[The afternoon SXSW crowd loved the Outkast songs as well as Big Boi’s new stuff]
At 6PM we convened in a metal fenced venue that sat on a main vein in Austin for the second half of the Atlantic Records daytime showcase. The Joy Formidable, in a word, rocked. Lead singer Ritzy Bryan stood wide-eyed with guitar in hand for most of the set, unless she was smashing a pinata or jumping around the stage creating musical mayhem with bandmates Rhydian Dafydd and Matt Thomas. Under the small tent the sound was smashed together and hard to make out, but stepping just outside, where the frequencies had a chance to disperse and settle, we had the chance to understand the intricacies of their music a bit better, despite how hard they were rocking.
[Portugal, The Man at SXSW 2011]
Even though many bands at SXSW loathe playing showcases outside, Portugal. The Man put on an energetic set that was sought after by both fans and industry suits alike. The hype surrounding this group is for a good reason. Their hubris and fire combined to create the knock out punch we were looking for from one of the thousand or so indie rock bands at SXSW.
[An attention grabbing performance from Portugal, The Man]
[Portugal. The Man at SXSW 2011]
On a tip from a friend, we walked across town to Annie’s West for a band that goes by the name Great Northern. Whether or not it was worth the walk is debatable, but once there we were glad to hear some straight rock music. Rachel Stolte’s voice immediately struck us as she lead through each song powerfully.
[The Great Northern at Annies West for their final SXSW 2011 performance]
At this point, we had to reluctantly split up. Conor headed to see Kanye West while Koz and Kevin headed over to see Dawes and Deer Tick play in a tucked away venue called Lustre Pearl. With its big, tented back yard and its shotgun front and back doors, the Pearl was the perfect home for this show.
How we’d never listened to Dawes before is a mystery but it was a great surprise and provided one of the most magical moments of the week. To close the set, the band jumped into When My Time Comes. For the second verse, Deer Tick ran onstage clutching beers and took over vocal duties. The song, and the set, ended with everyone on stage leading the crowd, sans microphones, in a singalong of the repetitious chorus, which then turned into a full-crowd singalong of the setbreak music, Tom Petty’s American Girl.
Deer Tick picked one or two incredible songs from all of the Nirvana albums and successfully avoided being cliche. John McCauley’s voice fit perfectly, and if you closed your eyes you could have easily imagined Kurt Cobain’s cardigan and Mustang guitar. From note one the mosh pit up front was manic, and both band and fan surfed crowd more than a few times. The beer throwing, the blood, the scared squares…it was beautiful.
Here’s what Conor thought of the Kanye show:
[Kanye West during his concert at an abandoned Austin power plant]
For a minute, during the first half of the Vevo Kanye West SXSW Takeover, I asked myself “Is this worth it? Should I really be here?” I knew that die hards had been waiting since the previous night to get in, and I was among about 2,000 people who were fortunate enough to be part of this lavish event. I’m a huge Kanye fan so, by all logic, I should have been overjoyed. The open bar was flowing, and no request was scoffed at (“Let me get a Red Bull, Monster, Four Loko, and Tito’s Vodka on the rocks with a twist.”).
[Diddy watches on as Kanye performs]
Diddy was there. Andy Roddick came in toting a supermodel on his arm. Aziz Ansari showed up. But the fact remained, even after admirable performances from Mos Def, Pusha T, Big Sean and Kid Cudi, I was underwhelmed. I felt for a second as if I had lost the spirit of discovery that draws me to the festival every year. Within a half mile of where I stood, I knew there were about 500 nameless acts pulling every last bit of energy and soul they had left and leaving it on the stage. There was magic happening out there, and here I was at a hugely hyped and commercialized pop show.
[Mos Def was the show opener]
[Big Sean riles the Austin Crowd up]
[Kid Cudi performs Pursuit of Happiness @ SXSW 2011]
I made a decision right there to stop being such a music snob and try to have a good time. Afterall, no matter where you end up at SXSW, and no matter how good it is, you are missing something amazing just down the street. No regrets are allowed. The first beats of Dark Fantasy blasted into the deserted Austin power plant and the concert turned into an epic party. After feeling next to nothing while watching all his openers, who are all excellent hip hop artists, I understood completely why Kanye is one of the greatest ever. This was good music, no doubt about it, and everyone there felt it.
[Kanye didn’t disappoint anyone who made it through the door of the 2000-capacity venue]
[Yeezy brings all his energy to the stage]
A live marching band onstage during All of the Lights was a particularly nice touch.
[Marching band onstage during All of the Lights]
There is something special about a Kanye collaboration. He can bring out the best in other artists, no matter what genre they prefer. One of John Legend’s finest R&B moments is during Blame Game.
[John Legend was a highlight of the night for the SXSW 2011 crowd]
Bon Iver’s most soaring vocal melody takes place in Lost in the World.
[Bon Iver during Lost in the World]
And of course, Jay-Z never sounds better than when he rhymes over a Kanye Beat.
[Surprise guest Jay-Z and Kanye during H.A.M]
As I walked out of the concert at 4:15AM I realized that this huge show was the perfect end to my SXSW 2011 experience. No Regrets.
And of course, we kept on the trail to finish up our scavenger hunt. Think we found everything? Check back later this week to find out, and to hear our final thoughts on the week.
