Berklee Bands Wow the Crowds at SXSW
Barry Kelly (left), Dave Franz '01 (center), and Mike Coen (right) of The Bleedin Bleedins.
Photo by Kirsten Detec
On an unseasonably warm day in March, music fans, industry professionals, and Berklee alumni came out in droves-over 600 in the course of an afternoon-to attend Berklee's third annual party at the SXSW Music Conference and Festival in Austin, Texas. One of the largest events of its kind in the U.S., SXSW attracts tens of thousands of people eager to hear new music by over 1,500 showcasing bands from around the world.
Austin singer/songwriter Stephanie Delk performed with her band and MC'd the show with aplomb, engaging the crowd and keeping the fast-paced event on track. In addition to Delk, the music included acoustic sets by Brad Barr from the Slip and Madi Diaz; and high-energy indie rock and pop by New York's Via Audio and the Boy Bathing, Boston's Hallelujah the Hills and the Bleedin Bleedins, Track a Tiger from Chicago, and Austinites Bankrupt and the Borrowers. Current students the Peasantry showcased their infectious pop on songs including "Homey" and "Tie Off," and Elizabeth and the Catapult closed out the party with the powerful song "Momma's Boy," leaving the crowd wanting more. In addition to an afternoon of great live music, the audience received free copies of Dorm Sessions Volume 5-the new release by student-run label Heavy Rotation Records-and a few lucky attendees took home raffle prizes including a free Berkleemusic online course, SanDisk Sansa MP3 players, and a First Act guitar.