Thursday 31 March 2011
Telephunken, 17th March 2011, Sounds from Spain showcase, Brush Square, Austin, TX
Telephunken were playing in a tent and the sun had come out, so most of the audience had decided not to be upfront, but were instead enjoying the warmth and a cold Estrella outside. Their sound was beats- and samples-driven party music and one tune opened with the 'Harlem Shuffle' fanfare that House of Pain borrowed for 'Jump Around'). Their Spanish chat between songs was interesting.
Emmylou Harris, Josh Ritter and The Head and The Heart, Thursday 17th March, Radio Day Stage, Convention Centre, Austin, TX (SXSW)
Emmylou Harris opened with the first track from her up-coming album. The second song was about Kate McGarrigle who Emmylou was close and who died last January. She only played two songs, but around them there was a question-and-answer session with a presenter from the radio station the set was going out live on. She told some really interesting stories about her time with Gram Parsons amd made a call to support the campaign for public radio to continue to be funded. She was in amazing voice and provided good, simple accompaniment to herself on guitar.
Josh Ritter played a superb set that kept the audience in rapt attention.
He started off very stongly with 'Change of Time' which was excellent. He just sang and played guitar and, without being willfully strange or tricksy, his playing and singing was interesting without being over-stylised and seemed to fit the songs really well. The second song, 'Folk Bloodbath', he introduced as a comedy, but was sad, with some really nice fingerpicking accompaniment. The next song was more strum-y and louder. It didn't seem quite as effective as the first two songs as a solo performance in the Day Stage setting, but worked well in terms of balancing the set. 'Kathleen' was really good. Josh seemed really into it and seemed to enjoy playing it, bouncing off the audience's appreciation. He played a really majestic version of 'Moon River', which was light of touc hand really cut to the core of the romance at the heart of song. He dedicated the last song he played to the 'folks in Japan'.
The Head and the Heart were absolutely excellent.
A real SXSW treat, and a new find for the people I convinced to come along to see them. They played lovely Americana-tinged songs, with beautiful harmonies and good use of multiple percussion. They had Ray Lamontagne-style vocals and a ramshackle-esque, but very tight, band, sounding like Faces or The Band playing acoustic instruments.
There were lots of photographers and the seating areas in the Day Stage seemed to be almost completely full. At times it was hard to tell who was singing what as the voices melded together really well. The set had a really joyful, almost gospel-style feel to it, with really belting singing in places.
Josh Ritter played a superb set that kept the audience in rapt attention.
He started off very stongly with 'Change of Time' which was excellent. He just sang and played guitar and, without being willfully strange or tricksy, his playing and singing was interesting without being over-stylised and seemed to fit the songs really well. The second song, 'Folk Bloodbath', he introduced as a comedy, but was sad, with some really nice fingerpicking accompaniment. The next song was more strum-y and louder. It didn't seem quite as effective as the first two songs as a solo performance in the Day Stage setting, but worked well in terms of balancing the set. 'Kathleen' was really good. Josh seemed really into it and seemed to enjoy playing it, bouncing off the audience's appreciation. He played a really majestic version of 'Moon River', which was light of touc hand really cut to the core of the romance at the heart of song. He dedicated the last song he played to the 'folks in Japan'.
The Head and the Heart were absolutely excellent.
A real SXSW treat, and a new find for the people I convinced to come along to see them. They played lovely Americana-tinged songs, with beautiful harmonies and good use of multiple percussion. They had Ray Lamontagne-style vocals and a ramshackle-esque, but very tight, band, sounding like Faces or The Band playing acoustic instruments.
Friday 18 March 2011
Yuck, Wednesday 16 March, Club De Ville, Austin, TX (SXSW)
Yuck were certainly reminiscent of Pavement and early Dinosaur Jr, as everyone says, but they weren't slavish copyists. They were also tight enough as a band to carry themselves. Having hear the record, it was quite surprising to see who was singing different parts. Lots that seemed on the album to be a female voice were sung by the boys in the band. They created an impressive sound from the four of them and they had a great energy. They played the non-album track Milkshake, whuch was pretty good and certainly didn't sound like a leftover cast-off.
Chapel Club and The Belle Brigade, Wednesday 16 March, Phoenix, Austin, TX (SXSW)
The Belle Brigade played non-alt country rock with sweet girl-boy harmonies. We arrived towards the end of the set by the crowd seemed pretty into it.
Chapel Club made a big opening noise which built tension and excitement effectively. They sounded more interesting live than they do on record and less gothic than we expected, very Echo and the Bunnymen.
The singer was very polite and personable. Their 'Sha-la-las' were quite U2-esque. The last song was especially good. They created an atmosphere as if the singer was preaching or prophesising with a storm going on around him.
Chapel Club made a big opening noise which built tension and excitement effectively. They sounded more interesting live than they do on record and less gothic than we expected, very Echo and the Bunnymen.
The singer was very polite and personable. Their 'Sha-la-las' were quite U2-esque. The last song was especially good. They created an atmosphere as if the singer was preaching or prophesising with a storm going on around him.
The Vaccines, Erland and the Carnival and Porcelain Raft, Wednesday 16 March, Club De Ville, Austin, TX (SXSW)
Jeremy Messersmith, Keegan Dewitt, Trampled by Turtles, Lost in the Trees, Wednesday 16 March, Paste party at Stage on Sixth, Austin, TX (SXSW)
Keegan Dewitt played Black Kids-ish indie rock, with a dash of Band of Horses. Five people on stage, though didn't sound that many, Last song headed for funky, but seemed to stall a bit and didn't quite take off.
Lead singer and backing singers voices went well together. They didn't have any drums, but assume they do normally as seemed a bit as if it was a stripped-down line-up. Toe-tapping, but not irrestitably so.
Trampled by Turtles were very country and bluegrassy, a bit Bluebells, even down to banjo inclusion.
Jeremy Messersmith was excellent. He was accompanied by a string trio, which was nice in an age where otherwise strings might come from a laptop, but as band was mic-ed and strings weren't, it was a bit of a struggle to hear them. We snapped the strings tuning and warming up before he started:
He had a really good opening tune, which made me think of a US BMX Bandits or Teenage Fanclub or a rockier Belle and Sebastian, and of Plain White Ts, or maybe even Elton's 'Your Song'
Another opened with the riff from Monkees' 'Last Train to Clarksville' and much of the set was enjoyably Monkees-esque with great 60s harmonies.
Several people asked us during the set if we knew who the band were, which seems a pretty good sign.
Excellent, really uplifting show. Creating that great sense of wonder that the people in front of you are, all on their own, creating the sound you're hearing.
Lost in the Trees had a very Arcade Fire - esque opening, as well as lots of instrumental sections with violin and tuba/euphonium. The vocals a bit Damien Rice at times. Some bits were searing and majestic, others a bit more pedestrian. The last two or three songs were a cut above the rest and the band rocked out on the last one.
Matthew and the Atlas had nice harmonies, with Vocals quite Mumford and Sons, also reminded us of Villagers. They were very rural Americana and the backing seemed to work with songs and support them, rather than whelming them of being over-stylised or posturing. It worked well enough throughout, although didn't vary that much. The singer's voice sounded very familiar, although I couldn't quite place who it sounded like - a bit of a not-quite-as-baritone Eddie Vedder or Ray Lamontagne. I was genuinely surprised to hear they were English, although I'm not sure they sang with particularly American accents.
Lead singer and backing singers voices went well together. They didn't have any drums, but assume they do normally as seemed a bit as if it was a stripped-down line-up. Toe-tapping, but not irrestitably so.
Trampled by Turtles were very country and bluegrassy, a bit Bluebells, even down to banjo inclusion.
Jeremy Messersmith was excellent. He was accompanied by a string trio, which was nice in an age where otherwise strings might come from a laptop, but as band was mic-ed and strings weren't, it was a bit of a struggle to hear them. We snapped the strings tuning and warming up before he started:
Another opened with the riff from Monkees' 'Last Train to Clarksville' and much of the set was enjoyably Monkees-esque with great 60s harmonies.
Several people asked us during the set if we knew who the band were, which seems a pretty good sign.
Excellent, really uplifting show. Creating that great sense of wonder that the people in front of you are, all on their own, creating the sound you're hearing.
Casiokids and Ximena Sarinana, Wednesday 16 March, Day Stage, Austin, TX (SXSW)
Live on colombian radio!
Las Profetas were quite a tough act to follow for the musically very different Casiokids (Norwegain synth vs indie poppers). But they hit their stride quickly with some fun drum and bongo-led rhythms and falsetto vocals reminiscent of Royksop. Photographers may have outnumbered audience members and the band didn't encourage the audience to dance in the same way Profetas did.
Perhaps Norways has been wrongly labelled as the home of death metal when it produces beardy quirky indie pop like this. The band looked like they were guests at the party in the video for Peter, Bjorn and John's 'Young Folks'.
They closed set the set with an uptempo 'Blue Monday'-esque tune with a latin-tinged beat. The band also and changed instruments during last song (when did that come back in? It seems to have been happening a lot over the past few years) and then most of the hit drums (when did that start? Loads of pople seem to have been doing it recently).
Ximena Sarinana's soundcheck created expectation of something quite different from the actual set.
One girl and a keyboard with good hum-along-able tunes, some in English, but mainly in Spanish.
Especially good eas the song 'Differences' about her experience of the culture clash when she came from Argentina to record her second album in LA.
Las Profetas were quite a tough act to follow for the musically very different Casiokids (Norwegain synth vs indie poppers). But they hit their stride quickly with some fun drum and bongo-led rhythms and falsetto vocals reminiscent of Royksop. Photographers may have outnumbered audience members and the band didn't encourage the audience to dance in the same way Profetas did.
Perhaps Norways has been wrongly labelled as the home of death metal when it produces beardy quirky indie pop like this. The band looked like they were guests at the party in the video for Peter, Bjorn and John's 'Young Folks'.
They closed set the set with an uptempo 'Blue Monday'-esque tune with a latin-tinged beat. The band also and changed instruments during last song (when did that come back in? It seems to have been happening a lot over the past few years) and then most of the hit drums (when did that start? Loads of pople seem to have been doing it recently).
Ximena Sarinana's soundcheck created expectation of something quite different from the actual set.
One girl and a keyboard with good hum-along-able tunes, some in English, but mainly in Spanish.
Especially good eas the song 'Differences' about her experience of the culture clash when she came from Argentina to record her second album in LA.
Wednesday 16 March 2011
Profetas,Wednesday 16th March, Radio Day Stage at Convention Center, Austin, TX
What better way to start the SXSW day than with the ritimos colombianos of thiss infectiously lifely group. Not to be worn down by the small and shy audience, they got everyone on their feet and dancing by the second song.
Jonquil, Tuesday 15 March, 10.00pm - 10.40pm, Latitude, Austin, TX
Vampire Weekend meets Scouting for Girls, with a bit of Rick Astley, sounding like they were obsessed with the first Vampire Weekend album. Didn't sound as might have been expected from how they looked.
The band could've done with a lot more crowd interaction between and during songs, as it all seemed a bit functional, rather than they were out to entertain. The songs themselves were perfectly well crafted, but didn't really jump out and grab the audience. They really needed a killer tune or great bit of crowd interaction to lift the show.
Bright Light Bright Light, Tuesday 15 March, 9.00pm - 9.40pm, Latitude, Austin, TX
A-Ha-style disco pop. Like a more partying Pet Shop Boys. Sounded like the music you would hear playing in a club in a soap.
Lots of recorded backing detracted a bit from the live experience.But that's pretty forgivable, as it's more to do with the need for a band of this size and style to play small clubs gigs than to do with the quality of musicianship.
An entertaining show, though. The singer was impressive and captured the crowd, and it turns out he's a friend of a friend, apparently. Small world!
Friday 11 March 2011
Buffalo Tom, Dingwalls, London, UK, Thursday 10 March 2011
Great show. Halfway through the opening song they suddenly seemed really up for it. Really tight unit and in fine voice. Some classics in the set, but no Wiser or Would Not Be Denied and quite a few off-beat picks, especially in the encore. But that worked really well with a crowd who were really up for it. No cool haircuts, just a few hundred 30-somethings really up for seeing one of their favourite bands up close in a small venue. Scottish Windows was great and Sunday Night was a brilliant closer.
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