Seattlest Does SXSW, Thursday & Friday

For the first time ever, we feel like we've defeated SXSW. That's not to say that we've seen every band on the planet, just that as of last night, we've crossed off all of our must-see acts. We've already told you about our first day. Technical difficulties kept us from getting anything up yesterday, but here are the highlights from the last couple of days. Our SXSW stress has completely waned at this point, since by now we're in the "it's all gravy" portion of the weekend.

Vivian Girls: We managed to catch VG's third show of SXSW, so they weren't as exhausted as we're sure they will be after playing their eighteenth(!). Lovely girl-guitar pop as always.

Titus Andronicus: Ended up seeing this band twice, and was blown away each time by the band's fervor. Unfortunately, they probably don't deliver on record as well as they do on stage.

Efterklang/Slaraffenland: These two Danish groups have perfected the really big sound, with horn sections and harmonies that hug you with sound. They're both on Portland's Home Tapes label if you need a local connection.

Crocodiles: They seemed a bit nervous and had some technical difficulties, but damn their album is a good listen, and it was great to hear them live. "I Wanna Kill" is one of the best songs we've heard all year.

Future of the Left: We loved Mclusky, we love Future of the Left. If there were awards for banter, they'd get the gold.