jinners: why do you come here? and why do you hang around?

Thursday, March 22, 2007

my sonic youth, adulthood

Once a year for the past 21 years, thousands of music fans (more hipster, than frat or sorority types) gather in Austin, TX, for the SXSW Music Festival. They gorge on free BBQ from The Salt Lick or Stubbs, start drinking various free alcohol offers at parties and shows around town, where bands from all over the world come in hopes of getting discovered.

Sure, a large portion of the festival is consumed by music industry types, jaded after too many nights of seeing and hearing disappointing music, but the enthusiasm and friendliness of festival goers at SXSW is pretty astonishing and inspiring. Everyone and their mother are throwing parties day and night around downtown Austin, and then it becomes all about the scene and herd, not the seen and heard.

However, if you stop and choose wisely, you just may accidentally fall in love with your new favorite band. For this four-year SXSW veteran, the highlight of the festival was not finding a new love – it was rediscovering an old love. I was super-excited that Thurston Moore was the secret guest at Filter magazine’s “High Noon” day party at Cedar Street Courtyard, a party I just happened to be photographing.

Because so many people wrongfully left after the Fratellis (shame on you!), I stood right up front, next to Thurston. My heart was thumping hard, and I felt like I was going to faint over the four songs he played with Sonic Youth drummer Steve Shelley and a violinist friend. I swayed, I swooned and I felt incredibly giddy and fan-girl-like. But hey, it was Thurston-effing-Moore!

Back in the day of middle school mixtapes, I used to listen to Dirty and Goo a lot. You could say that Sonic Youth greatly shaped my musical tastes. Them, Nirvana and Tiffany (haha). That SY tension between beautiful and noisy is just so perfect in their music, and some people don’t realize how difficult it is to maintain that delicate balance between those seemingly two opposites.

After the set, I talked to Steve Shelley for a little bit and sort of complained about how there aren’t any “Daydream Nation” shows scheduled for New York. He informed me that they were planning one but haven’t decided what venue yet. He said they were thinking about McCarren Park Pool as a possibility – even though they already played there twice last summer with the Yeah Yeah Yeahs. So far they’ve only announced London and Chicago dates. I am happy to hear that their hometown will be represented! It just wouldn’t be right otherwise.

Shelley also told me that they were going to record the material they just performed as well as some other developing songs during the summer. I really like the sound of the new solo music, actually, so I’m looking forward to hearing what the record will sound like…

Later, I got up the courage to say hi to Thurston and was astonished to hear him thanking me for standing up front and rocking out during the show. He said I had “good energy.”

I only wished that he played a full set so I could get more of a sense of the new material – but let me tell you, during those four songs I totally lost myself. I was closing my eyes, twirling my head to and fro, stomping my Converse to the ground and, yes, smiling like a total fan girl. Thank YOU, Thurston Moore.

Labels: sxsw 2007

it's not really a party until you throw up at sxsw

how can i possibly describe the antics of last week at sxsw? 2007 brought some unexpected fun times -- and you know i love me some pleasant surprises. on thursday i went to the filter party to set up and started feeling ill almost right away. by ill, i mean i was throwing up multiple times. i think it was food poisoning because i didn't drink the night before or that morning - perhaps that jalepeno pizza i had the night before didn't agree with me afterall. next year i am staying away from food. thank goodness, dtl brought me over the tlc package.

anyhoo, my coworkers sent me back to my hotel room to recuperate, but before i left i saw a solid set from san diego band grand ole party, whose lead singer and drummer reminded me of karen o, except, you know stuck behind a drum kit instead of romping around on stage. i could tell she could sing the shit out of anything -- it was amazing and fun. i like drummers who wear cute ruffled bloomers. who needs pants, anyways, right?

the next day i was back at work, taking photos and saw the uk invasion day at cedar street courtyard. sure there were a lot of great overseas acts playing that day but the highlight for me was the secret surprise guest, thurston moore. everyone left after the fratellis so i stood up front and rocked out during thurston's set. he played solo stuff with steve shelley and a violinist, and i loved every minute of it. i wrote up a separate little gushy blog post for that.

in the meantime, here are all the imports that played before him:

the fratellis were aiite

the fratellis were ok. i still only really like their ipod single (in small doses) but they could grow into a strong contender next year.

meowing over mew

what can i say? mew was effing hot. i think mando diao is a hard band to follow because they are so dynamic, but mew not only followed them but they blew me away with their alien-like vocals.

which mando diao do you love?

hmmm, it's hard to pick a favorite. they are all cute and loud! they totally blew me away with their pure rockness.

the pipettes should pipe down

the pipettes were the most untalented band on the bill. but they were pretty. pretty and screechy with an even sadder looking band. they look like a lamer version of bling kong or something. see below.

kate havnevik from royksopp

kate havnevik is totally mesmerizing in a grey's anatomy/adult contemporary sort of way.

mohair, mo'rawk?

the guy from mohair definitely had mo' hair than anyone else on stage. he sort of reminded me of carrot top, except you know, talented. he had a great personality and he totally stuck his tongue out like gene simmons, except you know, not as long.

MORE SXSW FLICKR PHOTOS HERE!

Labels: sxsw 2007