MAGNET’s Hobart Rowland files a round of notes from SXSW
See if you can guess the last time I was at South By Southwest. Guided By Voices had recently made its first of two big-rawk statements for pseudo-major TVT. To celebrate, GBV’s drummer felt up my wife at Stubb’s while I was playing pool. (To this day, she says she didn’t mind—a fan to the end.) Outside at Stubb’s on the same night, wheezy Philly Americana quartet Marah—hailed by Steve Earle and a few others (me included) as the second coming of Springsteen—presided over a chilly, rain-soaked bacchanalia. Elsewhere that week, Convoy, an unknown band from the San Diego hills, blew a handful of minds at a day party hosted by … someone. Postscript: After an underwhelming experience with the Hybrid imprint (remember Hybrid?), Convoy inexplicably donned mascara and morphed into oversexed neo-glam act Louis XIV, also now defunct.
This may have been the same SXSW where Ryan Adams stormed off the stage after a minute or so of sitting at the piano with a confused look on his face. Like that was anything new. If you guessed 2000, you’d be correct. Where this is leading, I have no idea. But it feels good to get it out there. And I’m sure my wife appreciates the shout-out. Perhaps the point is that, 16 years later, I’m still chasing after great music—except now, most of the artists are less than half my age. Here were my 10 favorite shows:
1) Honeyblood
Everything they say about Scottish girls is true. This female duo rocks harder than most bands twice its size. And the songwriting is so solid you don’t miss the bass.
2) Fight Like Apes
Dublin’s answer to Siouxsie And The Banshees, co-fronted by a surly drunk dude with impeccable taste in sleeveless Christmas sweaters.
3) Israel Nash
“Hey, man. You sure you’re not Neil Young And Crazy Horse?” Such was the general sentiment at this showcase among the pews at a downtown Episcopal church. Derivative in the best sense, Nash is a minister’s son with an old soul and backbone honed from scratchy ’70s vinyl.
4) Dorothy
Throbbing Los Angeles neo-metal-sludge outfit. Think early Soundgarden, but exchange Chris Cornell for a wailing brunette with overt porn-star sex appeal.
5) SOAK
An 18-year-old lesbian from Northern Ireland with a hushed, almost otherworldly delivery, whose songs about alienation and sea life kept a Sixth Street spillover crowd silent for a solid half hour.
6) Anthony D’Amato
He’d been up 24 hours straight when he made his way to the stage at the New West day party, but D’Amato still delivered a taut performance with a bunch of Austin pickup guys he’d just met. He’s more than just a Dylan clone with an Ivy League degree. Seriously.
7) Sun Club
This just in: Madly energetic Baltimore quintet gets tribal on the floor toms and xylophone. Five people loved what they saw.
8) Young Buffalo
The pride of Oxford, Miss., combined multi-part harmonies with a command of melody and arrangements beyond its years.
9) Bob Schneider
The unofficial mayor of Austin didn’t need no stinkin’ badges when he headlined an unsanctioned string of barnburners at Threadgill’s, just south of town.
10) Mumiy Troll
He’s already conquered Russia, so why was Mumiy Troll’s Ilya Lagutenko sucking up to 35 shit-faced college students on a shabby outdoor stage in the rainy wee hours of the morning? Because this is America, baby.
More photos after the jump.
