From Hollerado’s Menno Versteeg setting up shop in the middle of the audience to Le Butcherettes’ Teri Gender Bender nearly getting her head cut off, things got, well, crazy. Each set carried its share of, for lack of a more popular word, “swag.” What’s more, audiences were also treated to a rare performance by P.O.S. & Astronautalis, aka Four Fists, which actually marked the duo’s second performance to date. (Their first performance was on Wednesday at the Flamingo.) Die-hard fans might have noticed an odd member with Jukebox the Ghost. Yes, the band picked up a recent trumpet player, adding a unique vibe to their already full sound.

Given these sets were some of the band’s last for the week, it became quite apparent that plenty of artists just needed to cut loose before they, um, cut loose. Because of this there were good vibes all around. Artists partying, fans partying – ain’t nothin’ wrong with that, right? Austin, we’ll see you again next year.

If you didn’t make it, however, check out the photos below courtesy of Cap Blackard. Stay tuned for our mini-documentary of the event, which will premiere via Cluster 1.

Fences

Sabrosa Purr

The Gay Blades

Hollerado

Le Butcherettes

Ezra Furman & The Harpoons

Astronautalis + P.O.S.

The Greenhornes

Gallery by Cap Blackard

South by Southwest is, to quote the great Sufjan Steven, “too much.” Like humanly, it’s impossible to attend even 3% of the unofficial day parties, official showcases, super important panels, and VIP BBQs. That’s not to mention the increasingly real threat of secret Foo Fighters and Kanye shows, plus the requirement of seeing Odd Future at least three times. And even with all that, you still have to make time to visit your favorite taco truck/Tex-Mex/giant burger stand before running back to the convention center in hopes of stealing a couple Kind bars and lanyards, both of which you really don’t need. Ah, the most overwhelming yet incredibly amazing five days of any music fan’s life.

So, what do you choose? Obvs, Grohl and Kanye, if you either have the hook-up or the cash. Though, we think our Saturday unofficial day party is a good choice, too, especially since we put it together with the intention of being a bit different. Sure, there are some amazing parties out there (we’ll pick our favorites later this week), but most seem to share the same 32 buzz bands. The Axis of Audio day party, however, features 13 acts that represent our tastes, ideologies, and all that other jazz. Included are both exclusive performances from some heavy hitters (MCs Astronautalis and P.O.S. and our headliners, The Greenhornes) as well as up and comers worth paying attention to (Hollerado, Dirty Ghosts, and The Slient Comedy to name a few).

As for some of the other reasons to attend: Our 13 acts will be spread out across two stages, so as soon as one finishes, the next starts. No down time, yo! Plus, we’ll have free breakfast tacos (courtesy of Taco Cabana) and Sweet Leaf Tea while supplies last. We’ll also be offering two pairs of passes to San Bernardino, CA’s Paid Dues Festival, which features the highly anticipated reunion of Black Star (oh, and our pal P.O.S., too)! Keep in mind, this day party is all free! Free! Free! All you have to do to attend is be over 21 years of age and RSVP sometime over the next week! Easy peasy.

For planning purposes, here are your set times:

12:00 – Doors
12:10 – The Silent Comedy
12:40 – Fences
01:10 – Sabrosa Purr
01:45 – The Gay Blades
02:20 – Dirty Ghosts
02:55 – God-Des & She
03:20 – Hollerado
03:55 – A Place To Bury Strangers
04:35 – Le Butcherettes
05:10 – Ezra Furman & The Harpoons
05:45 – Astronautalis + P.O.S.
06:25 – Jukebox the Ghost
07:05 – The Greenhornes

Also, for your ear drums, here are our acts in Grooveshark form:

And let’s not forget about Consequence of Sound‘s other two SXSW-related events. On March 16th, CoS Editor in Chief, Mike Roffman, and Cluster 1 host, Sami Jarroush, will take part in a panel entitled “The Rise Of The Music Vlogger.” Then, on March 18th, we’ll host Lady Lamb the Beekeeper, Pepper Rabbit, and PS I Love You at the Dot Com Day Stage. RSVP for that here.

By now, you have over a hundred reasons to attend Austin, TX’s South by Southwest, but here’s one more. On Saturday, March 19th, Axis of Audio, which includes Consequence of Sound, Antiquiet, Some Kind of Awesome, Rock It Out! Blog, and Twenty Four Bit, alongside Knuckle Rumbler will launch what will undoubtedly be a monumental extravaganza. The Greenhornes, A Place to Bury Strangers, and an exclusive performance by Astronautalis & P.O.S. will top the party’s inaugural year, though it doesn’t stop there. Not at all.

The three will be joined by Ezra Furman & The Harpoons, Le Butcherettes, Jukebox the Ghost, Hollerado, The Gay Blades, Dirty Ghosts, Fences, The Silent Comedy, Sabrosa Purr, and God-Des & She. Take a breather, read that again, and then pee in your pants.

The event takes place at The Rumbler Lounge, located at 402 E. 6th Street, and will run from 12 p.m. to 8 p.m., which means you’ll be partying for quite some time. What’s more, two lucky patrons will each win a pair of passes to San Bernardino, CA’s Paid Dues Festival, which features our pal P.O.S. and the highly anticipated reunion of Black Star.

Stay tuned for set times and more information, including additional goodies we’ll be offering. In the meantime, be sure to RSVP (via Do512.com)!

That pop music feel is best exemplified in a kind of naïve abandonment as opposed to the more sullen disgrace or out and out fury of some of their contemporaries. The height of that abandonment is hit early in the album with “Try To Understand”, a sax-heavy track that burns with the rock and roll energy of some revival in a backwoods town or an Anywhere, USA senior prom, with all the intensity and heartache and confusion and utter thrill that goes along with the panicked, sweat-soaked epiphanies. But that doesn’t mean they can’t develop beyond the initial flash-in-the-pan appeal. “Wasted on the Youth” has a bit of the afterglow of that youthful energy; it wallows in an acoustic glory, drenched in vocals of pure defeat, creating a balance between some of the down-home elements and the pomp and circumstance of Top 40. But in terms of a balance between the two, “Burns and Shakes” should draw a lot of attention. It’s a slow start, but by the ending barrage of jamming guitars and distorted wailing, they’ve given you a roundhouse kick to remind you they’re not just about gooey emotions; these boys can rock.

Of course, it’s a good thing “Burns and Shakes” comes so close to the end of the album, as you’d forget about their rockin’ skills in a lot of the rest of the LP’s offerings. The problem with too much pop is that it can water down that destructive tinge that makes blues-rock so thrilling in the first place. “Shadow’s Like A Ghost” and “Too Cool To Quit” are equally as guilty of overt and borderline-offensive rock gone soft. “Too Cool To Quit” and its title aren’t even the worst part of this manic dive toward the bad-hair metal end of the rock pool. The former’s blown-out piano line and cries to Heaven above go beyond any sort of coyness and breakdown into sheer hymn-like hell. But while those tracks are annoying, “Every Night Is Like A Revival” is truly the most disappointing of them all. In hitting a lot of the same notes and concepts as some of its aforementioned musically-pleasing brethren, it falls short in the most basic pitfall of pop music: inconsistency. The songs that worked did so because they had a great message that sparkled with despair and yet were wrapped in the warmth of a pop hook. Now they’ve resorted to tossing aside the depth for the rush of a mediocre chorus.

Maybe it’s unfair to put this “trash pop” duo from Brooklyn in the same league as The Dead Weather’s and The Black Key’s of the world. Sure, they come close to finding their own little niche in between the nooks and crannies of the others’ bombastic creations, but some of those little rock-pop hybrids just aren’t that interesting. In the end, it’s up to you to put them where you want, genre-wise. Otherwise, they might just get lost in the shuffle.

Also below, check out the “unrated” preview for Savages, which combines the everlasting struggle for balance in the duality of self and a Robert Rodriguez inspired slap fight. Pre-order Savages over at their website, and they have a positively fun twitter you can check out too. Turns out they like Dave Eggers.

Check Out:
The Gay Blades-”Try To Understand (Dmerit Remix)

Savages preview:

Wells describes their forthcoming sophomore effort Savages as ”a collection of trashy rock songs that speak as much to the music we love as it does our own personal chemistry as a band.” To get a sense of this indelible garbage bond Wells is talking about, check out the song “Try To Understand” below. Also below, check the tracklist.

Savages is out October 5th via Triple Crown Records/ILG.

Check Out:
“Try To Understand”

Savages Tracklist:
01. Rock N’ Roll (Part I)
02. Try To Understand
03. Puppy Mills Presents
04. Mick Jagger
05. Why Winter in Detroit?
06. November Fight Song
07. Too Cool To Quit
08. Shadow’s Like A Ghost
09. Burns and Shakes
10. Wasted On The Youth
11. Every Night Is Like A Revival

Usually. Then there are cases like the email we received last week about the New York City trash duo better known as The Gay Blades. It fit the aforementioned description, advertising the group’s recently released debut album Ghosts before listing dates for its upcoming North American tour, which kicked off last weekend at CMJ. But then I stumbled onto this line, one taken from Alternative Press’ review of the band’s debut album: “…‘O Shot’ ranks among the best songs the Arctic Monkeys never wrote.”

Alright so it’s your standard one liner, but considering I have an unhealthy obsession with the Alex Turner led outfit, I figured I should give these Gay Blades an immediate listen.

While I wouldn’t go as far to deem “O Shot” or any song off Ghosts as one of the best the Arctic Monkeys never wrote, I do admit that the duo of singer/guitarist Clark Westfield and drummer Puppy Mills are damn talented. They aren’t heavy as the Monkeys, nor is their style as diverse. But with a sound crossing The White Stripes and Queen, guitar rifts that would impress even Jack White, and lyrics that examine the strange wonderful subculture of hipsterness, The Gay Blades create music that exudes energy and brings about “wows.”

The self-proclaimed “trash pop” outfit certainly lives up to its description on the recently released Ghosts, an album that while full of dirty guitar and suffocating bass, still manages to be as catchy as anything you’d fine on today’s Top 40 radio station. Songs like “Oh Shot” and “Hey She Says” lead the ways with infectious melodies and refreshing vocals – the type that are as pleasing on the ears as any boy band act from in the 1990s, but with a bit of Ted Leo spunk. On “Dog Day Afternoon” and “Compliments Can Kill” see The Gay Blades mix things up with more Queen-like, rock ballads.

Westfield and Mills have yet to produce a song on the Arctic Monkeys level, but that’s not because they are any less talented, any less creative. The Gay Blades have a different sound, a different approach, and a different style, which is vastly different from the Arctic Monkeys let alone most other bands out there. It pleases the ear, teases the mind, and leaves you wanting more, offering enough pop to take to your Top 40 listening friend and enough punk to maintain your hipster cred.

Check Out:
“O Shot”
“Hey She Say”

The Gay Blades 2008 Tour Dates:
10/28 – Iowa City, IA @ The Picador
10/29 – Greeley, CO @ Atlas Theater
10/30 – Salt Lake City, UT @ Kilby Court
11/01 – Boise, ID @ Neurolux
11/02 – Seattle, WA @ Nectar Lounge
11/03 – Portland, OR @ Backspace
11/04 – Sacramento, CA @ The Blue Lamp
11/05 – San Francisco, CA @ Kimo’s
11/06 – Mountain View, CA @ The Zen Lounge
11/07 – Bakersfield, CA @ Jerry’s Pizza and Pub
11/08 – Ventura, CA @ Billy O’s
11/09 – Los Angeles, CA @ Knitting Factory
11/11 – Phoenix, AZ @ Chyro Arts
11/13 – Las Cruces, NM @ Code Red Cafe
11/14 – San Antonio, TX @ Rock Bottom Bar
11/15 – Corpus Christi, TX @ House of Rock
11/16 – Austin, TX @ Stubb’s
11/17 – Hattiesburg, MS @ Thirsty Hippo
11/18 – St. Augustine, FL @ Cafe Eleven
11/19 – Ybor City, FL @ The Orpheum
11/20 – Orlando, FL @ The Backbooth
11/22 – Harrisonburg, VA @ Blue Nile
11/24 – Washington, DC @ DC9
11/25 – Philadelphia, PA @ The Khyber
11/26 – New York, NY @ Mercury Lounge
11/27 – Long Branch, NJ @ Brighton Bar
11/28 – Asbury Park, NJ @ Asbury Lanes
11/29 – Cambrige, MA @ Middle East
11/30 – Rochester, NY @ Bug Jar
12/01 – Cleveland, OH @ Agora Ballroom
12/02 – Detroit, MI @ Magic Stick
12/03 – Chicago, IL @ Schuba’s