Austin – Heading into SXSW, one of the bands that were really high on the list in terms of ‘must see’ was Scottish band ‘Glasvegas’. I had missed them when they toured Toronto previously, and the tickets for their show on April 1st had sold out quickly. In order to ensure that I was going to be able to see Glasvegas, the Panic Manual team decided to get to the Vice Lounge quickly. This meant seeing both Von Blondies and PBJ before they came on.
First, a little bit about Von Blondies – They are a garage rock outfit from Detroit best known for their association with Jack White. By association, I mean lead singer Jason Stollsteimer’s face made love to Jack White’s fist over and over again. I am sure you have seen the pictures on TMZ or Smoking Gun by now so no need to post it. It was a pretty brutal beating, not like Mankind – Undertaker Hell in the Cell beating, but pretty close. The Von Blondies have been pretty silent since the Motown Music Mayhem, but in 2009, they finally released their follow up LP to their hit album Pawn Shoppe Hearts, It’s called Love, Hate and then There’s You. With a new album in tow, the Detroit band naturally hit up SXSW.
The Vice Lounge was packed when we arrived for the show. I mean fire alarm hazard packed. I don’t want to blow any whistles but I am pretty sure violated many fire regulation codes during the time I was there. However, this is the Wild Wild West and I guess anything goes. There was very little room to spare when we got in about 10 minutes into the set. To be entirely honest, I was very busy finding a seat to really pay attention to the concert I do know this – they were pretty good. Their honest blend of guitar rock layered with Jason’s solid yelling type vocal delivery was a perfect fit for this crowd, which was peppered with people wearing many, many combinations of plaid shirts. I had no idea that there were so many kinds of plaid shirts, but now…I know. I guess this wasn’t much of a review, the new material sounded similar to the old material and the crowd went pretty nuts when the opening riff of ‘C’mon C’mon’ went on. I was instantly transported back to a time when I was five years younger and remembered ‘hmm that song was pretty good’.
I haven’t heard much of their new album, but my fond memories of pushing through the crowd and finding a sitting spot besides two really old people will definitely inspire me to check out how the new album is.
