south by southwest was a lifetime ago, but here is a post about it today

It's not-so-affectionately nicknamed South by South Stress for a reason, but everything has been so crazy in my own life lately that SXSW was easy breezy in comparison this year.  Of course, I don't recommend manufacturing a personal crisis just for the sake of enjoying a music festival, but you know, do what you gotta do...

hey friends hey

I missed seeing every band I actually have an emotional connection to who played shows that week, but SXSW isn't really the greatest place for music you care about, anyway.  What it is great for is sampling a bunch of acts you wouldn't necessarily pay to see, free alcohol, and coaxing out-of-town friends to come for a visit...all of which, god willing, manages to ease the pain of the absolute worst in corporate sponsorship if you dare venture to 6th Street (not recommended, not even for the Free Vodka Trolley.)

 

Bleached

Jennifer and Jessica Clavlin make me hate my sister/BFF for never forming a punk band with me like I begged her to so many times.  Prior to forming Bleached, they were part of the notorious group of rabble-rousers Mika Miko until the band split and Jennifer played with Cold Cave for a bit. I loved their set and very much wanted to be up there with them in matching maroon ankle boots, but I guess I'll wait for the formal invitation to join the band first... 

Best Coast

I'm pretty sure I come across as super sarcastic on the internet (and in person, but to a lesser extent) because people don't understand that I'm genuinely a superfan of hype and enthusiasm. I love seeing people really into something, which was my main objective sticking around to see Best Coast after Bleached and Spectrals, and I was not disappointed!  I mean, I do like Best Coast just fine and I've seen them twice before and had a great time, actually, but I'm not going to pretend there aren't tons of other bands that came out around the same time (or earlier) and did pretty much the same thing as Best Coast (sometimes better) with a fraction of the media coverage. For whatever reason, people are really into this band in particular, though. And I'm not immune - I totally watched Bethany lookin' cute in her Rachel Antonoff romper and hanging out with Wavves' Nathan Williams out of the corner of my eye prior to their set like the creeper I am.  But when Best Coast took the stage (Bethany had changed into her new line for Urban Outfitters, of course), my eyes were mostly focused on the front row, full of well-dressed girls eagerly singing along about boys and the sun and boys.  And you know what? Their happiness made me happy.

I also saw Blouse (dreamy as I imagined!), Dive (favorite SXSW discovery this year), Craft Spells (dude who had drawn flowers on his mint-green guitar was my favorite), and others that I can't remember now.  But like I said, as many bands as you actually see during any music festival (this one in particular), there are gonna be a million more that you miss even if you wanted to see them more. 

Hangin' out with these girls really was the best of the best of South by Southwest, which is why I look so smug here.  Magdalena & Caroline, please come back!