SXSW Picks & Sleepers
Thursday
Fri., March 17, 2006
THURSDAY SLEEPERS
All showcases subject to change
BELAIRE
7:30pm, Emo's IV Everyone loves to dance and smile. Austin fourpiece Belaire is a collaboration between twin sisters Cari and Christa Palozzolo and Voxtrot's Jason Chronis, but this isn't dance punk. Caetano Veloso, Air, the Mosquitos, and Os Mutantes: melodic, bossa-nova indie pop. A 7-inch holdover, Haunted Castle (Indierect), preps an upcoming full-length. Darcie StevensGOLDEN ARM TRIO
8pm, Habana Calle 6 Austin composer Graham Reynolds thinks big and keeps his fingers in lots of pies. He's composed symphonies, string quartets, operas, and film scores. The Golden Arm Trio is a revolving cast of musicians, with Reynolds alternating piano and drums. The Trio's grounded in jazz, but that's just a springboard for Reynolds' vast musical palate. Greg BeetsCAT SCIENTIST
8pm, Molotov Lounge One of the best bands to emerge from Austin's Red River strip, Cat Scientist combines art rock, techno, Afro-pop, and punk with mile-a-minute lyrical Dadaisms. The quintet's secret weapon is vocalist Miss Rae, whose seamless alternation between robotic chill and blues-belt is breathtaking. Cat Scientist's debut CD is due May 5. Greg BeetsRAHIM
8pm, Soho Lounge New York post-punk trio Rahim blends shadows of militant D.C. noise with obtuse Gang of Four rhythms. Their debut LP, Ideal Lives (Frenchkiss), engenders actual sentimentality in place of easy stoicism: a real accomplishment. Greg BeetsINSECT SEX ACT
8:45pm, Room 710 Insect Sex Act's slithering slab of psychedelic noise rock fully befits their illustrious underground pedigree. Former Scratch Acid guitarist Brett Bradford joins Ministry drummer Max Brody and Pong guitarist-cum-bassist Jason Craig to build a perfect soundtrack for cocktail parties of the apocalypse. Greg BeetsSUZI STERN
8pm, Elephant Room A longtime stalwart of the Austin jazz scene, Stern brings her warm and evocative voice to the stage whenever she performs. Whether putting her own words to a familiar instrumental, caressing a lovely ballad, infusing a new spin on an old favorite, or belting out a scat chorus, Stern's a seasoned veteran. Lament, on Austin's Aardvark label is her most recent release. Jay TrachtenbergMARK PICKEREL
8pm, Bourbon Rocks Former grunge drummer picks up a guitar and decides to lead his own band. Sound familiar? Well, Mark Pickerel, who used to slap skins for the Screaming Trees, can only hope that his band the Praying Hands match the airborne wizardry of the Foo Fighters. Pickerel pulled out an old trick by bringing in Steve Fisk to produce his forthcoming Bloodshot release. Robert GabrielMY SUMMER AS A SALVATION SOLDIER
8pm, Oslo Thorir Georg Jónsson keeps pretty busy for a 21-year-old. A member of two Icelandic hardcore bands and a hip-hop act, he's also the entirety of My Summer as a Salvation Soldier, more lo-fi Elliott Smith or Sufjan Stevens than anything that might frighten parents. Michael BertinMAGNET
9pm, 18th Floor @ Capitol Place Otherwise known as singer-songwriter Even Johansen, this fellow knows the laws of attraction, on display via his fourth full-length The Tourniquet (Filter). The tattooed Norwegian troubadour bleeds love, bitterness, and tenderness with his gentle electro-pop, exploring both the positive and negative poles of human relationships. Melanie HauptCORDERO
9pm, Bourbon Rocks Cordero is a Brooklyn-based band equally at home among the New York art rock scene or the rock en Español movement. Led by the bilingual Ani Cordero, who's worked with Calexico and Giant Sand, their Southwestern atmospherics just appeared on En Este Momento, their first for Bloodshot Records. Jim CaligiuriLONEY, DEAR
9pm, Drink Neither as symphonic as Iceland's Sigur Rós nor as abstracted as Baltimore's Animal Collective, this folksy Swedish vehicle claims that to be a one-man band with nine members. The fact remains that chief weirdo Emil Svanängen is onto something magical. If you're suffering from urban malaise (and who isn't?), the soothing sounds of Sologne (Dear John) are a sure cure. Dan OkoCHARLEMAGNE
9pm, Redrum You've gotta love a band that sings about "pink and silver nighties" and "chocolate-covered cherries/scary, scary berries." Charlemagne is Carl Johns (formerly of alt.country outfit Noahjohn) and a septet of players straight outta Omaha. Last year's Detour Allure (SideCho Records), Charlemagne's fourth, sports a distinctly Elephant 6 vibe, all brains and breeziness. Melanie HauptUNCLE EARL
9pm, Antone's A new-fangled string band out of Lyons, Colo., these five ladies blend infectious energy, undeniable charisma, sharp musicianship, and a repertoire of original and traditional songs. Kristin Andreassen, Rayna Gellert, Sharon Gilchrist, K.C. Groves, and Abigail Washburn each take a turn in the spotlight, trading instruments and lead vocals with ease. 2005's She Waits for Night (Rounder) was their first national release. Jim CaligiuriEPHRAIM OWENS QUINTET
9pm, Elephant Room Dallas-born trumpeter and bandleader Ephraim Owens is a mandarin of the Austin jazz scene, able to blow chilled jazz as readily as enflamed post-bop. Classical training at age 8 has given this multiple Austin Music Award-winner buttery chops, showcased in the new film Before the Music Dies. David LynchLAVENDER DIAMOND
9pm, Habana Calle 6 The voice of L.A. songbird Becky Stark is simple, evocative, emotive some real velvety Seventies pop to touch you in the morning and walk away. Backed by Jeff Rosenberg (Tarentel) and Ron Rege Jr., their 4-song EP Cavalry of Light shines on, songs rising and falling with Stark's operatic flow. The lovely tides of "You Broke My Heart" really will. Freak folk this is not. Audra SchroederSOUTH AUSTIN JUG BAND
9pm, Cedar Street Courtyard Not really a jug band nor a bluegrass act either, SAJB has coalesced into a nearly peerless musical ensemble with chops to spare. The noodle factor is kept to a minimum, and by covering Bob Wills and Walter Hyatt, they stay true to their deep Texas roots. 2005's Dark and Weary World (Blue Corn) was their most accomplished work to date. Jim CaligiuriTHE OLD HAUNTS
9pm, Emo's Annex From the carnival corral otherwise known as Kill Rock Stars come the Old Haunts. The Olympia, Wash., trio triumphantly confused and brilliantly destroyed surprisingly complex punk rock off last year's debut LP, Fallow Field (KRS), and with follow-up Fuel on Fire coming in April, the boys debut a fresh set of quick and vibrating originals. Darcie StevensDR. SPOCK
9pm, Oslo Iceland's Dr. Spock comes at you hard like protégés of Page Hamilton, but do it in a manner that's a little more modern, like a Eurofied System of a Down, complete with full Scandinavian aural theatrics. Not without a sense of humor, Dr. Spock's debut was titled Dr. Phil. Michael BertinTHE FOLD
9:30pm, Redrum Annex Spawning from the same school of thought as lovable emo-heads Jimmy Eat World, Chicago fourpiece the Fold is all about the hook, but they really, really mean it. Frontman Daniel Castady's severe case of optimism is showcased on the band's debut, This Too Shall Pass (Tooth & Nail). Darcie StevensDIXIE WITCH
10pm, Red Eyed Fly Austin's Dixie Witch specializes in southern-fried hard rock swimming in riffy syrup. Bassist/vocalist Curt Christenson, guitarist Clayton Mills, and drummer/lead singer Trinidad Leal offer up slow, grindy minor key meltdowns as easily as hair-parting power chord RPGs. Detroit hard rock indie Small Stone released their 2003 One Bird, Two Stones and will do the same with their third, Smoke and Mirrors, next month. David LynchSTEVE DAWSON
10pm, Habana Calle 6 Patio After several albums as the main songwriter for Chicago's roots pop band Dolly Varden, Steve Dawson released his first solo disc, Sweet Is the Anchor (Undertow), in 2005. A decidedly soulful affair that drew comparisons to Al Green and Van Morrison, it's filled with songs that are poetically smart and deliciously warm. Jim CaligiuriTHE DRAMS
10pm, La Zona Rosa From the debris left by the demise of Slobberbone comes the Drams. The 'bone's principal singer-songwriter Brent Best has added keyboards and additional vocals to his arsenal, and the outcome will still satisfy those in need to rock, as well as provide unrelenting lyricism. The Denton, Texas-based quintet's debut is due this summer. Jim CaligiuriHURRA TORPEDO
10pm, Fox & Hound Perhaps you've seen this Norwegian trio on the Internet. They're the men in loose-fitting track suits bashing out Bonnie Tyler's "Total Eclipse of the Heart" on old kitchen appliances. Sure it's schtick, but they do a surprisingly good job of coaxing big rock bombast out of all that dead metal. Hurra Torpedo is the subject of an appropriately titled documentary called The Crashing Blow. Greg BeetsMAZARIN
10pm, Buffalo Billiards Drone never sounded so sweet. Philadelphia psych-pop quartet Mazarin experimented with ooze & roll on 2005 burner, We're Already There (I and Ear), the band's first release in four years. Quentin Stolzfus' group takes cues from Sonic Youth and the Flaming Lips and adds more melody. It's cooling beauty. Darcie StevensCHRIS VESTRE GROUP
10pm, Elephant Room An up and comer on the Austin jazz scene who continues to grow musically, round-toned guitarist Vestre is currently working on new material for his next project, which will use a larger group than on his refreshing 2005 self-produced debut Jazz Camp. Enticing music Vestre calls "instrumental" rather than jazz, he favors open harmonies and rock-infused rhythms. Jay TrachtenbergTHE LONG WINTERS
10:30pm, Parish II This Seattle quartet is fronted by John Roderick, whose beard-growing prowess knows no equal, and whose peppery addict-in-recovery lyrics are lightened up by mostly cheery indie rock. Personnel changes have dogged the band since the 2003 release of When I Pretend to Fall (Barsuk), notably the departure of Harvey Danger vocalist Sean Nelson. Look for the Ultimatum EP in stores soon. Melanie HauptWE ARE THE FURY
10:30pm, Opal Divine's Toledo, Ohio's We Are the Fury deliver lurid, melodramatic post-punk with dynamic, high-energy panache. Vocalist Jeremy Lublin sings like a man unhinged, ping-ponging between youthful versions of David Bowie and Pete Shelley. Allusions to glam rock and New Wave abound on the quintet's Infinite Jest EP (Unborn Media/East West). Greg BeetsEND OF FASHION
10:45pm, Exodus End of Fashion is coarse but catchy volatile guitar pop, as heard on the band's single "O Yeah." Seeing how the quartet traveled from Perth, Australia, to Oxford, Miss., to record their Dennis Herring-produced (Elvis Costello, Modest Mouse) self-titled debut, they were probably waist-deep in it. Michael BertinDANIEL FRANCIS DOYLE
10:45pm, Room 710 Multitasking has found its way out of the office and into rock, as evinced by Austin juggernaut Daniel Francis Doyle. He plays drums. He plays guitar. He sweats. Doyle pulverizes his kit, screams nonsensical words through a sweet headset, and thrashes enough for a whole band, all of which can be heard on his debut Furniture Records release Who Are Your Customers? Audra SchroederDR. DOG
11pm, Flamingo Cantina Not your run-of-the-mill indie rockers, this unpretentious fivesome of iconoclasts formed in Philadelphia in 1999. Their "official" debut from last year, Easy Beat, on the National Parking imprint, was recorded at home on quarter-inch eight-track tape and is a charming amalgam of Beatles-esque and other Sixties/Seventies pop references wedded to a rambunctious alt.rock disposition. Jay TrachtenbergCHATHAM COUNTY LINE
11pm, Continental Club Raleigh quartet Chatham County Line fuse old-time, gather-round-the-microphone bluegrass with other styles of American music for a sound that's both youthful and traditional. Their sophomore release, Route 23 (Yep Roc), was produced by Chris Stamey (dB's, Whiskeytown, Yo La Tengo). Jim CaligiuriCHRIS STAMEY
11pm, Whisky Bar One of the pivotal figures in the evolution of Southern indie rock, North Carolina-bred Chris Stamey co-founded the dB's, played bass for Alex Chilton, and released the late Chris Bell's I Am the Cosmos on his own Car Records. Stamey's 2005 LP, A Question of Temperature (Yep Roc), brings in Yo La Tengo as backing band for smashing covers of Television's "Venus" and Cream's "Politician." Greg BeetsTHE ORGAN
11pm, Nuno's Upstairs "Sometimes I close my eyes, and you're not very pretty." Please let Morrissey go to this show. It's important for him to realize the extent of his influence. Vancouver's the Organ is five ladies who like things dark and dreary. Their 2004 debut, Grab That Gun (Mint), is a morose collection of indie rock lead by Katie Sketch's gloom and, of course, an emotional organ. Darcie StevensCRYSTAL SKULLS
11pm, Emo's Jr. Seattle's Crystal Skulls aren't metal, although their name might hint otherwise. Instead, the fourpiece is blissful pop and prismatic simplicity. Last year's debut, Blocked Numbers (Suicide Squeeze), gleamed with an indie-rock sheen, and April's follow-up, Outgoing Behavior, dreams under the same tree, although this time the season's changed from fall to spring. Darcie StevensFIRE MARSHALS OF BETHLEHEM
11pm, Molotov Lounge Who decides when there's no room at the inn? Originally conceived as a rotating cast of players, this fun-loving Austin pop rock band has solidified into a cast of stalwarts/survivors of the city's fabled New Sincerity era of the 1980s and now includes Hunter Darby (Wannabees), Julie Lowery (Diamond Smugglers), and Robbie Araiza (Way Outs). Songs for Housework, their 2005 debut, was a hook-filled delight. Jay TrachtenbergLINEA 77
11pm, Spiros How about some post-winter olympicseurometalcore? From Torino, Italy, Linea 77 throws a bit of everything into the mix but never colors too far outside the power chords. You want to make ice skating a sport? Have the little skater girls do a triple lutz to this shit. Michael BertinCAPTAIN
11:15pm, Opal Divine's London's Captain stakes claims in cocktail pop and chamber rock, resulting in an oddly refreshing sound vaguely resembling the 5th Dimension backed by Arcade Fire. Their much-raved-about single "Frontline" boasts boy/girl vocals and plenty of hooks that keep the quintet's vim level high. Greg BeetsPARTICLE
11:15pm, Fox & Hound With a revamped lineup, L.A.'s Particle kicks off a 40-city cross-country tour at SXSW. While pigeonholed with the jam-band crowd, the all-instrumental quartet glides from psychedelia to techno to funk with remarkable ease. They recently shot their debut DVD for Shout! Factory, with special guest Robbie Krieger from the Doors, which is due out this summer. Jim CaligiuriTHE LIVING END
11:30pm, Emo's Main What began as a rockabilly outfit à la the Stray Cats has morphed into something of a hybrid between the Reverend Horton Heat and Green Day, and they've got the stadium appeal of the latter. The Australian trio's fourth, State of Emergency, was released in February on EMI. Michael BertinROCKY VOTOLATO
11:30pm, Parish II What happens when a 28-year-old finds himself married, with children and a day job, yet still longs to make music? From the folks who brought you Death Cab for Cutie comes Waxwing's Rocky Votolato, a Seattle singer-songwriter with heart to spare. The new Makers (Barsuk) is a beautiful poem tinged with Buckley brittleness and Drake-ian cautious optimism. Darcie Stevens