Huw's tips from Day 2
SXSW Day 2!
Today I saw play an excellent gig at Emo's. The Americans love a bit of twee, but Gareth Campesinos! says onstage they're a punk band. They're the most brilliantly confusing band around.
The has the biggest I have ever seen. It is mammothical. And who sings on the single I Lust U looks tiny next to it. Her voice, as usual, sounds beautiful.
I met up with James from who's out here with and the . Weekender is a prolific indie label and have a huge banner on a building on 6th street, making sure everyone knows who they are, and more importantly, that they're here.
are an excellent US-leftfield lo-fi hip hop band. But it's hip hop in the loosest sense; this is a drooling, slow, melodic glockenspeil wielding band who always come up with the goods. ' gig yesterday was a pleasure to watch, and Jammer, , and lots more make sure the hip hop quality elsewhere is high and in peoples faces.
sing these beautiful American harmonies, and look set to make a name for themselves. It's laid-back without being wet, beautifully introspective without being woeful. Think in a smaller room.
know how to have a good time, so off I go with Zane Lowe to the NZ barbecue, or, if you prefer, bbq. played a fun set; their new album has a lot of different styles on it and it grooves almost as much as they do onstage.
I get to see first ever gig; is absolutely brilliant onstage joining Gruff, Brian and Cate and the drummer who's name I don't know. It's an 80's electro-ballad-fest as they sing the life of car designer to a most groovy effect thanks to bass supplier Tom Rogers who's driven there with said bass by Beth Elfyn, and a whole load of top synth sounds. It's by a swimming pool and it's the nearest to being in The OC I'l ever get.
The Introducing night is ramma-damma-ding-dong, with proving the biggest pull in a interesting line-up chosen and compered tonight by Steve Lamacq. You can hear highlights on Steve's show.
take ages to set up at . They should, really, be from the States, but are from Bristol, a place about to become famous musically again because of . Don't stress; are the best unistenable, un-danceable, un-groove-able band about.
though are from the US Underground. In a not too dissimilar set up to the excellent , drums and guitar, their jangling, heavy bursts of noise make me excited.
Wandering the streets; on 6th street; on 6th street, Duffy at the Introducing gig, outside a club,
