Opening for the night was Munich’s own Mondo Ray which, if you recall from previous shows, proved to be a nice set-up to the Wavves show a while back. Although 59:1 is small, it definitely isn’t as small as the coffee shop sized Kafe Kult where they performed last. This provided a not-so welcoming atmosphere for them as the dreaded European force-field extended about ten-feet from the stage providing an awkward buffer from the crowd to the band. Regardless of the weird dynamic, Mondo Ray put on a hell of a show with their high energy garage rock/punk that would have fit in nicely with anyone’s SXSW line-up had they been there. Oh yeah, and the drummer is ridiculous, beating out hard-driving tempos and slamming downbeats like there was no tomorrow.

After they left, it was only a couple of minutes before Jay and the crew (bassist Stephen Pope and drummer Billy Hayes) took the stage for a non-stop fifty minute set where even switches between instrumentations were filled with heavy noise guitar providing absolutely no relief. The antithesis of banter-filled bands, Jay Reatard only spoke (or more like shouted) the names of each track prior to playing them. And play them did he ever…

Chaotically rushing through hits from 2006’s Blood Visions and 2008’s Matador Singles, Jay was in his element gracefully sliding up and down his guitar neck without missing a beat even during the head-banging choruses. It was like witnessing a real-life guitar hero game. Without a doubt, the highlight was his rendition of “My Shadow” on speed, taking the 3+ minute track and shrinking it into a mindboggling 145 seconds. Absolutely unreal. Needless to say the one-minute “It’s Not a Substitute” was more of a blur than a song. Although exuding energy from every pore of their body, it somehow didn’t stick with the audience. Contrary to the more boisterous Black Lips turnout, Reatard was able to draw the elitist garage punk enthusiasts who were incredibly bashful even for European standards.

Regardless, Reatard completely owned the night. When the last inkling of reverb faded out after they left the stage, I was left to compile my thoughts and try to sort out the auditory haze I just experience. The question of “what just happened” never got fully answered and only until my neck became less stiff and my hearing less buzzy did I feel recovered – and that was a good three days later. So yeah, it was a great night.

Setlist:
An Ugly Death
It’s So Easy
Not A Substitute
My Shadow
Oh It’s Such A Shame
See/Saw
All Over Again
I’m Watching You
Blood Visions
Nightmares
Fading All Away
Trapped Here
Greed Money Useless Children
Hammer I Miss You
Waiting for Something
Let It All Go

Jay Reatard // See/Saw

Jay Reatard // Always Wanting More

Pretty much every noise band that I’ve witnessed always seems to put on an energetic show representative of their music taste. Crystal Antlers were no exception to this – demolishing even my substantial expectations with every track. Although the crowd was of a meager size (saying there was 20 people there was probably generous), they were still able to put on a great set that gave me more enjoyment than the riot-like atmosphere of the Black Lips just a couple of nights before. Graced with an allotment of new music from a recording session prior to their European tour, there was no doubt that the band has been enjoying playing something other than the six tracks off their EP. One of the highlights in fact was a “never performed live” song off of their about-to-be-released LP Tentacles which had a four minute guitar interlude reminiscent of My Bloody Valentine’s patented thrashing. If the rest of the album is like that, it will be one of the most talked about albums of the year.

SXSW stalwarts from last year, playing four times as many shows as days in the festival, Crystal Antlers aim to return to Austin this year, but, according to drummer Kevin Stuart, their schedule will be far less demanding. Between the massive North American and European tours, a new LP, and a secretive Live DVD in the works (Stuart was hush-hush about it, only revealing that it is “kind of like a documentary, but more like art”), 2009 seems to be a breakthrough year for Crystal Antlers. And if this is a just world, it will be.

I’ll post some videos from the show once I get them uploaded on youtube. For now, you can check out my photos from the concert!

After the dust settled, the Black Lips caught a plane to Germany to record an EP with fellow, and equally volatile, King Khan before heading out on a European tour, sans Khan. Needless to say after hearing the news from Asia, I was amped to be able to see their act in person at a small venue in Munich. After an energetic but overall flat opener HARA-KEE-REES, the crowd braced for the main event by compacting themselves close to the stage. This was probably the most excited I’ve seen a European audience since my arrival a year ago.

With the lights fire red, the Lips took the stage jamming out to hits from the popular 2007 LP Good Bad Not Evil. It was only a matter of time before the first German took to the stage, shirtless of course, and started singing into the mic and force feeding beer to the band members. I quickly followed suit by being the first to stage-dive at the end of “Lock and Key” which in turn excited the crowd and opened the floodgates for the pushing and shoving to get to the front of the stage.

The Lips, on the other hand, seemed to be removed from the chaos happening around them, opting for a more mellow demeanor. While bottles and cups started to be thrown, they pleaded with the crowd for restraint because they were “from America and had no health insurance” – a very un-Black Lips move. Other than constant movement and a quick “hit the floor while playing guitar” routine by guitarist Cole Alexander (reminiscent of Marty McFly in Back to the Future), the Lips were mostly subdued the whole night.

Not to say they didn’t put on a good performance musically because they did – even playing a handful of new tunes from their future March 16th release 200 Million Thousand — but the whole set was a bit of letdown. I guess it shows how hard it is to play with that sort of intensity day in day out and please crowds with unrealistic expectations. It could be a “maturity issue” but most likely it’s because of burnout due to over touring the world over. Regardless, the crowd made it a fun time and the Black Lips are a type of band that can put together a memorable show even on an off day.

Black Lips performing “Drugs” from 200 Million Thousand in Munich:

You can also check out photos from the show in Munich here.