To quote Billy Joel (this will probably be the only time Billy Joel comes up in the context of a Diarrhea Planet review), it was a pretty good crowd for a Saturday. That’s what the members of Diarrhea Planet seemed to be thinking as they played a 1:00 pm set on the last day of SXSW, aka “the most hungover day” according to them. “You guys look pretty awake. I was expecting more of a sunglasses crowd. You must have a couple of Pedialyte in you.”
It’s true, by the end of the week, SXSW can take it’s toll on you, even if you haven’t been going that hard. But word has gotten out about Diarrhea Planet, a six piece outfit making some of the most straight up enjoyable music I’ve heard in awhile, and enough people managed to get themselves up early enough to catch an impressive set by the band. With their four guitar arsenal, there’s plenty of opportunity for lots of metal-influenced soloing and general rocking out at any given moment during one of their shows.
One of the highlights of their set was “Life Pass,” off of their upcoming album Turn To Gold, described by the band as being “… about what happens when the party catches up to you. I think it’s pretty appropriate for today.”