Austin, Texas – St. Patrick’s Day weekend is high season in this Lone Star music mecca. But it’s the South by Southwest music festival – not Ireland’s patron saint – that puts flights and hotels at an absolute premium. Those scoring wristbands or badges to SXSW can plan on spending up to $600 on that laminate alone.
It takes a healthy chunk of change to make the sojourn to Austin every year. Yet thousands of bands and tens of thousands of fans and industry insiders do just that.
Too bad everyone can’t partake in this glorious rock feast. Music is supposed to be for the masses, yet all an onlooker can do from afar is read the countless SXSW recaps in blogs, magazines and newspapers.
But true music fans can cowboy up. Beyond corralling the right CDs, they can take advantage of the so-called SXSW Flush, which brings artists through Denver and Boulder directly before and after the festival. So instead of telling you what you missed, we’re telling you what post-SXSW goodness you can still catch live or on disc.
Mickey Avalon: April 9, Bluebird Theatre. If you’ve never done the Jane Fonda or lost your inhibitions to “Waiting to Die,” you must not know this trashy Hollywood MC. Pick up the self-titled LP, then rock out at the Bluebird – but boys, watch your girlfriends.
Cloud Cult: “Advice From the Happy Hippopotamus,” Baria Records. These multi-instrumentalist kids from Minneapolis packed bars all over Austin during SXSW, and one listen to this gorgeous, freakish record explains their growing popularity.
Dirty on Purpose/Besnard Lakes: Monday at the Hi-Dive. Indie rock doesn’t get much sweeter, or psychedelic, than it does with Dirty on Purpose.
Black Lips: “Los Valientes Del Mundo Nuevo,” Vice Records. One of those bands that must be seen – or heard, at least – live. Their excellent new live record captures everything, save for the guitarist throwing up onstage without missing a beat, which he did at a notorious party this year.
Charlie Louvin: etown on April 4 at the Boulder Theater with Neko Case; April 5 at the Bluebird. This Country Music Hall- of-Famer is a legend, and for good reason. His new duets record pairs him with contemporary voices including Elvis Costello and Jeff Tweedy, but these shows are even more exciting.
Stax: “Stax 50th: A 50th Anniversary Celebration,” Stax/Concord Records. The legendary 50- year-old Memphis soul label was the subject of a big celebration in Austin. Booker T. & the MGs were the house band, and the singers included William Bell, Isaac Hayes and Eddie Floyd.
The Ponys/Deerhunter: April 7 at the Larimer Lounge. The Ponys just released their Matador debut, “Turn the Lights Out,” but the Chicago band has two previous records that prove its might. Deerhunter’s electro-dirge is way too much fun live – as hundreds saw in Austin.
Patrick Watson: “Close to Paradise,” Secret City Records. Talk about one of those guys who comes out of nowhere. (Actually he’s from Montreal.) Watson is a songwriter with an intense pop vision. His piano-centric music invokes after-hours carnivals and drunken dreams.
Rodrigo y Gabriela: May 1 at the Ogden. You can’t deny how pretty this Mexican group’s music is. Amazingly, they’ve penetrated the mainstream, and their tunes are a welcome addition to our iPods.
Clem Snide: “The Ghost of Fashion,” spinART Records. Clem Snide played a ton of new music at SXSW, but the new record is still without a release date. Until then, indulge in this 2001 melancholic epic for the unforgettable single “Joan Jett of Arc” – and so much more.
Apples in Stereo: April 1 at the Bluebird. This Colorado-via- Kentucky indie-rock powerhouse was everywhere during SXSW – a fitting comeback for these kings of pop. The new record is equally buzzy; let’s hope their official return to Denver will be as bright as their “Energy.”
Pop music critic Ricardo Baca can be reached at 303-954-1394 or rbaca@denverpost.com.
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Get a taste of South by Southwest in the comfort of your living room with this rap sheet on 15 of the hottest downloads coming out of Austin ’07.
A Place to Bury Strangers, “Ocean”: Thick guitars, buried vocals and a mucky pool of reverb has never sounded finer.
Uncle Earl, “Bony on the Isle of St. Helena”: Part of this roots group is based in Lyons, and this pretty song is a solid example of their plain-spoken approach to roots music.
The Octopus Project & Black Moth Super Rainbow, “Runite Castles”: Two crazy bands, one mad-professor record.
Macromantics, “Scorch”: We had no M.I.A. or Lady Sov to satiate our need for slammin’ female hip-hop, but this flowing Aussie can stand on her own.
Margot & the Nuclear So and Sos, “On a Freezing Chicago Street”: Richard Edwards tells stories set to gorgeous chamber melodies. This sleeper never got the attention it deserved.
Blanche, “Superstition”: Melancholic duets, Detroit bloodlines, heartbreaking lap steel.
Fratellis, “Flathead”: When they’re not ba-da-ba-ing their way through the ’60s, this Scottish band is raging with one of 2007’s most infectious singles.
The Shys, “Waiting on the Sun”: Reminiscent of old Dylan and Van Morrison, this striking single charms and woos with a jangly guitar and lazy vocals.
Joan as Police Woman, “Christobel”: With a tinny voice that haunts, Joan Wasser kicks out the jams, even acoustically.
Matt & Kim, “Yea Yeah”: D.I.Y. synths haven’t been this delicious since Mates of State lived in Kansas.
Yo Majesty, “Club Action”: Shake it. Hard and fast. This bass-driven music is a busy blast – a bustling house party in an .mp3 file.
Colourmusic, “You Can Call My By My Name”: Incorporating all the hey-la-las you can handle, this excellent Stillwater, Okla., band has a live show that lives up to its fluorescent music.
Amy Winehouse, “Rehab”: This U.K. starlet is bringing soul back. And this unstoppable single is her mighty sword.
Let’s Go Sailing, “Sideways”: Understated vocals. Fully formed chamber pop. Bright music. Turn up the volume!
Peter, Bjorn and John, “Young Folks”: Yes, the whistling song. Before Austin, we loved this song. But with PB&J ubiquitous at SXSW, we’re kind of sick of it.
– Ricardo Baca
