March 18, 2007
Reading a Review of SXSW Backwards
That's what you are doing if you start here at the top, but hey, you don't have to feel the energy drain of retiring late and rising in the morning to do it all over again. He he.
Leigh Nash played a short set (most every act limits their sets to about 30 minutes, with some ocassionally going for 45 minutes) on a small patio stage atop a two-story building on Congress Avenue, across the street from the Frost Bank building (a sky scraper with decorated sculpted glass pedals at the top that light up the Austin skyline; giving real visual representation to the Spanish word "rascascielo," which translates to "sky scratcher"). It created kind of a surreal environment for the performance. Leigh introduced one of her new songs from Blue On Blue by saying, "I've been kinda blue lately, but things are looking up." She sounded confident and vulnerable at the same time, giving her amazing voice wings that flew into the night sky away from her simple stand-still-while-I-sing in her little girl but also very paternal knee-length black dress. Without sounding trendy, it seems she could fly back and forth in time, performing in the 17th, 18th, 19th or 20th century as easily as this one.
As soon as the set was done, I booked it out the side door, rambled down the stairs and headed up Congress to catch what I could of Mute Math's set on the Pure Volume Outdoor Stage. My badge was probably swinging in the wind around my neck, because a couple of young girls approached me and said, "Excuse me. Do you know where Mute Math is playing?" I told 'em I was headed there and I'd show 'em. As we got closer to the 7th Avenue location on a hill, we heard the tail end of a song, applause and then silence. "This is not good," I told the disappointed girls, but then we heard the subtle sounds of poorly mic'd drumsticks attacking the metal of mic stands and the legs of a drum stool. "Do you hear that?" I asked in excitement. The parking lot stage area was fenced around, which would allow them access if they couldn't get in past a gatekeeper looking for badges. Perhaps this was open to the public or the bouncer didn't notice them, but they were able to join the large throng of people. Judging by the banter after this song, Mute Math was just getting started. This was really good news for us all, as they were sounding very "on" (though I haven't seen them have an "off" night ever, even though I came away disappointed from one of their shows about two years ago when they introduced new songs that sounded too pop upon first listen). They played a new song, called "A Voice In The Silence," with was very melodic and had the phrase "Is there a voice in the silence?" repeated in the chorus. They played "Plan B" in an alternate arrangement that was in a slower tempo with the vocal line and delivery. It was very cool to hear them reworking their own material (especially for a second performance during the festival). Normally I might not let myself watch a band's second set in a huge event like this, because there are so many great acts to catch. Sometimes you'll even pass over a good band because you'll think, 'Oh, I'll see them next month at GMA, in concert here, or maybe this summer at festivals...' You'll basically look for reasons to help you decide between seeing an 8 o'clock performance by Leigh Nash or an 8pm set by Mute Math, for example (or you can halve them in two and club hop from one to the other). I was so glad I made an exception for this set, because it sounded great in the night air with a perfect mix and it was doubly surreal to pan around at the Austin skyline that surrounded this sloped parking lot with a stage located lower than the back of the audience, but still above most of the rest of the city below. It was a beautiful sight to behold. I noticed Mute Math has just released (at live shows only until June) a live DVD. Alright!!!
I headed down 7th street next to catch a set by Listener. He was playing in a dark and narrow dive of a club with people seated on the perimeter of the room around the wall. His talk music stood out from the norm at this hiphop showcase. His sound is really cool, culling from apparent influences like Tom Waits or Nebraska-era Springsteen, but barely above a talking voice. Kind of between talking and singing, yet passionate, poetic and meaningful. Perhaps a slowed down version of Mat Kearney or even Matisyahu. Sometimes this Arkansas resident sounds not too unlike a Jewish rapper from Brooklyn. To set him apart even further, he breaks out some large knives and runs them into a chopping block, hawking them between songs like a knife salesman, often repeating his offer to answer questions if anyone in the audience has them. He describes the knife blades as being crafted by angry Japanese with handles hewn from Viking war ships. All the time a film loop is playing in the background of old-time household item commercials. During his proposed second-to-last song he used a wet rag soaked in stage blood to create a large "bleeding" stain on his chest. His upcoming departure song got nixed by a stage manager wanting to keep things running on time, which was a shame, because his percussionist was going to play a washing machine. It was the big metal kind, which he carefully and arduously removed from the stage afterwards. It's a shame we missed this, because that would be a sight and sound to behold.
Page France played over at Maggie Mae's, which was packed rather tightly, but once the previous band finished, it wasn't too hard to find the front of the stage for their performance, which recompressed with people up front once they started playing. Page France brought their great happy tunes that are not too unlike Brian Wilson meeting The Polyphonic Spree ... with a lil' Anathallo and/or Daniel Johnston or Danielson influence. Very upbeat and singable melodies with a wide array of musical spectrum, with a little glockenspeel, horns, keys, two guitars and an acoustic (along with bass and drums). They played "Weatherman," followed by a new one called "That Rabbit" and some jamming fun with "Everybody Knows." Another new one they delivered was "Here's A Telephone." A long song called "Antartica" was a rollicking musical hootnanny, almost like a cowpunk or cowbilly ditty. They closed with a song about a "Happy Ending" that really was a super high note to go out on. Everyone but the drummer stepped to the stage's edge, getting the crowd slapping along. The bassist was lost in the moment, stomping his feet so hard on the plywood stage that his two effects pedals were bouncing up and down.
Dustin Kensrue held court on the outdoor stage at the Red Eyed Fly. One of his first songs was "Mr. State Trooper" by Springsteen. He played "Bread & Wine" with a Johnny Cash-like delivery. He did "Please Come Home" to a very appreciative crowd that seemed to know his just released solo material. Of course, they all gave up a hearty cheer when he mentioned his band Thrice. Dustin's not only a good singer, but a hard strummer that can get a lot of sound from an acoustic guitar. When he played "Consider The Ravens," he asked the crowd to get out their car keys and shake them like makeshift tamborines to help keep time and add a little spice. He played a great version of the Elvis Costello classic "Radio, Radio." When he played his song "Pistol," he started to replace the second verse with the last one by mistake, catching himself and starting that phrase again without really throwing the song off its pace. The laughing crowd totally let him get away with it. He donned his harmonica neck holster for "I Believe." I'm always amazed at the dexterity of players that can pull that off well. Dustin started "Mary, Don't You Weep," but couldn't remember the words and he realized it just as he was about to start. He apologized, admitting, "I didn't prepare for this show. I was so traumatized by yesterday..." (where a club sound crew pulled the plug on him during another set). Instead he played a surprising (and under appreciated) Counting Crows cover, "Round Here," which he delivered well. He played a Thrice song, "Stare At The Sun." He returned to his solo album for "I Need You Before," and then he played the Radiohead classic, "Creep," which the crowd ate up.
Bosque Brown put on a performance at 1am in the corner of a restaurant that was up on the 18th floor of the high-rise Hilton Garden Inn. Another beautiful setting for a cozy, intimate concert. Her twangy sweet voice was accompanied by violin, steel pedal guitar, electric, and a drummer sitting still most of the time (Ocassionally playing along with brushes and kick drum).
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