Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Yellow Ostrich @ Media Club, Vancouver, March 27, 2012


Yellow Ostrich started out as a guy on his own making music in his bedroom (the Fake Empire cover is a favourite) and I'm always impressed at their progression s a band whenever I see them now.   They're starting to get a bit of recognition and it's great to see.

Sunday, March 25, 2012

Sharon Van Etten @ Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 24, 2012



This was my second time seeing Sharon Van Etten but both times I've seen her I regret the chances I've missed.  I like her albums but live, she is so magnetic that I find it wonderfully hypnotising.  It's hard to put it into words, but I will not miss the next chance I get to see her.  She's too good and I have learnt my lesson.

The War on Drugs @ Biltmore Cabaret, Vancouver, March 24, 2012


It seems like it took me ages to finally get to see The War on Drugs.  They'd played Vancouver once before but it was during SXSW last year.  I prefer their first album but it's their second album that's doing better for them so I'm happy that they're finally getting some deserved recognition.  They played my favourite song, Taking The Farm, so I was happy.

Monday, March 19, 2012

Rosie and Me @ Red Eyed Fly, SXSW, March 18, 2012

For the most part, SXSW finishes up on the Saturday night.  There are a few bands that play on the Sunday and last year I didn't end up going to any shows.  I goofed on my flights but fortunately Rosie and Me scheduled a Sunday show which made me glad I wasn't flying out until the Monday.  Their set was a bit longer and it was a great way to end what was, again, a rather spectacular week of music.

Sunday, March 18, 2012

Sleepy Vikings @ Skinny's Ballroom, SXSW, March 17, 2012


The last band of the night were my old favourites Sleepy Vikings.  Another chance to see songs from my favourite album of 2011 performed live.  The band gets better each time I see them and White Wolves and Flashlight Tag, in particular sound absolutely superb live.

The Lumineers @ St David's Sanctuary, SXSW, March 17, 2012


The main appeal of staying at St David's was to see the Lumineers.  I wasn't too disappointed that they previously hadn't fit into my schedule as they were playing Vancouver at the beginning of April but it was a nice opportunity to avoid Sixth Street and see a band I was looking forward to see and ... they were absolutely superb.  There's a wonderful charm and energy to their sets and they don't have a bad song.  I came away a bigger fan.

Micah P. Hinson @ St David's Sanctuary, SXSW, March 17, 2012


I'd seen his name around but had never heard any of his music before seeing him ... he has quite a wonderful voice.  It's very gravelly and he sounds alot older than he looks.  It was just him and his guitar for most of the set (joined on a couple of songs by his wife) and he did a nice job of keeping me interested and entertained.

Elizabeth and the Catapult @ St David's Sanctuary, SXSW, March 17, 2012



I actually hadn't intended to stay at St David's but the lineup was pretty good and Sixth Street was just awful so rather than face alcohol-fuelled insanity, I opted for more the civilised confines of the church.  I was only familiar with one song by Elizabeth and the Catapult but they put on a very entertaining set and they played Taller Children which sounded great.

Rosie and Me @ St David's Sanctuary, SXSW, March 17, 2012



I think I was so stunned that I was finally getting to see them play during their first set that I wasn't really paying attention to how good they are.  That's the great thing about seeing a band a few times in a short time frame ... you get the opportunity to pick up on different things.  No two performances are ever the same and getting to see a group of great musicians play lovely songs in a venue with great acoustics is always a treat.  When you love the band and their songs, it's a wonderful bonus.

We Were Promised Jetpacks @ Club DeVille, SXSW, March 17, 2012




I think I enjoyed this set more than the one earlier in the festival.  They'd played quite a few shows in the week and didn't seem tired at all but rather like a band who are all on the same page.  They finished up with It's Thunder and Lightning which was really quite superb.

Twilight Sad @ Club De Ville, SXSW, March 17, 2012


I like the Twilight Sad but their songs are so emotional that I can only listen to them so much.  Live, it's all about the lead singer.  It's quite fascinating to watch actually because during the song he seems like he's in a trance but when the song ends, he seems to snap out of it and will even smile.  I imagine it's a bit cathartic for him and as a fan, it's quite compelling to watch.