Jun 26
AndrewBlues, Pop
Cyndi Lauper put together a blues band for her tour and stuck to all but a handful of new songs on the setlist. She was fiery onstage (even with the choice of toxic-red wig) and she was clearly enjoying herself.
The opener Just Your Fool was a good example of why Lauper is a fuckin’ pop star no matter what she’s singing. It was a barn burner. The best tracks from the new album, Memphis Blues, shone onstage when they allowed her to use her vocal range. Down so Low and Don’t Cry No More were the best examples, uplifting anthems as powerful as anything from her past catalog.
The show was divided into an hour long set of songs from her blues album, closing with the non-album track Wild Women Don’t Get the Blues (available on digital editions). The second set was a mere five songs deep, but she delivered them with a blues-touch and jammed out for a full forty minutes. Starting with the weepy ballad Who Let in the Rain and then leading into Change of Heart, Girls Just Want to Have Fun, and Time After Time, that was it for a run-through of the hits. The songs were fantastic, given a blues treatment and transformed into sing-a-long crowd-pleasing extended jams.
For one last song, she emerged on stage with just her guitarist for a tearful take on True Colors wrapped in a bit of John Lennon’s Power to the People.
Cyndi Lauper setlist
Just Your Fool
Shattered Dreams
Early in the Mornin’
Romance In The Dark
How Blue Can You Get?
Down Don’t Bother Me
Down So Low
Rollin’ and Tumblin’
Wild Woman Don’t Get The Blues
Break
Who Let The Rain In
Change Of Heart
Girls Just Wanna Have Fun
Time After Time
Don’t Cry No More
Encore
True Colors
Mar 20
DaraBlues, Jazz, Modern Rock, Pop
[Stockholm, Sweden] out of all of the many female-vocalist semi-retro bands we saw (thanks to the Rockboy), this was my favorite – Miss Li had a genuine edge and sang creatively and enthusiastically while pounding on her little keyboard – she didn’t seem like she was acting but like she was really just that passionate and that much fun – they’re really less retro revival and more indie pop inspired by retro jazz and blues – she was backed by a guitar, drums, a sax (I think?) and an upright bass, but we particularly enjoyed the two very Swedish looking gents – oddly, we’d tried to see her earlier at an outside stage, even willing to brave ridiculous 40 degree weather, and been told she’d gone home due to the weather
Mar 20
DaraDance, Rap
[Baltimore, MD] I wanted to see her badly because she’s 1) a female rapper, 2) from Baltimore, home to Spank Rock and The Wire (I know), and 3) features M.I.A. in several songs – the last reason was the only one that convinced Rockboy to join me – so her DJ was too repetitive and simple to compare her to M.I.A. but she was fast and cute – hard dance rap as you’d expect from Baltimore – best part was the two matching MALE dancers flanking her all elbows out and knees up, seemed more inspired by traditional African dancing (super sped up) than hip-hop dancing – really liked the dancing – the 2nd floor bar was filled to capacity but with everybody crowded into 1/2 of the bar to see the 2nd stage – when the floor started bending and shaking, Rockboy and I made plans to save ourselves by jumping on the bar when the floor collapsed
Mar 20
DaraPop
[Memphis, TN] thin graceful boys singing that looked like magical kids singing saccharine sweet happy pop – reminded me of 60s jangle pop and the 60s in general – they were pretty good and a nice change from the same-old indie sounds – lead singer had a jean jacket with ‘Punk and his hunx’ painted on the back
Mar 19
DaraDance, Rap, Underground Hip Hop
[Colorado] best rap show I saw – a tall lanky black guy with a bowtie tattooed around his neck – incredible dynamism and demand of the crowd, coming right to the end of the stage with a habit of bending from the waist to sing in two halves – he charmed me by switching off the intensity to smile uncertainly and kind of giggle or to lean down and ask the white punk in the front if the sound was okay – brought two pals up to do a hardcore number and then went solo to do a booty-shaking dance rap number ‘for the ladies’ – it was clear he was odd in a very intelligent way – lots of diversity, lots of intensity, and lots of quality
Mar 19
DaraArena Rock, Pop, Punk, Rock and Roll
[New Orleans, LA] a band Rockboy discovered in SXSW research that led us to Jay Reatard’s tribute – they were described as an inspiration for Jay in the little pamphlet memorializing him – they were not Reatard-punk but totally illuminated his sound – they were perfect power pop with a punk edge and I mean perfect – they were a terrific band – the lead singer was a non-shirt wearing sweaty large man and it didn’t even matter – they were loud and fast and hard but had perfect melodies and lyrics and hooks – a top show
Mar 19
DaraModern Rock, Pop
[Alliance, OH] lite alt-rock – anthem rock with big sound like Coldplay – boring
Mar 19
DaraPop, Punk
[Richmond, VA] all I wanted to do was see The XX but somehow everything was a mess and I was watching some slick emo band – I appreciated their musical prowess and their confidence but just not my style – the best part was the free Taco Bell tacos offered by women walking around with them in original wrappers on upheld trays – a lame but tasty attempt by this venue trying hard to pretend it was elite
Mar 19
DaraDance, Electronic, Pop
[Copenhagen, Denmark] the music was good (disco pop rock) but they were remarkable because of the lead singer – she was a gorgeous tiny blonde girl with a neon pink outfit and about 100 necklaces and a knowing sneer of a smile and she actually could sing – maybe a modern Debbie Harry – they had two horns, keyboard, guitars,…
Mar 18
DaraDance, Electronic, Funk, New Wave
[New York, NY] queer culture band – I kind of loved them – so odd looking I thought they were clueless foreigners but I think that’s their intention – crazy lyrics like how it’s really expensive to buy babies so s/he’s just going to ‘fuck all her friends’ until she has a little baby – it sounds crass but s/he made it cute – electronic disco punk
Mar 18
DaraModern Rock, Pop
[Long Beach, CA] three small boys playing indie psych pop with vocals that were high-pitched like Bright Eyes – they were complicated and good but maybe overshadowed in the sea of harder and more exciting live shows
Mar 18
DaraIndie Rock, Pop, Psychedelic
[Montreal, Canada] repetitive lite indie rock band with psychedelic touches – I was unmoved but may have been the setting because they’re pretty easy on the ear as per myspace
Mar 17
DaraArena Rock, Hard Rock, Pop
[Dublin, Ireland] big sound pop rock that sounds fiercer live – I really liked their tight performance but Rockboy thought they were boring
Mar 17
DaraJazz, Pop, Swing
[Sydney, Australia] a sassy vixen with a big red flower in her big blonde waves – she sang with the attitude of Amy Winehouse and the voice of Macy Gray and she danced like a little jogging train throughout the whole show – her backing band was sort of special, incorporating little jazzy bits
Mar 17
DaraNew Wave, Pop, Singer/Songwriter
[France] her song “I’ll Kill Her” is indescribably cute and hilarious but she didn’t play it and mocked it when I asked her to – despite that, I enjoyed her show – her little-girl voice bends and curls and then she’s screaming – the one consistency in her sound is a sort of hippie ethic but otherwise it was something of a spoken performance… with a backing band – Rockboy only saw the tail end of her show and immediately declared her pretentious, disingenuous and annoying… all of which are true as well – for example, there was a long period of time when her MySpace tagline was “Soko is dead.” which prompted cries of adoration form her fans and pleas to come back… which she did… of course
Jan 30
DaraAdult Contemporary, Singer/Songwriter
it’s still surprising to hear beautiful noises come out of a person you’ve only heard speak so far – but I wasn’t surprised that Karen sings with the heartfelt passion that I always suspect is under her cool calm collected non-singing demeanor – I liked that the passion seemed more genuine than showmanship, as if her songs were about things she had actually experienced – her voice is rich and even, with a cool elegance that is soothing – interesting and smart lyrics and well-crafted songs – she plays with her voice at times and she used some sort of beat-recorder to add rhythm to one song – I especially liked that she’s brave enough to pause and give the song room to breathe – and she managed to play guitar well with half-frozen fingers!
Dec 09
DaraGarage Rock, Pop
Another fantastic local band. Jangle-pop garage punk with all three male members harmonizing sweet vocals. Reminded me of The Strange Boys. Seemed like they achieved a nice consensus of sound from a diverse range of influences from the band members. Extremely danceable. Some of that stop-start groove guitar like the Gang of Four. I had lots more to say about this band that escapes me now. You should see them. Great live show.
May 16
AndrewDance, Pop
The B-52’s continue to put on a dance party despite being on the circuit since 1979. Sticking to a nice mix between their latest set Funplex and their classic material like Love Shack and Rock Lobster, they kept the audience dancing with every transcendent note. Their music translates well in the live setting and even the cavernous hall of the House of Blues couldn’t dull their energy. Fred Schneider introduced Strobe Light as a love song, “of the 7,000 written, this is the one we recorded.” He stumped for Obama before Channel Z “8 years of shit is enough” and generally kept up the wise cracking between songs.
The beginning of the set, Mesopotamia and the new track Ultraviolet, highlighted their vocal harmonies at their best. The night’s best was the rare party mix track Give Me Back My Man, with Cindy Wilson on vocals. Wilson constantly mixed it up with her vocal contributions, and used her sex appeal on stage to full effect. The B-52’s have definitely entered the realm of bands that take breaks in between songs more for their own benefit than for that of the audience, but they kept up the banter and did a good job of keeping their reputation as the preeminent party band intact.
The B-52’s setlist
Pump
Mesopotamia
Ultraviolet
Private Idaho
Give Me Back My Man
Funplex
Strobe Light
Quiche Lorraine
Juliet of the Spirits
Roam
Party Out of Bounds
Love in the Year 3000
Hot Corner
Channel Z
Love Shack
Encore
Planet Claire
Rock Lobster
Mar 21
DaraPop, Psychedelic, Rock and Roll
wrong band… wrong time… wrong audience… wrong place – maybe they’re good but maybe they’re not – I couldn’t get out of that audience of 60 year old guys bobbing their heads fast enough – typical 1960s jangle pop band – should you be proud that you’re decent after 40 years of practice?
Mar 21
DaraDance, Heavy Metal, Punk
so tight and hard, they almost approached math metal – in addition to this, they were distinguished by their ‘fun’ take on the whole serious rock/metal thing: they started with a “dance party” that really made you want to dance and had audience participation which is atypical for this sort of music – eventually played songs that approximated rockabilly/metal if there’s such a thing – would call them dancepunk if hard-pressed – I keep wondering why there was so many Japanese bands at SXSW? Or was this just a Dara experience? – this was one of my favorite shows at SXSW and I was moved DESPITE extreme weariness
Mar 21
DaraPop, Punk
really bad Japanese punk-pop, dull as all get out
Mar 21
DaraDance, Pop, Punk
the show I won’t forget – I recognized their name but knew nothing of them – first and only band who was actually introduced by a SXSW official (I guess) – he said that they were the only band who was asked to return to SXSW because they “bring it” when they perform – top-notch showmen with costumes, stunts, antics, acrobatics, lame jokes, and general insanity – and then they made me think, why do all of these bands NOT put more effort into their shows!!?! – they bill themselves as comic punks in their fluorescent spandex outfits – the guitarists were guys and we thought the drummer was a girl (either way s/he was adorable with spunky grin throughout the show) – they climbed on top of their speakers, into the 2nd floor crowd, on top of the tarp covering the 1st floor crowd – they flashed cardboard signs that said “healthy,” “steak,” and just nonsense – everything they said in their Japanese accents was nearly unintelligible – they created a bowling alley in the middle of the crowd with their bodies as the ball and the pins – this all would have begun to annoy me if they didn’t also have the music but they did – it was this insanely tight, intense dance punk, actually similar to other Japanese rock bands at SXSW
Mar 20
DaraGarage Rock, Pop
Montreal – came to this showcase for Outrageous Cherry but also because I have discovered I am a girl immediately smitten by the sound of garage rock which was the theme of the showcase – this band was young and idyllic – they were a more melancholy version of The Beach Boys – they were quite good but I’m always annoyed by young freshness in rockers – on a happier note, the music played in between sets was fantastic: all old garage I instantly recognized and an indication I was in the right place – BUT the crowd was ALL OLD MEN which was a clear indication I was in the wrong place
Mar 20
DaraDance, Goth, Modern Rock
this band was distinctive in a quiet way – there was a girl on guitar and singing in a slinky glittery dress of large black and gold stripes – she had on black nylons and no shoes – there was a clean-cut cute urban-looking boy in black on guitar – there was a drummer in something – their music was a gothy sort of dance-rock almost approximating a poppier Bauhaus which is a pretty dramatically positive comparison to make… but there you have it – they both had good voices – too low key to go crazy over – oh and they were part of a Swedish showcase
Mar 20
DaraAlt-Country, Indie Rock, Pop
I have an extreme fondness for this band’s vocal harmonizing and general sound (please see “Shake Our Tree”)… quirky fun indie pop with interesting lyrics – very unfortunately, the Mohawk’s sound system totally failed the band and underplayed the voices and highlighted the less interesting instrumentation – additionally, in what I saw (a lot), they did not play my song – I think it’s possible they’re solid song crafters and it’s just a matter of being better on album than live – their physical appearances were interesting enough though that I suspect the Mohawk is to blame
Mar 20
DaraDance, Electronic, Gangsta Rap, Rap
she was the rapper I’d come to see (part of the British grime scene) and she wasn’t quite what I expected – I pictured a wannabe type gangster girl, more pretty than tough, but she was far more ‘legit’ than the two female rappers before her: small intense-looking white girl in baggy clothes, baseball cap, snarly rapping, etc. – you can’t help but be totally sucked into her world: Eminem-like phrasing and attitude, cockney accent, and total stage dynamism and mastery – lots of silly posturing but I loved her – she could rap fast and plays in interesting twists with her words and her voice – her DJ samples a lot, including American music, and can go from kooky noises to harder synth walls – am currently considering my rapper potential
Mar 20
DaraDance, Electronic, Pop, Rap
all-class sultry deep-voiced black girl rapping over groovy electronic big-bass DJ tracks – another bad ass – her music was harder and she was better than Amanda Blank – girl power begins to surge in the room
Mar 20
DaraDance, Rap
swanky white city girl who raps like a bad-ass boy – she was all swishy smooth black hair with a pretty girl gold necklace – she held her microphone close to her mouth with forearm extended straight and covered in a mass of tiny gold bracelets – she had a DJ backing her with hardcore party rap – big crowd – I quite enjoyed her… oooh, just looked her up and she’s associated with a party rap band from Baltimore whom I have really been liking: Spank Rock… even better… and she’s apparently “dirty rap” though I totally missed that
Mar 20
DaraDub, Pop, Reggae, Soul
this band has a gorgeous reggae-pop sound that I’ve come to crave – probably because of the touches of dub – singer’s voice is also a husky high-pitched delight – although my drunk compatriots were a bit of a distraction and my view was often blocked, the band did not disappoint a bit – music and lyrics can move from fun to more soulful and melancholy – they were a group of 3 to 5 clean-cut nice-looking white and black people – “Where’s your soul gone to?”
Mar 19
DaraElectronic, Pop
three girls with long lank brown hair on three keyboards in a row – standing and singing in little girl voices – about as exciting as you’d imagine – they weren’t bad but so innocent they made me feel dirty just looking at them
Mar 19
DaraElectronic, Pop, Reggae, Tribal
this band was a breath of fresh air after rock overload – tiny black boy with polo shirt and giant smile singing – another black boy with dreads, gapped teeth, and abercrombie-style clothes on ??? – silly white boy with plastic animals glued to his t-shirt and plastic sunglasses on the keyboard – they were electronic hipsters interlaced with warm authentic African touches – the singer was all positivity and would switch from African style hymns to reggae to pure pop – the first song sampled M.I.A. and I would say their sound is fairly comparable to hers – perhaps the best part of the band were the two black female dancers in rainbow-colored clothing – one was skinny but the big girl had all the moves and no shame – the crowd was all young awkward white hipster kids and, at one point, the big girl put her hands on the hips of a shy white girl in the front and made her move them – we agreed though that there’s something unsatisfying about a group without a single musician
Mar 18
DaraAlternative Rock, Blues, Comedy, Country, Electronic, Pop, R&B, Rap, Rock and Roll
We’re all bickering on a hot street: WomanInCharge on crutches and no cabs in sight. Two of us head off towards busier corners to find a taxi when what to our wondering eyes should appear, but an oddly shaped taxicab coming so near. We whooped, climbed in and shortly realized that this was no normal taxi. It was shaped like a big box, had a stripper’s pole and fluorescent lighting. Even better, there was an interactive jukebox-style touch screen with a wealth of music videos from the 70s to 00s to choose from. 3 to 4 TV screens allowed a clear view for every passenger. The kind of random magic that only happens during SXSW… or anytime of the year for the lucky few who know to call 512-626-TAXI.
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