La Sera Interview-Sees The Light

One of the early highlights of my time at the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas last month was the opportunity to interview Katy Goodman of La Sera.

Katy has been known on the music scene for a while now as an integral member of The Vivian Girls.

Now fronting a band where she is the central figure and sole songwriter, La Sera delivers a sweet pop sound that rocks hard around the edges, while presenting lyrical themes of relationships that have run their course.

I asked Katy a number of questions directly relating to her latest album "Sees The Light"

 

 

The official hardly art “Please Be My Third Eye” video

Katy was sweet and accomodating - a pleasure to interview.

"Sees The Light" is a wonderful pop album and a welcome addition to your summertime playlists

http://hardlyart.com/lasera.html

Day 6 - Sunday 18 SXSW

And so we come to the final day that is this marathon known as the South By Southwest music festival.

After being out to the wee hours of the morn, Sunday doesn't really begin in reality until the early afternoon.

For the second year in a row, the Sunday restaurant of choice was Guero's

Texting back and forth for the entire time in Austin during this week (after the obligatory social networking  messaging during the months leading up to) - a meeting was finally had between myself and fellow MOG writer "mama" (who also goes by the name Lisa).

 Captured for the MOG-o-sphere, this photo had to be taken.

The traveling roadcrew having a breezy early-afternoon meal and beverages.  Lisa, yours truly, LG, Ana and James fuel up for more musical exploits.

Into the bowels of the beast one more time, we headed over to the open all day party at Beerland to catch the punk-glam-psych sounds of Brooklyn's own Xray Eyeballs.

OJ, Carly and Liz had the Xray-rock going full tilt on this day.

Amusingly, the drummer played as a mysterious shrouded phantom.

OJ and Carly front the band with the classic boy-girl tandem of alternating lead vocals.

Liz adds quite a bit to the overall sound by way of backing up on rhythm guitar and keyboards.

A perfect way to spend the last afternoon in Austin

Xray clatter to make your head and heart shatter

Another performer of note was a synth driven act from Kentucky going by the clever name of Idiot Glee.  An actual solo act with appealingly textured machines, the set was impressive as we observed from the comfort zone of Xray Eyeball's merch table.



Now there was anticipation building for a return engagement of last year's stand out Sunday night performer - Vockah Redu.

 Always exhibiting a flair for the dramatic, Vockah had Beerland whipped up into a New Orleans bounce frenzy.

When familiarity is not doing it's job (breeding contempt) - it may actually make the heart grow fonder.

Such is the case with an artist I knew nothing about a year ago, but this year found me looking forward to the performance.

Duly impressed with the Beerland show, we literally followed him over to his next scheduled show at The Mohawk nearby.

  Which then became the final stop on this years South By Southwest extravaganza.

A fitting end to a week that takes over two of them to recap. 

Day 5 - Part 2 Sat 17 SXSW

The Sweet Tea Pumpkin Pie Showcase at Casa Chapala was in high gear now.

Taking the stage was Austin's own UME.  My third Ume show this week.

To say they killed it one more time would be something of an understatement.  As you can see the crowd was pretty into it.

Lauren Langer Larson is a whirling, shredding, human dynamo.

Once again revisiting the view from behind Rachel's drum kit.  The playing was even more ferocious on this afternoon.

Lauren and bandmates ripped through hellaciously paced set of all their best songs.

Eric Larson drives the rhythm section with a cool presence and understated leadership qualities.

Of the three shows I saw, this may have been the most impressive.  Lauren took it to another level and blew everyone away with her brilliant guitar playing and high energy performance.

Ume proved once again they are the class of Austin and all the SXSW festival.

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Another band I had been hoping to catch live came to fruition when the lovely Lilies On Mars took to the stage.

Lilies on Mars weave dreamy guitar and synth lines, hypnotic vocals and psychedelic sounds into gorgeous pop and abstract songs, with words of reality and dreams.

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The band consists of Lisa Masia and Marina Cristofalo, who met over ten years ago in Sardinia, and now reside in London.

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Another band I'd been waiting to see live again, were my friends The Sunshine Factory

Having been through some changes since I first got to know them a few years ago (and name me a band that hasn't been through "a few changes") - the current model now sound better than ever.

Now a full permanent member of the band, young bassist Sally Robertson adds important sonic and visual qualities to an already appealing musical presentation.

Of course the central force of The Sunshine Factory is frontman, lead vocalist, guitarist and instrumental songwriter Ian Taylor

Their show on this afternoon was nothing less than spectacular.

In addition to their classic dreamgaze sound, they put on a magnificent light show.

Responsible for this great lighting - and the songs lyrics as well - its the bands silent member - Robert Taylor

Stars dapple off of Sally's frame

They have a wonderful album out now - "Sugar" - and I highly recommend it.

Find out more about it via these links:

http://thesunshinefactorymusic.com
http://thesunshinefactory.net

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What followed this was something that resulted from a combination of factors.  One, it was St. Patrick's Day.  Two, it was a Saturday.  Three, it was later in the day.  People had been drinking (and doing God knows what else) all day long.  That included the so-called "sound man."  Not the good guy I mentioned earlier on this day (Hanford) - but a particularly cement-headed individual who became less coherent and more abrasive as the day went on.  It was reported that he apparently was trying to shake down the bands for additional "soundman fees" - or they couldn't play.  One such scheduled band (you can see their name on the chalk board earlier on) was Austin's own Bloody Knives.  When they were at first allowed to take the stage - then told they had to get off for another band - they set up on the side - and part way into the next set - started blasting their own sounds from the sidelines.  A ruckus ensued and after some tense moments (give or take people's perceptions of the events) - this particular party was shut down.

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But being as it was Saturday Night - the party must go on!   Now in the late night terrain of beyond unofficial events, we found ourselves at a place called the 21st Co-Op.

To my eyes the whole place looked like a scene out that recent frat-party-gone-out-of-control movie Project X.

Still, there was some quality music to be heard.

One of the main reasons for being there was to catch local band Cool Serbia

Fronted by former Ringo Deathstarr guitarist Renan McFarland, they played a spirited set of raucus rock n' stomp that was most appropriate for this moment in time.

A power crunch three piece unit.  Big sounds from this homegrown Austin trio.

Bassist Raz handles the vocal duties, with more than capable results.

Encouraging "crowd participation" - the mic was positions so anyone who wanted to come up and "sing along" (i.e. shout unintelligible nonsense) was afforded this opportunity.

At one point near the end of their set, Raz was laying backwards on the floor, throttling his bass in an ecstatic rock star pose, when one festively sodden individual tripped and fell right on his face.

Asking Raz about the effects of this afterwards, he seemed to brush it off as "no big deal."

Another reason to be at this particularly odd location so late on Saturday Night/Sunday Morning - was to see and hear the joyous sounds of Brooklyn's own Dive

Much like the parent band that spawned them - Beach Fossils - they make a joyous sound that just makes you want to move your feet.

Two intertwined guitars - steady bass and drums.  It's happy music for people who just want to love the sounds.

Good vocals too.  They are a band who's music I enjoy a lot.

But - since this was a "Project X" type -party - it too ended with a kerfuffle - and the declaration that "this is being shut down!"

Though I wanted to see the next band - and was disappointed not to have on this occasion -  I would  get one more opportunity the following day.

Day 4 - Part 2 Fri 16 SXSW

The Metropolis Pool Party continued on late into the afternoon as the sun bathed down on the Austin, Texas audience.

Next up was a dreampop outfit out of Chicago called Lightfoils

Taking their name from the scientific discovery that light has ability to lift and steer objects, Lightfoils aspires to create complex music that sends the listeners on a musical journey that ultimately catapults them into a state of pure sonic-infused reverie.

 
As they transport their listeners and send them on that voyage, they too take themselves on their own flight, with a final destination of establishing a unique sonic signature.

 Fronted by the sweet voiced Nicole B, longtime friends guitarist Zeeshan Abbasi, bassist Cory Osborne, drummer John Rungger, and guitarist Neil Yodnane came together to play the type of music that naturally drives them.

Their sound is dreamy - yes.  But there is plenty of power in the rhythms and sonic shards by way of their two guitar attack.

I liked their sound and overall visual presentation a lot.  

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Up next, and playing their first of two shows on this day were my friends Dead Leaf Echo

The band hit it perfectly from their first note played.

Ana, LG, James and Christo play with a cohesive style and confidence that only comes from a steady touring schedule.

Shifting effortlessly from guitar to keyboards, Ana is the picture of concentration as the band plays on.

LG and the boys hunkered down, focused and riffed away.

Creative vocals are as much a sonic signature as their shimmering guitars.

James, LG & Christo show how it's done.

Pure Sonic Sensation

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After the Dead Leaf Echo set at this space, it was soon time to pack up the van and head over the main part of town again.

Why?

Well - Dead Leaf Echo were to play their Official SXSW Showcase at the venue Treasure Island on 6th Street.

The logistics involved to get a van full of gear into the highly congested venue areas - unloaded - and then parked in designated-for-bands areas takes longer than anyone should rightly have to deal with.

However, ultimately all of that eventually gets done and there are even moments for a bit relaxation before the next show.

One band that caught my attention at this showcase were a group out of Sweden named Park Hotell

Though they professed an affinity for Dinosaur Jr., I actually heard more of a Cure influence in their sound.

However, they deliver it all with enough creativity to keep things fresh and interesting.

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Finally time for the Dead Leaf Echo Showcase, the band played in front of the kind of enthusiastic audience one would expect in Austin on a Friday night.

The crowd packed in tight to the front of the stage.

Hair a flyin' guitars a chuggin'

Muscling my way up front, I managed to get one clean shot for the record.

Then back into the pack.

Another successful show completed, it wouldn't be long before the van is brought around from the aforementioned distant special-for-bands-only location, and packed up for the night.