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"This next one'll be on our new album" Who would have thought that rock stars knew about test marketing? Fans who lined the streets hoping to gain entry to Sonic Youth, Soul Asylum, Spoon, Buffalo Daughter and Kelly Willis to hear their favorite songs had another thing coming. These well-known acts and others saw a unique opportunity in Austin: if thousands of musically savvy people liked their new songs, then surely the rest of the world would embrace them as well. Occasionally, the fresh material was instantly accessible, as when Robyn Hitchcock played his as-yet-unreleased pop single "Vive SeaTac," with its amusing chorus "They've got the best computers, coffee and smack." Sonic Youth's debut of tunes from its forthcoming album met a mixed response, with some praising the quartet's harmonic explorations and some ruing the lack of noisiness from the once-boisterous band. Dave Pirner showed off a stylish Jennifer Aniston hairdo and the new energetic but strangely soulless Soul Asylum songs. ...And Your Chicks for Free SXSW '98 was more about small moments than epic performances. Two memorable episodes were cute cover songs by enigmatic rock personalities. Noted Austin eccentric Daniel Johnston made a rare appearance, fronting a four-piece band and playing a totally charming sing-along version of the Monkees' "I'm a Believer." The notorious sleaze-rock ensemble Royal Trux concluded a blissfully off-kilter set with a barely recognizable take on Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing." Think Locally Portland-area acts like the Pinehurst Kids, Richmond Fontaine, Larry Yes, Tommy Tutone and Cool Nutz weren't the only folks representing our city from the stage. When the spirit moved them, some audience members decided to grab the mike. Between songs by the English rock band Cable, a frat-boy type jumped onstage to announce that bouncers had informed him that the dance floor was reserved for moshers from Vancouver, Wash. The unamused bouncers then expelled him. Even our own assistant arts editor, Brooke DeNisco, got in on the act, leaping onstage during a set from Austin punks ...and you will know us by the trail of dead to announce that she's from Portland and loves the band. Airline Disasters One of the hardest things about SXSW is getting there. Portland travelers scrambled to find cheap tickets at the last minute and argued the relative disadvantages of flying through Dallas (one leg is four hours), Denver (many passengers were stuck in a snowstorm last year), or Salt Lake (no hard alcohol in the airport). But several Rose City residents had even more trouble than usual. Some members of the Cavity Search crew missed their flight entirely--while they were in the airport. The Cavity Search gang did arrive in time for its filled-to-capacity showcase on Friday night. Undercover Records' JJ Gonson earned lots of attention for bringing her tiny dog along on her flight--and into some SXSW panels. The best plane tale of all comes from the Berbati's crew, led by Tres Shannon. The group consumed so much Crown Royal on their flight that a wheelchair and golf cart had to be used to transport them to their connection. Alt-Country Rules When in Texas, you've got to eat migas, drink Lone Star and listen to country music. No festival has been better placed to expose the world to country, and SXSW delivered a mix of new stars and old favorites. One of the best shows of the festival came on opening night, as Country Hall of Fame legend Ray Price delivered a classic set of old standards backed by a 20-piece orchestra. Now over 70, Price hasn't lost his silky voice, and the exuberant crowd wouldn't let him stop. Though SXSW is notoriously rigid about insisting bands stay within the allotted 40 minutes, Price played for one hour and 20 minutes. Young charmer Jesse Dayton had to take the stage next. He seemed more awed than put out by the delay, but after a few self-deprecating remarks about having to go on after one of his heroes, he demonstrated that he is more than worthy of sharing the same stage. On Thursday night, about 100 people braved bitter cold for an outdoor performance by Nashville's Lonesome Bob, whose NXNW set last year was one of the Portland festival's highlights. In Austin, he and guest Amy Rigby sang his crazy songs about fucked-up love and managed to warm many hearts. Why his song "Waltzing on the Titanic" hasn't become a big hit given all the Titanic fervor is as mysterious as all the Titanic fervor itself. Other memorable country sets came from Dallas up-and-comers the Old '97s (if Leonardo DiCaprio had a country-rock band...), Austin's own sweet-voiced Kelly Willis, Nashville's fun hillbillies BR5-49, and Mike Ireland and Holler, who played in a coffee house to 49 people--thanks to the fire marshal. Around the World in 100s of Bands The international presence at SXSW is one of the things that makes the festival stand out from others. While Severna Park, Sixteen Deluxe and Pete Droge are all likely to come to a local club near you, it's going to be a lot longer before anyone will get to see Bergen, Norway's Poor Rich Ones again. But just because a band comes from far away doesn't mean it's worth seeing. Arab Strap, who made the trip from Glasgow, should have stayed in Scotland. Imagine an Irvine Welsh story read over awful noise-rock. Except for "fuck" and "cock," no words were intelligible. The band came on after Amsterdam's Solex, whose pretty singing only made the contrast more painful. Scotland's reputation received some bolstering from the instrumental performance of Martyn Bennett, a violin-and-flute-led combo from Edinburgh. Berlin's To Rococo Rot were so quiet and weird during their techno set that it took a while to realized they had actually started their show. Sweden's Ray Wonder delivered a cute if unpolished show led by a singer who could have been Jimmy Osmond's Swedish cousin. Across the hall, Derby, England'sCable played fine, fast punk in matching white shirts and black ties. Though she only played at a party for Columbia Records, not in an actual showcase slot, New Zealand's Bic Runga showed that she may be the best new candidate for the Lilith Fair. Rogue of SXSW Jesus Presley gets this award for not showing up for its showcase slot and never letting anyone in Austin know about it. It was an embarrassing Portland moment--made more so since several people had expressed interest in seeing the band. Fight for Your Right... Every year, magazines, record companies and others team up to throw daytime parties. The public relations companies MFPR and Other Worldly Contact held a prom-themed fête, crowning a king and queen and holding a vote for prom song ("Smack My Bitch Up" won). CD Now scored a coup by capping its afternoon party with a set from Sonic Youth, but the lucky few who were invited for food and beer also had to suffer through eardrum-shredding opening sets by unknown bands. Option magazine and Sugar Free Records held an outdoor celebration in a back courtyard to an art gallery, featuring sets from Portland's Swoon 23 and Sunset Valley. The No Depression magazine/ Checkered Past Records party at the Broken Spoke, an authentic and way-out-of-the-way honkytonk, drew a big crowd to see Cheri Knight, Lonesome Bob and other country acts. Preternaturally well-coiffed Mary Lou Lord and lanky Pete Droge performed at the well-attended Epic Records/ Rocket party (Janeane Garofalo was there). Lord didn't play an actual SXSW showcase, though she did sing at Urban Outfitters one afternoon and spent at least one night busking on 6th Street (as did Billy Bragg). Her new songs sounded pretty--and, weirdly, more and more like Shawn Colvin. At 2 am Saturday--after five nights of loud music, smoky clubs and tequila shots followed by early mornings at the Convention Center--a party was going to have to be a helluva lot of fun to keep anyone awake. Spin delivered. Taking over the Naked Grape, a gay club off the main drag, Spin put on a wild, invitation-only event with endless amounts of free beer, pizza and cigars. The young, loud Old 97's played for well over an hour to a crowd thrilled to see one more great show. Lead singer and guitarist Rhett Miller went so far as to say, "SXSW is like Fantasy Island. It's a place where dreams come true. And one of our dreams was to play with one of our idols." Then a fresh-looking John Doe joined them for a couple of songs. It might not have been Fantasy Island, but it came pretty damn close. |
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