Thursday, March 24th, 2011
Dum Dum Girls, No Joy, Edwyn Collins and more at SxSW
Frank YangI usually go into SxSW with a “no Canadian bands” mandate, which might seem unpatriotic but considering that most/all of them will come through Toronto on at least a sem-regular basis, I don’t see the logic in flying to Texas to see them perform.
That said, some exceptions are made and Montreal’s No Joy kicking off the day at the Mohawk’s inside stage was one of those special cases. Though only around a little while, it seems they’ve already gotten to the point where their local shows are as support for bigger acts I don’t want to see, so this was the only opportunity I saw in the near term to see what they were about. And what they’re about is loud, fuzzy guitar rock that’s really too abrasive for the “shoegaze” or “dreampop” adjectives that get thrown about to be accurate – they may opt to hide behind their hair but they’re certainly not shy. There’s some real aggressiveness at play but it’s tempered by a melodic sense that’s actually more evident live than on their record Ghost Blonde, and they avoid getting too sludgy-heavy thanks to some nimble drumwork. Extra props to Jasmine White-Gluz for having a cassette 4-track affixed to her pedalboard for the purpose of adding samples and static to the mix. Sure some digital sample would have been easier and more efficient, but certainly not as cool.
Catching Erland & The Carnival at the Dirty Dog Bar was a fortuitously timed and located set, happening directly en route from the Mohawk to the Convention Center for another panel. Their claim to fame is having former Verve, Blur, Gorillaz and The Good, The Bad & The Queen guitarist Simon Tong in their ranks but even though his resume certainly outshines those of his bandmates, he still stayed off to the side and leaving the spotlight to frontman Gawain Erland Cooper. His presence was most definitely felt via his musical contributions, though, adding atmosphere and texture to their distinctly baroque folk-rock. They may be a new act but the sophistication of their material and onstage composure was that of a far more veteran act. I’m pretty sure I’ve got either self-titled debut or their latest album Nightengale kicking around – I need to dig those up.
The purpose of getting to the Convention Center was a panel entitled “Your Guide To Touring In Canada” which, like the festival one I attended the day before, didn’t have any real bearing on my life – my days of piling into a van to bring rock across the great white north were over before they even began – but was certainly interesting from a “how does this work” perspective. And it was interesting, hearing representatives from Six Shooter Records, Collective Concerts, Massey Hall and LiveNation discuss the various concerns and considerations that international acts should take into account when attempting to break into the Canadian market. Unsurprisingly, much of the discussion focused on the border and getting across it, and gave some insight as to why we hear of band members being left behind in Buffalo or why some artists don’t even try to make it up here.
Shifting gears from talking about live music to seeing it, it was time to explore the east end of Austin – well, east of I-35, anyways – which in the past had been a no man’s land with respect to the festival but in the last few years had become home to many of the more and more day shows popping up, mostly in decidedly more ramshackle environs than their west-side counterparts. This certainly described Shangri-La, which was basically a shack with a bar and a backyard with a stage. And on that stage was Ottawa’s White Wires, whom I’d successfully managed to miss seeing in both Halifax and Toronto, and yet connected with deep in the heart of Texas. Not just me, though – arriving a little into their set, I saw the trio had amassed a goodly size of revellers, pogoing and voraciously devouring their punchy and barbed-wire hooky pop-punk. They don’t reinvent the wheel but are quite adept in using it to run you over with good tunes.
Across 6th St was the East Side Drive-In, though I don’t think it had that name when we thew our “Eastbound & Found” party in the same space last year – it was just the big lot north of the Fader Fort. Regardless, this year it had both a name and a new occupant for a couple days, Pitchfork and their #Offline mini-fest and with all respect to the presenter, but we did a much better job of filling the space last year. It was remarkable how empty both stages were considering they had assembled a pretty respectable lineup, but perhaps the problem was that it was a lineup better suited to filling a club with a couple hundred people than a large outdoor space intended to host thousands. But attracting the fickle masses wasn’t my problem this year, and the lean crowd meant that I was able to saunter right up the stage without issue for Edwyn Collins’ set.
I knew that Collins was recovered enough from the strokes that felled him a few years ago to record new records – the latest of which Losing Sleep is out now – but was pleasantly surprised that he was fit enough to travel and perform live. He did it with plenty of support, backed by a big band of veterans and young bucks and spending most of the set singing from his seat on a road case. His set comprised new material as well as reaching back to the Orange Juice catalog for “Falling & Laughing” and “Rip It Up”, all of it sounding like a timeless melange of pop, rock, soul and funk done with style. Though he deferred vocals to his bandmates at a couple points and invited his son William to come out and sing with him on “In Your Eyes”, Collins was up to the task of being front and centre throughout, and for the rousing set finale – “A Girl Like You” with its guitar riff proving still glorious after all these years – he stood up and belted it out. A tremendous return.
It would have been nice if that show momentum had been carried forward with Owen Pallett’s set, but after an extended setup delay – it’s never a good sign when the artist and stage manager are just standing around at the side of the stage talking – Pallett apologetically announced that his set would be a further ten to fifteen minutes late as some of his equipment – like his violin, apparently – had been left at another venue earlier in the day. Calculating my chances of seeing Pallett play again later in the week – quite good – I cut my losses and headed over to Lustre Pearl to wrap up the afternoon.
There they were hosting Los Angeles’ Dum Dum Girls, whom I’d missed when they came through Toronto a few weeks ago due to other show conflicts. I may well like them the best of all the fuzzed-out retro-rock acts kicking around these days, and I’m even reluctant to lump them in with the other “garage rock” bands – the aesthetic might be similar, but I find their songcraft is considerably more sophisticated, able to evoke dark edges around the sunshiny sound, and the presentation? Well let’s just say they’re a very good looking band. A great-sounding one, too, with terrific harmonies and sharp guitar work over top driving rhythms, all delivered with an effortless cool. Or mostly so – even the coolest-looking band wasn’t immune to the Texas heat and by the end of their set, there was sweat and running makeup but even then? Awesome.
Wednesday, March 23rd, 2011
We interrupt our SxSW reportage to bring you Death Cab For Cutie tour dates
Danny ClinchNot that Death Cab For Cutie tour dates are “stop the presses” type news in any universe, but the fact that the fan presale for said shows begins tomorrow, I figured I should put my Austin reminiscences on hold for a day to post the info and maybe clear out some other tour dates and whatnot.
The tour is noteworthy, however, in that it’s kicking off a few weeks ahead of the release of their new record Codes & Keys, out May 31, and will be happening in rooms much smaller than they normally play. The first date of the tour, for example, will be May 18 at The Phoenix in Toronto which is a fraction of the size (1/3) of the Sound Academy, where they were back in Spring 2009 and many times smaller than the Toronto Islands show in Summer 2008, though that one was bolstered by Stars. All of which is to say that ticket demand will greatly outstrip supply for this show, so this presale – which opens at noon on Thursday to fan club members – could be your best friend if you want to see them in relatively cozy environs. And really, isn’t getting cozy with Ben Gibbard what it’s all about? No? Really? Okay.
And while logic dictates that this is a precursor to a much larger tour later in the Summer, this interview with Spin implies that their interest in living on the road is waning as the band enters middle age. So yeah, this presale. And if you miss the presale, regular on-sale goes Saturday at 10AM. Tickets are $39.50 plus fees will be the new-fangled paperless dealies and be limited to two per order. Man, I think the last time Death Cab played a club show on this scale was the Opera House in 2003, and I remember I had an extra ticket that I couldn’t give away. Eventually sold it to a scalper for $10. MEMORIES. Rolling Stone also has an interview with guitarist Chris Walla about the new record.
MP3: Death Cab For Cutie – “Soul Meets Body”
After easily selling out The Garrison back in February, Biffy Clyro return for a show at the more appropriately-sized Mod Club on April 23, tickets $20 in advance.
Video: Biffy Clyro – “God And Satan”
Portland instrumentalists Grails are in town at Sneaky Dee’s on April 28 in support of their new record Deep Politics.
MP3: Grails – “I Led Three Lives”
I didn’t realize that Here We Go Magic’s previously announced April 2 show at the El Mocambo disappeared like magic, but a new date for May 11 at The Horseshoe has just been announced, tickets $13.50 in advance.
MP3: Here We Go Magic – “Casual”
MP3: Here We Go Magic – “Collector”
The Vaccines have been announced as support for the Arctic Monkeys’ North American tour which stops in at the Kool Haus on May 21. Their debut What Did You Expect From The Vaccines will have a May 31 North American release date. The Spectator has an interview with the band.
MP3: The Vaccines – “Wreckin’ Bar (Ra Ra Ra)”
Brooklyn droners Crystal Stilts have put together a North American tour in support of their new record In Love With Oblivion, out April 12. The final date of the tour will be at Sneaky Dee’s on May 22. Full details on the record and tour at Exclaim.
Video: Crystal Stilts – “Through The Floor”
My Morning Jacket haven’t given their new record Circuital a proper release date yet, but that doesn’t mean they’re not doing a lot of releasing – the band are giving away live recordings from their New York residency last Fall each week, leading up to the unveil of a song from the new record on April 12. Sign up to their mailing list to access them all. They’ve also released a Summer tour itinerary which includes a July 11 date at the Kool Haus, tickets $40.50 in advance.
MP3: My Morning Jacket – “One Big Holiday”
Back to Texas tomorrow, which reminds me: what the hell is with this snow? Damnation.
Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011
The Strokes, tUnE-yArDs, Oh Land and more at SxSW
Frank YangCertainly, in retrospect, I should have known better than to opt to see The Strokes give their free-to-all show at Auditorium Shores over any other showcasing band at SxSW, but the opportunity to see them so early on in their return to active duty with the imminent release of Angles and the attendant bragging rights that would come with it (at least with my more Strokes-obsessed friends) was too much to resist. I probably should have resisted.
At first it seemed a perfectly idyllic setting – free show on the lake, warm breeze, tacos plentiful – but as showtime neared it began to get dark, and not just literally. Firstly, despite advance instructions there was no accommodation made for media and photographers so you had dozens of people jammed between the fence at the front of the stage and the throngs of concertgoers with no one in place to offer direction, and when the show eventually started and the great inevitable surge ensued, we were swept up with them and pushed forward only to run into a wall of disabled people. Very unhappy ones. Apparently an area in front had been designated for the deaf, blind and infirm – which explained the woman in the pit dancing and signing lyrics – but someone had neglected to actually physically cordon the area off and as such, these folk were being overrun by everyone else. There was panic, screaming, crying, pleading with security for help (which was completely ignored) and a few physical altercations. It was in fact only the few layers of media between them and the rest of the audience that kept it from getting worse, though that didn’t keep us from getting yelled and blamed. Never mind the fact that the original plan of rotating a group of photographers through for each of the first three songs failed almost immediately and most only got to shoot from the crowd, which isn’t easy when you have thousands of fans pushing you from one side and deaf people screaming at you from the other. And I haven’t even mentioned that the fences around the park were knocked down after capacity had been reached and the teeming masses made even more teeming. Can you say, “clusterfuck”? I knew you could.
I was amazed that The Strokes are able to elicit this sort of – I dunno if passion is the right word, I’m sure the plentiful free beer and St. Patrick’s Day-ness of the occasion had something to do with it – but to generate such a frenzy amongst a crowd that largely skewed very young, like probably in grade school when Is This It was released. But even when they burst out of New York a decade ago, I thought the love for them was disproportionate to what they actually brought to the table, musically, so maybe it’s just been consistent and now cross-generational. At any rate, for good or for bad, The Strokes sounded exactly like they always have, like they’d just stepped out of a time capsule from five years ago (but not one that had kept them looking perfectly young, mind, or Albert Hammond Jr’s had malfunctioned) with their creatively dueling guitars and Julian Casablancas’ vocals still striking that perfect sleepy snarly balance. And just as they always have, they appeared kind of bored on stage, with their dressing amounting to a a set of pulsing vertical lights which only really got interesting during “Reptilia”. None of which is to say that they were bad at all – I thought they sounded quite good, in keeping with my recent critical re-evaluation of The Strokes in general – but they still sound exactly like The Strokes always have and always will, and that’s not worth starting a riot over. Still, last I heard no one was actually hurt in the melee of the show and the fireworks that accompanied encore-closer “Last Night” were a nice touch.
Happy to be back in the usual bedlam of 6th St rather than the exceptional bedlam of Auditorium Shores, it was back into A&R mode with the maybe-terrifically-probably-horribly-named Chapel Hill quintet I Was Totally Destroying It, added to my schedule on the basis of a single song and a recommendation from The Dumbing Of America. And while they traded in perfectly decent power pop with plenty of chunky guitar riffage and onstage energy, what stood out about them was keyboardist/vocalist Rachel Hirsh who clearly towered over her bandmates in charisma and ability. Vocally, she had that extra something in her voice, be it phrasing or timbre, that demanded your attention. At present she’s lifting up the rest of her band to noteworthy status but if they don’t step up their game in creativity and presentation, it won’t be long before she’s outgrown them. Forewarned.
I’m on record as not really getting tUnE-yArDs, at least from her debut album Bird-Brain – I certainly respect the creativity and ability that Merrill Garbus brings to her art but I just don’t find it especially listenable. That said, a spur of the moment decision whilst scanning the schedule took me to the Cental Presbyterian Church where I decided to put the, “you have to see her live to get it” qualifier to the test. And yeah, having borne witness now, I will agree while what you don’t get from her recordings may not be made up for on stage, but the spectacle that she offers whilst performing more than makes up for it. Standing behind an array of microphones and drums, Garbus was dazzling in showing off what she could do with her voice, either looper or unassisted, while pounding out complex beats. She melded African rhythmic sound sculptures with R&B-ish vocal acrobatics and moments of folkish simplicity, all laced with cascades of tones and textures and crazy sax breakdowns. There were a couple of flubs where she had to catch herself and give it a do-over, but no one would dare call her on it. So yes to all, while I still find her records impenetrable – I don’t expect her new record W H O K I L L, out April 19, is a top 40 pop gem – the live spectacle is something to behold.
Back on the main drag of 6th St, it was pretty much eenie meenie minie moe with respect to who would get to entertain me for the midnight hour, and given that a few people had expressed an interest in London’s Chapel Club pre-festival and they were setting up at Bat Bar right behind me, I figured that’d be as good a pick as any. And with their fancy pants Jazzmaster and Gretsch guitars adorning the stage, they certainly made a good first impression but musically, lacked clarity of purpose necessary to seal the deal. Guitars were loud and churny, but the vocalist didn’t offer much in terms of personality and the songs, while generally sounding good, didn’t come off as especially memorable. I suspect that the band would have agreed that they weren’t putting their best foot forward, as they were clearly unhappy with the sound and the singer was staring daggers at the sound man in the balcony through the entire set. But such is SxSW.
As was apparently the theme for the evening, I didn’t actually know anything about Oh Land before hitting up her showcase at Buffalo Billiards to close out the evening, save that she was Danish and accumulating a significant amount of press, though that may have had less to do with Nanna Øland Fabricius’ music than the fact that she kind of looked like a supermodel. And yeah, no one’s going to believe that that wasn’t a factor in my being there either, so I won’t try to convince you, but I do like me some Scandi-pop as well so give me a break. Those who give cut her a break for her looks must be really enamoured because musically, she doesn’t bring a lot to the table. It’s bubbly uptempo synth-pop, but lacks the big hooks that usually make this sort of thing irresistible against one’s better judgement. The material is lyrically pretty vapid and not helped along by her unremarkable voice. Yes, it comes together on the big single “Son Of A Gun” but beyond that, there wasn’t much noteworthy on display. But you know what? I have a feeling she’ll do just fine regardless.
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
DeVotchKa, Still Corners, The Naked & Famous and more at SxSW
Frank YangThough this was the seventh time I’d hit up SxSW, it was only the second wherein I was rocking a badge and besides the obvious benefits of being able to get in the express admission line at showcases and wear a picture of myself around my neck for four days, it allowed me to pass the gauntlet of gatekeeping volunteers at the Austin Convention Center and up the escalator to where the conference part of the festival was happening.
And in addition to the panels in conference rooms, there’s also a couple of stages for performances throughout the day. I had assumed, having never actually been to one, that these were basic setups for stripped-down shows but in fact, the ACC Radio Day Stage was a massive ballroom-type deal with seats for sitting, giant cushions for lounging, bars for imbibing and a giant, fully-appointed stage for performing. In short, the proper environs for a legendary artist such as Emmylou Harris.
At the festival in support of her forthcoming record Hard Bargain, out April 26, she started the day with a radio session and interview for WFUV. The musical part of the session was far too brief at only two songs, but the opportunity to hear that amazing voice live for however long was a gift. And the interview, wherein she talked about her formative years with Gram Parsons and her new record, was also great to witness. Short but special.
The Dot Com Day Stage next door was decidedly less fancifully set up than its neighbour, or at least I assumed so from what I could see. Which wasn’t much, as though I’d finally caught up with Still Corners, the target of my wild goose chase the day before, they had opted to play completely in the dark. To be fair, their usual setup had video projections shone overtop of them but the setup of the room didn’t allow this so while the films ran on the wall beside the stage, the band played with only whatever light from the hallway outside found its way in. And while this would normally be enough to get on my bad side, the London five-piece sounded so good that it was impossible to stay mad. Imagine a ’60s film score collaboration between Slowdive and Stereolab and you’re in the ballpark – it was a formula you’d think would sound more familiar but in their hands, at least, felt exceedingly fresh. Just-signed to SubPop, their debut full-length should be out in the Summer. I cannot wait to hear it.
At this point I left the safety of the Convention Center to forage for some food but soon returned to its air-conditioned, free-wified embrace, again to the Radio Day Stage, to see DeVotchKa. It had been three and a half years since I last saw the Denver quartet – here in Austin in September 2007 during ACL – but that’s only because they hadn’t returned to Toronto for a headlining show since Summer 2006. In any case, it was far too long. Their set had a goodly number of old favourites but leaned heavily on their new album 100 Lovers and rightly so – DeVotchKa have always had a unique formula of rock seasoned with mariachi and balkan sounds but on their last record A Mad And Faithful Telling it felt as though either it or they were getting tired. Lovers, happily, finds them sounding rejuvenated by recommitting to their aesthetic and taking it tighter and deeper while simultaneously expanding what DeVotchKa is, particularly rhythmically. In any sense, they reaffirmed their status as an excellent live band, the superb audio setup doing the intricacies of their sound many favours. The one point where the room didn’t work in their favour was near the end of the set when someone accidentally (?) hit the light switches and the many many many fluorescent panels in the ceiling began firing up… not especially rock’n’roll. They did get them switched off just in time for their finale, though, eliciting a smirk from frontman Nick Urata – maybe that’s what counted as a light show?
Hitting up New Zealand’s most hotly-tipped outfit at the fest, The Naked & Famous, it required a trek to the dustiest corner of downtown they call Lustre Pearl, and by and large they were worth it. Not the most original sounding outfit but a good representative of bands for whom using synths doesn’t necessarily mean they have to forgo the more traditional implements of rock. Their high-energy sound had keyboards underpinning everything, but you could have replaced the synthetic textures with organic instruments or even done away with them entirely and they’d have still sounded right. For The Naked & Famous, the danceability was not the ends but just the means to having a good time, and good times were had.
Finally, to wrap the daytime portion of the Thursday, it was back to the Convention Center for a panel on “How To Build A Festival”, featuring the people who started Bonnaroo, Burning Man and the Northside Festival. Not that I have any intention on starting my own fest, but because I was genuinely curious about how things of that nature worked. And while there wasn’t any sort of insider information offered that you wouldn’t have been able to guess, it was interesting hearing some of the anecdotes the panelists had on their experiences in getting their ventures started and did give me a sense of why Toronto has been incapable of starting and maintaining a large-scale festival (besides CMW/NXNE) – the amount of energy and dedication required is more than any entity in the 416 has been able or willing to offer, and not unreasonably. But maybe someday?
Sunday, March 20th, 2011
Basia Bulat covers The Strokes
Frank YangIt’s hardly a polished recording, but this rehearsal space recording of Basia Bulat and her bandmates trying – maybe for the first time – a harmony-laden and plucked violin-enhanced cover of The Strokes’ “Someday” has a certain delightful charm that still brings a smile to my face no matter how many times I’ve listened to it.
And I’ve listened to it a lot, seeing as how I think it dates back to if not before her 2007 debut Oh My Darling. After all, I recall them breaking it out live for the album’s record release show at the Music Gallery in September 2007 when they had completely run out of material but the audience kept calling them back for more.
Clearly they’ve no shortage of material these days, what with last year’s Heart Of My Own doubling her recorded repertoire – not that being two albums into a career has stopped the Juno Awards for nominating her this year for “Best New Artist”. Odd, but an honour nonetheless and it allows her to play a smaller-than-normal show at The Great Hall on March 26 as part of Juno Fest.
As for The Strokes, they’re back this week after a half-decade hiatus with album number four, Angles.
MP3: Basia Bulat – “Someday”
Video: The Strokes – “Someday”
1 Comment
facebook
![[Valid RSS]](http://www.chromewaves.net/images/interface/valid-rss.png "Validate my RSS feed"){kind=small}