SXSW: 2009 Wrap Up

Posted on April 5, 2009 |

I know I’ve been slacking on this, it probably should’ve been posted a week
ago but I got me a case of the lazies. Better late than never.

Just gonna keep it simple with some highlights/lowlights from this year’s
fest.

Highlights

Band discoveries: I got a few, most if not all were not on my list to see
but just so happens I ended up catching their sets like The Happy Hollows,
The Vandelles, The Republic Tigers and Magnet School all of which will
be featured in my next podcast.

The odd celebrity sightings: Had a few this year. Drew Barrymore and Weezer‘s
Brian Bell @ Antone’s for the Silversun Pickups show, Matthew McConaughey
@ Stubb’s (thankfully, a shirt was worned) the whole “Rockville, CA” crew …

I even shared floor space with MXPX singer Mike Herrera, who crashed at my
friend’s home for a night. That to me, I would classify as an odd encounter.

SXSW is a celebrity magnet. What’s cool about it is they come with no agenda,
just there as fans of good music.

Hassle free flights: except for the old woman sitting next to me who smelled
of onion and old age and flossed for a good 20 minutes infront of me, this
direct Air Canada flight from Toronto to Austin is the shit. Totally, booking
that bad boy again next year.

Superdrag: I’ve waited years to see them live, finally got my chance and
they did not disappoint. Even with the short set (less than 40 minutes)
it was the only show that gave me an honest-to-goodness music-gasm.
They were that good.

Other band highlights: Glasvegas, True Widow, Ume, Army Navy, +/-,
Sybris, Shad, The Bridges, The Life And Times, The Bird And The Bee,
Gliss, Silversun Pickups.

The Alamo Draft House Cinema on South Lamar : Top notch movie theater where
delicious meals/drinks are served by a stealth crew of waiters in complete
darkness while you’re watching the movie of your choice.

Be it newly released or old classics. Cheesy/funny footage of old movies,
TV shows, commercials, interviews, PSAs … in connection with the movie
you’re about to see are shown beforehand. A Really fun moviegoing experience
that I wish I had in my neck of the woods.

Texas weather: The sun may have been merciless (got me a face/arms burn to
prove it) but I enjoyed sunshine and warm weather for 8 straight days,
giving me a taste of the warm Montreal summer to come.

Lowlights

I ain’t got none.

Well …

Not seeing Superdrag 7 times like I intended but only seeing them once.
They had to canceled 2 shows (airline troubles), 2 of those shows I
couldn’t get in (woe is me) and 2 more where it conflicted with other bands
I was seeing. Hopefully, I’ll get a chance to see them again that is,
if they bring their asses on Canadian soil for a tour of our lovely
country.

Missing out on Dredg, The Muggabears, Rocco Deluca, Fatlip and the 4AD
showcase, Martina Topley-Bird & The Asteroid #4 (who both canceled their
showcases before the festival started) that bummed me out but whatcha gonna do.

So yeah, all and all this was a far better year than 2008. 352 days
till SXSW 2010. I for one, can’t wait.

Here’s the set of pix I took of the 8 days I was on Texas soil.
I wasn’t able to photograph all bands I saw and some of those pix didn’t
come out as well as I would’ve liked but there ya go.

My SXSW 2009 photo set on Flickr.

I also uploaded about 30 video excerpts of bands I filmed on YouTube
with my Canon Powershot. Some came out ok, others, the sound’s not so
hot but it still gives you a taste of what I experienced.

Videos

T-Model Ford @ Antone’s Record Shop ( 03.17.2009 )
True Widow @ Red 7 ( 03.17.2009 )
Ringo Deathstarr @ Elysium ( 03.17.2009 )
The Vandelles @ Elysium ( 03.17.2009 )
Whispertown 2000 @ Red Eyed Fly ( 03.18.2009 )
Glasvegas @ The Mohawk ( 03.19.2009 )
The Bridges @ Pure Volume House ( 03.19.2009 )
Army Navy @ The Sidebar ( 03.19.2009 )
Sybris @ Back Alley Social ( 03.20.2009 )
Gabriella Cilmi @ Brush Square Park ( 03.20.2009 )
Superdrag @ Guero’s Taco Bar ( 03.20.2009 )
Superdrag @ Guero’s Taco Bar ( 03.20.2009 )
Ume @ Club Primos ( 03.20.2009 )
Shad @ Wave ( 03.20.2009 )
Lisa Hannigan @ Central Presbyterian Church ( 03.20.2009 )
Laura Marling @ Central Presbyterian Church ( 03.20.2009 )
The Life And Times @ The Radio Room ( 03.21.2009 )
Asobi Seksu @ Cedar Street Courtyard ( 03.21.2009 )
Matt Hires @ Brush Square Park ( 03.21.2009 )
The Republic Tigers @ Brush Square Park ( 03.21.2009 )
The Knux @ Waterloo Records ( 03.21.2009 )
The Bird And The Bee @ Waterloo Records ( 03.21.2009 )
The Happy Hollows @ Antone’s ( 03.21.2009 )
Silversun Pickups @ Antone’s ( 03.21.2009 )
Gliss @ Austin Art Garage ( 03.22.2009 )
Magnet School @ Austin Art Garage ( 03.22.2009 )

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Category: Concert Pix, Festivals, SXSW
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