SXSW '07 Day 3

Ah... that's more like it.

After Thursday night's set by The Dears, I'd begun to wonder about one of my cardinal rules of picking bands at SXSW... "You can never go wrong choosing a band with "The" in the name." Someone needs to strike the "The" from The Dears' name. In an effort to cleanse that debacle from our memories, my wife and I sought as many bands with "THE" in their name as possible.

The day started at the convention center to see Flatstock, a convention featuring poster artists from all over the country. Amazing stuff that made me wish I had more wall space at home...

While at the convention center, we stumbled into a Direct TV soundstage where they were shooting THE Polyphonic Spree. I'd never seen the 17 piece band but it was pretty uplifting and infectious in a slightly cultish kind of way. From there, we hit the Yep Roc party, where we saw Robyn Hitchcock with REM's Peter Buck, followed by THE Apples in Stereo. Sitting there after a solid set from THE Apples as THE Moaners were about to start, I scanned an ad in the ever-present Austin Chronicle and saw that THE Fratellis were just starting to play a few blocks away.

Thinking we were likely too late, we scrambled down the street and there was a mob of folks crowding the door. As I got closer, I could hear their iPod ditty "Flathead" cranking up. I arrived at the door just in time to barely see the lead singer/guitarist do about the last minute. Then we discovered once again the power of having a badge, as we were able to part the mob and gain access, watching the last 3 songs from about 10 feet away from the lead Fratellis. Quite a tight band and I think more than just a flavor of the day.

Speaking of flavor of the day, the next act up was Mika... he of the #1 UK single "Grace Kelly" and album Life in Cartoon Motion. It's pretty amazing to see this guy's falsetto up close like that. I can't decide if he's going to be anything more than a novelty, but I do think he's got some talent and charisma.

After Mika, it was off to Town Lake to see Public Enemy. Up before them, Ozomatli with their congo line schtick and then X-Clan. Finally, the main event... Chuck D's voice is still the most powerful and wise in all of hip-hop. Pretty cool to hear 10,000 folks being led in a "F-ck George Bush, F-ck Dick Cheney" chant...

We packed up there and went back to Habana Calle. The original gameplan was to see an entire night of bands with THE in their names. But the first one out of the gate, a Dallas band named the Mullens, played an especially derivative version of garage rock, so we bailed out on the plan and headed over to the Parish, where once again we leveraged the badge to get in and see another outspoken critic of the Bush administration, Steve Earle.

There may not be a better songwriter today than Earle. But the setting sucked for his acoustic set as there was about 1/3rd of the industry crowd who were just taking up space talking during his set while there was a long line of real fans outside hoping to get in. Note to industry pricks: If you want to talk to your friends, please go out onto 6th Street and let someone in who actually wants to see the artist.

Disgusted by the crowd, we bugged out of Earle's set after a great story about Townes Van Zandt to head over to Exodus to see yet another Bush critic, Peaches. Her first song... "Impeach My Bush". Overall, I think Peaches is very talented but hides behind some shock tactics that keep the true level of her skills under the covers, so to speak...

Interesting Peaches side note... the crowd in Exodus was packed in tight. We happened to be at a couple tables on a balcony across from the stage. Right before the set, a funky short cute blonde weaves her way through the crowd and starts talking up my friends. Next thing you know, they are pulling out their chairs and she and a friend are climbing under the table to sit. A closer look and it's Austin's artist of the year, Patrice Pike also of Rockstar Supernova fame.

After Peaches, we went back to Habana Calle to catch THE Woggles who tore the place down. The power of the "THE" was fully restored by their tight sweaty set. Check out this video to get a feel for the day's top act (and the best at SXSW so far)...



Here are the grades: The Fratellis A-, Mika B+, The Apples in Stereo B, Robyn Hitchcock & Peter Buck B-, Steve Earle B (the crowd gets an F), Public Enemy B, Ozomatli C, X-Clan C-, The Woggles A, The Polyphonic Spree B-, Peaches B, The Mullens D

Incompletes (seen but only for a bit): The Drams, The Moaners, The PB's, Smut Peddlers, Brother Ali