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← back to Blog Archive	It is that time of the year once again. My 15th time to attend SXSW. I had all my prep done and and daily afternoon and evening schedules written out. I went over from Scotland five days early, spending some time in Portland and Seattle, before hand to make sure jet lag did not get in the way of seeing live music up close and very personal. And so, it goes…… Day One: Monday Arriving into Austin late afternoon, I head to Hotel Vegas as they have three stages to see what is going on. Always wanted to see A Giant Dog, but in what set the tone for the entire week, they had pulled out and so my first band of the week was Andrew Cassidy and the Disciples of Creation. They were not bad, basically doing a light version of the fiery brimstone Alabama 3 sound. I then saw The Get Lows and then The Frosty Palms indoors at Volstead Lounge. Two local Austin bands. Pleasant start to the whole shebang. Then it was back to the hotel to greet Eve arriving straight in from Amsterdam to Austin. Being young, no early arrival to get over jet lag needed. So, got Eve’s badge and then…they went to bed. Off into the evening I scurried. In a new venue for me Cuatro Gato, a tacos bar, a band who would end up as one of the best of the whole week was the starting point, Skateland also from Austin - saw a lot of Austin bands this week. Here they are featuring Dorian who was easily best dressed head of the week. I will attach links to videos throughout these reviews, some will be complete songs some will be just wee snippets. Here is a whole Skateland song. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zth-sxRgGVU Popped on to Sixth Street which is much changed these days. Only a couple of venues on the whole of the bar lined Sixth Street were putting on showcases. The epicentre was definitely Red River Street this year. Into Palm Door on Sixth to see Pivots who they say themselves “ borrow in equal parts from New Order and J Dilla, PIL and Working Men’s Club, the band have pioneered a unique brand of chaotic elegance, music that shifts from pure noise to laser-guided tightness.”. I must have missed all those elements. Later on in same venue I would see Minimal Schlager. On for some downright Geordie indie, to 13th Floor to see Newcastle’s own The Peevie Wonders, tackling the Austin heat with their natty shorts. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVeT2Qpf0Q Day one was a little bit underwhelming from there. Popped into Elysium for the guaranteed madness of Japan Nite. Audience always loves this - the crazier the acts are the better. So we had Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie and then Chiaki Mayumara. This is Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie To Valhalla, who early on appear to be lining up a much better than average schedule every day, top see Silver Lines from Birmingham. Their blurb said "Imagine wearing a scratchy hand knitted sweater and playing flat out rock n roll music in a stuffy, dilapidated English country cottage … well that’s what it’s like to be a Silver Line.” Novel. Not too bad Then it was Austin’s own Daydream Twins shoe gazing along at 13th Floor. The evening ended at with the midnight show as, shockingly, I decided to go to bed rather than go to the 1am slot, ashamed. Finished on a high with Winona Fighter a thrashing punk sound from Nashville. So a slowish start to this my 16th time to do SXSW. The week would build!!!! Day Two Tuesday. Eve is raring to go and go we do. To Valhalla (told you) to see The Manatees a quite decent Southampton band. We then do the typical early afternoon at SXSW strolling around a few venues checking things out. Always abiding by the two songs rule (cannot say you have seen a band if you don’t watch two songs). So there was The Dorios at Cheer Up Charlies, Boy Wonder at Mohawk and Singapore’s Subsonic Eye at Palm Door Outside. Then, at precisely 2pm, we hit one of them there gold runs - three great shows in a row. First China Bears, another English band, from Bridgewater. I have a list of must see bands accompanied by my own short description. For China Bears it said “soaring anthems” . I checked their own site and they describe that they have “misery anthems”. First great show of the week, and yes, it was in Valhalla https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPsd4oCuDU Out to one of my favourite areas of Austin, at least for now, as it gradually is taken over by high rise condos and hotels, to Rainey Street, to Icenhauers, for the Australian day party. We see Dust, who I had thought would be quite similar to The Triffids and Go Between but they were much heavier, this Newcastle, Australia act. One of the best shows of the week. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC9lEdHRW4 Could we get three standout shows in a row. Oh yes we could. Back to, ahem, Valhalla, to see the wonderfully named Mary Shelley. The website Look At My Records! said it "brings to mind the (barely) controlled chaos of The Birthday Party, with a touch of… Jim Morrison? If you gave him a triple-shot red eye?” My own wee pre SXSW preparation notes said simply, and oddly, punk/Dolly Parton. No idea where I was coming from with that. They were smashing and so theatrical. The main person did the whole show in an ankle boot. Did it slow him down? Nope https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H84HraOH8Ho It is five o’clock there are bands playing everywhere. We go back to our hotel to rest and eat, preparing for the night ahead. The evening struggled compared to the afternoon. We saw some ok acts, London England's Nahibah Iqbal, followed by London Canada’s Ken Yates (like that) and then Hot Garbage at Swan Dive before finding one show which stood out and of course it was a Scottish artist. Saw Humour last year but this year it seemed like a very different band. Big energy and stage presence. We liked them. Was really looking forward to seeing Paisley Fields at midnight but for second day in a row my energy was waning. I was there but can remember little, which is not good. A top afternoon with China Bears, Dust and Mary Shelley all excelling. Day Three Wednesday On we go. An hour and a half in and we were on to our fourth band. Before that we saw Glasgow’s Spyres, suitably attired at Parish. That is an I Love Glasgow t-shirt. Then out to Sidebar outside to see Frida Kills..Now around about now SXSW was being severely impacted by bands boycotting the festival. This was in protest against the festival running military events and panels displaying their new defence technology. Eventually as the week progressed over 100 bands withdrew from the official festival. Most went home, some played only unofficial gigs. We would go to a venue and find the artist we had come to see had just pulled out. It was a difficult situation for the artists as for many they had spent a lot of money to travel to Austin to then decide not to participate. It also meant that the festival attendees like ourselves who had travelled some distance and spent a fair bit on money too were shortchanged by the festival. The organisers made no attempt to connect with us, the music fans. We learned everything through the media. The mood of the festival was definitely different as the week went on. More later. Frida Kills, in advance of all of this, publicised that they would be an unofficial artist at the festival. Well done to them. Here is message they posted in the January before the event. And at Frida Kill at an unofficial show at SideBar. Eve in the frame. After seeing Earth Tongue at 13th Floor we had another magic few hours in an Austin afternoon. My wee review book said “Great classic US rock vocals” for Good Looks. They were. That was in Chess Club and I met an old friend Sean Moeller, the main guy behind Daytrotter when it was really something. If you check out many of the earlier SXSW reports you will see that Sean kindly let us sit in many special live sessions for his website. Great to meet the legend once again. After ear shattering gig watching Population II, we saw one of the gigs of the day, back at Side Bar but indoors this time to see Dead Tooth. This band say they snarled and simmered around the dark edges away from their folk rock beginnings. That is putting it mildly. Check this out. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBYGRMjRJTc And especially this…. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OFUAk6zvqjM A little bit of New Zealand’s Swallow The Rat filled in time until we see This Is Lorelei at the Chess Club. https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cCE8XFM4KCU Now look away unless you are a mad drummer. Pons https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFfiH7PAdUE A little bit of Field Guide then dinner. This tonight’s plans. This 2024 there were two standout artists who were right up there with best shows seen at SXSW ever. We started this evening with one of them. Girl and Girl from Brisbane Australia were scintillating with the added feature of the lead singer’s Aunty Liss on drums. Toppest Notchest. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLifLSfXtFQ That was so special and would it set the touch light on a series of other acts matching them. Well no, that was the highlight but there were some fun showcases. Currently winning best dress person so far was Otto Aday playing the Welsh artist showcase at Creek and Cave. Watched a bit (two songs) of Belair Lip Bombs at Empire Garage, then a cool time with Blvck Hippie performing at Cheer Up Charlies for the United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) "Fair Pay at SXSW" showcase. The second protest rising this week was against SXSW’s lack of payment support to all artists. The organisers appear to be doing all they can to alienate the bands, the festival goers and the venues. What could go wrong. This is Blvck Hippie We then saw Squirrel Flower, who was the first artist to publicly withdraw from their official showcase in protest. Pleasant enough. This was followed by my pet hate someone with their computer making “live music”. The crowd loved it, so it was just me who did not appreciate Medusa. One of the hype UK bands to see was Divorce “ the indie heavyweights of Northampton" they say. I was really looking forward to them and I like their songs but the show just seemed, well, flat, sorry. Divorce. Always like seeing a show or two in the various church halls here. Next we were at St David’s Sanctuary Hall to see Canadian electronic ambient Simon Leoza. Perfect artist for the grand acoustics. Midnight usually has some of the best showcases, one thing SXSW organisers get right at least. In Seven Grand we saw another classy Australian band, High School from Melbourne. Their blurb said "“Potent indie pop that recalls early Beach Fossils, aspects of The Cure, while channeling elements of The Go-Betweens, but really they are forging fresh paths, & laying claim to a sound of their own.” A bit of a contradictory statement but no worries they were excellent. More Strokes than anything else. And that was Wednesday. Girl and Girl the cream of the musical crop with High School dazzling too. Here endeth Part One of the 2024 SXSW review. 45 bands seen three more days to go. Bliss

← back to Blog Archive

It is that time of the year once again. My 15th time to attend SXSW. I had all my prep done and and daily afternoon and evening schedules written out. I went over from Scotland five days early, spending some time in Portland and Seattle, before hand to make sure jet lag did not get in the way of seeing live music up close and very personal. And so, it goes……

Day One: Monday

Arriving into Austin late afternoon, I head to Hotel Vegas as they have three stages to see what is going on. Always wanted to see A Giant Dog, but in what set the tone for the entire week, they had pulled out and so my first band of the week was Andrew Cassidy and the Disciples of Creation. They were not bad, basically doing a light version of the fiery brimstone Alabama 3 sound. I then saw The Get Lows and then The Frosty Palms indoors at Volstead Lounge. Two local Austin bands. Pleasant start to the whole shebang.

Then it was back to the hotel to greet Eve arriving straight in from Amsterdam to Austin. Being young, no early arrival to get over jet lag needed. So, got Eve’s badge and then…they went to bed. Off into the evening I scurried.

In a new venue for me Cuatro Gato, a tacos bar, a band who would end up as one of the best of the whole week was the starting point, Skateland also from Austin - saw a lot of Austin bands this week. Here they are featuring Dorian who was easily best dressed head of the week.

I will attach links to videos throughout these reviews, some will be complete songs some will be just wee snippets. Here is a whole Skateland song.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zth-sxRgGVU

Popped on to Sixth Street which is much changed these days. Only a couple of venues on the whole of the bar lined Sixth Street were putting on showcases. The epicentre was definitely Red River Street this year. Into Palm Door on Sixth to see Pivots who they say themselves “ borrow in equal parts from New Order and J Dilla, PIL and Working Men’s Club, the band have pioneered a unique brand of chaotic elegance, music that shifts from pure noise to laser-guided tightness.”. I must have missed all those elements. Later on in same venue I would see Minimal Schlager.

On for some downright Geordie indie, to 13th Floor to see Newcastle’s own The Peevie Wonders, tackling the Austin heat with their natty shorts.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UjVeT2Qpf0Q

Day one was a little bit underwhelming from there. Popped into Elysium for the guaranteed madness of Japan Nite. Audience always loves this - the crazier the acts are the better. So we had Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie and then Chiaki Mayumara. This is Chameleon Lime Whoopiepie

To Valhalla, who early on appear to be lining up a much better than average schedule every day, top see Silver Lines from Birmingham. Their blurb said "Imagine wearing a scratchy hand knitted sweater and playing flat out rock n roll music in a stuffy, dilapidated English country cottage … well that’s what it’s like to be a Silver Line.” Novel. Not too bad Then it was Austin’s own Daydream Twins shoe gazing along at 13th Floor.

The evening ended at with the midnight show as, shockingly, I decided to go to bed rather than go to the 1am slot, ashamed. Finished on a high with Winona Fighter a thrashing punk sound from Nashville.

So a slowish start to this my 16th time to do SXSW. The week would build!!!!

Day Two Tuesday.

Eve is raring to go and go we do.

To Valhalla (told you) to see The Manatees a quite decent Southampton band.

We then do the typical early afternoon at SXSW strolling around a few venues checking things out. Always abiding by the two songs rule (cannot say you have seen a band if you don’t watch two songs). So there was The Dorios at Cheer Up Charlies, Boy Wonder at Mohawk and Singapore’s Subsonic Eye at Palm Door Outside. Then, at precisely 2pm, we hit one of them there gold runs - three great shows in a row.

First China Bears, another English band, from Bridgewater. I have a list of must see bands accompanied by my own short description. For China Bears it said “soaring anthems” . I checked their own site and they describe that they have “misery anthems”. First great show of the week, and yes, it was in Valhalla

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qoPsd4oCuDU

Out to one of my favourite areas of Austin, at least for now, as it gradually is taken over by high rise condos and hotels, to Rainey Street, to Icenhauers, for the Australian day party. We see Dust, who I had thought would be quite similar to The Triffids and Go Between but they were much heavier, this Newcastle, Australia act. One of the best shows of the week.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FgC9lEdHRW4

Could we get three standout shows in a row. Oh yes we could. Back to, ahem, Valhalla, to see the wonderfully named Mary Shelley. The website Look At My Records! said it "brings to mind the (barely) controlled chaos of The Birthday Party, with a touch of… Jim Morrison? If you gave him a triple-shot red eye?” My own wee pre SXSW preparation notes said simply, and oddly, punk/Dolly Parton. No idea where I was coming from with that. They were smashing and so theatrical. The main person did the whole show in an ankle boot. Did it slow him down? Nope

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H84HraOH8Ho

It is five o’clock there are bands playing everywhere. We go back to our hotel to rest and eat, preparing for the night ahead. The evening struggled compared to the afternoon.

We saw some ok acts, London England's Nahibah Iqbal, followed by London Canada’s Ken Yates (like that) and then Hot Garbage at Swan Dive before finding one show which stood out and of course it was a Scottish artist. Saw Humour last year but this year it seemed like a very different band. Big energy and stage presence. We liked them.

Was really looking forward to seeing Paisley Fields at midnight but for second day in a row my energy was waning. I was there but can remember little, which is not good.

A top afternoon with China Bears, Dust and Mary Shelley all excelling.

Day Three Wednesday

On we go. An hour and a half in and we were on to our fourth band. Before that we saw Glasgow’s Spyres, suitably attired at Parish.

That is an I Love Glasgow t-shirt. Then out to Sidebar outside to see Frida Kills..Now around about now SXSW was being severely impacted by bands boycotting the festival. This was in protest against the festival running military events and panels displaying their new defence technology. Eventually as the week progressed over 100 bands withdrew from the official festival. Most went home, some played only unofficial gigs. We would go to a venue and find the artist we had come to see had just pulled out. It was a difficult situation for the artists as for many they had spent a lot of money to travel to Austin to then decide not to participate. It also meant that the festival attendees like ourselves who had travelled some distance and spent a fair bit on money too were shortchanged by the festival. The organisers made no attempt to connect with us, the music fans. We learned everything through the media. The mood of the festival was definitely different as the week went on. More later.

Frida Kills, in advance of all of this, publicised that they would be an unofficial artist at the festival. Well done to them. Here is message they posted in the January before the event.

And at Frida Kill at an unofficial show at SideBar. Eve in the frame.

After seeing Earth Tongue at 13th Floor we had another magic few hours in an Austin afternoon. My wee review book said “Great classic US rock vocals” for Good Looks. They were.

That was in Chess Club and I met an old friend Sean Moeller, the main guy behind Daytrotter when it was really something. If you check out many of the earlier SXSW reports you will see that Sean kindly let us sit in many special live sessions for his website. Great to meet the legend once again.

After ear shattering gig watching Population II, we saw one of the gigs of the day, back at Side Bar but indoors this time to see Dead Tooth. This band say they snarled and simmered around the dark edges away from their folk rock beginnings. That is putting it mildly. Check this out.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBYGRMjRJTc

And especially this….

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/OFUAk6zvqjM

A little bit of New Zealand’s Swallow The Rat filled in time until we see This Is Lorelei at the Chess Club.

https://www.youtube.com/shorts/cCE8XFM4KCU

Now look away unless you are a mad drummer. Pons

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QFfiH7PAdUE

A little bit of Field Guide then dinner.

This tonight’s plans.

This 2024 there were two standout artists who were right up there with best shows seen at SXSW ever. We started this evening with one of them. Girl and Girl from Brisbane Australia were scintillating with the added feature of the lead singer’s Aunty Liss on drums. Toppest Notchest.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZLifLSfXtFQ

That was so special and would it set the touch light on a series of other acts matching them. Well no, that was the highlight but there were some fun showcases. Currently winning best dress person so far was Otto Aday playing the Welsh artist showcase at Creek and Cave.

Watched a bit (two songs) of Belair Lip Bombs at Empire Garage, then a cool time with Blvck Hippie performing at Cheer Up Charlies for the United Musicians and Allied Workers (UMAW) "Fair Pay at SXSW" showcase. The second protest rising this week was against SXSW’s lack of payment support to all artists. The organisers appear to be doing all they can to alienate the bands, the festival goers and the venues. What could go wrong.

This is Blvck Hippie

We then saw Squirrel Flower, who was the first artist to publicly withdraw from their official showcase in protest. Pleasant enough. This was followed by my pet hate someone with their computer making “live music”. The crowd loved it, so it was just me who did not appreciate Medusa.

One of the hype UK bands to see was Divorce “ the indie heavyweights of Northampton" they say. I was really looking forward to them and I like their songs but the show just seemed, well, flat, sorry.

Divorce.

Always like seeing a show or two in the various church halls here. Next we were at St David’s Sanctuary Hall to see Canadian electronic ambient Simon Leoza. Perfect artist for the grand acoustics.

Midnight usually has some of the best showcases, one thing SXSW organisers get right at least. In Seven Grand we saw another classy Australian band, High School from Melbourne. Their blurb said "“Potent indie pop that recalls early Beach Fossils, aspects of The Cure, while channeling elements of The Go-Betweens, but really they are forging fresh paths, & laying claim to a sound of their own.” A bit of a contradictory statement but no worries they were excellent. More Strokes than anything else.

And that was Wednesday. Girl and Girl the cream of the musical crop with High School dazzling too.

Here endeth Part One of the 2024 SXSW review. 45 bands seen three more days to go. Bliss