Austinist SXSW Highlight Reel: Friday
Despite an unthinkable noontime slot, the seasoned vets proved stunning—it’s a rarity that any band can stir up much energy at such a (musically) unforgiving hour, let alone a band made up of people who’ve been making music since before half the audience was born, yet these guys had little trouble owning the venue. Lead singer Kevin Whelan rocked like a twenty-two year old, standing on amps and sweating and shouting and clapping—he was virtually furious with passion—and the band’s catalog, both old and new, came alive. There was even the obligatory shout-out to Jersey, the oft-maligned home of the band. And for this show, the audience itself was a point of entertainment: it was peopled with a few fantastically-excited individuals long familiar with the band, and a bunch of sprouts who were wondering why the hell these old guys on stage were so excited. But, regardless, it was made very, very clear that the Wrens are back, and just as captivating as ever. -Nick Courtright
Dim Mak & Constant Artists Showcase at the Parish: Despite the debauchery of SX, few sights could compare to watching electro pop superstar Gil Mantera prance around stage in his underwear. The man dances unlike anyone we've ever seen, operating like a ballerina and leprechaun hybrid. Although his act may seem over the top to someone who's never witnessed the live spectacle, Gil Mantera's Party Dream kept the crowd engaged at the downstairs section of The Parish Friday night.
Mantera, his just-as-eccentric-brother Ultimate Donny and subdued drummer A.E. Paterra make up the Party Dream, and lived up to their honorary title. After a few decent but low-profile opening acts, the men fired up some atmosphere into the dimly lit, intimate venue. Forgoing their usual spandex attire and opting for black leather suits, Gil and Donnie delivered some spicy tunes, full of synth-voco deliciousness. And oh yeah: the ladies of the crowd absolutely adored them. With girls screaming "I love you" and jumping on stage, it was obvious that this is what the Party Dream is all about—getting lost in the music and not giving a flip who sees you dance drunkenly on stage. And the fact that the cover was only $5 for general admission made it all the sweeter. We heard that their show the following night at Emo's was pretty similar—same songs, same outfits—but with a lot more banter between songs. Apparently Gil discussed his somewhat complicated relationship with Big Bird. While we're not sure what kind of insane dreams these guys have, we sure are happy they've translated them into addictive music delivered with confidence and originality. We're just hoping they haven't packed away the spandex for good.
The Local Showcase at the Hilton's 18th Floor Garden: It made for a long day, but getting to the Hilton for The Local's showcase was worth it. Arriving late, we missed two openers, but David Thomas Broughton and Shearwater both gave mind-bending performances. Broughton's acoustic guitar phased with an array of noisemakers and vocal effects gave his solo show an ethereal goodness. Finally being in air-conditioning (at a real bar with polite and underwhelmed staffers, sitting in chairs!) didn't hurt, either. All that comfort made Broughton's technical difficulties a performance in themselves - with few distractions and general silence, his mic shorting out and eventually shutting down completely prompted him to move to one of the chairs. He climbed up and shouted his song at the stunned crowd, now wide awake. His outburst and the rest of his set were enough oomph to ready a growing crowd for Shearwater. We breaked between acts, and one of the kind elderly gentlemen working the door offered to watch our freshly opened beer. When we returned and the beer was gone, he gave us a wry smile and handed over a few drink tickets. Pretty sure he drank our beer.
Shearwater did what almost no one probably expected them to. They plugged in everything, set up the full drum kit, loaded all five of their bodies onto the tiny garden stage and blew through their abbreviated SX set with vigor. As friends Akron/Family looked on, the crowd moved to the edges of their seats. Jonathan Meiburg's voice knew no restraint in the softly lit hall, and as four-on-the-floor favorites "White Waves" and "Hail Mary" came to a close, it was clear they'd made their mark.
The Onion AV Club Day Party at Radio Room: Ra Ra Riot, a seven-piece set bursting with multi-dimensional sound, really impressed us at the Radio Room Friday afternoon. Directly after buzz band Cut Off Your Hands performed, the audience quickly doubled in size, filling the steamy outdoor tented area. They're one those bands that after listening to their recordings, it sounds catchy but like fairly common healing music. Listening to them live is a totally different story. Their stage presence was clairvoyant, stepping beyond the realm of the guitar-bass-drum tradition and into a beautiful mecca of classical instruments. The two female band members weaved through cello and violin solos throughout the set with eyes closed and smiles on their faces. Both lovely and talented, the string instrumentalists played like they were born with a bow in their hands. Playing mostly songs from their latest album, The Rhumb Line, lead singer Wes Miles showed his gratitude for audience members who sang along to each tune. The crowd seemed especially happy when their most popular song, "Ghost under Rocks," beamed through the speakers. There were quite a few technical glitches throughout the set, but the band members just glanced at each other, laughed and kept on truckin'. The group's chemistry was incredibly transparent, and they seemed more like a family than a band sloshed together for the soul purpose of rocking out. For a band who's name became known after a South By performance two years ago, it's good to see them back and still thriving. -Candace Birkelbach
The Pitchfork & Windish Bash @ Emo's: The lineup at this event, now in its fourth year, is always one of the most reliable and promising. This year was no exception, playing host to much-buzzed Little Boots and her infinitely danceable set, avant rock legends The Dirty Projectors, Girls, King Khan, and headliners Department of Eagles. If you were sly, there were other places to see all these guys, but in one venue who can resist? -Paige Maguire
Wetworks/Action PR/Tee Pee Showcase: Maybe it’s all good that indie bands cling to self-consciousness and coolness like a baby clings to its mommy, but damn - you see a band of performance artists like Peelander Z, and you start to reconsider what rock and roll should be about in the first place. For example, if every rock show we see from now on doesn’t include dragon masks, audience limbo contests and performers who sport bright, colorful outfits, we’re going to be let down and deeply disappointed. You see, nothing really compares to the boundless, manic energy of this New York-based band, whose quick-paced punk songs about steak and wild tigers magically segue into mind-exploding feats of agility and power. Dumbstruck, we watched as bassist Peelander Red scaled the roof of the Scoot Inn, danced on top, and continued to jam on his wireless bass. Peelander Z exists in the present, but really belong in the ideal future - a place where coffee rains from the heavens, cars all fly and run on happiness, and rock music owns this earth. -Adam Schragin
