Country Music Blog: South By Southwest

Of all the bands I saw at South by Southwest last month, I have to say that Stephen Kellogg & the Sixers put on the most energetic show. I already liked their album before I got to Austin, so I figured I'd go and give them a good write-up - only to find the bar so crowded up front that I could barely get in. Here's a video that they just put out too, called "Sweetest Goodbye."

I caught up with the band the next day at Whole Foods for an afternoon interview. Asked how the band has built up its loyal following, Kellogg cited some great opening slots for bands like O.A.R., as well as a lot of festivals. They're currently on the road with the all-grown-up pop band, Hanson, and their album, Glassjaw Boxer, surfaced on a best-of-the-year Top 5 list in USA Today in 2007. Cool points for bringing in Caitlin Cary on harmony.

The band's goals for 2008 are very specific -- to make their career album, and to get involved with performing for the troops overseas. Incidentally, band member Kyle Riabko (who also has a fine solo album) has recently departed to join the cast of Spring Awakening on Broadway, but the Sixers are nonetheless forging ahead.

"For years and years, we were always trying to get support slots, trying to get your chance to go out because that's a huge thing," Kellogg says. "You go out and play to 10,000 people, and if you draw 5 percent of that crowd, your next time in the market is 500 people," he says. "The good thing is, I think it's made us get clear on the type of music we're playing and it's helped us to really build a loyal batch of people."

  

This video was shot during the South by Southwest music conference that took place March 13-16 in Austin, Texas. While we performed at three different venues during the week, this video is from our show at Opal Divine's.

We've been fortunate enough to live in the city that hosts South by Southwest for over 10 years. We've experienced it in many capacities as we've played it, seen shows during it, and hosted some of the best four-day late night parties the town can offer. For those of you who have been to the Shed behind our old house, you know that it was the one place that served you a drink when you didn't need one and refused to play anything else other than vinyl.

Well, last year we moved, and this year I was curious to see what our Southby experience would be like. Some of us are now further from downtown than the others. I started out on Weds by going and seeing Daryl Hall for a Direct TV filming. I had a great time and it sounded like the band did too. It was one of those shows where I didn't have any of their albums but totally dug hearing the countless hits that had always magically appeared in the air when I was growing up. On Friday afternoon, we played for our label Yep Roc's party at the Dirty Dog on 6th St.. We've done enough Southbys to know the answer to the question, "Do you want to use the back-line gear?," is always Yes. Even though the reality is it might not be that great.

Well, this was no exception, and our sound guy joined us as we made it the best situation possible. Our first time in town during SXSW was 11 years ago, and we played at a bar called Lucy's on 6th St.. It wasn't a part of the conference that year, but we got to play every night. We had a blast and met a lot of people in the industry that year that we are still friends with today. It wasn't the best P.A. in town and there wasn't even a stage, but we just played, period. So I guess even though the P.A was barely hanging on and the equipment was a bit different than usual, there was something romantic about the challenges.

I always thought the coolest thing about SXSW was you could see these killer bands perform great in all kinds of different environments. And sometimes it's those challenges that bring out an unforgettable performance. Before our show at the Austin Music Hall, I went and saw a band called The Cringe from NYC. I am friends with their 'Saturday Night Live' drummer Shawn Pelton and always take the opportunity to check him out. The band rocked and was a lot of fun to watch. It turned out that the singer of the band is Rachael Ray's husband. So she was there and seemed to enjoy taking the time when asked to pose for a picture. Our show at the Music Hall was a blast. I think the best part for us was seeing so many fans that we're there in that bar 11 years ago and have supported us for so long. And there still out there supporting live music. After our show, one of our friends hosted a late night party, and even though it's not the shed, we still managed to have one hell of a good time. So at the end of it all, our SXSW experience was great. It is always an amazing feeling to know that we live in a city that loves its live music and has so much enthusiasm for the people that come to Austin to experience it. As a performer, the best part is watching people from all over, celebrate it together. 

Jay Nazz plays drums for the Austin, Texas-based band, Reckless Kelly.

See Reckless Kelly Photos From SXSW

Monday March 10

Arrived in Austin in time for our show with Dale Watson at the Continental Club. Dale's a legend, and we're honored to share the stage with him. It was a lot of fun to be in town before the SXSW music festival starts. We got to watch bands start to trickle in (the number of touring vans and buses was unbelievable!), and enjoy all this cool city had to offer before the crowds set in.

The band was a little nervous, but it looked like these folks were a Saturday night audience even though itwas only Monday. We hoped we could get them up and dancing and warmed up for Dale!

Tuesday March 11

Monday night's show was the kind that made us want to be musicians in the first place. The band sounded great, we put on quite a show, and the excitement about the upcoming days of the festival only added to the buzz in the Continental Club. SXSW also has a film festival that takes place the week prior to the music festival, and they were screening an independent film in the club before our show, which was a great hang. Seemed like the moviegoers were a little tired of sitting after the film though because they were definitely ready to get up and shake it once we started to play.

I've been to a lot of memorable shows at the Continental during my SXSW visits. I'm proud to add my band's to that list.

We were off Wednesday, time for a much needed rest. We've been on tour for almost a month, so sleep and alone time are precious. The music portion of SXSW started Thursday, and we needed to be on our game.

Sarah Borges

Trespassing is now allowed. Shania Twain’s New Zealand estate, all 61,000 acres of it, is now open for hikers, climbers, bikers and hunters as part of a $17.5 million public-access deal she had to make.

George Clooney’s newest role? The Godfather, to Nicole Kidman and Keith Urban’s baby.

Read about SXSW by the numbers, big and small. Big for the number of reviews written (763), small for the word count of each review (6).

If country music thrills you, then Six Flags wants to know about it. And if you can put that feeling into words, you could win Alan Jackson tickets and a trip to the ACMs.

The Houston Chronicle recently got Miranda Lambert to gush over Beyonce and reveal her not-so-hot-tempered side.

Dolly Parton dishes on little Miley Cyrus, crediting her success to her talent, adding that it ain’t all coming from Disney.

There's a reason we say "Don't mess with Texas."  Sure you shouldn't litter on our highways, but it's more than that.  Driving around 6th street today, the last official day of South by Southwest, it was apparent on all faces.  Stage techs loading up gear for the trek back home, weary talent scouts, bands who had one more show to play.  SXSW will take it out of you.  Texas will take it out of you. 

We only played a total of three shows and I'm thoroughly exhausted.  I can't imagine doing, say five in one day.  Or fifteen over the course of a weekend.  And unless your tab was covered by the company dollar, you probably subsisted on a steady diet of liquor, beer, and greasy food the entire time.  Not to mention how hard it is to look cool and be comfortable.  I mean, I think everyone would feel better about this hadj to the Mecca of musical showcasing in gym shorts and orthopedic shoes.  But dammit, you gotta look cool.  So you'll suffer through it in those new shoes with no support or those tight, sweaty jeans that make you look oh so badass.  It's that cowboy mentality.  Clint Eastwood probably wasn't so comfortable shooting "High Plains Drifter" in a pancho that looks like it was made of burlap.  But when he puts that cigar in his mouth and wields a six-shooter, everyone knows he means business.  

What am I saying here?  I guess that you can only mess with Texas for so long before you have to say to yourself, "It's time to go home."  Even if you actually live in Texas, like we do.  Sure, there are those true Texans who live the hard life and it's all they've ever known.  And maybe one day, we can be a band like that.  I hope so.  But for now, we're ready to go home, maybe watch a movie or order some comfort food, and crash like trains into our own beds.  And then the next tour will come around and we'll do it all over again.  Only we'll mess with America.

Ryan
The New Frontiers

10 am arrives. The alarms of various cell phones bring an end to the short rest we received. We arose as if we were the living dead in an old black and white zombie film.

Today's first order of business is to scan Thursday's legitimate parking pass into our grateful host computer to make a fake for today. The altering of one word and our limited technological know how was an amusing start to our day. An hour later, to our surprise, our scheme had worked. Some days a band learns the hard way, today for once, we seem to be one step ahead of anything that could slow us down. Despite our good cheer, we still had two shows to play and the heat was rising.

It was summer early in Austin today; a real scorcher, in real Texas fashion. The 92 degree temperature kept most of the show goers and early-bird drink seekers at bay for some time. Thanks to the hard work of someone on our team of supporters we were taken away from the hustle and bustle of Sixth Street to a warehouse studio in a sketchy part of town for free sneakers, designer jeans, and tacos. This was of special significance to me since I had come to Austin with my two favorite pairs of Justin boots. For some reason I thought cowboy boots would be the perfect footwear for miles of walking in a city of guitar slingers and cowboys. After all, my heroes have always been cowboys. At the end of the day the blisters on my feet feel differently.

Two shows today. Both free parties promoted by various music industry peoples, or magazines, or labels and as always to ensure crowds... free liquor. Attendance at both shows was much more than we expected. We're all overwhelmed at the response we received. Tonight, at our third SXSW show, I was taken back at how many people had been at all three performances. As I observed from my small corner of the stage I saw many new faces but most importantly many old friends.

If any one can tell you that this business is tough, it is us, The New Frontiers. Five totally normal guys just doing the best they can at the only thing they really know how to do. For nearly four years we have been on the road, armed only with our instruments and our five dollar a day food allowance. SXSW is hard. It's hot, it's crowded, and the long walks are excruciating. Still somehow, SXSW gives us hope and most importantly reminds us why we do this. Seeing our friends in the bands we started doing this with so long ago reminds us why we can't stop. I could tell you about touring. I could go on for ages about what rock and roll is. I could tell you all about the music industry. But as hard as I could try, you would never understand. We have a disease, a drive, a burning desire to do this. With record deals, management, lawyers, and release dates a new part of our lives; I am proud of what we've accomplished and even prouder to know the people who have happened to gather in Austin this week that I can call my friends.  In conclusion, if you want to see real rock and roll, come down to Austin in March of 2009 and check out some friends of mine. We'll tell you all about rock and roll.

Jacob Chaney
The New Frontiers

I have somehow survived my eighth year of South by Southwest, the huge four-day music festival in Austin, Texas, where more than a thousand bands descend on the city, playing official and unofficial showcases, day and night. This year, I decided to find international bands with a country music influence. That's my first tip for first-timers -- go check out a band from the U.K. or Australia. They’ve come a long way to sing for you. I was also on a mission to cover the softer side of SXSW. Raucous indie bands get all the attention, but I found a bunch of mellow songwriters that I'll be enjoying in the coming months, including Matthew Barber (from Canada), Phantom Limb (from England) and Whitley (from Australia). More advice: If you like the music, buy a CD. And musicians, carry your CDs everywhere.

It's always a treat to see local bands too, and this year the choices were plentiful, including Band of Heathens (who are outstanding in their field, as you can see above), Eliza Gilkyson, Reckless Kelly, Bruce Robison and Kelly Willis. You should eat local whenever possible, whether it's upscale barbecue at Lambert’s or famous enchiladas at Las Manitas. When you're parched in the Texas heat, quench your palate with local libations like Sweet Leaf iced tea, Dominican Joe coffee or Tito’s handmade vodka.

Then look around and see what people are wearing. It's pretty easy to get fashion advice at SXSW. This year it was big sunglasses with white frames for men and women – sometimes the only non-black piece in their whole outfit. Green plaid seems to be the spring fashion statement, whether it's short-sleeved or long-sleeved, and I personally think it's a good look with pearl snaps. But I suggest leaving the fashionable shoes at home and bringing something practical. There's a lot of territory to cover.

I don't even feel like writing this. It's 3:53 AM in Austin and I'm fighting off my second hangover of the day. Started the day in traffic. South by Southwest is like some crazy third-world country farmers market. Take away the women carrying jugs of water on their heads, the snake-charmers and the camels, and replace them with hipsters, every band ever and industry bigwigs. Smells exactly the same. Just as loud and confusing.

I think we parked in San Antonio. That's how far from the Thirsty Nickel we had to leave our van and trailer. The day was full of free beer, free vodka, free whiskey and more free beer. That and some shirts and stuff.

Our show wasn't until 1 AM. We played last and we played loud. Good to see a bunch of our friends and play our first official SXSW showcase. Tomorrow promises to be even busier with two day shows. Must ... sleep.

Ryan Henry is bassist for the Dallas-based band, the New Frontiers.

The very first band I saw at South By Southwest (SXSW) this year really knocked me out. They're called the Barker Band, and they're from London. Fronted by handsome twin brothers, with several musicians on support (including their dad), the band's a little bit ragged, but right all the same. Reminds me of Old Crow Medicine Show's early monthly gigs days at Station Inn, as well as the energy of the Avett Brothers. The Barker Band could go just as far. I wouldn't dare call it bluegrass because almost all the instruments are plugged in, but a banjo occasionally surfaces, and if they played a festival like Merlefest, the place would go totally crazy.

They started off with "Who Will Watch the Old Home Place?", which I recognized from a Laurie Lewis album. But while she sings about how sad it was to tear it down, this band seemed awfully content to tear it up. I'm listening on repeat to "No Matter How Bad It Gets" on their SXSW page as I write this. They have quite a few more songs on their MySpace page. Chew some gum, drop it on the floor and stand on it -- and you can pretend that you're in the same Austin bar hearing them too. They gave away CDs at the end of the show, but since I was in the back of the room (as always), I didn't get up there in time, but hopefully I'll catch up with them again.

Incidentally, they're featured in a documentary called We Dreamed America, along with some other UK bands "in the gritty underworld of the New British Country movement," according to the Web site. Shot for $400, the movie premiered at the SXSW film festival yesterday, and it's showing again on Friday. I met the filmmakers while the band was sound-checking, and invited them to Nashville, since they drove down from New York City to get the American experience, and they're heading back next week, via New Orleans and Memphis. Naturally, in the meantime, they are loving Austin. Me too.

The Barker Band on SXSW

The Barker Band on MySpace