SXSW

SXSW Review: London Grammar, March 12

Posted on March 15, 2014 by Ricky in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

English trio London Grammar certainly had a tough task at their Wednesday showcase at the Fader Fort. Sandwiched in between the energetic act of Big Freedia, up and comer Isiah Rashard and hip hop sensation YG, it seemed like London Grammar got the “cool down” slot at Fader, much like how WWF puts in some crappy matches in between main eventers, just to chill the crowd out a little.

Facing an amped up crowd, the group managed to reign the people in as soon as lead singer Hannah Reid took the microphone and unleashed her powerful voice. Given the moody, atmospheric and somewhat minimalist arrangements that dominated their debut album “If You Wait”, you would think that the drunk crunk loving crowd at Fader would quickly lose interest, but this was not the case. They even managed to move during Wasting My Young Years.

Hannah Reid’s voice has a star quality to it, and it’s good enough for the band to actually just stand there for the whole set, not do anything and still be an interesting show. They didn’t play their cover of the Kavinsky which I remembered, but maybe that would have been too much of a downer for this crowd.

SXSW Review: Slow Magic, March 13, Licha’s Cantina

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Paul in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

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Nobody was really clamoring to hear it, but here’s my opinion nonetheless: live electronic music can be a bit dull to watch sometimes. No matter how compelling or original the music, the presentation of the material in a live setting often ultimately comes down to somebody pushing buttons and twiddling knobs. One need only refer to that horrendous Siddhartha thing that Billy Corgan did a couple of weeks back to understand how tedious that sort of thing can be to watch. Because of this, it’s especially appreciated when an artist goes the extra mile to, y’know, put on an actual SHOW at one of their shows and on this front, Slow Magic definitely delivered.

Wearing a full mask and costume and not saying a word during his entire performance, the man only known as Slow Magic built up a bit of a sense of mystery about his performance, although the audience at this afternoon showcase got to peer behind the veil a bit while he soundchecked for a bit, with the sound guy being perhaps a bit too thorough in getting the levels on the drum just right.

As soon as the set started, Slow Magic was very active, drumming almost continuously throughout his set, moving about through the crowd, and even inviting someone up from the crowd for a bit of an audience participation drum-off. The fact that it was all happening on the backyard patio of a Mexican restaurant only added to the vibe. Fun times.

SXSW Review: Saintseneca, Lost In The Trees, March 12, Flamingo Cantina

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Paul in South By Southwest | Leave a comment

Saintseneca is a band living in the shadow of Jeff Mangum. The Columbus, Ohio band’s strummy, melodic tunes, somewhat abstract lyrics, and occasional bursts of noise definitely bring Mangum’s work in Neutral Milk Hotel to mind with hints of John Darnielle, Conor Oberst, and a bit of the stompiness of bands like The Lumineers also coming into the mix. This is not a bad thing by any means; the band’s got a good sound and put on an entertaining performance, but I feel like it’s definitely emblematic of the state of indie folk post-Neutral Milk Hotel. The influence of that band on many bands working within that genre is hard to understate. Saintseneca put on a compelling performance, but beyond their music I also have to note that singer Zac Little has an impressive moustache. I didn’t even notice it during their first song, but once I did, it was all I could notice. It almost seemed like it might swallow up the rest of his face. Well done, sir.

Following them onstage at Flamingo Cantina was Lost In The Trees. The Chapel Hill band, known for their orchestral folk pop, seems to have moved away from the folkier aspect of their sound, with Ari Picker leading the band through songs from their latest, Past Life, that featured a lot more electronic texture than in the past. The new-ish direction works for the band, expanding somewhat on their sound.

SXSW Concert Review: San Fermin, March 13

Posted on March 14, 2014 by Ricky in South By Southwest | 1 Comment

One of my must see bands at SXSW was Brooklyn’s San Fermin, a chamber-pop band that put out an album last year that I thought everyone would know and love, but didn’t. With a barrage of SXSW performances this year, I will assume that this will happen shortly after the festival.

Playing some random house for some random company’s non open bar day party, San Fermin took a while to set up, but once they did, the group proceeded to play an impressively tight show that highlights many of the talents that made this band one of my favorite discoveries of last year. Among these talents are:

– Allen Tate’s baritone voice, which sounds like a less angry Matt Berninger. It’s a powerful voice that adds additional weight to any track

– A powerful horns section featuring two roaming band members who added excitement with rare dueling trumpet/sax solos

– Rae Cassidy’s infectious smile and her incredible range as the female vocal lead. The high notes of Cassidy balanced out nicely with Tate’s low voice to create a wide spectrum of sounds.

With so much talent on stage, it would be easy for one band member to dominate the show, yet under Ellis Ludwig-Leone’s helm, the group was able to reign in their talent into a cohesive unit whose delicate arrangements and orchestral vibe makes them quite unique here in Austin. Check them out.

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