On day two of SXSW, you could see the mechanisms of the hype machine in full effect. The current crop of buzz bands (the xx, Surfer Blood, Bear In Heaven) packed their rooms wall-to-wall. However, bands who had their moment but still release excellent albums (Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, Vivian Girls) had more modest crowds. Maybe it’s the economy of cool, maybe it’s that bands were expected to play 10 day shows in four days and thus spread audiences thin. But however you watched them, there was still plenty to watch.
Christopher R. Weingarten of @1000TimesYes continued his Twitter odyssey yesterday, tweeting about 26 bands in 14 hours for @RollingStone. Relive his epic quest in our TwitterCam (clips range from the woozy indie drone of the Besnard Lakes to the heavy riffage of Howl) and catch up on his 140-character reports here:
Catch up on our day one Twitter marathon.
28) TALK NORMAL: Gritty, seething art-punk polyrhythms still gnarled and mesmerizing in beaming noon sun with breakfast taco in hand.
29) FRIGHTENED RABBIT: Earnest hooks and smirky stage rambles transcend the impersonal, kinda dorky Austin Convention Center Day Stage
30) JEFF THE BROTHERHOOD: Your friendly punk pals find a real soundsystem, walk scrungy line between Melvins and Ramones.
31) SURFER BLOOD: “It smells like sunscreen where I’m standing right now. I love it.” Also I think they dedicated a song to tacos? The band of the hour really leaning into those heavy parts.
32) HOWL: Blackened sludgers currently trumping everyone in power, volume, intimidation, pain, tightened muscles, sweat, ear damage. “Am I the only one drunk at 2pm?”
33) THE BESNARD LAKES: Montrealites playing indie rock like science: Effortless Low harmonies into effortless Neil Young guitar heroics
34) OH ...
Article Source: Rolling Stone : Rock and Roll Daily