SXSW 2010, Day One: The xx don't impress, Sharon Jones brings old school charm

March 18, 2010, in Austin

By Elizabeth Flynn
Published: March 20th, 2010 | 1:55pm

You don’t need a badge to see amazing shows at SXSW. Thursday began with a blazing sun that burned half of the pale alternative kids roaming the streets, all squinting in the daylight, obviously hung over from Wednesday’s huge bill. The town is overloaded with musical people, and rumors abound of Bill Murray’s manic tear through the East side, smoking blunts with road managers and trying to pick up young ladies.

First up at the Patio at the Mohawk was Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings. Ms. Jones hit the stage in a sequined cocktail dress and immediately ripped into a set straight out of ’60s funk. Though the Dap-Kings are derivative of the artists of that era, the tunes feel fresh thanks to the vivacious Jones. She never stopped dancing—at times showcasing her old school southern moves like the Funky Chicken and the Doo Wop—and during “Be Easy” demanded an awkward audience member get on stage and shake it down with her. Jones and the Dap-Kings has an old school professionalism and sense of showmanship that grabs the crowd in the groove thang and doesn’t let go. She ended the seduction with the hit “100 Days.”

Next up was the Dutchess and the Duke, a "campfire punk" duo from Seattle, Washington. They took the stage with the exhausted spirit of the crowd—sunglasses on, flask peeking out of skinny jeans, sweating—and laughed their way through their set. Rather than detract from their appeal, the deviations from the tightly woven harmonies and dark, introspective lyrics that Kimberly Morrison and Jesse Lortz laid down on their records only complemented their gritty folk-punk allure. At one point, Lortz called out “How much time do we have left? 20 minutes? Fuck. Smoke Break!” And he really took one, as Morrison pounded a beer and asked, “Can I get a drag?” They played the classic “Reservoir Park,” which epitomizes their overcast Seattle sensibility, longing to see the sun and “Be the same as everyone.” Stripped down to the flesh and naked for all to see, the Dutchess and the Duke exceeded expectations in an insouciant haze.

Over at the Iron Gate on the East side of Austin the self-described “weed edge/Hare Krishna hardcore/art rap/freak folk” trio Das Racist played. These kids are the future of hip-hop, exhibiting all of the radical, confrontational social commentary of Public Enemy, but neatly packaged with a distinctly 21st century vibe. (“Put your smart phones in the air!” “This is a strictly first world party for the kids on the grid.” “Make some noise for Gmail!”) Das Racist assaulted the small crowd with an ironic rip on every racial stereotype out there, with lyrics as pointed as they are hilarious. “Shorty says I look like Osama plus Obama / Minus the drama / I said / Das racist!” It was a short set without turntables, but they burned the stage down with real rebel music, dropping mics inside the plastic bucket their drummer was playing, picking up girls in the audience, and falling all over each other.

Last up was the xx at the historic French Legation Park. The show was jam-packed, but despite the glowing press they’ve received, and the obvious devotion of the fans, the band displayed little stage presence. The xx is a studio band, and their live set was merely a lackluster take on their album. It wasn’t that they were bad, per say, their set was just underwhelming after witnessing the raw performances of acts like Sharon Jones & the Dap-Kings, the Dutchess and the Duke, and Das Racist.

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For more photos, visit Venus Zine's Flickr page.

Want more SXSW coverage? Check out our other article here:

SXSW 2010, Day Two, Friday, March 19, 2010: Mayer Hawthorne charms, Pierced Arrows remain legendary, and Trail of Dead tones it down

SXSW 2010, Day Three, Saturday, March 20, 2010: Courtney Love seems determined to burn out, not fade away