On The Road (Day 1): SXSW

For Day 0: click here

Ah, the first day of South By Southwest. There’s no going back – once we check-in and receive our wristbands at the Austin Convention Center, the musical onslaught gets nearer and nearer. Word on the street is that Jack White is christening his mobile Third Man Records truck in-person by playing a short set in front of his new mobile record store. Let the games begin!

We race west from the convention center, grab some breakfast tacos, and arrive at the intersection of 4th Street and Colorado, where we find a long line gathered in front of a bright yellow, armored car: the Third Man Records truck. Not only is the vehicle a mobile point-of-sale for Third Man’s exclusive vinyl catalog, but also it can power amplifiers and has a built in PA. We park ourselves right next to the truck – Aziz Ansari is watching on right next to us (celebrity siting #1). An amp, chair, and mic stand are brought out by the suit-clad Third Man team, and Jack White emerges from the back of the truck (see below).

White, backed by his acoustic guitar, plays a very short set – two songs – to christen his truck’s maiden voyage. The first: a cover of a famous Texas folk song. Second: The White Stripes’ “Dead Leaves And The Dirty Ground.”

He concludes, and introduces newly signed Third Man Artist, Seasick Steve (see above). White mentions he was brought into the family by “not signing a contract, but he signed my desk.” Steve sits down, stomps out a beat with his left foot, and rips into his three stringed axe with some riveting slide guitar. However, the Third Man truck was having some technical difficulties, cutting power on-and-off to the amp and PA. Steve didn’t seem to mind, though, as he yelled his bluesy lyrics at us, mic or no mic.

The audience swarms to the window to get their hands on some Third Man vinyl – we decline, and make our way towards an important facet of SXSW showcase searching: free food and free beer. It turns out, a band on our “must see list” will be playing at the eMusic showcase – JEFF the Brotherhood (see below) – which also satisfied our other two aforementioned requirements.

Brothers Jake and Jamin (neither one is a JEFF) play an energetic, garage rock fueled set – however, the crowd was still waking up. The audience did raise their attention level a bit once the duo began handing out limited edition vinyl of their new single; as mentioned earlier, South By Southwest goers love free stuff. And i mean LOVE free stuff.

Fader Fort by Fiat was the next stop on the list, which was in a large lot south of the epicenter of SXSW activities. The Fort really was a fort – it felt like an outpost on the indie-rock frontier, with wooden walls and a log cabinesque feel to the decor. Well, with the exception of a very high tech stage with complex club lighting and and small force of iPad’s with surveys at the exit. After enjoying another free beverage, we set ourselves at the front of the crowd for – wait, Raphael Saadiq was cancelled? Trading soul for noisy, almost shoegazey rock n’ roll, Fader subbed in Welsh trio The Joy Formidable (see below) to obliterate our eardrums.

Armed with atmospheric guitar effects, heavy hitting riffs, and great hooks, The Joy Formidable plays a very energetic and memorable set. Singer/guitarist Ritzy Bryan juxtaposes an aggressive and playful attitude, switching between a warming smile and a laser intense stare. The band triumphantly ends with “The Last Drop,” with all of us chanting along.

After a quick set change, Brooklyn’s much buzzed about Twin Shadow (see below) takes the stage. Bathing us in new wave synthesizers and dancy guitar riffs, the group blazed through much of the material on their last album, Forget. Main man George Lewis Jr.’s light yet soulful voice was the perfect match for his backup band’s moody, 80s glitz – leaving with the refrain of “Slow”: “I don’t wanna be, believing, in love.”

Night was falling by the time we leave the Fader Fort by Fiat. Expecting a huge line at famous outdoor venue Stubb’s (there was!), we made sure to get to the Time Out showcase to catch UK electronic sensation, James Blake (see below). Taking live performance very seriously, Blake brings two musicians with him – a live drummer and a guy to play the guitar and toy with a sampler – leaving Blake to focus on his two keyboards and vocals. And his vocals made the set one to remember. Blake sounds exactly as haunted and effervescent as he did on his LP, and the well placed tones and effects in each song sound perfect in the mix.

Due to technical difficulties at the start of Blake’s set, the show was cut short to leave Smith Westerns (see below) their proper time. The group breaks through their non-chalant attitude, bringing some emotion to their 60s inspired, summery rock ‘n’ roll with an garage tone.

After a short break to knock back a few Lone Stars and some Stubb’s BBQ tacos (which were delicious!), we head to the Vans showcase at Emo’s to see the Black Lips (see below). It was a bit past midnight – we were ready to let loose in the inevitable Lips’ mosh pit. The band played many cuts from their upcoming record, Arabia Mountain, and display some of their usual on stage antics (throwing up, spraying beer everywhere, kissing each other, etc.). But hey, that’s punk rock, right?

1 AM – the main event: Talib Kweli (see below). Hip-hop heads and punkers bounced to one of the best MCs in rap game, throwing their hands up whenever they got the chance. Kweli’s rapid fire verses and technical beats are winners, and he brought out fellow rapper Jean Grae to assist on a few tracks. Kweli preaches to us, traversing the stage and spitting rhymes behind some funky sunglasses. He ends with a rousing rendition of “Get By” and leaves the stage to a deafening round of cheers and applause.

Everyone at Emo’s pours out onto 6th Street – downtown Austin’s main drag. It’s 2 AM, and the bars are closed, so the search for afterhours events is on. We find the PureVolume House, with the party being DJed by Moby (see below). The kids love him as he throws down massive techno bangers – and I’m sure the free drinks helped drive the rampant enthusiasm and wild hipster dancing of the crowd.

Day 1 is over – time to catch the night owl bus heading north to our temporary HQ, our host Joel’s house. And a ticket is only one dollar? Damn, we love Austin.

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