The Head and The Heart
The Head and The Heart seemed to be everywhere down at SXSW. They had five shows as well as a Your Truly acoustic performance at the MTV Hive, after which they packed up and flew to Europe to join The Low Anthem on tour. Having caught them on three separate occasions, I can confidently say that this was one of the most impressive acts at SXSW. As good as their album is, their live show, which oozes with enthusiasm, is where the band shines brightest.
Jonquil
Going into SXSW, Jonquil was one of the bands I was most excited to see. After catching them three times, including our party, I am thoroughly convinced that their upbeat afro-pop tunes finally got the deserved attention. As was clear at our party, Jonquil need only play one song and passerby’s have no choice but to stop and watch in awe as Hugo Manuel and company capture their attention and hearts.
Foster The People
Despite an annoyingly long soundcheck for SXSW, Foster The People didn’t disappoint when they finally got up on stage. With a huge amount of buzz surrounding their EP and slew of upcoming festival performances (Sasquatch, Coachella), I was happy to find that the catchy melodies and memorable grooves translated well in a live setting. It was also excellent to delve a bit deeper into their repertoire and hear several tracks beyond the three that make up their self-titled EP.
David Ramirez
Austin artist David Ramirez doesn’t require a big production to garner a crowd’s attention. On the two occasions when I was able to catch his SXSW performance, he managed to silence and engage an audience of distracted, overly-stimulated festival goers with only his acoustic guitar and emotive vocals. Embodying the same honesty and strength that draws me to other folk artists like Ryan Adams, Ramirez is stunning in his lyrics and in their delivery. Check out his new EP Strangetown available here.
The Dodos
No shocker here. The Dodos have been on the radar of most for quite some time, yet their performance at Cedar Street Courtyard was the first time I was really able to experience their magic. With a glorious new LP, and a packed room at all of their shows, The Dodos were nothing short of brilliant in Austin. Logan Kroeber’s unorthodox drum setup took center stage, claiming the full attention of everyone that was lucky enough to catch them. As perfect as their new album is, no recorded material can strike as hard as their live show. Catch them on their upcoming tour, and if you’re lucky enough to live in Montreal, you can see them with The Antlers.
Odd Future
I wasn’t one of the lucky people that got to see Odd Future at Buffalo Billiards, but I was fortunate enough to go to the MTVu awards show, The Woodies. It was there that my awakening, albeit short, Odd Future adventure began. They’re crass, offensive, and really weird (see fish outfit below). They’re really fantastic, as would be expected for a group that was being talked about by everyone and their grandmom down in Austin.
Cults
The Cedar Street Courtyard where I saw Cults was, with it’s lack of breeze and direct relation to the sun, undoubtedly one of the hottest venue locations in all of Austin. While it was obvious that the band was experiencing the same misery on stage, that did nothing to quell the energy and excitement with which they played. While their released tracks, “Go Outside” and “The Curse”, were met with excitement by the audience, their newer tunes, also drenched in the same bubbly vocals and incredible retro sensibility, were happily accepted and absorbed. Covered in sweat and swaying to each song, the crowd certainly did their best to show Brian Oblivion and Madeline Follin the love they deserved.
Givers
If you know me, or saw me during their set at Lustre Pearl, you aren’t, in the least, surprised to see Givers on this list. This Louisiana crew is so much fun! In fact, I challenge you to find a band more fun to experience live. Their innate ability to spread joy via their bouncy jungle beats and glorious two-part harmonies was on full display. You don’t have to love their blend of indie pop to appreciate what they can do live. Watch out for their debut album this May!
Fierce Creatures
We knew going into SXSW that Fierce Creatures were good. What we didn’t know was how enthusiastic and charming they’d be on stage. You won’t find a more passionate group of individuals around, they took the stage with jaws dropped at their debut show at PureVolume House. After a short warmup, they played a tight set including songs off their debut EP, I Mostri Feroci, and yet-to-be-released tracks. The seven-piece band packed the indoor stage at the Eventbrite Party the following day, and although their set was only 20 minutes long, they exited the stage to a massive applause. It was seriously exciting to hear the whispers of people around me asking who the hell Fierce Creatures was.
Generationals
Stocked with an arsenal of new tunes to share with the world, Generationals took the stage at Cedar Street Courtyard, where they proceeded to pull the old switcharoo. No, not that sort of the sort of switcharoo, but one in which nearly every member of the band took lead vocal duties, and switched instruments at least once. The Louisiana-based band was really great, even though they didn’t play “Greenleaf”, one of my favorite tracks of theirs. Oh, wait, they released their sophomore LP today! Buy it here.
