Twangville

A music blog featuring Alt-Country, Americana, Indie, Rock, Folk & Blues. Est. 2005.

SXSW 2007: The Sounds, Part 1

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  • The Apples in Stereo – The gauntlet has been thrown down, my friends. I challenge any band to top the energy of an Apples performance. First during the afternoon CMJ Texas Tea Party and then at their official showcase, the band blew through one high energy rock song after the next. If fact, band and audience were having so much fun during the official show that they blew through traditional Austin curfew and played until 2:30am.

    Audio Download: Energy [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/The_Apples_in_Stereo-Energy.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Lions in the Street – Canada’s Lions played a brief but tight afternoon set of garage-y rock. These guys have clearly studied Exile on Main Street and Beggar’s Banquet. Even better, they have the chops to demonstrate all that they’ve learned.

    Audio Download: Mine Ain’t Yours [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/Lions_In_The_Street-Mine_Ain%27t_Yours.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • The Drams – SXSW is notorious for tight schedules, so what does it say when a band is asked to play an extra thirty minutes? In the case of the Drams, it means that the band was delivered an unparalleled rock show.

    Here is the note that was delivered to the stage during the Drams performance at the New West party. Oh yeah, the note arrived with a round of shots and beers for the band. Gotta love that Southern hospitality…

    The Drams

  • Danielia Cotton – Passionate and fierce are the two words that jump immediately to mind when describing Cotton’s Friday night showcase. Her intensity called to mind Living Colour with a powerful blend metal and rhythm-and-blues She finished off her set with a blistering cover of AC/DC’s “Back in Black.”

    Audio Download: Make You Move [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/Danielia_Cotton-Make_You_Move.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Archie Bell – Although I couldn’t get into the Stax 50th Anniversary show (the line was down the block and around the corner), I did catch Archie Bell (“Tighten Up”) later that evening for a taste of why Stax was such a success. Sure the music is as good as it gets but it was the showmanship of the Stax artists that truly sets them apart. Watching video footage of the Stax artists performances should be part of every young artists’ curriculum.

  • Buddy Miller – Renowned as a guitarist (Steve Earle, Shawn Colvin, Emmylou Harris) and more recently as a top notch producer (Solomon Burke’s Nashville), Miller is an impressive songwriter and performer in his own rite. His set was steeped in acoustic blues, highlighted by Miller’s raw guitar-playing.

  • Steve Earle – One of the most relevant songwriters in America today, Earle is equally comfortable writing folk songs in the tradition of his mentor Townes Van Zandt or rock songs packed with political commentary. His solo acoustic set ranged from early classics to several tracks from his soon-to-be recorded new album. He was joined on two songs by his wife, Allison Moorer.

  • Hoodoo Gurus – I went expecting to see a retro act play a few hits. What I got was a full-on rock band, thankfully playing outdoors otherwise there would be a club in Austin without a roof. When does the new album arrive? I want it now.

    • Audio Download: The Right Time [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/Hoodoo_Gurus-The_Right_Time.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]

  • Mike Barfield – The self-proclaimed “Tyrant of Texas Funk” played a stripped-down guitar duo set of “country funk.” A particular stand-out was a version of Elvis Costello’s “I Can’t Stand Up for Falling Down.”

  • John Doe – Here are the top four reasons why John Doe is a legend: 1) was singer and songwriter in the seminal punk band X; 2) appeared in movies ranging from “Great Balls of Fire!” to “Roadhouse”; 3) has the indie rock cred to play with both Dave Alvin and Dave Grohl; 4) because he’s just damn cool.

  • Johnette Napolitano – Formerly of Concrete Blonde, Napolitano was equally entertaining as a story teller and performer. Her surprise a cappella version of the “Tomorrow Wendy,” a moving commentary on the AIDS epidemic in the early 1990’s silenced the room and stood as one of the most powerful performances of SXSW.

  • Amsterband – Newly signed to Bloodshot Records, Amsterband helped kick off the label’s day show at the Yard Dog Gallery. The band’s set ran the gamut from country to rock including a great version of the blues classic “Old Black Betty.”

  • Jason Isbell – I saw the Drive-By Truckers guitarist play a parking lot on South Congress Avenue at 11am. The complimentary bloody marys helped temper the hour, but it was Isbell’s acoustic performance of several Drive-By Truckers classics and new songs from his forthcoming solo release that provided a proper kick-off to the day. The poignant “Dress Blues” was a stand-out among the new tracks: “You never planned on the bombs in the sand, or sleeping in your dress blues.”

  • Eli Paperboy Reed – I ordinarily wouldn’t have sought out the Boston-based Reed given that I can see him in my hometown, but I couldn’t pass up the opportunity to see the rhythm-and-blues master play the legendary Continental Club (one of the top clubs in America).

    Audio Download: Take My Love With You [audio:http://audio.sxsw.com/2007/mp3/Eli_Paperboy_Reed_%26_The_True_Loves-Take_My_Love_With_You.mp3]
    [Source: SXSW]


    • About the author:  Mild-mannered corporate executive by day, excitable Twangville denizen by night.