Music	SXSW 2008: Day One by Donny Kutzbach

When it comes to the annual SXSW music festival in Austin, Texas, you—or “y’all” as they are prone to say in Texas—can call me a seasoned veteran. Under this belt are five years of making the trek to the weeklong festival where the biggest contingent of musical acts—at this point passing 2,000—converge and play while many of the music industry’s gig-bookers and fortune-makers take notes.

People always ask what the experience is like, to which I respond, “Imagine what might be about lifetime of concerts and live gigs crammed into a week.”

The usual day at SXSW starts off around 10:30am with a good breakfast and a handful of vitamins. The vitamins are usually washed down with beer.

Those serious about working in the music business are supposed to attend industry panels. My panels don’t start until tomorrow, so I will revel with the SXSWers who start hitting the action early at the bevy of free parties.

Wil Sheff of Okkervil River and Roky Erickson

The first stop is at Red River’s esteemed venue Emo’s, for the Forcefield Terrorbird party, to catch a couple of the many bands on my list of must-sees. The Evangelicals, who had recently played Buffalo at Mohawk Place, are on. This is the first band of the week and already potentially one of my new favorites. Flaming Lips meets Television? I’ll go with that. Then feted Brits These New Puritans hit the stage next and it’s clear that someone’s been listening to PiL’s Metal Box as they display a cold, steely postpunk with boom.

Now, time for a quick cab ride to Scoot Inn for Go Entertainment’s party where I see Transfer, a San Diego-base quartet dressed in black, playing well-plotted, muscular rock that’s solid: textured and melodic but also with boogie when they wanna. Local favorites the Brazos showed why their quirkily perfect rock is beloved in the Texas capital.

The main goal of heading to Scott Inn is really Pink Nasty—a/k/a Sara Beck—an Austin-via-Kansas singer/songwriter whose 2006 release Mold the Gold has become one of those records I can’t live without. She plays all new stuff, just her signing and strumming a gorgeous white Strat along with accompanying guitarist. Her fantastic, conversational, confessional pop rock beauties are unmatched. There’s few places I’d rather be than standing in the sun, drinking a cold Tecate in a can and listening.

From there it’s back to Red River to a tented parking lot for IODA’s SXSW kickoff party, where Jason Collett is on stage. I’ve seen this Canucker Broken Social Scenester several times but on this day he is at his very Stonesy best. Sean Hayes follows, and finally the the Wedding Present come on, but the legendary Brit indie outfit turned out to be just David Gedge and a bassist. Sorta disappointing, but still not bad for free.

The day shifts to night and I head across town to Green Mesquite BBQ for a dinner put on by my friends from Toronto’s ATG Concerts. Jeff “JC” Cohen and Craig Laskey not only run two of my favorite venues—Toronto’s Lee’s Palace and the Legendary Horseshoe Tavern—but also gimme the best dinner of the week.

Then the official night shows start and it can’t get better than the first act: Van Morrison.

I slip in after missing a few songs; it’s apparent that all of what he plays is coming from his forthcoming album, Keep It Simple, due on April 1. Still, the animated Morrison is killer: His voice has lost surprisingly little and this band is flawless. It is truly inspiring to see an arena act in the 1,200-capacity La Zona Rosa. Van will likely never play a room this small again. This is a special show.

From there it’s back toward the center of the action at Sixth Street. I bound into in upstairs venue to see the Weather Underground, a young quartet playing big, anthemic but studentish rock. They have energy but didn’t grab me. Okay, but a little pedestrian.

I split fast as I’m tipped to head over a block to Bourbon Rocks where Tee Pee Records are having their showcase. I come in part way through a set by Gothenburg, Sweden’s awesome Graveyard. As J. Mascis looks on in approval and delight, this sleazoid blooze metal quartet delivers the heaviest of heavy riffage with precision and power.

Then it’s up the street to the scenic 18th Floor at Garden View Hilton to see Alina Simone, a singer/guitarist who rescued lost Russian folk punk nuggets that might otherwise have been lost, certainly to Western ears. This is excellent stuff that might be called world music but is too cool for such boring nomenclature.

Back into a cab to the renovated Austin Music Hall for the Austin Music Awards to see what is currently one of the best bands on the planet—Okkervil River—along with psych/garage rock’s most elusive, ill-fated genius: the one and only Roky Erickson. Okkervil comes out and rips through “Our Life,” “For Real” and “Unless It’s Kicks” then Erickson joins them for a trio of 13th Floor Elevators classics: “You’re Gonna Miss Me,” “Starry Eyes” and “I Walked With a Zombie.”

Thing close out back on at a 6th Street joint called Friends, where the Denton, Texas quartet Centro-matic have the place packed, the crowd buzzing for their fuzzed, rootsy brand of indie rock.

It’s after 2am in Texas by the time it’s over—a nearly perfect day of music. And only the first of four at SXSW 2008.