We walked in during Judgement Day's set - an electric violin, a cello, and a drummer, playing with the ferocity of a metal band.  It was really good, really random, and about the sort of band I'd always thought dredg should have open for them.  Torche were up next - they've lost a guitarist since the last time I saw them, which makes their acoustics a little easier to pick out.  Some of their songs suffer a bit for not having a dedicated rhythm guitarist, but not noticably.  Their attitude has ratcheted up a notch or 10 in the rock silliness department, and now involves a lot more facial hair.  Torche were definitely the odd band out - there were a few metalheads, but it was mostly dredg-obsessed fans looking for something more epic.

It's amazing to me that Gavin from dredg can still be as emotionally connected to songs from El Cielo as he was when I saw them play in basements and bowling alleys in Chicago 6 years ago.  Their set focused mostly on songs from their upcoming album The Pariah, The Parrot, The Delusion.  Most of the dedicated fans in the audience had heard via myspace, youtube, and whatnot - dredg has been working the songs into their sets since Coachella last year at least.

New for this tour, though they added a song called "Lightswitch" for which they brought Judgement Day back on stage to play strings.  They then played "Delta"  and "Matroshka" while they had the opportunity to include strings.  Seeing 6 people on stage to perform such lush arrangements makes more sense when you hear dredg's albums, especially those recorded at skywalker ranch, with the production budget of a major label.  That's what makes it so much more amazing when it's only the 4 of them, and they carry all of the instrumentation of the album in a live setting.

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After their impromptu show in the middle of 6th street on Wednesday night, we had to check out Katzenjammer's full set.  We went to Threadgills for some lunch (including the best spicy veggie burger I've had), and their set.  With the rest of their instruments, and vocal mics, they were even more amazing.  The harmonies sounded amazing, and they all played each other's instruments, switching from keyboards to mandolin to horns to balalaika.  Their set was unbelievably perfect, including an homage to Janis Joplin.

Club Primo: Mouse House, UME, Follow That Bird

After Katzenjammer, I took a brief break before heading to Club Primo to catch UME, who'd I'd seen at a Christmas show with Trail of Dead.  I arrived a little early and caught Mouse House, who'd been recommended to me, but hadn't made my list of shows.  They played indie-funk, and it was a fun, cool show, before heading inside.  I'd previously seen Ume at Red7 with a ton of people, so it was a bit disarming to see them at such a tiny little bar.  Their show was no less blistering, though.  Their music pairs catchy anthems with post-rock build-and-release structures.  The build shows Lauren's gorgeous voice, and the release shows the band's ferocity, especially Lauren's.  There are no still pictures of her playing, she's a hurricane of constant musical fury.  After sweating out the show, I went back outside to grab a cigarette to the tunes of Follow That Bird, who play fairly straightforward indie rock.  If I hadn't seen Jucifer or Ume in the same week, I might have enjoyed them a bit more.

The Bird and The Bee at Waterloo

By the 4th day, we were running dangerously low on energy.  We figured our last show would be a low-key set from the cutesy electro duo The Bird And The Bee at Waterloo.  We got there a little late, and saw them from the back of the store, but it was worth it anyway.  The charm of singer Inara is even greater in person, than on singles like "polite dance song".  Unfortunately, the sound had problems, and cut out during said song.  After dinner, we felt a bit rejuvenated, and checked out a slightly larger Ruby Isle show at Lambert's, which was just as fun as their first show, albeit with proportionally less crowd.  They also played one of their covers (Skinny Love), which  was awesome.  Afterwards, we gave up trying to decide on shows, and considered it over.

The 5 best shows from SXSW 2009:

1. Kittens Ablaze (Friday)
2. Jucifer (Wednesday)
3. Katzenjammer (Saturday)
4. Ruby Isle (Friday)
5. The Rosebuds (Friday)

Dressy Bessy were an accidental show, They're a bit older, and unfortunately it shows.  Old James is actually a neighbor's band, which we only found out about when he said hi to us as we walked up to Iron Gate.  Their set was energetic, and their antics were awesome.   Their music is pretty straightforward punkish rock, which was infectious and fun.  Ruby Isle has been on my radar since their series of Elbo.ws covers.  I hadn't yet had a chance to seek out their original tunes, but it's just as well.  The tiny bar with the low ceiling and their crazy antics was the best possible way to experience them.  Despite the small venue and crowd, they were having a blast splicing the robotic apocalypse into the 80's.  They had synchronized karate kicks, a stepladder, and all manor of hilarious antics that knocked over most of their equipment due to the crampt quarters.  It was a blast, and the best show yet, although the night just kept getting better.

Waterloo Records: Telepathe, Handsome Furs

We got to Waterloo early, anticipating a crowd for Handsome Furs.  Turns out it was unnecessary, but after missing their morning show while waiting in line outside Club De Ville, we figured it was better safe than sorry.  Telepathe were a cute enough electroclash duo, and they gave us a free mixtape (on CD), and put on an enjoyable set.  Handsome Furs are a husband and wife electroclash duo featuring one of the singers from Wolf Parade.  While I passed on their first album as wolf-parade-lite, I forgot what a showman Dan is.  Even as exhasuted as they looked, they still gave the set everything they had, and it was absolutely engrossing.  His wife shows an equal amount of energy, bouncing, and playing with one foot out behind her,

Tombs at Room 710

To be honest, I wasn't prepared for Tombs.  Their show was during the normal dinner hour, and across town from Waterloo.  Their music is long-form, and immersive, which I enjoy a lot in my headphones, but I wasn't quite ready to absorb live.  Room 710 is an odd venue, you have to walk up one side of the bar, across the back, and down the other side.  After they loaded the gear in, the closed the door and killed all but a few bulbs on stage.  The bassist snarled at us as he looked about to beat us with his instrument, as the singer bellowed out the lyrics without acknowledging us.  The music is intense and swirling, and builds at epic length, to beautful and brutal peaks.

The Rosebuds at Momo's

The Rosebuds were the first line we had to wait in for people to come out of the show.  I don't know if this means we have obscure taste, or just the dedication to show up early.  Rosebuds were completely worth the wait, though.  Their songs feel like maritime drinking songs, replete with gang vocals in the chorus.  The crowd sang along on most of the songs, adding to the anthemic feel.  The singer/keyboardist had on a fantastic dress, and danced among the crowd playing tambourine when she wasn't singing.  After their main set, they came down and played a final song in the midst of the crowd with an accordion and an acoustic guitar and got the whole crowd to dance with them.It was charming and beautiful, and probably the set for which I knew the most songs.

Kittens Ablaze at Wave

I honestly had no idea what to expect from Kittens Ablaze.  the songs I'd heard could have been the work of an orchestra or a one man band, and it's all too unhinged to be sure.  They are a 5-piece: a drummer who sings lead, a bassist who fronts, but sings backup, a pair of guitarist/keyboardists, and a cellist and a violinist.  They shot confetti into the audience, and played their hearts out, despite playing on a tiny makeshift stage cut in half by a fake palm tree.  Their songs are folky, yet catchy, silly and energetic.  Their audience started with a half dozen people who seemed to have little in common, and ended with everyone in the bar.  They defied the impromptu setting with clear sonics, and earnest performance that rewarded them with new fans.

Waterloo Records: Justin Townes Earle, Department of Eagles

We caught our first couple shows of the day at Waterloo, which is nice and low key.  Justin Townes Earle was first, with some charming alt-country, before the band we came for.  Department of Eagles were pretty clearly worn out from their show the night before, but charmed us anyway.  Their set was more acoustic and folky than electronic, and their stage banter was self-deprecating and disarming.

Mexican Summer at Club 1808: Mi Ami, Golden Triangle, All The Saints

We tried to go see Vivian Girls at the Gorilla Vs. Booze showcase, but Peacock was sweltering, and full.  We went up north to Club 1808 early, and just chilled in the dark dive-y-ness.  Mi Ami came on inside, and played a DIY punk show, in the midst of the crowd.  Their myspace casts them as experimental surf-punk, but the show was more post-hardcore with falsetto vocals.  Outside, Golden Triangle played a silly show with lampshade hats, dancing, and writhing on the ground.  All The Saints were the band we were there to see, and they played an impossibly high energy show despite the sun, with the loudest sound of any band we saw (including Jucifer and Tombs).  Their drummer was completely drenched by 3 songs into the set, from playing so hard.

Tori Amos at La Zona Rosa

I don't have pictures, since this was the first of many shows to turn away non-badge cameras.  My estimation of Tori's show was about right.  She played mostly new songs, from her forthcoming album, along with a few older hits.  The older songs, she teased the vocals and enunciation as she felt moved, which sapped some of the punch out of them.  It was a pretty laid back show, she pretty much played straight through, with little in the way of introduction or banter.  It's ok, Tori is someone I listen to in my headphones, when I'm deep in my own headspace, I wasn't expecting a high energy show.

Little Boots, Datarock at Emo's Annex

Little Boots is the definition of  an internet micro-lebrity.  She makes videos of her songs, while sitting in her room, playing small electronic instruments and singing.  I was taken aback, then, when her live set was as awesome as it was.  She had pre-programmed her tenori-on so that she could mostly just sing, and her band brought the beats and the keys.  She sung her heart out, and engaged the crowd.  I foolishly followed sched's advice and tried to also catch dillinger escape plan across the street, despite them not even being at SXSW.  Thanks, sched.  Won't be depending on that service next year.  I came back to hear the rest of Little Boots' set from the line, and catch Datarock.  They were silly, but high energy and engaging.  After that much dancing, we went home exhausted.