Tag: Art vs. Science

Gordon Answers Your 2011 SXSW Questions

Kim asks, "who wants to ask Gordon a SXSW question?" Photos on this post by David Price unless otherwise noted.

Welcome to my annual tradition of answering the SXSW questions you didn’t know you had! And here are this year’s questions.

1. What over-hyped band was the first one I saw, and surprised me by being excellent?
2. Who brought horns and a bunch of new songs, and got me to see them twice?
3. Who is still my favorite new band discovery of 2009, even as they totally destroy in 2011?
4. What hip-hop performer made even this hip-hop-know-nothing stand up and take notice?
5. What band blew the circuit breaker — twice, got cut off for time, and got to finish their set after the crowd yelled for more?
6. Who had the most frustrating technical difficulties?
7. Who’s possibly the best live act in the world today?
8. And if it’s not them, who is it?
9. What greatly anticipated import lived up to my expectations, and then some, but then got screwed over?
10. Who was the best guitar player in Austin during SXSW 2011?
11. What Kaiser Chiefs song was I honestly singing while waiting for Death From Above 1979 to play on Saturday night?
12. What’s this I hear about overcrowded, over-commercial SXSW? Is it true?

Click for the answers! Continue reading “Gordon Answers Your 2011 SXSW Questions”

Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 3/24/11 – 3/30/11

Opening for DOM at Rickshaw Stop on Wednesday.

It feels like SXSW just ended yesterday… I still haven’t quite caught up on my sleep, and my SXSars has kicked in pretty brutally, but nonetheless, I can’t stay away from the live rock n roll for very long… Check this week out! It’s pretty amazing!

Continue reading “Spinning Platters Weekly Guide to Bay Area Concerts, 3/24/11 – 3/30/11”

Marie’s Best of SXSW 2011 Awards

Art vs Science = Happy Award Winners

This year I probably saw even less buzz bands than the average blogger than last year. My priority was to have a good time, whether that be hanging out with friends or watching great music. So this list is a testament to all the artists, people and venues that made my time in Austin memorable. Continue reading “Marie’s Best of SXSW 2011 Awards”

Dakin’s SXSW Journal: 47 Instant SXSW Gig Reviews

 

It ain't no party unless the cops show up!

Another SXSW has passed, and this year, I intended on doing a daily diary, but the internet kind of sucked in our hotel, and I also really wanted to sleep, so instead you get this: a big, huge list of everything awesome at SXSW, including some amazing day parties thrown by our friends at Terrorbird, Force Field PR, Ticketfly, SPIN, NPR, and MOG (thanks!), leaving me pretty tired and delirious. For those of you that don’t want to read, I’ll sum it up: Best bands that I’ve never heard of before were Attic Ted, The Death Set, and DOM. The Kills did not kill, but TV On The Radio, Death From Above 1979, and The Dead Milkmen all played great comeback sets. Now, sit back, relax, have a Shiner Bock and read on:

Continue reading “Dakin’s SXSW Journal: 47 Instant SXSW Gig Reviews”

Spinning Platters Picks Six: International Bands Worth Seeing at SXSW That I’d Never Heard Of Before

You may not have heard of these guys either, but you will.

Suggesting bands to check out at SXSW can be really easy if you want it to be. There’s some definite winners in the “Been there done that” category this year: Friendly Fires, Matt & Kim, and Wallpaper come to mind. Then there’s the “buzz bands worthy of buzz” category, which this year includes Geographer, The Naked & Famous, and my personal faves The Joy Formidable. But that’s a bit boring; these bands will come to (or are from) San Francisco.

What’s fun for me is to find bands from outside North America that I’d never heard of before seeing them on the SXSW schedule. A few clicks and I hear a song, a few more and I’m hearing an album. Finally, I’m looking forward to seeing them live in a couple of weeks. Feel free to give me crap if I “should have heard of” one of these artists. I wish I had! Now, on with the list: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: International Bands Worth Seeing at SXSW That I’d Never Heard Of Before”