SXSW Bday pt 2

While reviewing the photos I was going to use for the previous post, I realized that there was yet a SIXTH band we had seen and listened to who wasn't included in my last post. So I will give you a rundown of this performance here.

Now although this performance was during the music portion of SXSW, this band actually performed for the Heart of Texas Rockfest. This runs event runs concurrent to SXSW and is located between 6th St and 7th St on Neches. It is free to get in, but they do ask for donations at the gate so if you go next year, please donate! A $1 donation is stupid cheap for great music and an amazing line up of bands they always have here. The set up is for Rockfest is pretty sweet as well. There are 2 stages side x side, so while you are listening to some awesome music on one stage, the next band is getting ready on the other stage. I would honestly say there is a 5 minute delay between bands starting from stage to stage, pretty fucking cool and efficient!

There is an upcoming blog from my day 5 of SXSW that will be dedicated to Heart of Texas Rockfest (http://www.texasrockfest.com/). This is what happened somwhere in between Super Water Sympathy and Winslow (http://livemusicinaustin.blogspot.com/2013/03/a-very-sxsw-birthday.html) we wandered over to see what was happening at the Texas Rockfest complex.

To my surprise, LA Velvet (https://www.facebook.com/LAVelvetMusic) was on stage. Yes! and Oh My! was the instantaneous reaction. I remember this band from SXSW 2012, so you know they made an impression. Here is what blew me away this time...there was a huge difference in the sound and the stage presentation of the band. There is absolutely no question in my mind that not only a year, but also location, can make a huge difference in the sound, presentation, and lasting impression a band can make on a crowd. If I just went off of my last experience with this band in 2012 (http://livemusicinaustin.blogspot.com/2012/03/kickin-it-sxsw-style.html) I probably wouldn't have hung out too long, but I wanted to give them another look. Okay! Well maybe I wanted to give lead singer Laura V another look, but so did every other dude with a camera, cell phone, or mental Rolodex.



The music has a strikingly 80's metal sound. There is NOTHING wrong with this, and judging from the people in the crowd jamming out, you can tell that LA Velvet is well received and appreciated for what they do. With front woman Laura V belting out the vocals (and sounding a helluva lot like Doro Pesch - props to the metal god she is) and shredding impressively on the guitar, it is no wonder the crowd pretty much stays glued to their spot. With definitive crowd control, the band puts the audience through the paces. "Put your hands together!" "Let me hear you out there!" "How are you feeling tonite Austin, Texas?" is the constant banter from the stage keeping the audience lively and part of the show. It seems this is a good thing, to have your crowd as the 'other' member of the band. LA Velvet did break out my least favorite song of theirs (the one with the harmonica) again for one of their last songs of the performance. However, this time it was so totally different, the sound was much cleaner and made sense with the music.

Overall I am glad to say I got to see LA Velvet AGAIN! What kind of music blogger would I be without saying that I would love the opportunity to meet the band...wink wink - nudge nudge...when they come down Texas way again!

Laters

Kickin it SXSW style

 South By South West, better known to the musical world, pop culture, and the blogoshpere as SXSW. I was there, I did it, and I survived [sigh].

The official start to the music part of this huge event (interactive, movie, and music) is generally considered The Austin Music Awards. The Austin Music Awards fall on Wednesday in the middle of the conference week. Now don't be fooled or misunderstand these words, the music is happening ALL WEEK! From the weekend before to the Sunday following the awards, it is non stop, more than we are used to here.

I jumped into the fray a day early on Tuesday this year at Blue Moon on 6th St in the heart of it all. This was the 13th annual Heart of Tx Rockfest. No wristbands, no 'Sponsored' showcases, just great music and a variety of music at that.

Blue Moon ( http://www.facebook.com/pages/Blue-Moon-Rock-N-Blues/123013554411190#!/pages/Blue-Moon-Rock-N-Blues/123013554411190?sk=info ) version first.

Seeing 3 bands this evening at Blue Moon before moving it on over to Red Eyed Fly to catch another 2 performances. Without knowing the correct name of the band I will still talk about them, as I was impressed. I will do some more digging and amend this once I find out. Up on stage in a flash and taking over the show were these two guys with guitars. Having a little bit of a country sound with a rockin edge and vocals that had me thinking Johnny Cash was in the house. I liked this! Sad not to know who they were, but I will find out...Oh Yes...I WILL Find out!

Aimless Gun ( http://www.aimlessgun.com/main.php ) took the stage back and then showed their professionalism by really having fun and tearing it up on a shortened set. This sound is difficult to pinpoint (Cross Canadian Ragweed, Zac Brown Band or somewhere around there). They are definitively that Austin sound! With some surprising spectators in the house (a member of Vallejo and a member of Blue October - NICE), these boys keep good company. Sounding like they are ready to hit the road in support of someone big and looking like they are ready for the headlining stage, I believe it will happen soon for them.

L.A. Velvet ( http://www.lavelvetband.com/ ) was up next. Looking like they stepped in from the 80's and definitely sounding like the 80's rock with girly vocals, IT WAS AWESOME!. Smoke machine and cheering, sing along style of audience interaction, c'mon if you loved the Hair Metal days and sound, you will love them. It was a little shocking and almost laughable at first, but they were actually good. I was hooked and enjoyed the platinum blond ( Laura V ) singing in painted on spandex (as if everyone else wasn't staring), but decided it was time to leave when she busted out the harmonica. Sorry, I can't play the harmonica, but I can say it was off and slightly outta place. Everything else rocked and I am glad that I got to experience this band.

Laters