Amidst the industry execs and journalistic superpowers, we had the humble pleasure of attending the South By Southwest Music Festival last week in Austin, TX. As we soon found out, the trick to navigating SX’s pure Lone Star-soaked chaos is a mix of dedicated research and planning ahead. That, and the willingness to toss your hard work in the gutter at a moment’s notice.
SXSW’s ticketing system is a deviation from traditional music festival fare, to say the least. Next to South By’s general three-tier system (consisting of the passless public, wristband-holders, and the badge-holding gods among men), Bonnaroo looks like a virtual communist state. To make things more complicated, lineups and access rules change all the time. Luckily, in this world those with a little flexibility are handsomely rewarded. Here is a rundown of some of my favorite acts from SXSW, and a few that I wish I had caught:
Against Me!
Against Me!’s frontwoman Laura Jane Grace has some shit to say, and there’s no ignoring it. The band’s latest, self-released album, Transgender Dysphoria Blues, is a visceral and growling reflection of Grace’s coming-out period as a transgender woman, and for the group it’s higher quality punk than ever before. Their sweaty, high-energy set at Hype Machine’s Hype Hotel on Wednesday was a wall-kicking, elbow-throwing good time, peaking with album highlight “Black Me Out” and “I Was a Teenage Anarchist” from their 2011 release, White Crosses/Black Crosses.
Against Me! will be performing at the Majestic Theatre on April 3.
Wye Oak
Jenn Wasner chose keys and bass over her usual comfort zone of electric guitar as she and drummer Andy Stack graced the Hype Hotel stage on Wednesday afternoon. Wye Oak’s new strain of synth-pop looks good on the group, as dedicated fans of the most recent album bathed in the glory of previewed songs from their upcoming album, Shreik.
Dum Dum Girls
Dum Dum Girls’ most recent LP, Too True, has success that lies in the sound. Frontwoman and musical mastermind Dee Dee is at the eye of the storm, with her radiant vocals and a craftswoman’s ear for the big picture. Their live set Thursday at Hype Hotel featured a (surprisingly) male member and a dream-fulfilling performance — although I do wish I’d caught her Friday when this happened.
The Districts
The Districts were a by-the-seat-of-my-pants decision — last minute and oh-so-rewarding. Looks-wise, The Districts could fit in at any high school cafeteria in America, but their indie blues-rock is elevated and intoxicating. We shared a moment of silence for those killed in Wednesday’s tragedy, did some jump-kicks, and reveled in their infectious, grittier live sound at Buffalo Billiards. All in all, a sublime Thursday night.
Lizzo
Friday brought the highly-anticipated Majestic, First Avenue, and Metro day party at Holy Mountain. Of the many fabulous Midwest-based acts on display, I gravitated once again to Lizzo’s inventive and delectable hip-hop. Passing the quality of her FRZN Fest set by miles, the Totally Gross National Product standout played the jams (including bangers “Batches and Cookies” and “Faded”) and got a whole room of non-midwesterners moving.
Future Islands
Future Islands is the Cinderella of rock: nearly seven years after the release of their first full-length album, Wave Like Home, the band is in the spotlight at long last. Thanks to their emotive and theatrical album, Singles (released this Tuesday on 4AD), Future Islands seemed to be the talk of fest this year. Frontman Samuel T. Herring was the quintessential cool dad in his ’90s-style light wash jeans and a black t-shirt, dancing the line between smooth synth-rock and a gravelly scream with captivating ease.
Future Islands is coming to the High Noon Saloon this Thursday.
Temples
For legions of millennials with wishfully nostalgic views on the 1960s, Temples has stepped in to fill the gap. Despite their overwrought attempts at looking the part (glitter-painted, silver-winged eyes, drooping bejeweled blouses, and Lennon-style shades), their SX set at Bar 96 on Friday night came through. Towards the end of their set, they brought back the reverb that makes for the delightfully mystical sound on their album, putting out renditions of “Shelter Song,” “Sun Structures,” and “Mesmerise” that were fitting for a springtime evening at an outdoor stage.
Temples will be playing the High Noon Saloon on April 25.
Wish List:
SZA
Last August, Top Dawg Entertainment (the label of Kendrick Lamar and ScHoolboy Q) signed their first female and R&B artist, SZA. Her resplendent vocals and spacey slow jams show that TDE may have chops well beyond the L.A. rap scene and represents a promising female foray into a traditionally male-dominated branch of hip hop. If only I were in the crowds at her Saturday set at the Fader Fort… *sigh*
Banks
With Sampha-like production and Lauryn Hill-esque vocals, Banks (a.k.a. Jillian Banks) is enough to make any R&B lover swoon. A dark fusion of electro and pop, her 2013 EP London is fittingly at home in dim and turbulent sounds. Music sources around the world have taken notice — her album apparently translated perfectly to the stage, with thundering physicality that reflects her sound.
MØ
The Danish singer’s angsty electro pop album, No Mythologies to Follow, grabbed American listeners with an iron grip, so it was no surprise that (to the best of my efforts) I couldn’t get into one of her many performances at SXSW. We attempted to bite the bullet and arrive obscenely early to her Friday night showcase at the Clive Bar, only to snidely be told that wristbands were no longer admitted and “a lot of things have changed.” Bummer.