Show Pics: Best of Showcases @ SxSW 2012

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…

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Show Pics: Best of Day Parties @ SxSW 2012

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…

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SxSW Pics: Jesus and Mary Chain @ The Belmont

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).

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Show Pics: 2nd St. Showdown @ SxSW 2012 (3/16)

I was a happy kid. Sure, things could have gone a tiny bit smoother with sponsor issues and sound-guy car troubles early, but we pulled together like a community and put on an excellent day of music. Big thanks to all involved, my +1 for bartending early, the bands for helping each other out, whatever it took was whatever it took and the party felt like SxSW of old.

So here are a bounty of pics from the 2nd St. Showdown

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BGray’s SxSW Reflection

I had my camera. I took almost 4,000 pictures. That seemed like a lot, but once I factored in the number of bands, the odd things that have to be documented, the friends gathering for shenanigans and the eight long days involved, it really wasn’t surprising. I haven’t done the final tally, but it would be fair to say that I saw part of a set from around seventy bands.

It is my turn to give a rundown on bests and worsts of The Conference. The many highs were tempered by very few lows. I chased that BUZZ that drives the relevant music fan. My summary will be a little different because I did the whole damn thing; twelve movies, several Interactive and film panels and of course all the music.

So, plenty on the movies, panels and bands and a flurry of pics to accompany all that 411 after the break…

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