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SXSW music festival: Frightened Rabbit, Charles Bradley and Big Ups SXSW music festival: Frightened Rabbit, Charles Bradley and Big Ups
(7 months later)
If there's one rule for South By Southwest, it's this: prepare to disappointed. Because no matter how much time you think you have, and despite the fact the majority of bands play multiple gigs during Austin's annual music conference/festival/schmoozefest, it's impossible to see everybody you want to see. Queues for the big shows – this year, esteemed names such as Nick Cave, the Stooges, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Dave Grohl's Sound City Players (featuring, among others, Stevie Nicks and Rick Springfield) are gracing the city with their presence – begin in the mid-afternoon, which, along with the inevitable timetable clashes that occur when a few thousand bands converge on one city's venues, means that you'll always miss out on something, no matter how hard you try.If there's one rule for South By Southwest, it's this: prepare to disappointed. Because no matter how much time you think you have, and despite the fact the majority of bands play multiple gigs during Austin's annual music conference/festival/schmoozefest, it's impossible to see everybody you want to see. Queues for the big shows – this year, esteemed names such as Nick Cave, the Stooges, Depeche Mode, Green Day, Dave Grohl's Sound City Players (featuring, among others, Stevie Nicks and Rick Springfield) are gracing the city with their presence – begin in the mid-afternoon, which, along with the inevitable timetable clashes that occur when a few thousand bands converge on one city's venues, means that you'll always miss out on something, no matter how hard you try.
Regardless, the wealth of talent on display is overwhelming – from the smallest one man band to the likes of Grohl and Iggy Pop. The latter might be 65, but – as Sam Wolfson reported in his blog on Thursday – his sets remain a deluge of energy that few of his many punk rock disciples can match, even though they're decades younger. One band who can, however, are New York's Big Ups, whose singer Joe Galaragga prowls the stage – and anywhere else his microphone lead will allow him to go – with a commanding swagger, his camp Iggy Pop-isms already displaying the signs of a truly great frontman. Canada's Single Mothers, whose singer lives in a town called Swastika and who works as a gold prospector by day, are similarly manic, but their music – imagine the Hold Steady as a hardcore punk band – is underpinned by a deeper, darker nihilistic edge.Regardless, the wealth of talent on display is overwhelming – from the smallest one man band to the likes of Grohl and Iggy Pop. The latter might be 65, but – as Sam Wolfson reported in his blog on Thursday – his sets remain a deluge of energy that few of his many punk rock disciples can match, even though they're decades younger. One band who can, however, are New York's Big Ups, whose singer Joe Galaragga prowls the stage – and anywhere else his microphone lead will allow him to go – with a commanding swagger, his camp Iggy Pop-isms already displaying the signs of a truly great frontman. Canada's Single Mothers, whose singer lives in a town called Swastika and who works as a gold prospector by day, are similarly manic, but their music – imagine the Hold Steady as a hardcore punk band – is underpinned by a deeper, darker nihilistic edge.
It's not all crazy, acerbic noise, though. The Away Days, a band from Istanbul, play their first ever international gig mid-afternoon in a hotel lobby. Turkish shoegaze might not be a major phenomenon, but given the breadth of their talent, it soon could be. Leading the charge of new (but not overly hyped) British bands are Tall Ships and Duologue. The former, a four-piece from Falmouth, combine guitars and electronics with a grandiose majesty, their textured songs swelling into frenetic, multi-layered climaxes full of passion and emotion. Duologue employ similar sonic tactics, their nuanced songs delicate and full of nostalgic yearning, and dispatched with effortless ease. The dreamy (non-Turkish) shoegaze made by Brighton's Fear of Men is similarly impressive, the two-girl, two-boy band building up sweeping layers of guitar that far exceed their diminutive, shy presence.It's not all crazy, acerbic noise, though. The Away Days, a band from Istanbul, play their first ever international gig mid-afternoon in a hotel lobby. Turkish shoegaze might not be a major phenomenon, but given the breadth of their talent, it soon could be. Leading the charge of new (but not overly hyped) British bands are Tall Ships and Duologue. The former, a four-piece from Falmouth, combine guitars and electronics with a grandiose majesty, their textured songs swelling into frenetic, multi-layered climaxes full of passion and emotion. Duologue employ similar sonic tactics, their nuanced songs delicate and full of nostalgic yearning, and dispatched with effortless ease. The dreamy (non-Turkish) shoegaze made by Brighton's Fear of Men is similarly impressive, the two-girl, two-boy band building up sweeping layers of guitar that far exceed their diminutive, shy presence.
LA's NO do a wonderful job a sounding just like the National – but not exactly like the National – while the noisy, drawn out rock'n'roll of Wax Idols is the kind of music that Savages don't quite manage to succeed at making. Japandroids and Middle Class Rut used to be duos, but have now expanded their lineups. It serves to make their rambunctious anthems all the more imposing and impressive. Scotland's Frightened Rabbit are on the verge of big things, having recently released their major label debut album, but they play with just as much heartbroken conviction as they had before near-fame came calling. But it's perhaps Charles Bradley, the 64-year-old soul singer who released his debut record just two years ago who is the true triumph of the festival. After a life riddled with disaster – years spent homeless on the streets of New York as a teenager and the murder of his brother are just the tip of the iceberg – he was discovered singing James Brown covers in Brooklyn, and, one film and one album later, is finally having his story and music heard. His spectacular performance is both heartwarming and heartwrenching, and serves as an apt reminder to the thousands of bands playing at SXSW that, even if you feel you're one voice drowning in a sea of millions, you should never give up.LA's NO do a wonderful job a sounding just like the National – but not exactly like the National – while the noisy, drawn out rock'n'roll of Wax Idols is the kind of music that Savages don't quite manage to succeed at making. Japandroids and Middle Class Rut used to be duos, but have now expanded their lineups. It serves to make their rambunctious anthems all the more imposing and impressive. Scotland's Frightened Rabbit are on the verge of big things, having recently released their major label debut album, but they play with just as much heartbroken conviction as they had before near-fame came calling. But it's perhaps Charles Bradley, the 64-year-old soul singer who released his debut record just two years ago who is the true triumph of the festival. After a life riddled with disaster – years spent homeless on the streets of New York as a teenager and the murder of his brother are just the tip of the iceberg – he was discovered singing James Brown covers in Brooklyn, and, one film and one album later, is finally having his story and music heard. His spectacular performance is both heartwarming and heartwrenching, and serves as an apt reminder to the thousands of bands playing at SXSW that, even if you feel you're one voice drowning in a sea of millions, you should never give up.
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