SXSW Music Cheat Sheet: WED 3/16/2011
Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince of The Kills. Image via myspace.com/thekills
SXSW Music with KUT for Wednesday 3/16/2011
9:00 AM: KOPECKY FAMILY BAND – Hilton (14:00 GMT)
9:45 AM: RON SEXSMITH – Hilton (14:45 GMT)
10:35 AM: SHARON VAN ETTEN – Hilton (15:35 GMT)
2:00 PM: THE KILLS – Studio 1A (19:00 GMT)
KOPECKY FAMILY BAND
Over the last few years, the Kopecky Family Band has managed to place themselves at the forefront of a crowded (to say the least) Nashville music scene with a sound that can be only described as eclectically as it sounds: classical indie country pop. With a near orchestral arrangement of cello, violin, guitar, bass, drums, and dueling lead singers, the seven member outfit makes frequent use of vocal harmonies and string melodies. Having toured the country and released two EPs and two full albums, the Kopecky Family Band will join KUT at the Hilton at 9:00 AM Wednesday the 16th.
RON SEXSMITH
Singer-songwriter Ron Sexsmith is an odd figure in music today in that the people who influence him are now being influenced by him, among them Elton John, Bob Dylan and Elvis Costello. Vocally, Sexsmith’s music can easily fit into the crooner tradition of Bing Crosby, etc. Instrumentally, his music is a diverse landscape of rock guitars and classical piano melodies. He has recorded a dozen albums worth of material since he began his professional music career in 1991, most recently the album Long Player Late Bloomer, a collaboration with producer Bob Rock. Ron Sexsmith will join KUT at the Hilton at 9:45 AM Wednesday the 16th.
SHARON VAN ETTEN
Brooklyn based singer-songwriter Sharon Van Etten is known for her emotional, raw and slow songs about heartbreak and the perils of romance. Her use of double-tracked vocals allows her to harmonize with herself and create an even more eerie and powerful sound. She has released two albums of her own, both of which have earned critical acclaim. After her 2009 debut, she gained attention from larger acts Bon Iver and The National when they started to cover her songs at their live shows. Sharon Van Etten will be KUT’s guest at the Hilton on Wednesday the 16th at 10:35 AM.
THE KILLS
Blues/punk rock duo The Kills have been a powerful force in music ever since their debut in 2000. The two of them, Alison Mosshart and Jamie Hince came from other, more traditional, bands when they started and aimed to depart from everything they had done with their new partnership. They adopted the stage names VV (Mosshart) and Hotel (Hince) and began to play stripped down blues rock. Since then, they’ve released three albums, each a tremendous critical success, and there’s a fourth one due in April. You can hear them play live from Studio 1A on Wednesday the 16th at 2:00 PM.
Wednesday March 16 – Saturday March 19: Evenings with KUT at SXSW
Hear a mix of exclusive showcases, live performances, SXSW interviews, features and music selections with hosts Mike Taylor (Wednesday night), Jody Denberg (Thursday night), KUT’s Showcase Live from Momo’s (Friday night), and Susan Castle (Saturday night).
