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

March 20, 2010, in Austin

By Daniela Garcia
Published: March 22nd, 2010 | 12:15pm

Things took a turn for the worse weather-wise on Saturday as temperatures dropped to the low 50s and the sun stayed hidden behind the clouds, forcing festival-goers to brave the elements and catch some of the amazing shows left to go to, some of which were taking place outdoors, leaving many to scramble to get in to the indoor parties.

At "Swagg Presents...Perez Hilton's One Night in Austin," party, one of SXSW 2010’s most talked about acts stormed the stage. Courtney Love’s Hole had been rampaging through Austin since the beginning of the fest, playing various showcases as they prepare to release their first album in well over a decade, Nobody's Daughter (Mercury), next month. Although they had received both praise and criticism for their shows this past week, not to mention Love's unpredictable behavior, Hole managed to prove they're still a band worth seeing live. They started their set by paying tribute to the late Alex Chilton with a surprisingly sweet cover of Big Star's “Thirteen.” After that, Love snarled her way through new songs, including their latest single, "Skinny Little Bitch." Although she seemed resistant to playing old favorites (rumor has it she argued on Facebook with Hilton, who wanted to hear earlier hits), Love still threw in a couple like "Miss World." It's a comeback that's been a long time coming and while still fairly rough around the edges, Love seems determined to burn out, not fade away.

Over at the Stereogum party, the Morning Benders had the audience swaying and tapping their toes along to their brand of indie pop. It’s undeniable that the Benders have a certain catchy and care-free sound that is not uncommon for the Sunshine State, as well as a hint of a classic California rock. When they weren’t bantering among themselves, the band chatted with the audience, insisting they chime in during “Excuses,” a track from their latest release Big Echo (Rough Trade), as they sang a simple section of “da dum, da dum, da da dum.” With their sweet and simple songs, it’s probably only a matter of time before they overthrow their East Coast counterparts Vampire Weekend and become the next indie pop darlings.

Wye Oak, an indie shoegaze duo from Baltimore, settled in for a soft, mellow set. Singer-guitarist Jenn Wasner admitted right away she felt strange doing such a simple performance as she has made it a point to “never be seen in public without her distortion pedal.” She insisted on cursing as much as possible to prove that she wasn’t just another girl singing with an acoustic guitar. And while it’s true that Wye Oak’s music is usually filled with noisy guitar riffs and feedback, stripped bare of that they sounded soft and dreamy as Wasner crooned and wailed her way through songs rife with melancholy, including “My Neighbors” from their recently released EP, My Neighbor/My Creator (Merge).

While fellow musician and wife Zooey Deschanel made her rounds with M. Ward at SXSW, Ben Gibbard made a solitary appearance as the headliner at Stereogum’s party. Armed only with an acoustic guitar and his wit, he played a good mix of music from his bands—including Death Cab For Cutie’s “405” and “Crooked Teeth”—and even threw in a cover of Pedro the Lion’s “Big Trucks.” Gibbard took time to reminisce about driving from his home state of Washington to Austin with the other members of DCFC and how he was amazed they were still even a band once they reached their destination. He finished a great set with the Postal Service’s “Recycled Air.”

Between sets at Stereogum, the stage was stormed by comedians that almost acted as a counterbalance to the mellow mood being set by the bands. Among them was the always lovely and hilarious Kristen Schaal of Flight of the Concords fame, along with her standup partner Kurt Braunholer (together they announced they were called “Fucking Delicious”), Sarah Silverman Program writer Chelsea Peretti, and Pete Holmes, a regular panelist on VH1’s Best Week Ever.

As day turned to night, and the weather went from cold to really cold, attendees scrambled to find the right party to end the festival with. The huddled masses that managed to get in to Perez Hilton’s bash downtown were treated to Danish imports Alphabeat, who Hilton himself introduced as a band that has opened for the likes of Lady Gaga. The minute they took the stage, it was easy to see why. Their incredibly infectious dance-pop had the majority of the crowd shaking and bouncing around to their fast-paced beats. They powered straight through their short set, never lacking in energy; lead singer Anders SG had no problem scrambling to the top of a pile of amps and singing over the audience as their time on stage came to an end.

Another performer that Hilton professed an obsession for was the act that followed: singer-songwriter Marina and the Diamonds. With a mix of glam-pop and new wave rock making up her sound, she (real name: Marina Diamandis) sang with a certain kind of grit and sass that you don’t always see from someone who just released their debut album. The highlight of the set was the latest single off of The Family Jewels (679), “I Am Not a Robot,” in which the crowd enthusiastically sang along to the chorus. Unfortunately, Diamandis performed on the stage that was having a continuous amount of technical difficulties as the night went on, leaving her to awkwardly attempt to banter with the audience before diving straight back into the music.