SXSW Day One and 1/2

Hello All From Austin!

This is day two of SXSW and we're in the KUT studios right now with David Dye broadcasting and I just ran in to Steve Earle who says "Say hello to all the XPN listeners for me."

But before I get in to today, lets talk about some of the cool stuff I saw last night...

As day one (Wed) of SXSW came to an end it's really just the start of music madness here, attempting to see many of the 2 and 1/2 million bands playing. As we checked off our dance cards all in all, it was a great start to this year festivities.

The night started early with an 8PM show by Future Clouds and Radar in which leadman/songwriter/guitarist Robert Harrison channeled John Lennon and Robyn Hitchcock and exploded in to some highly flammable cosmic space rock jams. Nice. Sort of like the Polyphonic Spree meets the Chicago Transit Authority via the cosmos.
Quicksilver - Future Clouds and Radar
Drugstore Bust - Future Clouds and Radar

New York's White Rabbits were a pleasant, entertaining suprise - not having seen them before - their two drummers/two guitars/keyboard and bass set up really took off impressing even some of the most hardest to impress A&R weasels in attendance. This is a band that really seemed to be enjoying themselves up on stage, changing instruments, banging on drums, dancing around. Great show by some serious up and comers -
Kid On My Shoulders - White Rabbits

There was just enough time to see a couple songs from Beirut at Emo's
Postcards From Italy - Beirut

Over at the Merge Records showcase at Antone's their most recent signing Oakley Hall came off like equal parts Velvet Underground and Fairport Convention

Living In Sin In The USA
Lazy Susan - Oakley Hall

...and hometown faves Spoon (always awesome) ended the Merge evening on a solid note.

Right before we took in one of Philly's finest, we caught a little DJ action with the awesome Car Stereo (Wars) for some beats. Check out their SXSW mixtape preview
Car Stereo Wars - Ghostland Observatory (careful, this shit is hot)

And finally...before rolling back down 6th Street....Philly's very own Illinois had the crowd at the Beauty Bar eating out of their palms as they kicked off the Ace Fu Night.

Screendoor - Illinois

I'll report back tomorrow on tonight's festivities so enjoy the broadcast from KUT with David and tonight with Jim McGuinn from The Levi's/Fader House. Jim will have a special guest on and I'll only say he's a member of Spoon!