Bethan Elfyn - 大象传媒 Radio 1
'Sleep when you're dead' - a motto the Dirty Sanchez lads live by- is slowly becoming a bit of a reality here in post-flight British arrival mental confusion. 'Sleep before you're dead' is my new aim and replenish the system with plenty of fruit and veg! No more burgers.
"Cerys is back with the rock and roll apparently - welcome back you 'beer-guzlin'-welsh-but-nashville-based-mam-of-two'!"
This is gross, but a big plate of barbeque chicken from Stubbs is my breakfast this morning, as I hasten to set myself up for the day's activities. I start at the Scotish showcase at the Caribean Lights venue and see an array of new talent including the very young, youthful, tight harmonies of the country-esque The Hazey Janes, the soothing sounds of the whimsical Camera Obscura, and all the June Carter glamour and wonderful ancient looking wooden harps and string boxes of Lucky Luke. I exit after the Cinematics just to catch some daylight.
Wandering without purpose can have its wonderful surprises but more often than not you'll get an experience like mine at a side street caf, where a rapper plus backing track was getting a more than generous response from the amiable punters gathered. The low included an out of tune rap-song cover of Tainted Love. Hm!
Back on a schedule, I have arranged to meet Porthcawl (West Wales) band People in Planes, who are doing an instore acoustic at Waterloo Records. Last night they were topping the bill of America's Billboard Magazine, a very influential music industry magazine in the USA and their star seems to be rising. As well as fun tour-bus interview, and rapturous American response to their yet to be released album, I got the chance to pick up some shopping. A Daniel Jonson cassette, a Townes Van Zandt DVD film, a documentary on North America's fanzines, and the obligatory Texan cow tourist tat - only it was a disturbing cow-duck combination!
Next on my interviewing schedule was Cerys Matthews who flew in from her adopted home in Nashville to play as a five piece at the festival, and tentatively airing new material from a very exciting sounding project which includes recordings with a producer who's worked with the White Stripes. Cerys is back with the rock and roll apparently - welcome back you 'beer-guzlin'-welsh-but-nashville-based-mam-of-two'!
More country next at the Truck Party, where a 50s dressed cutie called Piney Gir and her Country Roadshow, probably got the most movement out of these weary legs over the past few days. I trundle on to see Kelly Stolz, part of the San Francisco/Bay Area's thriving musical community and thanks to a great tip from Uncut magazine stay to watch what was definitely the band of the festival for me, Band of Horses. I still owe this reporter for introducing me to My Morning Jacket a few years back, and now implicitly trust his word. Band of Horses - were akin to My Morning Jackets' wailing epic songsmythery that Neil Young surely devised 'jus' for such a dusty evenings in Texas'.
Had I only stopped there, it would have been a perfect end to my sxsw, but no, I insist on checking out the end of 6Music's party, and manage to trigger a chain events of small disasters - loose my bag of records, get embroiled in a religious debate with a North Walian busker, and catch KT Tunstall. It was salvaged slightly by being stood next to Billy Bragg. Didn't have the heart to get a photo. Sad but true. Now, what time is it here/there? Much confusion. Beth
