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The band had a late start and at first it seemed the thinned-out crowd was too tired to act. But more revelers arrived and the group stunningly tore the roof off the sucker. This was almost literal, as frontman Eugene Hütz was swinging from the rafters while crowd-surfing on a drum head supported by one of his dancing girls. With every stroke of the fiddle fit to make Paganini froth in his grave, an audience full of pasty indie-rock types waved their hands in the air and jigged like they were throwing down with the Zampoughi. Everyone sweated and levitated as one.
DAY THREE:
Las Manitas is the well-liked local Mexican restaurant on Congress Street where I met up with the members of Charlotte MoRisen bands at an industry party. I spoke briefly with Justin Williams of The Talk about his South-By expectations; he professed his main aim was to simply have fun and take advantage of catching other bands. The Sammies and Elevator Action were on hand, too, to celebrate the coup of their showcase the following night at Nuno's Upstairs on 6th Street. Fresh-faced lads (and laddette), they all offered up beer-enhanced smiles and a warm Southern vibe to the perpetual overcast chill that hung over Austin the whole week.
Hours later, after Bettye LaVette's cancellation at La Zona Rosa and a long wait at Antone's to see Sharon Jones and the Dap-Kings, tensions and fatigue were starting to run high. My impulse to duck in and catch a few minutes of the Denton, TX, act Centro-Matic at Maggie Mae's provided some fleeting restorative. With my friend Shonna Tucker of Drive-By Truckers, I watched her husband Jason augment the quartet on guitar. It was nice to see a crush of folks assembled for the room's last show of the night, wowed by what's been described as Centro-Matic's 'country twang meets emo,' notably on the sublime "Patience For the Ride."
DAY FOUR:
Saturday was spent mostly away from the main drag. I went straight from the hotel to the 30th anniversary screening of Jim Szalapski's documentary Heartworn Highways at the Hideout on North Congress. Observing a score of Austin-based singer-songwriters in 1975, the film includes performances by Guy Clark, the Charlie Daniels Band, a 19-year-old Steve Earle and David Allan Coe at a Tennessee prison. Of note are a recording session by South Georgia singer-songwriter Larry Jon Wilson and hilarious scenes touring the late, great Texas songwriter Townes Van Zandt's homestead.
Getting to the Town Lake Stage on the Colorado River for the New Orleans benefit was challenging. Fortunately, we caught a free shuttle in time to sample some jambalaya and red beans 'n rice in the VIP suite before the Dirty Dozen Brass Band started its set. The Dozen brought their usual uncut funk and party vibe to the stage and kept the audience completely motivated to throwdown. Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk held the Second Line, mixing originals with well-picked covers like Parliament's "Unfunky UFO," which gave my shot left knee some trouble.
The shining moment of the New Orleans Social Club’s debut performance involved one song's message taking on a dual meaning: newly-minted Austinite Cyril Neville led the band on a show-stopping take of Curtis Mayfield's "This Is My Country." As Cyril Neville ad-libbed lines about America's debt to New Orleans and centuries of African slavery, I was moved to make like Tommie Smith and 'nem at the Mexico City Olympics.
The sheer level of mastery continued with living legend Allen Toussaint. Dapper as ever in suit and tie and consummately regal, he expertly led his band through his back pages, including "Lady Marmalade" and "Yes We Can Can," which got the bloods and the hippies freaking out. At one point, Toussaint claimed, "If there'll be one man left to wage battles in New Orleans, it's going to be me!"
At Club One 15, Arrested Development founder Speech was calm and collected as he took the stage backed by two acoustic guitars and drums. He served as a good ATL ambassador, spreading positivity to the small but packed house. The crowd responded most to AD classics "Tennessee," "People Everyday" and "Mr. Wendal." But folks also showed respect for his current solo material from The Vagabond (Bluhammock). Best amongst these tunes was "The Harvest," a largely sung composition dedicated to his family that indicates the 37-year-old Speech is at the vanguard of providing music for the mature hip-hop listener weary of bling and bullshit.
I then moved on to witness the first half of the MoRisen showcase back on 6th Street. Label head Chuck Morrison and publicist Amy Barefoot were kicking it at Nuno's, as were The Talk's C.R. and Justin, and Elevator Action's Laurie Ruroden. Photographer Daniel Coston was also chronicling the action. When the Sammies took the stage, they rocked out before a pretty full crowd considering their debut doesn't drop till this summer. The Sammies presented themselves as "beer-drinkin' music for beer-drinkin' people," which of course gathers anyone with a taste for hops. Their fresh take on post-modern Southern rock and unaffected enthusiasm was infectious. Before Elevator Action's set, the crowd had thinned out somewhat as it was past 1am. But the hometown trio made the best of it.
