Washington Go-Go Invades SxSW

District Government and the Washington DC Economic Partnership pitched DC culture and tech start-ups at Austin’s SXSW music/film interactive festival this week. A number of DC bands performed on Tuesday, chief among them Go-Go music veterans Rare Essence, “the real story of the night,” according to Valerie Paschall:

“Chants of ‘R-A-R-Double E-S-S-E-N-C-E’ reverberated throughout the venue before the music even started and once the percussion kicked in, hands went up and feet started moving. It was a stunning moment of realization at how lucky D.C. audiences are to have this band in their backyard—Rare Essence didn’t just rule the night; the band set the bar for the entire festival.”

— “D.C. at SXSW: The Festival’s First Go-Go Show, Oddisee, and a Big Tribute to J Dilla,” Valerie Paschall, Washington City Paper

More:

“D.C.’s Rare Essence becomes the first go-go band to play at SXSW,” Chris Richards, Washington Post

Related:

“I Ran a DC Showcase at SXSW for Seven Years. Here’s How the Government Did It.” Valerie Paschall, Washingtonian 

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Image by Mike Licht (after Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze). Download a copyhere. Creative Commons license. Credit: Mike Licht,

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SxSW and The Indie Vibe

“As South By Southwest shuttered its 28th year Sunday, participants debated the growing corporate influence on the conference. Critics say SXSW has evolved past its core mission: to help new bands get discovered. Instead, they say, the media focus has shifted to already-established stars such as Jay Z, Kanye West, Lady Gaga, Coldplay, CeeLo Green, Rick Ross, Keith Urban and many more whose heavily promoted appearances are underwritten by international brands.

It’s poor vs. the 1 percent in miniature, and this change in vibe is relatively new. Even those who’ve found the spotlight before say it’s getting harder to break through.”

— “Has SXSW Sold-Out, Lost Sight of Its Mission?” Chris Talbott, Associated Press via Billboard

“It was, in a way, the income-inequality debate carried into the realm of attention: The tiny fraction of a percentage of performers who have made it big were grabbing even more exposure away from the struggling majority.”

“Big Money Upends a Festival,” Jon Pareles, New York Times

More:

“Cool Musicians And Bands Say SXSW Is Now A ‘Corporate Gang-Bang,'” Brandon Martinez, Business Insider

“Lady Gaga gives mixed message at SXSW about corporate interference,” Tim Jonze, The Guardian

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Image (“Washington Crossing Town Lake, after Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze)”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Washington in Austin

The South By Southwest (SxSW) festival is over, so now it can be told: some Washington DC bands were actually there. Others stayed away, echoing Yogi Berra: “Nobody goes there, it’s too crowded.”

Meet the bands here. 

More: “Photos: What D.C. Looked Like at SXSW,” Erica Bruce, ArtsDesk, Washington City Paper.

 

Image (“Washington Band Crossing Lake Austin, after Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze”) by Mike Licht. Download a copy here. Creative Commons license; credit Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com

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Washington Goes to SXSW

Washington DC’s annual assault on Austin’s South-by-Southwest (SXSW) Music Festival includes these local shock troops:

Bomani Armah & Project Mayhem
Carol Bui
Laura Burhenn
Deleted Scenes
Benjy Ferree
Gaybomb
Hall Monitors
H.R. Band
Kid Congo Powers
Medications
Middle Distance Runner
Nadastrom
Thao Nguyen and the Get Down Stay Down
Pygmy Lush
Edie Sedgwick
These United States
Tittsworth
Turboslut
U.S. Royalty
Wayna

Support DC’s troops in Travis County. Follow the action on GOG Blog, Black Plastic Bag, DC Rock Club, PostRock.

Image by Mike Licht, after Emanuel Gottlieb Leutze). Download a copy here. Creative Commons license. Credit: Mike Licht, NotionsCapital.com