As noted previously in my post in praise of Biters, I dig me some glam rock. In that earlier post, I referenced T. Rex, since Sir Bolan struck me as being the most apt reference point to the band at hand, but I’m also an ardent admirer of take-no-prisoners gutter glam as practiced by the […]
Hunx & His Punx: #3 of John’s ‘Fantastic Four of SXSW 2011’
In a world where boys who can’t sing aren’t allowed to be lead vocalists in 1960s-style girl groups, only one hero was gay enough to defy the odds: Hunx -eMusic’s capsule description of Too Young To Be In Love, the debut album from Hunx & His Punx I first heard Hunx & His Punx in […]
SXSW 2011: The Sounds, Part 1
Maxim Ludwig & the Santa Fe Seven If I were to highlight only one band from SXSW, this would be this one. To say that Ludwig is high energy simply doesn’t do him justice. He exudes enthusiasm with a confidence and maturity that belies his age. His songs have a familiar quality to them, a […]
Biters: #2 of John’s “Fantastic Four of SXSW 2011”
It’s no secret that I love me some power pop, so when I was cruising through this year’s SXSW torrent and Biters leaped out of the speakers with “Melody for Lovers” (bar none the best new-to-me power pop song of the torrent, and a shining example of power pop perfection), I snapped to attention immediately. […]
My Jerusalem: #1 of John’s “Fantastic Four of SXSW 2011”
My Jerusalem, the band that I would leave SXSW 2011 proclaiming to everyone willing to listen as having been the best new band I saw all week, and the one that I knew would present me with the tallest order in terms of doing them justice with mere words, was a band that I hadn’t […]
John’s SXSW Roundup, Starring Alejandro Escovedo, Jesse Malin, and the “Fantastic Four of SXSW 2011”
Given that friends and colleagues always ask upon my return from Austin who were my absolute favorites of the new bands I saw at SXSW each year, I’m going to focus my attentions entirely on the new-to-me bands that I left Austin wishing most fervently that I could see play again right now. As it […]
SXSW 2011: The Scene, Part 2
DAY PARTIES EVERYWHERE Unofficial day parties have exploded in the past several years to the point that they now outnumber the official showcases. By my count there were over 120 day parties taking place on Saturday and I know that my list wasn’t complete. With that many shows it takes some creativity to stand out, […]
SXSW 2011: The Scene, Part 1
For me, the true harbinger of spring is the arrival of the SXSW Music and Media Conference in Austin, Texas. Or rather, spring begins for me when I arrive in Austin for SXSW. With upwards of 2,000 bands and 13,000 attendees, SXSW is the world’s premiere music conference. Even better, it is one heck of […]
SXSW 2010: Say What?!
One of my favorite parts of SXSW is the crazy things you see and hear along the way. Here are a few choice selections. My son is 17. He had his heart broken for the first time. Her name was Ivy. He’s now dating a blond-hair, blue-eyed girl from UC Berkeley. Fuck you Ivy. ~ Proud […]
SXSW 2010: The Sounds
Buddy Miller I’ve got a simple rule of thumb: don’t miss a solo Buddy Miller show. Miller’s work with artists ranging from Robert Plant to Solomon Burke to Patty Griffin overshadows his own recordings with his wife Julie. It’s a shame, really, as Buddy and Julie are simply brilliant. Whether playing country, blues or a […]