SXSW 23 Preview – Catching Bands A-E

PreviewSXSW 23 Catching Bands A-E
~Dagmar

Part one of our preview of SXSW 2023 begins with some details on a few of the great artists heading to Texas. We’ll be doing this alphabetically, with A-E beginning the features. If there is no video, that’s because one was not available, like copyright wouldn’t allow to share them.

Adwaith
Wales
Schedule for Adwaith

Punk trio whose lyrics are in Welsh. Winners of the Welsh Music Prize (twice) for both albums they’ve released.

Adwaith – photo by Siân Adler

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ALASKALASKA
London, UK
Schedule for ALASKA

Electronic duo, they opened up a Crowdfunder to help them get to SXSW, and here they come!

ALASKALASKA – photo by Tami Aftab

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Augustine
Sweden
Schedule for Augustine

Augustine (real name Timothy More) is a multitalented producer who will make his American debut at the festival.

Augustine – photo by David Sahlberg

Avalanche Party
Yorkshire/the Moors/Middlesbrough, UK
Schedule for Avalance Party

Punk rock band. Their SoundCloud describes them as feral.

Avalanche Party

https://youtube.com/watch?v=8F6cQtE7fFk

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Beverly Kills
Gotenburg, Sweden
Schedule for Beverly Kills

Another punk rock band. This one comes from Sweden and just released their debut album, Kaleido, in September 2022. They’ve also toured with Wolf Alice.

Beverly Kills – photo by Jakob Ekvall

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Brìghde Chaimbeaul
Isle of Sky, Scotland
Schedule for Brìghde Chaimbeaul

Chaimbeul is a bagpipe player! How cool is that? She’s also got equally intriguing sisters, who are harpists.

Brìghde Chaimbeu – photo by Steve Bliss

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CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE
Tokyo, Japan
Schedule for Chameleon Lime WHooipie

Dance Pop band fronted by the striking Chi-.

Chi- of CHAMELEON LIME WHOOPIEPIE – photo by Masato Yokohama

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Crawlers
Liverpool, England
Schedule for Crawlers

British quintet who has opened for My Chemical Romance. Cool!

Crawlers

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Yayoi Daimon
Osaka, Japan
Schedule for Yayoi Daimon

Even at the young age of 31, Daimon is a veteran of the Japanese music scene. She used to be part of a girl group called rhythmic, but branched out on her own to be a feminist song-writer, singer, DJ and is also an accomplished dancer.

Yayoi Daimon – photo from Yayoi Daimon’s Twitter

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Dream Wife
London, England
Schedule for Dream Wife

More rock from England. Am I stuck on this theme?

Dreamwife

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Eydís Evensen
Reykjavik, Iceland
Schedule for Eydís Evensen

Nordic pianist. Evensen also used to be a choir singer.

Eydís Evensen – photo by Sunna Björk

Show Review & Photos: Anthrax & Black Label Society w/ Special Guest Exodus

Anthrax & Black Label Society w/ Special Guest Exodus – January 18th @ the Paramount
Review by John Rudolph
Photos by Alex Crick & John Rudolph

Anthrax‘s Joey Belladonna – photo by Alex Crick

Anthrax brings so much energy to every stage I see them on!  On January 18th, they brought Black Label Society and Exodus to help them obliterate the Paramount Theater. And obliterate they did! 

Celebrating 40 years, New York’s Anthrax thrashed the stage like only Anthrax can do.  When I said that I like it when bands show pure joy, no band does that better than Anthrax. 

Before Scott Ian, Joey Belladonna, and the boys arrived on stage, a curtain was draped hung from the ceiling. This isn’t unusual for an Anthrax show, but this time, Keanu Reeves, Corey Taylor, Gene Simmons, Rob Trujillo, Henry Rollins, Slash, Dave Mustaine, Norman Reedus, and more appeared on screen to help them celebrate 40 years of face-melting metal. 

Joey Belladonna of Anthrax – photo by John Rudolph

Joey Belladonna & Scott Ian of Anthrax – photo by Alex Crick

For those fans in the audience, Anthrax hasn’t lost any of the energy from their beginnings in 1982.  The amps power much more than the speakers. They powered the crowd with high-voltage thrash metal.  

We were gifted a setlist that spanned most of their active years.  They spent most of the show’s first half in the ’80s leading off with “Among the Living,” “Caught in a Mosh,” “Madhouse,” and “Antisocial.”  The journey continued through the ’90s and landed in 2011 with “In the End.” 

Anthrax is one of those bands from my childhood that I never get tired of seeing.  They are super tight and full of energy, and watching Belladonna play off of every band member was incredible. You can see what 40 years of experience brings.  Every note, every vocal, and every movement were seamless.  They are a unique band that every metal fan needs to experience at least once.  

Black Label Society‘s Zakk Wylde – photo by John Rudolph

Dario Lorina of Black Label Society – photo by Alex Crick

Many in the crowd knew who they were there to see, and they were flying their colors. Clad in black vests with white, Black Label Society banners on their backs, Black Label Society fans welcomed the band to the stage.   

Some of metals most loyal fans flock to see Black Label Society.  I’ve seen them in concert, primarily supporting headliners, and there is no shortage of black-vested fans screaming their allegiance to BLS. 

Black Label Society grabbed the stage by the scruff of the neck and never let go.  These guys are just great, blues-infused metal with terrific melodies. They are super heavy with thunderous guitar riffs and deafening drums.  So deafening that my shirt moved from the energy blasting from the stacked speakers and amps.  

Zakk Wylde is a terrific, charismatic frontman who looked like a character in Braveheart while sporting a kilt.  He has a massively wide stance on his riser and played his guitar like a battle axe. His blonde hair flowed back and forth, swirled around his head.  For a powerful looking guy, his voice was beautiful.  I could have listened all day.  

I love bands that have a great time.  This band laughed like they were having the best time anyone could have.  Every band member was magnetic, and New Jersey bassist John DeServio was no different.  He could not contain his laughter, and I was all in.  He was so fun to photograph.  I appreciate the energy that he shared with me.  He worked my camera, which allowed me to get such terrific shots. 

ExodusLee Altus – photo by Alex Crick

The destruction had begun promptly at 6:30, with Exodus bringing the West Coast heat. They started the carnage with “The Beatings Will Continue.”  The fans were ready for anything.  The testosterone-fueled and male-dominated crowd was well-lubed with substances only a witch doctor could decipher.  They sang along to every song, and then the mosh pit formed. It looked like a black leather-clad tornado turning counterclockwise. As with most metal shows, the crowd got rowdy, but usually, they are just straight-up cool people.  

One thing that stood out was when Exodus invited a young kid onto the state to play one of their songs on guitar.  The band gathered around the young man, and the crowd went nuts.

Anthrax – photos by Alex Crick

Anthrax – photos by John Rudolph

Black Label Society – photos by John Rudolph

Black Label Society – photos by Alex Crick

Exodus – photos by Alex Crick

Show Preview: Tove Lo @ the Paramount

Show Preview: Tove Lo @ the Paramount – Thursday, 2/23
~Dagmar

Tove Lo‘s Dirt Femme cover – photo by Monica Haworth, art & design by Samuel Burgess-Johnson

The superb Tove Lo returns to Seattle on Thursday, February 23rd for a headlining show at the Paramount. Lo has released five extremely well-received albums, and I love them too (a bit late to her latest, Dirt Femme – familiarizing myself with it). It’s always fun for me to say I’m not the only one who’s really in to an artist. As one of Sweden’s most popular and well-known musicians, Lo has received numerous nominations and accolades, including everything from NME Awards and Grammy Awards to Teen Choice Awards. Sneaking peeks at her setlist, which I always like to do for any show preview, I see “disco tits” and “Talking Body.” The Swedish Lo brings along Missouri’s Slayyter – a very nice choice for the evening.

For tickets and more information, head to the Paramount’s special page for Lo’s concert.

Show Preview: Anthrax, Black Label Society & Exodus @ the Paramount, Wed. 1/18

Show Preview: Anthrax, Black Label Society & Exodus @ the Paramount, Wed. 1/18
~Dagmar

Anthrax – photo by Ignacio Galvez

Join metal band Anthrax as they celebrate 40 years of awesomeness at the Paramount this Wednesday, January 18th at the Paramount. There have been some lineup changes over time, but the music remains the most important element, right? Since the Seattle date is just the second in 24 shows, the setlist should be fresh for fans – always a real bonus in my view. Perhaps they will go back bit to their debut, Fistful of Metal? The group recently said “We are so pumped to be hitting the road again with Black Label Society. We had such a great time when we toured with them earlier this year, that we had talked about doing it again when we were still on the road together. And, having the guys from Exodus on the bill as Special Guest, will definitely make this a tour not to miss.”

Which brings me to Black Label Society, a heavy metal quartet from Los Angeles. Led by the great Zakk Wylde, writer Ryan J. Downey perfectly described them as “stomping, heavy, bluesy.” I’ve got loads of extra respect for this band because of their support of St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital. They have a prominent donation link on the group’s website. Thank you!

Exodus, known as one of the original thrash metal bands, will open the night. The California group’s 2021 album, Persona Non Grata, made the list of Loudwire‘s Best Rock + Metal Albums of the year. Along with Anthrax, they are celebrating 40 years, and I am very happy to report that. Please get there early to catch them.

Black Label Society – photo by Justin Reich

Exodus – photo by Tayva Martinez

For tickets & more information, follow this link.