Last year, it was Lady Sovereign. This year, it was supposed to be Lily Allen. But boozy blues chanteuse Amy Winehouse was the name that emerged as the next hot U.K. diva-to-be at SxSW. We’re happy to say we saw her a few times. We’re sorry to say that none…
We figured that most of the people packed onto the patio at Red 7 on Friday, March 16, were there to see seminal punks J Church. The SxSW Pocket Guide listed “special guests” as the act that would follow J Church, and we hadn’t a clue as to who the…
The water here in Austin isn’t helping the delicious nappyness. It’s simultaneously sticky and slippery, can leave a film, and leaves conditioner obsolete. And no matter how hard you try, that shampoo ain’t coming out of your hair. Once the sweat sinks in, you’re facing sticky fingers and an afternoon…
Stalking. Shimmying. Hands-on-hips swivels. Tight-ass visible through blinding glitter pants. Just play one of the old ones and we’ll eat out of your hands. Perry Farrell’s back catalog gives him the right to make those giant gestures onstage –grandiose, tai-chi movements, arms cutting through the air as if altering time…
Names: Chris Juargo (left) and Mikey Bielecki (right) Spotted: 6th. Chris, handing me a flier: Come to our show tonight. We’re in a band called Fight the Quiet. Only if you let me take your picture. Mikey: You have to get in the picture with us. We like hugs. There’s…
Click the photo for an audio slideshow for Rev.’s set. Please forgive my brevity, but I just fell asleep for 10 minutes with this computer on my lap and I can’t afford to let that happen again. I hear the computer-in-lap consequences are a lot worse than if I bored…
On Friday, March 16, Phoenix-based band The Breakup Society rocked the patio stage at Habana Calle 6, during the Get Hip Records showcase. It was a miracle the garage/pop/rock band made the gig at all — the group left Phoenix to make the drive to Austin late on Wednesday night,…
Our associate, Victoria Renard, was all up in Iggy’s grill when The Stooges played (Seattle radio station) KEXP’s broadcast from Austin City Limits. Click the photo for an audio slideshow…
The Bravery slept through their set at the Village Voice Media Party But, I have to say, they appeared well groomed and clean. They probably got a shower this morning. Maybe that’s why their set lacked in the rock category. Although, I’m willing to be convinced otherwise. I could only…
Click the photo for an audio slideshow of The Horrors at the Village Voice Media Party at South By Southwest. The Horrors just played a three-and-a-half song set at La Zona Rosa. Frontman Feris Badwan was in top form showcasing his ticks. He wrapped himself in some kind of paper…
Like playing Guitar Hero, only REAL: Slash, Tom Morello, Les Claypool onstage early this morning at the Parish. Click on this shit for the full effect. Holy double motherfuck. I have so much to tell you about this thing they call South By Southwest, but this comes first. I saw…
Click the photo for an audio slideshow of Cold War Kids, featuring live audio from their set, Thursday evening, at South By Southwest. Check out SXSW: The Daily Podcast for more live audio from the Cold War Kids, and a few words on Pete Townshend’s lackluster surprise appearance at girlfriend…
“Move here! You guys can stay with me!” Such was the offer of an Austin native to Seattle synth-pop band The Trucks, who rocked the stage at Tap Room @ Six on Thursday, March 15. The four-piece all-female band definitely looked like the grooviest potential houseguests ever, wearing dark green…
Names: Mike (left), Jimmie (right) “spelled with ie.” Spotted: 6th and Brazos, Austin. You live in Austin? How do you like it? It’s kind of overrated. I’m thinking about moving. Jimmie, what’s that a nickname for? Jimmie: That’s it. James is my name, but I’m not Jemima or anything. I’m…
While much of the music action goes down with the sun at SXSW — when fans fill the streets and hustle from bar to bar, bathed in the light of neon signs — there are plenty of afternoon gigs and showcases in the sun, too, and some are well worth…
Click the photo for an audio slideshow of Oakley Hall. I’d love to sit around and talk about how great of a sunny afternoon dance band Oakley Hall was, but I just got word that Pete Townshend’s gonna play an acoustic set across town in a few minutes. Hopefully I…
Click the photo for an audio slideshow featuring Oxford Collapse, Tiny Vipers and Loney, Dear. The City of Austin is full of greasy hair, backbeats and sticky fingers. You can’t throw a rock down the street without hitting a bass player or his/her handler pimping a set later this week…
South by Southwest is like sex or pizza—even when it’s bad, it’s good, but it often leaves an unseemly taste in your mouth. I’ve written about it before, so let’s not overwork it, but here’s a brief synopsis of the thesis shared by the cynical/grumpy/over-it types (that would be, uh,…
Love ’em or hate ’em, the Scissor Sisters aren’t going anywhere—well, except for Japan, and then probably more Europe tour dates and even more U.K. shows. Actually, let me revise: the Scissor Sisters are blowing up everywhere. Except for the U.S. Perhaps it’s snarling, self-conscious purists still smarting over the…
Dave Faulkner, singer-songwriter for Australia’s legendary punk-pop combo the Hoodoo Gurus, sips coffee in his home in Sydney and talks about the band’s decision to regroup and their first trip to the United States in more than a decade. “We played a festival date in Australia, and we discovered we…
OK, we know all of you out there in newspaper-reading land (you know, the three of you who prefer the printed word to rapidly blogged scuttlebutt) depend on us to provide the most accurate information as possible. But hey, music writers are 1) lazy and 2) often drunk, so mistakes…
“I don’t chase trends, categories or genres,” says Walter Salas-Humera, leader of the Silos. Speaking from the tour van as the band makes its way to SXSW, Salas-Humera talks about quietly becoming the elder statesman of alt-country/Americana, even though he’d disagree that the music he makes fits neatly under any…
