Out the Other

SXSpelunking: New (To Me) Bands Playing SXSW

SXSW is just a little over two months away, and I'll be making my return in 2012 as a legitimately badged representative of SoundLand, the music festival I coordinate. (HOORAY!)

Having taken two years off from South By and the better part of a year off from new music in general, it's no surprise that the first three rounds of announced acts playing the music portion of the fest are chock full of a shitload of unfamiliar names. So I'm checkin' 'em out, one by one. Let's dive in, shall we?

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Allah-Las
from: Los Angeles, CA
mp3: "Catamaran"

"Ooh la Allah-Las." I think I actually said that aloud as I trudged through the mediocre start of the alphabet and finally clicked to check out "Catamaran." More than twenty acts deep into my quest, they were the first band to smack me across the face with goodness - of the jangly, shuffling '60s variety. My rambling notes lumped them in with Black Lips and King Khan, but deemed them "way more ear-friendly." I also noted that "'Catamaran' is fucking awesome," which as you can hear, it is indeed.

Anamanaguchi
from: Brooklyn, NY
mp3: "Airbrushed (RAC remix)"

I had heard of Anamanaguchi prior to spotting them on the SXSW bands list, but I had never actually heard them. Nor did I realize that they were a chiptune band (for the uninitiated, chiptune - which I tend to accidentally call bitchip - is a genre that employs the sound chips from vintage computers and video game consoles) until I checked them out. Supposedly they're a rare kind of chiptune band that also employs live guitars, bass and drums over the electronic stuff, which in their case comes mostly from a hacked NES and Game Boy. The original version of "Airbrushed" is a bit manic for my taste, but the RAC remix brings a kind of dreaminess that makes my heart jump up and slide down a flagpole to a chorus of pixelated fireworks.

You Can't Win, Charlie Brown
from: Lisbon, Portugal
mp3: "I've Been Lost"

I'm a sucker for a handclap. And a clever name. Above all else, I'm a sucker for an international band playing SXSW - in part because they came a long way, but mostly because they are entirely unlikely to travel to Nashville at any time in the near future.

Yukon Blonde
from: Vancouver, Canada
mp3: "Fire"

Yukon Blonde has a little Local Native, Fleet Foxy thing going on, and god knows there are enough bands copying that familiar formula these days. But it only took one verse and a chorus of "Fire" for me to be tapping my toes and whistling along to the "wooooh-wooooh ah-ah-ah" harmonies. I haven't dipped any deeper into their catalog, but this one song is enough to make me bummed I missed their show at 3rd & Lindsley here in Nashville two months ago. In my opinion, this sounds catchier than anything on the last Fleet Foxes record.

The Zoltars
from: Austin, TX
mp3: "Party at the Batcave"

As a rule, I try to avoid "lo-fi scuzz-rock" - it's a genre that's likely to get you kicked in the head here in Nashville (no really, I'm way too old for shows where kids still actually crowd surf). And I was about to write off The Zoltars as "not my thing" until I got to the chorus of "Party at the Batcave." I'm sorry, I mean "Bat cay-ay-ay-ave." Catchy as SHIT. God help us, this song is going to be stuck in our heads until 2013.

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More coming soon, when I have another good batch of gems. Is there anyone I should definitely check out?

SXSW - Day 3

Day 3 of SXSW got off to a MUCH tamer start - in fact, we didn't get up until 3 and barely made it downtown by 5 p.m.  Missed the Features at the Next Big Nashville party, because in our drunken state the prior night we had somehow come to the conclusion that they were playing about 45 minutes later than their actual set time, which was completely untrue.  

SXSW - Day 2

You know, I really thought I'd be able to blog a little bit more while I was actually in Austin, but as you're about to see, things got a little crazy on Thursday, and it was all pretty much downhill from there (or uphill?  I'm not sure what I should be saying when I'm trying to say shiz was AWESOME).  All time spent not seeing bands or drinking or hanging out with fine folks was spent sleeping, so after a few days of recovery I'm going to try to recap as best I can now that I'm not in the midst of things.

SXSW - Day 1

So Day 1 is officially going to be pretty damn hard to beat.  Not only did I get to see a HUGE number of the bands I was dying to see yesterday, I also got to eat at Ironworks BBQ, had my first run-in with the Ice Cream Man, got to hang out with tons of Nashville people and went to church with Howlies.  I don't have much time to write right now because I'm headed off to the convention center for my panel at 11, but here are a few pictures from yesterday, and as much as I can jot down right  now.

And above, that's Aaron Hartley, Caitlin Rose and Jordan Lehning at the Austinist party at Mohawk.  Yup, this was after several hours of free booze.

SXSW - Day (-1)

Yesterday doesn't really qualify as the first day of SXSW, since it officially starts today, but it was the first day we were in Austin, and we did get to see four bands play.  Um, unfortunately I don't know who two of them were (google fail) but I have to say Thee Oh Sees are the band to beat right now in terms of lead singer kick-ass berserking at the outdoor stage at the Mohawk last night.  I wouldn't mind seeing them again sometime this week, and with 2,000+ or whatever bands playing in Austin in the next few days, that's saying a lot.

Above, you'll see how TOTALLY OFFICIAL I AM.  I was going to take a picture of my name listed "by company" in the SXSW book (Out the Other is a company now!!!) but my # is listed, and I don't think that's something I need to share here. :)

Also on yesterday's agenda - a delicious lunch at the Kerby Lane cafe, a little shopping trip to pick up a few new pairs of earrings from my favorite Austin earring guy, meeting up with our boys in Howlies, a little sight-seeing at the UT campus (biggest fountain ever), attempting to see the bats at dusk (very anticlimactic), and our first trip to the Mohawk, which is pretty much my favorite venue in Austin, officially.  It gets a little better every year.

Oh, and I'm trying to block out the TERRIBLE, HORRIBLE news that Go Bites is GONE.  I'm actually glad no one told me, because I probably wouldn't have come to Austin this year.  No grilled cheese sandwiches?  What am I going to do all week??  Live on hot dogs and pizza, probably.

SXSpring Break, baby!

I am officially on VACATION!  It's not really spring break, cause I'm a grownup and all now, but it's JUST like spring break in that I plan on hitting the road, and along with thousands of other like-minded individuals descending upon a town where we plan to eat, drink and party all week long.  That town?  Austin, of course.  And the destination?  SXSW.

I'm hopping in the car in just a little bit, and my sister and I will be getting to Austin tomorrow.  Over the past week, I've been using my spare minutes to whittle the massive band list down to the bands I REALLY, really want to see.  Taking my own advice, you could say.  So while I'm driving, why don't you check out the acts that will (hopefully) be on my agenda this week:

The Must-Sees

Department of Eagles - "No One Does It Like You"
Grizzly Bear - "Easier"
J. Tillman - "Steel on Steel"
M. Ward - "Rave On"

The Reeeeeeeeally-Want-To-Sees

Gomez - "Airstream Driver"
Handsome Furs - "I'm Confused"
Here We Go Magic - "Tunnelvision"
Horse Feathers - "Curs in the Weeds"
Vetiver - "More of This"

The It-Would-Be-Pretty-Awesome-To-Sees

Andrew Bird - "Plasticities"
Bishop Allen - "The Ancient Commonsense of Things"
Fanfarlo - "Harold T. Wilkins"
The Features - "The Drawing Board"
Harlem Shakes - "Strictly Game"
Calvin Harris - "Merrymaking At My Place"
How I Became the Bomb - "Secret Identity"
Howlies - "Chimera"
Elvis Perkins in Dearland - "123 Goodbye"
Phosphorescent - "Reasons to Quit"
The Rural Alberta Advantage - "Don't Haunt This Place"
Say Hi - "Northwestern Girls"
Violens - "Already Over"
Young Galaxy - "Swing Your Heartache"

My next post will be from the road and/or Austin.  I still have Part 4 of Out the Other's Guide to SXSW on the Cheap - my sis and I are going to brainstorm general tips and tricks in the car.

See you in Austin!

Out the Other's Guide to SXSW On the Cheap (Part 3)

Okay in Part 1, you learned to keep your expectations within reason, but to come up with a list of five bands you REALLY want to see, so you have some goals.

In Part 2, you made a list of every show your top five bands were playing, from official showcases to free parties.  And you RSVPed for absolutely everything, figured out on a map where all the venues are, and wrote down a few excellent backup plans.

Game on.

STEP 5:  Attack!

Now you’re ready to go!  You have your handy list of every opportunity you have to see the bands you REALLY want to see – along with the time, location and other bands on the bill.  Now all you have to do is make some decisions and see some bands.  Let’s break this down into daytime and nighttime.

Daytime:

The easiest and cheapest thing to do, of course, is try to check out your top bands at free day parties, which will keep you from paying for anything but your bar tab.  Plus, some parties even have free booze, especially if you get yourself VIPed. Ideally, you can just hop from awesome party to awesome party, checking out the bands you were dying to see and discovering some amazing new bands.  A few notes:

• I’m not sure what attendance will be like this year, but the parties can get PACKED.  Especially later in the day, when the “headliners” are playing – in my experience, if you try to hop over to a party just to see the headliner, you’ll end up waiting in line and never get in.
• It never hurts to get to parties early for this reason too.  And big parties like the Fader Fort will make you wait in line for ages to get a wristband, then wait even longer to get in, even if you RSVPed in advance. 
• My favorite parties are always the ones with multiple stages – indoor/outdoor, etc.  Like Emo’s Main Room and Emo’s Jr. (Main Room is outside, Jr. is inside – note that Emo’s Annex is a completely different venue that is a tent across the street), or the Mohawk.  Set times are usually staggered so you can pop back and forth between stages and hang out for a while.
• Parties at venues with seating somewhere also rock, because you can chill and sit in between bands or during bands you’re not into.  The bleachers at Emo’s Main Room rock.  You’ll be standing a LOT and I promise you’ll want to sit down sometimes.
• Don’t be afraid to check out bands you’ve never heard of.  That’s EXACTLY what SXSW is all about.
• Some parties do have free food and free booze, but don’t plan your schedule around that stuff.  In my experience, the food runs out quickly and the free booze lines are long, and you’re there for the free music, not the free comestibles.
• Some parties also have free stuff, but keep in mind when you take something free that you’re going to have to carry it around for the rest of the day, or at least until you can get to your car or hotel room.
• GET DOWNTOWN EARLY IF YOU’RE DRIVING AND PARKING.  No, seriously.  There are sweet parking situations to be had, but you’ve gotta be the early bird.  We usually aim to be downtown by noon or one.
• If you plan on party-hopping, have enough cash for your bar tab.  Or even if you’re at a venue with multiple bars – it’s just easier, you don’t have to wait around to close your tab or anything.  And be warned, I’m pretty sure all the downtown ATMs have some steep fees, so maybe hit an actual bank ATM on your way in.
• Be careful.  Everyone is pretty cool and chill and happy at SXSW (how could you not be?) and I’ve never personally witnessed any shadiness, but there are a ton of people there, and a lot of them are drinking, and it means you should be careful with your money, your belongings and yourself.

Nighttime:

Okay, you rocked your face off all day, now it’s about 6 p.m. and all the parties are winding down.  The first official showcases don’t usually get started until 8, or 7 something at the earliest.  And you only have three options when you’re doing this on the cheap:

•    Take the night off.
•    Find a free party to go to
•    Pay your way into an official showcase.

First up, there are some great, free night shows you can check out.  The Red Gorilla Festival, a little side-festival during SXSW, usually has free nighttime shows going on at several venues downtown during the festival.  Also check Showlist Austin (once again) for unofficial nighttime shows and parties.

But if you want to go to a legit showcase – and it’s possible, because I’ve gone to several official showcases without a badge or wristband – here’s my advice:

• Most of the official showcases actually sell a few covers at the door, but there’s a trick to making sure you can get in.  First up, SHOW UP EARLY!  I seriously can’t emphasize that enough.  If it’s a big, coveted show, you’ll probably have to wait in line, so the earlier the better.  Grab a hot dog from a cart at dinner time and sit on the sidewalk and wait if you have to.
• Once you get to the venue, just ask if they’re selling covers – you should be able to find someone who knows.  Either they’ll tell you there’s no way you can get in, they’ll tell you the cover charge, let you pay it and let you in, or they’ll tell you what the cover charge is and tell you that you can maybe get in.  A lot of times they have to let badge and wristband holders in first, but you can stick around and be the first in line when they decide to take some regular covers.
• Seriously, get there early.  Better to be patiently waiting inside the venue than wandering around and then showing up too late.
• In my experience, covers can range in price from about $8 to upwards of $30, depending on the size of the venue.  I think we've mostly paid $10-20 to get into showcases.
• Don’t just try to stay at a daytime party venue until they switch over to the official nighttime showcase.  It won’t work, and you’ll piss people off.
• The people working the daytime party probably won’t know what the cover will be that night and your odds of getting in, because usually SXSW people come to work the door at night. 

One big thing to remember – for both official showcases and unofficial shows.  It’s ALWAYS going to be easier to see an up-and-coming band than someone who has already made a name for themselves.  But remember, just because a band isn’t getting radio play doesn’t mean they’re not popular – all of the current buzzy blog bands will have massive audiences, so keep that in mind.

Coming up in Part 4 - general tips and tricks.

Out the Other's Guide to SXSW On the Cheap (Part 2)

Okay so in Part 1, you learned to keep your expectations within reason, but to come up with a list of five bands you REALLY want to see, so you have some goals.  Next up is planning and preparation.

STEP 3:  Outline your plan of attack.

Here’s where the planning bit comes in (which I love, because I’m a big nerd).  Once you have your five must-sees (and a handful of it-would-be-awesome-to-sees, for good measure), figure out where and when they’re playing.  Make sure you note the location, the time, and the other bands and artists on the bill, so you have a list of all your options. 

• Use the Official SXSW Schedule to find the band's official showcase.  (It'll be super important to note the other bands on the bill here, because if you try to pay to get into an official showcase, you'll probably be staying put and you want to make sure you're paying for a good show.)
• Visit the band's website or myspace to find out about any other parties or showcases they might be playing.
• Check out Showlist Austin for unofficial day parties and free/alternative nighttime parties.  It's an AMAZING resource for all of the unofficial stuff, and it's super easy to do an "edit: find" on the page to look for the band of your choice.  
• Austinist will usually have a helpful party tool as well when we get closer to the festival.
• Donewaiting is another excellent resource for SXSW party info.
• I believe that SXSW2009.sched.org has plans to launch a schedule-planning tool soon as well.

Once you're done, you should have a list of every opportunity you'll have to see your top 5 bands, as well as those it-would-be-awesome-to-see bands you'd like to try to fit into your schedule as well.

STEP 4:  Prepare accordingly.

There’s nothing you can really do to increase your odds of getting into an official showcase before you get to Austin (even if you know the band, it’s hard to get on the guest list for the show, because most of the time there is no guest list), but there’s a bunch you can do to make sure you can get into the other parties you think you might hit.  A few things to remember:

• Most of the free day parties are 21+, so if you aren’t legal, maybe you shouldn’t be making the trip this year.
• RSVP, RSVP, RSVP!  A lot of the parties are “guest list only,” or at least they pretend to be.  Do your research and find out whether they’re free and open to the public, or if you have to RSVP.  Some of the larger parties will have forms on a website you have to fill out, while for the smaller ones you’ll usually have to send an email to someone (and in both cases, most of the time you don’t get a confirmation).  If there’s even the SLIGHTEST chance you might end up somewhere, just go ahead and RSVP for it anyway.  And make sure your friends RSVP too.
• Figure out where everything is in advance, so you know where you’re going and you know how far away it is.  SXSW Baby has links to a bunch of great maps that I’ve used for the past two years. Print out a copy to stick in your pocket or bag and take with you.  And then print a few extra copies to stick in your suitcase in case the first copy gets crunched up or soaked in beer.
• Always have a backup, no matter what. Even if it's free, and even if you're RSVPed, there's no guarantee you're getting in. . Usually if you're there early enough, you're good to go.  But alllll kinds of stuff can happen at SXSW, including schedules getting swapped, venues getting packed, you getting drunk and distracted, etc. etc.  So make sure you know what else is going on if you can’t get into that killer party you wanted to check out.  There’s a good chance you can just wander up the block and find something else that’s cool, but it never hurts to be prepared. So jot down some other parties that look cool, and RSVP for them too, just in case.

Coming up in Part 3 - attack!

Out the Other's Guide to SXSW On the Cheap (Part 1)

So you’re going to SXSW. 

Or, should we say, you are going to Austin over dates that coincide with SXSW.  Because chances are, you’re not an official conference or festival “attendee” – unless you shelled out for a wristband or music badge (or like me, lucked out and got one handed to you on a golden platter).  But it’s the wristband-free and badge-less I’m writing this for, and to them I deliver this message:  do not fear.  Because it can be done, and it has been done by many, many a poor or cheap music fan over the years.  Which is why SXSW is as huge as it really is – because when loads of party crashers show up to crash a party, the party just gets bigger.  And rocks even harder.

The truth is, you could have a blast from Tuesday through Sunday without ever attending anything that comes close to being officially endorsed by SXSW.  While it’s true that most of the musicians and music-lovers that will descend upon Austin next month will be there to play an official showcase or attend the music conference, many if not most of those musicians want to make the most of their trip and play more than just one show.  Plus, there are bands that aren’t even playing official SXSW shows that make the trek just to capitalize on the massive audience that will be available.

In both 2007 and 2008, I did SXSW on the cheap, without a badge or wristband.  And here’s how I did it.

STEP 1:  Keep your expectations in check.

No matter how carefully you plan your schedule at SXSW, it’s just not going to happen the way that you planned it.  Don’t expect to hit every party you want to hit, don’t expect to see every band you want to see, and don’t even expect to find every bar you’re looking for.  But the way I see it is this – picture SXSW as a delicious smorgasbord created by some of the best chefs from around the world.  There’s absolutely no way you can eat everything that buffet has to offer, but you shouldn’t worry about it, because most of what you eat is going to be delicious anyway.  (Plus you aren’t even paying, dude.)

STEP 2:   Give yourself a few goals.

Having said all that about expectations and planning, keep in mind that if you wander around without a game plan, it might not be that different from hitting a few shows in your hometown.  You’re going to Austin because SXSW provides a unique opportunity to see a bunch of bands you might not have the chance to see otherwise (at least not in the space of a few days).  So take advantage.  

For the past two years, what I’ve done is come up with a list of my top five “must see” bands or artists.  For me, they were bands that I had never seen and bands that would probably never play Nashville – at least not in the foreseeable future, or without randomly opening for a bigger band.  And you know what?  On both my trips to SXSW I got to see my top five.

Keep in mind though, you should still be keeping your expectations in check.  If you’re dying to see The Decemberists play their new album in its entirety, and they’re only doing that once, at an official showcase at a high-profile venue that will probably end up being badge-only, maybe you should pick a more attainable goal.  Not that you can’t attempt to get into that showcase – but you’d probably have more fun if you didn’t spend half the day waiting in line.

Coming up in Part 2 - outline your plan of attack and plan accordingly.

Bloggers Are Now In Charge (aka, SXSW - here I come!)

So it's officially official now, I am headed to SXSW next month!  Originally I was planning on skipping the festival this year, what with the economy in shambles and my festival enthusiasm at a slightly lower level than previous years, but fate (and the conference organizers, I guess) had a different plan in mind.  Last week I was invited to speak as a panelist at the music conference, and earlier this week I accepted the invite and registered.  So Austin, here I come.

I'm still working out the details on how I'm going to get there and where I'm going to stay, but let me tell you I am PSYCHED, and about as geeked out as can be that I'm going to participate in the conference.  As a lil Nashville blogger who road-tripped it to SXSW for the past two years sans even a wristband, just the thought that I'm going to have a BADGE is pretty freaking ridiculous.  Let alone the fact that it was complimentary.  Let alone the fact that my picture and bio are on the SXSW website. Let alone the fact that I'm going to participate in a panel along with the guys behind some of my favorite blogs! Damn.

Sooooo, if you're attending the conference, make sure you pencil in Thursday, March 17 from 11 a.m.-12:30 a.m. for Bloggers Are Now In Charge.  I'll be up there along with the gents from Coolfer, BrooklynVegan, Aquarium Drunkard and Donewaiting.

This also means I'll be doing a little festival previewing and as much coverage as I can manage from the fest.  I'll also be hitting you with some tips for doing SXSW on the cheap super soon, because a few people have been asking me for tips on that front.  And I bet that kinda info is even more useful this year.