Jordan Kleinman on March 16th, 2016

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Calliope Musicals, Kites and Boomerangs, Good Field, Total Abuse, Beau, PARTYBABY

First day in Austin from a SXSW newbie who’s winging it:

Daylight savings and rainstorms typically mean only one thing: spring (or summer, as they call it in Austin). And with the season of new life, brings new bands to the national spotlight. More than 2,000, in fact, came to Austin this week (and that counts only the official showcases), making this segment just a slice of what takes place during the madness that is SXSW. Lines, wristbands, badges and all sorts of free tchotchkes (which can quickly fill up the backpacks of eager first-timers) are to be found throughout downtown Austin.

||| Also: Kevin Bronson’s report from Tuesday.

Take a walk down 6th street, and become confounded with the task of deciding which bar or band to check out after bouncers solicit visitors with drink prices that would make anyone in L.A. jealous. A wide variety of entertainment is to be experienced, and most of it is accessible with a few taps of a smart phone. You don’t really need to shell out a grand for a badge — unless someone else is paying for it, then go ahead and skip those lines, you’ve earned it.

On the warmest day of 2016 in Austin, local sextet Calliope Musicals, played some color sunshine pop on the rooftop patio of Cheers shot bar. Featuring a vibraphonist and group harmonies, the energetic vocalist Carrie Fussell was moving as if she was exorcising the spirits of rock stars passed. If Grouplove and the Magnetic Zeros made music in the ’60s, it would probably look and sound like these psychedelic party folks. Keep ears to the ground for a summer date in Los Angeles from this group.

Next up on 6th at The Lodge were Dallas Fort-Worth indie rockers Kites and Boomerangs, playing in a window display for passers by, the band intertwined wide instrumental breaks and tight-knit verses. Reminiscent of Incubus and other alt bands from the Aughts, a crowd gathered on the sidewalk to watch, as the quartet transitioned into a cover of “Hold On” by the Alabama Shakes.

Meanwhile: “You gotta hold on.” Something all SXSW pedestrians needed reminding of as they trudged the streets of downtown Austin.

The local bands were thick-skinned enough to handle the Texas humidity, not to discredit first-time bands, (pro tip: bring sunscreen and aloe vera), but Austin locals Good Field intensified the heat with their scorching improvisation and explosive sounds at Burnsides Bar, where free IPAs were being given away (hint: IPAs do not hydrate like water). Based on their set closing song, this is a band worth revisiting later in the festival.

As the sun made it way closer west, the festivities moved east.

In East Austin (see: Echo Park of Austin), the Hotel Vegas was attracting a large number of… crustier … music fans. Thrashers Total Abuse were, well, totally abusing the large crowd of denim and patch-clad fans, many of whom were bobbing their heads faster than most otolaryngologists (neck doctors) would recommend. They thrashed so hard that one of the guitarists’ straps broke, though he continued to shred on his knees as his bandmates convulsed to their own tunes.

Oh, did we mention it was hot!?

Luckily ice-cold promotional waters were being given away at Roses and Keys during New York folk duo Beau’s sunset performance. It was the perfect time of day for this type of music as well. Most people needed a seat and some shade, and the dueling harmonies of Heather Golden and Emma Rose Jenney set the mood with their stripped-down take on pop.

The arrival of darkness meant Austinites were ready to join in the fun (aka, waiting in line). At the Hype Hotel, attendees were clamoring to get inside, and eventually lines were closed.

Living up to their name, PARTYBABY kicked things off with the heavy “I Don’t Wanna Wait.” The sound was heavy, yet catchy, mixing pop-punk and melodic hard rock. Playing to an ever-growing crowd, the band displayed an excellent use of dynamics, able to blast into a full stop, when shouted by the singer, and then jumping right back into a jam. Before continuing, frontman Noah Gersh introduced the next number by saying “This is a song about throwing your life away to follow your dreams, it’s called ‘California'” — which received a laugh from the crowd. It felt like the music for friends gathering in a basement passing around someone’s parents vodka.