South by Southwest

Multiple Venues

Austin, TX

March 14-18, 2007

South by Southwest (SxSW), a four-day celebration and exhibition of independent music held each year in Austin, Texas, gives music lovers a chance to see a virtual army of new artists, as well as catch some hot acts that may not tour nationally otherwise. Split between (usually free) day parties sponsored by different labels and media companies and night showcases mostly concentrated along the 6th Street District, the extravaganza offers entertainment around the clock.

This year was no different, as the streets were filled with lines of people trying to cram into venues and music blared from every corner of the city. Southeast Performer hit the town to sample some Southeast-based bands at Austin’s musical marathon.

Wed. March 14: The Explorers Club at Sonny’s Vintage Offbeat Goods

Hailing from Charleston, South Carolina, these modern day Beach Boys barely fit on the stage at Sonny’s Vintage Offbeat Goods, where they played among trendy clothing and antique microphones. The group’s six members created delightful pop so jam-packed with harmonies that at times the four standing guitarists sounded like a barbershop quartet.

The lead vocals of each song were juggled back and forth among guitarists Jason Brewer, Jim Faust, Dave Ellis and bassist Wally Reddington, with beats being laid down by the two seated red-heads of the group, drummer Neil Thomas and keyboardist Stefan Roganmoser. Ellis displayed his musical mastery by playing 12-string guitar, accordion, electric mandolin, tambourine, bongos and bells during their short set, while Faust added a little flavor of slide guitar during one song. The Explorers Club paid homage to the Sonny Pop Festival with their rendition of Chuck Berry’s “Johnny B. Goode,” in which they changed “Johnny” to “Sonny.”

Thur. March 15: Dark Meat at Flamingo Cantina

While fans lined up around the block for the doors to open for the Team Clermont/Under the Radar day party at Flamingo Cantina, the 15 members of Athens, Georgia’s Dark Meat made their grand entrance by marching down the street, playing and throwing beads. The supergroup featured five wind instruments, three drummers, three guitarists, one violinist and a section of three female vocalists. The band was dressed in differing attire, with most of the group wearing old marching band jackets.

The singing line-up looked like American Apparel models, with a few of them wearing dresses or dashikis, and all the members were marked with war paint streaks on their faces. With so many people in the band, it’s hard not to compare them to The Polyphonic Spree, but if they had to duke it out, despite having fewer members, Dark Meat would probably be the victor because they’re younger and feistier, and their music is heavier and absent of that church-choir sound.

Thur. March 15: The Moaners and Los Straightjackets at The Continental Club

Opening for Los Straightjackets were Chapel Hill, North Carolina’s female duo The Moaners. Melissa Swingle showcased her sultry vocals and played muddy guitar with a dependence on her slide as her fingers paralleled the inflections in her voice, making a low and heavy sound with sharp plucks throughout. She injected a blues tone with the addition of harmonica on some songs. Laura King made crisp and rhythmic beats on her red, white and blue drum kit. The stripped-down simplicity of the duo let each of these grunge queens’ instruments stand out.

Although they wear Mexican wrestler masks and only speak in Spanish, Los Straightjackets are actually from Nashville, Tennessee and headlined the Yep Roc Records showcase at the Continental Club. They stick to a strict diet of instrumental surf guitar and pseudonyms like guitarists Daddy-O Grande and Eddie Angel, bassist Pedro Del Mar and their newest member, drummer Teen Beat. They were joined on several songs by labelmate Big Sandy of California’s Big Sandy and His Fly-Rite Boys. This Hispanic Big Bopper sang a bunch of Top 40 oldies in Spanish that are featured on Los Straightjackets’ latest album, Rock En Espanol, Vol. 1, including the song “De Dia y De Noche” (The Kinks’ “All Day and All of the Night”).

Fri. March 16: The Hiss at Jaime’s Spanish Village

Atlanta, Georgia five-piece The Hiss played the Vanilla Envelope Records day party at Jaime’s Spanish Village. Lead singer Adrian Barrera wailed with Southern soul over the rock jam created by guitarist Ian Franco, drummer Todd Galpin, keyboardist Milton Chapman and bassist George Reese, the newest member of the band. Located behind the drums on an elevated porch, Chapman went almost unnoticed until his organ beats kicked, like a conductor over the band.

His tall stature and muttonchops came to the front of the small outdoor stage on the group’s final song, as he took the guitar from Barrera, allowing the singer to focus his charisma on working the crowd. The Hiss blended Southern rock, blues and psychedelic pop to make a rhythmic and catchy arrangement that was welcomed by hand claps and tambourine slaps.

-Review & photos by Alex Adan