Ah the warm air of Austin, Texas in March. Forget the bands and the free drinks, it’s the early taste of summer that keeps me coming back each year. So that’s where I found myself again last week, checking out a few acts from NYC nearly a 1,700 miles drive from venues I could have caught them at a few weeks/months before in their native or perhaps adopted land.
Highlights from this years experience would have to be spending time at the unofficial non-SXSW sanctioned 3rd annual Mess With Texas festival in Waterloo Park and an amazing set from Those Darlins, natives of Murfreesboro, TN. I was sad to have missed stopping by Ms. Bea’s for the incredible Todd P party(s) (aka any other odd day long picnic at The Yard back home). A low point would certainly be waking up on Friday morning with a splitting headache not more than a half an hour before a scheduled breakfast meeting. All in all I didn’t get to catch too much new as far as bands go. I was actually down there for work more so than play (full-disclosure, the author is a music publicist in the states, but you won’t find him promoting his bands here), but it didn’t stop me from taking in Bird of Youth for the first time.
Bird Of Youth is a band fronted by Beth Wawerna, whom I originally became aware of via a friend pointing me towards MySpace, where you can check out some of the early recordings from a forthcoming debut LP. The best I can describe the music is the Empire Records sound track (early 90s college rock) meets modern day indie rock with a little alt country twang thrown in. The young lady is well connected, counting many in the Brooklyn music community friends. Finding herself surrounded by such successful musicians, who could blame her for being a bit fearful of stepping on the stage herself and trying to live up to her peers. Let’s be thankful she finally did, and also that she keeps such good company. On the record she draws from a indie rock superstar cast that features the likes of Charles Bissell of The Wrens, Matthew Cawes of Nada Surf, Bryan Devendorf of The National and Will Sheff of Okkervil River, whom is also producing the record.
I caught up with Bird Of Youth early on Saturday (3/21) at The Parish, where a not too sparse crowd (considering the early time slot) was watching Wawerna and company do their thing. One of the first aspects I listen for when checking out an artist for the first time after having heard them on record is whether or not the vocals are up to snuff live. There’s nothing more disappointing than not having those expectations met. Happily Wawerna’s full and breathy pipes were doing well to live up to mine. Being a young band that hasn’t yet played together very much it wasn’t surprising to find them a little rough around the edges, but what they lacked in polish they generally made up for with enthusiasm, running through favorites of mine like ‘The Great Defender’ and ‘Stop Staring’. I’d only been privy to 4 or so songs recorded, so it was also great to hear a lot of new (to me) material. One number I particularly enjoyed and can’t wait to hear again was ‘Wings Hit The Shed’, which somebody in the audience managed to capture on YouTube here. For the final song Will Sheff surprised the audience and got up on stage to join the band.
SXSW 2009 was another fun festival experience in Austin, capped off later that night by a steamy make out session with a horrible slice of what Texans might mistake for a pizza. I should have stuck to the tacos. Catch you next week!
Highlights from this years experience would have to be spending time at the unofficial non-SXSW sanctioned 3rd annual Mess With Texas festival in Waterloo Park and an amazing set from Those Darlins, natives of Murfreesboro, TN. I was sad to have missed stopping by Ms. Bea’s for the incredible Todd P party(s) (aka any other odd day long picnic at The Yard back home). A low point would certainly be waking up on Friday morning with a splitting headache not more than a half an hour before a scheduled breakfast meeting. All in all I didn’t get to catch too much new as far as bands go. I was actually down there for work more so than play (full-disclosure, the author is a music publicist in the states, but you won’t find him promoting his bands here), but it didn’t stop me from taking in Bird of Youth for the first time.
Bird Of Youth is a band fronted by Beth Wawerna, whom I originally became aware of via a friend pointing me towards MySpace, where you can check out some of the early recordings from a forthcoming debut LP. The best I can describe the music is the Empire Records sound track (early 90s college rock) meets modern day indie rock with a little alt country twang thrown in. The young lady is well connected, counting many in the Brooklyn music community friends. Finding herself surrounded by such successful musicians, who could blame her for being a bit fearful of stepping on the stage herself and trying to live up to her peers. Let’s be thankful she finally did, and also that she keeps such good company. On the record she draws from a indie rock superstar cast that features the likes of Charles Bissell of The Wrens, Matthew Cawes of Nada Surf, Bryan Devendorf of The National and Will Sheff of Okkervil River, whom is also producing the record.
I caught up with Bird Of Youth early on Saturday (3/21) at The Parish, where a not too sparse crowd (considering the early time slot) was watching Wawerna and company do their thing. One of the first aspects I listen for when checking out an artist for the first time after having heard them on record is whether or not the vocals are up to snuff live. There’s nothing more disappointing than not having those expectations met. Happily Wawerna’s full and breathy pipes were doing well to live up to mine. Being a young band that hasn’t yet played together very much it wasn’t surprising to find them a little rough around the edges, but what they lacked in polish they generally made up for with enthusiasm, running through favorites of mine like ‘The Great Defender’ and ‘Stop Staring’. I’d only been privy to 4 or so songs recorded, so it was also great to hear a lot of new (to me) material. One number I particularly enjoyed and can’t wait to hear again was ‘Wings Hit The Shed’, which somebody in the audience managed to capture on YouTube here. For the final song Will Sheff surprised the audience and got up on stage to join the band.
SXSW 2009 was another fun festival experience in Austin, capped off later that night by a steamy make out session with a horrible slice of what Texans might mistake for a pizza. I should have stuck to the tacos. Catch you next week!
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