The Perfect Beat: March 28th - April 16th

And now for something different…

While many of you were traversing the world and conquering distant lands over spring break, I stayed true to my root and did something I've always wanted to do - I went to Austin, TX for South-by-Southwest (SXSW). Though this annual conference/festival has grown to encompass film and interactive components, the heart of it remains the music festival it started as in 1987 (film and interactive were added in 1994). The festival features an unfathomable number of bands, but more impressive to me was the astounding number and variety of venues that a city the size of Austin (population approximately 700,000) can have.

In four days I saw some 30+ bands in 10 venues, so while I saw a lot, I missed even more. (There were at least a couple of thousand bands playing and about 60 venues, depending on how you count them). I saw some great performances, and some not so great ones. But what really stuck out for me is the extent to which the specific venue can affect how enjoyable the show is.

My favorite performance of the festival was probably The Good, The Bad and The Queen at The Fader Fort. This venue was co-sponsored by Fader Magazine and Levi's. They took what appeared to be an abandoned building, put a Levi's store in it and put up a large tent outdoors to create a venue for live performances. Somehow the whole thing worked. Many people I talked to agreed that this venue was one of the best places to catch a show during the week.

My least favorite performance that I attended was Money Mark at Eternal. Money Mark is probably one of my favorite artists and I was really looking forward to seeing him live, but this venue is one of the worst I have ever seen. Some venues are dirty and overcrowded (which can be part of their appeal, something like CBGB's was), some are laid out in odd ways, and others have bad sound systems. Very few venues combine all of these.

Which brings me back to New York. For a long time I've been going to concerts wherever they happen to be - fans don't really have a choice in the matter. I've decided that there are some venues in New York that I probably won't ever go back to again, top of that list is The Hammerstein Ballroom. I can't think of a band that is worth standing around in what feels like a high school gym with horrible acoustics and overpriced drinks. On the other hand, there are several venues in New York that I would go out of my way to see a show at, here are some of them and some upcoming shows you might want to check out:

Joe's Pub - This venue, which is not more than a few blocks from Stern on Lafayette Street, is a very small space that is candle lit, with tables you can have dinner or drinks at. The line up of bands regularly features unknowns, as well as more established acts. At one point the Village Voice voted this club the "Best Excuse to Let a Single Venue Dictate Your Tastes," and while I wouldn't go that far, this is a great (albeit more laid back) place to see a show. Some upcoming shows to consider:

Darren Hayes, 3/28, $20.00

Emily King, 4/3, $15

Michael Penn, 4/28, $25

Mercury Lounge - Another small venue, Mercury has a completely different feel from Joe's Pub. This venue is a small bar, basically a brick room that somehow has good acoustics and gets some great bands to play. When the venue opened, the stated goal was "quite simple: to build the best sounding room possible and book it well," and it appears to have succeeded. Some upcoming shows to consider:

The Long Winters and The Broken West, 3/31, $15

Youth Group, 4/10, $14

Cloud Cult, 4/14-15, $12

Irving Plaza - Slightly larger than the last two, this venue still feels intimate. Located just off of Union Square, the venue has played host to everything from jazz to rock to electronica - featuring bands such as NOFX, Beck, Jay-Z and They Might Be Giants in the storied history of this club. This was also one of the venues that U2 played when they were still struggling to be heard (imagine that time?). Some upcoming shows to consider:

Peeping Tom (Mike Patton and Dan the Automator), 4/9, $25

Lily Allen, 4/11, $22.50

Chris Cornell, 4/16, $35

There are many others worth going out of your way for - Jazz at Lincoln Center, Bowery Ballroom, Knitting Factory, Tonic, Hiro Ballroom, etc. There is plenty of good music in this city. Time to step out and enjoy some of it.