Well...here we are again. Months of planning, and a lot of debate has got us here.
With the current relationship between the US & Canada imploding and getting worse every day, it's hard to truly describe the level of discomfort we had going to Austin. With that being said, we had young Joseph & Francesca to meet up with and Austin is a reasonably safe Democratic bubble in a Republican state so off we went.
Flight done, bag dropped at hotel, wristband acquired, we are off to enjoy some music!
The park beside our hotel features a large Stage that hosts bands day & night. First up is Emmeline (daughter of current Poet Laureate Simon Armitage ) has moved from Marsden, west Yorkshire to London, where she has worked on her soft spoken style of trip hop/soul/ spoken word delivery. It comes across very well on this outdoor stage and I'm not surprised to find out she was scheduled to be opener for an upcoming Streets show.
Next up is Honeyglaze. This three piece indie rock band from South London have been a favourite for some time. Was interested to see how new songs off the much "rockier" new album would come across. No worries here as the sweet sound of earlier tracks, mixed in with those from the harder album, work very well together. The crowd appreciates it and the park is quite busy. This has been a very good start to our festival.
After checking in at the hotel, we wander over to Lazarus Brewing to see some bands and have some of our favourite craft ales. First up at the Brewery is Strawberry Launch. This 5 piece blend some lovely indie pop/folk/instrumental songs into a nice set on the outdoor stage. Next up should be Aussie artist Rowena Wise but sadly she is not able to perform so we take off and head back to the hotel to freshen up for a full evening ahead
Tonight features a few different locations and alot of great bands. First up is Cortney Dixon. What a little firehouse this youngster is. This South Shields artist is a very dynamic artist. Garage pop punk songs sung by a Blondie -like singer..it's a refreshing, engaging sound. Cortney and her band produce some very hook laden songs and you can't help but pay attention to everything going on on the stage. What a fantastic start to this showcase.
Next up is The K's
This English 4 piece indie rock band sound "big". They have a good amount of anthems that are all ready for a much larger stage. Lead singer Jamie Boyle may have been dealing with some vocal issues previously but there is no evidence of that tonight. This youngster sounds fantastic...his range is something and when he let's his voice go he can really hit some levels you rarely see hit. Early hits like "Sarajevo" really hit hard and really makes you wonder what this bands limits are. With a new album coming, there really is alot of promise from this band. I got a chance to talk to Jamie before the show and we can't help but root for these guys. The songs sound great, their live show is superb and these songs are fantastic ..so making plans already to see them again.
Up next is a very new band..Hastings band Korda Korder. With only a few songs released, and with a newly created full band, was really not sure what to expect. Had loved what I had heard so far so was going to be interesting to see how this dream pop performed. Small hiccup on the sound but once that got sorted this new five piece performed admirably. The songs are there, lead singer has a beautiful voice and I have no doubt that as this band plays together for a bit longer, these songs will hit even harder. It a solid set of very soothing indie pop
Luckily, the venue I am at is attached to another venue which has another very good showcase going on. I'm able to wander in and see a few songs by Ellur. What an incredible few songs it was. Ellur (Ella McNamara) is a fantastic singer...ridiculously infectious indie pop songs from this Halifax singer. Another artist who's performance was so good..plans were being made to see her again.
Now a few blocks away was another showcase where I wanted to end my first night. Up first is Monobloc. This NYC band bonded over their love of Joy Division and produce some solid "strokes-ish" indie rock. I only caught a few songs but they pack a punch and set the table nicely for what come next.
The Cardinals are a band I had intended to see last year but this band from Cork joined the protest against sxsw sponsorship by the US army so here we are..finally. This five piece (includes an accordion up front) lay out a set of polished, solid, punk rock. It's brooding and punchy and scrappy. The crowd loves it. As one of Grian Chattens ( Fontaines DC) favourite bands, they are getting alot of free press and that exposure has brought out a crowd. It's fascinating to watch a band with an accordion up front whipping through punk rock songs...it's fun to watch.
Then finally, a band I had no intention of missing. This Welsh band has been a favourite of mine for some time and I had to see them. They've only played Toronto once and we missed it so here was my chance. CVC are such a wonderful band. 60's California psych pop is blissfully produced and is so wonderful to watch. People grooving and swaying on the floor as the band build a set of songs that are unforgettable...I am, of course, a little biased as I've grown so in love with this band, but you could tell by the crowd reaction, nobody was leaving and it was such a great way to end the night. Now I had to find a way to see them again, for both me & Sandra!
Now it's time to get some rest, it's been a long day.
Jim
