As the sun shined along the sunny streets of Austin for the 2nd day of SXSW, the noticeable trend of Sixth Street shenanigans were multiplying rapidly. Jugglers, free-huggers and bands setting up on every street corner were appearing amongst the thousands of patrons walking through the controlled chaos. Straying away from the eventual headache, the Levi’s FADER Fort once again became a hub for bloggers, writers and media as a clubhouse to keep the chaos away. It also turned out to be a bit better than the first day there.
The combination of a perfect sunny day, chilled beverages and great music are a classic amongst many concertgoers. All of that was fulfilled with a greater emphasis on music, as Local Natives took the stage at FADER Fort and absolutely bombarded the crowd with sheer musical force. The energy felt was undeniable and it spread from front to back of the audience. Loudness from every corner was the key to their success and it definitely took on a beast of its own. After their set was done, the crowd wanted so much more, but they weren’t obliged to any more tunes from them. The next band, however, provided just as much bravado and poise as Local Natives. They even got the elitist hipsters dancing.
Bomba Estereo, a Columbia collective that ranges between the rhythms of cumbia, salsa, dub, reggae and anything else (seriously) came on to slight applause. They took the stage with a huge sense of confidence and easy-goingness, knowing they’d be doing something fantastic in their set. With rhythms of each corner of the world represented, the hip-shaking of the lead-singer and overall the dynamic of the band itself was more than impressive. They took the bull by the horns and rode it to the sunset, bringing down the house with spicy bass and catchy Spanglish vocal hooks. Overall, an amazing two bands that made the day a positive.
The nightcap was well-represented by Los Angeles as club GRUV had an L.A.-inspired party with acts from the said-region. With Skeet Skeet and 12th Planet providing the bangers to a filling room, the atmosphere went from dub to deep in a flash. Then modern-funk genius Dam-Funk showed up. Off the cuff, spinning his tunes and singing over them, he brought the show to awe-inspiring heights. On a mission to play 13 shows during SXSW, Dam was on show number four (or five) and gave his all. (even while losing his voice in the process) His powerful performance definitely put the feather on the night’s cap. With the upcoming day approaching fast, ducking out to pass out was the best idea. Onward to the next day of Austin’s finest festival.
For more photos of Day Two of SXSW 2010, check out the URB gallery HERE
Leave A Comment!