The Ladies of SXSW 2011

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Power sista: Merrill Garbus, aka Tune-Yards (by Shelley Hiam)

When word spread about Ben Weasel attacking two women at the Scoot Inn, an uneasy feeling came over me. Dialogue swirled about whether this year's fest was too violent, too crowded, all culminating in the fact that this year's biggest act, Odd Future, features teenagers rapping about, among other things, rape and murder.

Not that the hype around Odd Future was bunk. They're kids, and they get a we-don't-know-any-better pass because they don't seem to give a fuck, and their offbeat music comes from that place. They're a very "now" band. After seeing their set, however, I wondered: Where's the female version of Odd Future, and if that existed, would they be getting as much hype?

That said, the majority of great music I saw last week came from women. Locals Follow That Bird! and Schmillion showed what a boon Girls Rock Camp is for Austin with their solid punk sets. Tune-Yards and Esben & the Witch both featured ladies up front on drums, pounding out tribal prowess. Sharon Van Etten and Texas' own Sarah Jaffe proved they're ready for their close-ups. Jean Grae continues to be my rap hero, and could slice through all the dudes in Odd Future in four bars or less. Wild Flag made me nostalgic and hopeful.

And Yoko Ono was the mama bear of it all. Her Friday conversation with Jody Denberg yielded many pearls, but this one especially, in a time when war and famine are everywhere: "Half of the world is women, and we're not using their power. We have some great stuff."