SXSW2001 - Cold weather, traffic jams and 1001 bands

Wednesday, 14-March-2001

The first day of SXSW2001. For the next four days, music would be played on every street corner across the city.

The folks at SXSW made it very easy to prepare for the festival this year: they compiled a database of all 1001 bands scheduled to play this year, which included many MP3's. After finalizing a rough schedule it was time to put on the $85 wristband and head over to the Austin Music Hall, where the Austin Music Awards ceremony started at 7:55pm sharp. I'm not a big fan of award shows, but the nice thing about the AMA is that, besides a endless number of meaningless awards, it features some very noteworthy musical appearances.

Slaid Cleaves @ Austin Music Hall (Austin Music Awards)

"Cleaves toiled long enough in Austin's singer-songwriter salt mines to turn out an exceptional album, last year's Broke Down. It was his second album for Rounder offshoot Philo, and earned him more well-deserved critical praise for his lyrical finesse and solid craftsmanship as well as Gurf Morlix's sterling production. Cleaves has a good shot at breaking out on that alone, but he hasn't forgotten how to entertain. (Margaret Moser, Austin Chronicle)

Sometimes I wonder why they call this place a Music Hall? I have been in airport hangars that are better suited for musical performances than this warehouse style structure. The self-proclaimed "Live Music Capital of the world" deserves better... Anyway, after the first round of boring acceptance speeches it was time for some music: I had heard good things about this Austinite, now I finally got to see him. Slaid and his band, which included Gurf Morlix, played only three songs, but it was enough to showcase his skills, both as a songwriter and as a performer.

86ed @ Austin Music Hall (Austin Music Awards)

This "Super-group for the day" revived the sounds of the mid 80's, when "New Sincerity Rock" ruled Austin.

From left to right: Jon Dee Graham (True Believers, lap steel), Kim Longacre (Reivers, electric guitar), Kathy McCarthy (Glass Eye, electric guitar), Cindy Toth (Reivers, bass), Alejandro Escovedo (True Believers, electric guitar), Randy Franklin (Wild Seeds, electric guitar), Joey Shuffield (Wild Seeds, drums), Michael Hall (Wild Seeds, acoustic guitar), Steve Collier (Doctor's Mob, electric guitar). Seven guitars created a monster wall of sound as the group worked their way through six songs, including the Reivers' "Freight Train Rain", the True Believers' "The Rain Won’t Help You (When It’s Over)", Glass Eye's "Christine" and the Wild Seeds' "I Can’t Rock You All Night Long". Garrett Williams (Reivers, vocals) joined them for an impromptu jam of "Sweet Jane". Great fun for everyone there, big smiles all around, both on stage as in the audience. A great way to kick off SXSW.

Tawnya LoRae @ Waterloo Brewing Company (Upstairs)

"Jazzy, groovy songs feature ex-Morningwood guitarist Tawnya LoRae's sultry, squirrelly vocals. Organic rhythmic textures and woozy fretless bass accompany, delivering their parts with an off-kilter, Tom Waits-esque hesitance." (Kelly B., listen.com)

I had seen Tawnya at SXSW1995 when she had performed with Susan Voelz. I’d enjoyed her voice very much back then, and with not much else happening at 9pm, I thought it might be interesting to see what she’s up to these days. Waterloo Brewing Co. has had a SXSW stage outside in the parking lot for years, but this year they also used a small stage inside. The place was half-full with regulars eating wings and nachos, drinking what must be Austin's worst brew, and chatting with the noisy bartenders. Definitely not a good place to see acoustic, low-key music (she played together with Rob Halverson on bass); the constant chatter all around was extremely distracting...

The Pistoleros @ Opal Divine’s Freehouse

"This Tempe, Ariz., fivepiece does for Americana what regional counterparts like the Gin Blossoms once did for college-radio guitar pop. The follow-up to their 1998 Hollywood Records album Hang Onto Nothing is a self-titled, self-released effort." (Michael Bertin, Austin Chronicle)

From the first note they played, I knew that I was going to enjoy this showcase. The patio at Opal Divine's was packed, and everyone got into the set. After the Dead Hot Workshop disappointment last year I was afraid that this might turn out to be a similar experience, but their highly melodic Guitar-Rock, which is instantly accessible without being too smooth, restored my faith in the Phoenix / Tempe music scene.

Canvas @ The Living Room on 6^th

"Undoubtedly a rock collective at core, but bathed in psychedelic splendor and a sexual moodiness that both entrances and electrifies. Fuelled by high energy ritual-esque live shows, Canvas creates a darkly poetic and aggressive musical experience. The songs wander from edgy alternative pieces reminiscent of Jane's Addiction or Pearl Jam, to dark grooves that hearken back to the hypnotic musings of the Doors." (Bandinfo)

I’d seen a pretty good video of this band on the Austin Music Network, so I decided to check them out.

My first impression at the club: screaming girls, leather pants, candles, sweat, torches, a long haired, bare-chested singer, tattoos, Marshall stacks + Les Paul guitars.

The music: Soundgarden meets The Tea Party, pretty cool if you like that kind of music. A good show.

The Hangmen @ Buffalo Billiards

"Okay, attention all trivia buffs and Rock 'N' Roll Jeopardy contestants: Can you name a band that had 11 years lapse between the release of its first and second albums, and never broke up in the interim? Pretty sure that the distinction belongs hands down to the Hangmen and to the Hangmen alone. Their latest, second album, Metallic I.O.U., follows its predecessor by 11 years, a chasm of apparent inactivity that would have sent even the most serene and good-natured band into oblivion, much less a rumblin' hard-rock gang like the Hangmen." (SL Duff, launch.com)

Good hard, no-bullshit, old-school Rock. Equal parts Naked Prey and Drivin' N' Cryin', and it's not hard to believe that they have been at it for 15 years. A very pleasant surprise.

The Delphines @ Flamingo Cantina

"Artist description: Bluesy rock with distinctive pop melodies, harmonies and musicality combined into well crafted and memorable songs.
Similar Artists: Cream meets Blondie
Artist history: The Delphines began in 1995 when Dominique and Kathy were discussing their musical directions at a party thrown by a mutual friend...named Delphine! Until now, the Delphines have released one CD available on Fountainbleu in the U.S. and Abstract Sounds/Spitfire in the UK. The Delphines are based in Los Angeles and play there regularly as well as frequent trips to Austin, Texas--their favorite town to play." (MP3.com artist info)

I was ready for some more good Rockin' and headed over to Flamingo Cantina. The club didn't participate in SXSW this year, which was unfortunate, because it turned out to be a much better place to hear music than the Waterloo Brewing Co. or the Pecan St. Ale House (see next show). The Cantina, which mainly caters to a Punk, Reggae & Dub audience (they had Lee "Scratch" Perry playing the day after), hosted the Delphines. It turned out be a terrific show: Kathy Valentine (the Go-Go's bass player) on guitar, Dominique Davalos (Lead-Vocals + bass) and drummer Kristy McInnes obviously enjoyed being back in the town where Kathy grew up. Big smiles on and off-stage, infectious crunchy power-pop hooks, lots of fun...

Ron Flynt & The Bluehearts @ Pecan St. Ale House

"Ron Flynt is best-known as co-founder of beloved rock band 20/20, who were enormously popular in the L. A. area in the late 70s / early 80s. Now he’s playing the same kind of classic American rock’n’roll with country overtones as Tom Petty, with an equal amount of style and class." (Kent Benjamin, Pop Culture Press)

Unfortunately the showcase didn't live up to the promise of the MP3 I’d heard. After the Delphines' Power-Pop mayhem, the clean West-coast sound of Ron Flynt didn't do anything for me. The songs were more reminiscent of the Beach Boys or the Beatles than of Tom Petty. Things didn't improve after three songs, so I decided to head back to Buffalo Billiards in search of more Rock.

Wan Santo Condo @ Buffalo Billiards

"Last year, these local post-grunge rockers' Paul Leary-produced demos led to a short fling with RCA-distributed Kneeling Elephant. The affair failed to yield an album, but allowed them to tour with Ben Harper, The The, and Tenacious D." (Andy Langer, Austin Chronicle)

Well, these guys certainly rocked harder than Ron Flynt, but it was the kind of sterile Rock ready-made for Modern Rock radio stations across the country. Solid work, but far from the excitement of the Delphines.

All in all a good first night. One outstanding set that could only be witnessed here (86ed), two great old bands (Pistoleros, Delphines), some interesting new stuff (Canvas, Hangmen).

Missed:
The Gourds, Lucinda Williams, Mary Lee’s Corvette, Adam Carroll, Carolyn Wonderland, Drive-By-Truckers, Lazy Sunday Dream, The Coffee Sergeants, Bukka Allen, Tandy, Caitlin Cary, Fastball, Brenda Kahn

Show count: 26 ...  click here to read about the next day!