This year’s music portion of the annual Austin, Texas spring break festival takes place March 12 through 17. SXSW 2013 promises to impress, with scares from last year’s “unofficial” shows a forgotten memory (Ben Weasel’s poor behavior, and some stage gear falling on a patron).
As usual this blogmeister will be reporting mainly from the downtown and east side areas, riding his trusty blue bike. Like last year, joining him in the party shenanigans will be Dallas friend and artist, Joey Seeman. As ever, the focus of this article will be the cheapskate, non-wristband-exclusive showcases. On to the highlights…
Wednesday the 13th… The old Emo’s location will host Brooklyn 8-bit chippers Anamanaguchi (Scott Pilgrim vs. the World soundtrack), and tuff UK female quartet, Savages. Camper Van Beethoven and Robyn Hitchcock perform later in the afternoon. The show of the weekend has to be this one at Mohawk: Iggy & The Stooges, followed by reunited The Specials (sans Jerry Dammers), and finishes off with a set from Ghostface Killah ( ! )… Thursday the 14th… last year’s Thrasher stage at The Scoot Inn was a real treat, and this year promises to repeat. Stanford psych-rockers The Allah-Las, Mac DeMarco (Montréal jizz jazz), Merchandise (Tampa post punk), Bleached (LA sisters), King Tuff (Vermont bedroom popster), Chelsea Light Moving (Thurston Moore’s post Kim Gordon band), ending with Austin band The Black Angels (nice boys, but I predict a snoozefest). Pitchfork opens a venue for the Festival called 1100 Warehouse, taking up three blocks on East 5th Street. Top performers are California X (Amherst fun rock), Parquet Courts (Denton, TX), Youth Lagoon (aka Trevor Powers, indie rock bliss), Mikal Cronin (Ty Segall Band’s bass player), Mac DeMarco, Unknown Mortal Orchestra (Portland lo-fi indie beats), and Toro y Moi (aka Chazwick Bundick on laptops). Slovenly Recordings hosts a showcase with some of its artists at the Legendary White Swan, with Acid Baby Jesus (Greece heavy psych), Hellshovel (Montréal psych pop), Shannon & The Clams (pop, with members of Hunx & His Punx), Useless Eaters (one-man project from Nashville’s Seth Sutton), Missing Monuments (ex-Exploding Heart King Louie’s razorpop on HoZac Records), Livids (Eric Davidson from New Bomb Turks/Brooklyn), New Coke (West Palm Beach lo-fi punk), Guantanamo Baywatch (Portland garage pop), and Subsonics (mixed gender Reno primitive lo-fi psych channeling Velvet Underground). Miami’s garage psych band Jacuzzi Boys open for The Besnard Lakes at Gypsy Lounge. Another Slovenly Recordings showcase, this time downtown at Barbarella, has Dinos Boys (Atlanta ’77 punk), Livids, Useless Eaters, Barreracudas (Atlanta pop), Hellshovel, Acid Baby Jesus, and A Giant Dog (Austin garage fronted by ubiquitous frontman Orville Bateman Neeley III of Bad Sports and OBN IIIs). Club Deville has Mac DeMarco, The Soft Moon (San Francisco post punk), and Cheatahs (London’s poppy answer to Sonic Youth). Hole in the Wall on The Drag has Slovenly artist Subsonics, The Woggles (Atlanta garage), and Peelander-Z (who are pals of Top Chef winner and Austinite, Paul Qui). Cherrywood Coffeehouse off Manor Road has a nice showcase of bands from all over America. New Coke, Dinos Boys, The Memories (Portland), The Brothers Gross (power pop), and more power pop with Sweet Tooth (Chicago). Cherrywood at night has The Memories (Portland), Warm Soda (former members of Bare Wires from Oakland), and Bad Indians (Ypsilanti garage). For more of a proper rock ‘n’ roll scene, head over to the Hotel Vegas/Volstead/Gypsy Lounge Compound. Thanks to local promoter and all-round good guy, Ben Tipton, there will be an incredible lineup. Check out The Go (from Detroit—Jack White was in this band), The Warlocks (LA psych rock), Thee Oh Sees (San Francisco garage punk), and The Soft Moon. Beerland has shows all day and night. If you can’t think of anything to do ( ! ), just go to Beerland. DO NOT MISS Destruction Unit (San Diego synth punk). Rounding out the bill are punk legends The Spits, and Denton’s Wiccans… Friday the 15th… Don’t skip this tight little show at The Side Bar. The Bad Lovers (Denton/Austin power pop), The Sour Notes (Austin indie rock), Kid Congo And The Pink Monkey Birds (playing new material soon to be released on In The Red Recordings), and Ringo Deathstarr (Austin). Right after, head over to The Jackalope to see Kid Congo again, with openers, an excellent Long Beach trio called Tijuana Panthers. Also downtown is The Stage on 6th. If you can get near it, you will see legendary mods The Zombies, Billy Bragg, and The 1975 (Manchester, England pop). The Hotel Vegas Compound wins again, with San Antonio’s Sons Of Hercules (these dudes rule!), New Coke, Pop Zeus and Hector’s Pets (both Brooklyn power pop), Rayon Beach (Austin synth noise), Feral Future (Austin hardcore), and King Louie’s Missing Monuments. Outside will be King Tuff. Trailer Space can always be counted upon for boozy, sweaty entertainment. Check out Tim Kerr and friends (parking lot set), Useless Eaters, Destruction Unit, and LENZ (Oakland pop punk). Waterloo Records continues blowing our minds with free music on its state-of-the-art parking lot stage. Seriously, it’s a legit venue. Frightened Rabbit start off, with Alt-J (UK experimental), Richard Thompson, Billy Bragg, and Emmylou Harris & Rodney Crowell. End of An Ear usually has reliable in-stores, and Goner Records’ Ex-Cult (Memphis/Ty Segall colleague) will be a highlight. Shout out to local gal and sterling person, New Mystery Girl, who plays a gig at G & S Lounge on the south side. The annual Roky Erickson Psychedelic Ice Cream Social includes Meat Puppets and Peelander-Z. It’s at Threadgill’s and is $10. Downtown bar The Ginger Man is usually in on the action, and they’ll have power poppers Shoes, plus The Besnard Lakes, The Woggles, The Split Squad, and The BlueBonnets (Kathy Valentine from The Go-Go’s). Outside stage at Jo’s Coffee will have Alejandro Escovedo and The Sensitive Boys and North Mississippi Allstars. Cherrywood Coffeehouse continues its showcases with Acid Baby Jesus and Crooked Bangs, an Austin trio featuring two dynamic women, guitarist Samantha Wendel and Leda Celeste Ginestra, who sings in English and French. During the day, Beerland has Useless Eaters, Barreracudas, and Natural Child. At night, check out Destruction Unit, Ex-Cult, and Nobunny (duh Fullerton Ramones!)… Saturday the 16th… Here’s the best day at the Hotel Vegas Compound: Nobunny, The Spits, Pop Zeus, Useless Eaters, Détective (Los Angeles), Missing Monuments. At night, check out this eye-popping lineup: The Memories, FIDLAR, The Go, King Tuff, Natural Child, Burnt Ones (fuzzy San Francisco T.Rex-style glam), Jacuzzi Boys, The Coathangers (Atlanta girls), Missing Monuments, The Yolks (Chicago R&B/frat rock), Hector’s Pets, Barreracudas, Warm Soda, The Bad Lovers, Guantanamo Baywatch, and (catch breath)… Roky Erickson. I’ll state it again: Ben Tipton RULES!! Peelander-Fest returns to The Grackle with Austin’s Residual Kid and Peelander-Z. Bring your own chair for an outdoor showcase at Pedernales Lofts Pavilion (that’s right, it’s a condo complex). Jamaican ska legends The Skatalites perform with two original members: founder and sax player, Lester Sterling, and Trevor “Sparrow” Thompson on drums. They’ve also been touring with vocalist Doreen Shaffer. At night the Legendary White Swan will be kickin’ it hard, with The Go Wows (based in Austin, features members Eddy Best from Stiv Bators’ band, and Brendan “Wig” Kibble, formerly of Australia’s Bam Balams), The Woggles, Savage Pinks and The Flash Boys (both Austin), and Sons Of Hercules. The Mohawk will host a diverse night, including Balmorhea (an Austin six-piece instrumental group), The Thermals (Portland pop punk), Frightened Rabbit (Scotland), The Coup (Oakland hip-hop punk on Epitaph Records), and Telekinesis (sensitive indie rock). Early evening The Ginger Man has Chris Stamey (of The dB’s) and Ken Stringfellow (of The Posies). Playing several shows around the Festival are super group The Split Squad, who boast these heavyweights… check it out: Eddie Muñoz (Plimsouls), Clem Burke (Blondie drummer), Keith Streng (Fleshtones), rounded out by pro musicians Mike Giblin and Josh Kantor. They play Antone’s Records with local artists Eve & The Exiles and The Ugly Beats, The Liberty has Acid Baby Jesus. Trailer Space show features Dinos Boys and Burnt Skull. During the day Beerland has Austin’s excellent The Young and Merchandise. At night, Crooked Bangs, A Giant Dog, Useless Eaters, Destruction Unit, Thee Oh Sees, and the only SXSW appearance of Orville Bateman Neeley’s band, OBN IIIs… Sunday the 17th… If you’re not in a cheap beer coma and feel like partyin’, check out the 4th annual Uncle Doug’s Chili Dog Fest. Mostly Texas bands but goodies, like The Bad Lovers, Haçienda, The Golden Boys, The Ugly Beats, Coma In Algiers, Bobby Jealousy, and mixed gender bubblegummer’s Lola-Cola with Alfie Rabago on keys. When you’re tired of the sun, you can slip inside Beerland cuz they also offer a hangover special, with Acid Baby Jesus, Crooked Bangs, Guantanamo Baywatch, and Flesh Lights (always entertaining Austin band fronted by Max Vandever). Finally, at night, Congress Avenue’s The Continental Club will have a $20 show with True Believers (Austin hero Alejandro Escovedo) and Penetration, a ’77-era UK punk band that promises an appearance by Cheetah Chrome (on bass, no less).
But don’t just rely upon me… for the best, most complete, and up-to-date SXSW music listings, consult Dan Machold’s super tight Showlist Austin.