So Many Bands

Here are some articles/blog posts I've read recently that I think are worth sharing:

I find this interesting: all Rivers Cuomo had to do was change the basic content of his lyrics, and suddenly Weezer transitioned from making songs that Converse-wearing kids wanted to quote in their Livejournals, to making songs that you’d hear blasting in the background of the trailer for American Pie VI: Wet Hot American Teenage Free-for-All featuring Campus Girls Gone Wild.
“On Whom Can You Depend?”

South By Southwest has become a popular spring-break destination, Mardi Gras for collegiate hipsters.
Letter From Austin | SXSW Standouts

He will escape from whatever “corner” you’ve got him in, he will find you, and he will kill you in some horrific and punning fashion – like dropping you into a pool of liquid nitrogen as he tells you to “Chill out.”
Writer gives tips for surviving Schwarzenegger

It’s the cinematic equivalent of a Hummer with both “Support our Troops” and “No Fat Chicks” bumper stickers on it.
Unlikable actors take all the love out of Paris

20 Watt Shed was our name and we were probably about as good as our name would suggest. Anyway, we were young, we were loud, we were in a band, and we had a demo tape.
I'm still totally fine with playing shows for Church youth groups.

Just outside Shangri-La, I heard a big funky bass. Accompanied by the sung words, "I JUST WANNA HAVE SEX WITH YOU." I thought: "I will check this out."
SXSW 2010 recap: Meet Casxio, our favorite musical discovery.

Finally, here is the list of winners my newspaper, Accent, won at TIPA. Yay team!
Online Video, Third Place - Sarah Vasquez <-- That's me! Here is the video that won.
TIPA 2010 Awards

Last day! And why was it so cold? Seriously, this is Austin. It doesn't get cold in December, let alone during Spring Break. So doesn't need to be said that I didn't enjoy nearly as much music, thanks to the weather. Thanks a lot buddy.

Good in the Sack @ Aquarium: It's been 4 years since this Austin punk band played on stage. It felt like good times in 2004 at the Backroom.

Carney @ Purevolume House: Caught a little of their set before I headed to an interview but the two songs I caught were pretty rocking.

Dead Confederate @ Encore: This band played from their new rocking direction & less of the droning songs from "Wreaking Ball." I dug it.

3 @ Encore: Played before Good in the Sack & reminded me of the Backroom days. I heard later that this was also a reunion show.

Cady Groves @ Purevolume House: Turns out this adorable girl was sick so they had to adjust the chords for her voice but she still nailed it

Originally posted at Accent.

I had a lot of interviews scheduled this day so I didn't see as many shows. However, what I did see were pretty awesome.

Tiger! Shit! Tiger! Tiger! @ Soho Lounge: This band proved that a clever name brings a crowd. Lucky for them, the music kept the crowd.

Twin Atlantic @ Dirty Dog Bar: Only caught a song or two because I had to go but I love this band. "Lightspeed" is such a good song. Get it.

Jenny Owen Young @ Live.Create Lounge: Another act I caught while charging my phone at the recharge zone. Not my thing but not awful either.

The Pack A.D. @ Jaime's: It was painful to watch this duo deal with major technical problems but when they actually played, they were on.

Patrick Stump @ Dirty Dog Bar: I didn't immediately recognize him with his weight lost & signature hat. His music needs more time to develop

New Politics @ Dirty Dog Bar: One of the guys pulled out his break dancing moves during the songs. That = wins. I love good time rock & roll

Camisama @ Soho Lounge: This duo from Japan kept yelling at the audience something in Japanese along with the word "CD" I was very confused

Originally posted at Accent.

I actually wrote this blog during the festival but silly me accidently closed the window losing everything I written. That basically sums up how SXSW went for me. More on that later.

The Crookes @ Friends: young clean cut boys from UK playing music that reminisce of the 50s and 60s. Adorableness all around.

At Any Speed @ Aquarium: This folk rock band provided a much needed break from all the loud ruckus. A band to definitely keep on the radar.

The Terror Pigeon Dance Revolt! @ Karma Lounge: Showy costumes for band & fans made a party but strip to music proves they're not a gimmick.

Saint Motel @ El Sol y La Luna: Catchy tunes with tongue in cheek lyrics. Proof that a band needs good tunes, not a label to create a buzz.

Instrumenti @ Karma Lounge: I'll let the audience speak about them: "So this is what pandas sound like?" "They're endangered & hardcore."

Rocky Votolato @ Red Eyed Fly: This former frontman of Seattle band Waxwing played to a packed venue with his punk fused acoustic folk rock.

Titus Andronicus @ The Palm Door: I've heard this name a lot in the blogosphere. After seeing this band live, I totally understand why.

CHLLNGR @ Beauty Bar: Wearing the matching sweaters and coke bottle glasses reminded me of my bro & cousin as kids. But these dudes can jam.

Moonrats @ Beauty Bar Backyard: Only caught one song & sadly, I wasn't impressed. I'm burnt out on indie rock & they fall into this genre.

Eisley @ Maggie Mae's Rooftop: Only caught one song b/c it was crazy packed, but they played one of my faves "Golly Sandra" so that = win.

Riverboat Gamblers @ Red 7 Patio: Always fun & entertaining live show. Austin, if you haven't see this band live, what are you waiting for?

Originally posted at Accent.

Hey everybody.

Survived the first day of SXSW. It was pretty chilled compared to what  I have scheduled today but I saw some great bands and I have some video interviews to post up some time today.

Here are my reviews of the bands I saw in Twitter style, 140 characters or less.

International Waters @ Plush: why aren't more people talking about this band? catchy experimental indie rock. not your typical cliche indie.

Munch Munch @ Plush: Experimental keyboard band from UK with 3 keyboards and lots of drums. It was interesting but pretty rad. I dug em..

The Dandies @ Encore: Walked in thier shows before SPEAK. Straight up good time rock n roll band from Switzerland.

SPEAK @ Encore: They just won Austin Music Awards "Best New Band" & did a cover of the Bee Gees. Enough said. Can't get enough of these guys

Nico Stai @ Live. Create. Lounge: Caught to this low key acoustic guy while I was taking advantage of the power station to charge my phone.

Drake Bell @ St David's Bethell Hall: I don't care what you say. I love his music. Get over the fact he was on Nick and enjoy his music.

That's all I saw. I have interviews coming up from Eisley, Monsters are Not Myths and International Waters.

Originally posted at Accent.

Apparently I don't need any sort of vacation after all the craziness SXSW brings to my life because this week, Accent has a newspaper that needs to be sent to press by Friday and Austin Vida is throwing not one, not two but THREE shows this week. All one after another. However, the line ups are pretty awesome so I'm not too upset about my lack of rest. I envision a lot of coffee and Red Bull in my future.

TUESDAY
First up, we have a Nacional Listening Party at Mi Casa. Now this is less of a live show performance and more of a party to hang out. Austin Vida teams up with DJ Chorizo Funk as he spins the latest release from this Mexico City band, Maldita Vecindad y Los Hijos Del Quinto Patio. This album Circular Colectivo is the first release for this band in last 12 years. And if any of the songs posted on their myspace is any indication of what's to come on this album, I'm super pumped.

Held at Mi Casa again means 50 cent wells and tamales. We'll be also giving away free tickets to the upcoming Pachanga Fest! and Sexy Marvin's show, as well as CDs.

Starts at 8 p.m. and it's free.

Click here for more details at the Facebook event page.

WEDNESDAY
Speaking of Sexy Marvin's, that show with Rubix and Vinyl Dharma will happen the next night at Stubb's indoor. Sexy Marvin is coming to Austin for the very first time all the way from Monterrey. This indie band has opened for some heavy hitters such as The Killers and Muse. Don't worry for the spanish impaired, they sing in English. I can't wait for this show. We all know I'm a sucker for a great indie band.

Show starts at 9:30 p.m. If you get your tickets now, it's only $8 but for you procrastinators like me, it'll cost you $10 at the door.

Click here for more details at the Facebook event page.

THURSDAY
Then to end this week with one big dance party, Austin Vida is throwing a showcase. Just like our first one, we tapped into our favorite Latino locals: El Tule, Este Vato and Maneja Beto. This time we've added Latin pop fusion La Guerilla. Man, this is gonna be a Mexican wedding good time. Seriously.

This show starts at 9:00 p.m. and $5 for 21+ and $7 for the youngsters.

Click here for more details at the Facebook event page.

Turns out I was one of this band's first interviews. So I decided to keep it basic to give people an introduction to what is now one of my new favorite bands. Their album "Honest Lines" is really good, ya. Four tracks of southern folksy twang with a rock edge and these guys are from the North. Get it.

SXSW 2010 Interview with At Any Speed from Sarah Vasquez on Vimeo.

Originally posted at Accent.

Since this is an Austin-based publication, there really isn't much to be said about Austin punk rock band, Riverboat Gamblers.

But what needs to be said about this interview is this: I was exhausted. Lead singer Mike Wiebe was exhausted. How this interview made any sort of sense is a mystery to me but we did manage to talk about some band business.

I was nervous about this interview because this band has done a lot of press in the past so I didn't know what to expect and I also didn't want to come off with the same generic band questions. But I'm really glad with how this interview came out. Yay.

SXSW 2010 Interview with Riverboat Gamblers from Sarah Vasquez on Vimeo.

Originally posted at Accent.

Funny story about this guy. It's Wednesday night at SXSW and I'm walking around trying to find the entrance of St. David's Church downtown for a showcase. As I'm walking around the building, this friendly looking guy approaches me and asks if I'm heading to the church as well. I know I took a big chance letting a random stranger just approach me like that at night but it worked out in the end.

So we walk around the church together trying to find this door and he finds out I'm a journalist and I find out he's a musician. After he hands me his CD and business card, I realized that his name is strangely familiar. I tell him this and that's when he mentions that he's playing a day show on Friday at Clive Bar. I RSVP'ed for that show. SPEAK, who I featured for the last issue, is part of the line up. In fact, I had downloaded and listened to the free show sampler which had one of Danny's song days earlier.

What a small world.

So Friday after his set at Clive Bar, we conducted a very brief interview about his music and I mean brief as both of us had other things we needed to rush to.

SXSW 2010 Interview with Danny Ross from Sarah Vasquez on Vimeo.

Originally posted at Accent.

Roxy Cottontail is a club promoter, booker and DJ. During her upcoming stint at SXSW, Roxy will release her newest mixtape called 'Strike up the Band,' produced by Luther. Roxy recently caught up with Spinner to discuss her musical background, the new release and what fans can expect at her SXSW performances.

Click here to read the rest at Spinner.