THE RUMBLE @ SXSW - THURSDAY DAY PARTY @ SHANGRI-LA

Still waking up? Get that bloody mary and beat feet for Shangri-La out on 6th Street (out by FADER Fort) for a line-up of acts that all bring it live! Opening up with Chicago's APTEKA with snap anyone out of the hangover. SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS do us the honor of bringing their cosmic magic to the party, and then it's TWIN TIGERS, the band that's been rolling through all the Rumbles in March. It just keeps building from there when THE ETTES, now a four-piece, showcase their latest record, and then a band that got everyone dancing at last night's show -APES OF WRATH. The last act is someone I've been stalking since Norway - THE MEGAPHONIC THRIFT. You need to see this band while they are in the US.

Party is free > RSVP here > http://www.futuresounds.com/sxswrumble/

Shangri-La is at 1016 East 6th Street

TONIGHT IN NYC: A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS + SHILPA RAY

Tonight's the final night of the SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS residency at Pianos in New York, and it's also Steven Matrick's birthday. Steven manages both Shilpa and A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS and both are serving up a gift show to celebrate all his hard work. Who doesn't know the loudest band in NYC with APTBS, but if you haven't caught Shilpa yet, you're missing out on saying you witness a star in the making. FS hasn't stopped gushing about her since SXSW and probably never will. Only $10.

SXSW 2009 RECAP

Peelander-Z @ Hot Freaks - Day 2 (Photo by Ryan Suffern)

How can you go to a place where you get a serious sun burn and come home with a cold? It's the non-stop nature of SXSW, the choose your own adventure aspect of it where everyone comes home burnt out with a farmer's tan and a dozen stories.

I was thinking about doing a day-by-day recap but it's now all blurring together like the steady stream of electro-indie bands coming out these days. Instead, here were some of the highlights.

BEST BAND THAT I SAW FOR THE FIRST TIME: SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS

The lovely Shilpa Ray could be our generation's JANIS JOPLIN. Big words? Perhaps, but that raspy growl, that sweet inspiration, her contagious enthusiasm for music gives her a fighting chance. I compared her to ROSEMARY CLOONEY ("Come On-a My House") but let's be clear that Shilpa Ray is NO retro act. It's relevant, it's dark and dirty, and it's completely refreshing. I know, the photo is horrible, it's me after a couple of Jager shots with my Blackberry camera.

Photo by Ryan Suffern

BEST LIVE SET OF MUSIC: THE BROTHERS MOVEMENT@ SOHO LOUNGE

I caught them a couple of times in Austin, but Saturday night's show for the Irish Music showcase was special. From song one the boys punched us in the mouths until the final song, a real mother-fucker of a jam, closed out as loud as THE WHO. Here's what the IRISH TIMES had to say about it.

BEST PARTY: HOT FREAKS

Both days of HOT FREAKS at The Mohawk and Club De Ville were amazing. Think about it, THE DELTA SPIRIT, THE HOLD STEADY, CAMERA OBSCURA, SEBASTIEN GRAINGER, OBITS, THE WRENS, THE ROSEBUDS, PORT O'BRIEN, LEMONADE, SHILPA RAY, GIRLS, HARLEM, JEREMY JAY, and on and on and on, together with Torchie Tacos on the deck and you have some amazing music.

Here's what CHROMEWAVES had to say about it > http://www.chromewaves.net/2009/03/camera-obscura-the-grates-and-peelander-z-and-more-at-sxsw/

OTHER HIGHLIGHTS:

LOCH LOMOND's heavenly voices at the Brooklyn Vegan party on Wednesday night. FRANCIS & THE LIGHTS turns into PRINCE with a bit of JIM CARREY at the Levi's Fader Fort. THE ETTES drummer is a super star playing the Noise Pop/Take Root Records party, why aren't they a household name yet?? THE TEMPER TRAP displaying "Sweet Disposition" outside near The Continental Club, then stumbling into THE FEROCIOUS FEW playing on the sidewalk around the corner in front of the HOTEL SAN JOSE. EDWARD SHARPE & THE MAGNETIC ZEROS going late late night on Saturday at PureVolume.

Again, everyone's personal SXSW is their own adventure, but I'm always surprised people go all the way to Austin to see Metallica, or Echo & The Bunnymen, Kanye West or Ben Harper. Really? Don't they all come to your town over and over again? Haven't you seen them before? The festival was built on the idea of having a place where fans and industry could go to discover new artists, and it really has gotten away from that. Why do some bands get 3 official SXSW showcases, and others don't get in? Play all the parties you like, but allow for the little guy to get their shot more often. Something needs to give. You saw a lot less 'free' this year, as sponsors and everyone gets hit by the economy, but more parties than ever before. The unofficial party circuit keeps expanding so far east now that you are almost in Lubbock. I love SXSW, but by Saturday night when the bridge-and-tunnel crowd comes in and things become Mardi Gras on 6th Street, it's time to get out.

NEW SOUNDS: THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS - THE ANSWERING MACHINE - THE VOYEURS - OTHERS

I've been in babyland for some time now, but it doesn't mean the flow of music piling into FSHQ has diminished. The one nice thing of holding a baby for hours is that you can listen to a lot on your Ipod. There are so many really excellent releases lining up for 2009 that I've been hearing and it's my first chance to call some of these out.

First up, Portland's THE BUILDERS & THE BUTCHERS. I've tipped them quite a bit on how I think they should be a breakout act of 2009, but that was even before I got the new full length. Where this one ends up being released through is still TBD, but I'm immediately excited about "Barcelona" - a track we will be debuting on the Future Sounds show on WOXY very soon, as well as my early favorite "Golden and Green". The Pacific Northwest keeps cranking out these important folksie bands - FLEET FOXES, PORT O'BRIEN, LOCH LOMOND, etc. and TB&B are the next important point of light in that sequence. I'm not sure what the album is called yet, but I call it delightful.

This next act, THE ANSWERING MACHINE, are from Manchester, England and their full-length, 'Another City, Another Sorry" on Heist Or Hit Records, is brilliant from start to finish. My first impulse was to jump at the single, "Emergency". It's another song that WOXY listeners will get to first in the US soon enough, but then I spent more time in the nursery with headphones and The Answering Machine. Track "Lightbulbs" is the brightest light and a track that I think has big potential and "Oklahoma" is another instant favorite. When they slow it down for "The Information" is when they set the hook in my jaw and pull hard - I'm done. This record will make an impact in the UK, are we smart enough for it over here?
We recently got sent a full-length by the manager of A PLACE TO BURY STRANGERS, not only are they a fantastic, ear-bleeding band, their manager happens to be one of the good guys in this business. His latest project is a band we've started playing on the FS show, SHILPA RAY & HER HAPPY HOOKERS, from Brooklyn, NY. Shilpa Ray was formerly in BEAT THE DEVIL, but now heads up the HH's with something twisted in a David Lynch/TRUE BLOOD kinda way. The track, "Filthy and Free" off their 'A Fish Hook An Open Eye' CD, we haven't stopped playing since it's arrival. Here's another act with a big upside for 2009 that I can't wait to see live. Steve, how can we make that happen???

Jumping back to the West Coast, we have Jax from ROCK INSIDER to thank for turning us on to the LA based group, THE VOYEURS. We debuted their track "Things People Say" on the FS show recently, but then received the full-length called 'Well Known Drag'. Again there is pleasure behind this arrival because it's yet another full record of great songs, not just your standard 2 good songs-10 fluff that seems to drip out of most acts these days. My new favorite here is "Something Sets Me Off", but I have the feeling that each track will have it's day in the sun. Their CD release party is set for January 27th at THE ECHO and it's FREE. They go on stage at 11pm.

Finally, hopefully you'll remember THE BOTTICELLIS from FS32 and the amazing track "The Reviewer". If not, you're missing out on this magical band from San Francisco. Fans of FLEET FOXES and BEACH HOUSE will fall into place with this act, and they're finishing up an EP called 'Sierra Songbook' and I got a sneak peak of the rough mixes. "Betrayed" is my early favorite but each one is warm and comforting. This is yet another band that should grab some serious momentum if it breaks out of the West and gets on more people's radar.

LISTEN TO FUTURE SOUNDS ON WOXY 1.12.09

Listen HERE

Here's today's playlist...

Future Sounds #8 - January 12th, 2009

The Kiss Off – Fold Up Like A Piece Of Paper – Demos – Unsigned
Micachu & The Shapes – Golden Phone – Golden Phone Single – Accidental Records
Pin Me Down – The Chain – The Chain Single – Unsigned
Cheeky Cheeky & The Nosebleeds – You Let Me Go – Demos – Unsigned
The Voyeurs – Things People Say – Well Known Drag – Otik Records

BREAK

Wet Paint – His Coffin – It Rots – Trial & Error Records
Violent Soho – Jesus Stole My Girlfriend – We Don’t Belong Here –Unsigned
I Heart Hiroshima – Punks – Tuff Teef – Valve Records
Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers – Filthy & Free – A Fish Hook An Open Eye – Unsigned
The Browns – For The Saints – The Browns – 1928 Recordings

BREAK

THE RUMBLE SET
Michael Buffer – Let’s Get Ready To Rumble
Nico Stai – The Skies Over Your Head – The Victory Of Miss Friday…. Unsigned
Links – Testify – (A Band) – Unsigned
Weird Dreams – I’m The Bull – Demos – Unsigned
LoveLikeFire – Wish You Dead – An Ocean In The Air – Unsigned
French Miami – Science Fiction – French Miami – Unsigned

BREAK

GOLDEN SUGAR BEAR SET 1
Morrissey – Something Is Squeezing My Skull – Years Of Refusal – Decca Records
Delphic – Doubt – Demos – Unsigned
Hey Champ – Cold Dust Girl – Cold Dust Girl Single – Unsigned
Fitz – Breakin The Chains Of Love – Songs For A Break-Up Vol.1 – EP – Unsigned

BREAK

GOLDEN SUGAR BEAR SET 2
Ballerina Black – Ninety % - EP #1 – Unsigned
Years – My Love – Fixed On The Future EP – Unsigned
The Rolling Stones – I’m Going Down – Metamorphosis – ABKCO (1975)
David Bowie – Moonage Daydream – Bowie At The Beeb – Virgin Records
Robotanists – Wait A Minute Here – Close Down The Woods – Unsigned
Local Natives – Camera Talk – Gorilla Manor – Unsigned

BREAK

Lilofee – Lock & Key – Lilofee – Unsigned
The Invisible – London Girl – London Girl Single – Accidental Records
Pony The Pirate – Walk The Shame – Walk The Shame - Unsigned
The John Steel Singers – Rainbow Kraut – In Colour – Levity Records

BREAK

Richie James Follin – Words – Battle – Red Bear Recordings
Villagers – The Meaning Of The Ritual – Demos – Unsigned

END OF PROGRAM


*Bold denotes debut appearance by artist on the Future Sounds radio program