[SXSW] IGIF Day Party Recap

SXSW Tie-dye Babies <3 IGIF Day Parties!
I admit, I’m a little bit behind on getting the recap of our free SXSW day party compiled and published. After being sucked into the first of two graduation contingent research papers, I’ve finally lifted my head up from books on prohibition era Kentucky politics long enough to regal you all with the absurd amount of fun that was had Thursday afternoon at Scholz Garten.

I had been excited for this day since we initially started planning the party months ago and, trust me, it wasn’t just because I got to sit in the scorching Austin sun and enjoy free Tecate with some good friends. In fact, I was more excited than anything to watch a handful of bands that I really enjoyed for the first time – all in one convenient location. The excitement within me on Thursday was paramount; I sprang from the couch I was crashing on like it was Christmas morning and couldn’t fall back asleep for the life me (damn Central Time!). Instead of rushing downstairs to see what was under the tree, I hopped on a bus and darted downtown to 17^th and San Jacinto to start the day I couldn’t believe had already arrived.

Full recap and loads of pictures after the jump!

Since this was the first show Connor and I had a significant hand in planning, the knot our stomach temporarily formed when we feared, “What if no one shows up?” Those irrational little butterfles flapped less and less as people started arriving to catch the afternoon set of Arms. The only soloist of the day, Todd played an intimate set switching back and forth between guitar and ukulele.

Arms received a warm reception from the growing crowd that was gathering to catch the afternoon set of Parenthetical Girls.

I had never seen Parenthetical Girls before nor had I familiarized myself with all of their music, yet they put on one of the most entertaining and charismatic shows I had seen in a long time. It’s hard to describe how the lead singer demands so much attention, spitting off graphic verses and moving his hands about as if he had his own catalogue of sign language. The best part about their show was the way the lead singer walked through the crowd whilst singing. He brought an extension cable for his microphone that let him wander through the crowd, behind the stage, on top of tables, and even into the bathroom. If the band was the stationary spaceship, the lead singer was the lone astronaut floating outside the safety of his ship in outer space.

Following Parenthetical Girls was That Ghost but my friend Emily arrived at the party and I neglected to snap photos! Instead of being a responsible blogging adult, I opted to rendezvous with my long lost friend over a few Tecates. That Ghost, however, was really impressive live and the fact that he’s only 18 is a terrifying thought. Staying right on schedule, Oh No Oh My took the stage and brought out droves of SXSW hipsters and Austinites alike.

Even though I was crashing on their couch for the week, I hadn’t seen an ONOM gig in at least a couple of years. The group has really come a long way in their performances and nailed down their live set better than any show I had seen them play before. They performed a nice mix of new and old material; even unveiling a new song for the first time and not playing “Walk In The Park” (much to the disappointment of a bouncing teenage girl standing in front).

At this point, not even half-way through the day, I felt like I was watching the Olympics since there was just one great event following another in a manner that easily retained one’s attention. Arizona tuned up their guitars and prepared to jam… and jam they did!

I’ve been an avid Arizona listener for quite some time and anyone regularly reading IGIF gets their dosages, yet this was the first time I had ever gotten to see their show. Even though live renditions are typically louder than their recorded counterparts, it was as if Arizona had the special volume knob that could go one decibel louder and shake you to the bone. Pampelmoose blogger and former Gang of Four bassist Dave Allen came out to catch their set and was not disappointed – from the Portuguese guitarra to head banging guitar solos, Arizona are a force to encounter in person.

Oh, what’s that you say is on next at the Olympics? Awesome, Table Tennis is one of my favorite things to watch on high definition television. Along the same lines of similar enthusiasm, the singer who will win your ears first, heart second – Bell – came onstage next.

Not only was she dressed in red tights with a matching red keytar, but the way she utilizes her vocals and manipulates them live is impressive. I wasn’t sure what to think of one girl and a piano, it was great she had two percussionists with her to add a stimulating kick to her live sound. One percussionists played your typical drumkit while the other smashed on an electric kit and array of cymbals. I’ve got some video footage that I’ll put up soon of a new, unrecorded song Bell performed.

Golden Animals gear and instrument designs were as fashionable as its musicians, who arrived somewhat early and stood out in the crowd as obvious larger-than-life personalities. Which is good thing because that type of affable swagger made their set that much more enjoyable.

The sun still high in the sky, Tecate still flowing, Golden Animals stepped up to the plate and blistered through an unstoppable set including a bunch of our favorites from their Free You Mind LP and even a new song, “Love Tap,” which hits you deep in the eardrums like a wayward q-tip. Tommy shredded, Linda pounded and thumped, and our heads all but exploded. This was our first chance to see Golden Animals live and after that set it won’t be our last.

The crowd attendance of the party had started strong and steadily grew as the day progressed, Women prepping to take the main stage made the large biergarten swell in size. It was as if many of those coming ready to rock out to Women were like bee’s buzzing around 6^th Street, returning home the hive and honey as the sun set.

Just another band on the bill that I had never seen live. Just another band on the bill that knows how to make sensational live music. The riffs and catchy bass lines of many of their songs were impossible not to sway to, so some were found dancing about. The one thing that was clear when Women performed; each musician was exceptionally great with their instrument to the point where you could easily (and enjoyably) just watch one at a time.

Evangelicals came right on immediately after Women and played a stellar set to a crowd of people amassed around them. I actually enjoyed the relaxing atmosphere of Scholz Garten at this point, finding some shade and ordering some good ole’ Texan BBQ to compliment the Tecate.

A large majority of the people who came for Women stuck around to catch New Villager, one of the acts I was looking forward to watching the most.

The Pacific Northwestern duo have only released two songs to tantalize new listeners. Listening to both of those tracks was like getting free food samples at the grocery store, except this instance just makes you want to hear more after a few bites listens. Their new material looks promising as can be and they got down so hard that they temporarily blew out one of the subs.

The day had flown by and I’m sure the combination of Tecate, great music, and good people didn’t make things move any slower. It was the last act and our only export, the British band Fanfarlo.

It was a bummer that this six-piece outfit took a decent amount of time tuning their gear, SXSW is a place full of those who are impatient and will migrate on a dime. Still, the significant crowd that did remain got one hell of a cherry for their concert sundae. Their independent pop sound and chemistry on stage are infectious, the way they jump around on stage in their bow ties makes for an enjoyable watch. The stings and varied instrumentation they assembled on stage created a really powerful sound that still was catchy, if not pleasant on the ears. Fanfarlo’s future is going to be interesting to watch unfold.

With the day coming to a close and the crowd dispersing into the Austin night, our inaugural SXSW day party with 2syllable Records was quite the success. The crowd was steady and the atmosphere was relaxing, especially with the many picnic tables scattered amongst the venue. It wasn’t a hole-in-the-wall bar crammed full of sweaty bodies, but a spacious place where people could actually sit down if they wanted – something I observed wasn’t a common occurrence during SXSW. We ran out of Tecate, met some great people, and put a bunch of bands we love on stage for a full afternoon. In fact, I’ll be interested to see what happens to many of the acts that were on our bill between now and next year. Hopefully we can bring some of ‘em and more back again next year.. who knows, maybe you’ll make it out next time?