It was blue sky and t-shirt weather, there was free Brooklyn Lager, and Smith Westerns were taking the stage - only the first of five stellar acts composing the outdoor half of the MOG and Lexus Saturday afternoon party. Jam-packed for one of the heaviest-hitting bills of SXSW 2011, Austin's Mohawk feels born for conditions like this - outdoors, multi-leveled, sun where you want it, shade where you need it, and all sorts of different angles from which to watch and listen. The overall effect isn't far from having hundreds of people hanging out and several amazing bands playing on the back porch at a friend's house.
Smith Westerns brought a set that was consistent and ebullient, if not daring or jaw-dropping. Their BNM-earning appeal is rooted in the conceit of a very young group of brothers and friends paying homage to the foundations of contemporary indie-rock. It comes through in 3-part harmonies and guitar voices strongly reminiscent of T. Rex and late Beatles; heavy on the fuzz and fray and 4/4 sunshine.
It was also fairly clear that this wasn't their first time around the block at SXSW. What most of the time read as the poise and composure of a band that's well-accustomed to the road and the stage also occasionally came across as playing by rote, seeming detached, finished with the set before the music was over. But hey, nobody ever said that rock bands were supposed to smile all the time - they came to play, and they played correct.
