The four-day beast of a music conference wrapped up on Sunday in Austin. I managed to see most of the bands on my wish list, even if Saturday night's showcases were made a bit uncomfortable by the unexpected cold snap. [Note to self: Keep jacket in car at all times from this point on.]


I've taken many approaches to South by Southwest in my five years of covering it. I've done the frantic dash to see an ungodly number of partial sets. I've hit party after party until my feet were shredded. One year I even went to day panels. Ha! But this time around, I focused on a handful of must-see acts every day, and tried to leave room for the element of surprise.


There's no right or wrong way to tackle this thing. But the result of the quality-over-quantity plan was that I came back to Big D humming several new (and new-ish) favorite songs. Check out the playlist below to hear some of those tunes, and read on for my thoughts on the SXSW acts behind them.

1. The Ruby Suns -- This New Zealand trio falls somewhere between Vampire Weekend and Animal Collective when it comes to musical influences. "Cranberry," from the new album Fight Softly, is the perfect example of the way these guys mix whimsical samples and melodies together with dance-worthy African rhythms. The song marked the point in the Ruby Suns' showcase when they overcame their initial sound issues and truly connected with the crowd.


2. Memory Tapes -- With only a drummer behind him, some minimal canned sounds and his electric guitar, Davye Hawk took a strangely organic live approach to the chillwave-meets-disco tunes of his album Seek Magic. But it worked like a charm. By the end of his set, the Cedar Street Courtyard was packed with dancing fans. Great show from beginning to end.


3. Dum Dum Girls -- I liked that this LA all-girl band didn't try to sound too polished live. Their brand of surf-rock, with nice drawn-out harmonies, is loose and raw by design.


4. Sarah Jaffe -- A fleshed out backing band has helped this gifted Denton singer add more oomph to her live show (if that was possible). But you can also credit some of the newfound power to the songs on the forthcoming album Suburban Nature. Jaffe's controlled delivery and concise lyrics on the single "Vulnerable" made it a highlight of her stunning showcase in the St. David's chapel.


5. Lissie -- This singer, like Jaffe, benefited from the acoustics at St. David's. "Little Lovin'" had been stuck in my head since I'd heard it on KXT a few weeks back, so it was the perfect way to close the set.


6. The Low Anthem -- This Rhode Island orchestral folk act's show was one of my top three at SXSW, not just because the band's singing and playing was intense and compelling, but because the lyrics of "This ... House" absolutely slayed me.


7. Jakob Dylan -- With help from producer T-Bone Burnett and singers Neko Case and Kelly Hogan on the upcoming album Women and Country, the son of Bob tries out a twangier sound and succeeds. His chemistry with Case and Hogan builds throughout "They've Trapped Us Boys," which starts out low-key and gradually turns into a Grand-Ol'-Opry-style toe-tapper.


8. Dawes -- For most of this LA band's set, I enjoyed the alt-country tunes but felt they were a little unoriginal. But when the guys closed with "When My Time Comes," I was reminded of their ability to write a goosebump-inducing chorus and deliver it with gusto. Warning: Earworm.


9. Telegraph Canyon -- The seven-piece Fort Worth band managed to squeeze into a very small stage space at the Ale House, and the intimate setting complemented the urgency and emotion of the music. Frontman Chris Johnson was on fire, physically shaking as he sang certain lyrics. I chose "Safe on the Outside" for this list because hearing it there, in my Saturday-night weakness, damn near made me cry.


10. The Soft Pack -- Everybody saw or wanted to see this band at SXSW, and for good reason. Indie rock doesn't get tighter or more satisfying.


11. Broken Bells -- I'd already been OD'ing on the debut record from this project featuring the Shins' James Mercer and Danger Mouse. So I was actually pleased when they (with some extra band members) played perfectly faithful versions of most of the songs at their Stubb's showcase. "Vaporize" becomes sublime at the end, there.


12. Metric -- Speaking of perfect pop songs, Emily Haines' vocal on this one is the sonic equivalent of a sugar rush. You can't deny it. The crowd at Stubb's certainly couldn't. You should've heard the screams and smelled the ... odors.


13. She and Him -- Nothing earth-shaking coming from Zooey Deschanel and M. Ward, but this cute, retro-tastic tune had the crowd at Rachael Ray's day party swooning. And it helped me forget about that dreadful cotton commercial.


14. Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings -- I see this old-soul-revival group every chance I get, partly because of singer Jones' onstage energy and partly because her band does the James-Brown-style revue thing so authentically. So glad this tune and its corresponding album are on the way. I've worn out the old stuff.


15. Mayer Hawthorne -- This blue-eyed soulster has some work to do when it comes to showmanship. His awkward humor and hipster-hop getup at the Austin Music Hall showcase seemed affected. But it's hard to deny his smooth vocal stylings. "I Wish That It Would Rain" sounds like an old dusty-but-goodie record. All it's missing are the pops and crackles.


16. The Watson Twins -- Yes, I made a 'Shining' joke in my tweet about this show at Central Presbyterian Church. But all creepiness faded away when the twins (who once backed up Jenny Lewis on an album) performed their slinky new single.


17. The Rocket Summer -- Grapevine native Bryce Avary has quite the following, as evidenced at a packed Alternative Press free party at Emo's. Avary thanked the all-ages crowd for its longtime support by crowd-surfing, bringing his mic to the back of the house to sing a song, and releasing confetti near the end of his set. All fun concert tricks aside, this guy shows an increasingly mature songwriting talent on the new album Of Men and Angels. I admire the pop sheen of current single "Hills and Valleys," but "Walls" is Avary at his soulful best.



P.S. -- Read over four days of ridiculous SXSW tweets here. I've never sent so many texts in my life. Thank the lord for unlimited data plans.

Even though Austin's SXSW was a hot spot for live music this last weekend, Dallas still had plenty of great music, too. Pick a club, any club, and there was a band ready to tear apart your eardrums. Dallas band Anchored, pictured above, played Trees on Friday, along with a couple other rock bands. It was definitely rocktastic!

Tonight, I'll be a guest at Kent Rathbun's annual Art Party -- you going? I had to pass on last year's event, so I'm not missing this year's, especially since it takes place at the tippy top of the Tower at Park Lane development. Of course, the party will feature dishes crafted by Rathbun himself -- yum -- as well as artwork from local, up-and-coming artists. And all this revelry is actually for a good cause -- all proceeds from the $150 VIP tickets and the $75 regular tickets benefit the March of Dimes.

You can get a hold of tickets ahead of the 6:30 p.m. party ASAP at marchofdimes.org/artparty.

Just got the new Rolling Stone in my mailbox (Jimi Hendrix on the cover), and there's a "best new bands of 2010" feature. Alan Palomo's Neon Indian is included, with the label "best laptop virtuoso." There's strong praise for the Denton/Austin artist and his "trippy electro-pop gems."

Read the condensed version here.

... the best kind of class ever was in session at La Duni. The Northpark Center branch of the popular Mexican food chain held a hands-on mojito making class on its back patio. As we lounged in wicker chairs, a bartender led us through the process of creating a classic mojito -- so easy! -- and demonstrated how to make other cocktails, which we didn't reproduce, but did get to sample. La Duni also provided tasty bites (like the Cuban sandwich, right) to accompany the beverages.

After La Duni, I strolled over to the Versace store where the label's newest looks where on display, amid a fabulous party (below) thrown by Glamour magazine. The wine, champagne and martinis were flowing, and the hors d'oeuvres were a smash. A DJ spun hits in front of the requisite fashion-party must-have -- a video screen showing models on the runway. I felt like the least trendy person in the room (note to self: find a versatile little black dress, already!), but the people-watching was spectacular.

At Versace, I got wind of a similar bash going on at the Diesel store. May as well check it out, right? Though the space wasn't nearly as packed at Versace, there were snackies and cocktails in abundance, and DJ Hoyotoho kept the energy high. Who knew a trip to the mall could be so much like lounge-hopping?

Foreplay seems pointless right now. Here's what we saw on Thursday at South by Southwest.

DR. DOG: This good-timin' Philly crew entertained the weary convention center soldiers yesterday afternoon at the Day Stage Café. It's a decent place to catch some of the showcasing acts before nightfall. (And you can even watch while resting on oversized pillows in the "nap" area. Just bring Purell.) Dr. Dog colors inside the lines of melodic Americana rock, but like we said, it's fun to watch simply for the guys' enthusiasm in a live setting. They stray from musical predictability only when they tackle more bombastic tunes, with the kind of shout-singing that inspires audience members to join in. We're hoping for more of that on the new record coming next month.

F'D UP (pardon the omission of key letters): Cole Garner Hill talked about this Toronto punk band in his recap yesterday, so we'll spare you too much babble. The notable thing in this case was where we saw the band: They played on Beerland's front porch to an ever-increasing street crowd hanging out on Red River. Bear-like frontman Damian Abraham (above) saved most of the fun for himself, standing on the railing of the porch, taking off his shirt and sticking a rose in his mouth, and making fun of his bandmates for either messing up their parts or being novice drinkers the night before. The short set included covers of Hole and Sex Pistols songs, but it was all the kind of punk assault that gets our blood flowing. There was even a makeshift pit for a while. We'd like to have caught F'd Up with the XX at last night's 3 a.m. party at the Lamar pedestrian bridge. But sleep is too important.

GORDON GANO AND THE RYAN BROTHERS: The lead singer of college rock staple the Violent Femmes has aged physically, but his voice remains nasally brilliant. He's now flanked by two (much taller) brothers who specialize in folk and bluegrass-lite arrangements, possibly making Gano's cutting lyrics a bit more palatable for older listeners. But his subversive spirit still shined through in his delivery, and the packed house at Valhalla ate it up. You can imagine the reaction when he started singing the Femmes' "American Music." We couldn't stay for the whole set, so please don't tell us he did "Blister in the Sun" later. The heart couldn't take knowing we missed it.

SARAH JAFFE: Perhaps you saw my gushy tweets about this Denton singer-songwriter's set at St. David's Episcopal. There's no better pairing of artist and venue: Jaffe's music requires an attentive crowd, for sure. The flawless acoustics in the chapel made it easy to see how much Jaffe's live game has improved in the last few years. She's got a four-piece band backing her now (including the very versatile Robert Gomez), giving her confessional tunes considerable added heft. "Clementine," "Pretender" and the genius little pop tune "Vulnerable" were standouts from the forthcoming album Suburban Nature, but we were most impressed by reworked versions of "Backwards/Forwards" and set closer "Even Born Again." And the crowd kept growing throughout the set, proving Jaffe's got substantial buzz beyond North Texas. What can we say? Even the great ones get better with practice.


THE LOW ANTHEM: We should've waited to see this Rhode Island band tonight at St. David's. Same deal as Jaffe - some of the tunes are quiet, intense and do not fare well with a chatty crowd situation. And that's what happened at the beginning of the Low Anthem's set last night at Beauty Bar Palm Door. But things got better when the talkers got enough dirty looks to take their pointless convos outside to the patio (where pointless convos belong). Then, this weird band really took off, with a stirring mix of folk and orchestral pop. Clarinets, a stand-up bass, an accordian and even a couple of cellphones were put to use on stage, but that all took a backseat to the haunting harmonies and lump-in-throat lyrics. The imagery of "This G**-Damned House" just slays ya.

THE SOFT PACK: One of the bands whose name you hear everywhere at SXSW. "Saw Soft Pack yesterday." "You seen Soft Pack yet? Wow." "Soft Pack Soft Pack Soft Pack." OK, the last one was a stretch, but you get the picture. We had to hit Stubb's to check it out. Hailing from San Diego, these four dudes do upbeat, simple-but-potent rock. And talk about tight! Folks in Dallas need to get to the Double Wide for BROfest on Sunday, where the Soft Pack headlines. Judging from the massive crowd at Stubb's, we'll be lucky to get them in such an intimate venue.

SUB POP SHOWCASE: The final two acts of the night at Galaxy Room's courtyard venue put their respective stamps on sub-genres that are, like, so hot right now. Cali's Dum Dum Girls is an all-female band that tackles the surf-pop sound with unpolished playing and drawn out harmonies. Very nice. I pictured them as the bar band in a Tarantino flick. New Zealand's the Ruby Suns take the rhythms of that now-ubiquitous African pop style, but add in electro elements and found sounds to weird it up a little. The lead singer's unpredictable melody lines are key, too. If you get a chance, check out the band's new CD Fight Softly. You won't be disappointed.

On to the next one ...

Annual music fest North by 35 rocked Denton last weekend and ended with two big bangs -- outdoor performances by Denton's own Midlake and rock icons the Flaming Lips from Oklahoma. Click on the image above to check out a colorful collection of photos taken by Quick photographer Jason Janik during the concerts.

Shinsei alum and Top Chef favorite Casey Thomson is burning a trail back to D-FW, having been named executive chef at the upcoming Brownstone restaurant in Fort Worth. Located in the glitzy new West 7th development, the eatery is aiming for an early May opening. Here's more from the news release:

THE FOOD

Inspired by traditional family-style recipes and time-honored techniques, Chef Thompson's menu captures the essence of the south's unique culinary flair with dishes comprised of the freshest regional ingredients ranging from familiar and classic to modern interpretations. As Chef Thompson notes, "it's the food you grew up loving".

Brownstone's menu is comprised of small plates for sharing as well as heavier faire and a selection of sides that utilize organic and locally farmed produce and meats whenever possible. The small plates selection features southern-style specialties that include Grandmother's Biscuit Pan made-to-order from a wood-burning oven served with fruit preserves and venison sausage; Pork and Peppers made with blistered baby bells, ricotta, slab bacon, Texas honey and jalapeno oil; a selection of fire-baked Chicken Pot Pies; and Texas BBQ Smoked Pork "Rib-lets" served with rib candy and house-made sauce.

Diners wanting heartier options will enjoy dishes such as Buffalo Skillet Steak served with rosemary-thyme roasted mushrooms and creamed spinach and Tart Cherry and Wine Braised Pork slow cooked and falling apart over spoonbread.

Patrons can also select from a plethora of sides that include pickled vegetable jars; waffle fries and mayonnaise; and slow cooked heirloom pinto beans and bread.

THE DRINKS

Brownstone will offer a wide variety of culinary-inspired specialty cocktails and martinis made with fresh local produce, purees and herbs with ingredients ranging from agave nectar to tarragon and thyme, and local peppers and spices. Playing off Chef Thompson's southern-inspired cuisine, Brownstone's drink menu will offer modern versions of classic American cocktails as well as custom creations with a special twist.

Brownstone's wine list will consist of a broad range of moderately priced eclectic wines with local and global selections offering both new world styles with old world favorites.

From Roky Erickson with Okkervil River to GZA, concerts met capacity all over town yesterday afternoon. Many initiated the groan-inducing 'one-in-one-out' policy, as lines stretched around the corners of venues like The Galaxy, spilling into the backs of Lonestar littered alleyways. Now I remember why you buy a wristband: to stand at the back of the line next to the dumpsters. Spend hundreds to breathe in that quintessential SXSW atmosphere ... not too deeply, though -- I think some skater just lit that trashcan on fire.


Luckily, when I realized I wasn't getting into the Roky Erickson show, after waiting 30 minutes in a line two blocks long, at least I didn't feel cheated. Keeping a loose schedule is half the fun of SXSW. With virtually every day show free and sponsored by some random vodka company or magazine, and most artists playing multiple times a day, there's hardly a reason to pay for anything all week. Not only that, but as cliché as it sounds, at SXSW something is always happening. Not getting into a show could easily allow you stumble on to serendipity somewhere else -- just as it did for me yesterday.


After waiting in line 45 minutes at Emo's, I finally made my way into the Brooklyn Vegan showcase to see GZA and F***ed Up. GZA, however, had canceled at the last minute. No problem. F***ed Up did their best to make up for the bill snafu. After playing its first song, the band brought out Wu-Tang affiliate Killah Priest for a rendition of "Shimmy Shimmy Ya" and some impromptu free-styling -- for which the band provided the beat.


The Canucks' good will offering won the crowd over, and by the time singer Damian Abraham barked the first-words to the punk rock war cry "Crusades", the room was a sea of flying bodies and flailing limbs. The band played a riotous, fist-shaking set, full of righteous sing-a-longs and thunderous, agile guitars, proving why F***ed Up are one of the most consistent and potent bands in punk today. However, to the audience's confusion, too much crowd participation was in violation of Emos' -- apparently very strict -- 'no stage-diving or crowd-surfing' policy, and a few of the over-enthusiastic were dragged out in choke-holds and thrown in to the street.


Last night I took another shot in the dark seeing Brooklyn art-punk/noise-rock trio Grooms play the Impose Magazine party at Long Branch Inn. The band's 2009 debut full-length, Rejoicer, was uneven, but at its best, the record was easily one of my favorites from last year. The group took the stage to a still murmuring, half-interested audience, and no one was prepared for what happened next. When singer/guitarist Travis Johnson quietly announced this would be the band's third show of the day, sighing "Well, let's see how this one goes," just before starting into the sly, slithering calamity of "Acid King of Hell (Guitar Feelings)", it was clear the night was primed for something singular, and oddly special.


I know it's still early in the week, but if any band can put on a set half as tight, innovative, and surprising as Grooms' sharp around the edges, scatterbrained indie-punk it'll take some heavy lifting. Every instrument came to vibrant, violent life, each compelling in its own specific approach. Jim Sykes' marathon, inventive drumming is unforgettable; he played the kit like he had a grudge to settle. Sykes constantly mixed things up with bizarre fills, and in songs like the new "Into The Arms," even integrating various parts of the rim and top of the high-hat stand. Bassist Emily Ambruso's tone is stuck in the gutter, but reaches for the rafters with every driving punk punch. Ambruso's slick, playful bass riffs are an integral aspect driving Grooms' jigsaw dynamic.


Perhaps the most underrated member of the trio though was Johnson, whose playing style is subtle -- and at times restrained -- but cripplingly brilliant. He often just barely pricks the skin of songs, but he also knows how to shake the madness out; such as during "Ghost Cat" when he played a glass guitar slide, while frantically shaking the whammy bar and punched his guitar for the extra avant-garde percussion provided by the feedback. His vocal delivery falls somewhere around provocative Pavement and discordant Sonic Youth, but it seems more a stylistic similarity than posturing. Grooms traffic in a like-minded world of graphic contrasts between striking noise tirades, and hypnotic polyrhythms with off-the-meds melodies. The results were like the best graffiti: horribly out of place, mildly offensive, a mesmerizing mess.

America's Got Talent is taping in Dallas next Thursday and Friday in Fair Park, and tickets to be in the studio audience are free. You just gotta act fast.


Click here and you may be soon staring at Nick Cannon, Sharon Osbourne, Piers Morgan and Howie Mandel in the flesh. Not to mention a whole host of amateur performers from Texas trying to get their pass to Hollywood to compete in the AGT finals.