Behind The Scenes @ SXSW Day 5

Early on Saturday morning, I caught Laura Gibson’s hotel room set at the Radisson. I gorged myself on vegan cinnamon rolls as she sang her lovely indie-pop songs.

Her odd, beautiful voice was enthralling. Even in the confines of a hotel room, she had a full band (including a horn section), backing her. Her dreamy songs were the perfect way to ease into a day at SXSW.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9wRyp8tFDG8

Mmoths spun a set of chilled beats at Irish music blog Nialler9′s day party at the Hype Hotel. The grooves had the small crowd in a daze.

A lot of artists and bands at SXSW this year seemed to be working in this style of atmospheric, pretty bleeps and blops.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UDct2mGDNIg

Despite it being St. Patrick’s Day, the crowds in Austin seemed to be the lightest they had been all week. SXSW is a long festival, and I think people just get burned out

I headed over to dive bar Red Eyed Fly, where I stumbled upon Colombian band M.A.K.U. Sound System. They whipped the audience of around 30 people into a frenzy with their strange, funky take on Colombian music.

I hit Lucy’s Retired Surfers Bar for a showcase of New Orleans rock. Sun Hotel got the evening going with some quality indie rock.

Caddywhompus was up next and rocked the crowd hard. A vicious, nervy version of Seal’s “Kiss From a Rose” was filled with sharp, angular guitar riffs and bombastic drumming. It was one of the best things I heard during all of SXSW. For only two people onstage, Caddywhompus bring the loud rock.

The Revivalists closed out the evening with a set of full-bodied rock and roll. Much of the material was from their excellent new album City of Sound. The six-piece band has a dense sound, but it never sounds cluttered.

After their show ended at about 2 a.m., I wandered back to rest up for one final day of SXSW coverage.