Reviews of albums, films, concerts, and more from the Bay Area Music and Movie Nerds
This is my fifth year straight where I descended to the great city of Austin, Texas to enjoy the most insane week of live music you will ever enjoy. I took a little easier than most years, but I still had a very fulfilling week of music. I get to enjoy a wide array of great stuff, and, without further adieu, here are my thoughts on that time:
Continue reading “Spinning Platters SXSW Report: 25 Instant SXSW Gig Reviews”
A few updates: First, R.I.P. Max Matthews. You will be missed. Second, I will extend this contest to Friday, April 29th as the first Musica Tecnomica 2.0 in a long while is taking place on Thursday the 28th.
Here we go again…another contest! For those of you not yet familiar with the event, SF MusicTech Summit was created by Brian and Shoshanna Zisk several years back to help music business professionals keep apace in an industry that is notorious for rapidly transforming, innovating, and developing tools for the development and distribution of music. What initially started out as a local gathering has gradually evolved into the third most renowned music and tech event in the world (behind MIDEM and, of course, SXSW).
I’ve already covered reasons why I think you should attend SF MusicTech Summit and this recent Fast Company interview gives even more insight into its benefits plus other projects Brian’s been involved with for the greater good of the community. Luckily, two free conference passes (one per online publication) are up for grabs here and through my own personal blog, karaemurphy.me. Read on to learn more about what to expect as an attendee and how you can potentially win…
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”
With the recent breakout success of Mumford & Sons, I finally feel validated that the sound I’ve enjoyed for years has finally crossed over to the category of “stuff my friends will actually listen to.” In past years, I’ve had to venture out amongst the throngs of music go-er’s at SXSW by myself in order to catch the bands that I wanted to see. Not the “on-the-verge-of-breaking-out-so-you-better-see-them-now” bands, but bands like Deer Tick, and A Hawk and A Hacksaw; folky, introspective music that doesn’t necessarily provide an earth shattering good time or story, but leaves you with a lingering ache in your stomach, like recalling an old memory, long after the show is over. Music that creates that physiological response is what ultimately attracts me as a listener. So hopefully these acts will provide that tingly sensation to my SXSW companions, and entice them to join me the next time their schedule opens up. Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Six: Bands To See at SXSW While Wearing Cowboy Boots”
I love Canada. There was time when I could sing “Oh, Canada.” In French. I still know it in English. After all, it’s the home of hockey, Rush, William Shatner, and Molson. These are not trivial things. For years, I’ve wanted to be Canadian, going so far as looking into emigrating. Alas, I’m still here, happy in the Bay Area, but when I really want to feel Canadian, I’ll listen to some great Canadian music. And at SXSW this year, there will be plenty of acts from the Great White North worth checking out. No, Rush won’t be there, but these fine musicians will be: Continue reading “Spinning Platters Picks Seven: Canadian Artists You Should See at SXSW”
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”
So, this was my 4th day of alcohol & barbecue sauce fueled and sleep deprived musical madness known as SXSW. After spending the early hours of Saturday morning chasing a secret 3 am Andrew WK show, I finally gave up and passed out around I have no idea o’clock only to wake up bright and early and hop around to the Saturday parties in 37 degree weather.
The most painful moment was freezing outside the Perez Hilton party waiting in the proper line, only to find that the only people that got in were folks that stormed the check in booth. It was chaos, but not fun chaos. Everything else was fun chaos. Here’s my highlights:
Tired. So very tired. It’s raining today. That sucks. I’m tired… Want to know why I’m so tired? Read on…
Day two. Very tired. Big day yesterday. Giddy day. My vocabulary isn’t wide enough to express my joy. Seriously, it starts with Sharon Jones & The Dap Kings, and gets better as the day went on.
The Spinning Platters crew was way too tired to do a podcast on Wednesday night/Thursday morning but we did one anyway because we’re troopers. This one gets a little snippy as we disagree about the pronunciation of a few things, and we argue over the use of the phrase “killed it.” You can subscribe by clicking the button to the left or you can listen below.
Continue reading “Spinning Platters Podcast — SXSW Wednesday Review”