A.V. Club: Best of the Decade

Postcard from SXSW: March 18, part 1

Decider catches M. Ward, Greg Laswell, and more on our first report from Texas.

by Stacy Schwartz March 19, 2009

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Austin’s annual South By Southwest festival is a big, sprawling affair, and it takes an army to cover it. Luckily, we’ve got one. Decider’s Austin site has lots of interviews and other coverage, and over at the A.V. Club mothership, half a dozen writers from the A.V. Club/Decider empire are collectively posting about their experiences. (Our friends at the U of M’s Radio K are also broadcasting live from Austin.) Minnesota photographer Stacy Schwartz is also down in Austin, and she’ll be sending back daily reports to Decider Twin Cities on what she sees and hears—with plenty of video and photos. Here’s her first day (with more to come soon!):
 
Wednesday, March 19, 2009

Kyle Matteson of More Cowbell_and Hilary Davis of Bella Koshka11 a.m.: Leaving hotel—off to find breakfast & meet up with Kyle Matteson of MoreCowbell.net and Matt Perkins of The Current. Along the way we meet Hilary Davis of Bella Koshka.

11:45 a.m.: Back at hotel after picking up Fader wristband. Saw J. Tillman of Fleet Foxes! Waiting for a new ethernet cable at the hotel… blah.

Hoek's Death Metal Pizza12:15 p.m.: Made it to my first venue— Radio Room. Stopped at Death Metal Pizza on my way. Now waiting for Anathallo and trying to figure out the rest of my day—there’s so much to do! Mmmm… free Izzy’s soda at this party.
12:30 p.m.: Greg Laswell begins. He’s wonderful! Soothing, lovely lyrics & music. I could listen to him sing and play all day and be very happy.
Set List:
“What A Day”
“Sing, Theresa Says”
“The One I Love”
“Girls Just Wanna Have Fun” (Cindy Lauper cover)
“How The Day Sounds”
Greg Laswell, "What A Day," live at the Radio Room, March 18:
Greg Laswell at Radio Room.

12:45 p.m.: D’oh. Anathallo was on the patio stage. I will have to catch them another time. Samantha Crain on now. Sort of reminds me of Alela Diane but more rockin’. Going to try and catch Ezra Furman at Creekside Lounge.

Shout Out Out Out Out at Red 7.
1:37 p.m.: Ezra was a bust. Room was mostly empty save for some equipment and a few stragglers. Yikes! Moved to Red 7 to check out Shout Out Out Out Out.
Whoa, there are too many photographers here! It’s packed, and one photographer is all up in the lead singer’s face. He's maybe a foot from him and using a flash—I think I’d punch him.
Band is mediocre. Too much “watch me fiddle with my sound board” and “why do we have a drummer if we have all these other drum sounds?”
Loney Dear at Red 7.
1:59 p.m.: Met friends from last year and out on the patio watching Loney Dear. Sounds great and I really like them acoustic.
The Thermals at Red 7.2:15 p.m.: The Thermals! They sound really nice and bouncy. Great interaction between the band members. I would definitely see these guys again!

3:30 p.m.: In line at the Radio Room again—this time for M. Ward. Minneapolis singer-songwriter John Swardson is with me now. Takes about 5 minutes to get in.

3:45 p.m.: $4 Vitamin water!? Oof. Sitting inside and waiting as my back is tired. Camera gear is heavier than you’d think.

A member of Wild Light shows off his "Tapes N' Tapes" and "I [Prince Symbol] Mpls" buttons.3:51 p.m.: Wild Light is on next. Can they be less boring than they were when they opened for Tapes N’ Tapes in Minneapolis? Sadly, no. I want to like them, I really do… but I don’t.

4:15 p.m.: Superdrag running behind (supposed to be on the patio) so Ben Sollee is going to fill in—neat! I have a primo spot for M. Ward though.

M. Ward at Radio Room.4:30 p.m.: M. Ward! Plays “Poison Cup”, which is one of my favorite tracks. His set is very short, but well-played.
M. Ward, "Poison Cup," at the Radio Room, March 18:
5:15 p.m.: Hotel, upload pics, photos… etc.

More to come...  

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