Paul McDonald & Nikki Reed
St. David’s Historic Sanctuary, March 16
On Saturday night, marrieds Paul McDonald and Nikki Reed made their SXSW debut with the kind of Americana made by pretty, rich, young people. Not terrible, not innovative either. McDonald, an alumnus of American Idol and a seasoned musician, seemed genuinely delighted to be showcasing. “We’re a brand-new band, so please be kind,” he offered before beginning the set, which primarily comprised songs from their October EP, The Best Part. Reed, a star of the Twilight film series who also wrote the 2003 indie film Thirteen, sat perched on a chair, a bohemian L.A. princess with expensive shoes, sparkling rings on every finger, and a hat obscuring her face as her breathy harmonies colored her husband’s vocals. Introducing “All I’ve Ever Needed,” which plays over the closing credits of Breaking Dawn Part 2, Reed called it yet another love song. Makes one wonder whether the pair will document their entire relationship in song. Since we’ve got the gooey stuff out of the way, with the pair making goo-goo eyes at each other onstage, will the next albums be passive-aggressive odes to leaving socks on the floor or not doing one’s fair share of diaper duty?
This article appears in March 22 • 2013.