My Friday afternoon was largely about Filter magazine’s Showdown at Cedar Street party. This was day two of what was a three-day throwdown hosted by Filter this year, and it was a lineup that (for me) couldn’t be beat, not even by the SPIN party, for which I turned down a pass generously offered by friends. I started my day with the first three acts on the Filter bill: the Shout Out Louds, Los Campesinos, and the Pigeon Detectives.
It was my first time seeing Sweden’s Shout Out Louds (though I’ve been a fan for a couple of years now) and their sunshiny melodies were the perfect beginning to a sunshiny afternoon. The Pigeon Detectives were up third, and they put on a barn-burner of a performance, but this was to be expected since I’d seen them tear it up in similar fashion at Southy-by last year. If you ever get a chance to catch this band, and especially if you’re a fan of the Kaiser Chiefs, do not miss that chance, as they bring all of the energy and hooks that Ricky Wilson and Co. deliver and then some.
The surprise highlight of my afternoon, however, was the meat in this Filter party sandwich, the U.K. indie sensation Los Campesinos!, about whom I knew practically nothing before they hit the stage. By the time their ridiculously energetic performance had concluded, however, I was a newly minted acolyte, singing their praises to friends for the rest of the day.
The seven-piece band (consisting of 4 boys and 3 girls), were fairly bursting with an infectious enthusiasm which the capacity crowd was powerless to resist. Their songs, a mix of speak-singing and shouty bits, with hook-laden melodies that reminded me most strongly of the Washington Social Club (another crazy-talented young band which I commend to you) were confections the likes of which indie superstardom is born. These poor kids from Cardiff, U.K., however, looked sunstruck in the 90-plus degree afternoon sunshine (with the lead singer shedding his tee shirt early in the set), but they gave it their all, and it’s safe to say that the crowd was with them all the way.
Since they didn’t provide an .mp3 to SXSW that we can share with you, please direct your browser to their MySpace page to sample their wares … but before you do, have a look at the video for “Death to Los Campesinos,” an inventive live-in-the-studio video that should give you some slight idea of the energy that this band possesses:
Oh, and be sure to take note of their tour dates since they’re touring the U.S. this May/June. Catch ’em if you can!
(My afternoon went on to include strong sets by the Whigs at the Paste/Stereogum party and Reckless Kelly at the party thrown by their new label, Yep Roc).
About the author: John Anderson is a SXSW addict, having attended "South-by" every year since 1999. His South-by geekery spilled over into the realm of blogging in 2006, and he is grateful to the Twangville audience for having indulged his South-by ravings since 2008.