Culture

SXSW '11 Day Four Recap
By Seth Sommerfeld
March 21, 2011 - 1:25am
On the fourth and final major day of SXSW many more terrific acts displayed their skills and things got out of control. The NewsHouse was there to bring you the best moments.

SXSW doesn't wind down, it goes out with a bang.

Friday was the last real day of the fest and it brings out the biggest names and the largest crowds.  When the sun went down in Austin the atmophere was wild and the streets were packed with weekenders looking to live up the last of the party.

Reunited Riot Starters

SXSW '11 Day Three Recap
By Seth Sommerfeld
March 19, 2011 - 6:15am
More than 2,000 bands perform in Austin during the week of SXSW. The NewsHouse will not cover them all, but these were among the most ear-catching Day Three artists.

And the beat goes on, and the beat goes on…

Coping To Aging Is For The Weak

SXSW '11 Day Two Recap
By Seth Sommerfeld
March 18, 2011 - 6:47am
SXSW keeps a' rollin' along in Austin and The NewsHouse was on the scene to seek out the best of day two.

Downtown Austin was even more abuzz as the second day of SXSW commenced.  Not only were more bands and fans rolling into town, but there were also two little events you may have heard of (St. Patrick’s Day and the opening of the NCAA Tournament) bringing more non-music folk out.  Needless to say, it appears that some of these individuals may have had an alcoholic beverage or two (or six or twelve).  But that’s just atmospheric ornamentation.  On to the more pressing matter of the actual tuneage of day two…

SXSW '11 Day One Recap
By Seth Sommerfeld
March 17, 2011 - 6:57am
While SU is on Spring Break, the music world is convening down in Austin, Texas, for the South By Southwest Music Festival. The NewsHouse is there to cover it, starting with a recap of the fest's first day.

Under the cover of clouds, SXSW began in Austin on Wednesday.  Music could be heard blaring from almost every bar, restaurant or corner (buskers!), as press, industry types and music fans cluttered Austin’s downtown.  Here’s a quick overview of some of the highs and lows of Day 1:

 

Best Afternoon Kickstart

Top 5 Disappointments in Music this Week
By Trevor Jett Wells
November 18, 2009 - 2:14pm
Musically, this week has really me bummed out -- from music videos to canceled shows. I'm mad as hell, and I'm not going to take it anymore.

It's bad enough I broke my fifth pair of headphones this year, but it's a whole other kind of torture when so many things have sucked in music news this week. Canceled shows top the list, but lazy music videos and sheer WTF? moments also demand attention.

1) Phantogram cancels their trip to Albany, NY

Tackling New York Magazine's So-Called "Brooklyn Sound"
By Trevor Jett Wells
November 10, 2009 - 1:43pm
It's kind of sad NY Mag is so painfully late in addressing the music scene in Brooklyn. That said, their list of iconic indie songs that define the scene is somewhat misinformed and nauseating.

It's usually a bad thing when the mainstream media finds out about a big indie band, because then the band loses it's mystique and edge---it's called selling out. It's a whole other thing when the mainstream media makes a total ass out of itself (which isn't rare) when trying to define an entire music scene--in this case, New York Magazine listing the Top 40 songs that define the music scene in Williamsburg, Brooklyn.

Here's the list: