Music News - SXSW 2006 - The Biggest Yet
22 March 2006 - 0 Comments
New Zealand bands at SXSW pick up coverage in The Austin Chronicle, The New York Times, Pitchfork Media, Austin-American Statesman, Radio KLBJ, KUT FM and Time Magazine.
Nine New Zealand artists travelled to Austin, Texas last week for SXSW XX – The twentieth anniversary of what has become the biggest music trade event in America.
This year The Brunettes, The Bats, Avotor, The Datsuns, Coco Solid, Ryan McPhun and the Ruby Suns, Flight of the Conchords, Flip Grater and Die! Die! Die! joined 10,000 delegates, 4,000 members of the public and 1400 bands, all packed into a city around half the size of Auckland for four days of music, music and more music.
A big crowd at the opening night annual New Zealand Party got SXSW 2006 off to a great start for the New Zealand delegation, where all in attendance again enjoyed hospitality courtesy of Kim Crawford Wines. Big crowds became a feature of the week, with The Bats, Flight of the Conchords and The Datsuns all having fans make-do by listening in the queues outside their packed-out venues.
This was undoubtedly helped by the coverage received by the NZ bands, with five of the nine showcasing artists receiving write-ups in the Austin Chronicle’s influential ‘Picks & Sleepers’ list for the week. Coco Solid were revered as more clever than Princess Superstar or Peaches, and the Chronicle warned that you would lose all indie street cred if you missed Die! Die! Die! performing at their Saturday showcase.
After appearing as a Hot Tip in Pitchfork Media’s Friday predictions, The Brunettes were a highlight for Jon Pareles of the New York Times, who asked in his SXSW coverage if “perky was the new glum?”
Flip Grater appeared as a guest for live performance and interview on both Radio KLBJ and Austin’s KUT FM.
The Bats also picked up a Pitchfork recommendation, who referred to them as ‘delightful indie poppers’ and SXSW head band booker Craig Stewart picked The Bats as one of the best bands of his week in the Austin-American Statesman. The Chronicle thought they were “perhaps the definitive New Zealand jangle rock band”.
Michael Bertin of the Austin Chronicle enjoyed Ryan McPhun and the Ruby Suns showcase performance at The Whiskey Bar, and Flight of the Conchords, who have been mentioned in more fan blogs than you can count this week, were last seen heading down to South Congress to get their photo taken for Time Magazine.
As the bands now disperse across America to continue with their tours, or just head home to recuperate, we are safe in the knowledge that NZ music is quite capable of making an impact on the international audience that attends this annual music event. See you all in Austin for South By Southwest 2007!
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