Thee Oh Sees at Hotel Vegas during SXSW; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Despite the unmistakable sign of large budgets behind events at the Fader Fort, Hype Hotel, Pitchfork day parties, SPIN party, and Flood Fest (who all threw appropriately outstanding events with those budgets), underground hero Hotel Vegas impressed me the most during SXSW 2015. Year round, the venue books some of music’s most exciting, forward-thinking, and diverse acts, and they brought that attitude to SXSW, staying true to their aesthetic, which celebrates garage psych, lo-fi, rock, experimental music, punk, and weirdo pop.
Gang of Four at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
For fans of Thee Oh Sees, the venue acted as a veritable headquarters, as the California-based psych rockers seemed to play there at least once a day (actually, it was three of the five nights of SXSW music, but still…). Lineups included Destruction Unit, Iceage, Jacco Gardner, King Tuff, Gap Dream, and so many more great bands. Of course, I didn’t see them all. I tried to diversify my SXSW experience to have varied coverage, but it’s fair to assume that you could reasonably have just paid a few dollars each day at Hotel Vegas for entry and seen just as many outstanding bands as anyone else at SXSW. This feat of impressive booking deserves applause. I did choose to spend some of Thursday and most of Friday night at the East 6th St. haven seeing a swath of great performances by Gang of Four, La Luz, Ultimate Painting, Juan Wauters, and Thee Oh Sees.
Gang of Four at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Thursday night, Gang of Four’s performance drew me to Hotel Vegas. The revered post-punk band played a slew of shows around town, but seeing them in a convention center during the day just didn’t have the same allure as seeing them at a venue as committed to independent music as Hotel Vegas. I caught the end of a brash set by UK legends the Pop Group, who expressed frustration at being hurried off the stage after some technical difficulties delayed their performance. After further difficulties and a substantial delay, Gang of Four took the stage.
Gang of Four at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Only Andy Gill remains from the original lineup, and it shows. The new members have poise and charisma, and they aren’t poor musicians. But none have the same sneering apathy and vacant gaze that Gill possesses. His cold, unaffected stare epitomize the music Gang of Four created (is creating?). As he strums angular riffs, he leans out over the crowd ominously. Onstage, the quartet moves around in sporadic motions, changing places, navigating around one another. This has been a hallmark of Gang of Four’s live performances over the years, and it’s good to see it still working, still bringing restlessness and anxiety to the show.
Gang of Four at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
After performing the lead track from their brand new album What Happens Next, the group delivered crowd-pleasing material mostly culled from their back catalogue, including “Antrhax,” “Not Great Men,” and “Damaged Goods,” from their lauded debut album, Entertainment! Sure, lacking three original members detracts from the overall experience of a Gang of Four show, but I still found the performance exciting and well worth seeing.
Ultimate Painting at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
On the whole, Friday’s lineup provided diversity and quality unparalleled in other evenings, featuring international acts (UK’s Ultimate Painting and New York by way of Uruguay artist Juan Wauters) as well as all-girl noir rockers La Luz. Ultimate Painting were already onstage when I arrived, playing their slinky, lo-fi pop that draws on The Velvet Underground and Silver Jews.
La Luz at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Shortly after, La Luz began their set in the venue’s courtyard. Each SXSW, Hotel Vegas’ expansive outdoor sitting area becomes the venue’s largest space, able to accommodate several hundred people. Last year, I saw La Luz perform on this very stage, which is constructed in the courtyard each year. I tried to see bands I haven’t seen (or haven’t seen as much) this year, but I can’t resist a La Luz show.
La Luz at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
These ladies have released some of my favorite tunes over the last couple of years and stem from the Northwest community of musicians I love uncontrollably. Despite their short set, the four-piece captivated the audience with mellow, surfy grooves, and drummer Marian Li Pino convinced several empowered ladies to stage dive and crowd surf throughout the band’s final two songs.
Jaun Wauters at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Inside Hotel Vegas, Juan Wauters prepared to play his mellow tunes, setting up the stage with his trademark banner proclaiming “Juan” and a warm incandescent light pointed straight at his face and synced to the sound system’s audio channels. The light flashes as levels climb. Wauters croons endearing songs in both English and Spanish, warranting comparisons to another heartfelt crooner—Jonathan Richman.
Jaun Wauters at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
As Wauters play, many crowd members sing along. Others begin shouting out song suggestions. Strangely, it isn’t annoying at all. Instead, these die-hard fans with grins plastered across their face, singing every word, make the show more magical. Wauters finishes the set, but the crowd begins to chant, “Juan! Juan! Jaun!” They don’t relent until Wauters reappears in what must be the first genuine encore I’ve seen in the past year or more. He plays a few more tunes before retiring for the evening. The show constitutes the warmest, most sincere performance I saw all week; it brought something sustaining and personal to a week generally steeped in chaos and hurried musical performances.
Thee Oh Sees at Hotel Vegas during SXSW 2015; photo by Bryan C. Parker
Thee Oh Sees closed out the night with a typically raucous set featuring a barrage of drums and blistering guitars. Obligatory crowd surfing occurred throughout, as the band closed down the outdoor courtyard stage with sweat-soaked psych-rock songs galore. While Thee Oh Sees create consistently well-executed songs on recordings, the live experience defines the band’s true gift to their devoted fans.
In the midst of a much larger festival, what happened at Hotel Vegas throughout the week of SXSW serves as a mini-festival of its own—one devoted to underdog music in the true spirit of rock ‘n’ roll, all for a few bucks at the door. And that’s what’s SXSW has always been about.
All photographs © Bryan C. Parker & Pop Press International. Click any image to open in slideshow viewer.
