Before heading over to the French music showcase at the Mohawk on Wednesday, March 15, I stopped by Club DeVille to see Choir of Young Believers perform at the Ghostly International Showcase. Choir of Young Believers is the musical project of Jannis Joya Makrigiannis, a well-regarded musician in the Danish indie scene. Signed to Ghostly International in 2008, the orchestral pop group has released one album so far: This is For the White in Your Eyes. As the title suggests, the album is full of grand compositions akin to that of Sufjan Stevens, Efterklang, and My Brightest Diamond.
The Ghostly International Showcase was a treat for both Choir of Young Believers, which is releasing its second album Rhine Gold in two weeks, and the audience, which was able to view a full Choir of Young Believers performance. The band is known for its fluctuating size in concert, ranging from a duo to an octet with Jannis as the sole constant. The lineup playing at Club DeVille included drums, a one-man percussion section, a trumpet, a cello, a keyboard, and a guitar, which allowed for a full sound. The band was focused on their performance, paying more attention to giving the audience a flawless and moving live performance than pandering to the crowd. While some audience members used the concert to talk to others and meet new people who held the same musical passions as them, others allowed the band to fully envelop their consciousness with its spellbinding performance.
This is the first single off of their album Rhine Gold, which will be released on March 20:
When Peelander-Z hits the stage, venues immediately become frenetic punk rock Japanese game shows. On Saturday (March 10), I had the pleasure of being tossed around in a mosh pit at the Beauty Ballroom.
Based out of New York, Peelander-Z describe themselves as a Japanese action comic punk band hailing from the Z area of Planet Peelander. On stage, Peelander-Z, has an unparalleled level of charisma that takes control of entire audiences. Their songs typically begin with cheeky skits that teach the call and response element of each song. Replete with audience participation, their show on Saturday had the audience chanting, playing limbo, bowling, and moshing.
As a special SXSW treat, Peelander-Z opened their show off by screening the music video for “Star Bowling” from the album Space Vacation. This video featured the most current lineup of the Peelanders.
To really kick things off right, the end of the show saw Peelander-Z jamming out with their Japanese tourmates, Electric Eel. To finish things off, they invited audience members on stage and staged a game of bowling.
As you may have heard, WRCT is in Austin, Texas, this week for SXSW. We’ve assembled a team of seven reporters dedicated to bringing you up to date information on all that’s happening musically here in Austin.
We’ll be hosting a daily broadcast live from Austin every day through Friday, March 16, at 1 p.m. EST. You can also hear it at 1 a.m. EST or online at any time. The broadcast will feature show reviews, interviews with bands, and commentary on Austin’s cultural scene.
If a daily broadcast isn’t enough for you, be sure to check out our blog section, where we’ll be posting more show reviews, photos, and videos throughout the week.
We also have a Facebook page, and we’ll be updating our Twitter (@wrct883) frequently each day, so be sure to follow us.
We wish all of you were here with us, but since you’re not we’re doing our best to stay connected in every way possible. So spend your spring break with us.
