SXSW 2012
We Don’t Want To Look Pretty, We Want To Melt...
I walked into the white, ballroom-like room as the gravelly vocals of Rusty Coathanger rang out from the silk tasseled drapes at the back of the stage, her thrashy drum beats backing the garage-rock style guitar played by Crook Kid Coathanger as she yelped into her own mic. Minnie Coathanger had center stage, rocking back and forth on the bass with her back turned to the audience, and BeBe Coathanger tilted her head to the music as she chewed gum and cast spells over her keyboard. I immediately asked the chick next to me for the name of the band and thought I heard “The Coathangers.” THE COATHANGERS?!?! … read more
The Ettes @ Wahoo’s 03.16
Nashville’s The Ettes played their final show of SXSW at a fish taco joint called Wahoo’s. The turnout was small, but the set was still epic. … read more
The Black Angels @ Empire Automotive 03.15
Although I’ve seen The Black Angels numerous times, and more than one of my SLUG cohorts pointed this out to me when I announced my plans, I’d have a difficult time turning down a chance to see them live—that’s how blown away I’ve consistently been by their performance. I’ll admit that I might be kind of a The Black Angels fanboy, but fuck it, I don’t care, it’s not like I have their name tattooed on my body or anything… … read more
Daughter @ Red Eyed Fly 03.14
I heard about Daughter from my friend Nadia, who’s a talented singer/songwriter herself, so I knew I could trust they’d be good. My decision to check them out at SX was reaffirmed when I heard them on All Songs Considered. I’m not usually into that folky sentimental sound, but hearing a clip of Elena Tonra’s beautiful voice on “Landfill” sealed the deal. … read more
Aquarium Drunkard Day Party @ The Hype Hotel 03.15
I stumbled into the Hype Hotel looking for a way to kill some time on Thursday afternoon. I didn’t know who was playing, but figured that entry to the Hype Hotel would likely come with a few free cocktails. I quickly realized that I was in for a pretty awesome SXSW surprise: Lee Fields and the Expressions and Bass Drum of Death were both scheduled to play. … read more
Austin Psych Fest Showcase @ The Spider House 03.15
The Spider House instantly blew me away—it’s an all ages venue, equipped with multiple bars, four different stages (three of which were outdoors) and on Thursday one of their many patios was lined with vintage clothing dealers. The interior of the place is just as rad. Considering that I was there for the free Austin Psych Fest showcase made the experience even more mind blowing. … read more
Mr. Gnome @ Treasure Island 03.16
I’m always in complete awe of how much sound comes out of this duo. It’s all thanks to the crazy pedal work Nicole Barille does while singing and wailing on her guitar, looping both vocals and chords to create this crazy layered sound while Sam Meister pounds on that bass drum in his bare feet like an animal. … read more
Gossip @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop 03.15
Beth Ditto killed it in Austin as Gossip performed in anticpation of their fifth studio album, A Joyful Noise. … read more
Tycho @ Mohawk 03.13
“Stare at the ceiling and think” kinda music. I don’t smoke weed or eat mushrooms, so that’s what Tycho does for me––provides a nice soundtrack to dive deep into my brain and untangle the kinks. … read more
Beautiful Godzilla: SXSW Edition
As part of my SXSW experience, I participated in SXcycles, the new (as of this year) bike share program provided by the festival and Tern bikes. They opened it up to those with badges and wristbands during the Interactive portion of SXSW, and I was lucky enough to catch the tail end of it on Monday and Tuesday. … read more