4AD SxSW Showcase
09 February 07
The annual South By South West music festival has developed over the last 20 years from a modest event promoting local talent, into the largest and most respected celebration of new music in America.
In 2007, 4AD will stage its first ever South By South West showcase. We’re taking over one of the best small venues in town on the opening day of the festival to present performances by five artists from the our current roster.
The 4AD showcase takes place on 14th March on the main stage at Emo’s, which is just off 6th Street on Red River. And with a fantastic line-up and a wealth of new material on offer, it promises to be one of the most memorable shows of the week.
Blonde Redhead Blonde Redhead are Kazu Makino and twin brothers Simone and Amadeo Pace. They're the rarest of things : a band whose voice has grown stronger, clearer and more distinctive with every record that they have made. Their ever-expanding and devoted fan base will be delighted to learn that this performance heralds the arrival of a new album – 23 – which will be released in April 2007.
Mountain Goats John Darnielle is one of the most imaginative lyricists of his generation. Since he sat cross-legged with an acoustic guitar in front of a boom box and pressed record for the first time - more than a decade ago - skewed characters, vibrant images and perfectly-framed narratives have flowed in their hundreds. Recent albums “The Sunset Treet” and “Get Lonely” have firmly established him as one of the most significant and influential songwriters working in America today.
Beirut You would be forgiven for thinking Beirut's unique debut long player The Gulag Orkestar was the work of some old Russian or German veteran, coloured by a love-stricken and war-weathered history. The genius behind Beirut, however, is a 20 year-old man from Albuquerque, New Mexico : Zach Condon. The Gulag Orkestar came from nowhere to be one of the most acclaimed and exciting albums of 2006; this will be the band’s first live performance of 2007.
Emma Pollock Emma Pollock was a member of the wonderful Delgados and a founder of their pioneering Chemikal Underground record label. She’s also one of the most bewitching singers and natural songwriters around, Emma has always had fans at 4AD - the idea of a solo album was first floated more than five years ago. And when The Delgados called it a day as a band in 2005, the moment had come. Her radiant debut album will be released later in 2007.
Wolf and Cub Wolf & Cub hail from a distant place - Adelaide, Australia. Yet word about their adrenalised take on darkly psychedelic, danceable noise is spreading far afield. The band – a four piece whose line-up includes two drummers – have built up a dedicated live following, expanded by a show-stealing performance at the Big Day Out festival. The band’s debut album Vessels is released in April 2007, preceded by the frenetic and addictive single “This Mess”.
4AD Showcase
Wednesday 14th March 2007
Emo’s
603 Red River
Austin, Texas 78701