SXSW 2013, Friday

Friday was another great day, a chance to see favorites and some new bands. The Convention Center is always a good place to start. I finally got to see Divine Fits, featuring Britt Daniels of Spoon (one of my all-time favorite acts). This is a side project, collaborating with members of Wolf Parade and Handsome Furs. It’s not a departure from his Spoon stuff, but it just offers some sharing of lead responsibilities. 

Then I traveled to Whole Foods to see Rick Springfield play on their rooftop patio. Yes, you heard that right. It was the Rick Springfield of Jessie’s Girl fame, General Hospital’s Dr. Noah Drake, who was playing at Whole Foods. You can’t make this stuff up. He looked and sounded great in this short acoustic set.

The convention center featured Dawes and Vampire Weekend later in the afternoon. Both put on strong sets. Vampire Weekend has a new album coming out soon.

I ended my day seeing Ed Kowalcyzk. Ed was the lead singer of the band Live in the ’90s.  Before my current obsession with 2000 bands like Wilco, Spoon and Old 97’s, I’d say that after Barenaked Ladies (trust me, they’re great. Not as silly as you think when you listen to their catalog) Live was my favorite band of the ’90s. I saw them many times when I lived in Ohio, had my one and only crowd surfing experience at their show in Columbus, and loved their albums Mental Jewelry and the big one Throwing Copper. Ed is so talented, and it was great to hear him play old and new songs in this intimate setting.