The Worst Moments from SXSW 2012

You were a little flat at the end of your performance of “Happy Birthday” there, Wolf ViolinistThe last few days, Village Voice Media’s indefatigable music staff has been regaling you with stories of the best from SXSW 2012. In the midst of these discoveries, we’ve been culling another list: the…

Soul Asylum – Culture Room – March 16

Soul Asylumwith Lavola, Chris Alvy Band, and Jennifer KaiserCulture RoomMarch 16Better Than: Staying at home and watching MTV Unplugged reruns The 90s were alive and kicking inside Culture Room on Friday Night as Soul Asylum took the stage for the first time in god knows how many years. (View full…

MuteMath – Revolution Live – March 16

MuteMathwith Canon BlueRevolution LiveMarch 16Better than: Watching fireworks.There’s something magical about watching fireworks; the way they shoot up, lighting up dark skies, and the reactions you see from people of all ages as they ohh and ahh at all of the colors and shapes. There’s one downfall of watching fireworks, though:…

Part One: Steve Aoki on Breaking Down the Barriers of EDM

Steve Aoki speaks with the wired enthusiasm that can be attained only by being a relentlessly touring global DJ, acclaimed producer, owner of Dim Mak Records, and part of an organic nexus of artists including Diplo, Skrillex, and A-Trak, who are the current figureheads of the U.S. electronic dance music…

The Best of SXSW Music: Saturday 3/17/2012

Nick RalloJustin Townes Earle at Stubb’s BBQ​So, we come to it: the end of all things. Four days of madness, Doritos, Skrillex and finally, St. Patrick’s Day. Before we bid SXSW 2012 farewell, allow us to share our favorite moments from SXSW day four. Later, we’ll let you know which…

The Best of SXSW Music: Friday 3/16/2012

Marco Torres50 Cent and Eminem at the Austin Music Hall. More photos below.If you’re familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing a full day…

SXSW: Bruce Springsteen & The E Street Band Rock ACL Live

Photos Courtesy of SXSW​Bruce Springsteen’s Thursday started with a keynote speech in one of the big ballrooms at the Austin Convention Center, and ended with a mythic three-hour set at ACL Live across town, in front of a few thousand people cooing “Bruce”. The keynote and the show went hand…

SXSW: Ten Things Your Outfit Says About You

Photo by Erik Hess​Some folks attend South by Southwest to look at bands, but a good many passing through the 2012 edition seem to enjoy the added benefits of being looked at as well. Even without haute couture, music fans and opportunists on the streets of Austin send a wealth…

The Best of SXSW Music: Thursday 3/15/2012

Nick RalloOh nothing, just a guy in a wolf mask playing “Happy Birthday” on the violin.​If you’re familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with describing…

Gang Gang Dance – Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami – March 15

​The Museum of Contemporary Art North Miami (MOCA) highlights the opening of its exhibitions with a seriously memorable performance. For instance, Ryan Trecartin’s “Any Ever” featured an eyeful with artists Colin Self and Raul De Nieves, one donning a crafty fat man suit, both making dramatic gestures to “experimental” music,…

Morikami Museum’s Hatsume Fair with DJ Heavygrinder

The 33rd annual Hatsume Fair will have everything from cosplay contests and sake stations to martial arts demonstrations and bounce houses. This year, they’ll also be bringing in DJ Heavygrinder, too, straight from her turntables in LA. The actress, model, and spinner of music is an appropriate choice for the…

The Best of SXSW Music: Wednesday 3/14/2012

Nick RalloSharon Van Etten, at the NPR showcase, was a stunner. Plus, there was a box accordion.​If you’re familiar with chaos theory, which in its basic form is the attempt to find patterns in the random acts of shit on Earth, then you may understand the difficulty that comes with…

Experience Hendrix – Hard Rock Live – March 14

​Experience Hendrix March 14, 2012 Hard Rock Live, Hollywood The Experience Hendrix tribute concert last night was a mixed bag. Much of the show was flat and unimaginative, but there were moments that touched on the spirit of Hendrix, rather than just his songbook. The cast of players was ever-shifting,…

Five Reasons We Love MuteMath

​We have a little confession to make: We didn’t discover MuteMath in a traditional sense. They discovered us. They were opening for another band at a show a friend dragged us to back in 2007, and as grumpy-faced as we were, staring into our cocktails at the University of Miami,…

Aura Recap, Part 2: Heat and Glow Things Galore (Photos)

​Saturday morning, folks woke up to clear skies, and the daylight hours were spent minimally clothed, soaking up the sun. Festival children frolicked barefoot, enjoying dry grass where there was mud the night before. Many started their day with yoga on the main stage at noon, and hung around to…

MuteMath at Revolution Live on March 16

New Orleans quartet MuteMath is one of the few currently commercially viable rock bands that truly seems undefinable. Though the group creates the kind of melodies that are punchy and memorable enough for alt-rock radio, how exactly those unfurl is rarely predictable. The group freely switches between off-time, jazzy bits,…