of Dinosaur Jr. Comparisons to shoe-gazing precursors like My Bloody Valentine abound, but I detect more early Teenage Fanclub, and a bright future.

5. Mother Falcon (Austin Music Hall) - As the 20-plus youngsters in this Austin collective filed onstage toting violins, bassoons, accordions, and cellos, I realized that you can't always guess what a band will sound like by their appearance. Orchestral by nature, Mother Falcon creates lush, richly detailed soundscapes that swoosh and soar without sounding precocious or pretentious. It's not pop, it's not rock, it's not classical - it's just sublime. 

6. Raphael Saadiq (Cedar Street Courtyard) - The former member of Tony! Toni! Tone! has emerged as a sweet-voiced, sweat-soaked guardian of '60s soul. If his previous CD evoked Marvin Gaye and Motown, the songs he introduced from the forthcoming "Stone Rollin'" offered a grittier, Memphis-style R&B celebration that was both fun and funky.

7. Sonos (Creekside at the Hilton) - I'm a sucker for cover songs, so this co-ed a cappella quintet was high on my priority list with its repertoire of recent hits by Radiohead, Imogen Heap, Fleet Foxes and The Bird and The Bee. Despite the beatboxing, these aren't cheesy recreations so much as jaw-dropping reinventions. transforming the merely lovely into the hauntingly gorgeous.

8. Childish Gambino (Red 7 Patio) - The rapper alter-ego of comedian and "Community" star Donald Glover made his SXSW debut with a riotous set in front of an adoring, mostly college-age crowd that also included "Community" costar Danny Pudi. Glover is one of the funniest people on network TV, but his rhymes are hardcore serious.

9. The Baseball Project (Yard Dog) - Makeshift supergroup featuring ex-Dream Syndicate leader Steve Wynn, R.E.M. guitarist Peter Buck, former Young Fresh Fellows frontman Scott McCaughey, and ex-Zuzu's Petals drummer Linda Pitmon combines two of America's favorite pastimes - rock 'n' roll songs about baseball. Buck's bandmate Mike Mills joined them onstage for "Jackie's Lament," but he couldn't steal their playful thunder.

10. Charles Bradley (Cedar Street Courtyard) - Daptone Records' latest discovery is a 68-year-old Brooklyn native blessed with a soulful howl that even James Brown would admire. His riveting showmanship accented the longing fervor of such tracks as "The World (Is Going Up in Flames)" and an inspired cover of Neil Young's "Heart of Gold" that echoed Otis Redding.

11. Screaming Females (Buffalo Billiards Bungalow) - This New Jersey co-ed power trio is anchored by guitarist Marissa Paternoster, whose scorching solos were overshadowed only by her husky vocals that deftly veered from a roar to a larynx-ravaging scream. The noise was impressive, and the intensity was relentless.

12. DeVotchKa (Radio Day Stage at Austin Convention Center) - This Denver band has been all the rage at this festival, but it took me three years to finally catch them. I worried that their manic mix of Greek, mariachi, gypsy and other global flavors would come across as a Rocky Mountain spinoff of Brave Combo. I didn't realize it would also come across as breathtakingly beautiful.

13. Family of the Year (Lanai) - Joyful but never sappy, this L.A. indie pop band churn out upbeat tunes driven by layered unison vocals reminiscent of "Rumours"-era Fleetwood Mac. At their jangly best, they sound like summer feels - warm, breezy and just a little nostalgic. Click arrow to play

14. Middle Brother (Barbarella Patio) - Alt-country supergroup anchored by members of Dawes, Deer Tick and Delta Spirit played their first show together last year at SXSW so it was appropriate that they commemorated the release of their debut CD here as well. The beer-soaked, sunburned crowd was stoked for raucous numbers like "Me, Me, Me," but they also swayed appreciatively to the brooding ballads.

15. Bob Geldof (ACL Live at Moody Theater), Richard Barone (Gingerman), Edwyn Collins (East Side Drive In) and The Bangles (Cedar Street Courtyard) - Back in the '80s, I always gravitated toward the acts that played guitars instead of synthesizers. Thirty years later, I gladly traded the overstuffed venues hosting OMD, Duran Duran and Men Without Hats for rare chances to hear Boomtown Rats leader Geldof sing "I Don't Like Mondays," ex-Bongos leader Barone lure Pylon singer Vanessa Briscoe Hay onstage for a cover of Pylon's "Cool," Orange Juice singer Collins (recovering from a 2005 cerebral hemorrhage) resurrect the irresistible "Rip It Up," and the Bangles roar through a faithful cover of Nazz's "Open My Eyes."

Other bands I caught: The Generationals, The Inspector Cluzo, Laura Stevenson and the Cans, The Head and the Heart, Erland and the Carnival, Matthew and the Atlas, Smoosh, Civil Wars, Carla Morrison, Dry the River, Brandon Chandler, Moondoggies, Times New Viking, Apex Manor, Lucinda Williams, Foster the People, Cambodian Space Project, Wagon, Vaudeville Thrill, Rah Rah, The Minus 5, Jon Langford and Skull Orchard, Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3, Cary O'Neill, Eliza Doolittle, If By Yes, Roky Erickson with Meat Puppets, Tune-Yards, Kemp and Eden, and mi-gu.  - David O.

[mustseemorebands]

My 15 greatest moments at South by Southwest 2010 (or How I saw 45 bands in 72 hours and woke up to write about it)

1. Closing night tribute to Alex Chilton (Antone’s) – The death of pop icon Alex Chilton four days before he was scheduled to reunite with Big Star at SXSW cast a palpable sense of loss over the otherwise festive festival. And in the Austin tradition, musicians channeled their sorrow into singing as the band went on with the show, filling Chilton’s role with an array of surprise guest vocalists that included Evan Dando, Sondre Lerche, Chuck Prophet, Curt Kirkwood of the Meat Puppets and John Doe. The crowning moment came when Susan Cowsill, the Watson Twins and Mike Mills of R.E.M. turned “September Gurls” into harmony heaven.

2.  Free Energy leaves me wanting more cowbell (Cedar Street Courtyard) – The temperature had dropped to the 30s but this young Philly outfit made the outdoor setting feel like the summer of 1975 with a shaggy-haired, power chord-studded set of Thin Lizzy-inspired originals that left us dazed but never confused.

3.   Holy F**k makes me say ‘Holy cow!’ (Galaxy Room patio) – After three years of making fun of their name, I finally caught this Toronto instrumental quartet and was stunned to see them “playing” electronica music, not merely programming it. Mixing a live rhythm section with an arsenal of pedals, knobs and keyboards, they looked like a techno-jazz lab partners having the time of their lives.

4.   Roman Candle proves they are the greatest American rock ‘n’ roll band – at least this week (BD Riley’s) – With a snarl worthy of a young Mick Jagger and the soulful urgency of Bob Dylan’s Highway 61 Revisited, my favorite band of 2009 opened with their two best songs ( “Eden Was a Garden” and “Why Modern Radio is A-OK”) and still the show got better as it rocked along.

5.  Kate Miller-Heidke’s jaw-dropping song about Facebook (Maggie Mae’s) – She looked like just another sensitive folkie – but somewhere between the moment she erupted into operatic octaves and turned a novelty song about a manipulative ex-boyfriend having the gall to try and friend her on Facebook into a raging manifesto, this Australian newcomer channeled the endearing quirks of Regina Spektor, Nellie McKay and Jill Sobule into a strikingly original style.

6. Nneka offers the best of all worlds (Cedar Street Courtyard) – The Nigerian-German singer draws comparisons to Erykah Badu but she’s actually more like an global pop version of Van Morrison. Gliding from reggae to African to hip-hop rhythms, she was both hip and hypnotic.

7.  Lissie is so much more! (St. David’s Episcopal Church) – Backed by a guitarist and a bassist who plays kick drum at the same time, this soulful Illinois country-folk singer reached inside to hammer home notes that most singers would merely hit. In a word: glorious.

8. Meet the new Courtney Love, same as the old Courtney Love (Stubb’s) – The new incarnation of Hole played their first U.S. show, sounding more like boomy arena-rock than the jagged punk of the original lineup. Ms. Love, however, was in forceful, ferociously funny form, reintroducing herself with a perfectly suited cover of the Stones’ “Sympathy for the Devil”, revealing the usually hidden auxiliary musician who shadows her guitar playing, and bragging about how great one of her new songs is – and then refusing to play it.

9.  Street Sweeper Social Club scores a knockout (Ghost Room) – Rage Against the Machine’s Tom Morello’s hip-hop collaboration with The Coup’s Boots Riley was one of a dozen names on an all-star bill to raise awareness for prisoner rehabilitation campaign Jail Guitar Doors. But even the clout of Billy Bragg, Wayne Kramer of the MC5 and R.E.M’s omnipresent Mike Mills couldn’t overshadow the sonic assault that included an explosive cover of LL Cool J’s “Mama Said Knock You Out.”

10. Titus Andronicus confirms it's possible to rock too hard ( Red 7 Patio) – Heavily influenced by the Hold Steady, the Replacements and the Civil War, this literate New Jersey band can't decide if they want to be rock 'n' roll saviors or punk heroes. So they settled for just raising a raucous ruckus.

11.  Zooey Deschanel is no diva, but she's trying (Cedar Street Courtyard) – Before She & Him went onstage, the audience was told that they were not allowed to take photos during the show. I’m pretty sure that wasn’t M. Ward’s request. As insurance, the stage lighting was kept dark red, meaning many fans couldn’t even see the band. Diva demands aside, Ms. Deschanel's voice has gained confidence and by the time they hit “Thieves” and a luscious cover of Skeeter Davis’ “Gonna Get Along Without You Now,” all was forgiven.

12. The Bewitched Hands on Top of Our Heads live up to their name (Klub Krucial) - lf you call yourself The Bewitched Hands on Top of Our Heads, you'd better be France's best power pop band ever. Well whatdayaknow.

13.  Miike Snow’s cool Swedish pop (Cedar Street Courtyard) – The newest darling of the Swedish pop scene is short on stage presence but overstocked with pop hooks, pulsing rhythms, and futuristic atmospherics that occasionally made them sound less crafty and more like Kraftwerk.

14.  Warpaint goes on a rampage (Red Eyed Fly patio) – All-woman LA band unleashed reverb-drenched mood music that starts as ethereal shoegazing but gradually escalates into a remarkably tight, full-throttle assault.

15. The Postelles go gloriously postal (Antone's) – This New York band, which drove 22 hours to play for 35 minutes, specializes in perky retro-pop - imagine if Joe Jackson's first album had been sung by Dion and the Belmonts.

Other acts I caught: Mayer Hawthorne, Everest,The Watson Twins, Rural Alberta Advantage, Sally Seltmann, Cheap Trick, John Smith, April Smith and the Great Picture Show, Crayon Fields, Nicole Atkins, Oh Mercy, Scars on 45, Damion Suomi and the Minor Prophets, Mackintosh Braun, Living Sisters, Marina and the Diamonds, Fergus and Geronimo, Crystal Antlers, Irsh band, Shearwater, Fanfarlo, Gordon Gano and the Ryans, Dead Sexy, Miles Kurosky of Beulah,  Richard Barone, Superchunk, Let’s Wrestle, Radar Brothers, Court Yard Hounds (aka Emily Robison and Martie Maguire of The Dixie Chicks), Ray Davies, and Roky Erickson with Okkervil River.  -- David O

[mustseemorebands]

My 15 favorite acts at SXSW 2009

I just returned from my 16th trek to Austin's annual South by Southwest music festival. The air was cool, the bars were crowded and the Magnolia Cafe pancakes were peach. As usual, the acts I stumbled upon wound up impressing me more than many of the bands I specifically wanted to see:

1. Cocktail Slippers (Antone's) - All-woman garage-rock band from Oslo, Norway, signed to Little Steven Van Zandt's Wicked Cool label. They look like they just stepped out of a groovy time machine, but they rock like pre-"Heart of Glass" Blondie.

2. Avett Brothers (Stubbs) - They play dark-tinged pop songs on bluegrass instruments, which they attack on stage with a punk-rock vengeance. Thrilling, chilling, and thoroughly entertaining.

3. Charlie Pickett (The Yard Dog ) - Early '80s Miami punk scene kingpin's snarling blend of Stones-style country blues with Velvet Underground-stoked noise has lost none of its clout. His cover of the VU's "I'm Waiting for the Man" raised a ruckus, but his classic "If This Is Love, Can I Get My Money Back?" raised the roof.

4. Eli "Paperboy" Reed and the True Loves (Room 710) - Boston-based singer-guitarist looks like Richie Cunningham's cousin, howls like Otis Redding's long-lost son. Soul music lives!

5. Heartless Bastards (Stubbs) - If you've ever wondered what thunder sounds like when backed by electric guitars ...

6. Playing For Change Band (Opal Divine's) - Makeshift band formed from the head-spinning array of global street singers captured in the documentary "Playing For Change" opened their U.S. tour here and showcased the inspiring power of people singng together. They recreated their Web video hit "Stand by Me" but also transformed Tracy Chapman's "Talking 'Bout a Revolution" and 4 Non Blondes' "What's Up?" into inspiring hymns.

7. Willie Nile (Fado's Irish Pub) - He's a late-'70s cult hero who was tainted with the dreaded "new Dylan" tag but 30 years later, his still-potent live show proves with better timing, he could have been the American Joe Strummer. His breathtaking 30-minute set reached back to his second album for "Golden Down" and was capped with a ferocious four-song Ramones medley.

8. Gringo Star  (Paradise) - I was lured by the jokey name, but I stayed for the whole set because this Atlanta quartet charges through serious pop songs with bar-band abandon.

9. Vivian Girls (Red 7 patio ) - This all-woman Brooklyn trio purposely sabotages their otherwise catchy pop songs with droning distortion and pummeling guitars. But just when you're about to get tired of searching for the hooks under the onslaught, they say something ("Can you understand what I'm saying? You can? We need more reverb") or do something (they swapped instruments in the middle of their last song without missing a beat) that makes them more charming than churning.

10. Dent May and His Magnificent Ukulele (Antone's) - Imagine Jonathan Richman backed by the Beach Boys. Yeah, at times, he was that good.

11. Lucy Walsh (Driskill Hotel) - This 25-year-old Myspace star is Joe Walsh's daughter and was also Ashlee Simpson's backup singer (insert joke here). But none of that mattered once she brought surprise guest Taylor Locke (gutarist from power pop band Rooney) on stage and transformed what could have been a soggy set of overly earnest confessional piano balladry into something much more moving.

12. Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down (The Parish) - This San Francisco singer is funky, fun, and fierce - so why isn't she more famous than K.T. Tunstall?

13.  Echo and the Bunnymen (Stubbs) - As they unleashed impressive new tunes between "Killing Moon" and a crashing arrangement of "Lips Like Sugar," they weren't just louder than 1981  - they were almost better.

14. Lenka (The Parish) - There are plenty of reasons to distrust perky Australian chanteuses who decorate the stage with cutouts of forest animals and whose songs have been used in Old Navy commercials. But midway through her relentlessly upbeat set, I couldn't think of a single one.

15. Tinted Windows (Pangaea) - Much-hyped debut performance of the new pop supergroup featuring James Iha of Smashing Pumpkins, Taylor Hanson of Hanson, Bun E. Carlos of Cheap Trick and Adam Schlesinger of Fountains of Wayne was solid. But if it wasn't as magical as it should have been, maybe that's because nothing could have matched my impossibly high expectations. Or maybe it was because Adam of Fountains of Wayne just played bass.

Other acts I caught: Blitzen Trapper, Rebekah Pulley and the Reluctant Prophets, Golden Filter, The Phenomenal Handclap Band, Camera Obscura, Tallest Man on Earth,  Lucero, The Von Bondies, M Ward, Great Lakes Myth Society, Sam Roberts Band, Alina Simone, Jim Bianco, Andre Williams, Cold War Kids, Hot Panda, Roy Head, Haley Bonar, Gary Louris and Mark Olsen, School of Seven Bells, The Proclaimers, Superdrag, and Devo. - David O.