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SXSW Wednesday Afternoon Wrap 03/16/11: Foster the People, Local Natives DJ Set, Mount Kimbie

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The All Saints Spitalfields / I AM SOUND 2011 Day Party at Shangri-La on Wednesday was excellent, a definite contender for best day party/showcase at SXSW thus far.

Following a set from Friendly Fires, which I sadly missed, LA’s latest talk of the town Foster The People took to the stage.. or backyard tent. Fresh off the heels off of what’s likely to be LA’s best residency showing yet in 2011, this young multi-instrumentalist and multi-tasking collective proved not an ounce short of all the hype they’ve been showered with at this their first SXSW appearance. With only their Foster the People EP available to fans right now, and their single “Pumped Up Kicks” spreading like a wild fire in the blogosphere, the band proved to also be a live force to be reckoned with. Foster the People’s performance reminded me of early MGMT shows and records; the grooves, the dance party vibes. The band’s songs seemed to translate better in a live setting vs. on record, with Mark Foster’s lead vocals especially on point. How could we not love “Pumped Up Kicks” next level chorus hooks… it’s sound immediately familar (like all good pop songs) but yet unique to the band (like all great pop songs). Set highlight “Houdini”, sounded great and has equal hit potential. The best news is that every track the band played, be it even new or forthcoming material, held up without dull moment. Foster the People’s live show is definitely one to check on. It’s happy, it’s uptempo, it’s energy, it’s happening. Into it.

Foster the People – Houdini

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Between the Foster set and the prep from Mount Kimbie, Local Natives set up shop inside the club for a special DJ set. They spun Mark Ronson. We sipped the free Sailor Jerry Rum. The party was flying high.

Local Natives – Who Knows Who Cares (bretonLABS Remix)

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b3sci favorites Mount Kimbie took the backyard tent next with equipment poised on a… picnic bench! Kimbie were solid as expected. We caught their LA debut back in October which at the time came in tow with some sick visuals to back up the duo’s innovative brand of multi-instrumental experimental electro. As a sign of any great artist, strip that all down and the guys still kill it. Relying on great instincts with samples and overall live musical manipulation, the act’s brief but great set was a fitting auditory illustration of Kimbie’s sound. A sound palpable enough to more casual electro fans but challenging enough to keep interested the most serious fans of the genre.

Mount Kimbie – Carbonated

reviewed by
03-17-11

SXSW Tuesday Night Wrap 03/15/11: RJD2, PS I Love You, Gold Panda, Surfer Blood

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Following a day of packed interactive, legal panel discussions like “Data Customization and Privacy – Can they Coexist?” and “The Convergence of Traditional and Internet TV” it was time to jam:

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First was an off-the-beaten-path-party hosted by fellow Virgin Mobile 25 brothers the BroBible at The Belmont. Got to hand it to them, dudes can throw a party… chilled shots from giant ice sculptures, models, celebrities… and great tunes. Chiddy Bang and Hoodie Allen fronted the bill but we were most psyched for the set from Columbus native producer RJD2. Ramble John Krohn owned the tables and worked the packed invite-only party as if it were his own. His smooth blend of eclectic beats made for a great atmosphere and set the mood for the night to come.

RJD2 – Ghostwriter

On the other-side of town and musical spectrum I hit up the Pitchfork Media Showcase at Emo’s. It was funny, the official “music” part of the festival had not even begun and there was already a line for badge holders. I figured, if there was any time to wait in lines at SXSW this year… why not make it on Tuesday night?

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I may have missed the 3D presentation of a Deerhunter live performance, but the wait in line was worth it for Canadian noise-rock duo PS I Love You. The oddly imaged pairing of a more hip Jorge Garcia look alike and a drummer somewhere between a dark haired Larry Mullen Jr. and this guy worked better than most would think. Unlike what Surfer Blood would produce later in the evening on the same stage, these guys were rough in all of the right ways. Dynamic levels of overdrive on fantastically ragged guitar sounds combined with pounding rhythms and Paul Saulnier’s impulsive vocals to create pleasantly low-end rock and roll noise.

PS I Love You – 2012

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So you’re at SXSW, you’ve made it through the line and you’re about to enter the venue and start jamming. Nah, dude, not at Emo’s. Nah, man, there’s a SECOND line for the INDOOR stage. Bogus. While waiting in the second line, I chatted up some Aussies who advised on some cool new electro acts including Skrillex and Emalkay. Sick. Sporting a dark hoodie and what looked like one of those vintage High School sports shirts that Abercrombie has been taking the piss on for the last 10 years, UK producer Derwin Panda hit the Emo’s stage; and so the digital dance party began. Lush synth queues, almost shoegaze, “chillwave?”-influenced vibes, hip-hop beats. Smooth transitions were plenty with sounds bridging gaps between dubstep and chillwave. Gold Panda showed off an excellent currency in today’s electro, working flawlessly with simple yet manic builds and tasteful well-placed samples.

Gold Panda – Marriage (Star Slinger Remix)

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Surfer Blood – Harmonix

Back at the outdoor stage Surfer Blood had some sound issues… even losing audio for about 15 seconds at one point. Like pros though, they played through with their blend of feel good riff-based neo-surfer alternative. The band played very well together and the new material sounded promising. Minus weak live vocals these guys definitely delivered on the P-fork sound rather nicely. Familliar but still annoying enough to not be pleasant. They finished the set with “I’m Not ready” from their forthcoming release. CDQ.. we’re on the look out.

reviewed by
03-16-11

SXSW 2011: b3sci Guide/Battleplan

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The forces of b3sci descend on Austin, TX today for the SXSW festival. We are super super psyched. (There aren’t enough supers we can qualify that with. We’re stoked.) What shows are on our radars? Where might you be able to link up with the b3sci crew? All very important questions! We’ve put together a guide (our battleplan) to the must see b3sci-approved Night showcases and Day parties. Now all we need is that teleportation device!

Shows are color-coded together. Some day party times are approximate.

Download: b3sci Guide to SXSW 2011

reviewed by
03-16-11

SXSW Monday Night Wrap 03/14/11: Big Boi, The Sounds, Locksley

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Interactive/Film SXSW 2011 geeks and Austin music enthusiasts alike were treated to a surprise set from 6 time Grammy-award winning recording artist Big Boi, along with Indie darlings The Sounds and Locksley. Pepsi Max and Foursquare made their viral presence at the Seaholm Power Plant set to a roaring crowd of fans whose tickets came from no other than a Facebook scavenger hunt. Such marketing = “welcome to SXSW 2011”.

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The free booze were flowing as Madison, Wisconsin’s Locksley took the stage. Ever think of what it would sound like if Weezer rocked with The Kooks? Add slick early American style punk, some jangly-strat with up-beat vibes, and meet Lockley.

Locksley – The Whip

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Early aughts indie-pop stars The Sounds took stage next. Brandishing seriously lethal legs, Swedish rock icon Maja Ivarsson leads a band whose sound always seems to (at least partly) encompass nearly every indie rock cliche from the last 15 years. Between smoking cigarettes and frequent spitting of luggies (btw sexy and impressive even by frat party standards), she and the band rolled through their attitude-pop friendly catalogue. New material from their forthcoming Something To Die For sounded promising. The band closed the set with their latest single “Better Off Dead”. Check it out below:

The Sounds – Better Off Dead

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Big Boi hit the stage with big energy and the Outkast classic “Rosa Parks”. And that was to be the mode of the set as the classic Outkast shit came fast and furious, “So Fresh So Clean”, “Ms. Jackson”, “Bombs Over Baghdad”. Big Boi brought Vonnegutt onstage to spit his feature from “Follow Us” and the crowd went bananas. To describe the set, the bass was heavy… especially during “Shutterbugg” as was the set’s strong Atlanta/Southern Rap sound that Outkast helped pioneer to the mainstream. For “The Way You Move” Big Boi brought what looked like a hand picked collection of females from the audience to get down with him on stage. Totally entertaining, and definitely helps sum up the good party time vibe of the event.

Big Boi – General Patton

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reviewed by
03-15-11

Interview: Disq

Disq have created a stir in Madison and on the blogs, especially with their “Communication” single. They played their LA debut at the Bootleg on January 23 and we chatted afterward. The Saddle Creek band will be at SXSW this March.

For more details on Bruce’s show “Go Deep with Bruce Rave”, check here.

reviewed by
02-07-19

Interview: Boy Azooga

Chatted with Dave Newington who played all instruments on the critically-acclaimed “1, 2, King Fu” album. That is, except for his dad adding some violin. This was their first LA show and we hung out at The Echo before the set. Lots happened for them this year in their native UK and they’ll return to the US in March for SXSW along with a more extensive tour.

reviewed by
11-30-18

Interview: Albert Hammond, Jr.

My SXSW intention this year was no interviews and to just focus on seeing bands. When I was invited to interview Albert Hammond Jr, well you don’t turn down a Stroke. Besides, he’s been turning out wicked solo stuff. For those of us who loved the Strokes’ early sounds, Albert has preserved much of that feel on his albums and shows how he’s influenced countless bands over the past fifteen years. He’s a down to earth, upbeat guy and his live show was a top SXSW highlight this year.

Hear Bruce Rave’s weekly new indie jams on three stations, with show announcements on his Go Deep With Bruce Rave facebook page. Archived shows available on the KX 93.5 site, where you can also subscribe to receiving the weekly two-hour version as an iTunes podcast at no charge.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
03-31-18

Review: Laneway Festival, Melbourne AU, 02/03/18

View from up the hill. Laneway-Melbourne takes place at the Footscray Community Arts Centre, on the banks of the Maribymong River with downtown Melbourne across the way. It’s highly accessible via public transportation. Photo: Andy Hazel

At a time when so many of the largest festivals have become all things to all people, Australia’s Laneway Festival continues to shun the mainstream in order to present fans with stellar lineups of artists much more on the edge. Typical Laneway crowds might be 15,000 and this traveling extravaganza hit six locations around Australia plus Singapore. I had my second Laneway experience in Melbourne on Feb 3. As with any similar event, one must choose when there are 40 different bands on 5 stages. Here are my highlights in the order I saw them.

It was my second time seeing London’s melodic, punkish Dream Wife. They were good last May at The Great Escape in Brighton, UK and they’re really good now. Their self-titled album has dropped here in the US. Melbourne’s own Rolling Blackouts Coastal Fever showed why they’ve been snagged for this years Coachella and Primavera festivals. They blasted a large throng with their propulsive set that reminds of The Strokes and Parquet Courts, among others. I’ve been hearing great things about Sylvan Esso live and they delivered. With their big sound, one might be surprised to see they’re actually a two-piece. They had their crowd shaking their bodies. I’d seen Wolf Alice twice before, both times at B3Sci SXSW parties. They went from good to very good and now this is a band that is arena-ready. Look out for them as a significant headliner if their next album is another winner, and kudos to Mike and Troy at B3Sci on their foresight. I’m not much of a hip-hop guy but Anderson Paak was someone I really wanted to see based on live stuff I’d seen online. What a set! It varied from his straight-ahead hip-hop to his retro r&b to disco. Easily the most excited and largest crowd, and Anderson even played some drums. Mac Demarco added to the mayhem when he jumped onstage to do a handstand. This was the evening I got to finally cross Father John Misty off my bucket list. His powerful set was exactly as expected. Biggest surprise for me was Odesza, who played with far more drive and stage visuals than I anticipated. They even brought out a drum line a couple times, which people buzzed about for days afterwards. Pond played their usual high-energy show and showed us some excellent new tunes. Closing the main stage was The War on Drugs who justified that position with their ace and tight musicianship.
Among the people I was sorry to miss due to inevitable festival conflicts: The UK band Shame who I heard put on a strong early afternoon performance. I’ve played them on my radio show along with Aussies The Babe Rainbow who also have a good reputation for their live show and I hated missing both. I’ve seen the massively talented Moses Sumney a couple times in LA and missed him here. Moses is another veteran of a B3Sci SXSW party where it was obvious a few years ago that he was on the cusp of a major ascension. Mac Demarco played three years ago when I was also on hand, and he was a top highlight. I unfortunately had to miss him this time around.
I can’t recommend this festival enough for anyone having the chance to catch up with it next year. Laneway management, the PR people, and the staff on the ground are all top notch. Then there’s this lineup. Nowadays it’s rare to find such a stellar group with an indie focus, all playing in one day.


Anderson Paak played a set that transcended the hip-hop genre and was real hard not to love. Photo: Andy Hazel.

Hear Bruce Rave’s weekly new indie jams on three stations, with show announcements on his Go Deep With Bruce Rave facebook page. Archived shows available on the KX 93.5 site, where you can also subscribe to receiving the weekly two-hour version as an iTunes podcast at no charge.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
02-13-18

Premiere: CAPYAC – Down In It (Feat. Caroline Watson)

“Down In It” is brand new (premiere! premiere! premiere!) from French band CAPYAC. Vets of SXSW, Austin City Limits, Euphoria Fest, Sound on Sound Fest, the group traffic in expertly executed warm Francophone synth-driven textures and melodies. The track features vocalist Caroline Watson and may/may not be an insight into the direction of the band’s forthcoming EP “Who Is Donny Flamingo”. To quote (and follow carefully), “In 1612, on the 15th night of the first month, when the moon was half, centered in the sky and the village’s families in their beds, there was a local magistrate who pondered the great questions in his mind. He found his quill and his ink and began to, without filter, press his thoughts into the page. This is a similar feeling that we had writing the song “Down In It”. We want the page to reveal the shapes that correspond with letters and enunciations, corresponding to feelings that we’ve had and that the universal “we” have also had. There is no use rewriting the books, because we have printers. This gives you a glimpse of insight into our writing process. As a whole, how does this song fit into our next EP “Who is Donny Flamingo”? It remains to be seen. Certainly, Donny Flamingo is a curious character that is difficult to define, a complex villain, a tale as old as tails, so I don’t think we have the answers, not yet at least.”

Stream the B3SCI Premiere of “Down In It” from CAPYAC.

Stream the best new songs in emerging music with our Top 12 of the Week playlist

reviewed by
01-25-18

Sylvan LaCue – Best Me (Remix) (Feat. Saba)

Sylvan LaCue and Saba will link up beginning March 3rd in Seattle for a month-long North American tour (dates below). Here, the two emcees on the up trade bars over LaCue’s jazzy vibed-down original instrumental in an A+ collab.

03/03 Seattle, WA – Vera
03/04 Portland, OR – Peter’s Room
03/05 Vancouver, BC – Fortune Sound Club
03/07 San Francisco, CA – Social Hall
03/08 Los Angeles, CA – Roxy
03/09 Santa Ana, CA – Constellation Room
03/10 Phoenix, AZ – Club Red
03/11 Albuquerque, NM – Co-Op
03/14-18 Austin, TX – SXSW
03/21 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
03/23 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle
03/24 Washington, DC – Songbyrd
03/25 Pittsburgh, PA – Smiling Moose
03/26 Philadelphia, PA – Trocadero
03/29 New York, NY – Studio at Webster Hall
03/30 Montreal, QC – Le Belmont
04/01 Toronto, ON – Adelaide Hall
04/04 Milwaukee, WI – Mramar

reviewed by
02-08-17

Hippo Campus – Boyish

World conquerors Hippo Campus release first new song in over a year in the form of “Boyish”. The St. Paul MN quartet played SXSW, performed on Conan, and racked up nearly 15M streams online in their climb and will now tour the US throughout the remainder of October starting in Kansas City on Saturday. Dates and details for Hippo Campus’ fall tour with Saint Motel can be found below.

10/15: Crossroads, KC @ Fed Up Fest +
10/16: Indianapolis, IN @ The Deluxe at Old National Centre*
10/17: Cleveland, OH @ House of Blues*
10/19: Boston, MA @ Royale*
10/20: Washington, DC @ 9:30 Club*
10/21: New York, NY @ Webster Hall*
10/22: Philadelphia, PA @ Union Transfer*
10/24: Cincinnati, OH @ Bogart’s*
10/25: Nashville, TN @ Cannery Ballroom*
10/27: Charlotte, NC @ The Underground*
10/28: Atlanta, GA @ Masquerade*
+ = w/ Sylvan Esso
* = w/ Saint Motel

reviewed by
10-12-16

Salute – One More Chance (Feat. D.R.A.M.)

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“I’ve been around the world while you’ve been wrapped around my fingers”. Mr. Does Real Ass Music (and one of our favorites from SXSW 2016 — remember that ancient thing?) collabs with Brighton-residing Austrian Salute for a bit of dance-y R&B set to the tune of gospel piano.

Salute
(Soundcloud)
Track Reviews
reviewed by
05-19-16