Features | Festivals
SXSW 2007 -- Day Two: Tour Diary
By Craig Eley | 4 February 2008
Like yesterday, this morning started with getting up late, stumbling into the shower, and making it down to the lobby long after breakfast had stopped being served. Unlike yesterday, we finagled our way into a surreal taxi called "The Land Yacht," which was tricked out with TVs, black lights, a booming sound system, and a touch screen display that let us pick some music videos. Nothing beats Austin gridlock like pumping Madonna's "Express Yourself” and MIA's "Galang." But anything resembling pop music would end there -- this, after all, was the Day of Metal. Well, it wasn't really a whole day of metal, but it certainly started that way. The theme of the afternoon was melt: the music and the sun at Stubb's were set to blistering.
Boris took the stage around 2, exciting the crowd with dramatic gong blasts and wicked guitar work. With nothing to do but sweat, drink, and thank god that we remembered the ear plugs, Dre and I smiled and relished in the sonic abuse. The guitar work here is truly unreal live, though the real entertainer in the band is the drummer. He excites the crowd, bangs the gong, and wears a headset mic only for occasionally shouting "WOO!" He also taught me that metal drummers wear gloves. Well, at least the three I saw today: him, and the two drummers from the Melvins. Yes, the legendary Melvins have been using a beefed up rhythm section since their last record, and these two dudes beat in time, in a kind of percussive performance that was both amazing to hear and cool to watch.
The only shade of the afternoon was provided by the large roof protruding from over the stage, which was emblazoned with the logo for Scion cars. I only mention it here to say that everything here is sponsored and covered in logos, something that SXSW veterans seem to take for granted at this point. Still, from our newbie perspective, the notion that SXSW has gone "corporate" rings true. There's a goddamn Yaris parked in front of every show. I've come to hate the Yaris. Take that, Toyota.
Anyway, next we took a cab (not a Yaris) out to the Schuba's party at the Yard Dog Art Gallery, which featured a small tent, a good-sized crowd, and free beer. After our morning o' metal it was nice to relax in the shade of the tent and listen to the pop stylings of Bishop Allen, now touring as a six-piece. We talked and drank and walked around this new area, worlds away from downtown's styling and atmosphere. It had a backyard feel to it, and even though we missed some of the bigger acts that afternoon (Cold War Kids, Midlake), we did catch a few songs by metal act the Russian Circles before heading back downtown.
After a long dinner at the Iron Cactus, Andre and I headed over to Buffalo Billiards to see the Barsuk showcase. Badgeless, we paid our way through the door, yet another in the long line of ways the non-corporate participants are marginalized. I'm certainly not complaining -- the free shows and the atmosphere during the day are amazing. But sometimes it's like class warfare: we got into the show, paid our way, and they still wouldn't give us the free Menomena t-shirt. The rich just keep getting richer...
Anyway, Aqueduct was lame and Menomena was awesome, and we also found Dan Maloney of the Death Ships, who had just finished a show across the street. It was the perfect end to an exhausting day -- just some Iowa City kids hanging around a show, like we always do.
Boris took the stage around 2, exciting the crowd with dramatic gong blasts and wicked guitar work. With nothing to do but sweat, drink, and thank god that we remembered the ear plugs, Dre and I smiled and relished in the sonic abuse. The guitar work here is truly unreal live, though the real entertainer in the band is the drummer. He excites the crowd, bangs the gong, and wears a headset mic only for occasionally shouting "WOO!" He also taught me that metal drummers wear gloves. Well, at least the three I saw today: him, and the two drummers from the Melvins. Yes, the legendary Melvins have been using a beefed up rhythm section since their last record, and these two dudes beat in time, in a kind of percussive performance that was both amazing to hear and cool to watch.
The only shade of the afternoon was provided by the large roof protruding from over the stage, which was emblazoned with the logo for Scion cars. I only mention it here to say that everything here is sponsored and covered in logos, something that SXSW veterans seem to take for granted at this point. Still, from our newbie perspective, the notion that SXSW has gone "corporate" rings true. There's a goddamn Yaris parked in front of every show. I've come to hate the Yaris. Take that, Toyota.
Anyway, next we took a cab (not a Yaris) out to the Schuba's party at the Yard Dog Art Gallery, which featured a small tent, a good-sized crowd, and free beer. After our morning o' metal it was nice to relax in the shade of the tent and listen to the pop stylings of Bishop Allen, now touring as a six-piece. We talked and drank and walked around this new area, worlds away from downtown's styling and atmosphere. It had a backyard feel to it, and even though we missed some of the bigger acts that afternoon (Cold War Kids, Midlake), we did catch a few songs by metal act the Russian Circles before heading back downtown.
After a long dinner at the Iron Cactus, Andre and I headed over to Buffalo Billiards to see the Barsuk showcase. Badgeless, we paid our way through the door, yet another in the long line of ways the non-corporate participants are marginalized. I'm certainly not complaining -- the free shows and the atmosphere during the day are amazing. But sometimes it's like class warfare: we got into the show, paid our way, and they still wouldn't give us the free Menomena t-shirt. The rich just keep getting richer...
Anyway, Aqueduct was lame and Menomena was awesome, and we also found Dan Maloney of the Death Ships, who had just finished a show across the street. It was the perfect end to an exhausting day -- just some Iowa City kids hanging around a show, like we always do.