 |
 Smokey Robinson, Stone Temple Pilots and Courtney Love are among the artists who are expected at this year's South by Southwest festival. (Reuters File Photos) |
AUSTIN, Texas — Every spring, the music industry’s fancy turns to thoughts of BBQ, bars and bands playing in tents.
Despite the much-heralded economic downturns in the biz, music is alive and well at the 24th annual South by Southwest festival. From Wednesday through Sunday, about 1,800 acts from around the world — including plenty from Canada — will invade this central Texas city of 1.5 million.
Baby bands looking for a big break, buzz bands aiming to become the next big thing and boomer bands trying to rejuvenate their careers; all bring their A game to about 80 venues — bars, coffeehouses, nightclubs, parks, restaurants, amphitheatres, concert halls, churches and even the odd private house.
Big names this year include Courtney Love, whose new lineup of Hole will make their North American debut; Stone Temple Pilots, expected to unveil songs from their first new album in nine years; heavy metal gods Motörhead, whose legendary frontman Lemmy is also the subject of a hilarious new documentary premiering at the concurrent SXSW film festival (see below); Court Yard Hounds, a new group featuring two members of the Dixie Chicks; Kinks founder Ray Davies; pop-rock icons Cheap Trick, playing a free show in a local park; and Smokey Robinson, who will deliver this year’s keynote speech.
With most of the round-the-clock action centred around two club-riddled cross streets that are closed to vehicular traffic during the event, SXSW resembles New Orleans during Mardi Gras — but with more cowboy hats and better tunes.
About 12,000 BlackBerry-toting industry types, media and well-heeled fans take it all in, spending the week mixing and mingling, meeting and greeting, wining and dining, and wheeling and dealing. They’re the financial engine that drives much of SXSW, shelling out up to $750 for an all-access music festival badge, which also includes panel discussions, countless parties, a softball tournament and a trade show.
|
Not surprisingly, the massive blowout also attracts thousands of unaffiliated fans from near and far. Some shell out more than $150 for a wristband that allows second-tier access to events, while increasing numbers take advantage of an avalance of free shows — some sanctioned by SXSW, but most not — staged throughout the week.
For the 14th year in a row, I’m here to cram as much music as I can into my ears (last year’s count: more than 100 bands) and report back. With that in mind, let’s get right to the action.
LEMMY GETS HIS DUE: Most rock stars don’t live up to the hype. Then there’s Lemmy from Motörhead. The 64-year-old singer-bassist is truly a larger-than-life heavy metal icon. And he finally gets his long-overdue due in Lemmy, a rockumentary that had its world premiere Monday at the stately Paramount theatre.
Three years in the making, the film by directors Wes Orshoski & Greg Olliver is a raucous, warts-and-all portrait that follows Lemmy from his cluttered Hollywood apartment (which houses his massive collection of weapons and war memorabilia) to his neighbourhood bar, the Sunset Strip’s Rainbow (where he holds most of the high scores on the trivia machine) and around the globe with the world’s loudest band.
Dozens of fellow rockers chime in with stories — usually involving copious amounts of Jack Daniel’s and methamphetamine, the two main ingredients of Lemmy’s diet. But the best lines come from the man himself.
For instance, at one point his son recalls Lemmy pleading with him not to take drugs — “take speed instead, it’s much better for you,” he says.
Not surprisingly, the film was greeted with concert-level cheering and a standing ovation from the rockin’ crowd — which included the guest of honour, who arrived in a tour bus with his bandmates.
BRAGG SLAGS FOOTBALL ... IN TEXAS!: The official showcases don’t begin until Wednesday night, but English folk-punk Billy Bragg got a jump on the proceedings with a Monday night benefit show for his own Jail Guitar Doors charity (which raises money to buy instruments for inmates) and for the Strummerville Foundation (named for late Clash frontman Joe Strummer).
As is his way, the opinionated singer-guitarist spent about half his set talking, griping about everything from British bankers (who are threatening to leave England if the government denies them their bonuses) to American football (“Sorry lads ... Football is a game you play with your foot,” he cracked as the Yanks good-naturedly booed). Also on the bill were folktronic singer-songwriter Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly., Foo Fighters guitarist Chris Shiflett playing a solo acoustic set, and a handful of up-and-coming British acts.
THE CANADIANS: Canadians always fly the flag at SXSW, and this year is no exception. There are scores of Canucks on the bill — former Hole bassist Melissa Auf der Maur (wonder if she’ll be meeting up with her old boss?); pop-rockers such as Matthew Good and Trews; indie superstars Broken Social Scene; pop-punks Sum 41; hipster outfits like You Say Party! We Say Die!, Plants and Animals and Basia Bulat; up-and-comers like Hollerado; rejuvenated metal gods Voivod; and even former Canadian Idol judge Sass Jordan.
Man, I am so tempted to go to her show and critique; but that would mean having to miss a good show some place else.
ABOUT SXSW
WHEN: Today through Sunday.
WHERE: Austin, Tex.
HISTORY: Founded in 1987, the music festival has expanded nearly every year, and since 1994 overlaps with a film festival and an interactive component.
ATTENDEES: About 12,000 music-industry professionals, media and fans, along with about 1,750 music acts from around the world.
BIG BANDS: Stone Temple Pilots, Ray Davies, Hole, Cheap Trick, Motörhead, Smokey Robinson.
BUZZ BANDS: Broken Bells, The xx, Oh No Ono, Japandroids, The Soft Pack, JJ,
PARTIES: More than you can count, running in more than 80 venues almost around the clock.