SXSW 2009

Matt Ellis is an Australian indie folk singer/songwriter that now resides in Venice, CA. How did I hear about him? No, not from an email submission, publicist or record label. After seeing J. Tillman at Red Eyed Fly, I stepped away from the stage to an outdoor area to drink a refreshing PBR in the sun with Drinking Buddy and friends and we ended up chatting it up with this guy with an Australian accent.

We didn’t know Matt was a musician, but after discussing Tillman’s set, the reasons he left Australia for California and how I wish I had an Australian accent, we discovered that he was a singer-songwriter that happens to share our same taste in music. He passed me a CD sampler, called me “mate” and here we are today.

He’s self-producing his 4th album called Births, Deaths and Marriages which was mixed by Craig Schumacher (Calexico, Neko Case). More about the album:

After recently traveling through the South – including the musically rich Mississippi Delta region, the new album is unequivocally influenced by private moments Ellis had on the road. In it you hear the grit of the old juke joints, the lulling quiet of the desert and the effect the slide has on the soul. Ellis’ sincere, plainspoken lyrics have a foot in the fervent sound of old Bruce Springsteen and Waylon Jennings but fuses a pop sensibility ideal for radio play.

Here are two tracks, including one exclusive mp3:

Matt Ellis – Heart Of Mine

Exclusive: Matt Ellis – Births, Deaths and Marriages

We’ve been showing lots of love for The Deep Dark Woods this year, due mostly to their stellar release Winter Hours. We had the chance to see them live twice at SXSW 2009, once at our party and once at an all acoustic show at Threadgill’s. This video of the show just surfaced recently.

Video: The Deep Dark Woods – Glory Hallelujah (Live at SXSW 2009)

Playboy hosted their 10th Annual Late Night Party at SXSW 2009 at an old Safeway supermarket, headlined by Janes Addiction and attended by the trendiest crowd you’ll find at SxSW. While I normally enjoy walking around Austin to see indie bands in a t-shirt with wet armpits, the Playboy party was a refreshing change of pace. And not just because of the free bar.

Shirk and I strolled in to a half empty party and started into the complimentary cocktails. We’d seen opening act Kenan Bell the night before at our party, where he was shockingly good and became the talk of the night. He had taken command of the room and left people breathless. I’m the first to admit I’m not a hip-hop guy, but Kenan has the ability to transcend genres – it helps that he’s backed by a full band. Bell was one of the biggest buzz acts of SxSW and definitely someone to keep your eyes on in 2009. I’m sure his appearance at this party will open a few doors for him.

Image: Kenan Bell at SXSW

After Kenan’s set, we randomly bumped into Erika Wennerstrom, lead singer from the band Heartless Bastards, in the crowd. Not bad company to keep while you’re waiting for one of the greatest rock bands of our time, Jane’s Addiction. We talked at length with Erika who, like every band we met at SxSW, was incredibly friendly and also much tinier than I’d imagined. It may seem weird, but like meeting Justin Townes Earle,  I was a little star struck. Then Jane’s came on stage and all hell broke loose.

Well, not really. The crowd was too cool to get out of control, but fists were pumping, I spilled some drink down my shirt and I think a little squirt of pee came out. I like Jane’s Addiction.

Image: Jane's Addiction at Playboy Party

Surprise! Dave Navarro was topless.

All kidding aside, Navarro impressed, but I think most Jane’s Addiction fans agree that the real power of the band lies in the rhythm section. Perkins and Avery are back with the band and, although the photographers set up shop on the Hollywood side of the stage (Navarro), the band opened by showcasing the bassline on “Three Days.” It served as a well deserved “Welcome back.”

Over half of the set was comprised of tracks from Nothing Shocking with the rest filled in by Ritual de lo Habitual. Highlights for me were “Mountain Song” and “Ocean Size,” but the real joy came in seeing the bright stage lights, favorite songs perfectly executed and a true rock band working the stage to deliver exactly what the crowd was craving. Raw emotion, classic songs and an upcoming reunion tour for the ages.

Although the party was free, I’d happily pay to see Jane’s Addiction again…if only they weren’t touring with Nine Inch Nails.

Video (courtesy of ultra8201)

Burke Barlow of The Deep Dark Woods

Well folks, four sunny days, countless venues, numerous Lone Stars and about 40 some odd bands. Here is my long-winded report.

Top 3 Performances

1. Dead Confederate – Home Slice Pizza (Thurs): The Athens crew continue to impress at every turn and this set did nothing to disappoint. Mixing a Sonic Youth cover in with their own material, they played for 70 minutes with two encores.

2. Ha Ha Tonka – Red Eye Fly (Sat): Saying we love these guys is like saying I love breathing. Their music takes on a whole new dimension when played live. The set at The Yard Dog on Friday was  scintillating.

3A. Hacienda – Headhunters (Wed): I snuck out of the HearYa party for a bit to head over to the Alive showcase. Recent HearYa alums, Hacienda, were one of the main reasons why. Once their set ended, the press moved in like jackals as everyone realized they just saw something special.

3B. Other Lives – Every bit enjoyable as their set at The Double Door. Their tunes are beautifully arranged and Jesse Tabish has the perfect voice for them. I simply can’t stop listening to their debut and will be seeing them for the 3rd time in two months when they roll into Schubas at the end of April.

Top 3 Venues

1. Home Slice Pizza – 6th St. gets a little overwhelming so I try and spend as much time South of the river as possible. Home Slice was my preferred spot this year. This place has great sound which is impressive considering it is not a full time venue. Joseph, the owner, has a great staff, great pizza and great volunteers that donated time and tips to charity. I spent so much time here that I was afraid they were going to charge me rent.

2. San Jose Hotel – Also South of the River, this venue is in a parking lot and is partially powered by solar energy. This place had a great vibe and during one set, a lovely lady did things with a hula hoop that made my imagination run astray.

3. Red Eyed Fly – This place is dirty, scuzzy and beat down; just like me. The outdoor stage with the creek right behind is a great scene and the sound is pristine.

Top 3 Breakout Bands

1. Alberta Cross – After seeing them four times in the past month, I joked with Petter that he might have to file a restraining order against me.

2. The Love Language – Starkey did everything but give Stuart McLamb a handie is his review, but after seeing them twice in Austin, it is more than deserved. I was worried that the music wouldn’t translate to the live setting because of the lo-fi recording. The music is even better live with a seven piece band.

3A. The Deep Dark Woods – Jessie Scott (Americana genre and XM Radio station X Country pioneer) loves them, and damnit so do we. Their set at The Stimulus party had tongues wagging and the acoustic set that Jessie Scott hosted at Threadgills did nothing to dampen my enthusiasm for the band.

3B – The Rural Alberta Advantage – Another band that I was worried about the transition to the live setting. Another of my worries went unfounded as their set at Homeslice was outstanding. Paul Banwatt is simply manic on the drums.

Rural Alberta Advantage

Top 3 Guitarists (typically I am a bass man, but let’s visit the glamor instrument for a second)

1. Parker Griggs – Radio Moscow: Their set was way too short but in the 20 minutes we watched him, Jefe and I were floored. His hands move up and down the fret at warp speed. Absolutely stunning. While I am mentioning Radio Moscow, the bassist Zach has gotten so much better since I last saw him, and he was damn good back then.

2. Burke Barlow – The Deep Dark Woods: His easy going manner translates to their music and his playing. I hear so much Jerry Garcia in his sound and those that know me, know that I don’t throw that compliment around often.

3. Sam Kearney – Alberta Cross: His sound brings out such a new element in the band that he continues to stand out every time I see him play. The slide work he does on ATX from their upcoming album reminds me of Ed O’Brien and Johnny Greenwood.

Sam Kearney of Alberta Cross

Top 3 Things that hurt

1. My feet – I feel like someone has stabbed the bottom of my feet.

2. My liver – I drank roughly 486 Lone Stars over 4 days and my liver was up to the challenge. If I could, I would send it to a spa for the weekend.

3. My right knee – this thing is so damned swollen that if I opened it up, I think a full liter of fluid would drain out.

Top 3 Bands That I missed

1. The Heartless Bastards – My love for this band is well documented but I was unable to cross paths with them.

2. Vetiver – These guys are a new favorite of mine and they played about 8 sets down there. How I didn’t see them is beyond me.

3. Roadside Graves – I missed them on Saturday due to the fact that I simply didn’t have the energy to fire across town in the middle of the day. A few of my friends caught them on Thursday and had nothing but positive things to say.

Top 3 Bands to see when you’re drunk

1. Langhorne Slim – Starting up at 1AM on Thurs after 12 solid hours sucking down Lone Stars, I needed a kick in the ass. Slim was rocking the fedora and put on a show, complete with inviting the crowd up on the Club DeVille stage for the last 15 minutes. It was as absurd as it was brilliant.

2. The Henry Clay People – I really love watching these guys get after it and it seems like they are drinking more than me. And I ain’t doing shit other than watching them play. This is another breakout band of SXSW 2009.

3. Phosphorescent – Sipping beers and listening to Phosphorescent bang out Willie’s covers is outstanding.

Top 3 bands to listen to if you need a kick in the ass:

1. Henry Clay People – As I mentioned above, they are great drunk but also pretty damn good when you are stone cold sober. They were my lead off act for SXSW ‘09 and really set the tone for an excellent fest.

2. The Thermals – I awoke from a nap in the park to see The Thermals fire off some new tunes. I was groggy, tired and genuinely crabby. Hutch and co. made it alright.

3. Lucero – They came on right after The Thermals. At that point, I told myself I was not drinking on Saturday night as I had a 7AM flight home. After watching them tear through a set drunk on rum, I proceeded to kill about 8 tallboys before heading home. God Bless Them.

Top 3 Bands that Surprised Me Live

1. Local Natives – I passed up The Hold Steady to see them and after their set, I had zero regret. I had met the guys the day before and they were good guys.  I can’t wait for their debut.

2. Motel Motel – I had heard one or two tunes from their album New Denver and was non-committal. After their set at the HearYa party, you can color me a fan. They are fantastic and hopefully will be coming in for a session soon.

3. Exene Ceverenka – I will never profess to be an X fan. I only caught her set because I didn’t want to be late to Deadstring Brothers and Ha Ha Tonka at the Bloodshot Records party. But she was excellent with a very haunting, acoustic set.

Motel Motel Drummer

3 Bands You’ll Appreciate More Live

1. Horse Feathers – I really liked these guys prior, but watching them live is a real treat. Its like a mini-orchestra doing folk music.

2. Left Lane Cruiser – Watching Freddy and Brenn tear though a set is simply amazing. This was a no-frills, kick-ass set of music. Go see them.

3. Mason Proper – I was lukewarm on them before their HearYa live session, but came away with a whole new appreciation. Seeing them in a live setting really sealed the deal for me. They also won over several of my friends.

Horse Feathers

Alberta Cross

The following is an essay from HearYa reader, friend, single guy and Tom Cruise body-double, Via Chicago. This was his first trip to SXSW. The photos are mine – Oz.

I’m sitting in a cab in Austin, about to head back to the hotel after spending a long day and night at HearYa’s Stimulus Package party. I’d seen 15 bands, drank 43 Rolling Rocks, and ate Beer Nuts for lunch and dinner. Having only slept for 2 hours the previous night, I’m somehow on a high after my first SxSW experience. Still, I’m ready for some shut-eye so I can get up and do it all over again…for 3 more days.  Then it happens. I get punched in the face.

Some indie hipster, desperate for my cab, removes his fist from my face as quickly as he punched it and takes off. I’m left bloodied and dazed, the cabbie put the car in gear and got me the hell outta there. Then he rummaged around the front seat and produces a used, crumpled Wendy’s napkin to stop the bleeding. Not the way I would have wanted to end my first ever night of SxSW. Now, however, it feels like a fitting way to end a truly monumental day. Over the course of the next few days I took in about 40 shows and learned a few things along the way:

1. It’s all about leaners.

Drinking Buddy asked me what my greatest off the field athletic feat was. At the time I didn’t have an answer, but I now realize that it’s SxSW. There is no sitting. It’s 12-15 hours of standing in the sun while maintaining an average 1.8 beer/hour pace. Every night I woke up with excruciating cramps in my legs and profuse nightsweats…it felt like I’d run a barefoot marathon in the Sudan. If you’re gonna make it, you’ve got to find a leaner. It can be a railing, a post, a wall, whatever…as long as it takes the weight off your feet you’ll be good to go.

The classic leaner

2. Girls in cowboy boots & skirts appear twice as attractive than they really are.

I’m anything but fashionable (I wore womens sunglasses for most of the trip after leaving mine in the seat pocket on the airplane). I’m not sure if this boot/skirt combo is a legit fashion movement, but it’s surprisingly hot and I hope it catches on here in Chicago.

3. These bands are some of the hardest working people around.

I’ve misjudged musicians. When you think of the rock n’ roll lifestyle, it seems like an endless stream of perks. But, when you see these bands lugging around their own gear from show to show (some of these guys played 6-7 shows over 2-3 days) after driving in from a show in Nebraska the night before, you realize that this is anything but the easy life. And most of them couldn’t be more laid back and cool, unlike the a-hole rock stars we see played out in the media.

Dante from Hacienda

4. The only thing hotter than a smokin’ backstage groupie is a smokin’ backstage MILF.

I never would have thought this until I met Noah’s Mom backstage at the Jason Isbell show w/ Oz and Drinking Buddy. I later found myself scanning the crowd for babies at Home Slice Pizza. I would call this a low point.

5. There’s a subtle difference between a good band and a great band.

I’ve always known this, but nowhere is it more evident than SxSW. The fact that you see so many shows in such a short period with such small crowds means that you have a wide basis of comparison and an up close and personal perspective. There’s not much room to hide when there’s a 25 person crowd and you’ve only got a 1/2 hour set with no time to sound check. When Justin Townes Earl stepped onto the stage at HearYa’s party, he owned the crowd. His confidence in his songs was obvious and his ability to yuck it up on stage with his multi-instrumentalist drew the crowd in. It’s more than musical inclination that makes a great act. There’s no better place to see that played out than at SxSW.

Justin Townes Earle and Corey Younts

It’s now 5:30 a.m. on Sunday and Woody and I are sitting in the airport. I hate my life. I feel as if I’ve just been open field form tackled by Ray Lewis. But amidst the self loathing and hazy memories, I smile and think about the week that was. As bad as I might feel right now, I realize that when SxSW punches you in the face, you take it like a man, smile, and start looking forward to doing it again next year.

I’m not going to lie. When the Playmates showed up to our party, it was a good feeling even for us married guys. I attended the Playboy “Rockin The Rabbit” party the following night and assumed (wrongly) that I’d bump into them, so I felt obligated to chat it up with them for a good 20 minutes. Really, really nice people with no attitude whatsoever. And quite photogenic.

Our Denver friends over at GigBot set up their always awesome photobooth at the party for a limited time. Lucky for all of us, they were there when the ladies showed up. You can see the rest of the photobooth pics here.

Remember how Saturday Night Live used to have those interludes called “Deep  Thoughts by Jack Handey” and then followed it up later with the less successful “Fuzzy Memories by Jack Handey?” Well, here’s a much less successful interlude to your day we’ll call “Fuzzy Memories by Drinking Buddy”.

SXSW 2009 was an incredible time in the lives of Oz, Woody, Shirk and me. And we brought a few other friends of HearYa again this year. As usual, it was awesome and we were not. Here are my top fuzzy memories from the 3 days I was there:

1. Running into Brad Womack, the sexiest Bachelor ever, outside a bar he owns and asking him if they accepted v-cards there.

2. Langhorne Slim at Club De Ville at 1am Thursday night. We were all exhausted, but Langhorne’s “whiter Prince” stage presence was more effective than one of those mysterious 5-Hour Energy shots. Below is a pic of Langhorne getting everyone riled up.

Langhorne and fans

3. Taking this picture at the Elvis Perkins show and then getting as far away as possible from this gentleman’s buttcrack.

crack-a-lackin

4. Love Language’s set at Habana Bar. Those guys are my new favorite.

Love Language

5. Oz calling me out for being a white guy doing an impression of a black guy doing an impression of a white guy. I thought it went really well.

6. The Blind Pilot set at Club DeVille. They played a new song called “We Are The Tide” that’ll make your ears moist. Find it here.

7. J. Tillman at Red Eyed Fly. I love that bar – plus coming down from Chicago, getting outside into the 80 degree weather, cracking that first PBR and listening to J. Tillman with about 40 other people is pretty tough to beat.

J. Tillman

8. The warm sun, free live music, Brooklyn Lager, and delicious pizza at Home Slice. Also tough to beat.

9. Deep Dark Woods acoustic set at Threadgills. I only caught the last couple songs, but it was great to see those guys live. Cherubian voices. It was also fun having Woody heckle us about our tummy aches.

10. Taking this picture at the Cold War Kids show and then getting as far away as possible from this gentleman’s horrendous disease featuring some sort of beriberi and leprosy blend. He also bled on his date. Good times!

Medical Journal Looking Picture

Not so plain white tee

Until next year, Austin. I love you.

Here are two mp3’s to help you forget I ever wrote this post.

Love Language – Lalita

J Tillman – James Blues

Port O’Brien isn’t for everyone. I’ve come to understand that as I’ve talked to others and read blogs that don’t quite understand the band’s appeal. POB’s sound struck me right away when I discovered their debut album, The Wind and The Swell, and they won me over on their sophomore release, All We Could Do Was Sing.

If you’re on the fence, I’d suggest seeing them in person. Port O’Brien has the ability to make the crowd feel like part of the band and it’s not just because they invite people up on stage to bang on pots and pans for their “hit” song “I Woke Up Today.” They are about the most genuine, hard-working musicians you’ll meet.

I had the chance to chat with Van just before his set and it went something like this:

Me: Hey Van! Good to see you. Where’s Cambria (banjo, vocals)?
Van: She’s sick and couldn’t make it.
Me: Where’s Zeb (lead guitarist)?
Van: He’s in the bathroom puking his guts out right now.
Me: Sooooo…
Van: Yeah, so I don’t really know who is going on stage in three minutes.

A minute later Zeb emerged, pale and sweaty. Van gave him a huge hug, said “I love you,” and they walked up on stage. I bought Zeb a bottle of water, but I don’t think he took one sip. He just started hopping around stage like a madman with his guitar. You can also see Rooftop Song and I Woke Up Today on our YouTube Channel.