It’s that time of year again, when SLUG Mag messes with Texas. Editor Angela Brown, Lead Designer Joshua Joye, Editorial Assistant Alexander Ortega and Digital Content Coordinator Cody Kirkland have stepped up to the plate to blast through all the bases at SXSW, with lists of all their daily happenings from shows, food carts, free booze and parties. Check back with SLUGMag.com every day to get the scoop on our batting average in Austin.

SLUG SXSW 2014 Stats – Day One 03.11


March 12, 2014

Events

SLUGger: Alexander Ortega, Editorial Assistant 
Number of shows: 8 
Number of FREE alcoholic beverages: 0
Food item of the day: The Hot Dog King of Austin’s “Southsider Elgin Smoked Jalapeño with Cheddar Sausage”
Number of parties attended: 0
Number of British-cone-studded garments seen: 4
Amount of swag: 3

–8 p.m. Adam WarRock/Nerdcore Showcase @ The Flamingo Cantina = Thumbs Up
–9 p.m. Polytype/Electronic Showcase @ The Iron Bear = Thumbs Up
–10 p.m. Omotai/Metal, Showcase @ Metal and Lace = Thumbs Up [Pictured]
–10:30 p.m. Psalm Zero/Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy @ The Mowhawk = One Thumb Up
–11 p.m. Power Trip/Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy @ The Mowhawk = Thumbs Up
–12 a.m. Amplified Heat/Rock, Showcase @ Metal and Lace = Thumbs Up
–12:20 a.m. Gnaw/Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy @ The Mowhawk = Thumbs Up
–1:05 a.m. Indian/Pitchfork’s Show No Mercy @ The Mowhawk = Thumbs Up

Best show of the day:
–10 p.m. Omotai/Metal Showcase @ Metal and Lace

Omotai showed up to play. As I walked into the Metal and Lace bar, adorned with its steampunk regalia, the band was hammering into the atmosphere with unpretentious metal. They played sludge with smart, purposeful riffs with a nod to hardcore. As they sidled into their second song, front-people Sam Waters (guitar) and Melissa Lonchambon (bass) equally alternated bellowing into their mics to create a rhythmic back and forth of mean, four-syllable tradeoffs. Drummer Anthony Vallejo exhibited his athleticism on the skins, and pulled off some tricky beats to lend their songs a constant forward momentum. The guitar riffs played out as chuggy and fun to hear, with splashes of melodic play-around to keep it interesting, but nothing too showy. I enjoyed their dressed-down image—Lonchambon wore slip-on vans beneath some flared jeans, Waters and guitarist Jamie Ross wore simple jeans and T-shirts and Vallejo went shirtless with an en-dearing top bun for his longer hair. These guys are in it for the music—not any kvlt fashion. They were a blast to watch (even if the Ren & Stimpy playing on the bar TV was a little distract-ing).