SXSW 2006 Bonus Coverage 2: Foo's Drummer Takes Centre Stage

Former Chartattack News Editor, Karen Pace travelled to Austin TX, to celebrate the twentieth anniversary of the venerable music festival. Here's her report on her Thursday and Friday observations.

Neil Young was a hotly tipped possibility at a charity fundraising brunch at the Four Seaons Hotel one day, but I'm sure that the audience wasn't disappointed when K.T. Tunstall and Lyle Lovett got on stage instead for a couple of songs each.

Thursday also found Rob Dickinson performing a solo set at the same time as Morrissey. For some of us, the choice was an easy one. Dickinson introduced himself by saying, "Hi, I'm Rob Dickinson. I was the lead singer of Iron Maiden" in a sly dig at misinformed reporters who have confused him with his cousin Bruce over the years. He then stated, "No, I was the lead singer of a band called Catherine Wheel. I may still be the lead singer of a band called Catherine Wheel," which elicited squeals of delight from the obviously diehard CW fans present. The band have been on hiatus for the past five years.

"I'd like to thank you for coming to my set instead of Morrissey," Dickinson continued. "Ah, Morrissey... you either love him or you hate him, don't you?" That again drew frantic applause from the CW fans. Both old and new songs dotted Dickinson's set, but his trademark gorgeous voice was sincerely appreciated by all.

Newfoundland instrumental guitarist and recent East Coast Music Award winner Duane Andrews provided a break from the rawk with a beautiful set featuring the music of Django Reinhardt and traditional jazz and folk material. People In Planes filled their showcase venue with compatriot Brits and eager new American fans for their brand of tight, consistent pop-rock. The night ended with a fist-pumping, bouncing bunch at the Swollen Members set, where they weren't dogged by the house technical problems. Instead they turned off the lights so as to save the power that kept cutting out, and Prevail ran through the crowd rapping rhapsodic and jumping off tables into the crowd.

What I thought would be a highlight of SXSW turned out to be a dud. Harry Shearer, well-known for his portrayal of Derek Smalls in the movie This Is Spinal Tap and for being the voice of several characters on The Simpsons, launched his own Courgette Record label (complete with wilted zucchini logo in homage to his Spinal Tap character's debauched attempt at walking through airport security with one stuffed down his pants) at the Central Presbyterian Church with a performance by his wife, Judith Owen. We couldn't figure out whether she was trying to be funny and it wasn't working or whether she was just plain bad. To celebrate the release of her own album of Tori Amos-style piano tunes, and of a retrospective DVD of Shearer comedy skits, they taped Shearer's weekly NPR radio show Le Show Live in front of the church's audience. Unfortunately, it was so unentertaining that we had to extricate ourselves from the pews and find solace in some real music elsewhere.

Knowing that The Cedar Street Courtyard would be nearly impossible to navigate due to Friday night coinciding with St. Patrick's Day and the entire end of Fourth Street being closed off for a giant green beer tent party, I arrived early for Billy Bragg's set, only to find him already on stage jamming with New York City's Klezmatics. He played along for their entire one-hour set, learning the chords to each song seconds before it started. His own set was attended by adoring fans, and he managed to overcome the din from the street with just a guitar, that voice and the power of a well-written protest song. One of the true highlights of SXSW for me came next at the venerable Austin Music Hall where Taylor Hawkins, the drummer for the Foo Fighters and ex-drummer for Alanis Morissette, played his eighth solo gig as Taylor Hawkins And The Coattail Riders."I'm nervous up here, but I'm feelin' the love," he said to the strangely thin numbers in attendance.

His songs were built around his own driving drum beats in a high-energy train-chug, but also featured great instrumental sections. His singing was more like half-talking or half-shouting, but the songs were engaging and varied, although rooted in a prog-rock style. Some searing guitar solos, a groovy, funky bassline on one song, and even a countrified number filled out the short set.

"This next one's a real fuckin' bitch," Hawkins told the crowd. "It's good to challenge yourself. Thank you so much for being supportive," he said before launching into a super-fast, Primus-like tune that — like many others in his set — changed tempo several times. The set list of his new solo compositions ran like this: "Insane," "It's OK," "Walking Away," "Better Get Down," "Wasted Energy," "Running In Place" and "Louise." I highly recommend catching his solo act if he comes through your neck of the woods.

We caught the first few songs of the fantastic "meaty, beaty, big and bouncy" band The Gossip by default as we stood in line for the Vice party at Emo's. Great backbeats and a seriously raunchy, ballsy lead singer converted me into an instant fan who will see them at their Toronto show at the X Space in Kensington Market on March 29.

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists didn't grab me like I thought they would, but the rest of the full house in attendance seemed to appreciate his music. I was far more enchanted with Straylight Run, who performed in the next room. I've heard one or two songs on XM Radio's XMU channel and was intrigued enough to check them out. The instrument- and vocal-swapping lineup, which included a cello, didn't disappoint. I liked their songs and energy and will now seek out their recordings.