J's SXSW Days 3 and 4 Review

Day three might have been the best day for me of the festival.  I started out at The Current's Free Yr Radio Party.  This party was particularly great because each band was interviewed and broadcasted on live radio.  The first band that I was able to catch was The Duke Spirit from the UK.  They played two awesome tracks from their latest release, Neptune.  Shortly thereafter, She and Him took the stage for a few songs and to discuss the future for the duet.  I was happy to learn that this is will be a long term endeavor for them.  She and Him is the collaboration of singer/songwriter M Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel.  This was probably the my most anticipated act of the festival and did not disappoint.  His unique style of songwriting and her classic voice make this duo outstanding.  The next band I caught was the scratchy Times New Viking from Columbus, OH at Emo's.  I had to use my earplugs since their sound is often rough and distorted.  While this is not normally the type of music I listen to, I will say that I certainly did enjoy this show.  I walked back over to Red Eye Fly to catch a bit of Grand Ole Party again.  It may have been just hearing a different sound from the previous club, but I just couldn't get into this band on my second time around.  Around six, I made the trek over to the Auditorium Shores stage to catch Canadian alt-country band The Sadies.  I had some familarity with this band, but had never seen them.  I have to say that I was impressed with their style.  It is certainly unlike any alt-country band I have ever heard.

The night time started for me at Bourbon Rocks where I caught Seattle singer/songwriter Sera Cahoone.  This show got off to a rocky start as the sound crew at Bourbon Rocks seemed to have trouble keeping the equipment working properly.  Once they got that fixed, the show was outstanding.  I really like Sera Cahoone's soothing acoustic sound and look forward to hearing her new release.  I walked over to the Parish to catch the next few acts that would go on there.  The first was Radar Bros.  I found them to be rather ordinary and couldn't really get into them.  Following them were the Shout Out Louds.  I found this show of theirs to be much better than the one I had seen the day before at Flamingo Cantina.  The final act I saw at the Parish was She and Him.  This set was much longer than the one I had seen earlier in the day.   They reeled off many cuts from their upcoming (now released) album.  I tried to watch the Castanets at the end of the night but got too hungry to continue.

I spent most of the day time of day four at the Garden Party at the French Legation.  The first band I saw was Lightspeed Champion, whose eclectic power pop did very little for me.  I was impressed with Sons and Daughters, though it really isn't they type of music I normally get into.  I couldn't see the next two acts, J Mascis and Thurston Moore, but I did hear them and both sounded great.  The last act I caught was She and Him for a third and final time.  The show was quite similar to the night before.  They are still magnificent and probably my favorite act of the festival.

At night, I caught the first few songs of Boston, MA band Tulsa.  The first song didn't do much for me, but they sure did rock after that.  I have since purchased their CD.  I tried to catch the M Ward and Jim James show at St. David's Church, but for some reason, they wouldn't let me in.  They said they were filled to capacity, but all reports I heard said that they were not.  I heard I missed a great show.  I ended up at the Parish again.  The first band I saw there was The Most Serene Republic.  I didn't get too into them.  Musically they were good, but their singer weirded me out a bit.  Following them, the Constantines gave a rather nice show.  I had heard they were good but never really got into them.  It took me a few songs to get used to the scratchy voice of the singer.  I think I'll have to go back and listen to a few of the albums of theirs that someone gave me.  The last band I caught was Jason Collett.  This time I got to pay more attention to him and his band.  I enjoyed this show a lot more than the one at Emo's Annex on day one.  I tried to go by Emo's Annex to see The Spinto Band, but I guess I was just not in the mood for it.  I walked into the Thirsty Nickel to meet up with B and watch Kid Dakota.  He certainly got more into it than I did.  We tried to catch British Sea Power at the end, but nobody was really up for it, so we left.

This year's festival was as strong as ever.  I've found a few new bands to listen to and hopefully catch again.  I'll be reviewing those which I like in the coming weeks.  The rest of my pictures can be found here.  

SXSW 2008 - Day 4

Day Shows

The final day of SXSW started with a trip to see the Flatstock show at the Austin Convention Center. There were a number of exhibitors with stylish and artful posters and prints on display and for sale. After checking out the art work, it was time to walk to the day party so it was off to the French Legation Museum for The Garden Party sponsored by Harp Magazine and Press Here. This was a nice outdoor show with a solid line-up and $1 PBR. The downside was the long lines for the bar and bathrooms. I think they mis-judged the number of people that would attend.

Lightspeed Champion (2:20pm) - This band led by Devonte Hynes also features vocalist Emmy the Great and mixes a variety of genres. They made for fine background music while I read my free Harp Magazine.

Sons & Daughters (3:00pm) - It was good to see the Glasgow band (pictured) again. Adele Bethel's strong vocals and Scott Paterson's guitar were impressive. The tracks off their new CD sound really solid live, and it was a treat to her them play the song Johnny Cash off their debut, Love the Cup.

J. Mascis (3:50pm) - Best known for his work with alt-rock pioneer, Dinosaur, Jr. It was nice to get to hear the legend play a solo show. His singing my not be as dynamic as it once was, but he still plays a mean guitar.

Thurston Moore (4:30pm) - Another solo show from an alt-rock legend. Moore is best known for his work with Sonic Youth.

She & Him (5:15pm) - This was a third offering of M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel at SXSW 2008. I really enjoy their collaboration. Deschanel has written some fine songs and fits perfectly with M. Ward's lo-fi approach. I've since purchased the debut CD, Volume One, and recommend it.

Okkervil River (6:05pm) - I've yet to see a full set from this Austin band even though I'm a big fan. I saw them open for The Decemberists a few years ago and only caught the final two songs. The shows at The Garden Party day show had been running behind so G and I listened to a few songs before heading to get food and get in line for the first of the night shows. What I heard was great and maybe I'll be able to check their Dallas show in early April. Last year's CD, The Stage Names was one of my favorite releases of 2007.


Night Shows

Jacob Golden (St. David's Church, 8:00pm) - G and I were only in attendance so we could guarantee seats for the next 2 shows. The slow acoustic indie-folk almost put me to sleep.

M. Ward (St. David's Church, 9:00pm) - Since we arrived early, we were able to get seats in the front row right by where M. Ward was setup. This show was simply incredible. One highlight was Poison Cup from Ward's last CD, Post-War. Towards the end of the set, Jim James joined Ward. They played Ward songs and some My Morning Jacket songs. Video of Ward's Chinese Translation and My Morning Jacket's Golden courtesy of G.

Jim James (St. David's Church, 10:00pm) - Frontman for the indie rock group, My Morning Jacket continued after Ward departed. He even played some songs from the band's upcoming summer release.

Laura Gibson (The Thirsty Nickel, 11:00pm) - This Portland, OR indie-folk artist had the unfortunate luck of being stuck in this inappropriate venue. The stage was right near the street so street and bar noise drowned out some of her lovely songs. As the set continued I was able to get closer and really enjoyed what I heard. I picked up her latest release.

Kid Dakota (The Thirsty Nickel, 12:00am) - This guitar & drum duo from Minneapolis, MN played louder than Laura Gibson so they were able to overcome any extra noise problems. Their songs are pretty simplistic and have some odd phrasing, but I still found the music catchy so I picked up their latest CD.

British Sea Power (Maggie Mae's Rooftop, 1:00am) - For the final show of the festival, we walked down a few places to Maggie Mae's to take in the British indie rock band. I had not heard any of the band's new release, but was familiar with their previous work. It was enjoyable enough, but from where I was standing I was unable to even see the band.

And so ended another SXSW. It was a wonderful 4 days of music, both new and old. I look forward to next year's festival. More photos can be found here.

Best of the Day: M. Ward & Jim James

Best New Find of the Day: Laura Gibson

SXSW 2008 - Day 3

Day Shows

Day 3 started at the Free YR Radio Broadcast Corner hosted by Minnesota public radio station 89.3 The Current. These shows ran each day on the corner of 7th and Red River. The show was live on the radio and the host would ask a few questions of the artist followed by a short set.

The Duke Spirit (1:00pm) - G, J, and I arrived early and we were able to get a spot right in front. It was quickly announced that the band would only play two songs as lead singer Leila Moss was suffering from a scratchy voice. She was still energetic and sounded pretty good considering. This was my first exposure to the band other than a download of the song Lassoo from the SXSW site. I'm glad I was able to see the band, and I'm eager to hear their upcoming release Neptune. It would be good to see them do a full set as well.

She & Him (2:15pm) - There was a large crowd gathered for the SXSW debut of the collaboration between Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward. Host Mark Wheat started by asking about how the two met and if they would collaborate again. They indicated they would record again and hope to do a proper tour in the future. Zooey then introduced the band, and they played three songs off the new CD, Volume One, including the track This Is Not a Test (video courtesy of G).

The Sadies (Dirty Dog Bar, 2:40pm) - After the short She & Him set, it was off to Dirty Dog Bar to see the end of The Sadies set at the Yep Roc day party. I was only able to catch the last two songs of their set, but it was just as great as the previous night. These guys rock.

Fleet Foxes (Emo's Main, 3:30pm) - By this time the Pitchfork day party was in full effect. G and I stopped in to catch a few repeat songs of our favorite new band from the previous day. They were still very good.

Times New Viking (Emo's Jr., 4:00pm) - I knew going in to expect loud and raw from this Columbus, Ohio band, and I was right. But I was surprised at how fun it was too. Oddly enough their live sound is less rough than their latest CD, Rip It Off.

A Place to Bury Strangers (Emo's Jr., 5:00pm) - We stopped in for one song from Yeasayer over at Emo's Main, but it really did not sound good to me or G so we decided to grab a good spot for Strangers instead. I decided not to stand as close to the stage this time for the band. On Wednesday they really blew me away with how loud they actually play. They've earned the moniker, "loudest band in NY." At one point singer/guitarist Oliver Ackermann was swinging his guitar by the strings as they broke. Awesome fusion of rock and noise.

The Sadies (Auditorium Shores, 6:00pm) - Yes, it was off to see The Sadies again. This time at the venue on the banks of Town Lake. J and I found a nice spot for badge holders with free drinks and shade. The Sadies played the same set as the night before, but it didn't matter to me as they are just too good to miss in a live setting.

Night Shows

Ryan Bingham (Momo's, 8:00pm) - From Auditorium Shores, we walked a few blocks to Momo's for several performances. To start was local Americana/roots singer Ryan Bingham. He had quite a crowd gathered for his set, but I was really there to see the next two bands.

Future Clouds and Radar (9:00pm) - This Austin band lead by Robert Harrison is an eclectic art rock band that had a critically acclaimed debut double CD last year. The single Back Seat Silver Jet Sighter has become a new favorite of mine over the past month. You could see how much Harrison and his band loved playing, and it came out in their lively set. The bass player used to play for Spoon so there was a Britt Daniels sighting after their show.

The Submarines (10:00pm) - I was here to see this band based on one song called You, Me, and the Bourgeoisie. I'm very glad to have made that decision. Singer Blake Hazard is adorable and was so appreciative of the crowd. The crowd was appreciative right back for her and John Dragonetti's incredibly catchy songs. I look forward to their new CD release later this year.

She & Him (The Parish, 12:00am) - After Momo's it was time for a full set of She & Him. They were set to play a midnight show so I thought I'd catch a little of the Shout Out Louds who were playing before them. That was not to be. What met me was a long badge line at The Parish. G didn't make it in, but luckily I did about 10 minutes prior to M. Ward and Zooey Deschanel taking the stage. She seemed more comfortable during this set and really showed off some singing skills and play keyboard on a couple of songs. It was a well rounded set of tunes from their new CD. In my opinion the band is more than just some novelty interest because of the high profile collaboration.

Castanets (Central Presbyterian Church, 1:00am) - I've seen the Castanets on each of my three SXSW visits. This was a unique chance I thought to see them in a perfect venue. Last year I was able to see two shows (Shearwater, Vashti Bunyan) at the church, and both were great shows with amazing acoustics. Castanets frontman Raymond Raposa commented on the great venue. He and his backing band went on to play mostly cover songs (Suspicious Minds). It was an interesting show, but it featured more Castanets experimentation then a focus on their beautiful, haunting songs.

Favorite of the Day: She & Him

Favorite New Find: The Submarines

Sad to Have Missed: Tapes 'n Tapes, The Airborne Toxic Event, The Builders and the Butchers, Vampire Weekend, Plants and Animals

SXSW 2008 - Day 2

Day 2 started with an excellent lineup with the Under the Radar & Team Clermont day show at Flamingo Cantina. The sponsors gave out free issues and subscriptions of Under the Radar and copies of Image Comics Pop Gun, Volume One.

Elf Power (12:45pm) - The Athens, GA band started off the day for me, and they played a solid set featuring several tracks from their new CD In a Cave which will be released on March 25.

Fleet Foxes (1:35pm) - This Seattle, WA band filled the venue with three part harmonies and melodic indie rock. Their debut EP, Sun Giant, will be released on April 8. Luckily they had copies for sale, and I predict I will be playing it regularly over the next month. Check their myspace page and give the song English House a listen.

Akron/Family (2:25pm) - This band did not work for me on Day 1, but the rest of the day's lineup was a must. Flamingo has a rooftop so we headed up there to escape the sounds of Akron/Family.

The Helio Sequence (3:15pm) - I first saw this Portland, OR duo at last year's Sasquatch Festival. I enjoyed them even more this time. Drummer Benjamin Weikel was impressive and Brandon Summers easily captured the audience's attention with his vocals and guitar. I'll be picking up their new CD, Keep Your Eyes Ahead now.

Rogue Wave (4:05pm) - The California band played several tracks from their latest CD (like Lake Michigan) and also played Bird on a Wire and Publish My Love from Descended with Vultures. The band keeps things exciting by mixing things up on their songs. Always a band worth seeing.

Shout Out Louds (5:00pm) - I had only heard the song Tonight I Have to Leave It which although catchy, it still sounded like a band trying to be The Cure. Luckily, the band is not just a rip off band. They put on an energetic and entertaining show.

Night Shows

Li'l Cap'n Travis (Bourbon Rocks, 8:00pm) - The evening shows started with the popular local band who deftly mix country and rock.

The Evangelicals (Mohawk Patio, 10:00pm) - After Li'l Cap'n Travis, it was off to Mohawk to get a place for the 10pm show plus it's one of the better places to relax and enjoy the city and music. Unfortunately things were running 30 minutes behind so I saw the end of Brooklyn band Phosphorescent which included a Leonard Cohen cover, but not much else that interested me. They were followed by Bodies of Water which interested me even less. Finally at about 10:30pm The Evangelicals took the stage and kicked into their psychedelic rock reminiscent of fellow Oklahoma natives, The Flaming Lips.

Chatham County Line (The Continental Club, 11:00pm) - Prior to The Evangelicals ending it was time to catch a taxi to head to The Continental Club. The reason was for the midnight band, but it was a nice surprise to see this acoustic bluegrass band. Also in attendance was Mike Mills of REM.

The Sadies (The Continental Club, 12:00am) - G and I were able to snag a spot in front of the stage right in front of singer/guitarist Travis Good. I had seen The Sadies one other time when they opened for Neko Case a few years ago. Their blend of alt-country, spaghetti western, surf rock is a joy to see and hear. The Good Bros. are impressive guitar players and keep things lively with their gusto to perform. Video courtesy of G.

Black Mountain (Mohawk Patio, 1:00am) - This Canadian band can really rock. Their new CD In the Future has already been getting some regular playing time from me, and I was a fan of their debut as well. Things were still running late at Mohawk so they didn't start until 1:30am so it was a shorter set than I would have liked. I hope to see a full set from these guys sometime in the future.


Favorite of the Day: The Sadies
Favorite New Find: Fleet Foxes

J's Days 1 and 2 Reviews

Greetings from Austin. It's that time of year where thousands decend our lovely Texas capitol for four days of live music and great times. Here are my thoughts from Days 1 and 2.

Day 1

I spent most of the day with B though I got there later.  It's hard waking up.  After getting my badge and such, I headed over to Emo's to see The Ravonettes.  It had been a few years since I've seen or heard them.  I really enjoyed what they played from their latest release.  I hope to pick that one up soon.  I then walked across the street to Emo's Annex to see Jason Collett.  He's another that I had no listened to for a while.  He did not disappoint as he played mostly from his latest release.  I left there with Jim and headed over to the Day Stage to catch Akron/Family.  They were about the worst thing I saw and heard the entire day.  They seem to be playing a lot here.  I don't get it.  Next on the Day Stage was Ra Ra Riot.  Jim insisted that we go to this.  I was moderately impressed with their quirky indie pop style.  I really enjoyed the spoken word/poetry of Saul Williams.

The first night band I caught was Cincinatti's Chocolate Horse.  I was into it at first but lost interest rather quickly.  We moved on to Maggie Mae's for the Cotton Jones Basket Ride, whom I thought was just the singer from fellow Baltimore band Page France, but it turned out to be most everyone from the band.  The amazing thing is that they sounded nothing like Page France.  They sound bluesier and less subdued.  We turned the corner from there and headed to Latitude 30 to see Kitty Daisy & Lewis.  However, they were running about an hour or so behind. We got tired and decided to leave.  I hungout for a bit before going over to Emo's Lounge to see Kimya Dawson.  I was surprised that she started early.  Since she doesn't play very loud, I found myself easing up to the front to get away from all the talkers.  I was rather entertained by the few songs her's that I got to hear.  All were new to me since I am only familiar with the few songs from the Juno soundtrack and she played none of those.  I caught San Diego's Grand Ole Party.  This trio was probably the best find of the day with their jumpy, energizing sound.  I had hoped to catch Birmingham, AL band Wild Sweet Orange.  I was disappointed to find out that they cancelled.  Instead, I meet back up with B at the Maggie Mae's rooftop for Bon Iver.  I could only hear them, but their soft, melancholy sounds were enjoyable.

Day 2

I spent just about the entire day at Flamingo Cantina.  The day started with Elf Power, whom I had known about but never listened to.  They played mostly from their upcoming CD, In A Cave, which sounded incredible.  I can't wait for it to come out.  Even better than them was Seattle, WA band Fleet Foxes.  Their instrumentation and harmonizing reminded me of Denton, TX band Midlake.  I picked up their EP.  This may have been the best find of this festival so far.  Next up was Akron/Family, so we went to the upstairs to avoid them.  They were as obnixious as they were the first time.  We went back down Portland duo The Helio Sequence.  After listening to a KEXP in studio podcast with them last week, I was really antipating a good show from them.  I certainly got that.  I can't wait to hear more of this Sub Pop act.  Rogue Wave took the stage to entertain us all for about a half hour.  I might have enjoyed them more this time than when I saw them in Denton a month or so ago.  Finally, Shout Out Louds closed the day shows at Flamingo Cantina.  I have listened to them for a while, but never seen them.  I recognized many of the songs and enjoyed the show.

The first act I saw at knight was Jens Lekman at Emo's.  He played solo with an electric guitar and was quite entertaining.  This was my first time seeing or hearing his soft, story-like music.  I loved it.  Next, we went to Emo's Lounge to see Le Loup.  I remembered them from Amber and Jen's Best of 2007.  But nothing of what I heard sounded much like what was on the mix. We then walked over to Mohawk, one of the better venue's in the area, to see the much anticipated Evangelicals from Norman, OK.  I enjoyed the show, but wasn't blown away like I thought I would be.  Once they finished, I headed downstairs at Mohawk to catch San Francisco's Citay.  They are a six-piece that is mostly instrumental and appears a bit "jammy" at times.  I enjoyed listenting to them more on the studio recordings than I did live.  That could have had something to do with the bar area being a bit crowded though.  I finished the night at Mohawk listening to the Canadian band Black Mountain.  I was a bit out of it by then so I don't remember much about it.

Back with more later.

SXSW 2008 - Day 1

One of my favorite times of the year is here. Yesterday was Day 1 of the SXSW Music Festival in Austin, TX. This is my third year at SXSW, and the first two were wonderful. The day started with a quick trip through the badge line at the Austin Convention Center, and then I was off to start my week of music.

My first stop was the Austinist & Gothamist day party at Mohawk. The first band was the Boston/Dublin quartet, The Bleedin Bleedins at 12:30pm. They didn't do much for me really with two decent songs in the set. Next was the reason I was at this day party, the Brooklyn trio A Place to Bury Strangers. These guys were loud and great with a JAMC/Joy Division sound cranked up to 10.

Next it was off to Emo's Main for the 2:55pm show of The Raveonettes. First however I caught some of These New Puritans, but quickly made my way over to Emo's Jr. to see if there was something better. I managed to catch 2 songs from Headlights and was nicely surprised. I was glad to come across this band and will try to catch a whole set this week if possible. Prior to The Raveonettes was YACHT a band with Jona Bechtolt who was previously in The Blow. YACHT is really just a guy singing over laptop music which is similar to The Blow except without the entertainment value of Khaela Maricich. The real highlight at Emo's was The Raveonettes. The Denmark duo played several tracks from their new CD, Lust Lust Lust. I've been giving this CD a good amount of play time lately and really enjoyed hearing the songs live, esp. You Want the Candy and Aly, Walk with Me.

During the Emo's shows I was joined by friends Jim and J. We next headed across the street to Emo's Annex for free Lone Star and to see the Arts & Crafts artist Jason Collett at 3:50pm. It was a nice leisurely set with tracks from his latest CD, Here's to Being Here plus a few off his last release, Idols of Exile. Next was a folky, Americana set from Sean Hayes at 4:30pm.

Next was the SESAC showcase at the convention center. I unfortunately caught one song from Akron/Family. I had only heard one of their songs previously called Phenomena which I liked. The song I caught here I found annoying to say the least. I'll be avoiding these guys the rest of the week. Based on a recommendation from Jim, we stayed for the next band Ra Ra Riot. I wasn't crazy about the lead singer, but the band had a good and fun sound plus it was different from anything else I'd heard during the day. The SESAC showcase ended with Saul Williams who blends poetry and hip-hop, but here he focused on an acoustic set. That was the conclusion of the day shows.

The night shows started at 8pm and J and G joined me at Spiro's to see a Cincinnati band called The Chocolate Horse. They had a loungy sound that included a stand-up bass and flute. After a few songs we moved over to Maggie Mae's Rooftop to see a few songs from NY band Day for Night. I'm a sucker for bands named after movies so I had an interest in seeing this band. I did enjoy the 3 or 4 songs I caught. After Maggie Mae's it was a short walk down to the Soho Lounge to see The Cotton Jones Basket Ride. This band features several members from the Maryland group Page France. Although the bands have a common singer, the sound is quite different. I'm definitely interested in hearing more from this new band.

The plan was to next see the London band Kitty Daisy & Lewis at Latitude 30. First we sat through a partial set from the Nashville band, The Young Republic. They were a large band that didn't even fit on the stage. After waiting for 30 minutes for Kitty Daisy & Lewis to setup, we finally gave up and moved on to get ready for some shows at Antone's.

The next two shows at Antone's were the gigs I was most looking forward to for the day. Unfortunately things started off badly with a long wait in line at the door. It makes me question getting a badge to SXSW when this kind of thing happens. It's only happened to me really at Antone's and the surprise Flaming Lips and Beastie Boys shows 2 years ago. Those surprise shows made sense, but Antone's seems to have a problem with getting people into their establishment. However after getting inside things improved greatly when the Glasgow band Sons & Daughters hit the stage. They were energetic as they played through several songs of their new CD, This Gift. After their set, G headed to Emo's to check out the line for the 1am Black Keys show. I stayed at Antone's and found a nice spot mid-stage to catch the London duo, The Kills. I've been into the band for a few years now and this was my first chance to get to see them. It was a great show. They had lots of energy and guitarist/singer VV (Alison Mosshart) ruled the stage. Their new songs were great, and I can't wait to get the new CD when it is released. I was also very happy to hear the title track from their last CD, No Wow.

After The Kills I started to head to Emo's but quickly found getting into Emo's for The Black Keys would be futile as they were at capacity. So I met G and J at Maggie Mae's Rooftop to finish the night with Bon Iver. It had been a long day and although I did like what I was hearing, we decided to call it a night about half way through the set. So at 1:30am after getting to the convention center at 11am to start the day, it was time to head for the land of sleep and rest up for Day 2.

Favorite of the Day: The Kills

Favorite New Find: The Cotton Jones Basket Ride

Lollapalooza Day Three: I'm Still Alive

Day three was really something special.

Los Campesinos!
For me, skipping The Black Angels is pretty serious. But the first few songs I had heard from Cardiff rockers Los Campesinos! had me very curious as to what they sounded like live. They certainly did not disappoint. Each and every song was filled with lots of energy. I especially loved You! Me! Dancing!

Apostle of Hustle
I had heard good things about the Canadian band Apostle of Hustle, so I thought I'd use this opportunity to check them out. I gave them five songs to pull me in and by the fifth I was ready to leave. The first few sounded ok, but the fifth (coined as an intrumental, but I swear I heard lyrics) was what singer Andrew Whiteman described as a "song about a pony express rider, with a bag of weed, a bag of MDMA, holding the decapatated heads of Canadian Prime Minister Stephen Harper and US President George W. Bush." While the idea neither pleases me nor offends me, the idea of a song being about that bores me.

Peter Bjorn and John
I was very excited to see this show and arrived at the Citi stage early because I thought that Lollapalooza had scheduled them on too small of a stage. I arrived early and eager to hear PB&J. Three songs in, the sound went dead and it appeared that the stage had no electricity. I waited for about ten more minutes for them to come back, but appeared that this was not going to happen. I was greatly disappointed, but not in the band. Too bad. I really hoping to see them again.

Modest Mouse
It was a tough decision to miss My Morning Jacket, but since they tour more often than Modest Mouse, the decision was made for me. Issac walked out on stage hardly recognizable as himself with a beard, glasses, and some silly hat. But it certainly sounded like him and the rest of the band as they reeled off song after great song from each of their last three releases. This should would have been outstanding if not for one thing - it was not loud enough. Granted I was sitting towards the back, I spoke to people that were much closer that had the same opinion. Either way, Modest Mouse with Johnny Marr is greatness.

Pearl Jam
I'll confess. I haven't listened to Pearl Jam since around 1996. I assume I probably wasn't much different than most of the people in the crowd in that aspect. Seeing the great Eddie Vedder walk out and play so many of Pearl Jam's great songs reminded me of a time in my life when music seemed different and more simple. It was a time before the internet, when finding new music was best done in your friend's car on the way home from school.

What's so amazing to me is how some of those Pearl Jam songs have, at least until now, stood the test of time. There were more that we all knew than we probably remembered that we did. They opened with Why Go, an early track from their monumental first album, Ten. Songs like Corduroy, Daughter, Elderly Woman Behind the Counter of a Small Town, and Evenflow were all crowd favorites. I even caught other people singing them as I was as I walked around. They closed their first set with Alive, their first single that I can remember. You could hear the crowd sing almost as loud as Eddie. My thoughts were, had Kurt Cobain hung around and Nirvana been there, we all would have been singing Smells Like Teen Spirit. Those two bands of that time were certainly of the same caliber and had the same impact. But it was great to hear everyone singing this song. These guys changed the course of music as we know it today.

The encore opened with Eddie playing the first few recognizable notes of Better Man, while letting the crowd sing the entire first verse. It was awesome how the words just flowed off of our lips. Another thing that Eddie got into was the campaign to keep BP Amoco from dumping waste into Lake Michigan. He even played a catchy little tune that went, "Don't go...to BP Amoco". Needless to say, the crowd loved it.

Lastly, the most memorable moment of the night came when Eddie did a third encore, bringing a veteran from the Iraqi War on stage to promote the ending of the war. Ben Harper then came out to join him in a song. The night ended in the two of them, along with several others, singing Neil Young's Rockin In The Free World.

I left Lollapalooza this year happy and proud. I was proud of someone from my generation (the of Gen X) to get involved and speak out on current issues. I was proud that it seemed that Eddie Vedder enjoyed every minute of that show. It showed on his face. And I was happy because music makes me happy. There are few subsitutes in this world that give me the same sense of joy. This was probably the best Lollapalooza Music Festival I have attended.


I'll have pictures and other festival commentary up tomorrow.

Lollapalooza Day Two: Turn On The Bright Lights

Day Two, you ain't no day one.

I'm From Barcelona
The much anticipated show from the Swedish band I'm From Barcelona was nothing short of spectacular. All members of the band came out and immediately began distributing balloons. I was sure this would be a fun show and no doubt it was just that. They played the full hour of songs from their debut album, Let Me Introduce My Friends, along with several other tracks. This show was a great way to get the day started.

Pete Yorn
It had been nearly five years since I had seen the great Pete Yorn. Since then, I had pretty much forgotten about him, putting his phenomenal debut album musicforthemorningafter, up on the shelf. He made me regret this and I will certainly be pulling it back from the shelf very soon. I also need to add his latest title to my collection. Pete Yorn put on one hour of great live music. I found myself singing along to many of the songs of a few years ago that I used to jam to. And in a comedic moment, he did a cover of Peter Bjorn and John's Young Folks, citing that someone had mistaken him for being the author the "whistling song". I was quite impressed with his rendition. And I'm sorry for abandoning you, Pete. But you are back in the rotation now.

Sam Roberts Band
I didn't catch much of this show and had never heard of Sam Roberts Band, but I did enjoy the few tracks I heard. They had a pretty good rhythm to their music.

Cold War Kids
Truth be told, the planners of Lollapalooza had this band on the wrong stage. They should have been at a much bigger stage because it was overcrowded. Meanwhile, Motion City Soundtrack were at the larger stage and did not attract as many people from what I could tell. However, Cold War Kids sounded much better than I remember them sounded at this years SXSW conference. I'll have to check them out again when I get a chance to actually see them.

Clap Your Hands Say Yeah
Gone are the days when I used to get up close to see CYHSY. They've become much too popular and for great reason - they're even better than ever. An hour long set of old and new favorites was as solid as any show I've seen from them in the last couple of years.

The Hold Steady
I promised a friend of mine that I would try my best to get in to this band. Musically, I thought they sounded great, but vocalist Craig Finn's voice is hard for me to get into. In fact, it almost ruins the sound for me. I'd like to hear him try singing rather than talking. Other than that, the performance was pretty good.

Yeah Yeah Yeahs
I'd been waiting to see Karen O and her band for quite a while now and this was my chance. A packed AT&T stage would not allow me to get up close, but I was able to enjoy this show from a distance as Karen O in her costumes sang and danced across the stage in her unique way. I really enjoyed Gold Lion, Date With The Night, and especially, Cheated Hearts.

Spoon
Seeing Spoon anymore is like going to see an old friend. Though it was raining and tons of people were walking around me to get to their next show, I enjoyed seeing and hearing Britt Daniel play the songs from their new release, Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga. They mostly stuck to playing from their last three albums, which are all great. I could watch this band play everyday and not ever get tired of them. I only regret leaving too early to get to Interpol. They played my favorite song, Anything You Want, after I left.

Interpol
While I am sure that Muse had tons more people at their show, there was no way I was going to choose them over Interpol. And Interpol would not make me regret that decision. Fresh off the release of their third full length, Our Love To Admire, Interpol played what would become my favorite show of the day. The guitar Carlos Dengler sounded so amazing on each and every song that it is hard to choose a favorite. As always, the Interpol light show used solid reds, purples, and blues to illuminate the set. I especially enjoyed the encore of NYC and Stella Was A Diver And She Was Always Down. Interpol is one of the best live acts going today.

Lollapalooza Day One: Music's Got Me Feelin' So Free

Day one of Lollapalooza 2007 was definitely one to remember. Here are the details of each of the bands we saw.

The Fratelli's.
We arrived at Grant Park close to noon and made it to the MySpace stage about fifteen minutes into their set. As we walked up, they were playing their song Flathead, made famous by the iPod commercials that they have been featured on. I was hoping to hear Whistle for the Choir, but perhaps they had already played it before we got there.

Ghostland Observatory
The screechy voice Aaron Behrens and groovy rhythms of Thomas Ross Turner that make up Ghostland Observatory continue to get a crowd moving, even in the noon hour. Once again, they did not disappoint as they reeled off track after track of dance rock.

Son Volt
Since Jay Farrar reworked the band, he is writing and performing perhaps the best music of his post Son Volt days. They mixed in several songs from this years The Search and 2005's Okemah and the Melody of Riot. But of course, the band closed their set with the crowd favorite, Drown.

The Polyphonic Spree
It's been just over a month since that amazing show that I attended at the Granada in Dallas. Today's show was every bit as as great as that show as the band played mostly from the recently released The Fragile Army and included a few from The Beginning Stages Of... They stopped half way through their set and changed in to their classic robes to finish the set with When A Fool Becomes A King. This might have been my favorite show of the day. This band continues to bring lots of smiles to my face.

Sparklehorse
Mark Linkous and crew played a very typical show - not much from the new album, and loads from the first few albums. They did seem a tad uninterested in playing. I have to admit, I was surprised to see them on the bill since I did not think they were touring any longer this year. They finished the set ten minutes early much to the disappointment of the crowd. I did enjoy Painbirds, Spirit Ditch, and Gold Day though.

Silversun Pickups
I didn't catch much of this set. The singer's leprechaun voice and face scared me away. But I really do love their music. Had Blonde Redhead not been up against them, I would have stayed longer.

Blonde Redhead
My first time seeing this band in Dallas almost doesn't count. I knew none of their songs and had only heard the newest album one time. Since then, I've listened to 23 probably fifty times and I love every note of it. I was quite happy as the trio played many songs from that album and a few that I did not know. I really love the sound that this group has going right now. This time definitely counted.

Satellite Party
I was only partially roused by Perry Farrell's attempt to coerce a crowd over to see his sub par band that he created a few years ago. He played several unfulfilling Satellite Party songs while sticking in songs from his formerly great band Jane's Addiction and one or two from the less than satifying Pornos for Pyros. However, it was worth it to hear the Jane's Addiction. I kind of miss it.

LCD Soundsystem
I got really burnt out on this band fast a few years ago when they had their single Daft Punk is Playing at My House. Since then, I have tended to ignore them. I did learn that, despite looking like a bunch of ordinary white boys from Milwaukee, they have a pretty good sound and are actually from New York City. Perhaps I won't turn past the dial the next time Sirius 26 plays their music.

Daft Punk
I didn't want to see Ben Harper because I had seen him before. And I had never seen Daft Punk ever. But am I ever so glad that I went to see them. The guys came out and played atop a pyramid while wearing space suits. They turned me and everyone around me into complete and total spazzes as we danced wildly and enjoyed the amazing light show in the background. For an hour and a half, I thoroughly enjoyed their music. They seemed to keep mixing in pieces of their two most popular songs, Around the World and One More Time, until they played the entire songs. I really had a great time at this show. I am glad they were chosen as one of the headliners.


Day two coverage to come...

Lollapalooza 2007 Schedule Released

I am excited that I will get to attend the third Lollapalooza Music Festival this year. I've been with Lollapalooza since it switched to the festival format in 2005. I am very excited about the trip this year as it promises good times and good music.

On Friday, if we get there early enough, I'd like to see the UK band The Fratelli's. I've heard a few songs here and there and they sound pretty good to me. Next, I cannot miss one of my favorite Austin bands, Ghostland Observatory. I wish they were playing later in the day though. It's been a while since I've seen alt-country geniuses Son Volt, but I think I will probably see them next. And after the short performance at Sasquatch, I must finally a full show from the Dallas band The Polyphonic Spree. There is no question that after then I will catch Sparklehorse. I really enjoy seeing them each time they play and they have been playing mostly older material. My biggest conflict of the day comes next as Silversun Pickups overlap with Blonde Redhead. I have been a fan of Silversun Pickups, but have yet to see them play. However, Blonde Redhead has put out one of my favorite albums of this year, 23. I'll probably catch most of both of them. I consistently miss The Black Keys on every occasion, but I am sure I'll catch them this time. I might require a break following all of this and the bands playing don't really do much for me. I have been a somewhat moderate fan of Ben Harper and the Innocent Criminals in the past. Instead, I will probably go see Daft Punk to close out the night.

Saturday starts with a Swedish band I know very little of but I am interested in called I'm From Barcelona. I've been rather high on Swedish bands of late and am anxious to see what they have to bring. Next, I might try to check out Fields. They're another I know very little about but have heard a fair bit of buzz regarding them. Next, I might try to see indie rocker Pete Yorn, whom I have not seen in years, and catch a little of Minneapolis's Tapes N' Tapes. I'll probably take a little time to rest and then go check out Cold War Kids. I saw them a bit at SXSW but was not impressed. I seem to like their studio recordings, so this show will be the test. It is tempting for me skip Clap Your Hands Say Yeah since I just recently saw them to go check out The Roots, whom I have not seen since 2003. I'm not sure which one I'll catch during this hour. There is nothing that could stop from seeing the lovely Regina Spektor next. I have really taken to her latest album, Begin to Hope. I've been itching for years to see Karen O and Yeah Yeah Yeahs. Next up will no doubt be perhaps my favorite Austin band of all time, Spoon. Interpol is one of my favorite bands to see, though I have heard marvelous things about the fine work of Muse on stage. This will definitely be the most difficult decision of the day.

I would love to kick things off on Sunday with The Postmarks, who are a friend of this blog. Next, I'll take a break before I see the Heartless Bastards. My first conflict of the day comes up when another favorite Austin band, The Black Angels, play opposite a band a have a moderate to high interest in, Los Campesinos! I may go see either Annuals or Apostle of Hustle after that. I know very little of either, but recall Annuals being pretty good opening up for Blonde Redhead earlier this year. Following that, I can't wait to see the Swedish trio Peter Bjornand John again. The biggest conflict, perhaps of the festival, follows as both My Morning Jacket and Modest Mouse play opposite each other. I've seen both several times and Modest Mouse more recently. I'll probably end up seeing them because MMJ will play Austin City Limits this year. I'll probably pass on TV on the Radio as they have never done much for me. I, despite being at the tail end of Gen X, have never seen Pearl Jam. I haven't listened to album of theirs in almost ten years, but am mildly excited to see them as they were one of my favorites in the early nineties.

So, thats it. I imagine I'll hear some bands here and there that will only make this more complicated. I am very much looking forward to this trip as I am every year. It was one of my favorite weekends from last year.

Like a Rolling Stone

With all the excitement of the concerts that I have attended lately, I almost completely forgot about the announcement of this years Austin City Limits Festival line up. This is unquestionably the most top heavy line up that I have seen in the four years that I have attended the festival. Topping the list of established acts that I am most excited about are My Morning Jacket, Muse, The Arcade Fire, Wilco, The White Stripes, and Bob Dylan and his Band. Of (what they consider) the second tier acts, I am most excited about Damien Rice, Spoon, The Decemberists, Regina Spektor, Devotchka, Ben Kweller, Clap Your Hands Say Yeah, and Bela Fleck and the Flecktones. The lesser known acts that I think will be fantastic are Ghostland Observatory, Pete Yorn, Peter Bjorn and John, Yo La Tengo, Blonde Redhead, Midlake, The Greyhounds, and The National.

The producers of ACL have certainly sought after more established bands for this years festival than in that of years past. While the headliners of the past have always been rather big (Ben Harper, Coldplay, Tom Petty), I've never seen such an overwhelming list of names. On the other hand, I have never seen ACL have such an underwhelming list of up-and-coming artists. In my opinion, this was one of the things that set them apart. It could very well be that I am digging further into the musical landscape these days. There is quite a list of bands for me to get acquainted with between now and the weekend of September 14-16. I hope to see everyone out there as I think this will undoubtedly be one of the festivals of the year.