Culture Greyhound

Ok, this is when it gets crazy. Today I’m going through the Music portion of SXSW 2011, which happens Wednesday, March 16 – Saturday, March 19.  Keep in mind there’s always gonna be pop-up shows and last-minute party announcements like every year, so follow me on Twitter and I’ll try to keep everyone abreast of anything awesome.  Also: on Monday I will post my picks for multi-day parties, like Fader Fort, Waterloo Parking Lot Shows, etc. so look forward to that. Today’s list only includes my picks for single-day parties.

Wednesday, March 16

Eat Your Own Ears/Austinist/Windish Day Party @ Mohawk – Free

By far the best lineup of the day – Cloud Nothings, Twin Shadow, Givers, Royal Bangs. Awesome.

Honorable Mentions

Altered Zones @ SXSW

Bella Union x Yours Truly @ SXSW

Brooklyn Vs. the Bay – RSVP

eMusic @ SXSW

Terrorbird Media/Force Field PR Day Party at Red 7

Amanda Shires @ G & S Lounge (Outdoors) 2420 S 1st St. – 2 pm

Queens of the Stone Age @ Rolling Stone Showcase at LZR – If you don’t have a badge, it’s likely you’re not getting in.  But best of luck to ya!

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I imagine Lafayette, Colorado, feels like Lubbock in many ways.  It’s probably not as isolated as we are out here in West Texas, five hours from anything.  After all, it’s a skip away from Boulder and is close enough to Denver to be a legit suburb.  But when I listen to Gauntlet Hair, I get the feeling that there is a small, dedicated group of kids looking for something more than what is being offered, far from the shopping malls and skate parks, far from the Coca-Cola-sponsored arenas and dingy hip-hop night clubs, far from the culture-less void that is a quiet mountain town.

Gauntlet Hair are two dudes named Andy and Craig who call Lafayette their home.  They played Todd P‘s MtyMx Festival, and they have been affiliated with Denver-based Rhinoceropolis.  Forest Family Records, the new Gorilla Vs. Bear/Weekly Tape Deck label, has plans to release the band’s first single next month.

The single in question, the most-blogged about track from the group, is called “I Was Thinking.”  You can listen/download below.

Prefix Mag described the song better than I ever could:

“…a pretty insatiable guitar stomp that throws some R&B and soul into the lo-fi revival pot, mixing heavily-reverbed guitars with a simple, but undeniably booty-shaking beat. Add in some Animal Collective-style vocal melodies and you’ve got something pretty fantastic.”

Fantastic.  That’s the word.

Gauntlet Hair – I Was Thinking