SXSW

SXSW 2015: Final Recap and Roundtable

Posted on April 3, 2015 by Ricky in Everything, South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Another year, another SXSW. It all seems like an old hat by now.

Having had some time to reflect on the week that was, we met up virtually and did some reflecting.

How was it this year compared to other years?

Ricky: SXSW seemed to scale back on the mega acts this year, which is just fine by me. I think last year’s excess and carnage made the organization take a step back and reflect on how much the festival got out of control. This year felt a bit smaller and it was great. Personally, I feel like I’m getting old and can’t handle ten days of SXSW anymore. Of course, this is something I am saying now. It’s a tradition now more then anything. An expensive tradition.

Paul: This was my fifth year going to SXSW and I’m starting to feel about it like I did about Police Academy Five – still pretty good, but it’s starting to lose a bit of it’s lustre for me. Don’t get me wrong, it’s still a lot of fun with a lot of great moments, but I’m starting to get a bit of that “seen it all before” feeling. Maybe I’m just getting too old …

Derek: This was my sixth consecutive year and I feel like the magic has worn off a little. I refuse to wait more than a few minutes to get into a venue so that meant I didn’t get to see some acts (notably HUM).

Gary: Somehow I was a lot more enthused about SXSW this year. Although this would contrast with my photo-output by number of pics. It could be due to a multitude of factors: the sobering effect from last year’s tragic car accident; the conspicuous downturn in advertisement/endorsement; the fact that we have a hotel near downtown again; and my new camera is still not an integrated part of my body…

Best act?

Derek: James Bay at St. David’s Sanctuary. This was a perfect, intimate venue to see the 25-year old class act.

Ricky: Kate Tempest blew my mind the first time I saw her and truly, nothing was better then her searing show at Latitude 30. I will see her at NXNE and drag a bunch of people there. I also saw Emmy the Great, who was quite fantastic.

Gary: Hinds. They don’t necessarily have the best songs, nor the most memorable lines (that would go to overtime between Emmy the Great and Laura Marling), but they have an energy reserve that could rival a Tesla P85. When the next act failed to show up, they took it upon themselves to keep playing an extra 15 min. The Spaniards probably have the besst attitude I’ve seen in a band at SXSW.

Paul: Torres

Most disappointing act?

Gary: I didn’t have a crushingly disappointing experience this year. If I had to, I would nominate Buffalo Billiards as the most disappointing venue. They failed to support Dry the River (who were forced to give an acoustic set in their socks while drinking beer) then Palma Violets (who had to cut their act to 2 songs) on consecutive days. Either their sound system needs an upgrade, or the sound guy needs a new job.

Paul: No big disappointments this year, though i was a little disappointed in myself for missing out on a few acts I should have seen, including Calypso legend The Mighty Sparrow’s set at Karma Lounge. He ended up going on later than scheduled but after hearing rumours that he might not even show up, I hedged my bets and went to see something else instead.

Ricky: Black River had so much trouble setting up that they played a half set. That was disappointing considering they are 2/3 of the Doves. The Church did not play “Under the Milky Way”

Most Pleasant Discovery?

Gary: Most pleasant surprise would be Grace Weber. Her set was well-controlled, energetic, and perhaps most important to the central spirit of SXSW, not overtly crowded or hyped. It’s also nice to hear soul music in Bethell Hall for once.

Paul: Out of disappointment grew a discovery. Though I missed out on Mighty Sparrow, I did end up seeing Codrington Pan Family instead. The steel pan playing family band were also playing the Trinidad and Tobago showcase, though they went on an hour past their scheduled time. Mighty Sparrow was supposed to go on then and as they took to the stage I kept expecting him to come out, like they were his backing band and were warming up the crowd for him. I soon realized that wasn’t the case and kind of resented them for it, but then I realized, who cares – these guys put on a fun show and impressed with steel pan covers of “Happy,” “Get Lucky,” “In The Mood,” and even the damn “Can Can.”

Derek: Years and Years at FLOOD Magazine/Cedar Street Courtyard. Catchy British synthpop. You’re going to hear their infection single “Kings” for the rest of the year so much that you’ll be sick of it..

Ricky: I knew of Kate Tempest but she was fantastic. Shura was an act I never heard of but she was also very good. I also discovered how much I liked Deerhoof and The Oh See’s live act. I saw 58 bands this year at SXSW so it’s a bit of a blur.

See you next year, SXSW (?)

SXSW Review: Grace Weber, March 19, St. David’s Bethell Hall

Posted on March 31, 2015 by Gary in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Every time I drop in on Bethell Hall, I’m presented with a surprise. Almost no one comes here to sing soul/gospel during SXSW. Grace Weber gave it her best shot.

There is a slight functional dichotomy here: while the music was energetic and expressive, the set was managed meticulously, devoid of annoying interruptions/intermittence. It’s like a canonized cadenza… but I digress. The smoothness of the set could be attributed to her years (since age 6?) of singing in the church, she mused at one point.

I thoroughly enjoyed the whole concert. The duet in “Like A Fool” with Elliott Skinner turned out as cleanly and beautifully as it did in studio. They also worked well together on a Rihanna cover, “Stay”. In fact, the songwriting is consistently good. With her (almost) unbelievably far-ranging voice, Weber brought the audience low and then took them to new heights within the span of a few minutes. This being gospel music, gestures and handclaps were flying everywhere like pheasants falling during hunting season in Sandringham House. But Weber, the band, and loyal fans in the audience were all enthusiastic, and contagiously so. There was this middle-aged Asian dude who cheered at every high note, and the young black man who waited several minutes to have a picture taken with the band. I know I’ll keep some of this in my collection: while “Perfect Stranger” might be a popular one, I’d suggest digging deeper into her album, The Refinery.

SXSW Review: Torres (solo), March 18, Central Presbyterian Church

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Gary in South By Southwest | Leave a comment


Paul has reviewed Torres (Mackenzie Scott) performing with a full band at SXSW. Here at the church and without their accompaniment, I think I can safely say that the experience is different.

With her singing already unique, her solo voice runs thick and intense with a good range but never hoarse. She worked through her melancholy set methodically, only infrequently addressing the audience and even then she was humble/quiet. All of her commanding volume and presence shows itself like a retractable claw on demand, it seems. Every song feels like a confession of sorts – they appear to be deeply personal lyrics (that I can’t always find online). I particularly liked one song where the chorus repeats: “I wish I was the sea”. Another number that stood out was “Jealousy and I.”

I felt that I was being treated to a recital instead of a concert, where you were invited to appraise the music like a bystander, rather than simply allowing it to sweep you away toward a blissfully enjoyable atmosphere.

SXSW Review: Doug Seegers, March 18, St. David’s Historic Sanctuary

Posted on March 30, 2015 by Gary in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

It’s 12am. St. David’s Historic Sanctuary was emptied after Israel Nash‘s powerful performance. A bewildering-looking man came on-stage. Lanky and utterly out of place, even his hat seems like a brand statement that the wearer would happily do without. “What is he doing here? Should I stay?” Most of the audience asked that question, some audibly, and many left that question to their imaginations.

I guess having been homeless, Doug Seegers could easily shrug off, even be comfortable with that response. I’ve written before about his interesting story, but having actually listened, it made his recent fortunes even more unreal. It is simply baffling how he was not discovered sooner in this age of YouTube. From the moment he stepped onstage, Seegers energetically went through one song after the next. There was banter, but it was simple and effective. He introduced the songs, congratulated old married couples, used 2 lines to summarize his inspirations, rallied the People of the Book, and went on his country music way.

His band (which now includes a fiddle and a bass) was equally intriguing. In appearance, they looked not like musicians, but more like rental apartment managers. And there the cover under-sold the content as well. The fiddler in particular was effective on the violin as well as on harmony. The construction of most of their songs on the album are all very similar. It was only his golden egg “Going Down To The River” that stood out from the rest. In the end, it won’t be the stories in the lyrics, but his voice that you will most likely take away. He sounded even more “round” in person, if that’s even possible. It’s not a twang, nor an accent, but an entire being that can’t (yet) be recorded in hi-def. His whole demeanour puts your mind in the correct, country music speed. And he didn’t seem proud, overly excited, or even like he cared that his career has taken a great upturn. It’s a surprisingly interesting take on fame-and-fortune, and one that you should check out given the chance.

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