SXSW Report 2007: Part II

by Rachel Pesin
15 May 2007

Over the next three days of SXSW, I repeatedly saw some bands I love (I saw THE FRATELLIS five times!) and caught some for the first time. First up on March 15 was THE FILMS, who I loved.

They reminded me of THE REDWALLS with a southern charm and were less throw-back and more contemporary in their sound.

Later that day I headed over to The Fader Fort to catch PETE AND THE PIRATES.



I had seen them once before in London, but this set was completely different. This time they played to a packed, enthusiastic crowd, and the band themselves were much more animated than when I saw them last. They play fun, clever indie-rock, but don’t let that mundane description deceive you; their sound is unlike that of any of their English music peers—definitely worth a listen.

After The Pirates came The Fratellis. This was one of their two acoustic sets that I witnessed, and I really liked hearing their pop songs stripped down and sung at a slower pace.



Of course I really enjoyed the three electric sets as well. A lot of people (mostly music snobs) hate this band simply because they’ve become popular and have a buzz surrounding them. I can’t be bothered with such trivial matters; my ears control me, not my ego, and they love what they hear from The Fratellis. They have catchy, clever songs that tell amusing stories that are fun to sing and dance along to.



While the majority of their SXSW audiences simply showed up to see the It-band of the 2007 festival (and they showed up in droves!), there were quite a few people who were won over by their songs and couldn’t help but dance around, a wonderful site to see for any non-jaded gig-goer.

March 16 began with a long trek to the Diesel Tent to catch THE SUNSHINE UNDERGROUND do a really special acoustic set. There were less than ten people there (including the SU’s drummer!) but the handful of us that were in attendance got to witness a performance that was truly exceptional. The SU are a dance-rock band but when they stripped down to just two acoustic guitars and bass they created an entirely new sound which was able to fully showcase singer CRAIG WELLINGTON’s amazing vocal talents. Watch the video I shot of “I Ain’t Losing Any Sleep” to hear what I am talking about:

Later that day I saw SOLID GOLD at a clothing store called Octave. I had seen them walking around E. 6th St. in their seemingly mariachi-inspired gold and black outfits and when I saw them in the store, I knew I had to catch their performance.


They were not at all what I expected, but in a good way! They make understated indie-tronica that was really a pleasure to relax and listen to. It was a nice break from all the commotion that is SXSW.

That night I saw two great bands at Club De Ville. The first was THE PIGEON DETECTIVES, a punchy, indie pop-rock band from northern England. While I didn’t love it when lead singer MATT BOWMAN harassed the crowd for not participating enough, I did admire the effort and energy he put into getting the audience involved, including dancing on and off stage with a woman up front who was really enjoying the gig.

Not that their performance was anything short of entertaining, but The Pigeon Detectives could learn a thing or two about crowd involvement from the band that followed, THE BLOOD ARM. Their set began with their Master of Ceremonies, BEN LEE HANDLER who gets the crowd going with semi-fictional tales of how the band got there that night. Then the band themselves take the stage and you can’t help but be captivated by singer NATHANIEL FREGOSO’s spazzy energy. He runs all over the place, jumps on speakers and goes into the crowd, where he then dances with crowd members, steals drinks from the bar, makes the audience sit down (pictured below), and finally lies down pretending to be dead.



Luckily they have the songs to back up this crazy performance. “Suspicious Character” is probably their best known song (with the refrain “I like all the girls and all the girls like me!”) but all of their pop-punk songs are equally catchy and fun.

On March 17, the final day of SXSW, I first saw THE HOLLOWAYS, a four piece from London. They’re a fun, happy band that makes fun, happy music, with positive lyrics and attitudes. You can’t help but smile at their gigs, and this one was no exception.



At the end of their set, the band had the people in the front join hands and form a semi-circle facing the stage and the band came down and played in the middle. When they finished, they high-fived and kissed all participating members!

Later I checked out Glaswegian band SH*TDISCO, who were a fun dance band. I really liked the fact that they didn’t seem to mind that no one besides them was into their set; they still had a great time for themselves!

That night I saw another Scottish band called THE NEEDLES, who were one of the more fun and entertaining bands at SXSW. At times they reminded me of THE ZUTONS, and despite technical difficulties they still churned out energetic, old school rock and roll.

Next I saw BLANCHE, another great band from Detroit. Their rootsy, gothic, folky blues rock is wonderfully unique and I was happy to see them live once more. It was also nice to see LITTLE JACK LAWRENCE (now best known for his participation in THE RACONTEURS) honoring his commitment to the band, one of many he plays with.

My last SXSW 2007 band was England’s MUMM-RA who blew me away. On record they come off as a nice mellow band, but their live set was full of anthemic, energetic pop songs.



Singer JAMES NEW also entertained the crowd by doing ‘magic tricks,’ climbing un-sturdy poles and running around the audience. They ended their set by inviting the crowd up on stage, which ended in one giant, drunken, joyous mess.

Needless to say, SXSW 2007 ended with a bang and a big smile on my face. I’m already counting down the days until SXSW 2008!

Filed under music festival concerts