New Bands At SXSW – Friday

Austin – By the time day three hits bands and fans are fighting to keep their energy up.  Opting for less beer and more coffee certainly helps.  Luckily there were plenty of exciting showcases to catch.

The Fader Fort always boasts an exciting line up and this year was no exception.  Fans wait in line for hours to catch the most promising new acts while drinking free booze.  The set up always stuns and this year included a large fake grassy knoll for fans to sit and even a small fake beach complete with lawn chairs.  Even arriving at 2 pm (relatively early for SXSW time), the party was packed.  I was excited to see The Happy Jawbone Family Band (above), a Mexican summer artist.  The five-piece, hailing from Brattleboro, VT and fronted by Luke Csehak, makes jangly indie folk fun again.  The band name may throw you off, this is not a Disney band of dancing bears, this is a band with much depth and sophistication to their music.  Mexican Summer describes the music as taking the listeners on their own journey and in fact it is perfect to listen to should you find yourself journeying.  The band felt a bit out of place at the Fader Fort, commenting they were nervous to fill the large venue—especially one that, in previous years, has catered more to hip hop.  Though some fans were there to see the latest buzz band, Happy Jawbone was very appropriate to the venue.  They may just stick around longer than some of the others. 

As evening set in, I was ready to catch some hip-hop.  Lil Debbie, the white female rapper, has been gaining momentum on her own since splitting with Kreayshawn’s rap crew.  Hailing from Oakland, she’s a known bad ass who may be small, but I certainly wouldn’t want to find myself on her bad side.  Her stage show includes a twerker who can shake it better than Miley’s entourage.  Hip-hop showcases looking to feature many artists happen quickly and Lil Debbie was no exception, performing only three songs.  It took some warming up but the crowd went wild for her most popular song “Ratchets.”  Debbie creates the type of hip-hop you want to blast from your car with the windows down just because it’s funny.  She kept The North Door alive and vibing. 

Following Lil Debbie, I went on to one of the most anticipated showcases.  Solange Knowles hosted a night at Cheer Up Charlie’s, showcasing artists from her record label, Saint Heron.  The night included Iman Omari, BC Kingdom, Kelela, Petite Noir, and even a performance from Tweet of “Oops (Oh My)” fame.  The bar was decorated magically with festive colored lights and piñatas hanging from the ceiling.  Ms. Knowles went out of her way to ensure this showcase was an experience.  No details were overlooked, from the décor to the music between sets.  She also made it a family affair (no Beyoncé didn’t show up), making us feel like we were each part of her party.  The night began with R&B singer Iman Omari who has a soulful sound.  Petite Noir followed with a dark indie sound.  Singer Yannick Illuna of South Africa leads the group.  Electronics mixed with his soulful voice create a haunting and unique sound.  BC Kingdom played the indoor stage and I’m glad they did.  It created an even more intimate setting for this duo out of Los Angeles.  Their R&B sound, like all the artists on the Saint Heron roster, is incredibly unique with dark undertones.  Knowles has managed to find artists that fit in to the new R&B mode singers like Frank Ocean have set.  Fans were most excited to see burgeoning artist Kelela, whose voice took over the outdoor stage.  It was impossible to take your eyes off the songstress as she sang sweetly over panging electronics.  Knowles has found her niche in the music industry, giving uniquely talented artists a voice in the industry. 

Another showcase I looked forward to attending was Mexican Summer.  The showcase featured new artists from their roster including Quilts, No Joy, and The Fresh & OnlysConnan Mockasin was an artist I knew I had to see this SXSW.  His music is for making love, in fact he has songs on his latest album, “Caramel” called “It’s Your Body 1-5.”  So what did he do during the performance?  He brought out that vibe in his stage show.  He walked to the center of the crowd, continuing to play his guitar.  He kneeled, removing his shirt and tying it around his head.  When I turned back toward the stage, I realized the entire band had also removed their shirts and were grooving to the music.  Suddenly, people were being pulled from the audience and removing their own shirts, dancing around together.  It felt like a giant love fest in a semi-non-creepy way.  

 

Ilyse Kaplan

Ilyse Kaplan

Growing up in Boston, MA, Ilyse Kaplan was an avid music fan so she followed her passion to Los Angeles.Unable to decide whether to be Penny Lane or William from "Almost Famous," she combined their best assets--William's writing skills and Penny's fashion--and joined her guitarist boyfriend Southwest.Though missing her old haunts like The Echo and The Satellite, she has warmly embraced the Austin music community and looks forward to sharing the hidden gems she comes across wandering aimlessly down east 6th st.Her record collection holds no boundaries from 60's Yeh Yeh girls like Francoise Hardy to her imaginary hip hop boyfriend, Drake.From the kings of morose, The Smiths, to the reigning queen, Taylor Swift.Having written for publications such as Variety, LADYGUNN, and Filter in the past, she looks forward to reporting Austin's Best New Bands live from the scene.
Ilyse Kaplan

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