*** Grand Archives
*** Filter/Cedar St. Party
*** 03.15.08

After this performance I was convinced and the Grand Archives only further reinforced my hypothesis. Ray Ban’s Wayfarer’s=Rock n Roll. There, I said it. The Wayfarer is the new Aviator. The funny thing is that Ray-Ban makes both, so to hooray’s for Ray Ban. The music you ask, well, the bastard child of Band of Horses showed why they’re doing they’re own thing. No reverb drenched guitar or vocals. Just good ol’ fashioned light hearted rock n’ roll.

Grand Archives- Torn Blue Foam Couch [mp3]

***Sons & Daughters
*** French Legation Garden Party
*** 03.15.08

Sons and Daughters is the type of band that you think of that never sees the light of day. To see some of these bands out of there elements and adapt to their surroundings was quite nice. I thought for a hot minute that the lead singer Adele Bethel was going to bust out in a burlesque act of sorts with the scaly ensemble she was wearing. Very zexy indeed! As for their music you ask? Their music has become hard driven as of late and their live performance was a superb representation of their latest gem , This Gift.

Sons and Daughters-Split Lips [mp3]

***Rachel Ray SXSW Party
*** Beauty Bar
*** 03.15.08

To our surprise, the Beauty Bar was crackin beyond all belief. The notion of the Rachel Ray was absolutely baffling to me. I thought the line was for Red 7, next door. This was the only party we waited in line. I admit, I brought my co-worker’s Rachel Ray Cook Book and I bought a Rachel Ray magazine at the HEB earlier. There is no shame in my game. I was turned away. Why? you ask? Well, she was nowhere to be found and when I went to the back to look for her, she was doing interviews in her tour bus. I asked a random passerbyer who was playing, his response was, “some shitty band.” I came to find out later that it was Cringe (the name of Rachel Ray’s husband’s band). Couple of items to note, the food was exquisite. Mojitos were fabulous. Billy Gibbons from ZZ Top saved Cringe’s performance. Lastly, Efrain Ramirez (Pedro from Napoleon Dynamite) was dropping some 80’s hits for the ladies.

ZZ TOP-Cheap Sunglasses [MP3] ZZ TOP-TUBE STEAK BOOGIE [MP3]

*** Cut Copy
*** IHEARCOMIX / JELLYNYC Party
*** Random AMLI Garage Rooftop
*** 03.14.08

This was one party where there was no liquor flowing, atleast while we stuck around. We didn’t need any booze to enjoy the 80’s synth machine that is Cut Copy. Their act has cleaned up tenfold since the last time I saw them at the Pitchfork Party years ago. The new material lived up to it’s billing as potentially one of the top albums of the year. The group had a pretty light show that would have sent Pink Floyd back to the drawing board.

Cut Copy-Lights and Music [mp3]

*** British Sea Power
*** Mohawk
*** Hot Freaks Party
*** 03.14.08

Mental note, do not try to get into any day party as the headlining act is hitting the stage. The line will be long and disastrous. Funny story here is that we snuck in through the back (sorry guys, I tried calling Dodge, but I think he was faded) while White Denim was vacating the premises. British Sea Power delivered the goods. By deliver, I mean they took no prisoners. Sometimes you’ll catch a band slacking off during the day, but the UK group did no such thing. I was thoroughly impressed with the dueling vocal duties and violin playing ( I didn’t know that they even had one, or a horn player for that matter). Their triumphant guitars hit epic highs as if the memory of that horrible Pitchfork review was never written.

British Sea Power-Atom [mp3]