SXSW review: Hotel Vegas and Fire Records put on a great showcase Thursday
There was a light drizzle on Thursday morning as live-music goers began making their way toward their preferred featured venue showcase of the day. Hotel Vegas, in conjunction with the SXSW Fire Records showcase, put on a memorable and dazzling set of performances.
As slow-to-get-moving attendees sparsely stood around the patio venue of the East Sixth live music staple, five musicians in ghillie headwear made their way to the stage. London’s Snapped Ankles would kick off the day of music with uptempo, electronic sounds. Their unique delivery and energetic performance morphed the crowd into a densely-packed unit, making their way to the stage.
Starting with “Rhythm is our Business,” the electronic-jazz–punk five-piece from London literally drew a line in the sand, inviting the audience to the stage, while dancing and engaging with the crowd. This hyped-up the show goers and set the tone for a promising afternoon and evening of live music revels.
Next up was Baba Ali. Also, a London-based musician, with singer-songwriter lyrics, delivered via electronic new wave and R&B-soul instrumentation, put on a performance that further propelled the trajectory of the afternoon. The crowd thickened noticeably as the SXSW Fire Records showcase wore on.
Making their way from Los Angeles, Jerry Paper chilled the crowd with electronic, lounge-soul-funk tunes. Their incorporation of humor made the performance that much more delightful. There’s nothing better than good artists that don’t take themselves too seriously. The levity allows fans to really enjoy the performance.
Jad Fair, the legendary, unconventional rock pioneer, and key member of influential act, Half Japanese, put on a co-performance with the ever innovative, Brooklyn-based, alternative-music talent, Lumberob. This is where the afternoon’s theme shifted a bit further, giving individuals in the audience the notion that the theme of the day may have to do with a lack of predictability.
With a unique, recognizable vocal delivery, the musician from Michigan played an out-of-tune, mini-necked guitar, which broke not long into the set. But as punk-rock as Jad is, he continued to play it, and the band did not miss a beat. Their refreshingly unorthodox style played perfectly with the genre-less act Lumberob, who was largely influenced by Jad and initially developed a looped vocal style of performance long before it was commonplace, right here in Austin.
Now based in Brooklyn, Lumberob has developed rapid-tongued, looping sound and vocal delivery that transcends pretty much anything already being done musically. Fans were blessed with a glimpse of limitless, performative sounds. Smiles of amazement appeared on the faces of astonished audience members.
The transition to Graham Reynolds, the Austin film score composer who pleased the now invested crowd with jazz piano, while a nine-piece orchestral ensemble awaited in que to join in. The jazzy collection was a welcome juxtaposition to the previous acts of the day, fortifying the varietal theme of the party throughout the showcase.
As the line outside Hotel Vegas began to grow, Dreamgirl of Kansas City brought their dream-rock A-game, projecting positive vibes which resonated throughout the now-packed Vegas patio.
Daytime festivities at the Hotel Vegas and Volstead Lounge patio venue came to a close as the Sun set and the clouds cleared. Georgia quartet, Immaterial Possession transported the emphatically-pleased SXSW audience into the evening hours with indistinct, pensive, dreamlike serenades.
All photos: Brian Hillsman
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