VIDEO: Rock or Die VI, Hard Luck Lounge, Austin, TX, 3/14/19

Asbury Park's Well Wisher at our Rock Or Die VI day party.

You Are There

Here's a YouTube playlist featuring all of the bands booked by Little Dickman Records and CoolDad Music for the sixth installment of the Austin Rock or Die Day Party at Hard Luck Lounge. Thursday, March 14th, 2019, was the most beautiful day of our week down in Austin; and, as usual, Rock or Die was a great opportunity for some of the bands from our Tri-State Area scene to get together between harried dashes from set to set and venue to venue down in Austin.

Our portion of the show featured Gustaf, Stuyedeyed, Grim Streaker, Yawn Mower, Dentist, Looms, Sharkmuffin, Well Wisher, and Old Lady. We heard great music. We enjoyed some cold drinks and family bonding. We got sunburned.

Thanks to Rosi for capturing all of these. She was a one-woman video and audio wrecking crew that day, and I think her hard work paid off. All of these vids are up at the CoolDad Music YouTube Channel. Every time I watch a video on YouTube, people are asking me to subscribe; so I guess that's a thing you could do if you wanted.

Rosi's SXSW 2019, Days 4 & 5

Japanese Breakfast by Rose Lamela

"Dreams" in the Lone Star State

Words and pics by Rose Lamela (with one by Jim)

Days 4 and 5

On day 4, it started to really hit me how much I was loving Austin. Something about the vibe out there made me feel more in tune with myself. I felt part of this foreign city, and I was forgetting my daily routine of adulting. I was becoming less concerned about what was waiting back home.

This also became my favorite day of the trip. I was going to have a chance to film some local Jersey / BK bands in a different part of Austin which was away from the downtown area. When I walked into the Hard Luck Lounge, I was taken aback by how rustic the venue was. It had such a chill vibe that housed picnic tables and resembled a backyard but with no resemblance to anything in Jersey.

Rosi reppin' at Hard Luck Lounge and concentrating on her phone (by CoolDad)

I set up to do what is truly what I enjoy. I love being a photographer, but the dream is to film as many live performances as possible. The sound was absolutely amazing and I really enjoyed talking to the sound guy there. Despite his being super hungover and tired, he was by far very skilled at his craft. Even with some of the equipment issues CoolDad described in his post, the show went on and sounded great.

It was physically draining to shoot all day, but it was cleaned up with a great dinner at a local Mexican restaurant. We talked about life, Austin, music, and of course cameras. I got a ride to my new dwelling for the week, and crashed hard.

Day 5 came in fast, and I decided to hang out at the Austin Convention Center. There were some bands playing there that I got to check out. One being the band Trupa Trupa from Poland. I checked them out after buying my cheesy SXSW hoodie, and I really enjoyed their set. They made a few jokes about what their songs were about, especially one specifically written about snow.

Trupa Trupa

"We get a lot of snow in Poland!" said lead singer Grzegorz Kwiatkowski.

I finished off my stay there by buying a couple of things to send home, and I took in a meditative set from Virgin Pool.

Virgin Pool

This day was all about getting a chance to see Japanese Breakfast. I have been really wanting to see Michelle Zauner since I discovered her early last year. I made it in time to the Container Bar only to stand in my first SXSW line.

I walked in at the end of the Cherry Glazerr set and pushed my way to the front. As I mentioned before, getting to the front at a show in Austin is incredibly easy. The people there are just so nice and they end up striking a conversation with you instead of just giving you a dirty look. Not trying to put you down Jersey and NY, but just saying. There were some technical issues that seemed to last a little longer than usual. Michelle's demeanor remained calm, which is something I am always taken aback by when I see shit hit the fan during sound check. At one poin,t she started to do jumping jacks to relieve some stress resulting from about 30 minutes of troubleshooting audio equipment.

She started her set with "Road Head," which is from her album Soft Sounds from Another Planet. She also played the song "Boyish" which was the very first song I had ever heard thanks to a CoolDad post. She continue to climb on the rails around the stage and sing directly to the audience by delivering an intimate performance. I was so excited to hear her do her a cover of The Cranberries' "Dreams" which is one of my favorite high school era songs.

Japanese Breakfast

After the show, I wandered Austin and decided to go to Shangri-La. A few days prior, I heard music booming from there and made a point to go back. There was a midwest showcase going on, and I got to see some pretty cool bands there. I only got the end of VidCo Kult's set but they went well with a beautiful brisk night on 6th St. Drunk and Attics were hysterical between their lyrics and banter. Their bio on Facebook reads:

"Drugs & Attics is the new premier party drug rock band that's NOT FOR YOUR PARENTS!!!!!!!!"

VidCo Kult

Drugs & Attics

Highlight Rivals came on and battled a bass guitar strap issue with charisma and glam while doing shots of whiskey with the host of the showcase. The Velveteers ended my Friday night with their pop vocals dressed in heavy guitar and drums. I especially dug the song "Atlantic City." I am not being biased. I promise.

Headlight Rivals

The Velveteers

I ordered an Uber; and, as usual, talked to everyone in the car. I got the deets on how cool it is to live in Austin and was told to consider moving there. I went to bed thinking about life and moving south. I thought about this great opportunity to come out here and drown myself with music. Somewhere between those pipe dreams, I passed out in a bed in the Lone Star State.

SXSW 2019, Day 6 w Lee Bains, Annabelle Chairlegs, Viagra Boys, Pip Blom, Lunar Vacation, Tallies, Bambara, and A Giant Dog

A Giant Dog

Sleep When Dead

I woke up in the wee hours of Saturday morning and noticed a figure looming in the dark. "Bye, Jimmy." It was Chris Dickman heading out for his early flight back to Jersey. I'd be on my own for the day.

I had one goal for Saturday. That was to make it to A Giant Dog's midnight set at Cheer Up Charlies. This would be easier said than done as a week's worth of sleeping four hours per night was starting to catch up with me. In previous years, I generally took it easy on Saturday nights, turning in early following some shows during the day. But this would be A Giant Dog's first set of the week, and I would kick myself if I left Austin without seeing them on their home turf.

I made myself a Texas-shaped waffle in the hotel breakfast area and walked downtown. Joe Steinhardt from Don Giovanni Records messaged me that Lee Bains III & The Glory Fires would be hitting the stage at The Side Bar at 1pm. After a more than serviceable couple of slices at Austin's Hoboken Pie, I headed over there to catch the set.

It was the Athens in Austin Day Party, so the bill was filled with Georgia bands. I walked in during the end of the set from The Artisanals on the outside stage. Then, I headed into the darkness of the bar for Lee Bains's set. I'd been trying to hook up with the Glory Fires all week long, and I was happy to run into them finally on the last day. The sun streamed through the big front windows in the bar making taking pictures a challenge.

The Artisanals

The Glory Fires did their usual wild set with Bains moving throughout the crowd and handing his guitar and mic off to eager participants in the audience. After that, I dipped back outside for the last half of the last song from Nashville's Katie Schecter. Back inside for a quiet set from Athens's own Thayer Sarrano. Sarrano performed as a duo with a drummer who also handled some bass duties. I dug her set which had kind of a Mazzy Star vibe.

Lee Bains

Katie Schecter

Thayer Sarrano

Austin, like many cities and towns across the country, has been overrun by dockless shareable scooters and bikes. I never could bring my 49-year-old, relatively uncoordinated self to scoot anywhere; but I do love cycling. I borrowed an electric-assisted bike and was over at Hotel Vegas in a flash.

There, I caught the tail end of the set from Austin punk band, Late, on one half of the patio stage. I slid over to the other half and waited with a whole bunch of people for Stockholm's Viagra Boys. I'd been hearing a bunch about them over the course of the week. Post-punk performance art. Songs like "Can't Get It Up" and "Sports" take down bro-y masculinity with the boys staying in character the whole time.

Late

Viagra Boys

Back over to Patio Stage 2 for Austin psychedelic dream rock band, Annabelle Chairlegs. I wrote about them a few years ago. They played Asbury last year, I think. Rosi really dug them on her first day in Austin. This was my first time seeing them, and they rocked.

Annabelle Chairlegs

Joe from Jersey City had been talking up Amsterdam's Pip Blom (the name of both the band and their lead singer) all week. I saw that they were playing the third outdoor stage at Hotel Vegas, and I decided I had to see what he was on about. He was right. High-energy, gritty garage pop. One of my favorite acts of the festival.

Pip Blom

I grabbed another bike back to my hotel. The motor really helped with the giant hill I had to climb multiple times during the week. Why didn't I do this sooner?

Anyway...

Rest time, then one, final stop at Torchy's Tacos to fuel up for the evening ahead.

I walked over to Las Perlas on 7th to catch another set from Toronto's mesmerizing Tallies (one of only 3 bands I saw more than once, the others being The Beths and Dentist). I walked in just in time to hear Atlanta's Lunar Vacation. The young band call what they do "pool rock." It sits somewhere on the dream pop spectrum. Nice. Tallies absolutely slayed again.

Lunar Vacation

Tallies

By now, it was almost 11; and I knew I would make it. I hoofed it over to Cheer Up Charlies and posted up at the front of the stage just as Brooklyn's Bambara were setting up. I'd seen their name on various bills throughout the day, but I'd be catching their final set. Their guitarist noticed my Mets cap as he went over to set up his pedal board, and we had a nice conversation about the 2019 NL East outlook.

Bambara play eerie, gothic, western / southern-inspired punk. Vocalist Reid Bateh throws himself into the performance without regard for his own personal safety, swinging and slamming the mic stand and falling off the edge of the stage into the crowd. It was a wild set.

Bambara

As A Giant Dog took the stage, lead singer Sabrina Ellis gave me and some of the other people in the front row a nod of acknowledgement. They opened the set just as the clock struck midnight with, appropriately, "Sleep When Dead." At one point, during "Lucky Ponderosa," Ellis kicked a drink; and it splashed over a woman's camera. Ellis apologized, mugged for a few shots, and then picked the camera up and licked it clean.

A Giant Dog

I have a soft spot in my heart for A Giant Dog for a number of personal reasons. But I do think they might just be the best rock and roll band in these United States right now. They brought it for the duration of their 40-minute set on Saturday night.

When they were done, so was I. I wanted to stay for the 1 AM set from Har Mar Superstar, but I was outta gas. I trudged back up the hill, got into my room, and crashed on the bed in my clothes, my camera bag next to me.

Every year after South By Southwest, I have mixed feelings. It's a long week away from family, and I do get lonely at times. I run myself into the ground taking pictures and trying to kick out posts; and I'm never really sure who is paying attention. I wonder if I'm making any connections or doing anything really to grow the site.

But I'll tell you something. When I'm down in it, getting jostled around, taking pictures, and screaming along with my favorite band, there really isn't any place I'd rather be.

SXSW 2019, Day 2 w Weakened Friends, Dentist, Bad Bad Hats, illuminati hotties, Sarah Shook & The Disarmers, Stef Chura, The Upside Down, and Tallies

Sarah Shook & The Disarmers

Not Quite a Recovery Day

I think I took it ever so slightly easier yesterday. During the morning, I edited pictures and wrote a typo-filled post. I, in fact, ate three legit meals, did a lot of walking, and still managed to catch 8 bands. Haven't had the reserves to make it to a 12 AM or 1 AM set yet, but I think I'm doing ok.

After eating my Texas-shaped waffle at the hotel's breakfast and finishing my morning work, Rosi and I started walking down the hill towards the Convention Center. About halfway there, I realized I forgot my badge; so we humped it back up the hill to grab that. Once we made it downtown, we checked in with the press office about scheduling interview space; and it felt like, maybe, we're a little bit smaller of an outfit than they typically deal with for those types of things. They suggested we find unofficial locations for that stuff, so Rosi and I vowed DIY4LYF.

We went our separate ways, and I headed over to Barracuda to welcome our besties in Dentist to town. I walked in for the last few songs from Maine's Weakened Friends, and I was happy to catch some of their set. Their album Common Blah is excellent, and you should check it out.

Weakened Friends

Dentist played the outdoor stage. They brought it as always. The early crowd wasn't huge, but a good percentage of those in attendance approached the band to ask when they could see them again this week.

Dentist

From there, it was across the street to The Side Bar where I ran into NJ's Well Wisher. We took in the set from Minnesota's Bad Bad Hats. Lead singer, Kerry Alexander, charmed the crowd with her Midwestern warmth. She and the rest of the band also charmed with their personal and engaging indie pop.

Bad Bad Hats

L.A.'s illuminati hotties are one of the bands I see all over the schedule here. I really enjoyed last year's Kiss Yr Frenemies, and the feel of that title pretty much sums up the feel of the band on stage. Sarah Tudzin doesn't take herself too seriously even if there are some deeper emotions buried within the humor of her songs.

illuminati hotties

Break time. I walked over to the "Registrants Lounge" tent and grabbed a sofa and a vanilla Coke. I decided I'd walk to find some tacos or a burger from P. Terry's. After going about 15 minutes, I realized that I'd left my glasses on a table back at the tent and had to double back. That was the theme for yesterday, I guess. Ended up eating barbecue, which is never a bad thing.

After getting cleaned up and rested, it was down to Beerland for Sarah Shook & The Disarmers. I love both of Shook's records, and -- through Matt Chrystal -- she's become kind of a friend of the site. Unfortunately, circumstances never line up properly for me to catch her when she comes to our area; so I was super excited to see her here.

Sarah Shook

Really enjoyed that set. Sarah Shook is absolutely the real deal and one of the hardest-working people in the biz. You might be one of those people who says you don't like country music, but don't deny yourself this.

I stuck around Beerland for the set from Detroit's Stef Chura, and she wins the title for my discovery of the day. Chura has a unique voice and uses it to deliver some edgy indie rock. Check out last year's Messes.

Stef Chura

I dug out the SXSW GO app to see what was happening at 11, and I saw that Tallies were set to play The Main right around the corner, so I hoofed it over there. I walked in, and The Upside Down from Chongquing, China were about halfway through their set. Dream pop, lyrics in Chinese, their first trip to the States. What a cool set to just stumble upon.

The Upside Down

Tallies' self-titled album is one of my favorites so far this year. It displays influences from The Smiths, The Sundays, and Tallies' Canadian paisanos, Alvvays. Singer Sarah Cogan's vocals weave in with the jangle of the guitars in that way that I always love so much.

Tallies

I was pretty much done at this point, so it was back up the hill in the drizzle for some photo editing and then bed. Already fueled up with my Texas-shaped waffle this morning, and it's almost time to get back after it.