undbites
Deep in the Heart of Texas
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KELLER WILLIAMS
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MUNICIPAL WASTE, GHOUL, LEGACY OF DISORDER Th 22
SIP: A BEER & WINE EVENT A SAMPLING & EDUCATION EVENT - 21 +
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FLAT NOSE DIESEL BUS MUD CITY RAMBLERS
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TOOTS & THE MAYTALS
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GIANT PANDA GUERILLA DUB SQUAD RIC REDINGTON & THE LOVE
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BENEFIT FOR CHITTENDEN HUMANE SOCIETY
STAND - UP AT THE SHOWCASE 7PM AND 9:30PM SHOWS
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104.7 THE POINT WELCOMES
KELLER WILLIAMS Su 25
A BENEFIT FOR VSA VERMONT
ART FOR ALL FEAT. JER COONS GARRETT BROWN, LUKE YOUNG & BUDDY GAMMAL
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TWIN ATLANTIC
UVM NIGHT OUT FEAT. TAN VAMPIRES DJ SASQUATCH UPCOMING... 3/28 EXCISION 3/29 FOXY SHAZAM 3/31 WOKO B-DAY BASH 3/31 NIGHTRAIN 4/1 TREVOR HALL 4/2 HONEYHONEY
JUST ANNOUNCED 4/8 ANDRE NICKATINA 4/25 JAMES MCMURTRY 5/2 MIKE DOUGHTY 5/12 LOTUS LAND 5/27 MAYER HAWTHORNE 10/2 BEN HARPER
SEVEN DAYS
set by roky eriCkson. I saw dale earnhardt Jr. Jr. cover Whitney houston. I sat in on a heated and fascinating conversation between a major-label friend and former 7D music editor Casey rae-hunter about online music streaming, the “plight” of major labels and whether Grooveshark is actually illegal. I ate too much BBQ. And Tex-Mex. I drank Lone Star beer. I discovered the hangover-obliterating power of breakfast tacos. I should really eat a salad today. A common criticism of SXSW is that what once was an outlet for undiscovered, and specifically Austinbased, bands is now little more than a corporate-fueled showcase for big names. Or, as a commenter on Blurt postured, that SXSW is “played out.” It’s a valid point. Corporate influence is ubiquitous at SXSW. And when people like me (media types) fawn over Bird and the Punch Brothers, it does steal some of the thunder from up-and-coming acts
who could really use the exposure — c’mon, was I really going to pass up a chance to see those guys for free? Not likely. But to dismiss SXSW as “played out” misses the point. Because of the sheer magnitude of this festival, unknown bands still vastly outnumber the majors. And because of the craziness, you can’t help but discover new bands and experiences along the way. You’ll find yourself throwing knives with punks at a dive bar. You’ll get caught in a mosh pit while a band of flamboyantly dressed Japanese dudes tear through some of the most vicious metal you’ll ever hear. You’ll get hit on at a BrooklynVegan showcase by … er, never mind. When I left for Austin, one of my editors asked what my “goal” was for SXSW. I didn’t have a good answer. Looking back, I think the goal was to get lost. And then to reemerge with a better appreciation for how
03.21.12-03.28.12
TICKETS follow @DanBolles on Twitter for more music news. Dan blogs on Solid State at sevendaysvt.com/blogs.
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experiences from this year’s SXSW — or, in the douche-y fest lingo, “South by” — happened when and where I least expected them. My favorite set of the week came the night I arrived in town, before the music part of SXSW had even started. It was an LA punk band called dead sara, fronted by the most dynamic female singer I’ve seen in years. In a post I wrote for Seven Days’ staff blog, Blurt, following the show, I described her as “the second coming of Bikini kill’s kathleen hanna. Or GG allin.” I stand by that. Another accidental highlight happened while on my way into East Austin, a gritty offshoot of the city where, depending on whom you ask, the last remnants of “real Austin” are said to exist. (Note: SXSW is not real Austin.) While strolling down East 6th Street, I noticed a punkish, vagabond string band playing an outdoor bar/shack whose most significant architectural feature was a chicken-wire fence held up by two-byfours. Oh, and it had a knifethrowing booth. (The band was local Austin act Whiskey shivers. Look ’em up.) I caught up with Burlington sorta-expats the Cave Bees, who currently reside in Austin, at another East Austin dive, the Grakle. The party was sponsored by the austin FaCial hair CluB, a group of fantastically bearded men who looked like extras from “Sons of Anarchy.” The Bees were part of a showcase of crazy Japanese metal bands. As you may recall, the Bees aren’t Japanese. Nor do they play metal. But they rocked, especially since they were joined by part-time Austinite — and Burlington guitar god — Bill Mullins. I saw andreW Bird. I saw the PunCh Brothers. I saw a late-night set by Built to
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SEVENDAYSVt.com
It’s Monday morning and I’ve been home for just about 36 hours, a significant portion of which I’ve spent sound asleep, trying to recoup the average of four hours per night I slept over the preceding week. I’m in a bit of a fog. I haven’t unpacked, literally or mentally. I have 700 unopened emails. I haven’t been keeping up with news or sports. (Peyton Manning is a Bronco?) I haven’t even checked to see if I was I-Spied. (Hang on a sec ... nope. Sigh.) In short, I’m a mess. As many of you know, starting last Monday I was in Austin, Texas, navigating the annual shitshow that is the South by Southwest music conference. It was an amazing experience and something all serious music fans should do at least once in their lives. But it was exhausting. And overwhelming. And utterly mind boggling. Sitting on my back deck writing this column, the warm, Texaslike sun beating down on me, I’m struggling to put my experiences into some semblance of order. And, yeah, I brought the weather back with me. Thought it was a better gift than a T-shirt. You’re welcome. I’ve been to the CMJ music conference in NYC. I’ve been to festivals. But nothing compares to SXSW in size, scope or sheer madness. Regardless of how much planning you do, how many showcases or panels you attend, how many party invites you accept or connections you exploit, you will always be missing something. On the flip side, you will accidentally encounter something as cool or cooler on a daily basis. Most of my favorite
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3/20/12 10:41 AM