Just before we all headed off to Austin for the 2012 SXSW Festival, we told you our 12 picks for the festival. Well some of them we saw (and were impressed by), others we missed, and of course at the other end of the spectrum there were plenty of surprises. Here now are our 12 festival highlights, 3 from each AU member who was there:
1. Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. It would be fair to say that few musical experiences could top this one, let along anything else at SXSW. Performing tracks off of the excellent new record Wrecking Ball, along with a few old favourites (such as “Badlands” and “Thunder Road”) in front of a relatively intimate crowd af 2,500 in the beautiful new ACL Live venue. The sound was impeccable, the vibe was electric but was really made this show extra special were the guests. Tom Morello, Eric Burdon, Jimmy Cliff, Arcade Fire, The Low Anthem and Joe Ely… to name but a few. This epic three hour show was a night I will not soon forget, and though perhaps unfairly overshadowed some of the bands slogging it out, this was one of those once-in-a-lifetime “magic” moments that could only be created by the collaborative spirit that is SXSW. – Larry Heath
2. Jack White’s Third Man Records Showcase. There is little to say about Jack White’s set other than it was phenomenal trip down memory lane – as well as a look ahead at his new solo material. Performing two sets – one with an all-girl backing band and one with an all-male, there was something for everyone in the set. The six piece female ensemble looked stunning, and sounded fantastic, adding things like a violin solo into the classic track “Hotel Yorba”. The five piece male ensemble brought on a more retrospective set than the first, with the night ending with “Seven Nation Army” and “Goodnight Irene”, as the bartenders had risen to the tables with the one and only Bill Murray. It doesn’t get much better than this. – Larry Heath
3. Dan Deacon at the NPR Showcase at Stubb’s. My third pick was a hard one to choose between Dan Deacon and Fiona Apple. Fiona was an artist who I had been wanting to see at a decade. But with Dan Deacon, I was given a treat I didn’t expect – which is always a joy to experience, at SXSW or otherwise. Dan totally won over the crowd in moments and had us in the palm of his hands, getting synchronized dancing happening with at least a thousand people. Epic. And it helped that the music was damn fine, too. – Larry Heath
4. Trash Talk – bringing back hardcore to actual, you know, hardcore, Trash Talk bring to mind the early 80’s thrash punk of Black Flag and Circle Jerks, as well as proving that it’s fun as hell to listen to. – Andrew Wade
5. Wavves – despite coming to Australia in a little over a months time, checking out the surf-psych pop stylings of Wavves was one of the best things to come from SXSW. Fast, frenetic and amazing; bring on album #3. – Andrew Wade
6. Sleigh Bells – I had reservations after listening to album number 2, but their live show is still something to behold. It’s amazing how their show has the same impact in either a small, cramped venue or a large concert hall as I saw them at SXSW; a must see live act. – Andrew Wade
7. Ingrid Michaelson – sublime setting in the Central Presbyterian Church. Ingrid showcased tracks from her new album Human Again plus a few old favourites from her back catalogue. Her only performance at SXSW was witnessed by a capacity audience. Soaring vocals complemented with Michael Stipe stories and irreverent humour captivated her audience. – Johnny Au
8. Fiona Apple – away from the limelight for many years Fiona Apple made a return to SXSW in the NPR Music showcase at Stubbs. The show was highly anticipated and judging by the massive line to get into Stubbs it showed that Fiona still has the star power to pull a crowd. Although not her best show by a long shot there was enough there to suggest that she has lost none of the talent that made her such a great performer. – Johnny Au
9. Kaiser Chiefs at Filter Magazine’s Showdown at Cedar St – despite being an established act back home in the UK, Kaiser Chiefs have not really cracked the US market. But judging by their Filter Magazine showcase the 2012 could be their year. Front man Ricky Wilson was in fine form lapping up the attention from the intimate crowd. At one stage he climbed on the back of an audience member and was carried into the middle of the crowd. Kaiser Chiefs reminded us why they are the chiefs of indie rock. – Johnny Au
10. The Little Willies featuring Norah Jones on piano and vocals, as well as Richard Julian on lead vocal. They played at Anton’s, the Austin blues club made famous by Stevie Ray Vaughn. Their repertoire was a mixture of Willie Nelson, Hank Williams and Townes Van Zandt. – Mandy Hall
11. The Punch Brothers – A completely acoustic group comprising banjo, mandolin, double bass, guitar & violin. They describe their music as “tales of woe and confusion”. Really great energy on stage. – Mandy Hall
12. The Good, The Bad – A Dutch surf band. Two guitars and drums, no bass. Lots of fun. They played at Headhunters, then the next day were joined on stage by MC5 bass player Wayne Kramer. – Mandy Hall
