SXSW Day 3: Zoey, Santogold and the best performance (thus far)?
The third night of the South by Southwest Music Conference (SXSW) in Austin, Texas, brought much-hyped performances from the Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward collaboration She & Him, as well as Santogold, the New York-based dance singer who's earning comparisons to the globe-trotting electronic rap of M.I.A.
Both were upstaged by U.K. duo the Ting Tings.
The band was taking the stage before Santogold, and I opted to see the Ting Tings and skip performances from sleazy dance rockers the Virgins and New Zealand pop act Ruby Suns to ensure I didn't miss the buzzed-about electronic artist on after the pair. Based on the strength of the Ting Tings' show earlier in the week, it didn't seem like a bad trade-off.
It wasn't, as the peppy pop duo shined on the big outdoor stage of Stubbs. With a debut album not yet released, the act's danceable power-pop -- brightened with sassy electronic loops -- proved to already be arena-ready.
The act's set-closer "That's Not My Name" could have gone on forever, a smashing arms-in-the-air sing-along number with a hip-hop brashness, a slinky beat and a booming grand finale. There's a new-wave influence in the group's electronic bounce, but little about the band sounds retro. Lead singer Katie White is a dashing burst of energy that demands attention, and drummer Jules De Martino gives her giant, spacious beats that let her have her way with the stage.
If I went home without seeing another band I'd be ecstatic, as the Ting Tings delivered the best performance I've caught at SXSW. In fact, I haven't been able to stop listening to the few songs on the group's MySpace page since returning to my hotel an hour ago. Having caught the band at an afternoon party the day before, the Ting Tings impressed, but the full-scope of the act's range wasn't apparent until seeing the members absolutely own a larger stage.
Other highlights from Day 3 of SXSW:
Worldly beats: For all the attention the nice but forgettable Vampire Weekend has received for bringing a world-music bent to indie rock, New York's Yeasayer did them one better, bringing to life a captivating rock 'n' roll safari at an afternoon showcase. Keyboards sounded like they belonged in a Peter Gabriel song one moment, and mimicked bird calls in another. The guitars give the act a bit of roughness, but some dizzying, chant-like harmonies soften things up.
Stage presence: The aforementioned She & Him was the last full-set I saw of the night, and actress-turned-indie rocker Deschanel proved to be the real deal. Like all of Ward's music, there's a timelessness to She & Him, and the band sounds like it comes from another era. Deschanel has a gorgeous, almost understated way of singing, handling Sam Cooke's "Bring It On Home to Me" with a shy seductiveness, and gracing a more upbeat vintage-sounding rock ditty such as "Why Do You Let Me Stay Here?" with a calm coolness. She turned to the keyboards for"I Thought I Saw Your Face Today," and laid down a strolling melody for Ward and his band to gradually build a mini-orchestra around her.
Hype, in perspective: There's a lot to like in Santogold. The producer-turned-rocker-turned-rapper already appears a seasoned performer, with a sunglass-sporting backing crew showing off some choreographed dance moves and bringing some extra power to her choruses. Her beats pop like bubble wrap, and Santogold can navigate a backing mix of multicultural electronic noises, '80s synths and monster-movie sound effects with a hip-hop flair and a rock 'n' roll punch. She'll surely be one of the most talked-about artists coming out of SXSW, but as long as the world is comparing her to M.I.A., the latter has more to say.
Photo: The Ting Tings, courtesy of www.myspace.com/thetingtings
