Kevin Bronson on March 13th, 2014

0

[Our guest blogger shares some of what she saw Wednesday at SXSW:]

Trina Green (@dharma69) on Wednesday at SXSW:

It’s a bit refreshing to find a little musical fabulous here in Texas. John Flanagan? Think Mika with a brighter smile, a penchant for dramatic eyes and a killer falsetto that knows its way around a pop song. And he likes to make you dance so at the noon-time hour, that was how the Antiquiet day party at Rusty’s began. Flanagan, (who is a staple performer at Anaheim’s Disneyland playing the Mad Hatter in the rock ’n’ roll show “Mad T Party”), brought some of his theatrical skills to the stage. All of 26 years old (gosh, but he looks closer to 17), this was his first trip to SXSW, and the guy (with full band in tow) simply looked happy to be here. Judging by the light crowd you would think something of an unknown … except for those women who looked to be at least 35 who were dancing and singing along to just about every song he sang (most from his 2010 solo record, “Pretty Lies?” Yeah, that was happening. Turns out that one of those women actually made the trip to SXSW to see Flanagan. As I let that one sink in, the fact is Flanagan is a concise package of pop and dance and rock (because he likes a guitar shred as much as the next guy). He made my toes tap, my lips smile andy my ears perk up when he and his bandmates harmonized. I’m not not much of a pop girl, but I can get behind this.

Also notable. . .

The thing about art rock it is that it’s a more cerebral sound that has a tendency to be more abstract than linear in design, with great and grandiose noise constructed to challenge the listening. It’s not for everyone but personally I find that stuff delicious to the ears. Fortunately, the Darcys were playing at the Canadian Blast BBQ, so, yes, there was delicious to my stomach as well. Score! The Darcys (who are from Toronto and happy to be far, far away from any semblance of a polar vortex) did what they do at the BBQ, mostly fleshing out the fantastic songs on their latest release, “Warring.” Hearing the super-groovy “Horses Fell” and TV On The Radio-esque “Pretty Girls” showed off Jason Couse’s smooth vocals and, as a whole, the band’s funkier and more accessible sounding side but there’s no shame in their game when they go big and wide with the shifting tempos of “The River.”

And also precious . . .

Justin Tranter, Daniel Crean, Stevy Pyne and Cole Whittle aka Semi Precious Weapons haven’t released a new album in approximately four years due to, according to frontman Justin, “some bullish*t.” That’s French for record label drama. But who cares about that now because a few weeks ago they dropped a new EP, “Aviation High,” of deadly lovely tunes showcasing SPW’s diversion from the punkier, trashy glam rock from whence they came to pop sophisticatioon and dance grooves. I love it and I’m not ashamed of it. CraveOnline’s not ashamed of it, either, which is why SPW were the band of the evening at Rusty’s, and they brought out the dance party in everyone. That line along the side of the venue of folks who couldn’t get in? Yeah, that’s what we were dealing with, particularly because it was their only SXSW performance (until another one magically appears, of course). The room: packed. The people: in love with life. Tranter: freakishly beautiful and I have a love/have relationship with his smile. Why is Lady Gaga side stage? Nevermind, I’m still focusing on singing along with “That’s My Friends.”