Archive: SXSW
SXSW Leftovers: Mika Miko
Queens of the L.A. underground, Mika Miko. Mika Miko (listen) is a perfect band. That doesn't make them the greatest band. But there's not a single thing you'd want to change about them. The all-female Los Angeles quintet, ages 21 to 24, plays punk rock that's as heavy as...
By David Malitz | March 19, 2008; 12:00 PM ET | Comments (0)
SXSW: Wrap Up
I made it into Austin around 7 p.m. on Wednesday and left around 7 a.m. Saturday. During that 60 hours I saw 32 bands (well, 30 bands and Jay Reatard three times), slept 8 hours, drank too much beer and not enough water, ate too much late-night pizza from Stony's...
By David Malitz | March 17, 2008; 01:21 AM ET | Comments (3)
SXSW: The Homosexuals Provide the Festival Highlight
AUSTIN - I just had the closest thing to a religious experience since my bar mitzvah. The Homosexuals played the most dynamic, explosive set I've seen in a couple years. For the half hour immediately following their set at Spiro's all I could think to myself was, "Holy (expletive), I...
By David Malitz | March 15, 2008; 09:38 AM ET | Comments (6)
SXSW: Friday Haiku-Reviews
Howlin Rain Classic rock update Riffs like Deep Purple and Free Just need a blacklight Monotonix Beer poured down the pants Garbage dumped on drummer's head Nothing quite like it The Night Marchers It sounds like Hot Snakes Makes sense - John Reis fronts the band Agit-punk done right Jay...
By David Malitz | March 15, 2008; 09:22 AM ET | Comments (2)
SXSW: Thursday Haiku-Reviews
Georgie James Stripped-down duo show Better sound than on Conan Doing D.C. proud Le Loup Banjo! And French horn! Tambourines, lots of guitars Arty but catchy Mika Miko All-girl punk mayhem Telephone as microphone Makes you jump around Jay Reatard Flying Vs, big hair As punk rock as punk rock...
By David Malitz | March 14, 2008; 05:07 PM ET | Comments (1)
SXSW Snapshot: Jay Reatard
AUSTIN -- Here's a tip: Do not be late for a Jay Reatard show. If you take your time and get there 20 minutes after it starts, you might just miss most of it. A performance by the outlandishly prolific 27-year-old from Memphis is sort of like being in a...
By David Malitz | March 14, 2008; 02:13 PM ET | Comments (2)
SXSW: Totally Ridiculous Band Alert -- Dark Meat
AUSTIN -- Did I just get hit on the head with something? That's what I was thinking as Athens, Ga., weirdo collective Dark Meat was setting up for its Thursday-night set at the Vice Records showcase. It turns out I did indeed get conked. By a bouncy ball. You know,...
By David Malitz | March 14, 2008; 12:35 PM ET | Comments (4)
SXSW: Hanson Report (No, Not Beck Hansen, Those Oklahoma Kids)
AUSTIN - On a day when I stood 10 feet away from a stage that hosted Mika Miko, Jay Reatard and Times New Viking, the loudest moment was when the following was shouted directly into my ear: "OH MY GOD THEY ARE SO WHOLESOME AND POLITE!!!!" Rest assured, the young...
By David Malitz | March 14, 2008; 10:37 AM ET | Comments (7)
SXSW: And Now, In Local News
AUSTIN - I'm in the parking lot of a vintage clothing store but I may as well be at the Black Cat. Le Loup is on stage, playing its accessibly quirky brand of banjo- and french-horn-driven indie-pop. Georgie James (performing as a duo) preceded them and six more D.C. bands...
By David Malitz | March 13, 2008; 03:56 PM ET | Comments (2)
SXSW: Lou Reed's Colorado River Wind Meditations
That's the story of my life. AUSTIN - The keynote address for this year's South by Southwest conference was given today by Lou Reed, so of course I went. I mean, "Sister Ray." What else do you need to say? It wasn't a speech but instead an interview conducted...
By David Malitz | March 13, 2008; 03:28 PM ET | Comments (4)
SXSW: Timing Is Everything
AUSTIN - I'm not going to say Night One wasn't a success ... it was just more of a learning experience. The layout for the South by Southwest festival is perfect, all within a few very walkable blocks that are closed to traffic. There wasn't much I was dying to...
By David Malitz | March 13, 2008; 02:02 PM ET | Comments (2)
SXSW: Appreciating Post-Prime R.E.M.
AUSTIN - Seeing R.E.M. perform in 2008 is sort of like seeing Greg Maddux pitch in 2008. What you're witnessing is far from a peak era performance, but there's an undeniably special feeling you get from simply being in the presence of such greatness. And every once in a while...
By David Malitz | March 13, 2008; 05:21 AM ET | Comments (10)
SXSW: Mission Statement
AUSTIN - The mission for my maiden SXSW voyage is simple: see as much good music as possible. Perhaps that seems obvious or quaint or even boring but to me it's a no-brainer. Three nights, two days, hundreds of great bands - it would be silly not to take full...
By David Malitz | March 12, 2008; 09:30 PM ET | Comments (7)
Where In The World Is David Malitz?
David is heading to Austin next week for his maiden South By Southwest voyage, and he's already overwhelmed by the impending madness that is the music industry's spring break. We're here to help. Hahahahahaha. Generously (stupidly?), David has agreed to submit himself - and his SXSW schedule - to a...
By J. Freedom du Lac | March 6, 2008; 10:30 AM ET | Comments (15)
