March 18, 2009

SXSW 2009 Starts Here: Wednesday's Sets To See

It's that time of year where internet publishing platforms great and small get overstuffed with #sxsw tags. Yay? It's an odd climate for a festival devoted to artist discovery and its collateral debauchery. The internet and its various status-alerting mechanisms have subsumed much of the fest's function, or at least that's what I read on Twitter. But this year is special because we've got the meltdown of our entire financial system added to the mix. They say there will be less money flowing through Austin this year: less promo material, less bands getting signed, less free booze. At SXSW '09, S.W.A.G. = Sorry, We Ain't Got any. But you know, the state of the economy finally catching up with the music industry's years-long free fall is comforting to the indie rock ego; we've always been early adopters. And just maybe this recalibration of what it means to be at SXSW -- each year a little less about finding a "new" band to brag about, this year a little less about frivolously blowing your savings in an absent minded party -- will help the festival become what it should be in 2009: simply, a great place to see a ton of independent bands. And Kanye West.

Of course, the list of official showcases (and day parties) is overwhelming per usual. So whether you're in Austin or are just looking for a roadmap to your SXSW 2009 torrent, check here each morning for a pared down version of the day's slate to help focus your energies. As you scan this first installment, you might notice that we forgot to mention our party. Well, it's gonna be huge! Huge in 2010. Mark your calendar. On to Wednesday's music:

The day party scene is lightest today, primarily because most of us are still making our way into Austin. There are however some solid options for the early birds, including Austinist's party at Mohawk (Here We Go Magic, J Tillman, Vetiver, Elvis Perkins, Akron/Family); Paste bringing Anathallo, Amanda Palmer, and M. Ward; and the FADER Fort kicking off with LA buzz bands (Abe Vigoda), Brit elder statesmen (Graham Coxon), and blog pop (Little Boots), all for free, all before sunset. By nightfall we'll be in full swing: St. Vincent, Department Of Eagles, Dosh, Peter Bjorn & John, Jessica Lea Mayfield, all within a half-mile of each other. Have a look below, plan wisely, and if you want to get into that M. Ward/D.O.E./St. Vincent show, arrive yesterday.

DAY PARTIES
Austinist Party (Gonna Get Down IV) @ Mohawk
Telekinesis (11:45AM)
Here We Go Magic (12:30AM)
J Tillman (2:30PM)
Vetiver (3:30PM)
Elvis Perkins In Dearland (4PM)
The Mae Shi (4:40PM)
Akron/Family (5PM)

Paste Party @ Radio Room
Anathallo
Port O'Brien
Heartless Bastards
Loney Dear
Amanda Palmer
M. Ward

Hype Machine Radio party @ Knucklerumbler Lounge
Tim Williams (1PM)
These United States (1:30PM)
Casiokids (4PM)
The Proclaimers (4:30PM)
Phenomenal Handclap Band (5:30PM)
The Golden Filter (7PM)

FADER Fort
Abe Vigoda (5:15PM)
Graham Coxon (6PM)
Micachu and the Shapes (6:45PM)
Little Boots (8:15PM)

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SHOWCASES
Beauty Bar (Asthmatic Kitty/K Records & YouTube)
Grampall Jookabox (8PM)
LAKE (9PM)
Fol Chen (10PM)
Rafter (11PM)
DM Stith (12AM)
Jeremy Jay (1AM)

Buffalo Billiards (KCRW.com)
Port O'Brien (10PM)
School Of Seven Bells (12AM)
Ida Maria (1AM)

Central Presbyterian Church (4AD)
M. Ward (9PM)
Department Of Eagles (10PM)
St. Vincent (11PM)
Camera Obscura (12AM)

Club de Ville (Brooklyn Vegan)
Bell (8PM)
Shilpa Ray And Her Happy Hookers (9PM)
Loch Lomond (10PM)
Those Darlins (11PM)
Phosphorescent (12AM)
Deer Tick (1AM)

Emo's Jr (Leafy Green)
Willem Maker (8PM)
Larkin Grimm (9PM)
Vetiver (10PM)
Sleepy Sun (11PM)
DD/MM/YYYY (12AM)

Emo's Main Room (Vans)
Gallows (8PM)
Echo & The Bunnymen (12:30AM)

Mohawk (Anticon/Ghostly International)
Anathallo (9:40PM)
Dosh (10:30PM)
Yoni Wolf of WHY? (11:10PM)

The Parish
Jessica Lea Mayfield (9PM)
Dan Auerbach (10:45PM)

Radio Room (My Old Kentucky Blog)
The Phenomenal Handclap Band (8PM)
Starfucker (9PM)
The Grates (11PM)
Viva Voce (12AM)

Red Eyed Fly (Suicide Squeeze)
Human Highway (11PM)
Past Lives (12AM)
These Arms Are Snakes (1AM)

Stubb's
Ladyhawke (9PM)
Heartless Bastards (10PM)
The Avett Brothers (11PM)
The Decemberists (12AM)

Vice (Rock Band)
Cut Off Your Hands (8:45PM)
The Von Bondies (9:45PM)
Peter Bjorn & John (10:45PM)
Glasvegas (11:45PM)

Here We Go Magic - "Tunnelvision" (MP3)
Vetiver - "Everyday" (MP3)
Telekinesis - "Coast Of Carolina" (MP3)
Elvis Perkins In Dearland - "Shampoo" (MP3)
The Golden Filter - "Solid Gold" (MP3)
School Of Seven Bells - "Connjur" (MP3)
Department Of Eagles - "No One Does It Like You" (MP3)
St. Vincent - "The Strangers" (MP3)
Peter Bjorn & John - "Nothing To Worry About" (MP3)
Larkin Grimm - "Ride That Cyclone" (MP3)