Pop Culture Press: PCP SXSW Week Day Party

POP CULTURE PRESS DAY PARTY PACKS 'EM IN

By Luke Torn

Despite looming storms, a steady rain through much of the day, and a million other worthy events around Austin, the Pop Culture Press SXSW 2006 day party was a rousing success. Attendance at this year's event was four to five times the size of past PCP parties, with as many as 2500 folks traipsing through the Dog & Duck's big tent for mesmerizing performances throughout the day. Though our original plan of presenting music on two stages melted with the rain--keeping us a bit behind schedule all day--the music was all that mattered.

North Carolina rockers Patti Hurst Shifter kicked things off with a strong, guitar-driven barrage of rock 'n' roll, before giving way to dB's Chris Stamey and Peter Holsapple, along with the great Dave Schramm on guitar, performing a sublime set of exceptional harmony pop and previewing material from their upcoming albums.

Next came the legendary Richie Furay, a founding member of signature LA bands Buffalo Springfield and Poco. I'm not sure the audience knew what it was in for, but before his set was over, Furay had performed a letter-perfect, rare-as-hens-teeth suite of Springfield classics, from "Do I Have to Come Right Out and Say It" to "Nowadays Clancy Can't Even Sing," before capping a stunning set with Poco's "Good Feelin' To Know."

Of course, despite those fireworks, the day was just getting started: A full-band, all-original-members reunion of San Francisco's Translator was next. The band's loyal following was out in force, and they didn't disappoint, performing a mighty set, complete with ringing guitars, psychedelic melodies, and unforgettable songs (including a withering "Everywhere That I'm Not").

Austin's popalicious Golden Apples followed suit, raining down guitar melody and infectious energy from the heavens with so much authority that they later had to scramble to replenish Apples' CDs at the merch table. And, of course, they received a beaming Beatle Bob seal of approval.

New Yorker Matt Keating and wife Emily Spray followed with a gorgeous, intimate set of heartbreaking folk/country material, just in time, too, since IV Thieves, Nic Armstrong's aggregation, literally brought the house down with a thunderous mix of hard Britpop and infectious energy.

Songwriter extraordinaire Peter Case wowed the crowd with a tremendous set, which included a surprise rendition of the Plimsouls' great "Zero Hour," a perfect lead-in for his LA compatriots Steve Wynn and the Miracle 3, who did not disappoint. Wynn and company's fiery brand of controlled chaos crested with road song par excellence "Amphetamine" and the Dream Syndicate's peerless "Tell Me When It's Over."

The PCP festivities then headed into the home stretch, with Matthew Sweet, ex-Bangle Susanna Hoffs, and members of Velvet Crush--playing their only weekend day party--soaring through a fascinating jingle jangle '60s sound on chestnuts like the Stone Poneys "Different Drum" and Neil Young's "Cinnamon Girl." Willie Nile, with guitar god Scott Kempner (Dictators, Del Lords) in tow, followed, blazing through riveting new songs like "Cell Phones Ringing in the Pockets of the Dead" and the imagistic "The Day I Saw Bo Diddley in Washington Square," before winding up with a rousing version of his early '90s hit "Heaven Help The Lonely."

Next, everyone turned the Dog & Duck into a serene folk cathedral to welcome one of America's premier pop songwriters, Jules Shear. In deference to Susanna Hoffs, he played a galvanizing version of the Bangles hit "If She Knew What She Wants," before heading off into material from his exceptional new LP, Dreams Don't Count.

Finally, Austin rabble-rousers the Wannabes closed the day out in typically reckless fashion, guitars clanging over their hard-won melodies, spinning out nothing but pure Austin heart (and a twangy cover of New Order's "Love Vigilantes" for good measure). As bassist Hunter Darby opined "you know it's time for everyone to go home when we pull out that New Order song."

Special thanks go out to all the musicians who played, the fans who came and listened, and the wonderful staff of the Dog & Duck. PCP thanks to Sharon Calcote, Aina Dodge, David Pyndus, Andy Smith, Christine Terrell, and Reid Watson. Extra special thanks to Steve Chapman, Hunter Darby, Ron Flynt, Kathy McTee, and Doe Montoya, without whom none of it could have happened.