Keep Austin Weird. It’s the unofficial motto of Austin and one that can also double as a decent slogan for much of what goes on during SXSW as well. “Weird” might be a bit of a reductive term, but whether you choose to call them unusual, unique, or just something that stood out as memorable in a way that separated them from the rest of the noise, each of these shows were ones that stood out in their own way.
Yogetsu Akasaka, March 14, Victorian Room at The Driskill
A beatboxing Buddhist monk from Japan who apparently never quite plays the same thing twice, Yogetsu Akasaka certainly qualifies as a unique performer. And to see some people sitting down on the floor and fully meditating during his show is probably not an occurrence you’re likely to see on an average day within the confines of the Driskill Hotel.
U.S. Girls (hologram), March 15, Swan Dive
I’ll admit that I was mostly there for the promise of a BBQ lunch and an early afternoon set from Saskatoon’s The Garrys, but after a brief talk onstage from a couple of Canadian music industry folk on the intersection between tech and music, the crowd at Swan Dive was treated to a surprise performance by U.S. Girls … but in hologram form! Sure, why not?
It was definitely a little weird, but also kind of cool, to see holographic Meg Remy give a brief one song performance live from Toronto. Will this hologram stuff catch on as the next big thing in concertgoing? I’m not sure about that, but I am sure that Meg Remy has now joined the ranks of other legendary holographic musicians like Tupac Shakur, Ronnie James Dio, Roy Orbison and Jem and the Holograms. Truly outrageous!
Party Dozen, March 17, Side Bar
When you walk into a room and the band onstage is just a duo of sax and drums, but they’re rocking out like nobody’s business? Yeah, you stay put in that spot and take it all in.
I’m not sure exactly what a party dozen is (a box of donuts brought to a party, perhaps?) but I am sure that Party Dozen put on one hell of a show. And they’ve got the Nick Cave seal of approval too, with the Sydney duo having collaborated with Cave on “Macca The Mutt” off their latest album The Real Work.