sxsw - day two.

Onto more updates from South by Southwest 2010.

Day two started off a little more mellow than the first. Wandered around the streets for a while and met up with Austin-based photographer Bill Reeves to talk shop and compare stories. He ever-so-kindly joined me to catch a set at Stubb's by Sacramento band Middle Class Rut. I've never seen these guys in my town, but friends Lite Brite opened up for them during last summer's Concerts in the Park, and have spoken highly of them, so of course I had to see what the fuss was about. Afterward, I wandered back to the Mariott to meet up with Zoneil for an interview with hip-hop artist Donnis. He was really thoughtful and soft-spoken, and amazingly focused through his work and his music. I'll be sure to post up a link to the article (complete with portraits!) when it runs in Oh! Dang.

Spent most of the rest of the afternoon at Light Bar on Congress to shoot the URB showcase, mostly to see a set by Don Will, and also to check out Nikki Jean. Zoneil had told me a little about Don Will and his latest album, Don Cusack, which was inspired by the movie High Fidelity. Totally. Killer. A reference I can appreciate; that movie was such a big part of my teenage life. As someone who doesn't actively listen to a whole lot of hip hop, it's always fun to check out these shows because the energy is pretty amazing. Everyone is singing along, or if they don't know the words, they're at least feelin' the music. Also, a constant theme of conversation throughout SXSW this year was how blurred the lines have become between the hip hop community and the hipster community, from style to attitude and even down to the music. Which is nice for a little former-punk, current tight-jeans-wearing kid like me. Punk and hip hop were born of the same revolutionary ideals, diverged, and are starting to come back together.... but that's a discussion for another time.

Finally, rounded out the evening with an outdoor set by the Morning Benders. Those kids played probably 8 or 9 shows in a 4-day period, which is seriously impressive. I've dug their music, and after meeting Jon during his brief stint as roommate to the (soon to be) famous Bryan Derballa in NYC, I knew I had to catch them live. And I have to say I'm glad I saw them at the venue I did because it was just beautiful. It was in a gravel parking lot on the other side of the freeway, and the stage was just a lifted platform surrounded by fans and friends. It was like being at a show as a teenager again, kids drinking tall cans and singing along to every song. I'd say it was the perfect ending to a lovely day.

So here are a handful of photos from the day. Days 3 and 4 coming soon.