For one week each March, Austin, home of whole foods and two-tiered fixed-gear bicycles--becomes a land of music in the streets. This year's South By Southwest, a music festival hosted annually by the city of Austin, brings a plethora of indie musicians--from those panhandling to get their way back to their hometowns jamming in the streets, to international acts rocking thousands-deep crowds flown in for the very occasion--into local bars and venues. Unlike other festivals, where different genres are assigned to different stages, this festival descents upon the city like a technicolor fog, where adjacent bars and the streets are dotted with different styles and colors, genres and sounds.
Thanks to the efforts of my hosts, Brandon & Ryota, Houston homies Jane and John, Amaris 'getting free shit is my day job' Modesto, Sabel Boo & Modi of DC to BC fame, I suddenly found myself with warm shelter, preservative-free food, all-access bracelets and Good Wood chains--here is a sample of what it looked, and sounded like--for the full set, check out my
The Mighty Mighty Mos Def @ Redbull Thre3Style
She's fiercer than that in real life, actually.
Formed in London, English DJ duo Radioclit & Malawi born singer Esau Mwamwya are
South African singer, Molaudi Lauds, joined them on their innagural US Tour
RA the MC made it out after a twenty-odd hour trip from DC to bless the stage with Pro'Verb with the single "Lost Ones", and break up the monotony of testosterone infused club bangers
Freeway makes a guest appearance, stepping out from underneath
of a hoodieand eagles cap, to spit a bar or two
Modi flaunts a Good Wood piece; Deemehlow opts for the people's eyebrow
Where 15 passenger vans become ampitheatres--
Justin Bailey is one of many who take it to the street
Dam Funk breaks out the key-tar and vocoder,
putting autotune quietly to bed @ Fader Fort
The Coup's MC-in-chief, Boots Riley and the Street Sweeper Social Club
perhaps, the nicer side of the malucamala
bright idea
Perhaps the most bizzare-surreal act I witnessed at the festival, NY-bred slowcore electronic-rap group, Salem--sounds like weezy's most codeined out moments played backwards
An illuminating read about their music, as told by John Holland, the messy lookin dude on the mic, can be found here
Jasmin Solano performs with MC Eyeris
Another MC, and b-boy Mazzie uprocks between sets @ the Mz Metro Showcase
Animal Farm @ Mz. Metro Showcase
if anybody knows who this guy is, let me know--i'll keep an eye out in Harlem
Team Facelift @ Mz. Metro Showcase
sigh....at least pictures last forever
So who's goin next year?
1 comments:
meeee!!!
Post a Comment