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← back to archive	SXSW 2012: Day Four More than halfway. Fear of Finishing setting in. Off to the Convention Centre Day Stage for a leisurely start, comfy seats, breakfast tacos, brilliant sound. First Up, geetar virtuoso Gary Clarke Jr. Then one of the greatest bands ever to come out of Austin, in the best setting to see them, given the large amounts of silence and softness in their sound. Shearwater. Time to shift gears, to grungy Red Eyed Fly to see one of my picks, Australia's The Black Ryders, who presented themselves as a louder Mazzy Star. They were louder but they were no Mazzy Star. Perry's top reco of the week were Atlanta band REPTAR. So I went to see them knowing nothing about them. Turned out to be great. Lead singer is a definite star in the making, like a wilder , very young David Byrne. Their lead guitarist to the left of him is how I imagine Perry looked when he was 19. A spitting image. This captures everything about SXSW. The sign - Sixth Street, where much of the action takes place. The Balcony - were people all long the street chill and drink. The Bill Posters - everywhere. The guy with a camera - everywhere. The guy with a Beard - Beards dominate Austin. The guy with a keyboard - Bands are walking from venue to venue. The cluster with mobile phones - checking what is on next. The innocent bystander - the lady who is smiling who does not have a clue what is going on. The werewolf - buskers are everywhere you need to stand out. This Violin playing werewolf howled at the moon everytime he got a tip.....SXSW..... Another feature of SXSW is that bands often cant fit on the stage provided. Here, the drummer of Cashier No 9, Ireland's version of Mumford & Sons, sits off stage in the entrance to BD Riley's pub. Good band though. Country Rawk stars in the making, The Pierces, two Alabama sisters. Every Friday at every SXSW I have attended there is a showcase of Scottish Bands. I always go and see one band at least that I do not know. This is the Xcerts a power punk band from Eve's university city, Aberdeen. Noisy. Cheeky. So I go to a venue Thursday to see a band (The St James Society). The venue is empty, no band on stage. One girl is at the bar. I ask what has happened, she says the band just did not turn up and everyone left, but shame on me, I missed the previous band, which she managed and who were stunning. She gives me a cd, tells me they are playing Friday and says come see them. I listen to the CD later and they are not bad, called Band In Heaven. So here am I watching them at the worst venue ever, the Algave, it is basically a corridor with a bar at the end........and......... They performed to the lowest crowd I have ever been in at SXSW. I count three people along the wall and the nearest one works in the bar, she is selling beer from a cooler. No wonder the manageress was giving out cds. Forget this name, Band In Heaven, you will never hear it again. In to Peckerheads to see a few bands, the best being Exitmusic from Brooklyn. Then into the Badge Holders private lounge for a free cocktail and to rest the feet. Playing in the corner is a vaudeville act, Rachel Sage & The Sequins. She was fun and the only act to play a kazoo the whole week. Walking out of that I pass a big tent, I hear a great sound. I recognise the song a bit. I check the play list at the entrance. It is Tel Aviv party and yes it is Acollective playing. This band should be huge. I catch four songs and look forward to seeing their entire show on Saturday night. Back to Moody's Theatre, where this time anyone can get in, not like Bruce. On stage the wonderful War On Drugs. Close to being best show of the week for me. It is one-two wam bam evening as next up, same venue are The Magnetic Fields. Special. And I can even capture the Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire bottles in the background. A good sign. I try all week to interest my fellows to come see Chrysta Belle, David Lynch's girlfriend lounge lizardess. No-one bites so I go to the lounge on the 18th Floor of the Hilton Garden Hotel. Perry, I told you so ..... Slightly less photogenic were Go Radio, another early Springsteen inspired NY rock band.. Weirdness, next. Chelsea Wolfe is half Siouxie Sue, half Cruella Deville. A night person. This photo is not a mistake. It sums her up. Not bad either. At the opposite end of the continuum, Class Actress, popster. To finish the evening I follow John's tip and go back to St David's Bethnall Hall, where it feels John has a sleeping bag, to see Mother Falcon. Yes they are a bunch of teenage classically trained kids. They are hard to describe though. They were a bit pomp rock, a bit London West End musical singing and theatrics. But overall they were exciting and very different. Great end to another great day. Again.

SXSW 2012: Day Four

More than halfway. Fear of Finishing setting in.

Off to the Convention Centre Day Stage for a leisurely start, comfy seats, breakfast tacos, brilliant sound.

First Up, geetar virtuoso Gary Clarke Jr.

Then one of the greatest bands ever to come out of Austin, in the best setting to see them, given the large amounts of silence and softness in their sound. Shearwater.

Time to shift gears, to grungy Red Eyed Fly to see one of my picks, Australia's The Black Ryders, who presented themselves as a louder Mazzy Star. They were louder but they were no Mazzy Star.

Perry's top reco of the week were Atlanta band REPTAR. So I went to see them knowing nothing about them. Turned out to be great. Lead singer is a definite star in the making, like a wilder , very young David Byrne. Their lead guitarist to the left of him is how I imagine Perry looked when he was 19. A spitting image.

This captures everything about SXSW. The sign - Sixth Street, where much of the action takes place. The Balcony - were people all long the street chill and drink. The Bill Posters - everywhere. The guy with a camera - everywhere. The guy with a Beard - Beards dominate Austin. The guy with a keyboard - Bands are walking from venue to venue. The cluster with mobile phones - checking what is on next. The innocent bystander - the lady who is smiling who does not have a clue what is going on. The werewolf - buskers are everywhere you need to stand out. This Violin playing werewolf howled at the moon everytime he got a tip.....SXSW.....

Another feature of SXSW is that bands often cant fit on the stage provided. Here, the drummer of Cashier No 9, Ireland's version of Mumford & Sons, sits off stage in the entrance to BD Riley's pub. Good band though.

Country Rawk stars in the making, The Pierces, two Alabama sisters.

Every Friday at every SXSW I have attended there is a showcase of Scottish Bands. I always go and see one band at least that I do not know. This is the Xcerts a power punk band from Eve's university city, Aberdeen. Noisy. Cheeky.

So I go to a venue Thursday to see a band (The St James Society). The venue is empty, no band on stage. One girl is at the bar. I ask what has happened, she says the band just did not turn up and everyone left, but shame on me, I missed the previous band, which she managed and who were stunning. She gives me a cd, tells me they are playing Friday and says come see them. I listen to the CD later and they are not bad, called Band In Heaven. So here am I watching them at the worst venue ever, the Algave, it is basically a corridor with a bar at the end........and.........

They performed to the lowest crowd I have ever been in at SXSW. I count three people along the wall and the nearest one works in the bar, she is selling beer from a cooler. No wonder the manageress was giving out cds. Forget this name, Band In Heaven, you will never hear it again.

In to Peckerheads to see a few bands, the best being Exitmusic from Brooklyn.

Then into the Badge Holders private lounge for a free cocktail and to rest the feet. Playing in the corner is a vaudeville act, Rachel Sage & The Sequins. She was fun and the only act to play a kazoo the whole week.

Walking out of that I pass a big tent, I hear a great sound. I recognise the song a bit. I check the play list at the entrance. It is Tel Aviv party and yes it is Acollective playing. This band should be huge. I catch four songs and look forward to seeing their entire show on Saturday night.

Back to Moody's Theatre, where this time anyone can get in, not like Bruce. On stage the wonderful War On Drugs.

Close to being best show of the week for me.

It is one-two wam bam evening as next up, same venue are The Magnetic Fields. Special. And I can even capture the Tanqueray and Bombay Sapphire bottles in the background. A good sign.

I try all week to interest my fellows to come see Chrysta Belle, David Lynch's girlfriend lounge lizardess. No-one bites so I go to the lounge on the 18th Floor of the Hilton Garden Hotel.

Perry, I told you so .....

Slightly less photogenic were Go Radio, another early Springsteen inspired NY rock band..

Weirdness, next. Chelsea Wolfe is half Siouxie Sue, half Cruella Deville. A night person. This photo is not a mistake. It sums her up. Not bad either.

At the opposite end of the continuum, Class Actress, popster.

To finish the evening I follow John's tip and go back to St David's Bethnall Hall, where it feels John has a sleeping bag, to see Mother Falcon. Yes they are a bunch of teenage classically trained kids. They are hard to describe though. They were a bit pomp rock, a bit London West End musical singing and theatrics. But overall they were exciting and very different. Great end to another great day. Again.