SXSW on the Cheap: Day One

Yarddog is known as the gallery that hosts the free Bloodshot Records party each year and SXSW 2003 is no exception, as the showcase goes down tomorrow. But today Yarddog hosted a free show sponsored by Schuba’s Tavern out of Chicago. Not sure how this came about, but it was a great afternoon of music. First up was Phillip Roebuck. Phillip was equipped with a bass drum and tambourines strapped to his back and played a banjo. It was almost like Jesco meets a hip-hop sounding marching band. He would get these fat beats going with the drum and then just go off on the banjo. My favorite number was the one where he sang about wanting to be a mole so he could take down a mountain. The crowd was very enthusiastic and gave him deserved props. Next up was The Velvet Teen. I had never heard anything from them and though I remember bobbing around and enjoying their set, I really don’t remember much worth mentioning. They seem like a perfectly swell indie rock band. Following The Velvet Teen was The Boas. Or maybe it’s just “Boas.” Sort of like Rachel’s rather than The Rachel’s. Here are some things I remember: singer was wearing an ash gray t-shirt and had major arm pit sweat, slide guitar, the bassist shirt said “I Ate Steak,” two pairs of khaki-colored corduroys, psychadelic, Mercury Revish song, extremely shaggy band. After they played we tried to go see Songs:Ohia at Tower but the show was moved to Friday. Either that or I got the date wrong. I think I got the date wrong and the venue wrong. Back to Yarddog for a closing set (at least for us) by New York’s French Kicks. This is a band I’ve been wanting to see for a while and had high expectations. Some of their songs had a melodic jangliness to them, reminiscent of Spoon. Others were more angular and disjointed. When you can’t think of how to describe a band’s sound, say it’s “angular and disjointed.” My favorite moments were when the He-Man drummer would be just pounding away and the rest of the members were singing over top of each other and sort of on again, off again harmonies. I’m told that the lead singer is very hot (pictured above). A few of the guys had on blue Oxford button-downs and I pictured them as the dorm cool kids at some Eastern Seaboard elite college. French Kicks, or maybe more appropriately, the Freedom Kicks, delivered the goods. Oui. I really enjoy matinee shows and there is something nice about seeing all the SXSW hipsters out in the hot afternoon sun. Everyone seemed to be enjoying themselves and Yarddog’s backyard provided a laid-back, pleasant environment. Another free event tomorrow afternoon. Pinback, Death Cab for Cutie, Quasi, and Britt Daniels from Spoon at Emo’s. I think the show begins at noon.

March 14th, 2003