Wednesday, April 01, 2009

The Conclusion: Dan Auerbach and The Fast Five Killed SXSW (Bill's Place)

Dan Auerbach had the crowd (of around 150 people) worked up in such a sweaty, dancing, foot stomping frenzy that I fell onto the stage at his feet. Not once, not twice, but three times. The first time it happened my concert buddy, Elias from The Flying Eyes, said "I am so sorry, I just have to move....I can't help myself! I told him that was fine but that if I fell again, no matter who the culprit was, he had to pick me up and quick. He agreed and I never spent more than a second on the stage each time I fell. At one point, the crowd swelled so much causing the front line to push into the stage. I thought the monitor in front of Dan would surely be knocked over. He just put his boot up on it and gave a little counter pressure.

No big deal.

Meanwhile, I stood there holding my two peoples hands for dear life while I braced myself with the side of my boot at the base of the stage.


"Oh dear brother trouble weighs a ton"
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If you google Dan Auerbach and look through the photos of his tour with Hacienda, this image will most likely pop up. Well, not this exact photo but one very similar. It's a beautiful beard moment that photographers can't resist. I took a bunch during this song myself.

Not that I am a photographer....I'm just a chick with a camera who has a great appreciation for music.

If you check out the pictures on Hacienda's myspace page, you will see one of the villanueava brother's (maybe two of them....I can't remember) wearing this fringed number. Apparenty, the boys share more than their ability to make you dance on command.
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Those are some fast hands my friend.

Twords the end of the show, Dan crouched down really low to the floor. I crouched down with him so that I could take a picture of his little break. Ok, a few pictures:
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It's not really a break when you are still playing.

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YES!

I did not constantly take pictures during the entire show. It's hard to do that when you are either a.) dancing b.) falling onto the stage or c.) trying not to fall onto the stage. When I did take pictures,I tried to not use the flash so that I would not blind Dan and the boys. When I was clicking away, Dan seemed to be ok with it as he would move over if I were trying to get a shots of other band members like this one of drummer,Jaime Villanueva:
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That's fucking team work!

However, in the small chance that I was annoying and in the even smaller chance that Dan or any member of the Fast Five will ever read this....I apologize.

Now ya'll have to apologize for ruining the rest of SXSW for me and my buddies. Every show we went to after this show sucked in comparison. The Daniel Johnston show was the exception as that dude is in a category all to himself. Still, I think I saw at least 5 more bands after Dan Auerbach and the fast five and all I could think about was how awesome the show at Bill's place was. It was a once in a life time experience, I think, so I am going to just have to get over it.

Also, you made me buy maracas.
(You don't have to apologize for that one. The maracas are quite fun.)

In closing, here is a picture of me stealing a shot with Dan:
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Sure, I could have asked him for a picture after the show. You know, the requisite side by side where I would put my arm around him and try to restrain myself from touching his beard. Instead, I opted for one in which he was in his element and while I was in the crowd.

I did speak to him afterwards. Afterwards, was 4:30 in the morning. They played for about 2 hours. I can't really tell you what I said...something like "ohmygosh, that was so f'ing amazing...SO FUN!!! Blah, blah, blah!" He shook my hand and said thank you and smiled a big, ol' Akron boy smile. Kind of like this one:
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I honestly think it was as much fun for him as it was for us.

If you are a local, Hacienda is playing Antone's on May 9th. You should probably go.

4 Comments:

Blogger j3 said...

Hacienda is dope.

10:44 AM  
Blogger Tracy Fennell said...

Ha! Great story. You have reminded me of my days as a freshman at Tech hanging out doing the punk rock scene in Lubbock, for what it was, and one eventful night at Einstein's and that club next door, I think it was called The Kitchen Club, was upstairs, on Main St.

Too bad I don't have pics...:(

11:31 PM  
Blogger j3 said...

when you say "punk" and "Lubbock"--gotta be the kitchen club. you're right.

4:05 AM  
Blogger Tracy Fennell said...

Ahhh, maybe I should write up that story sometime. Involves a band with a big black lady on bass, a 5 ft. singer getting in a fight with the sound guy, and a drummer with lit Roman candles taped to his football helmet.

9:10 PM  

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