Last Week Around the -ISTs
Schieffer's Out of Gov Race
![True Stories Can Be Stranger Than Fiction [Extra Extra ]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2009/01/nightskyline-thumb-110x110-53663.jpg)
True Stories Can Be Stranger Than Fiction [Extra Extra ]
Rocket, Quiet Company, Blackholicus, and Golden AX squared off at Room 710 last night in a friendly LA versus Austin Battle-of-the-Bands, and Austin you came out on top.
LAist held their SXSW party at the Red River mainstay and brought two bands to "compete" against a pair of local groups for a free Sunday night show that started with the My Morning Jacket-esque Quiet Company (who should change their names because they're anything but Quiet).
The Austin trio featured no bass, two guitars, and a ton of nerdy energy that epitomized all the good things about "emo". Singer Taylor Muse spazzed out during his guitar solos, hunched over his keyboards for the piano intros of his slower songs, and led his group through a short, upbeat, rockin' set that left the audience asking for more MORE!
Next up, from Hollywood were the LAist contest winners, Golden AX, who were punk rock ala early Black Flag mixed with a sprinkle of thrash metal. Their energy was as wild as their attitude as their singer Mikey jumped around with a sweaty gusto, definitely keeping the competition close.
But then Blackholicus showed up and stole the freaking show.
Sporting a pearl necklace and a polka-dotted dress, singer Margaret who is just barely as tall as her bass, brought the early Maiden meets Motorhead rock so hard that everyone circled around to the stage side of Room 710 to see who this super tight, amazing band was.
The two guitar attack was in full effect and the rhythm was so infectious that you had to bang your head to the perfect grooves.
The all-girl LA band Rocket looked at each other in awe as their jaws dropped while watching Blackholicus, and they weren't the only ones. The bar had been raised in a mighty way, but the ladies took to the stage and after some technical difficulties they whipped out the Key-tar and cuteness and provided the sweet dessert to close out the rocking night.
Ending their show at around 1:45am to a sweaty, club of (at that point) mostly drunken men, Rocket gave it their all with their cutesy power pop that was indeed powerful but not enough to dethrone what Blackholicus had just laid down.
Austin, was declared the winner and the bands hauled their equipment out of the club in the rain promising a re-match next year, same place, same time.
photos by Sonny I. LaVista
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rocket was amazing......wait, i mean, anti-amazing. they exemplified suck. i was truly embarrassed for them. does that count as pity? anyways, im off track, what was i saying? OH yeah, did you guys see how bad rocket sucked? yeah, i cant believe they're going on tour with butch walker, yeah i cant believe butch walker has a tour either.
That's the hot thing right now though. Everybody loves really shitty girl bands that are super cute and can't play their instruments. Just give them 6 months and it'll pass.
So happy to give you something to talk about. Thanks for coming out to our show! we'll see you next time we're in Austin.
xoxo