The second day here was full swing and full of music. I went to an unofficial showcase today called The Yard and it was fantastic. I heard some new music and some music that I’ve been listening to and dying to hear live. There was a great variety of bands and the atmosphere was very laid back. The highlight of that showcase was Fickle Friends, a band from the UK. I got to chat with the lead singer, who was very nice. She’s friends with Andrew, the editor/founder of WTGR, and we had a short and sweet conversation about their friendship and other shows they’re playing this week.

I just saw Clara-Nova play in a beautiful church and it was quite the experience. Clara-Nova have a really great electronic sound
and I’m so glad I got to see them. It was a lady and a man who played about 6 instruments between the two of them and it was a
wonderful spectacle. The lady did the lead vocals and she was absolutely mesmerizing, despite the distraction constantly switching instruments. The setting of the church made the whole thing very ethereal and atmospheric. I doubt there will be another set that lives up to that one this week!

In a little bit I’ll be setting out again to see Alice on the Roof, ELEL, and Daniel Ellsworth & The Great Lakes play a showcase. It should be an interesting show since it’s a bit of a mix of genres.

I’m loving Austin so far. I feel like SXSW is the American version of Carnival in Rio because it’s one giant street party with all sorts of performers and food trucks. It’s a lot of fun, but also a great opportunity to talk with musicians. Something that has stuck out to me is how everybody here is so friendly and open to conversation. I feel like music drops the pretense here and everyone is just here to enjoy the tunes, not use it as a chance to brag about which musicians they know and what they listen to. Everyone is very genuine and it really is all about the m
usic here. Musicians are super open to talking to everyone and nobody in the audience is rude or pushy. It’s a great reminder of why live music is so important. It brings people together in the most enjoyable way possible and it connects us through the shared experience.

-Amanda