Death Trap PhotographyIf it’s mid-June and my lanyard collection has grown by one, it can only mean one thing – NXNE is again upon us. And that means this is yet another weekend I won’t get to indulge my fondest fantasy – to sit around and do nothing – and that it’s time for another dog’s breakfast of a festival preview post. It’s a little bit of my own schedule, a bit of what my schedule might be if not for what my schedule actually is, a bit of what’s piqued my curiosity and a bit of what I know will be worth seeing. Some of the more obvious big names are omitted – I am assuming everyone’s aware of the super-stacked, old school punk free shows at the Yonge-Dundas Square – so hopefully there’ll be something that people attending the festival might feel compelled to check out and people who aren’t going to be at the festival might also investigate.

Note that I didn’t include Wednesday or Sunday, which despite now feeling more like proper days of the festival rather than prologue and epilogue, still don’t offer enough choice to require choosing. If you’re going out either of those days, you know where you’re going. And previewing Wednesday on Thursday would just be silly. So for the next three nights, here’s some thoughts.

Thursday, June 17 2010

Old World Vulture (Rancho Relaxo @ 8PM) – I recommended seeing these rising local purveyors of surging instrumental post-rock back during Canadian Musicfest, and having heard their just-released self-titled debut EP, that endorsement goes double.
MP3: Old World Vulture – “Benny”

Free Energy (The Horseshoe @ 10PM) – A lot of the talking points around these Philly boys concern the fact that their debut Stuck On Nothing was produced by LCD Soundsystem’s James Murphy, but what really matters is that it’s ’70s-styled arena-sized power pop with hooks to spare. They also play earlier in the evening at Yonge-Dundas Square at 6PM. The Line Of Best Fit has an interview and NPR is streaming a live show.
MP3: Free Energy – “Hope Child”

Zeus (The Rivoli @ 10PM) – also all about the vintage-tint power pop, these local boys have steadily grown their following and their debut Say Us has them playing much larger rooms than the Rivoli – this could be your last chance to see them in such cozy environs.
MP3: Zeus – “Marching Through Your Head”

Olenka & The Autumn Lovers (The Gladstone @ 10PM) – one of the acts I most sad to be missing, this London Ontario, Balkan-inflected folk-pop band thoroughly impressed when I saw them in November. I take solace in the fact that with their new album recorded, that more shows will be coming in the near future.
MP3: Olenka & The Autumn Lovers – “Eggshells”

CALLmeKAT (NOW Lounge @ 11PM) – Spare and delicate electro-pop from Denmark courtesy of Katerine Ottoson, whom you can apparently just call Kat. Check out her NPR Tiny Desk Concert and video session for CALLmeKAT as well as this interview at Interview. She also plays Czehoski on Friday at 11PM.
MP3: CALLmeKAT – “Flower In The Night”

Warpaint (The Horseshoe @ 11PM) – one of my must-sees for the fest, I saw this LA quartet at SxSW and was intrigued, but quality time with the hypnotic dream-pop of their debut EP Exquisite Corpse has sealed the deal. Their debut full-length is due in the Fall.
MP3: Warpaint – “Elephants”

Sleepy Vikings (The Boat @ 12AM) – proof that randomly clicking on NXNE MySpace links can be fruitful (though it’s still mostly frustrating). This band, who is trekking up here all the way from Tampa, Florida, seems to be made up of all kind of stuff I like – jangly guitars that sometimes get noisy, sweet vocals and hooks a-plenty. Plus they’re playing when I had nothing else pencilled in – if that’s not fate, I don’t know what is.
MP3: Sleepy Vikings – “Calm”

Anaïs Mitchell (Czehoski @ 1AM) – Her latest album Hadestown is a folk-opera that translates the story of Orpheus and Eurydice to a modern setting and it’s actually kind of great. Very curious to see how she’ll render it live, though I’m not expecting Justin Vernon to show up to reprise his parts.
MP3: Anais Mitchell – “Flowers (Eurydice’s Song)”

Friday, June 18 2010

Christopher Smith (Bread & Circus @ 8PM) – His name might be eminently forgettable but his pure, clear voice and wistful songwriting make a lasting impression. His debut album The Beckon Call came out in May.
MP3: Christopher Smith – “Gently, Gently”

Neutral Uke Hotel (The Painted Lady @ 9PM) – Pretty much what the name implies – the songs of Neutral Milk Hotel re-interpreted on ukulele. I suspect it’s actually better than/less gimmicky than it sounds, not least of all because Shawn Fogel, who is behind this project, is also behind Golden Bloom and they’re great.
MP3: Neutral Uke Hotel – “King Of Carrot Flowers Pt 1”

The Happy Hollows (Lee’s Palace @ 10PM) – Slightly off-kilter but always smiling indie rock from Los Angeles. It sounds like the kind of loudness and brashness I’d need to make it through the night. Their debut Spells was released back in January.
MP3: The Happy Hollows – “Faces”

Best Coast (The Garrison @ 11PM) – One of the buzz bands of the fest, they’ve got the garage-sounding hook-heavy pop sounds of Summer that the kids like and will release their debut album Crazy For You on July 27. In addition to this show, they’re playing the Great Hall on Thursday night at 11PM and Wrongbar on Saturday at 2AM and if that’s not enough, their just-announced Fall tour brings them back to town for a September 25 show at Lee’s Palace.
MP3: Best Coast – “When I’m With You”

Rah Rah (Bread & Circus @ 12AM) – This Saskatchewan collective released their new record Breaking Hearts a couple weeks ago, and while the big boisterous band thing is getting a bit played out, it’s hard not to dig it when it’s done this well. They’ll also plan an in-store at Sunrise Records on Saturday at 5PM and at the El Mocambo on Sunday night.
Video: Rah Rah – “My Guarantee”

Rich Aucoin (The El Mocambo @ 12AM) – Rumour has it this Haligonian popsmith’s show here at the end of January made the blind able to see technicolours and the lame able to dance. Excessively high expectations? Maybe, but that’s what big pop ambitions like Aucoin’s will get you.
MP3: Rich Aucoin – “10,342 Cuts For The US”

Evening Hymns (The Dakota Tavern @ 12AM) – Spirit Guides was one of my favourites of 2009 and while I haven’t revisited it lately, the wooden-walled environs of the Dakota would be the perfect place to get reacquainted. NOW has an interview.
MP3: Evening Hymns – “Broken Rifle”

PS I Love You (Lee’s Palace @ 1AM) – I meant to catch this Kingston duo at Canadian Musicfest in March, but didn’t, and with their self-titled debut EP ready to drop on July 13 I better take them in before they blow up because what they do is exactly what the kids like. At the moment, at least. NOW has a feature piece.
MP3: PS I Love You – “Facelove”

Gramercy Riffs (Bread & Circus @ 1AM) – Polished and punchy co-ed jangle-pop from Newfoundland – nothing especially groundbreaking but tuneful in a way that will always be welcome. They also play an acoustic set in Trinity-Bellwoods earlier in the day – exact time to be determined. Ask around.
MP3: Gramercy Riffs – “Call Me”

Murder Ford Monument (The Silver Dollar @ 3AM) – These Montrealers still sound a bit rough around the edges and wet behind the ears, but they’ve got the right combination of moodiness and drama to make the right impression. A shame that their late-night evocativeness has been taken too literally as far as their set time goes… maybe next time.

Saturday, June 19 2010

Valleys (The Drake Underground @ 8PM) – Atmospheric yet jagged folk-pop from Montreal that wanders into the dark parts of the woods that you were told never to go into – I’m going to miss this set but they’re already on my “see them the next time they’re here” list. Their debut album is Sometimes Water Kills People.
MP3: Valleys – “Silent Woods”

Savoir Adore (Sneaky Dee’s @ 10PM) – Despite the rustic overtones of the title of their debut In The Wooded Forest, this Brooklyn co-ed duo’s synth-pop feels entirely made for the city; specifically going out and dancing.
MP3: Savoir Adore – “Bodies”

The Grates (Wrongbar @ 10PM) – This Aussie power pop trio led by the hyperactive Patience Hodgson are as close to a sure thing for a good time as you’re going to find anywhere. When I saw them at SxSW 2009 they had a rhythmic gymnastics demonstration in the middle of their set. For example.
MP3: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”

The Hoof & The Heel (The Drake Underground @ 10PM) – This Montreal pop outfit’s name is familiar enough that I’m sure someone has told me that I need to hear them at some point in the not-too distant past. And now that I have, well that list that I added Valleys to a few entries above? It just got one longer. Something tells me I’m going to regret not being at this showcase.
Video: The Hoof & The Heel – “Fireworks”

Golden Bloom (Czehoski @ 11PM) – Shawn Fogel of Neutral Uke Hotel’s main gig is splendid power pop reminiscent of golden age, Bennett-powered Wilco. I got to their last album Fan The Flames too late to see them at NXNE last year. Hope to not repeat that mistake this year.
MP3: Golden Bloom – “Doomsday Devices”

Jane Vain (The Drake Underground @ 11PM) – Apparenyly Jamie Fooks has dropped “The Dark Matter” from her band name, but as long as she’s still making smoke-filled pop noir, then it doesn’t really matter what she calls herself. As long as she puts out a new record soon.
MP3: Jane Vain & The Dark Matter – “C’mon Baby Say Bang Bang”

The Craft Economy (Neutral Lounge @ 11PM) – It’s been a few years since I saw The Craft Economy but there’s no reason to think they’re not still keeping the flame of fun and dancey New Wave synth-pop burning bright. All their recordings are available for free via torrent on their website.
Video: The Craft Economy – “The Crash, The Wagons, The Dying Horses”

Avi Buffalo (Lee’s Palace @ 12AM) – The absurdly young and absurdly talented crew from Southern California will give Toronto plenty of chances to discover them and their self-titled debut, which is definitely worth discovering. In addition to this full-band gig, songwriter Avigdor Zahner-Isenberg will play a solo set at the Great Hall on Friday at 9PM and they’ll be back on August 3 supporting Blitzen Trapper at the Opera House.
MP3: Avi Buffalo – “Remember Last Time”

The Gin Riots (The El Mocambo @ 1AM) – And since it wouldn’t be a music festival for me without at least a little Brit-rock in the equation, these Londoners owe more than a little to The Libertines and Arctic Monkeys, but when you’re coming from this school it’s less about originality and more about attitude and these guys have enough of that to be worth a look.
MP3: The Gin Riots – “In The Bedroom”

Some other NXNE lists and guides are available from JAM, who have a list of acts to see, Chart has list of strange acts and another of best bets, Paste tries to make their American readers wish they were in Canada, Spinner, who itemize other things to do in Toronto beyond live music and NOW a general guide to how to do the festival. Spinner also talks to festival organizers about the event’s 16-year history.

Zunior is offering a free downloadable sampler of the artists playing the NXEW showcase at the Gladstone tonight.

And while I deliberately left out most of the acts playing Yonge-Dundas Square this weekend, they’re obviously getting a lot of the media attention. Case(s) in point: Spinner, CTV and NOW catch up with John Doe and Exene Cervenka of X, whose Thursday night show at Yonge-Dundas Square will mark the LA punk legends’ first show in Toronto in some 20 years.

NOW talks to Jay Ferguson of Sloan, who are headlining the Friday night programme at Yonge-Dundas Square.

The National Post and NOW Q&A The Raveonettes, who are the penultimate act at Yonge-Dundas on Saturday.

Hellbound talks to the legendary Mike Watt about handling bass duties in the even more legendary Iggy & The Stooges, who are headlining Yonge-Dundas Square on Saturday night, while NOW scores an interview with Iggy himself.

The Phenomenal Handclap Band, who are playing Yonge-Dundas on Sunday at 7PM, will play an in-store at Criminal Records that afternoon at 4PM.

And oh my god that took much longer to write up than I was expecting. And now I’m pretty much too tired to do any of the festival.

Frank YangIt could be inferred from last week’s review of Little Boots’ debut Hands that I felt that she’d failed to deliver on the immense expectations foisted on her at the start of the year, what with everyone in the media ready to crown Ms Victoria Hesketh the queen of pop for 2009 and so her failure to utterly dominate every aspect of the music industry could only be viewed as a disappointment. This is, in fact, not necessarily my view – I think Hands is a tremendously fun and catchy record. I was just interpreting the general tenor of the press, which had been ready to attend her coronation just months ago.

Well it may have come a little later than expected but Monday night’s show at Wrongbar in Toronto – the first of her North American tour – could well have been mistaken for one. You’d have had trouble finding anyone in the packed, sweaty club who wasn’t ready to declare the pint-sized electro-pop artist the greatest thing to happen to music since the invention of the Victrola. Okay, perhaps that’s a bit of an overstatement but people were indeed excited and anxious. And as the wait dragged on, restless and bored.

Openers Yes Giantess from Boston had done a decent job of warming things up. Collegiate-looking and casually dressed in t-shirts and plaid shirts, the quartet looked like they should be strapping on guitars and playing disaffected garage rock but instead, they were three keyboards and a drummer and turned out punchy, catchy synth-pop that offered more enthusiasm than sophistication but was enjoyable nonetheless. Over the course of their short set – barely a half hour if even that – the club had begun to fill in nicely and as they loaded out, the room began to pack in.

Exactly why it took an hour to set up the stage for a three-piece band, two-thirds of which were synths, is unclear, but as the clock ticked past 11:30 – half an hour past the scheduled start time – the anxiousness was palpable. Surely it wasn’t some ploy to build more anticipation? Does that actually work? Apparently it does. When her band finally took their places and they opened up with “Meddle”, the place went nuts, and didn’t stop for pretty much the duration of her set. Unsurprisingly, she stayed away from the slower numbers from Hands and stuck to the big, anthemic dancefloor bangers and while that made for a shorter set than you may have wanted for the price of admission, there was no skimping on the energy of the show.

Hesketh was pretty much always in motion, dancing and working both sides of the room when not tending to her keyboard, theremin and tambourine. Her signature Tenori-On and Stylophone were also on hand but as with the two previous times I’d seen her play, exactly what they did remained a mystery. She complained that the Tenori-On wasn’t working before the start of main set closer “Remedy” but they went on to play it exactly as I’d have expected it to sound if it was all systems go. Following a short break, they returned for their cover of Freddie Mercury and Giorgio Moroder’s “Love Kills” before going into an extended “Stuck On Repeat” which was as close to a jam as a largely synthesized and sequenced band could get. The only disappointment on the night was “Symmetry”, in which the absence of duet partner Philip Oakey was keenly felt. Both Hesketh’s drummer and keyboardist were mic-ed and tried to cover the boy parts, but were too low in the mix and un-Oakey-ish to properly compensate. But that’s a minor complaint, and was to be expected.

As they proved at SxSW, Little Boots sets a fine example for electro-pop acts hoping to succeed in the live setting – bring a live drummer, a willingness to keep the energy levels dimed for the duration of the show and oh yeah, have some terrific tunes. Worth the wait, and if the reception at the other stops on the tour come close to the one she got in Toronto, critics may want to reconsider writing Little Boots off.

Chartrigger, Time Out Chicago and Time Out Dubai have interviews with Hesketh.

Photos: Little Boots, Yes Giantess @ Wrongbar – September 14, 2009
MP3: Little Boots – “Love Kills” (Buffetlibre vs Sidechains remix)
MP3: Little Boots – “Meddle” (remix)
MP3: Little Boots – “Earthquake” (Yes Giantess remix)
MP3: Yes Giantess – “You Were Young”
Video: Little Boots – “Remedy”
Video: Little Boots – “New In Town”
MySpace: Little Boots
MySpace: Yes Giantess

The Star Observer talks to Elly Jackson of La Roux.

Check out the new video from Glasvegas, who are not making a stop in Toronto on this current Fall tour even though they totally could. There’s an interview with drummer Caroline McKay at JAM.

Video: Glasvegas – “It’s My Own Cheating Heart That Makes Me Cry”

PitchforkTV visits DC Comics HQ with Eddie Argos of Art Brut.

The Globe & Mail talks to Nick Cave about his new novel The Death Of Bunny Munro. He’s at the Indigo in the Eaton Centre this evening for a Q&A and reading.

The Grates discus their new record Teeth Lost, Hearts Won – now out in North America – with Blurt.

Paste asks Karen O about her work on the soundtrack for Where The Wild Things Are, the new trailer for which was released this week. The movie is out October 16.

Trailer: Where The Wild Things Are

The Chicago Sun-Times chats with Ida Maria, who apparently had a breakdown of some kind in Boston the other night… here’s hoping she gets it together in time for tomorrow night’s show at the Opera House. Co-headlining that show is Ladyhawke, who is the subject of features at Flavorwire and The Independent. There’s also a remix contest going on over at Filter, where you can have your way with “My Delirium”

Check out the title track from Thao with The Get Down Stay Down’s forthcoming album Know Better Learn Faster, and note that pre-orders of the album – out October 13 – will come with a ticket to a show on their upcoming tour including the November 1 date at the El Mocambo in Toronto.

MP3: Thao With The Get Down Stay Down – “Know Better Learn Faster”

The Daredevil Christopher Wright, whom you may recall from this post, will return for a show at the Free Times Cafe on October 7.

MP3: The Daredevil Christopher Wright – “The East Coast”

Vampire Weekend – who just announced details of their second album Contra, due out January 12 of next year – will preview the new record with a pair of Canadian dates including an October 8 date at the Horseshoe. Word is tickets go on sale tomorrow morning via Ticketmaster only.

MP3: Vampire Weekend – “Cape Cod Kwassa Kwassa”

Also pending further details is Fucked Up’s fourth annual Fucked Up Fest, happening over Hallowe’en weekend – information on participants and dates at Exclaim.

Florence & The Machine will make their Toronto debut on November 2 at the Mod Club, thus scuppering my plans of seeing Monsters Of Folk make their Toronto debut at Massey Hall that same night. Tough call, but I think I have to go with Flo. And M Ward wouldn’t let me take pictures anyways. Tickets $15.

MP3: Florence & The Machine – “Kiss With A Fist”

The Rural Alberta Advantage have set a date for Lee’s Palace on November 4, tickets $15. Lee’s! They grow up so fast!

Apostle Of Hustle will also be doing a hometown show at Lee’s – look for them on November 19.

MP3: Apostle Of Hustle – “Perfect Fit”

And here’s an interesting/exciting announcement – DEVO is coming to town for the first time in a quarter-century. They’ll be at the Phoenix on November 23 and 24, playing Q: Are We Not Men? A: We Are DEVO! and Freedom Of Choice in their entirety, respectively. And there’s no reason to believe the energy domes will not be along for the ride. Tickets will be $48.25 with premium tickets including a meet and greet with the band available for $99.75. Either price tier will get you a bundle of demo MP3s to download. Those will go on sale on September 18.

Video: DEVO – “Whip It!”

Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros will be at the El Mocambo on November 24, tickets $12.50. There’s a session with the band at Daytrotter and a Q&A at Denver Westword.

MP3: Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros – “40 Day Dream”

Their last gig at the Phoenix being such a triumph, Phoenix will return for a show at the Sound Academy on December 5 and to make sure things go just as well as they did that show, they’re even bringing Amazing Baby back to open. Tickets for that are $28.

MP3: Amazing Baby – “Bayonets”
Video: Phoenix – “Lisztomania”

MySpaceWhat’s that, you thought there’d be a review of Tuesday night’s Sonic Youth show top of page today? So did I, but it turns out that holidays can be the absolute worst days to try and get work done. So SY tomorrow, this today.

And “this” is the happy news that Brisbane, Australia’s most energetic pop band – The Grates – have finally inked a North American deal to release their second album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won on this side of the world. Considering how much fun their 2006 debut Gravity Won’t Get You High was, I found it confounding that the trio were at SxSW this year without a deal for their sophomore effort, released last August down under, especially after seeing their rhythmic gymnastic-infused set at Hot Freaks. But that’s been resolved, as Teeth Lost, Hearts Won will be getting a domestic release via Thirty Tigers on September 15.

They’re also doing some touring during July, but not through any sort of conventional routing – the band has a residency scheduled at Pianos in New York on July 15, 22 and 29 but on the off days are apparently putting making Tourism Canada very happy by crossing the border for a show in Ottawa at the Live 88 Lounge on the 12th, then back up to play Hillside in Guelph the weekend of July 24 to 26 and the following Tuesday, July 28, at the Horseshoe in Toronto. You can reasonably expect more North American dates to get added in and around those shows, but if you want to try and predict where and when they’ll be, you’re braver than I.

There’s one of the tracks from the new record available to download below and you can get another by signing up to their mailing list.

MP3: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Aw Yeah”
MySpace: The Grates

Ex-Concrete Victoria Bergsmann has completed her second album as Taken By Trees – East Of Eden will be released on September 8, more details at The Line Of Best Fit.

NPR offers up a session with Loney Dear – they have a date at the Horseshoe on October 13.

Also on that bill are Asobi Seksu. There’s a “Getting To Know” feature on them at Filter.

Altsounds interviews The Pains Of Being Pure At Heart, who have a date at the Horseshoe on September 7.

Drowned In Sound has an interview with The Twilight Sad. Forget The Night Ahead is out September 22.

PitchforkTV heads down to the New York Stock Exchange with The Thermals.

Also at PitchforkTV – an installment of their Cemetary Gates series featuring Ra Ra Riot – they’re at Lee’s Palace on September 11.

Elvis Perkins In Dearland have a new video out, taken from their self-titled album.

Video: Elvis Perkins – “Chains, Chains, Chains”

Also with a new vid are Death Cab For Cutie. It comes from their recently-released The Open Door EP.

Video: Death Cab For Cutie – “Little Bribes”

A free and legal MP3 from Patrick Wolf’s The Bachelor, getting a North American release on August 11.

MP3: Patrick Wolf – “The Vulture”

Filter gets to know Howling Bells, whose Radio Wars will get a North American release on July 28.

Le Blogotheque has a video session – more of a party, really – with Beirut. For more in that style, check out The Flying Club Cup video series from a few years back – still beautiful. They’ve got a sold-out show at the Phoenix on July 9.

Blurt has an interview with St Vincent’s Annie Clark. She is at the Horseshoe on August 8.

Frank YangThe Grates
Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

Hyper pop trio whose sophomore album Teeth Lost, Hearts Won was released in Australia in 2008 with a North American release planned for this year
– Show review
– video interview at Undercover

Photos: The Grates @ Club DeVille – March 21, 2009
MP3: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Aw Yeah”
Video: The Grates – “Burn Bridges”
Video: The Grates – “Science Is Golden”
Video: The Grates – “Rock Boys”
Video: The Grates – “19-20-20”
MySpace: The Grates

Frank YangA much-needed sleep-in, however slight, threw me off schedule before evening awakening on the final day of SxSW, so I hoofed it to the Mohawk and day two of Hot Freaks without so much as a coffee – a decision that would prove to be very… unwise by that evening. But in the meantime, I had the boost provided by another day of great music and a fresh pair of socks to get me going.

Greeting the early birds at noon were Austin trio Harlem, who seemed to treat the Mohawk patio stage like their own personal garage/rehearsal space – that’s meant in a positive way. Their music was charmingly rough around the edges but eminently hooky and their stage demeanor was that of a group of friends just goofing around and having a good time. There are certainly worse ways to start a day.

I then fled the high noon sun for the cooler climes of the Mohawk’s inside stage, where Brooklyn’s Shilpa Ray & Her Happy Hookers were getting started. I was unfamiliar with them but they were spoken highly of by a few friends so I had a boo. A quartet led by a tiny girl with a harmonium and huge voice, they weren’t nearly as odd as first glances might imply, specializing in raw and wrenching blues-ish tunes… led by harmonium. Charismatic and compelling, and the chorus of voices people speaking highly of her/them is almost certain to keep growing.

Heading back out into the sunlight, I thought my eyes were playing tricks on me because I had assumed, for whatever reason, that Jason Lytle – with the number of shows he was booked to do this week – would be working in a solo acoustic context. But no, the former Grandaddy frontman was doing the full band thing and it’s a good thing, because I don’t think his songs would have been nearly as impressive with just voice and guitar. It’s also evident that Lytle isn’t necessarily interested in distancing himself from his old band because, honestly, the new stuff sounds like the old stuff and he even closed out with – I think, correct me if I’m wrong, I haven’t revisited Grandaddy in years – “He’s Simple, He’s Dumb, He’s the Pilot”, which was just beautiful.

Over at Club DeVille, it was then time for Australian fun-meisters The Grates. I was personally quite excited to finally be seeing them – their manic live shows were already legendary – but the venue was only moderately full for them. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise, though, as frontwoman Patience Hodgson bounded all around the stage and rest of the venue delivering tunes from their debut Gravity Won’t Get You High as well as new record Teeth Lost, Hearts Won – released last year in Australia and in negotiations for a North American release this year – like a aerobics instructor hepped up on pixie sticks. But the extra space really came in handy for their almost set-closer, when Hodgson whipped out a rhythmic gymnastics ribbon and began whipping it around and then – THEN – was joined, out of nowhere, by another rhythmic gymnast, ribbons a-flying, running around her. I doubt there was any sort of proper routine planned but for sheer, out of nowhere never seen that before ridiculous fun, The Grates won the day.

Back at the Mohawk, Portland’s Viva Voce – who were supposed to play the very first Hot Freaks but cancelled to go on tour with some outfit called The Shins – were making up for the delay with a set of guitar-driven rock that you could equally preface with “prog-” or “pop-“. Brutally loud and breahtakingly delicate, it was a fine showcase for Anita Robinson’s impressive guitar chops – to say nothing of her fine voice – without becoming over-indulgent. I only caught half their set on account of being spun around by The Grates but what I did see reminded me that I liked their last record Get Yr Blood Sucked Out and should be keeping an eye/ear out for their new album Rose City when it’s released on May 26.

My default answer for “what was the best thing you saw at SxSW” last year was Peelander-Z, not because they were any great shakes musically – they’re not – but because of the sheer spectacle of their show. Outrageous Power Ranger-esque costumes, stage climbing expeditions and general over-the-top antics ensured a memorable show whether you actually liked it or not. So naturally we had them back a second year in a row, but with the caveat that they had to keep within the allotted time limit. And I think that was the second most impressive thing about their show – I was familiar with their routine, mostly unchanged from 2008, but they somehow managed to cram everything in – the human bowling, the audience band recruitment, the crowd surfing journey to the top of the Mohawk tent – without running a minute over. The first most impressive thing was seeing Peelander Red climb onto the rafters of the stage canopy and hang upside-down, holding on only by his legs, while still playing his bass. And I’m really glad he was able to hang on because he was directly above me and if he’d fallen, I’d probably be dead as well. Not that I escaped their set fully unscathed – at one point Peelander Green broke a drumstick and whipped it into the audience, nailing me square in the face and hand. But the crowd loved it.

Trying to follow such an act is no easy feat, so it’s probably just as well that Camera Obscura don’t go in for on-stage shenanigans – just wonderful pop songs, perfectly suited to basking in the warmth of the setting sun. Though visibly worn from the activities of their week, the band capped off their SxSW and our Hot Freaks showcase for the year with a compact set of their very best material from 2006’s Let’s Get Out Of This Country and the forthcoming My Maudlin Career, out April 21. Highlights were their new single “French Navy”, the still-brilliant “Lloyd, I’m Ready To Be Heartbroken” and wall-of-noise – who ever thought that phrase would be used in conjunction with Camera Obscura – “Razzle Dazzle Rose”. Pure bliss for the SxSW twee-pop contingent, and another triumphant Hot Freaks for the history books.