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| ZZ Ward performs at The Empire Control Room during SXSW. photos by picksysticks |
In a week that saw surprise performances by Prince, Justin Timberlake, Willie Nelson and The Smashing Pumpkins snatch up all the headlines at this years’ South By Southwest, it was the ever presence of girl power that stole the spotlight at this years’ annual music festival. From fan favorites like Paramore and Tegan and Sara to up-and-coming bands like Chvrches, Bleached and Charlie XCX, women-fronted bands were in no short supply.
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| Elle King performs during Day 1 of SXSW. photo by picksysticks |
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| Ashley Monroe |
Already in its 27th year, SXSW is a haven for unsigned bands looking to gain exposure and with over 300,000 music lovers in a given day flocking to Austin to enjoy music’s version of Comic-Con, musicians see this opportunity to reach more fans. And with bands playing, literally 24-7, all around downtown Austin, seeing a band, or bands for that matter, requires careful planning. Whether it be having fun and drinking with friends or catching your favorite bands, experiencing SXSW demands military precision in mapping out your day’s schedule.
Flying into Austin Tuesday afternoon; day one of the music festival, we decided to take it slow, take in the sights and atmosphere. It was certainly a culture shock as downtown 6th Street appeared to be the heart of South By, swelling with crowds by late afternoon.
In the city that gave us Outlaw Country music, it was only fitting that we start off our SXSW experience listening to some good ol’ country and blues music by way of Ashley Monroe and ZZ Ward; the place? The Empire Control Room which was hosting a night of country music presented and filmed by MTV/Vh1/CMT and hosted by MTV deejay Matt Pinfield.
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| Striking Matches |
In 2011, she released another album Hell on Heels as part of The Pistol Annies alongside longtime friends Miranda Lambert and Angaleena Presley which garnered her wider recognition, and on top of that, a Number 1 album on Billboard's Country Chart.
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| MTV/CMT/Vh1 Presents: Ashley Monroe @ The Empire Control Room during SXSW. photos by picksysticks |
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| ZZ Ward |
Bluesy R&B singer ZZ Ward hails from the West Coast where she's a regular performer in Los Angeles. I'm from there and it took SXSW for me to fly all the way to Austin to finally watch her perform. And afterwards, I was wondering myself what took me so long. With bluesy funk thrusted out into the forefront with hip-hop beats it's not surprising why Ward's debut album "Til The Casket Drops" was one of the most buzzed about releases last year, making her one of Fuse TV's 30 must-see acts at this years music festival.
And with that, day one was finished. Exhausted yet fullfilled with a great first day of amazing performances as we look forward to four more days of SXSW.
Also check out:
Girls Rock SXSW - Day 2
Girls Rock SXSW - Day 3
Girls Rock SXSW - Day 4
Girls Rock SXSW - Day 5
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