NME Does SXSW
It lasts so long and yet it goes so fast. In what felt like a flash, SXSW is over for another year. Team NME had our biggest ever presence, welcoming bands including the Rascals, Crystal Castles, Holy F**k, and Cage The Elephant, and the stars of the ace Transgressive Records to our showcase on the Wave Rooftop for three consecutive days and nights.
I could try to compress the highlights into single blog length, but much better to guide you over to our New Music Editor Alex Miller's Radar Buzz Blog.
You can watch a range of interviews from the NME Video team, including chats with Vampire Weekend, Paramore, Joe Lean, and Justice, by clicking here.
I was out on the streets (no change there, then) capturing the sights, sounds, and smells for Too Much Information, including an unfortunate encounter with Perez Hilton.
Meanwhile, here's Team NME's highlights from SXSW 2008...
DAN MARTIN, WRITER -
Straight-Up Best Thing:
N*E*R*D* at Fader Fort was the most energetic and ecastatic rock show I've seen for a long, long time--all the better since I'd all but given up on Pharrell. "Everybody Nose" is surely single of the year already, no? But special mention must go to the live debut of the amazing Neon Neon at Sansa Playground.
Best Discovery:
A Place To Bury Strangers from Brooklyn on Sunday night. White noise that shakes the crotch just as much as it pushes the mind--dance rock 'n' roll that was more explosive than I could have imagined.
KRISSI MURISON, DEPUTY EDITOR -
Straight-Up Best Thing:
The Lemonheads turning up early and unexpectedly play their alt.rock masterpiece "It's A Shame About Ray" in its near note-for-note (there was no "Mrs. Robinson") entirety to a half-full parking lot on Thursday night. By the time they got as far as "Bit Part," the whole city had cottoned onto what was going on and was queuing outside.
Best Discovery:
And the award for best vocal performance goes to...Seattle's Fleet Foxes, whose Southern gothic harmonies sounded like My Morning Jacket singing madrigals.
PRITA ELAN, ACTING REVIEWS EDITOR -
Straight-Up Best Thing:
Crystal Castles--amazing lights and amazing Alice!
Best Discovery:
Telepathe or Fleet Foxes, because I couldn't decide between NY boho cool and beardy Americana.
JAMIE FULLERTON, NEWS REPORTER -
Straight-Up Best Thing:
Neon Neon--Wonderful '80s synth-pop in a beautiful courtyard setting.
Best Discovery:
A Place To Bury Strangers--Wall of sound and melody that whacked me in the face like a six-foot kipper and prompted mass texting around NME staff to declare them the best band of the festival.
TOM OXLEY, PHOTOGRPAHER -
Straight-Up Best Thing: Too many! McKinney Falls in the State National Park; South Congress area with dead typical American wooden houses; some youth stumbling, falling headfirst in to some girls and spilling everyone's drinks; the crowds in the street at night...
Best Discovery:
Easy--White Denim. Berzerko stuff with a bonkers drummer.
