Briefs

Sunday, March 22, 2009 2:27 a.m.

South By It Is Going To Be So Weird Not Hearing Music Everywhere

It’s over. We have South By fatigue and too much Sparks in our stomachs. Real wrap-up and full articles coming soon.

Curveland – Sounded like Coheed & Cambria from the outside of the venue AND they were playing a Sparks party. As far as I am concerned this makes them awesome.

Gentlemen Jesse And His Men -Cool tat:

I will never be this cool.

The Beattards – I had previously called them generic rap with a slow jam. But they were from D.C. and pretty cool dudes. Still not worth seeing. Really nice guys though.

I do not think I can stress enough the fact that they were nice.

Bang Camaro – This band is everything that is gnarly about “rock music.” Their music is exclusively huge guitar solos and 6+ dudes on gang vocals.

Cory Branan – Singers with guitars always remind me of so many O.A.R. opening acts and college freshmen. I was wrong. Lucero was right when they wrote this song, referencing Branan.

Sick Dave cover bro.

AIDS Wolf – Way less asinine in person. But still what one would expect from a band called AIDS Wolf.

Not pictured: the singer who was able to shove 90% of the microphone in her mouth while shrieking.

Special Thanks – Could have been Avril Lavigne covers in Japanese.

Sk8rboi may not translate actually.

Scroobius Pip – Apparently dan le sac said he couldn’t make it to the show because he got “hoofed by a goat as revenge for his role in the Pac killing.” Simultaneously an annoying Strange Famous artist and really fun.

Scroobius Pip

Buck 65 – Started the set with a Devo beat under his song (video below) and then proceeded to rap for forty minutes straight off an iTunes playlist. And apparently he dances.

Friday, March 20, 2009 4:27 a.m.

South By Apocalypse-ville, with beer!

by Alex Carusillo

We have returned and I have figured out the correct way to write about South By Southwest, but first there are some things we need to discuss.

1. AT&T’s coverage in Austin is abysmal. I literally cannot get service anywhere.
2. Austin looks like the apocalypse, in a good way. There are just people roaming the streets drinking and looking for music.

NOW. I have realized that there is no way to convey what actually happens here in Web recaps so here’s the new formula. Get into it. For most shows I will include a 23-word-or-less (in honor of Michael Jordan) summary with a link to the band’s Myspace. We will attempt to include a photo of each set and for the ones we have several good photos of we will include a slide show. For the shows we really loved we will have separate posts including interviews and photo sets.

Thursday, March 19th, 2009

Arms – This artist is an acoustic singer songwriter. This artist bores me.

Parenthetical Girls – Be-sweater-vested and unrepentant. Singer Zac Pennington looks at the stage as a loose suggestion. His 50-foot microphone cord allowed every fence and tree in the venue to become a drum.

Photo by Ani Mamourian

The Heavenly States – Myspace tells me they sound like The Boss and The Hold Steady. I heard a droning John Cougar.

Themselves – Highlights: Throwing confetti-filled eggs at the crowd. Eyedea and Abilities coming on stage for a song. Second band bailing on their show and Themselves seamlessly moving into a double set.