SXSW '09 Redux

Well dear reader, I'm sure you were expecting more posts regarding SXSW as it was happening. But seriously there is like NO time for all that during the festival. I don't know how the heck Perez Hilton can be bicycling around Austin and still keeping up with Celebublogging. I needed a day or two to decompress after the festival. But here is my highlights/awards post, yeah!!

First let me give out some marketing awards. SXSW is all about marketing your product to the hipster masses. I think Astralwerks records wins most clever marketing with their MicroSD card sampler. I like the idea of a sampler I could swallow if I had to. Most unexpected marketing is a tie between Pop Tarts and Cup O'Noodle soups, both of which were available at the Mohawk. Who's eating Cup O'Noodle at a SXSW day party?

More awards and video after the jump...


The award for my favorite performance by a band or artist I had previous knowledge of goes to, the Dirty Projectors. Their performance at the Pitchfork party at Emo's was totally entrancing. I absolutely loved everything about it, the only problem was the set was SO short I think they only played 4 or 5 songs.


Dirty Projectors - A Take-Away Show video via YouTube

The award for favorite performance by a band I had never heard of goes to Francis & the Lights. They were so fun, I felt like I was at an 80's prom. Honorable mention goes to a completely different sort of musical performance by, the Wheel. They were so honest and raw, intimate and such it was like the complete opposite performance style but was equally entertaining.


Francis & the Lights - The Top video via YouTube


The Wheel - Hanging Surrender video via YouTube

The award for worst kept secret performance is a three-way tie this year! Jane's Addiction, Kanye West, and Metallica all showed up to do some not-so-secret performances. I will give Kanye a special nod for keeping Common's appearance a secret though.


Jane's Addiction - Rock the Rabbit '09 Ultra8201.com video via YouTube


Kanye, Common, Badu - The Light video via YouTube

The award for artists I'm kind of pissed that I missed goes to: Passion Pit, Beach House, White Lies and Grizzly Bear. The award for band I'm pissed that I DID see because they were such arrogant assholes goes to...Glasvegas.


Beach House - Gila video via YouTube


Passion Pit - Sleepyhead video via YouTube

Glasvegas literally said, "We don't care about the people, we have enough fans." That was about the point I left. They suck, don't buy the record, steal it from BitTorrent and burn copies for everyone you know. After all they have enough fans.


Glasvegas - It's My Own Cheating Heart video via YouTube

The award for most talked about party...hmmm, this one is tough to call. I'd say the Fader Fort, Rock the Rabbit, One Night with Perez, and the Red Bull moon towers were all equally hyped. Personally I only attended the Rock the Rabbit and Fader parties and I liked the Fader one more...sorry Playboy. Rock the Rabbit was just too effing loud, you try networking when Calvin Harris is spinning some HEAVY Drum 'n Bass with the amps on 11. I'm talking ears bleeding loud. Fer realz.

Well I think I've given out all the awards I had intended to, so here's a list of the artists I had the opportunity to see for free at SXSW '09...not necessarily in order but pretty much chronologically:

Little Boots,
New Villager,
the Wheel,
the Donkeys,
School of 7 Bells,
Glasvegas,
Francis & The Lights,
Late of the Pier,
Max Tundra,
the Pains of Being Pure at Heart,
Woods,
Wavves,
the Dirty Projectors,
King Khan & the Shrines,
Department of Eagles,
Harlem,
Jason Lytle,
Vivian Girls,
the Grates,
Cursive,
Bun B,
Jadakiss,
Kanye West,
Consequence,
GLC,
Farnsworth Bentley,
Kid Cudi,
Common,
Erykah Badu,
Mr. Hudson,
Tony Williams,
Big Shine (sp?),
Jane's Addiction,
Calvin Harris,
A-Trak,
Bassnectar

I really feel like I might be missing a name or two but I tried to keep a running list throughout the week and that was it.

If you would like a more play by play approach to my SXSW '09 experience. I suggest you peep my Twitter 'cause I was all over the Tweets last week.

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Rock the Review

Well dear reader, I'm sure you've been waiting all night to hear about the Rock the Rabbit party. Well I can now tell you for sure that it is not a myth. I went last night, got home around 3:45AM, I actually left before it was over. I have to keep this brief cause I'm due back downtown again...like now. So Jane's Addiction was the headliner and they KILLED. If we're being honest, I'm really not a big fan but they were amazing live. Perry is the ringmaster gliding around the stage making faces and being a rock star. Dave Navarro is some sort of guitar deity, I swear all he does is work out, bang models and kick ass at guitar. The crowd was loving Jane's and apparently everyone knew they were going to be there.

Kenan Bell was also right on point. He brought big energy to his rhymes and the 4-piece rock band playing his beats was SOOO tight. They really brought the people through the door.

All these photos are courtesy of James Trevenen.

More review after the jump...


So, I didn't really notice any celebrities, but Big Boi was there and allegedly Michael Stipe. I don't believe Stipe though because there is a dude who lives here in Austin who looks JUST like him, same glasses and all.

There was an open bar, with plenty of non-alcoholic choices too! Including my personal fav, which is hard to come by in Texas, Ginger-Ale, yeah Ginger-Ale!! The weirdest thing for me, was the Playboy magazines scattered about to flip through. It just seemed...so adult? Of course there were bunnies there too. They are SOO young, I wanted to check their ID's but I'm sure Heff is all over that. Each bunny had their own Secret Service type, which I thought was really smart considering the open bar.

The last thing I'll mention is, this party was in a former grocery store and it was the loudest most disco-fied grocery store you will ever go to. The roof was arched, which really intensified the sound. I hope to God my dear readers are using ear protection at SXSW this year. You're not too cool for hearing loss believe me.

Anyway, I gots to get downtown, I'm missing all the action. Here's my picks for the day in brief:

Wait, I just realized I didn't mention who the DJ's were..."Calvin Harris, A-Track and Bassnectar. Back to my picks for your day partying:

Homosexuals (5pm), Cursive (4pm), Gary War (3pm), Crystal Stilts (2pm), Eat Skull (1pm) at End of an Ear [free]

Handsome Furs (6pm), Telepathe (5pm), Black Joe Lewis (4pm), Heartless Bastards (3pm), Vetiver (2pm) at Waterloo Records [free]

The AV Club and Canvas Media present It's Pronounced Par-TAY
* Trail Of Dead (5pm), Ra Ra Riot (4pm), Cut Off Yr Hands (3pm), Gentleman Reg (2pm), The Thermals (1pm), Cuff The Duke (noon) at Radio Room (508 E. 6th St.) [outside stage]
* Future Of The Left (5pm), Parenthetical Girls (4pm), Dappled Cities (3pm), Young Galaxy (2pm), Chikita Violenta (1pm), Ohbijou (noon) at Radio Room (508 E. 6th St.) [inside stage]

Pitchfork/Windish Austin Bash
* Department of Eagles (5:30pm), King Khan & the Shrines (4:30pm), Wavves (3:30pm), Woods (2:30pm), Max Tundra (1:30pm), The Mae Shi (12:30pm) at Emo's [outside stage]
* A-Trak/Major Lazer (ft. Diplo) (5pm), Dirty Projectors (4pm), School of Seven Bells (3pm), The Pains of Being Pure at Heart (2pm), Little Boots (1pm), Girls (noon) at Emo's [inside stage]

Soundcheck Magazine 3rd Birthday Party
* Port O'Brien (5:20pm), Fanfarlo (4:25pm), Blind Pilot (3:40pm), Pete and the Pirates (2:55pm), Harlem Shakes (2:10pm), The Antlers (1:35pm), Motel Motel (12:55pm), Moth!Fight! (12:10pm) at Emo's Annex (across Red River from Emo's)]

Chromewaves, Aquarium Drunkard, Gorilla Vs Bear, Largehearted Boy, My Old Kentucky Blog and You Ain't No Picasso present Hot Freaks
* Insound's 10th Anniversary SXSW Party with The Hold Steady (4:30pm), The Thermals (3:30pm), American Analog Set (playing The Golden Band, 2:30pm), Handsome Furs (1:30pm), Obits (12:30pm) at Club Deville
* Richard Swift (4:30pm), Alela Diane (3:30pm), These United States (2:30pm), We Have Band (1:30pm), The Rural Alberta Advantage (12:30pm) at the Mohawk [inside stage]
* Delta Spirit (5pm), The Rosebuds (4pm), Port O'Brien (3pm), The Henry Clay People (2pm), Bishop Allen (1pm), The Wrens (noon) at the Mohawk [outside stage, free, RSVP]

KOOP Radio's Now Playing Austin and AustinSound.net present Now Playing Austin Sound Day Party
* Loxsly (4:45pm), Lemurs (4pm), Corto Maltese (3:15pm), Black Before Red (2:30pm,), Oh No! Oh My! (1:45pm), BASIC (1pm), Pop Unknown (12:15pm), Businessman DJs (between sets and at end) at the Creekside Lounge [Now Playing Austin stage, inside, free with RSVP]
* The Shivers (5:15pm), Mellow Owl (4:30pm), Dana Falconberry (3:45pm), Tom Brosseau (3pm), Fight Bite (2:15pm), The Lovely Sparrows (1:30pm), Ferraby Lionheart (12:45pm), Gina Dvorak (noon) at the Creekside Lounge [AustinSound stage, outside]

Filter Magazine's Showdown at Cedar Street
* White Lies (5pm), Razorlight (4pm), Late of the Pier (3:15pm), The Whip (2:30pm), Wild Light (1:45pm), Anya Marina (1pm), Bat For Lashes listening event (noon) at Cedar Street (208 W. 4th) [free, free BBQ noon-1pm, RSVP to rsvp@filtermmm.com]

The Levi's/Fader Fort
* The Tripwire presents Peter Bjorn and John (7:45pm), Tinted Windows (6:45pm), Hatcham Social (6pm), Women (5:15pm), We Have Band (4:30pm), Pains of Being Pure at Heart (3:45pm), Solid Gold (3:05pm), Coupleskate (2:20pm), The Love Language (1:40pm), Kidz in the Hall (1pm), DJs Round Table Knights, The GrooveLayers, Holy Ghost!, Flosstradamus at The Levi's/Fader Fort (1101 E. 5th St.) [RSVP]

Spin Magazine presents
* Echo & the Bunnymen, Hot Leg (Justin Hawkins from Darkness), Black Lips, Glasvegas, Passion Pit, Cut Off Your Hands, DJ sets by NASA and Crystal Method at Stubb's [invite-only]

Music by the Slice 2009
* The Von Bondies (6:45pm), Say Hi (6pm), Jason Isbell and the 400 Unit (5:15pm), The Republic Tigers (4:30pm), Rural Alberta Advantage (3:45pm), Alberta Cross (3pm), Ferraby Lionheart (2:15pm), Telekinesis (1:30pm), We Were Promised Jet Packs (12:45pm), Horse Feathers (noon) at Home Slice Pizza (1415 S. Congress Ave.) [outside stage, free]
* Wiretree (12:30, 1:15, 2:00), Still Flyin` (2:45, 3:30, 4:15), Cale Parks (5:00, 5:45, 6:30) at Home Slice Pizza (1415 S. Congress Ave.) [house stage, free]

Advanced Alternative Media presents
* Earthless with special guest J Mascis (5pm), Mi Ami (4:30pm), Burke (4pm), YellowFever (3:30pm), Charles Hamilton (3pm), Crocodiles (2:30), The Mae Shi (2pm), Titus Andronicus (1:30pm), HEALTH (1pm), That Ghost (12:30pm), Parenthetical Girls (12pm) at Habana Calle 6 Annex (708 E. 6th St.) [free, 21+, food and drink first come, first served]

Old Flame Records presents
* Dead Confederate (4pm), Twin Tigers (3pm), Mean Creek (2pm), The Winter Sounds (1pm) at the thirsty Nickel (325 E. 6th St.)

+1 Records House Party
* Morning Benders, Illinois, Kenan Bell, Eulogies, THe Postelles, Trainwreck Riders, Let's Wrestle, ShadowScene at the Legendary Hank Sinatra's (2407 Riverside Farms Rd.) [noon-6pm]

MyOpenBar.com presents Four Square Punk
* Dark Meat, The Mae Shi, Pre, PoPo (5-7pm), The Death Set, Mika Miko, Finally Punk, Tyvek (2-5pm), DJ Emily Rabbit at 902 E. Cesar Chavez [free, 4 stages and a bus, bands alternate songs, rollerskating rink with free skate rentals, RSVP]

After the Jump Festival house party
* Superdrag, The Parenthetical Girls, The Pains of Being Pure at Heart, Cause Co-Motion, Blank Dogs, Nite Jewel, Girls, Golden Triangle, US Royalty at 1204 Salina St. [1pm-11pm, free, free beer]

Lucero Family Picnic
* Lucero (5pm), Felice Brothers (4pm), Glossary (3:15pm), Fake Problems (2:30pm), Langhorne Slim (1:45pm), The River City Tanlines (1pm), Sam Lowry (12:30pm) at the Dirty Dog Bar (505 East 6th St.) [free]

Other Music & Dig for Fire Lawn Party
* Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson (6pm), These Are Powers (5pm), Wavves (4pm), Marnie Stern (3pm), BLK JKS (2pm), Here We Go Magic (1pm), Dent May (noon) at the French Legation Museum (802 San Marcos St.) [tent stage]
* The Tallest Man On Earth (5:30pm), Laura Gibson (4:30pm), Telekinesis (3:30pm), J. Tillman (2:30pm), Asa (1:30pm), Virgin Forest (12:30pm) at the French Legation Museum (802 San Marcos St.) [valley stage, free]



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SXSW '09 Thu Day Parties

Little Boots - Stuck on Repeat video from hours ago via YouTube

Alright, so I pretty much missed most of yesterday since I had to go to San Antonio to get some friends. I did manage to get pack in Austin just in time to zip over to the new Fader Fort just in time for Little Boots. I saw Grizzly Bear there as well as the dudes from No Age. A good time was had by all. So let's focus on today. Obviously tonight is my big break at the Rock the Rabbit party. But there are about 15 parties I want to highlight for y'all and you'll find them after the jump...

Ian McLagan (6pm), Howe Gelb (of Giant Sand, 5pm), Jason Isbell (4pm), Raul Malo
(3pm), Department of Eagles (2pm), Justin Townes Earl at Waterloo Records [free]


Department of Eagles - No One Does it Like You video via YouTube

Birds Barbershop presents Space Camp
Nasa (5pm), Cut Off Your Hands (4pm), King Khan and the Shrines (3pm),
Busdriver (2pm) at Bird’s Barbershop East (1107 E. 6th St.) [outside]
Say Hi (6pm), Magnificent 7 (4pm), Amplive (3pm), Jason Hammel (Mates of State,
2pm), special guest (1pm), Prince Klassen at Bird’s Barbershop East (1107 E. 6th
St.) [DJ sets, inside]


King Khan & the Shrines - Welfare Bread video via YouTube

KVRX presents
Mika Miko, Blank Dogs, Nite Jewel, Manhattan Love Suicides, The Mae Shi,
Garotas Suecas, The Splinters at Okay Mountain Gallery (1312 E. Cesar Chavez,
Ste. B (at Navasota))


Mika Miko - Capricornications video via YouTube

Bull Moose & Covert Curiosity present
HEALTH (Los Angeles), Hacienda (San Antonio), The Strange Boys (Austin), Ume
(Austin), Golden Triangle, Shapes Have Fangs (Austin), Garotas Suecas (Brazil) at
the Aces Lounge (6th and San Jacinto) [21+ free with RSVP, under 21 $10]


HEALTH - Crimewave video via YouTube

Gorilla Vs. Bear presents Gorilla vs Booze III
Vivian Girls, White Denim, Wavves, The Golden Filter, Girls, Here We Go Magic,
Harlem, DJ Sober at the Peacock [free, free beer, 21+]


Here We Go Magic - Fangella video via YouTube

Little Radio presents
Port O’Brien (5:20pm), Loch Lomond (4:50pm), Viva Voce (4:20pm), Runspringa
(3:50pm), Alberta Cross (3:20pm), Adam Freeland (2:50pm), Afternoons (2:20pm),
Imaad Wasif (1:50pm), J Tillman (1:20pm), All Star Austin Super Bloody Mary
Jam hosted by Jack G from Tenlons Fort (12:30pm) at the Red Eyed Fly [free, free
bloody marys and beer]


Viva Voce - We Do Not F*ck Around video via YouTube

Paste Magazine/Brooklyn Vegan party
Passion Pit (5:15pm), The Avett Brothers (4pm), The Wrens (3pm), Daniel Johnston
backed by Hymns (2:15pm), Bishop Allen (1:30pm), The Pains of Being Pure at
Heart (12:45pm), The Donkeys (noon) at Radio Room (508 E. 6th St.) [stage 1]


Daniel Johnston - True Love Will Find You In The End video via YouTube

Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down (4:30pm), Cursive (3:30pm), These
Arms are Snakes (2:45pm), Au Revoir Simone (2pm), New Villager (1:15pm), TBA
(12:30pm) at Radio Room (508 E. 6th St.) [stage 2, RSVP]


Au Revoir Simone - Fallen Snow video via YouTube

Music by the Slice 2009
Dead Confederate (6:45pm), The Morning Benders (6pm), Kenan Bell (5:15pm),
The Spinto Band (4:30pm), Animal Farm ft. Serge Severe and Mic Crenshaw
(3:45pm), Marching Band (3pm), Jeremy Messersmith (2:15pm), Illinois (1:30pm),
The Low Anthem (12:45pm), Mason Proper (noon) at Home Slice Pizza (1415 S.
Congress Ave.) [outside stage, free]


Dead Confederate - The Rat video via YouTube

Hollywood Gossip (12:30, 1:15, 2:00), Snake and Jet’s Amazing Bullit Band (2:45,
3:30, 4:15), Little Stolen Moments (5:00, 5:45, 6:30) at Home Slice Pizza (1415 S.
Congress Ave.) [house stage, free]

NPR Music presents
Blitzen Trapper, Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down, K’NAAN, Dirty
Projectors, BLK JKS, Blind Pilot at the Parish [starts at 12:30pm, free]


Dirty Projectors - Rise Above video via YouTube

Filter Magazine’s Showdown at Cedar Street
Idle Warship (5pm), Black Joe Lewis and the Honeybears (4pm), Annuals (3:15pm),
Great Northern (2:30pm), Other Lives (1:45pm), Hockey (1pm), Zee Avi (12:15pm)
at Cedar Street (208 W. 4th) [free, free BBQ noon-1pm


Black Joe Lewis & the Honey Bears - Sugarfoot video via YouTube

The Levi’s/Fader Fort
The Warlocks (8:30pm), Tricky (7:30pm), Lissy Trullie (6:45pm), Late of the Pier
(6pm), Francis & the Lights, (5:15pm), The Hot Melts (4:30pm), Amazing Baby
(3:45pm), Janelle Monae (3pm), Handsome Furs (2:15pm), Natalie Portman’s
Shaved Head (1:30pm), DJs Disco Shawn and Oro 11 (Bersa Discos), Jokers of the
Scene, DJ Diabetic, Egg Foo Young aka Michna at The Levi’s/Fader Fort (1101 E.
5th St.)


Tricky - Council Estate video via YouTube

Rhapsody Rocks
And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, Glasvegas, School of Seven bells,
Vivian Girls, Wavves, DJ Small Change at the Mohawk [free, 21+]


...and You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead - Another Morning Stoner video via YouTube

My Old Kentucky Blog and Aquarium Drunkard present Vaya Con Tacos
The Rosebuds (7:30pm), Eli Paperboy Reed and The True Loves (7pm), J. Tillman
(6:30pm), Le Switch (6pm), The Grates (5:30pm), Henry Clay People (5pm),Megafaun (4:30pm), Dark Meat (4pm), Those Darlins (3:30pm), Port O’Brien
(3pm), Reverend Payton’s Big Damn Band (2:30pm), Roadside Graves (2pm),
NewVillager (1:30pm), The Bones Royal (1pm) at Peckerheads (402 E. 6th St.)


The Grates - Aw Yeah video via YouTube

NavdøøGo Entertainment/Obscure Magpie Music present a Fourteen Hour Party
Dead Confederate (midnight), The Warlocks (11pm), Transfer (9:45pm), Model UN
(8:15pm), The Shys (7:15pm), Spindrift (6pm), Yearbook Pictures (5pm), Geron
Hoy (4pm), Halloween Town (3pm), Crash Encore (2pm), The Calm Blue Sea (1pm),
Holy Rolling Empire (noon) at The Compound (1300 E. 4th St.) [Stage 1]

Shivers (10:30pm), Apes of Wrath (9pm), Danny Malone (7:45pm), Murdocks
(6:45pm), Golden Bear (4:30pm), The Authors (3:30pm), Tom Schraeder (2:30pm),
The Always Already (1:30pm), Not in the Face (12:30pm) at The Compound (1300
E. 4th St.) [Stage 2]

Found Magazine and Quackmedia Present
The Hold Steady, Lucero, No Age, The Hard Lessons, The Tallest Man on Earth,
Great Lakes Myth Society, Javelins, Human Highway, Adam Stephens (from Two
Gallants) at Red 7


the Hold Steady - Stay Positive video via YouTube

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Rock the Rumors

I don't think this poster really offers any clues about the line-up for the Rock the Rabbit party Thursday night. But they just Tweeted this poster...so who knows?

Well we know for SURE that Kenan Bell is def in the opening slot for the party and you can hear his re-interpretation of Lily Allen's latest single, The Fear over at Black Book Magazine.

More rumors after the jump...

Austin 360 is Tweeting about the possibility that Kanye West is going to play the Fader Fort?!?

This no longer counts as a rumor, and you probably already know but...Metallica is going to play a show at Stubb's for some reason. Personally I couldn't care less about Metallica if I tried...still kind of pissed at Lars about the OG Napster. Do you think they sell WAY more records now that Napster is dead? Whatever you do, if you see Metallica make sure you don't tell Lars about BitTorrent.

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Short, Sweet, Semi-Exclusive

Just noticed on the Twitter for Plus One Music that Kenan Bell is confirmed for the Rock the Rabbit party. Well there's one artist we know of so far.

Kenan has a new single you can check out on iTunes now and/or you can check out his remix of Peter, Bjorn, and John, which I pointed to yesterday. Be forewarned though, that mp3 is behind a Zshare barrier, be prepared to be patient/frustrated before you can actually download the track.

So now we know one artist playing the RTR party, but we still don't know where it will be or who else is playing. But stay tuned dear reader, for I will be there, which means you too will be there...in spirit.

Here's a little Playboy related content from Chromeo for you:


Chromeo - Fighting Crappy Music video via YouTube

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Ask and Ye Shall Recieve

Keep the faith and all of that dear reader for you too may score an invite to a mythical SXSW party just as I did!! That's right my pretties yours truly scored that coveted invite that I was whining about yesterday. I will be the gay dude at the Playboy party sipping Cosmos with beautiful bunnies listening to...well that part I don't really know yet. The rumor mill seems to be gesturing towards a Jane's Addiction reunion, but there are always at least 3 killer artists at the Rock the Rabbit party. I know Devo is going to be at SXSW this year, as well as P.J. Harvey but I'm thinking it's going to be someone a little dancier than the Harv. This might help you in the keeping the faith area:


The Boy Least Likely To - Faith video via YouTube

Find vids from previous artists after the jump, I'm going to bask in the afterglow for a few days :-)...



Justice - A Fifth of Beethoven (sort of) video via YouTube

Ah the chaos of a great party:

Moby - Porcelain video via YouTube


Ghostland Observatory - Piano Man video via YouTube


MGMT - The Handshake video via YouTube

Here's my future friend at last year's Playboy party getting interviewed by my future co-worker at the New York Times.


Elijah Wood - Thinking About AustinBloggyLimits video via YouTube

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