Hot Hot Heat frontman Steve Bays performs at SXSW
Photo: Rahav

Roughly 3,000 people flooded the streets of Austin, Texas, last week for the annual South by Southwest music conference with the exhausting goal of catching as many of the 1,000 bands as possible.

The traditionally eclectic lineup ranged from the unsigned, like Philadelphia's the Capitol Years, to the unjustly unsung, such as New York's the Realistics. But there were also veteran acts, including new-wave piano man Joe Jackson and the Yardbirds, who, with only two original members intact, performed for the first time in 35 years behind a new album. A favorite of many guitarists, the Yardbirds drew Slash, Steve Vai and Jeff "Skunk" Baxter to their set, which featured selections from Birdland, due April 22.

Austin favorite Willie Nelson headlined the Lost Highway showcase, which also featured Lucinda Williams, the Jayhawks and Tift Merritt. (Earlier in the week, Nelson and Williams recorded a duet of her song "Over Time" for the country legend's next album.) The Americana twang was balanced by Brit rock from the likes of Supergrass and surprise guests Blur, who performed without bassist Alex James because of a visa ensnarement. But it's the "next big things," such as Hot Hot Heat, the Rapture, the Coral and Junior Senior, that make SXSW a music fanatic's fantasy.

Vancouver's Hot Hot Heat performed at Saturday's Sub Pop showcase with Iron and Wine, who were pleasant but far too quiet for such a rowdy affair. A day earlier, they heated up Spin's afternoon barbecue with Sahara Hotnights, the Black Keys and D4. Surging beats and the ebb and flow of Steve Bays' vocal melodies had the crowd frenzied on both occasions, especially with "Get in or Get Out" and "Talk to Me, Dance With Me," two swaggering tracks from Make up the Breakdown. When Bays used his keyboard as percussion, the crowd couldn't help but surge to the whining pulses. And when the keyboard melodies combined with Dustin Hawthorne's rolling bassline, it was impossible for anyone to stand still.

The Coral used their outdoor stage show to soar with their throwback garage quirk — something of a cross between Alex Chilton's Box Tops, Middle Eastern subtleties and Mersey beat bop. "Goodbye," with its slightly Byrdsian verses, and the gritty "Dreaming of You," both from the band's self-titled debut, were the biggest crowd pleasers.

The death knell of chunky, three-chord indie rock sounded Friday night when the Stills proved to be as dull as their name, despite performing amidst free-flowing complimentary brew at the ultra-hip Vice magazine party. Their successors, the Rapture, succeeded where the Stills fell short by underlining most songs with a dance beat and punctuating others with avant-garde sax farts.

Goodtime music was on the rise with Denmark's Junior Senior, who played a showcase for their Danish label, Crunchy Frog (where the Raveonettes got their start), and had everyone in the room raising the roof to make room for the elevated adrenaline levels. Even the most jaded rock critics were on the dance floor shaking it to Michael Jackson's Off the Wall-era "Move Your Feet," from D-D-Don't Stop the Beat.

Also on the feel-good tip, the Polyphonic Spree, whose 24 robed members looked like a cross between a cult and a church choir, never fail to inspire awe and good cheer with their assemblage and orchestral twee pop. St. Louis native and all-around concert freak Beatle Bob even abandoned his traditional dancing in the front row for some onstage kung fu a go-go.

Other highlights included an afternoon set by twang-rockers Drive-By Truckers, who offered glimpses of their new Decoration Day and favorites from the 2001 double LP Southern Rock Opera; Mooney Suzuki singer Sammy James Jr. throwing a tantrum when their plug was pulled prematurely because of a scheduling lag; Bigger Lovers kicking off a Yep Roc showcase that also featured the Minus 5, led by Young Fresh Fellows' Scott McCaughey and R.E.M.'s Peter Buck; Yo La Tengo kicking things off with the frightening but funky "Nuclear War"; and the furious Puny Human, which features MTV News' very own Iann Robinson on drums.

Live music is just a portion, albeit a large one, of SXSW. Producer Daniel Lanois (Bob Dylan, U2), who said he's staying out of the studio for a year to support his Shine LP, due April 22; gave the keynote address. And Liz Phair, who performed a few tunes from her June 24 eponymous LP, hosted a Q&A session.

• Hot Hot Heat
• The Yardbirds
• The Polyphonic Spree
• Drive-By Truckers
• Junior Senior

Jerry Cantrell performs at SXSW 2002
Photo: MTV News

The 16th annual South by Southwest music conference drew to a close Sunday, and the only thing that lasts longer than the seemingly perpetual hangover that results from four debauched days of a music industry on spring break is the buzz emanating from the bands and key moments that defined this year's festival.

Of the more than 1,000 bands showcasing their chops before press, radio programmers, managers, lawyers, label execs and promoters in 48 venues strewn throughout Austin, Texas, a handful traditionally rise above the chaff to become the targets of hype hucksters and topics of critical discussion for weeks following the conference

Of the more than 1,000 bands showcasing their chops before press, radio programmers, managers, lawyers, label execs and promoters in 48 venues strewn throughout Austin, Texas, a handful traditionally rise above the chaff to become the targets of hype hucksters and topics of critical discussion for weeks following the conference (Read Iann Robinson's take on SXSW here, or check out photos from the event here).

Liverpool's Clinic, who kicked off their latest tour two days before their Friday SXSW showcase, were one of this year's must-see performances. The hype surrounding this synth-punk quartet was so intense that the line wrapped around the block and even Courtney Love, who was scheduled to speak at the conference the next day, was denied backstage access.

Newly signed Roadrunner Records artist Jerry Cantrell's gig attracted all those who would gleefully trade the twang that pervaded much of the conference for something a little heavier. Among those who came to support the Alice in Chains guitarist were Pantera's Vinnie Paul and Dimebag Darrell, who made the drive from their hometown Dallas and joined Cantrell onstage toward the end of his set.

The country-fried Drive-By Truckers turned more than a few heads of label A&R scouts with fired-up selections from Southern Rock Opera, the Athens, Georgia, band's ambitious double concept album about the history of Dixie-rock legends Lynyrd Skynyrd. It's safe to say that discussions with labels larger than their current indie are eminent.

The Shins, with a style equally linked to the Kinks and Beach Boys — that is, if Brian Wilson reinvented himself as the original emo survivor and Ray Davies never made it out of the garage — provided some decent audio buzz to accompany the alcoholic kind that surrounded their afternoon party as well as their 1 a.m. showcase. Following a similar though definitely rockier road, the neo-garage scene made it's presence felt this year, led by New Yorkers the Mooney Suzuki and Yeah, Yeah, Yeahs.

An annual SXSW staple, the Columbia Records showcase displayed the label's hopefuls with a night that included pop-punkers the Ataris, the aggro-fueled Riddlin' Kids, Icelandic beat-conscious rap-rockers Quarashi, turntablists X-ecutioners and big-beat electronic conductors Lo Fidelity Allstars. Prior to their exhilarating exhibition, the Kids served as the house band for a karaoke tribute to the Ramones during the label's pre-showcase soiree.

Meanwhile, a separate bash sponsored by Capitol Records and MTV2 featured sets from the Feds, OK GO, Ed Harcourt and Starsailor.

More than just four days of concerts, SXSW is double-billed as an industry schmooze-fest and workshop promoting the exchange of ideas and advice. Besides the required entry-level how-to classes, most panel discussions reflected the industry's current state of affairs. Gone are the throngs of dot-com diatribes — both the "next big thing" and "why they fell" discussions — that pervaded years past, replaced by debates on copyright ownership, digital downloads and artist contract reform.

The hour-plus speech/rant/discussion by self-described expert on almost everything industry-related, Courtney Love (her pending lawsuit against Universal Music Group provides some actual validity) repeatedly strayed off-course and started fashionably late, of course. While reiterating claims about contract limitations and unfair business practices made in her suit, Love, complete with dangling cigarette, name-dropped (Bono, Gwen Stefani, Sheryl Crow) and trash-talked ("... and I saw you doing an 8-ball off the back of the Limp Bizkit record!").

But the real rock and roll mayhem was provided by Aaron North, guitarist for the Icarus Line. Near the end of the band's set at the Hard Rock Cafe, which followed a blistering performance by At the Drive-In offshoot Sparta, North broke a display case containing a guitar that once belonged to the late Stevie Ray Vaughan and attempted to plug in and play (Click to see the case get smashed). Considering that the name Stevie Ray Vaughan is spoken with the same reverence as God in Austin, the crowd didn't take too kindly to the blasphemous act, and North and singer Joe Cardamone were chased from the stage by security.

Read about all of the shows we've recently covered in Tour Reports.

• Clinic
• The Icarus Line
• Jerry Cantrell
• Drive-By Truckers
• Stevie Ray Vaughan

Life's never easy for a band on the road, and as a small Georgia band found out a couple of weeks ago, a van break-in doesn't make matters much better. The power of the Internet does, however.

• 4/11 - Pensacola, FL @ Sluggo's
• 4/12 - New Orleans, LA @ Howlin Wolf
• 4/13 - Houston, TX @ Fitzgeralds
• 4/14 - Austin, TX @ Red Eye Fly
• 4/15 - Dallas, TX @ Gypsy Tea Room
• 4/16 - Ft. Worth, TX @ Wreck Room
• 4/17 - Denton, TX @ Dan's Bar
• 4/19 - Little Rock, AR @ Vino's
• 4/20 - Memphis, TN @ Young Ave. Deli
• 4/21 - St. Louis, MO @ The Galaxy
• 4/23 - Kansas City, MO @ Hurricane's
• 4/26 - Iowa City, IA @ Gabe's Oasis
• 4/27 - Minneapolis, MN @ 7th St. Entry
• 4/28 - Madison, WI @ University Of WI - Rathskeller
• 4/30 - Chicago, IL @ Fireside Bowl
• 5/4 - Dayton, OH @ Night Owl
• 5/5 - Cincinnati, OH @ Top Cats
• 5/6 - Toledo, OH @ Citi Lounge
• 5/10 - New York, NY @ Continental Club
• 5/11 - Arlington, VA @ Iota
• 5/12 - Baltimore, MD @ The Vault
• 5/27 - Birmingham, AL @ The Nick
• 5/28 - Atlanta, GA @ BUBBAPALOOZA at the Star Bar

• Drive-By Truckers