Felix Cartal – March 21, 2009 – Radio Room porch, Austin TX (SXSW)

Mar 21

DaraElectronic, Techno No Comments

I LOVED it – reminded me of the sounds of the rave scene in Vegas in the late 90s – all spare electronic sound with the intense build-ups and break-downs of DJ Jean’s “The Launch” – seemed to just be one guy on a computer but the crowd was hyperkinetic like ants

Casiokids – March 19, 2009 – Red House, Austin TX (SXSW)

Mar 19

DaraArt Rock, Electronic, House, Techno No Comments

I went from hating this band to adoring them: a lesson in the value of staying for an entire set – it was more keyboard hell: they had a whole network of them (4?) with 3 guys managing them – guitar and drums too – everybody had on those fluorescent plastic sunglasses the kids like – initial impressions: “like one of those clap bands… ambient electronic… yawn” – then they started looping in video game sounds and then they started sounding like The Unicorns (which is a good thing) – and then there was disco and wah wah – I don’t know enough about electronic music to say but there’s a certain deep wall of undertone screech they can do that I really like – suddenly they were The Chemical Brothers and I began to adore them – there were some authentic pounding club moments but they tended to emphasize the goofy rather than the intensity but the intensity was there – the interesting thing about them to me was that they were a mix of an electronic band and a band-band – additionally, the vocals were dissonant with the music in some ways (kind of an indie rock complaint style) but once I got up and started watching them it made more sense – they also put on a great stage show, throwing microphones in a call and response across the stage to each other…

Matt & Kim – March 19, 2009 – Opal Divine’s Freehouse, Austin TX (SXSW)

Mar 19

DaraElectronic, Punk, Techno No Comments

sped-walk nearly two miles across town to make it to this band my littlest sister had recommended – arrived to find out they were only admitting badge people (SXSW caste system) – I slunk over to listen from the outside knowing there were few other venues in this part of town – I must have looked defeated because the doorman waved me over and admitted me without explanation – most packed show I’d been too and the crowd was jumping before the band even started… literally… four 20-somethings next to me jumped in tandem for twenty minutes before the band had started… they had to have been high but their enthusiasm was hilarious – Kim plays drums and Matt’s on the keyboard – I was a little shocked at this seemingly new genre of music that I was entirely oblivious to: electronic punk? – would call it synth punk but that would group them with my beloved bands that are dark and sleazy which is the polar opposite of Matt & Kim – they were cheerful and hyper to the point that I thought they might be a Christian rock band, especially with Kim’s creepy perma-grin and Matt’s feel-good messages to the crowd – the crowd was nuts over them, crowdsurfing, and I cocked my head at this generation who had grown up so immersed in electronics that this was the music that felt real to them – the crowd and the band were in perfect harmony

06.04.1994 Eleven Greek Theatre, Berkeley, CA

Jun 04

AndrewAlternative Rock, Rock and Roll, Techno No Comments

techno-jumble version of rock n roll