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Concert Review: SXSW Music Festival in Austin

Date 4/7/2005 12:00 AM | Topic: Arts & Culture

Spring break trips usually involve warm weather, relaxation and a healthy dose of partying.

I have definitely found a music lover's spring break dream: South By Southwest. Starting in 1986, SXSW has been an annual music festival where music industry types as well as bands and fans converge in Austin, Texas, for four days of non-stop live music from the newest bands about to break onto today's scene.

SXSW has not only grown in the number of people attending the festival, but it has also become the "it" festival for music industry types and taste makers to check out up-and-coming bands and see who they want to work with.

Last year, the break-out bands included Franz Ferdinand and Modest Mouse.

This year's big stand-outs included Brooklyn-based electro-pop junkies The Bravery, buzz-kids The Kaiser Chiefs, political hip-hop goddess M.I.A. and infectious indie-pop rockers Hot Hot Heat.

I had the opportunity to partake in the plethora of live shows and see over a thousand bands at any of the 50+ venues lining 6th Street and the downtown Austin area.

SXSW is sensory overload for fans of live music.

On Wednesday, the festivities began with afternoon industry parties and label showcases which continued through Saturday night.

The shows began at 8 p.m. and continued until 2 a.m. Anyone with a wristband or badge could go from venue to bar to venue freely to check out a show.

I could walk into Emo's, rock out to the START, move on to Radio 4 at the Annex, stroll by a set from Action Action at the Victory Records showcase filtering into the streets through the open windows and then go on my way to The Capitol Years, and finish the night off with Aqueduct.

It was non-stop music 13 hours a day.

SXSW is also a music event where fans get to rub shoulders with their favorite bands, artists and celebrity types.

Willie Nelson was found on the streets of Austin checking out different shows. Ben Lee, Saul Williams and the former MTV VJ, Matt Pinfield, mingled at the Fader Magazine Party.

Hot Hot Heat and Louis XIV visited the MySpace bus to chat with fans.

Offspring's Dexter Holland was at the showcase for his label, Nitro Records.

Even the new Real World cast was being followed around by their cameras at shows. SXSW should definitely be any music lover's next spring break stop.

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Lindsay Kimball

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