I’ve missed a few days of blogging and my only excuse is that I was trying to see as many bands as possible at SXSW before returning to LA. Now I want to share some of the highlights. Here it goes:

Band That Exceeded My Expectations:

Surfer Blood (They were the talk of the festival and I chased them for days before finally catching a show.)

Also, The xx. And you can check that out here

Best Stage Banter:

Tie between Soko and Courtney Love. Both were explicit and very funny.

Band I Will Absolutely See Again When They Play in LA:

Baltimore’s J Roddy Walston and the Business

Best Band for a Sunny Afternoon at an Outside Venue:

Washed Out
(It was only the 10^th show from Georgia artist Ernest Greene. The members of Small Black joined him on a few songs)

Interesting Name Trend: The Double Double

Radio Radio
Hotel Hotel
HoneyHoney
Future FutureShadow
Shadow Shade

Most Interesting Covers:

Real Estate and Woods collaborating on Blind Melon’s “No Rain.” The audience sang every word. And there was crowdsurfing!

Runner Up: Gordon Voidwell singing Blondie’s “Heart of Glass”

Bands I’m Sad I Missed that Were on My Short List:

Codeine Velvet Club
The Drums
Javelin
Toro y Moi
Memory Tapes
Neon Indian

Bands I Missed that Weren’t on My Short List but I Heard Good Things About:

Phantogram
Sunny Day in Glasgow
Titus Andronicus

Most Unexpected:

A comedy set by Tig Notaro. She told a story about Taylor Dayne that had me in tears. I’ve never seen comedy at SXSW before and I’ll never miss it again.

Runner Up: a late night harmonica jam by Blues Traveler’s John Popper at a house party. The crowd went wild.

Favorite venue:

Parking lot across from Stubbs where Broken Bells played a pop up show. James Mercer told me the band really enjoyed it and you could tell.

Runner Up: IFC House.  They had a small stage where they were taping performances for broadcast. It was cozy, but that’s what made it fun.

Best Indie Rock Dance Moves:

Tim Derricourt from Dappled Cities.

LA Bands I’m Glad I Saw in Austin

Dios and Shadow Shadow Shade

Best Reminder of How Powerful Music Is:

Temper Trap playing “Sweet Disposition” at KCRW’s Cedar Street showcase. It was magical.

Best Pizza in Downtown Austin:

Hands down—Hoboken pizza on Red River. And I tried MANY before I came to that conclusion.

Best New Band By an Artist You Should Already Know:

Sonny and the Sunsets (featuring Kelley Stoltz). It took me a little while to warm up to their set but, once I did, I really enjoyed it.

A KCRW first:

Rogue Wave played a special acoustic set for our Saturday showcase and Chris Douridas broadcast some of the songs live on the air – a KCRW first! Check it out

If you want to read another take on the festival, check out this article from the New York Times’ Jon Pareles.

RR

Austin rocks – and the music festival has only just begun!

I arrived @ midnight on Friday for my first SXSW Film festival experience and its been great – I’ve seen really good films, the vibe is relaxed and very sociable- allowing me to meet lots of the film making community , the local cinemas are terrific – especially the Alamo theatres & the Paramount where you can enjoy a beer and good food during the movie!! – and taxi drivers know where they are going! Sweet! Here is a brief run down of what i have seen so far…
Ain’t In It for My Health : A Film About Levon Helm – charming homage to the legendary artist , directed by Jacob Hatley – who met Levon when he was commissioned to direct a video for his CD ‘Dirt Farmer’ and ended up staying 2 years in his barn, filming the man up close and personal with all the positives and negatives such access allows. The camera acts as a friend at Levon’s table, and we see him deal with the challenges of throat cancer and the mixed emotions that simultaneous Grammy nominations for The Band and his first album in 25 years throw up, the joy of becoming a grandfather, enjoying music and recounting tales from the road with family and friends.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Lovers of Hate directed by Bryan Poyser – the first narrative film I have seen thus far, its a funny, sexy twisted menage a trois tale that takes place for the most part in a huge house in Park City Utah where Rudy, who is having a major life crisis (lack of work/ wife just kicked him out) goes to surprise his successful writer brother paul. only to find him witnessing a tryst of Paul with his estranged wife Diana. With its multi roomed location its reminiscent of a french farce but has greater depth and humanity at its core. Lead actors Chris Doubek is excellent – half of the film he is in hiding and his body language and face speak volumes – his co stars Alex Karpovsky and Heather Kafka balance this threesome to great effect. ‘Lovers of Hate is available on VOD now through June on IFC – I interviewed the director Bryan yesterday after I saw his film – you can see that on KCRW’s SXSW page or via Kyte.

American The Bill Hicks Story - I met the filmmakers for this – Matt Harlock and Paul Thomas at an ASCAP party on Sunday having seen posters for this documentary around town and saw the film yesterday and loved it. Being a Brit I was aware of Bill Hicks as he found greater popularity there than his homeland of the USA. Even if you are only vaguely aware of this comic genius, you should check this film out – its shot in an innovative way using animation to bring archival material to life with the voiceover and participation of Hicks’s close friends, fellow comics and family – the result is an intriguing view of the man who showed comedy could be a vehicle for political and cultural commentary – making many people laugh as well question the society we live in. Its also – as you would expect – very funny. Bill Hicks performed in Austin numerous times so it was great to see the movie here at SXSW (one of the first showings in North America) at the famed Paramount Theater – as well as have several members of Bill Hicks family in the audience.

Thunder Soul – great documentary by Mark Landsman about the reunion of the Houston’s Kashmere High School band to honour their great mentor, band leader, and composer, Conrad O Johnson. This strong, warm and passionate teacher brought the band into international fame, transforming them into excellent musicians and a superb funk band as well as imbuing them with a positive attitude that has stayed with them for all of their lives . LA based filmmaker Mark Landsman first heard of the story on NPR and went on to contact Conrad O Johnson, leading to a fascinating documentary about the history of the band , the political and musical landscape of the early 70’s in the US, and their recent reunion to show their respect for their great teacher. I also had the added thrill of seeing the reformed Kashmere Alumni School Band perform at the Austin Chronicle party at Zona Rosa after the documentary. You can see some of my footage from this show on Kyte.
This film and its fascinating subjects – Conrad O Johnson , his pupils and their evolution through music – is a true testament to the importance of the arts in education, the difference the dedication of one man can make to young adults, and the ultimate power of love.

Tara McPherson is a renowned visual artist who has been dubbed the Princess of Poster Art by Elle Magazine. LA’s rock scene was a huge inspiration for her, as was the punk feminist themes of the Riot Grrrl movement in the ‘90s. In her Guest DJ set,  you can hear how she got her start as a poster artist for artists like Melvins, Beck and Modest Mouse.

Tara is exhibiting her work here at SXSW as part of Flatstock – an art exhibition dedicated to rock posters at the Austin Convention Center. Flatstock displays the works of more than 100 artists from across North America and the globe. Its free and open to the public and is always one of my favorite parts of the fest so don’t miss it if you’re in Austin.

Tara designed KCRW’s fantastic poster for our Saturday showcase at the Convention Center with Rogue Wave, The Middle East and Lissie. We’re giving away a small number of passes to see our Saturday show with a purchase of the poster TOMORROW, Thursday from 1-4pm. Just go to Tara’s booth and look for KCRW Dj Dan Wilcox. They’ll only be $10 and are limited edition signed posters!

RR

Tara McPherson Limited Edition Poster

From November to March every year, SXSW dominates my thoughts — which bands we want on KCRW’s showcases, who we’ll feature on our live broadcasts of Morning Becomes Eclectic, and much more. Then I get here and it all goes by in a flash! Last night, I caught a local band – Shadow Shadow Shade — in a small room at IFC studios where they taped the performance for broadcast. The tiny room made it that much more exciting and the band was solid. A 7-piece that would delight fans of Arcade Fire and Edward Sharpe — anthemic rock and driving percussion thanks to two drummers.

LA Band Shadow Shadow Shade

I’m really excited to catch a few bands today — Broken Bells, Washed Out — before KCRW’s official showcase later tonight at the Galaxy Room featuring Ozomatli, Miike Snow, Fanfarlo, Fitz & the Tantrums, Choir of Young Believers and Soko.

More soon!

RR

Every year I get into Austin at the tail end of the Interactive portion of the SXSW conference, which means I get to watch a city flooded with tech folks turn into what some people call rock ‘n’ roll Spring Break. The transformation happens almost overnight and its a blast to witness. You start to hear rumblings about which big bands are playing secret shows (I hear a big English rock trio is playing Stubbs on Friday) and which smaller bands are the ones to watch (so far — Broken Bells, Surfer Blood, Fitz and the Tantrums, Washed Out, Real Estate, Besnard Lakes, The Middle East, Strange Boys, Theophilus London). Right now, I’m enjoying copious amounts of Mexican food (why don’t we have good queso in LA??) and sitting down whenever I can. I’ll be standing for most of the rest of the week. Can’t wait to report back with some new favorite bands!

RR

With their debut as She & Him, actress Zooey Deschanel and multi-instrumentalist M. Ward proved that their creative collaboration was perfect for the creation of nostalgic sixties-inspired pop tinged with folk & country touches. On their second record, “Volume Two,” the mood is still dreamy and bittersweet but the harmonies have grown more layered and complex, the string arrangements more dramatic, the songwriting more confident.

“Volume Two” was recorded in Los Angeles (where She lives) and Portland, Oregon (where Him resides). In addition to the original material written by Deschanel, the record includes two wonderfully reimagined covers:  “Riding In My Car” a should-have-been hit from NRBQ and “Gonna Get Along Without You,” a country-pop shuffle made famous by Skeeter Davis.

Volume Two will be available on-demand here March 15 through April 13, 2010.  The album will be released on Tuesday, March 23.
RR

The Brazilian artist joined Tom for an interview this weekend and you can hear it in the archives here:

Brazilian superstar Gilberto Gil formed the Tropicalia movement back in the late 60s along with Caetano Veloso and others, and paid dearly for it—he was exiled for years by the dictatorship.  He returned to Brazil from his exile in London, and went on to record some of the most memorable albums in Brazilian music.   Current Brazilian President Lula da Silva appointed him Minister of Culture, a position he held for five years.

Upon retiring from his cabinet post, Gil resumed his music career, and is now touring the U.S.  He performs at UCLA’s Royce Hall this Saturday, March 20.  He performs with renowned cellist Jaques Morelenbaum and his son, Bem will play percussion in the UCLA Live event.

All of us at KCRW have Tom Schnabel to thank for introducing us to Ludovico Einaudi, the Italian pianist and composer. He played this morning with a sextet in one of the most beautiful performances I’ve witnessed here. He tells Jason how he wants to put the piano in a “different dimension” and how improvising allows you to “touch a part of yourself that is very pure.”

Click here to view the embedded video.

Already a megastar in Europe, Ludovico is just starting to get the attention he deserves in the United States for his masterful mix of classical influences and electronic experimentation. Ludovico has a show tomorrow, Saturday, March 13 at 6:30pm at The Broad Stage and Tom Schnabel will be doing a pre-concert lecture starting at 6:30pm.

Check out the performance here

RR

KCRW DJ Marion Hodges writes a tribute to the Optimo club night hosted by DJ’s JD Twitch, and JG Wilkes, which will be ending next month:

Having recently returned from a trip to Glasgow, I was all set to write a glowing recommendation of the club night Optimo. I knew it by reputation before I visited. I asked the friends that we were staying with if they might want to attend. This question led to my being regaled with stories every day leading up to the event; stories of staying up until dawn week after week, how it was easy to spot other Optimo attendees on a Monday morning by the zombie-like manner in which they drove to work, and above all else how DJs JD Twitch, and JG Wilkes were so good that they left you no choice but to be a zombie on Monday morning cause there was no way anyone could leave that club before it closed at 3am.

Everything was true, of course, as we watched the evening progress from relatively dark minimal techno sounds when we arrived to everything from The xx to a produced on the spot dance mix of the Undertones’ “Teenage Kicks,” to an untouched “Pink Panther Theme” right as the dance floor was at it’s peak. The legendary end of the night request for “One more tune!,” “One more tune!” was granted by another live dance mix. This time, with an excellent re-imagining of the already excellent Roxy Music song “Virginia Plain.”

Optimo was the night that made the music finding portion of my trip to Glasgow more than complete. With a rather heavy haul of indiepop records to bring back to the States, it seemed acceptable for me to not spend a great amount of time seeking out a club night where such music was likely to be played. A club, quite frankly, like the one I take part in here in Los Angeles (Hungry Beat!).

Optimo was something else entirely. It was very clear that the two men involved with the club spend most of their waking moments consumed by music. The expansive selections, and well thought out combinations that I witnessed during my brief time at the club gave me the strong sense that it would make KCRW fans feel right at home.

Of course, I’m no authority on this subject. I’m sure that there are Glasgow residents who have been attending since day one in 1997.  I can only imagine how some of those people would express their feelings since the announcement that the club will be ending.

Still, my time at Optimo will remain one of my fondest memories, and I’m happy to see that the end of this club appears to be leading to only bigger and better things for both DJs. The fact that they will still be promoting Sunday nights at their Sub Club home certainly means that you are still guaranteed a good time, not to mention the chance to see either one of them spin on any given week. Naturally, something is lost without the two of them as a pair, and without the Optimo name, but at least we have the comfort of knowing that all has not been packed away forever.

Read more about this somewhat abrupt development here in the words of the DJs themselves, and the commentary of a clear admirer.  And if you happen to find yourself in Glasgow on April 25th or before, then for goodness sake… go!

The Whigs

I stumbled upon The Whigs at a day showcase during SXSW a few years ago. They’re a tight garage rock trio from Athens and all of them are incredible musicians, but I immediately focused in on their drummer Julian. He seemed to have super human strength and speed and I couldn’t take my eyes of him. I got their debut record and to be perfectly honest, it didn’t totally blow me away. Not after the live performance I had witnessed.

About 4 years later, they are now readying the release of their 3^rd full length “ In the Dark”– their best record yet. I caught them opening for Black Rebel Motorcycle Club at the Echoplex last night. It was a rock ‘n’ roll lovers dream line up. While old favorites like “Right Hand on My Heart,” “Violet Furs,” and “Like a Vibration” sounded better than ever, new tracks like “Black Lotus” and “Kill Me Carolyne” really take it to the next level. I think they’ve finally found the sound that really sets them apart. From their bio: “IN THE DARK is both atmospheric and ambitious, without losing the pedal-to-the-metal power that earned them universal praise as one of America’s finest young rock ‘n’ roll bands.”

The Whigs: In the Dark

That about says it! If you’re going to Austin, try to catch them at one of their shows during SXSW. Otherwise, look out for their album out on March 16 on ATO Records.

RR