I swear I've never danced at SXSW as much as I did this year. Holy Fuck! and The Cool Kids were just a warm-up. The Black Ghosts (London) and Cut Copy (Melbourne) REALLY heated things up and even reversed my hot-weather-induced energy slump (I actually felt like the Energizer bunny after their sets were over).
Warning to future Karma Lounge showcase attendees though: their speakers by the stage are rank! They seriously emitted a smell comparable to sauerkraut and fish farts, so either stay clear or dance in their proximity at your own risk!
So after seeing those two, I barely made it into Buffalo Billiards in time to see The Duke Spirit's showcase. Even the last small bit I did see was sensational, and I am totally loving their new album "Neptune". I first saw them at SXSW in 2005 and this wouldn't my last time either!
After the Fader party, we taxicabbed it to The Peacock in East Austin for the Gorilla vs. Booze party hosted by gorilla vs. bear. Unfortunately, all the free beer was gone and it was all hot and steamy inside by the time we got there. When Holy Fuck! first started playing, I pegged them as being as ADD-inducing as Ratatat, but my nonstop dancing quickly proved me wrong. The Cool Kids followed, keeping the energy up and my hips shaking.
It's already been a week since SXSW descended onto li'l ole Austin, Texas, "monopolizing touring schedules for more than a week" (as Flavorpill New York put it). The festival keeps growing exponentially every year, with sunglass-donning hipsters packing the streets and unofficial daytime parties and shows starting to outrival even the official evening showcases (like why did I even bother to buy a wristband??). With so much to offer, it seriously becomes an embarras de richesse, and every year is a give and take; for every amazing band I saw, there's one or two I missed. That's why it's all about strategy (Which bands can I see for free during the day? Where can I get up close enough to make it worth it? Where can I even get in? etc.). But no matter what, there's always next year!
At any rate, my 2008 SXSW experience started out with The Kills at the Levi's/Fader Fort party. I scored me some free and refreshing SoCo lime and mosied on up to the front. (I'm always surprised at how easy it is to mingle with the press photographers in front of the stage. This usually a result of one of two things: either a high population of badge-carrying industry wannabe scenesters who have no real musical clue but are just checking off their "what's hot" list of bands to see OR the laidback attitude of SXSW and the genuine music fans who are just out there to enjoy the festival--which is luckily, in my experience, slightly more often the case.) It was the first time I'd seen The Kills since they played the Berlin Festival two or three years ago, and it was amazing to see them live so up close and personal. They get my second place prize for The Most Sexy and Photogenic Band of SXSW.
Check out the whole set here. Plus more photos (and videos) to come!
The other week my friend Liz hosted another Expect Excellence party at Kim on Brunnenstrasse featuring DJ sets by Ladyhawke (Modular / Island), Cache Cache Cache (Rio / Picnic / Happy Endings) and Huzr (Rap History / Tape), as well as a Divine Vintage fashion showcase. It was an incredibly fun night (which was, of course, to be--err--expected!). I got a little sidetracked in the midst of preparing for my U.S. trip and SXSW, but I finally got around to sorting through all the party photos. So here are some of my faves. Check out the whole set here.
It's the final countdown! And the invites for most of my favorite parties are out: American Rag/Filter, Levi's/Fader, and IHEARTCOMIX (is Vice not saving Texas this year??). I RSVP'd for the IHEARTCOMIX party last year, but it got bust-ed before the official showcases had even ended. Here's hoping this year's different. At least this year it's downtown (aka easily accessible). And check this out:
DIPLO - MATT & KIM - SWITCH - DROP THE LIME - SIMIAN MOBILE DISCO (DJ SET) - CUT COPY - THE TOXIC AVENGER -
A-aaaaaaaannd...
COMPLIMENTARY BEVERAGES - 2 POOLS - 4 STAGES - HEARTSCHALLENGER ICE CREAM TRUCK - FIREPIT - VIDEO GAMES - SHUFFLE BOARD - LIVE VIDEO ART BY DEMONBABIES - EVERYONEISFAMOUS.COM - PHOTOBOOTH - LOUNGE - LOCATED IN DOWNTOWN AUSTIN - BBQ - MORE!
No wonder I've had Deichkind's "Remmidemmi" stuck in my head the past week and a half. ESP.
For those of you who don't know German, here's a loose translation...
Your parents are away at a tennis tournament? You're throwing a party? How nice of you. Impulsive people know no bounds. Throw the furniture out the window, We need some dance space.
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
A little gold and silver, a little bling bling. Don't you have anything to eat here? I want pizza. Your mother said "Don't track so much dirt into the house". In the picture in the kitchen she looks like Katja Ebstein.
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
We're dancing on the tables. The vibe is shitty. I wanna be naked. You can refresh yourself in the pool. Gonna to take your Dad's speakers into the sauna with me. Gonna the pour water on the stones with the maid. And then I'm gonna turn it up.
Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus Yippie yipiie yeah, yipiie yeah, riot and ruckus
Hey, don't be such a yuppie, man. We just wanna experience something. In the private home of rich parents, what could be better?
For anyone who wants a last chance to check out this year's festival, Yaris and Free Yr Radio are sponsoring a "Win Yr Way to SXSW 2008" Sweepstakes. The package includes:
* Air Fare for two (2) * Accommodations for two (2) * Two (2) SXSW badges * Chauffer to and from airport * Gift certificates to Austin mainstays Waterloo Records, Iron Works, Amy's Ice Cream and Atomic Tattoo
Can't beat that! Unfortunately the deadline is today, so enter NOW!!!
Video killed the radio star indeed. For me, music has always been as much a visual as an auditory experience. This blog is about the music that gets stuck in my head and the music-related stuff (and enjoyment thereof) that catches my eye.
