Mike Damante
The theme for South by Southwest can best be described as, "So many bands, so little time." The first act I caught was Teenage Bottlerocket, playing a speedy set in the crowded Headhunters bar. I then proceeded to catch the set of Carbon/Silicon, the new band fronted by Mick Jones, the former guitarist of music icons The Clash. Seeing a living legend so close and actually getting to meet him afterward was quite an experience.
Saturday, Alternative Press hosted a free party and my new favorite band (soon to be yours) The Gaslight Anthem, stole the show, standing out like a sore thumb on a bill with dance-emo acts, Forever The Sickest Kids and The Rocket Summer. The Gaslight Anthem captivated the crowd like they did at a small show in Houston two nights before their SXSW gigs.
The "Mess with Texas Party" was huge and free – a trend in all the shows I attended. Dead to Me took advantage of playing in front of a large crowd, offering its unique mix of punk rock with a 1950s flare. Lucero followed, but the alt-country rockers were a disappointment.
NOFX was next, and the crowd was massive, despite popular ’90s alternative act The Breeders playing the adjacent stage at the same time. NOFX played the seminal-fan favorite album Punk in Drublic in its entirety with a lack of sobriety and mechanics. After "Mess with Texas" it was back to Sixth Street to see Steve E. Nix and The Cute Lepers. The Cute Lepers played an energetic set of what could best be described as a power-pop/rock’n’roll revival, complete with backing female vocals and tambourine players. Eight shows, zero dollars – can’t beat that deal.
Roshan Bhatt
South by Southwest can be a pretty hectic festival. My biggest advice to anyone who plans to go next year is to get a wristband. If you are like me and didn’t want to shell out the money, plan your entire stay in Austin because you end up missing many shows while the clubs get packed before the show starts, thanks to poor organizing and planning.
One of the best shows I caught was the Shirts for a Cute/Photo Finish Records Showcase at Red7 on Friday. This included a reunion set from Hot Water Music, which, according to many SXSW attendees, was the biggest event of the festival. I also caught Tiger Lou, Envy on the Coast and Anthony Green’s (lead singer of Circa Survive) solo set.
But by far, the best set I caught was Chromeo’s free set at Stubb’s. Chromeo is one of the only groups that I can think of that can get hundreds of people dancing in the middle of the day in 80-degree weather. Other favorites included Limbeck and Simian Mobile Disco.
My biggest disappointments were missing all sets from The Cool Kids and RX Bandits, two of the main reasons I went to Austin. But hey, you win some and you lose some.
Overall, I had a great time. I just wish I planned things better. But one thing is for sure – I will definitely be saving up for a wristband next year.
