Busy, Tiring. Weekend.

So I didn't get to write up Thursday's events. Why? Well, I also have been shooting from 7 PM to 2 AM officially for SXSW, and by the time I get to my hotel, it's 4 AM. Friday, I was way to exhausted to get to the Convention Center, my only access to a computer, until 1 Pm. And if I were to stay here and write a blog, I wouldn't have made it to the awesome free party at Club DeVille where I saw the Obits, Handsome Furs, the Thermals, and once again, the Hold Steady. So my sincerest apologies, to whoever may be reading.

But first things first, Thursday was a blast.

I made it to Red 7 in time for Human Highway, the side project of Islands and the Unicorns Nick Thorburn. They played their blend of spacey folk rock for about a half an hour, and while they were absolutely beautiful, they seemed a little out of place by comparison to the rest of the bands.

The first of which was the Hard Lessons, an energetic hard rock outfit from Detroit, Michigan. Supporting their newest release, Arms Forest, dual-singers Gin and Ko Ko Louise are enigmas on stage. Ko Ko slammed on her keys and sang in a deep, sexy, husk voice as Gin pounded on the guitar. To close off the set, he climbed atop the speakers and monkey-barred the beams high over the crowd. The patrons directly under him had mixed emotions; was he going to fall on them, or should they be excited? They eventually left the stage to a roar of applause.

The southern punk-rock of Memphis' Lucero was up next, and they did not disappoint either. Singer Ben Nichols was relentless with his bluesy voice, punctuated by the guitar solos of Brian Venable. They tour through some crowd favorites and left everything on stage.

The headliner, the Hold Steady, is a band I can't stand on record but always have a great time live. They did not disappoint. Straight out of Minnesota, the multi-instrumentalist Franz Nicolay rocks a porn-stache but his keys and organ accent every song spoke-sung by singer Craig Finn. Finn has a great command of the stage and knows how to get the crowd moving, whether it be by his funny dancing or desire to get the crowd involved. The kids at Red 7 starting moshing and pushing, and the atmosphere was that of a straight drunk party. The Hold Steady are a band you must see live.

So I'll be back later today for an update on what I saw and shot yesterday, so cheers. On to my last day of this incredibly busy weekend.

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Day One!

While Wednesday March 18th was day one of the music festival officially, I have been taking part since the 13th. Exhaustion was the operative term for my experience on day one of music as I traveled amongst several Red River clubs in the scorching heat to see some of my favorite acts. Unfortunately, I didn't attempt to get into the Radio Room due to mass overcrowding, but I did see some great acts.

To start the day, I enjoyed the indie pop of Seattle's Telekinesis, led by multi-instrumentalist Michael Benjamin Lerner. The temptation of free breakfast tacos next door led me to Club DeVille to catch the loudness that is Explode into Colors. All-girl punk trios are the rage right now, but unfortunately, these girls aren't Vivian Girls.

I could only endure a few songs, and went back to the Mohawk inside stage to catch the mellow singer-songwriter Kevin Devine. A brilliant storyteller with a pleasant voice, Devine is reminiscient of some of the great emo staples of the late nineties like Jesse Lacey of Brand New.



I decided to head on over to Red 7 for awhile to catch the duo Wavves, who have put out one of my favorite records of the year. Reviving power-punk in the vein of the Ramones and similar to contemporaries like Austin's White Denim, Wavves put on an energetic set full of short, powerful tunes.

They were followed by the mellow indie pop of Sweden's Loney Dear who settled the crowd with beautiful harmonies and lots of hand-claps. Attempting to win over a sea of people who were ready to rock for the likes of Wavves and Vivian Girls, the end result seemed genuinely successful.

I migrated back to Club DeVille not only to use my free drink tickets but also to see two of my favorite bands that I discovered last year. Horse Feathers blend of a violin, mandolin, cello, glockenspiel, guitar, and hushed voices calmed a crowd who had just witnessed the agonizingly loud The Paper Chase. Playing tracks off 2008's fantastic House With No Home as well as some more obscure ones.



And then there was Thao. The east-coast trio Thao with the Get Down Stay Down formed after meeting in college, and singer Thao Nguyen has been writing introspective lyrics and singing in her juvenile voice since. In addition to that joyful youthfulness, her commanding stage presence gives off this carefree vibe that only infiltrates the audiences minds.



Setlist:
"Bag of Hammers"
"Geography"
"Moped"
"Beat (Health Life & Fire)"
"Body"
"Fear and Convenience"
"Feet Asleep"

View the rest of my pictures

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And so it begins...

For four longs days, I photographed red carpets at movie premiers and sat in on various panels including a conversation between acclaimed directors Richard Linklater and Todd Haynes. But now that interactive is over and film is trudging along, my week is only half over. Exhausted and spent as I may be, I cannot wait till 12:00 rolls around in a couple of hours and SXSW music begins.

My schedule today is as follows:
12:30 Anathello @ Radio Room
1:00 Samantha Crain @ Radio Room
2:00 Horse Feathers @ Club DeVille (I hope that's what time they play)
3:00 Thao with the Get Down Stay Down @ Club Deville (same)
4:00 Wild Light @ Radio Room (just read in a Paste that they are similar to Arcade Fire)
5:00 M. Ward @ Radio Room

As an official SXSW photographer, I was assigned to a punk rock showcase at Habana Bar. Wish me luck in survival! I hear those punk kids do some funny dancing.

Beginning at 8 PM, I'll be at Habana Bar photographing the following: The Reaction, Thee Headliners, Stupid Party, Future Virgins, Shellshag, This Bike Is A Pipe Bomb, Hickoids -- 8:30 to 2:00 AM. So another long day to follow.

Take care, and thanks for reading.

What are you planning on seeing this afternoon?

Several Chances to see Camera Obscura

Showlist Austin was a lot more anemic the last time I listed some of my favorite free day parties. Typically, parties are lining up sponsors and artists during these few weeks before SXSW kicks off, so I should have expected so many additions. But I truly didn't expect Friday, March 20th, to be so incredibly stacked with some of my favorite artists.

Probably my most anticipated performance and album release of the year belongs to Scotland's indie pop band Camera Obscura, who haven't made it to Austin since as far as I can remember. Now with several opportunities to see them this year, I have a few difficult decisions to make. My Maudlin Career is slated to be released on April 21st, but leaked on the internet today and I just couldn't contain myself. I had to hear it, and I am entirely grateful that I did. It feels like an extension of their beautiful 2006 release Let's Get Out Of This Country, and while independent music is in a current state of indulgent experimentation, I'm more than pleased that they stuck to what they do best.

Camera Obscura makes indie pop music perfect for long car rides and pleasant walks. Cokemachineglow vividly and accurately describes Camera Obscura's blissful and unabashed pop as "...more than a diary set to music; it’s an interactive map. It is a scrapbook of love gone wrong, including ripped photos, amateur pencil sketches, tear-stained poems, and ticket stubs." Camera Obscura are ready to flourish and have, undoubtedly, released one of my favorite records of the year.

You can catch them at the following shows:

Official Night Showcases
Wednesday March 18th
Central Presbyterian Church
8pm Anni Rossi
9pm M. Ward
10pm Department of Eagles
11pm St. Vincent
12am Camera Obscura

Friday March 20th
La Zona Rosa
7:30pm We Were Promised Jetpacks
8:30pm Dananananaykroyd
9:30pm Camera Obscura
10:30pm The Proclaimers
11:30pm Glasvegas
12:45pm Primal Scream

Free Day Shows
Saturday, March 21
The Mohawk Patio
12:00 PM Harlem
1:00 PM Jason Lytle
2:00 PM Vivian Girls
3:00 PM Viva Voce
4:00 PM Peelander-Z
5:00 PM Camera Obscura

Keep It Hid: An Introduction

Currently listening to:

I don't think there's a week I look forward to more in any given year than SXSW.

As an avid music lover and aspiring photographer, SXSW is bliss. Not a festival by ordinary standards, 1800 bands flood the city's great bar and club scene, playing in courtyards and patio decks to streetcorners and massive stages close to 24 hours a day. Some of the biggest draws at SXSW this year are "Whip It" creators Devo, consistent European festival headliner Razorlight, hip hop royalty and one half of OutKast's Big Boi, and Santa Barbara pop hitmaker Katy Perry.

These not the types of bands I would like to feature. Some of my favorite artists at SXSW this year are Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, and Camera Obscura. One half of the Black Keys, Dan Auerbach, just released a pretty great solo album, Keep It Hid, that isn't a far reach from the garage rock of the Keys. Vivian Girls just put out a really good album which leaves room for optimism in the current punk scene. There are so many artists hidden in that massive list of names, and I will share some of my favorite discoveries and recommend some free day parties and official night showcases.

I don't have a whole lot of must sees at the moment, considering the list of announced day shows is anemic and a fraction of completion, but here's a starter:

Wednesday, March 18th
Terrorbird/Force Field Media Day Party at Red 7
Vivian Girls, Beach House, The Pains of Being Pure At Heart, Wavves, Loney Dear, and much more. - Free, All Ages
Red 7's indoor stage has one of my favorite backdrops for photos in Austin, and the possibility of Vivian Girls tearing it up right after Beach House soothes the crowd with their ominous dream pop is very exciting. The Pains... are a band to watch this upcoming year, and Wavves has put out one of my favorite records of the year. I just saw Loney Dear last week opening for Andrew Bird, and they are a very charismatic live band.

Thursday, March 19th
NPR Day Party at the Parish

Blitzen Trapper, Thao with the Get Down Stay Down, K'NAAN, Dirty Projectors, and more. - Free, All Ages

Photo: Thao Nguyen at Emo's, August 6th 2008, by Shawn Hinojosa

Once again, a venue could make a show for me, and the Parish is my favorite venue in Austin. The ability to see My Morning Jacket and Duffy last year (both free) are what I most remember about SXSW 2008. The NPR Day Party is usually full of up-and-comers (last year, Vampire Weekend, Fleet Foxes, and Bon Iver played), so it makes me incredibly happy to see indie folk songstress Thao Nguyen on the lineup. Portland's campfire folk Blitzen Trapper headline, and Somalian rapper K'NAAN rounds out the diverse lineup with cuts from his latest release Troubadore.

Waiting on the Pitchfork Day Party and Mess With Texas information, which is bound to be great again.

Wednesday, March 18th
4AD Official Showcase at Central Presbyterian Church
Anni Rossi, M. Ward, Department of Eagles, St. Vincent, Camera Obscura
I've always wanted to see one of the church shows at SXSW, because the atmosphere seems unbelievably ethereal. M. Ward's new album Hold Time is getting great reviews (and I love it), and I can't wait to see brand new tracks from two new albums I'm looking forward to greatly, St. Vincent's Actor and Camera Obscura's My Maudlin Career.

Thanks for reading, listen to the playlist I've provided, and I would really like to hear what you have to say! Do you have any suggestions or recommendations for me? What do you think of my current selections?

More to come