South by Southwest
Silver, El Caco, St. Thomas, Thomas Dybdahl, and The Jessica Fletchers are poised for some Texan action at the upcoming South By Southwest music festival and conference in Austin, TX.
South By Southwest in Austin, Texas is a major festival, showcasing forum and tradeshow for the North American (and to a growing extent also the international) music industry. From March 17 to 21 more than 15 000 participants gather in Texas for conferences, panel discussions, tradeshow marketing, networking and to see bands live at Austin’s club stages.
Since its birth in 1987, South by Southwest has grown both in size and status and is now the North American music industry’s most important forum. SXSW 2004 will also see a Scandinavian initiative with a joint stand and showcases. Music Export Norway is the co-ordinator for the Norwegian participation that is as strong as last year’s muscle flexing event.
The Norwegian acts that are set to deliver the goods at Austin’s stages are Silver, El Caco, St. Thomas, Thomas Dybdahl, and The Jessica Fletchers
Silver recently released their debut album “White Diary” to wide critical acclaim. Signed to respected Danish indie Bad Afro, Silver have managed to live up to the massive hype in the wake of their legendary by:Larm 2001 showcase in Tromsø. Silver have not been resting on laurels for the last three years, focused studio sessions have been coupled with high-energy charged tours that have firmly established the outfit as stage stalwarts on the domestic circuit.
El Caco is another live-favourite, albeit a harder hitting one. The band’s musical heritage can be traced to such grinding heavyweights as Queens of the Stone Age and Kyuss, and with solid domestic and European touring experience, El Caco are well qualified to shake Austin soil. The band’s second album, the recently released “Solid Rest”, has been met with widespread accolade.
With his fourth album “Let’s Grow Together – The Comeback of St. Thomas”, Thomas Hansen aka St. Thomas solidified his position as a master of charming and quirky yet melodic and catching songwriting. St. Thomas enjoys a strong and loyal following at home and in Europe, but has yet to gain an audience in the US. His live shows are characterised by an intimate and humorous atmosphere that suit his ever-lasting melodies and charming lyrics.
Thomas Dybdahl recently released his second album, “Stray Dogs”, a follow up to 2002’s strong debut “That Great October Sound”. His Jeff Buckleyesque falsetto vocals coupled with songwriting that owes much to the great soul masters, Dybdahl has created mature and lasting music that belie his 27 years. Dybdahl has also mastered the transition from recording to live artist, and has toured extensively in Norway and Scandinavia during the last two years.
The Jessica Fletchers are masters of retro with their psychedelia-tinged pearls of pop. Influences from the Kinks, Nuggets and The Small Faces shine through the mix of excited farfisas, jittery tambourines and loads of catchy melodies. Utterly charming and full of life are key words here.
The Norwegian acts are joining forces with Danish colleagues at SXSW at Scandinavian showcase that’s co-ordinated by Music Export Norway (MEN) and ROSA (The Danish Rock Council). The aim is to generate increased attention towards Norwegian and Danish bands and an American promotion company is hired to spread the buzz about the young and hopeful Scandinavians.
We are grateful that MEN have included Silver at the showcase, and we are working our asses off together with the Bad Afro label to make sure Silver get what they want from this trip," says Silver’s Thomas Reim.
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