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San Francisco at SxSW, Part 5, the aftermath: Bay Area Blogs/Labels/Radio/etc.
To continue with our special "San Francisco at SxSW" series for 2009, here's the (almost) final wrap-up.
Part 5, the aftermath: Bay Area blogs/labels/radio/etc. at SxSW 2009
Photo of the 2009 Bay Area Takeover, by Julie from Tricycle Records
As the dust settled from the SxSW 2009 whirlwind (and the inevitable exhaustion that ensued), it was time to hear about some more firsthand experiences. There were a number of Bay Area blogs, websites, labels, radio stations, and even record stores that had a presence at this year's festival, so we put the call out to as many as possible to pick their brains. Here are the responses - click on the names to read about their experiences:
“String Metal” is
the term used to
describe the unique
sound of the Oakland-based
band Judgement Day.
The band is a trio
made up of two brothers—one
on violin and the
other on cello—and
a friend on drums.
As they clarify
on their first CD,
their band has no
guitars, yet sounds
like the most hardcore
heavy metal you
have heard in a
long time.
Their new 7” of
live recordings
titled Out of
the Abyss: Live
on Tape serves
as a teaser for
their upcoming sophomore
release titled Peacocks/Pink
Monsters. The
first song of the
7” is a live version
from their first
full length album
Dark Opus.
A head-thrashing
but also beautifully
composed piece,
it entices listeners
with Judgement Day’s
unique sound.
The band is made
up of Lewis and
Anton Patzner, Lewis
being the younger
of the two. Lewis
graduated from the
Peabody Conservatory
of Music in Baltimore
last year. Many
may recognize Anton
as the violinist
for Bright Eyes,
as well as fellow
Saddle Creek electronica
band The Faint.
The Patzners were
apparently spotted
playing music on
the street in front
of the Great American
Music Hall in SF
by members of Saddle
Creek punk rock
band Cursive before
their show in ‘04,
which lead to these
opportunities. When
back with the band,
the Patzners and
their drummer, Jon
Bush, toured with
such indie favorites
as Mates of State
as well.
The second song
on their new release
features just Lewis
on cello, in a song
titled “Etude”,
which is the French
word meaning study,
and refers to an
instrumental musical
composition, one
that is very difficult
and meant to be
as practice material
for improving a
certain skill. Considering
the band’s past
with intellectual
intensity, or what
you could also call
witty playfulness
(such as the last
track on Opus
in which a Choir
to sings some of
the Book of Revelations
in Latin—which Anton
translated himself—with
an incredibly melodramatic
affect) this title
seems only fitting,
The song does seem
as if it could be
grueling to play,
but sounds gorgeous.
And the last “Bonus”
track gives a more
clear hint as to
what we should expect
of their release
later this year—the
beginning sounds
more dance-ready
and wild then their
typical dark material.
But never fear—the
dark depths to which
Judgement Day always
reaches is still
there in this almost
ten minute head-banger.
Considering that
the band started
off on the streets
of Telegraph and
San Francisco, and
are talented enough
to now be touring
the world, you definitely
want to take a minute
to check these guys
out. Or, if you
are into zombies,
at least watch their
new video for their
song “Out of the
Abyss” where Anton
is adorned in eye-liner
and zombies get
down to the sounds
of this string metal
trio. - website
- Shauna C. Keddy
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