SXSW Wrap Up from Gemma Dempsey
Gemma Dempsey produces Elvis Mitchell’s interview show “The Treatment” here at KCRW but is also a big music lover. Check out her faves from the fest. Most Extraordinary Use of…
By Rachel Reynolds • • 1 min readGemma Dempsey produces Elvis Mitchell’s interview show “The Treatment” here at KCRW but is also a big music lover. Check out her faves from the fest.
Most Extraordinary Use of the Human Voice:
Beardyman at YouTube’s SXSW interactive wrap up party . No pedals no FX just vocal chords and a mic . At one point Beardyman was beatboxing 3 songs at once!- to quote the gal standing beside me ‘unfreaking believable!’
Best DJ / Dance Party
Diplo on the Decks at the Vimeo hosted party at the imposing Austin Electric Power Station. Great visuals from Eclectic Method too.
Best Surprise
Emmylou Harris performing at St Cecilia Hotel as part of the Warner Brothers Showcase. She sang two songs, one dedicated to her longtime friend, singer songwriter and recently passed Kate McGarrigle.
SXSW Discoveries that I’d like to see/hear more of…
Monogold, Gary Clark Jr. Trombone Shorty, Nightmare and the Cat
Best Float Away Moments
James Vincent McMorrow at KCRW showcase upstairs in the convention Centre away from the madding crowd of 6th St. Also loved Allie Moss at The Bedford showcase (The Bedford is a great venue in South London).
Most Chillaxed Hang
Me and Rosey of Lal Meri enjoy some chill time at Lanai courtesy of the lovely ladies at Zync Music (I’m wearing my Austin bought shirt and necklace fyi!)
Best performance
Bombay Bicycle Club at The British Embassy – great way to end my last night in Austin!
Best International acts
Australia’s Little Red and Hungry Kids of Hungary
Best crowd vibe
KCRW’s showcase was heaving for The Chapel Club and The Naked and The Famous.
Multiple SXSW Sightings…
The Belle Brigade (and found out lead singer Barbara and I are Silver Lake neighbors!) and Little Red
Most Innovative Place to Perform
Brett Dennen playing in the back of a pedi cab
Noisiest Performance
And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead at The Beauty Bar The Kills at Emo’s.
Best Food and Music Combo
The Civil Wars at the CNN Grill
My Biggest Venue show
Lucinda Williams at the new Austin City Limits Theatre – capacity 3,000!
Proudest Moment
Being told that Sonos performance was the best he (Carlo Cavagna) had seen all week! (- full disclosure- I work with Sonos management)
Wish I’d seen but didn’t
The Last Republic, The Cults, The Vaccines, Joy Formidable
Ah well there is always next year!
— Gemma Dempsey