popwreckoning updates

Posted: 19 Mar 2009 09:45 AM PDT

Having previously sung the praises of NPR before, we’re delighted that the good folks of National Public Radio are broadcasting live and streaming their SXSW events (on certain NPR affiliates including my favorites, WFUV at my alma mater and my hometown favorite, WXPN) on their website, www.npr.org.

Last night, Stubb’s was bursting at the seams and the line looped around itself to get into NPR’s showcase featuring Heartless Bastards, The Avett Brothers and Popwreckoning favorite, The Decemberists. Unfortunately, none in the PW camp made it inside, nor did we stand outside with countless others and strain to hear the beauty that is the Portland band’s new Hazards of Love (out March 24th), which they happened to play in full last night.

We mourned for a moment at being shut out, but, dear reader, moved on to the countless other greats bands playing all over Austin this week. We rested easy knowing that NPR is probably the greatest thing in the world (at least by our standards right this second) and will let us listen to the concert despite not being inside Stubb’s gates.

Please, give a listen to each of the bands’ performances, and listen to National Public Radio on the regular.

stream Heartless Bastards SXSW performance
stream The Avett Brothers SXSW performance
stream The Decemberists SXSW performance

subscribe to NPR’s Live Concerts podcasts to later download these performances

NPR: website | @ sxsw 2009

The Hazards of Love
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Photo: Jessica McGinley

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Whispertown2000 @ Red Eyed Fly, SXSW, Austin TX

Posted: 19 Mar 2009 01:48 AM PDT

“So, we’re going to play for like, five minutes,” Los Angeles, California natives, Whispertown2000, casually mentioned to the crowd of 100 or so listeners. The band, who drove through the night to be at South by Southwest, sadly showed up to their set roughly 30 minutes late, allowing them only adequate time for a simple 8 song set. However, during their short but efficient time on stage, Morgan Nagler and company rushed through their numbers, attempting to supply those who made the trek to catch them, what they came for.

If anything, Whispertown2000 provided proof of their versatility, swamping instruments mid-set, and slipping back and forth from acoustic to electric mode. Hints of influence as widespread as Rilo Kiley and Bob Dylan bled through in their backwoods by way of southern California, alt. county set, which seemed slightly out of place in Austin’s primary punk venue, Red Eyed Fly. However, for a band flustered by a band, rushed by time and stipulations, and extreme fatigue from their overnight trip to the music capital of the world, I couldn’t have asked any more from the band. With those conditions, they did the best they could.

Set List:
Lock and Key
Old Times
Erase the Lines
Ebb and Flow
Pushing Oars
Let Me Down
Restless
Time Will Welcome Anything <3

Whispertown2000: website | myspace

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Princeton @ SECAC Day Stage, SXSW, Austin TX

Posted: 18 Mar 2009 06:44 PM PDT

California trio Princeton took the stage ten minutes after their designated start time but made up for the late start (which was actually no fault of their own) with their catchy and lilting indie pop gems, accented with slick synth and hand claps, and adorably awkward stage banter. Their first time in Austin was well-received as they joked about the unusually high number of erectile dysfunction commercials in Austin and roused the audience into getting up from their seats and moving to the front of the stage on their last track, "Shout It Out", a delightful pop gem rife with handclaps, smooth synth melodies and heavy bass lines.
Beautifully crafted pop songs with just the right synthetic flourishes and lilting melodies make Princeton a band worth knowing.

Catch Princeton’s other sets while at South By Southwest:
Mar 19 - Green Owl, Wichita, Mixtape BBQ @ The Ranch (4PM)
Mar 20 - Back Alley Social (12PM)
Mar 20 - Maggie Mae’s (10PM)
Mar 21 - Red Eyed Fly (3PM)