Even as we await the Mayan Apocalypse, South-by-Southwest goes on. The 2012 edition of the music industry festival in Austin was an expanded one, taking in both previously unofficial parties such as FADER Fort, as well as growing to an extra day in Tuesday. Though Syria burned and the interminable Republican Presidential Primary contest went on, it all became background noise to the sweet sounds of SXSW, March 13th to 18th.
We had two writers & four photographers covering South-by-Southwest in 2011: Ted Chase and Robin Sinhababu writing, along with photographs from those two, Jessica Alexander, Chris Becker, Rick Kern, and Terri Wise. Here are the daily recaps:
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South-by-Southwest expanded to a (light) Tuesday in 2012. Recap > |
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The first ‘proper’ day of South-by-Southwest was a full one in 2012. Recap > |
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It was a very full Thursday at SXSW. Recap > |
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SPIN & oldies-but-goodies ruled Friday of South-by-Southwest. Recap > |
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SXSW Saturday fell on St. Patrick’s Day, for better or worse. Recap > |
Rough run-down of everyone & everything covered (144 bands, 156 performances):
Alabams Shakes – Wednesday photos @ Radio Day Stage Austin Convention Center & Wednesday photos @ Stubb’s; Thursday photos @ Stubb’s
Alberta Cross – Thursday photos @ Stubb’s
Fiona Apple – Wednesday photos @ Stubb’s
A$AP Rocky – Thursday photos @ MTV Woodies
Ava Luna – Friday photos @ The Iron Bear
B.o.B. – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
backwords – Friday photos @ The Dogwood
Bass Drum of Death – Thursday at The Parish
Bear In Heaven – Wednesday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas; Thursday, Photos @ PureVolume House
Best Coast – Friday, Photos @ Stubb’s
Big Deal – Tuesday photos @ French Legation Museum
The Big Pink – Friday, Photos @ Stubb’s
The Big Sleep – Wednesday photos @ The Stage On Sixth
Big Star’s Third Tribute Concert (with Jon Auer, Peter Buck, Peter Case, The Dunwells, Fan Modine, Ben Nichols, Parson Redheads, Ari Picker, Pat Sansone, Star and Micey, Jody Stephens, Tommy Stinson, M. Ward & more) – Thursday, Photos @ Paramount Theatre
Black Pistol Fire – Thursday at Skinny’s Ballroom
Blitzen Trapper – Saturday, Photos @ Mohawk
Kurt Braunohler – Wednesday at Esther’s Follies
Chris Cab – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Caged Animals – Tuesday, Photos @ Club de Ville
Jerrod Carmichael – Wednesday at Esther’s Follies
Caveman – Thursday, Photos @ Cheer Up Charlie’s
The Chain Gang of 1974 – Wednesday, Photos @ Peckerhead’s
Chairlift – Friday, Photos @ Stubb’s
Chapter 24 – Wednesday photos @ Beauty Bar
Choir of Young Believers – Tuesday, Photos @ PureVolume House
Gary Clark Jr. – Thursday photos @ FADER Fort
Cold Showers – Wednesday photos @ Hotel Vegas; Thursday photos @ The Belmont
Coldair – Friday photos @ Cedar Street Courtyard
Crocodiles – Wednesday photos @ The Stage On Sixth
Mikal Cronin – Wednesday photos @ Beauty Bar
Dale Earnhardt Jr. Jr. – Tuesday photos @ Hype Hotel
The Darcys – Friday at 512 Rooftop
Delta Spirit – Thursday photos @ Radio Day Stage Austin Convention Center
DEV – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Dinosaur Jr. – Friday, Photos @ Bar 96
Dirty Ghosts – Wednesday at Beauty Bar
Django Django – Wednesday, Photos @ FADER Fort
Dragonette – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
The Drum – Wednesday, Photos @ Volstead Lounge
The Drums – Wednesday photos @ The Stage On Sixth; Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Dwellers – Friday at Headhunters Patio
Eight and a Half – Thursday, Photos @ FADER Fort
Electric Touch – Monday photos @ BandPage HQ
Escort – Friday, Photos @ Stubb’s
EULA – Wednesday, Photos @ Uncorked
Fanfarlo – Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Fear – Thursday at Red 7 Patio
The Features – Thursday photos @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop
Field Report – Friday photos @ Antone’s
Flying Eyes – Friday at BD Riley’s
Football – Wednesday at Beauty Bar; Thursday at Beerland
Freshkills – Thursday at Red 7 Patio
Eleanor Friedberger – Friday at Frank
Friends – Wednesday photos @ FADER Fort
fun. – Wednesday, Photos @ 1100 Warehouse; Thursday photos @ MTV Woodies
Future of the Left – Wednesday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Gardens & Villa – Tuesday, Photos @ Club de Ville
Gay Witch Abortion – Wednesday at The Iron Bear
Rosi Golan – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Kat Graham – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Guards – Tuesday photos @ The Parkside
Habibi – Wednesday photos @ Beauty Bar
Grant Hart – Friday, Photos @ Beale Street Tavern
Heartless Bastards – Tuesday, Photos @ Club 606
Pete Holmes – Wednesday at Esther’s Follies
Hooray For Earth – Tuesday, Photos @ Club de Ville
Hospitality – Wednesday photos @ French Legation Museum; Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Hull – Thursday at Red 7 Patio
Imperial Teen – Friday photos @ Frank
Incan Abraham – Tuesday photos @ Hype Hotel
Japandroids – Wednesday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas; Thursday photos @ Mohawk
The Jesus and Mary Chain – Thursday photos @ The Belmont
Louis Katz – Thursday at Esther’s Follies
Kimbra – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall; Thursday photos @ MTV Woodies
Kreayshawn – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Little Hurricane – Tuesday photos @ Hype Hotel
Cher Lloyd – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Tito Lopez – Thursday at FADER Fort
Lower Dens – Thursday photos @ Mohawk
Lucero – Friday, Photos @ Bar 96
Machine Gun Kelly – Thursday photos @ MTV Woodies
Melvoy – Saturday, Photos @ 5th & Brazos
The Men – Wednesday photos @ Beauty Bar
Miguel – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Miniature Tigers – Tuesday photos @ Hype Hotel
MNDR – Monday photos @ BandPage HQ
Moonmen on the Moon, Man – Friday at The Iron Bear
Mia Moretti & Caitlin Moe – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Bob Mould Band – Friday photos @ Frank; Saturday, Photos @ Mohawk
Mr. Gnome – Wednesday photos @ Red 7
MyNameIsJohnMichael – Thursday photos @ Stubb’s
Natural Child – Thursday at Skinny’s Ballroom
The New Cassettes – Friday, Photos @ Bar 96
New Moods – Tuesday, Photos @ Club de Ville
Night Beats – Thursday photos @ The Belmont
Nite Jewel – Thursday photos @ FADER Fort
Oberhofer – Tuesday photos @ Hype Hotel;Wednesday, Photos @ FADER Fort
OBNOX – Wednesday at Beerland
The Octopus Project – Thursday photos @ The Belmont
Paper Route – Wednesday, Photos @ Peckerhead’s
Paula I Karol – Friday photos @ Cedar Street Courtyard
Pond – Tuesday, Photos @ Club de Ville
The Punch Brothers – Thursday photos @ Stubb’s
Quilt – Friday photos @ Cedar Door
Razika – Friday photos @ The Iron Bear
Ringo Deathstarr – Thursday, Photos @ Volstead Lounge
The Roots – Saturday, Photos @ Mohawk
Frankie Rose – Wednesday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Santigold – Wednesday photos @ FADER Fort; Friday, Photos @ Stubb’s
Saviours – Thursday at Beerland
Screaming Females – Wednesday photos @ Beauty Bar; Thursday, Photos @ PureVolume House
Seapony – Friday photos @ 1500 E 2nd St.
Shearwater – Thursday, Photos @ PureVolume House
Kat Sheeran – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Sleepy Vikings – Tuesday photos @ Beauty Bar
Slow Club – Thursday photos @ Flamingo Cantina
Slowdance – Tuesday photos @ The Parkside
Alice Smith – Thursday photos @ FADER Fort
The Static Jacks – Friday, Photos @ Dirty Dog Bar
Beth Stelling – Thursday at Esther’s Follies
Tammar – Wednesday photos @ Swan Dive
Teengirl Fantasy – Tuesday at Austin Museum of Art; Thursday photos @ FADER Fort
Thee Oh Sees – Wednesday at Beauty Bar
Timbaland – Saturday photos @ Austin Music Hall
Titus Andronicus – Thursday photos @ The Belmont
Tribes – Wednesday, Photos @ 1100 Warehouse; Thursday, Photos @ FADER Fort
Twilite – Friday photos @ Cedar Street Courtyard
Two Gallants – Thursday at The Parish
2CHAINZ – Wednesday photos @ FADER Fort
Ume – Wednesday, Photos @ Peckerhead’s
Vampilia – Friday at Elysium
Mirel Wagner – Tuesday, Photos @ PureVolume House
The War On Drugs – Saturday, Photos @ Mohawk
We Are Augustines – Thursday photos @ Maggie Mae’s Rooftop
We Are Serenades – Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
The Wedding Present – Wednesday photos @ Swan Dive; Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Whale Belly – Wednesday, Photos @ Uncorked
White Arrows – Wednesday, Photos @ FADER Fort
White Rabbits – Thursday, Photos @ Club de Ville
Wintersleep – Friday, Photos @ Spill Bar
Xray Eyeballs – Wednesday photos @ Hotel Vegas
Danny Yeahyeah – Thursday at Esther’s Follies
Yellow Ostrich – Tuesday photos @ French Legation Museum; Thursday, Photos @ Hotel Vegas
Zambri – Thursday, Photos @ PureVolume House
Zola Jesus – Thursday, Photos @ FADER Fort
ZZZ’s – Friday at Elysium
Ted Chase –
Best New Act – Tribes
Runners-up – Django Django, We Are Serenades
Worst New Act – White Arrows
Runners-up – The Drum, Tito Lopez
Best Established Act – Bob Mould’s ‘Copper Blue’
Runners-up – Bear In Heaven, Dinosaur Jr., Paper Route
Worst Established Act – fun.
Runners-up – Screaming Females, Teengirl Fantasy
Most Hyped – Bruce Springsteen playing SXSW
Runner-Up – Jack White playing SXSW, Fiona Apple playing SXSW
Most Underrated – Paper Route
Runners Up – EULA, The New Cassettes
Most Forgettable – The Big Pink
Runners-Up – Melvoy, New Moods
Best Showcase – (day) BrooklynVegan/Hob Nob Wines parties @ Hotel Vegas
Runners-Up – (day) FADER Fort parties, MOG party @ The Mohawk (Saturday), SPIN party @ Stubb’s (Friday)
Best Showcase – (night) Fender/Filter showcase @ Bar 96 (Friday)
Runners-Up – (night) Big Star’s Third @ Paramount Theatre (Thursday), PureVolume House parties
Worst Showcase – 101X showcase @ 1100 Warehouse (Wednesday)
Runner-Up – The Rdio/Samsung Mobile party @ Club 606 @ Austin Museum of Art (Tuesday), Heard Entertainment/RootMusic showcase (Tuesday)
Longest Line – 101X showcase (Wednesday)
Runners-Up – lines for badges for PurVolume House & Hype Hotel, Tenacious D
Best Guest – Peter Buck at Big Star’s Third
Runners-Up – everyone else at Big Star’s Third
Worst Crowd – PureVolume House (night, Thursday)
Runners-Up – Paradigm Booking showcase @ Club de Ville (Thursday), SXSW showcase @ Beale Street Tavern (Friday)
Biggest Miss – Copper Blue‘s “Slick”
Runners-Up – Cold Fronts, Princeton, Tenacious D, Mike Mills at Big Star’s Third, Alex Chilton at Big Star’s Third
Most appearances – Alabama Shakes
Best Name – Not In the Face!
Runner-Up – Xander Harris
Biggest Star – Big Star
Biggest Hater – Tito Lopez
Biggest Vening Machine – Doritos