Just months after the untimely demise of Big Star frontman Alex Chilton comes another loss from this most influential band. Original Big Star bassist Andy Hummel died yesterday at age 59 after a two-year bout with cancer.
At SXSW this year, Big Star was being "feted" if you will, and Big Star was to perform the last night (Saturday). Of course, with Chilton's death on the first day of the conference, the performance became a tribute. Hummel both spoke about his experience in Big Star at the panel, "I Never Travel Far Without a Little Big Star"...
...and performed at the tribute later that day. The man still had some mad chops.
(See the rest of the photos from the tribute here)
In his years after Big Star, Hummel worked at Lockheed Martin and resided in Weatherford, TX. The Dallas Observer did a nice piece on him last year here.
Superchunk doesn't tour as much as it used to but it seems their incredible 2010 SXSW performances may have roused the band's touring jones. While it's not a full on tour, they have announced four upcoming dates, including one at the CAT'S CRADLE in Chapel Hill, NC. Given that Superchunk is from there, let's just say that a) you should look at getting tickets right this second because it will sell out in minutes and b) wear something really lightweight because the Cradle will be packed to the gills.
They're also playing a festival in Omaha, NB which sounds worth the trip as additional acts performing include Old 97s, Spoon and The Faint, with more to come. Superchunk did a couple of newsongs at SX, let's hope these aren't the only dates to come forth...
Superchunk Summer Tour Dates May 21: Cat's Cradle, Carrboro, NC May 27-29: Primavera Festival, Barcelona, Spain June 19: Westword Festival, Denver, CO (with Dirty Projectors, Neon Indian, and others) July 24: Maha Music Festival, Omaha, NB
I'm super sorts of slammed with a day-job deadline today, but wanted to share this mighty cool video interview that the Village Voice did with Superchunk's Mac and Laura after Superchunk's awesome Village Voice SXSW day party set.
I love attending SXSW-Music every year. Like a four-day summer camp, you get to catch up with people you only see once a year, stay up late, and learn new skills; at SX, that's usually geography (finding your way around downtown Austin), race-walking (getting from one venue to another on foot in the least amount of time), and the art of balance (writing legibly in a notebook, while holding a camera AND a beer). Unfortunately for me, the subtitle to this this SX was, "If It Can Go Wrong, It Will." (My direct flight had issues-not the flight itself, but rather my place on it. Fyi, that "check in online in advance" suggestion for Southwest Airlines is not a suggestion but the way you ensure you have a seat.) So while my travelmates arrived in Austin at 11:30 am, I didn't get there until 4:30 pm, making me effectively miss all of Wednesday's day parties (a primo way you can ensure that you catch all of the bands you hope to see at SX). Because Southwest Airlines reaaally wanted me to see Kansas City and the tarmac of Dallas/Ft. Worth, missing these parties also meant I missed Zeus, Freelance Whales, Cymbals Eat Guitars, and Real Estate, grrr. (However, the upside was that Southwest refunded my flight in full, so, partial win...) As such, I was stressed out when I arrived, but all of that fell away the moment I walked outside. DC had been cold and rainy and gross when I left, so taking in that gorgeous Austin weather was an immediate spirit lifter from the get-go. When I finally started my stroll down E. 6th Street to my first band of the day/night, I let out a deep exhale and shrugged the day's irritants off; "rock and roll spring break" was about to begin!
1.Ivan & Alyosha at St David's Bethel Hall It seems that the easiest way to listen to the 1,000 or so submitted mp3s of bands who are attending SX is as a torrent on an iPod. Not only is it the easiest, but also the fastest and most objective way to make cuts. As the music at SX spans the genres, you do hear a lot of stuff that makes you go "meh," so when you come across those gems in the midst that still have you listening beyond the 30-second mark, you know you have a keeper. And that is exactly what Ivan & Aloysha's "Easy to Love" did, as well as warming my ears and filling my heart.
The lead singer has a voice that put me in mind of Jeff Buckley, ethereal, yet powerful, and filled with emotion. Theirs is a swelling and soaring type of indie rock poetry set to music, with lovely harmonies, and singed with singer-songwriter lyrics.
But, also like Buckley's band, Ivan & Aloysha does rock in a touch-harder key just as well. Based out of Seattle, I truly hope they make the trek east at some point.
Sometimes the submitted mp3 is the best track a band has, with the rest more "filler." But live, Ivan & Aloysha, I'm happy to say, is full of aural amazements. Give a Listen:Easy to Love-Ivan & Alyosha/Buy The Verse, The Chorus
I've tried to see The Walkmen live about three times now, and each time, for one reason or another, I've been unsuccessful. (They originate from DC, so I had to show some love.) When I saw they were playing SX this year, I was determined to finally make it happen between me and them. So I ran over to Stubbs, which was, as usual, packed. I thought it odd when an employee told me the photo pit was "upstairs;" turns out she'd sent me to the VIP balcony instead (God, how I love SXSW).
The Walkmen were energetic as a whole, their sound reaching the far back of the circle that is Stubbs' outside area. The lead singer was prone to leaning mighty far back to belt out notes, and oftentimes, I wondered if he might fall over.
And then they brought out a group of horns. I'm a girl who loves herself some horns so The Walkmen's graceful swaying sound paired with horns? Grand, just grand!
And then I received the text telling me Alex Chilton had just died. The highlight of this year's SXSW, and something many of us were looking forward to, was to recognize and celebrate the pop beauty and contribution to such that was Chilton's band Big Star, complete with a full reunion show to close out SX on Saturday. And Chilton was only 59. So sad...
3.Broadway Calls at Headhunters During SX, I've noticed band venues are often in the last place you'd expect: pizza places, Mexican restaurants, art galleries...or, as was the case of Headhunters, a two-story walk-in closet that came with a bar. Ok, not really, but I've honestly never been in a place so small. And Broadway Calls has a sound so big it could blow the doors off a huge venue, so believe me when I say that between the band's sound, and the massive swarm of kids amped up and moshing on the floor that they shared with the band, the sliding wood door to the place almost came off its hinges. How instruments and band members didn't get knocked over in the process is surprising because when I say they shared the floor, I mean, literally just that: that was no stage, no platform.
But the band seemed perfectly happy being part of the melee, clearly enjoying the chaos that their powerful punk pop invoked.
Me, toting my Nikon, I was glad to be engaged in it all from the safety of the staircase. But just being in the room allowed you to experience what a joyful and exciting noise it was, the perfect antidote to the sad news of Chilton's passing. Broadway Calls takes three chords to make some great fist-pumping pop punk, complete with sing-along choruses. Green Day, Broadway may be calling you to its Great White Way, but don't be surprised if Broadways Calls takes over the reigning punk sneer while you're gone.
4.Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings at Stubbs The Stubbs venue typically has the most popular acts during SX so the line to get in is typically long. But for Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings the line wasn't just long, it was loooong (and for a comparison, it wasn't like that for The Walkmen-sorry guys). It seems soul may be taking (back) over because I'm sure every SX attendee was at, or trying to get into, Stubbs for her set. I definitely think every single photographer was, given the supreme jam-packedness of the photo pit.
This makes the second time I've seen Jones and the Dap-Kings, and it's such a great experience, they are so utterly bad-ass live. Jones seems to be almost single-handedly exposing a whole new generation to that wonderfully big, deep, and raw sound that was Stax and Muscle Shoals.
The Dap-Kings just kind of hung back and let Jones lead the charge (I love the lead-in by the band, playing for a few minutes, then introducing Jones, like they used to with James Brown. No cape, though she did sport a dress that would have made Tina Turner and Grace Kelly jealous). And though Jones may front the band, it's never just her in the proverbial spotlight. The bass and horns play off her voice as her soulful and emotive timber weaves around them, and both sides connect in a way that only experienced musicians and long time band mates can achieve.
While Sharon Jones may have been 20 years older than the average person in the Stubbs crowd, she definitively proves that age is nothing but a number, and some things, like grace, style, and good music, are timeless and only improve over time.
5.Findlay Brown at Galaxy Room I'd heard a bit of the Brit, Findlay Brown, and his slightly-twangy and smooth "Wall of Sound"-esque style, and live, he holds up.
But only getting 90 minutes of sleep the night before, I was starting to falter a bit. Yes Mr. Brown, everybody does needs love, but what I really needed about then was a more driving sound to keep myself standing vertical, so I had to go. However, I will be sure to see you the next time you're through DC. PS: Love the Elvis 'do, btw...
The Parish is one of the bigger venues at SX and this year, it housed the Scotland Showcase. One thing I love about seeing Scottish/English/Irish bands playing in the States is how excited and supportive their country's ex-pat brethern get during a show. Maybe it's because it's a little bit of home or something, but whatever the reason, their enthusiasm is always so darn infectious. This was the definitely the case for the latest indie darlings, We Were Promised Jetpacks.
The Jetpacks' music is quick and pulsating, and the crowd's reaction made their playing sharper (or so it seemed). Many of their tracks put me in mind of Boy-era U2 in terms of drums and thick guitar sequences.
And it was good-for a few songs. But after a while I noticed a definitive pattern and honestly, it began to sound like the same song again and again. But you couldn't knock the crowd's excitement; it was probably the most psyched-up group I saw all SX.
I've been listening to the blue-eyed soul of Fitz & the Tantrums since December when I got the info that they were opening for Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings on New Year's Eve here in DC. I loved what I heard, so when I saw they were on the SX schedule, they were marked as a definite must-see. The Stax label, including its house band Booker T & the MGs, was heavily influenced by the British version of "blue eyed soul" or "white soul," so whomever did the pairing of Jones and Fitz together was genius.
The Tantrums definitely give the Dap-Kings a run for their money style-wise, as well, being one of the better dressed bands I saw while in Austin. More on the pop side of soul, as opposed to Jones and the Dap-Kings' R&B side, if the Tantrums can rock a tent this well, I'd love to see what they do in a true nightclub. Many of the songs have these incredibly-hooky choruses that you'll find yourself mindlessly humming days later (and I was).
Though it did start 15 minutes late, I was pleased to see that their live show definitely holds up to the recorded version. Both Fitz and the female backup singer, who did not stop moving the entire time, have pretty incredible voices you just have to hear. You want energy? You want to dance? You want joy? Do not miss Fitz & the Tantrums. They were one of the most enjoyable acts I saw over my four days in Austin, definitely falling within my top 5.
My 1am hour was supposed to be with Surfer Blood. But their venue was an uber bad choice for a latest "It" band (the second floor of a bar, the access to which was to the left of the band playing and its crowd on the first floor. "Clusterfuck" only slightly describes it correctly). So I joined one of my travelmates for a band from Spain, The Right Ons, and boy, was I glad I did.
What was most apparent to me about this band from Spain who played American rock and roll, in English, was that they didn't do it halfway. Even at 1am on a Wednesday (well Thursday actually), they were playing like their lives depended on it. A little bit of garage punk merged with a heavy dose of soul, The Right Ons are like Wayne Kramer got a mohawk and started playing with Sly and the Family Stone at school in Spain. No way I could fall asleep on my feet with this band.
It was so cool to see this band wind up a crowd to the point where every person in the place was dancing. Did I mention it was 1am on a Wednesday (ok, Thursday)? If they can achieve that in such a setting, imagine what a regular venue setting would be like? Moral of the story-a) catch The Right Ons if they're playing the States, b) rest up, and c) bring your dancing shoes. At the very least, let yourself pogo. And don't be surprised if the lead singer jumps into the crowd and pogos right along with you.
Thanks to technical difficulties with my camera, Macbook, and a new portable external hard drive all being friends so I could clear off my camera, I missed one of the main bands I'd looked forward to seeing while at SXSW, Foxy Shazam. (To the Best Buy-Columbia Heights employee who sold me the external hard-drive and assured me it was Mac-compatible, you, my friend, deserve a serious junkpunch.)
One part Queen, one part Slade, one part Cirque du Soleil, a dash of Arcade Fire, and maybe a little Rush (Shazam lead singer Eric Nally sounds oddly like Getty Lee to me), the Shazam opened the SPIN Day Party at Stubbs on Friday and from all accounts, their set was one of the best of SXSW. Nally's stage moves were jaw-dropping, and included a penchant for climbing about like Spider Man and acrobatic leaps atop his bandmates, much like in the video below.
Seems they wrote one of the songs on their forthcoming self-titled debut full length, out April 13, to be a "sports anthem" ("Unstoppable," which was used in a commercial during this year's Super Bowl). A little odd? Yup. But I dunno, I think odd, when it's creative, can be pretty exciting; at least it's not boring. The best part is that the Shazam doesn't seem to just rely on stage dramatics; if it were just all that and bombastic superego (they do proclaim themselves the "Michael Jordan of Rock n Roll"), I'd call bullshit for sure. But from what I've heard, the music backs them up. Now if they'd just bring the live show to DC!
I came across this bio written by Nally. It seems to explain a lot (including the band name).
About Foxy Shazam:
Hello, my name is Eric Nally and I am the singer and founding member of this rabble-rousing pack of f***s they call Foxy Shazam. Our other five members are (in alphabetical order): Daisy (bass) Aaron McVeigh (drums), Alex Nauth (horns) Loren Turner (guitar) and Sky White (piano). I love them but before I get into their story, I would like to spend a little time on myself: I am twenty-four years old, the father of two boys, Julian Michael and Francis Jordan, as well as a loving husband to Karen Nally. This creates an interesting contrast to my career as a professional musician.
I grew up in Cincinnati, Ohio, and was one of two white boys in an all-black high school. The band name Foxy Shazam came from a saying in my school meaning, "cool shoes." If you had cool shoes kids would say those are "foxy shazam." Because of this we have a lot of soul, and try to let it bleed through our music as much as possible. Mom and Dad were pretty poor as I was growing up but always supported my musical interests nonetheless. In the early years they bought my band cheap guitars and amps and drove us to shows in the family Thunderbird. I owe them big time and will someday repay them.
Now that you know a little about my history, I would like to talk about my bandmates. Alex, our trumpet player is my right hand man and as a matter of fact he is transcribing this for me right now. Alex is classically trained, has a likable personality and is easy to get along with. We picked him up on the corner of Hollywood and Las Palmas a couple of years into the band's existence and I feel like his horn playing has added to the uniqueness of our sound. I meet a lot of people that think horns are stupid, but he's going to change that.
Loren, our guitar player is a weird guy to get the hang of and he's very quiet. Everyone that meets him gets the impression that he's mad at them but that's not the case, it's just the way his face looks. He loves Dimebag Darrell and I love the influence that gives him in his guitar playing.
Daisy, our bass player has been in the band for about three years. To be honest, I don't know too much about him and I like him like that. That's what makes him Daisy. However, I do know that his contribution to our band is enormous and without him we would not sound the way that we do.
Aaron our drummer is the newest member of the band. The position of Foxy's drummer, until Aaron, has been one that is filled temporarily but never permanently. I would never be caught dead in the clothes he wears but, hey, to each his own. His drum playing is not fancy but it's extremely solid and is exactly what we've been looking for all these years.
Last but not least is Sky White, our pianist who is trained in classical and jazz performance. I remember Loren and I went to a show his old band was playing and the second I saw him stand on his keyboard with a piñata on his head I knew we had to get him in Foxy Shazam. It didn't take too much convincing and a week later we were recording our first album Flamingo Trigger (which came out in 2005) and went on to do Introducing (2008). Our self-titled major label debut is coming out now.
When I listen to a Foxy Shazam record I think of Evel Knievel, Bruce Springsteen, my childhood, Van Morrison, my old friends from high school I don't talk to anymore, Elton John, the '50s, '60s, '70s, '80s, '90s and beyond, Iggy Pop and my first kiss. One of my favorite things to do when listening to my music is to close my eyes and picture a crowd of six million people all chanting "Foxy! Foxy! Foxy!" The lights go out and my band walks on stage. It gives me goose bumps. It all makes sense to me. When you listen to our record, think of your favorite things and it'll make sense to you as well.
Foxy Shazam is not concerned with what category it falls into. We want to stand for our generation.
Lyndsey Parker, a super cool music editor for Yahoo Music, conducted an interesting interview with the Shazam following their bombastic Stubbs performance in Austin.
The legendary Big Star was to be celebrated at SXSW this year with a panel on the band and its influence, as well as a closing set at Antones on Saturday. So it was a mighty big blow felt by everyone attending when news started circulating Wednesday of Alex Chilton's death. What was to be a performance by Big Star became a tribute to Chilton, with various singers slated to "borrow" Chilton's mic.
I've got photos forthcoming of it all, but it was widely agreed upon by all of us who attended that Sondre Lerche's performance of "The Ballad of El Goodo" was definitely one of the evening's highlights. Lerche's serene and moving voice was the right fit and brought the song, and everyone listening, to a whole new level.
The video below is of Big Star/Poisies guitarist Jon Auer rehearsing beforehand...
and of the performance at the tribute. I really wish you all could have been there, video doesn't come close to capturing the beauty of Lerche's sound. It was truly something special.
Hello! I am back and alive (barely thanks to a head cold), but willing to tell the tales. Sorry I wasn't amongst those doing real-time postings...this year was great but also seemed to have the subtitle "SXSW 2010: If something can go wrong, it will." I'm working up the photos right now but some of the highlights off the top of my cold-ridden and exhausted brain (there will be others)..
Loved -Ivan and Alyosha: awful name but wonderful band. Lead singer has a voice like Jeff Buckley but like an octave lower.
-Austin Hartley Leonard: wound up catching him twice, once acoustic with his banjo player, the other with his full band. Both times, awesome. He lives in LA so you kids with a more alt-country jones out there should check him out.
-Glossary: LOVED their sound and their musical timing...they change up tempos and do different types of hooks for sure.
-Street Sweepers Social Club: I haven't liked a rap-centered band since Public Enemy but good Lord was this good. The place was jam packed and the band's sound had everyone glued to the stage. (Although trying to shoot photos with mosh pits happening on either side of you is rough.) Met Tom Morello in the lobby of our hotel-really nice guy.
-Broadway Calls: Punk pop is back with a vengeance and this 3-piece is leading the charge. On same label as Gaslight Anthem so makes sense. Room sucked but the band was explosive.
-Superchunk: Four years in Chapel Hill, NC and I never got to see Superchunk play once (this was went they went into a bit of a hiatus). Eight years later, I can safely tell you: it was utterly magical. And fucking rocked my face off.
-Harlan T Bobo: Discovered this guy via the Memphis version of that "$5 Cover" show. Couldn't stay for the whole set as I had drinking to do with a KROQ DJ at the Hotel Driskill (and a drink, or five, at the Driskill had been on my list of things to do). But he's got this great sound and is quite the storyteller.
Wished I'd Seen: -Surfer Blood: they played like 23 times over the four days and the first night I almost saw them but for bad location (they were put on a rooftop whose entrance was a tiny stairway next to the downstairs stage where another band was playing-quite the bottlenecked clusterfuck). From then on, it was just bad timing and I missed every other performance. (File under "bad timing").
-Cymbals Eat Guitars: file under "bad timing" and "Southwest Airlines is to blame"
Music for me had become a giant megaphone in my heart and ears that connected me to the bigger, more resonate stories that drive and compel us to do the things we do. For better or for worse, for laughter or tears music, real music, never lies to you. -singer/songwriter Matthew Ryan I am a lost soul/I shoot myself with rock & roll/The hole I dig is bottomless/But nothing else can set me free-Guided by Voices
These songs are up for listening purposes only for a short time. If you like what you hear, please go purchase the tracks. Support the artist!
If you’re an artist or label who wants the song taken down, please drop me a note. Smoochas.
Sunrise Always Listens (Or if you are a band, or are with a band...)
If you have some tracks you want me to listen to, email mp3s or streams along electronically here. Mail in the Nation's Capitol is often slooow, thanks to anthrax scares and other assorted nuttiness. Plus, my friends are sick of carrying boxes and boxes of CD's when I move.
