So it’s off to Austin, Texas for me this Saturday. Going all-out this year for a 10 day stint, covering interactive, film & music at SxSW. If you’ve been before, you get that this is a fairly brave undertaking. Which is why I’ve got tons of Emergen-C, Tylenol, and eye-cream ready to go with. And I purchased an iPhone over the weekend to make it easier to navigate all those texts, etc., I feel so 21st century! God damn, this thing is friggin’ cool. It’ll be perfect once I transfer my “Truth Hits Everybody” ring tone from my old phone. In any case, by the end of Sx, all the walking, talking, the late nights, the tacos and Lone Star Ale having taken their toll, I’m sure I’ll feel at least 10 years older. But it’s a small price to pay. Showcases I’ll be at below, in case you happen to be in town 
. I’ll have a blog for you guys next Monday for the full report of the front half of the festival, at least insofar as much as I can take in the first couple of days. In the meantime… here’s what’s been spinning around the office this month so far:
Simone White, Yakiimo
If you haven’t met Simone just yet, the above is a decent taste… a commercial that played all over Europe and the UK with her song, “The Beep Beep Song” from the first album, I Am the Man. Spectacular record. The new one on the way is Yakiimo, with a release across the pond scheduled for June. Working on getting it out here as well. I think of her as a modern-day Joni Mitchell. Fave tracks from Yakiimo include Victoria Anne, Candy Bar Killer, and You Are Loved. You can hear them all here. Totally worth the import price.
Clem Snide, Hungry Bird
When Eef Barzelay isn’t busy doing his solo projects (which I equally adore) he’s got his hands full with Clem Snide. Always a good buy. My picks: Me No (a rocker!) and Pray, so very R.E.M. Hear them here.
Glasvegas, Glasvegas
Lamely, the actual video is no longer embed-able (Columbia Records, you fucking idiots). But still, holy crap, this is heaven. So very very Brit Box. Glasgow pop at its uber-finest. Genius name. Can’t get enough and can barely stand the wait to see them in Austin. So God damn brilliant. Echo and the Bunnymen meets The Family Cat. Double-shit hot.
Sometymes Why, Joey
Yep, it’s a Concrete Blonde cover, gorgeous. You can get it on their new album, Your Heart Is a Glorious Machine.
Michael Miller, I Made You Up
Unfucking believable. It’s a creeper so make sure you hang with it. Really hard to decide favorite tracks because the whole thing just builds. Nonetheless, “Munkie,” “Sweetness,” “Carolina Skyline,” “Gomer Put Your Fist Down,” “Sutures.” Hear them here. I’m telling you, this is a five-star record, all the way. Due out this summer. Pete Yorn, Tracy Bonham, Amy Correa and others guest. Plus it’s an all-star backing band. How the hell isn’t this guy famous? Working on that.
That’s all for now, talk to you guys from Austin next week. Here’s where I’ll be among other places:
- Breath of Fresh Air Showcase 12-6 PM, Wednesday 03/18, Threadgills, 301 W Riverside Dr (Brownshoe, Jeremy Messersmith, Romantica, Chris Velan, The Secret, Life of Sofia, Amy Speace, Winterpills, KaiserCartel, The Damnwells)
- Bloodshot Records Showcase 12-6 PM, Friday 03/20, Yard Dog, 1510 S. Congress (Scotland Yard Gospel Choir, Ben Weaver, Charlie Pickett, Exene Cervenka, Deadstring Brothers, Ha Ha Tonka, The Meat Purveyors, Dex Romweber Duo, The Silos, Andre Williams, Justin Townes Earle, Rosie Flores, Waco Brothers
xo
3/9/09 | Comments (2)Tags: Amy Correa, Amy Speace, Brit Box, Charlie Pickett, Chris Velan, Clem Snide, CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, Echo and the Bunnymen, Eef Barzelay, Glasvegas, Ha Ha Tonka, Jeremy Messersmith, Joni Mitchell, KATE BRADLEY, Michael Miller, NOW PLAYING, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, Pete Yorn, REM, Simone White, Sometymes Why, The Damnwells, The Family Cat, Tracy Bonham, Winterpills —
For those of you who read this…
________________________________________
From: Kate Bradley
Sent: Friday, March 21, 2008 4:59 PM
To: ‘Bob Lefsetz’
Subject: RE: SXSW
Hey Bob, I just wanted to chime in here.
First, no one goes to sxsw to see bands like REM and Van Morrison… because eventually, they will come to a town near you and it will probably be a better show. And REM was there on Wednesday this year, when most people hadn’t even arrived yet. Those big acts are not the draw. The draw, as you sort of mentioned is passion… sxsw is all about the fans. And the bands that know that are the ones that benefit most.
Every time I’ve been, I’ve always come back with a new connection to a band that I didn’t know before or only barely knew. And that connection is incredibly powerful… for me, it’s what made me find the record and play it on the radio, tell my friends about it, create buzz, etc…. everything in my power that I could do to spread the word came out of that connection. And that connection happened not because I heard them online but because I went to a live show. What could be better than that? All the band has to do is connect with me and then I work for them, for free! That’s what fans do.
In a nutshell, the “shared experience” of sxsw is through the roof. And as an artist, what you want is to monetize [th]is shared experience. You know this. I just can’t think of a better venue than sxsw that exemplifies this, really.
And my experience there that I’ve described above is not unique… the contagious emotion that sxsw in particular creates is undeniable. It’s a wild, magical buzz that’s worth every bit of that hefty badge price for fans… one of the best things going, really. The bands are amazing, the buzz is really fun and energetic… and chasing that buzz is all part of the weekend… the free microbrew, the great, cheap or free food, a killer town like Austin, top-notch sound systems, the surprises, all the great random conversations that you inevitably have with random people, and just an all-around five-star time. The people I was zipping around with, bloggers, newspaper writers, booking agents, talent buyers, publicists, label reps, musicians, and regular old fans were all having the same experience. That’s what’s especially nice. Sxsw acts as a leveler… it doesn’t really matter what your music industry background is or if you have one at all. The point is, you are a fan and so is everyone else… and together, we agree to be taken on a journey by all these talented and interesting artists that the folks in Austin so lovingly gather up in one place, just for us. God bless them.
So an “unsigned band” wants to get noticed, hell yes, by FANS. That’s the point. Fans like me are what sxsw is for. Fans are the new music business and you can bet your ass they are at sxsw. And if people don’t get that I’m not sure that they are fans… I’m not sure they even have a pulse… it’s pretty hard to miss. Aren’t you a fan, Bob? I know you are. You, of all people would have an absolute blast.
As for the bands, what they get out of it is what they get out of every date on any tour… a chance to connect. That’s where the money is. Make me love you and I will come back, I will tell all my friends about you, I will buy your records. They know that. That’s why they go. No one goes to get “signed.” If they do, they are idiots. Bands go to be heard, to create fans, to maximize the shared experience. And sure, they can do this at any venue, not just sxsw. But the draw to Austin is the brand. And we all know that brand-labels work… and the reason they do is because they tap into lifestyle. And sxsw embodies lifestyle, the lifestyle of a fan. It’s a perfect storm.
And lastly, I mentioned radio, above, because that’s been my history but I was wondering why you even bothered to mention radio in this post or at all. Radio is irrelevant. Does it even exist anymore? I just don’t even think it’s worth anyone’s breath. Any musician that has a clue doesn’t give a shit about radio, and rightly so. Of all things, sxsw is not about radio. And I know some people try to make it so by rebroadcasting but really, all they are actually doing is saying “we were there and you weren’t, you sorry suckers.” Brilliant. Besides, so much of sxsw is visceral, not just about listening… so incredibly hard to translate over the radio. In the same way when someone tells you “you have to see them live.” It always sounds like a ploy until you actually do it. But once you make that leap, you’re sold. Priceless.
Rock ‘n roll,
Kate
© Outlandos MusicTM 2008
3/24/08 | Comments (0)Tags: CUT THROUGH THE NOISE, Fans, KATE BRADLEY, OUTLANDOS MUSIC, REM, Van Morrison —
