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Day One was fun.
Day Two, however, was met with a splitting sinus headache and stories of crowded photo pits with iPhones and friends of the friends of the bands that got in as “Press”. Such is the festival atmosphere. It is like an insurance conference where normal human beings sometimes get a little nuts.
Regardless, we had a punch list and we were going to punch it. Head past the break for a few notes and plenty of pics.
Justin Vernon won a Grammy. He has left us behind.
It doesn’t mean that many of us wouldn’t jump at the chance to see Bon Iver play a set for an Austin City Limits taping, especially if we got to bring the camera. It doesn’t mean that we no longer like his early material that put him square in the blogosphere’s hype zone four or so years back. Seems like such a long time ago, before the palling around with Kanye and constant mocking at Hipster Runoff, doesn’t it.
A few thoughts on the whole affair and plenty of pics after the break…
The show preview nailed it. It was Ladies Night at The Mohawk. Magnetic, charming, engaging and technical, playing solo or as the front person – the women on stage controlled the night.
Chairlift was in town for SxSW and played a heavy schedule. Would there be local fatigue? Would their set create a better, more unique experience for the fans? The set up bands, Bell and Nite Jewel, certainly gave good reason to get out and about early and leave some money at the door.
Carry through for more show notes and plenty of pics.
Finally through this last round of shows. It was Friday the 13th, so I wore a hockey mask. Nah, not really.
School of Seven Bells played the Mohawk. A newly refined two-piece, Benjamin Curtis and Alejandra Deheza brought along an extra keyboard player and drummer to fill out their live line up. They also brought along Exitmusic as the opener.
Head past the break and you will get show notes and plenty of pics.
Yes, more show pics.
I am still plowing through a backlog of photos from last week’s blitz of shows. This post features shots of Ladders, Jonquil and Keep Shelly in Athens playing the Mohawk’s inside stage after the Real Estate show. And you may notice the post title above being show pics of Jonquil even though they weren’t the headliner and the reason for that is Keep Shelly in Athens turned off the lights. The projected scenes lent for a moody atmosphere, but not-so-good for pics.
More show comments with the shots after the break…
Middle spot in a busy night of music photography, Bowerbirds headlined a show at the Parish. Dry the River opened, but I only caught the last two songs due to shooting Real Estate and Twerps (more on that to come).
Once again, good booking for The Parish to highlight the subtle tones and layered organic melodies. And good lights help the mood. Head past the break to check out the shots of the show from a band that delivered one of our favorite albums so far this year.
Rating: 
No mincing it, we love this band. So much so that Nathan has Austin Town Hall backing the vinyl which can be ordered here. So why do we need to review the record? Probably because it is warranted. A recent blog post by Michael Corcoran lamented the mediocre Austin music scene. I simply retorted you aren’t trying.
Make no mistake, there are jams being laid down by several bands born of the Live Music Capital and Literature is one of the bands doing it in their blue collar, super pop way.. So let’s examine Arab Spring.
The album opener is a gentler affair, easing into the poppy blasts that are coming. And blasts they are with the longest track weighing in at an impressive 2:51. This pace creates the punk tension, stay on top of it, or you might miss something. So, “14 Seconds” features a break midway of guitars, a recurring theme for the rest of the album. Great introduction to the band and the interplay of Kevin and Nathaniel on vocals.
“Lily” starts to really show off the melodic constructions, from the vocals to the building guitar layers. Has a feel of Arctic Monkeys in the best way, without accents and over indulgence. “Push up Bra” brings unleashed pop, jangly riffs, quick lyrical delivery and festive backing vocal destined for sing along participation. “Criminal Kids” starts the swing into my favorite span of the album. “This town scares me.” – attributable to Corcoran? The band follows with “Arab Spring”, the title track, “Then there is you, and others too, that will be left uninvited.”
“Grifted” and “Rooney” are two songs I would use to show off our Austin scene. The former is my high point, best opening hook I have heard in a long while. Nice breakdowns and layering as the vocals resume and proper use of keys to settle the song in for the outgoing jam. The latter is the biggest song on the album, another great guitar hook that climbs and gives way to loud chords. The short run time just makes you want to play it again, right away. Again, trading vocals, trading guitar lead, all while Mike and Seth run the show with the rhythm section.
The album’s finish is composed of a three song set. “O.J.” is the tender vocal moment with a great climbing and falling bassline from Seth. “Esquire Esquire” asks what am I supposed to do? when I can’t win, can’t lose. The finale, “I am Right Here”, doesn’t let us off easy; staccato, fast, short and sweet. Vocals are delivered in a matter of fact way.
So what do I want to complain about? It is over too soon. But it has to be. Arab Spring as a collection of songs is fast, to the point and leave you wanting to do it again. Literature captures the essence of pop, bridging gaps, sometimes more serious and sometimes more playful. Most important, the album shows where we are going. Things are breaking down and our “scene” is getting back to basics. It is time to have fun at shows. It is time to get sucked into two minute blasts of energy, take a short break and do it again.
[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/12/06-GRIFTED.mp3]Download: Literature – Grifted [MP3]
Here is a little video of the song “Rooney” taken a few months back…
[youtube width=640 height=390]TlA-CkpYUWM[/youtube]
So this is goodbye…
I officially declare SxSW 2012 done with this collection of pics pulled in from showcases. While this isn’t every band I saw, it is every band that I happened to enjoy seeing, other than the Night at the Belmont shots already posted. I still have trouble remembering what happened and when. Is it time to register for next year yet?
Click through and I will share a few thoughts and you will see shots of Solander, Django Django, Blondes, Class Actress, Howler, Blouse, Breton and more…
SxSW 2012 will not go away. It refuses to be ignored. It boils rabbits (that is a movie reference before anyone gets mad at SxSW).
I have a mess of pics from the day parties. This is a hot mess. I am still doing forensics on who and where based on when. I have a rough idea of where I was, but add in an occasional adult beverage, the fact that these were taken five days into my SxSW and I have a lousy memory, you can understand if the details evade. Regardless, these are some my favorite shutter clicks from the unofficial that has become official.
From MWTX to The Fader Fort presented by Converse (professional obligation there, you can thank Converse for saving Fader Fort), I got all kinds of bands performing in daylight. Yech, daylight…
Still more coverage of the conference left…
Every SxSW, I like to pick a night to just camp out at a bigger venue and take in some stuff I may already know usually with the headliner that is trying to be cool. Duran Duran palyed last year’s Wednesday line up at Stubb’s that included Yuck and Rapheal Saadiq. I chose the Belmont on the Thursday night of the conference to catch The Jesus and Mary Chain with Cold Showers, Night Beats, (a band we shall ignore) and Titus Andronicus.
It was a night of noise and feedback and awesome. I made some new friends from Brazil and in the Russian Space Program, ran into old friends in the crowd and managed to meander through a freshly remodeled and tightly packed Belmont patio room to get pics from both sides of the stage (quite a feat).
