The first hard rays of Austin’s afternoon sun were going to have to work a bit harder to beat back the crowd at Carniville on Thursday afternoon. As it was, the heat was no match for the lure of free beer, a wild musical lineup, actual carny rides and corndogs. Those assembled quickly formed the beer recyler line – that is getting in line for a beer, then getting to the back of the line, drinking it in time to get a refill. Surely not a great combination with the Tilt-aPuke spinning madly in the background. In the background, DJ Paul Devroe spun some slow southern fried rap cuts, perfectly made for such lazy sun drenched and immobile afternoons. The line started swaying and jiggling, and just waiting for something to really catch hold.
Of course, Japanther is the first group to actually pull a decent crowd out away from the beer, food rides and limited shade. It was probably one of the few time the fans were taking off their shirts before drummer Ian Vanek was able to strip his off. He kept on his skeezy Myrtle Beach-circa 1993 shades.
Japanther has been cranking out what your kids will call vintage noise rock for nearly a decade now and still hew to their punk roots, “My city is run by Homeland Security,” Vanek declares between songs. “FBI, CIA, NYPD – Fuck ‘em. I hope they end up in the same special place in hell.” Meanwhile, your erstwhile writer is eyeing his own satchel like a goon because it’s got a Mac inside it, not C4.
When Japanther kicks out the jams, it’s like falling down a pit of Ramones, except the further down you go, the harder and tighter the rock. And you can say this for the band – their fans can take the heat and don’t fuck with pretentious camera phone souvenirs. Even those at the Carnivlle not willing to brave the increasingly mobile crowd in front of the stage can’t help but alter their stride a bit as they walk around. Japanther’s swagger of drums and bass ripping through your body is a pretty killer soundtrack for strutting around a weird fake carnival drink-a-thon. Vanek imparts a last bit of wisdom in the midst of a short monologue on SXSW. “You gotta go out and live your own life and experience your own lessons.”
Words by Jacob Cottingham, Photos by Courtney Dudley
