sxsw diary part two

Dizzee over here to promote his ‘Maths and English’ album which is due out in the US in a couple of weeks time, a full nine months after it was released in his homeland. This appearance for a local radio station is one of three performances he’ll give today, and inspite of the heat he’s in fine form as he tears through ‘Sirens’, ‘Where’s Da G’s’ and ‘Fix Up, Look Sharp’. The only thing with appears to be troubling him is remembering not to swear on live radio as “they said they’d fine me $700,000 per word if I do”. At the current exchange rate that translates to approximately five English pounds. The Rascal is followed by the drab indie-rock-by-numbers of The Duke Spirit, so I decide that it’s the perfect time to seek shelter from the heat in the Austin Convention Centre. Here I find a talented young man who goes by the name of el Guincho, performing some quite incredible music. He plays drums with his right hand, a electronic box of tricks with his left hand, sings with his mouth and creates a world of funky psychedelic Tropicalia that you want to spend the rest of your life living in. Unfortunately SXSW’s packed schedule means el Guincho can’t play continuously for the next fifty years, and so I head off to a conference room to hear 1970’s punk heroes Mick Jones and Tony James being interviewed by some bloke who wants to them to discuss the future of music. Mick is having none of it and insists on discussing whatever comes into his head at any given time. The highlight of the conversation is when the former Clash man reveals that smoking ban in England has resulted in all working class people being forced to stay at home and not go to the pub anymore because they’re fundamentally unable to have a drink without smoking. All this talk of social oppression leaves me feeling angry, disillusioned and thirsty. I need to hear a band that can articulate my anger using guitars, drums and a keyboard. I need to hear a band who can realise that if a song is longer than two minutes then you’ll bore people. In short, I need the fuzzy rock stylings of Times New Viking. The Ohio-based band furiously thrash their way through an energetic set at the Emo Lounge. It’s hard to tell whether the lyrics being inaudible is all part of the TNV masterplan or just due to having crap microphones - but it matters little. The audience doesn’t want clever rhyming couplets and insights into the human condition, they want fast songs and loud guitars and they get them in abundance. Friday night finishes off with some hot country rock action courtesy of Austin resident Ryan Bingham. Ryan has the voice of a man who’s been chain smoking since the age of three, and sings raucous songs about life in Texas. He also wears a cowboy hat which is so cool that it achieves the impossible and makes the Ramones hat which I bought this morning appear pathetic and tacky. Bingham and his band play a rollicking set but I’m unable to fully appreciate it due to a bad case of hat envy. I head back to my hotel room hoping that tomorrow will bring more rock related fun and less headgear related misery. * * * TUNES OF THE DAY * * * Antillas – el Guincho My Head - Times New Viking Hard Times - Ryan Bingham READ PART ONE READ PART THREE