DJ Emily Smith

DAY 1 - My Arrival in Austin, TX after a night of fun in New Orleans, LA for 311 DAY!

Well, I’ve been waiting for this week to come for about 5 months, ever since I found out we were coming to SXSW. If we get technical, I’ve been waiting for this week for 2 years, ever since the last 311 Day (I’m sorta obsessed with the band)…

It FIGURES that I would wake up Sunday morning (the day before heading to New Orleans for 311 Day) unable to muster the motivation to get out of bed to pack due to the FLU! Grosssssss!

My trip to New Orleans was the worst! I was up the night before with the chills, and though I had broken my fever I still felt lightheaded and couldn’t get to sleep. I got about one good hour in before I had to get up at 4am to make my flight. I departed from Jacksonville and then it was on to Miami before connecting to New Orleans.

Seriously, during the entire trip to New Orleans I just wanted to give up. I wanted to curl in ball in the corner and cry, and though I almost did (on numerous occasions), I toughed it out. When I finally arrived in New Orleans around 12pm, I could not have been happier or felt more victorious.

Upon my arrival at the hotel I was accosted by rabid 311 fans pounding me with questions; “are you here for the show?”, “where are you from?”, “have you seen them before?” This outpouring of friendliness certainly did wonders for my mood, and though I would have loved to continue with them onto Bourbon Street, I unfortunately was still pretty much feeling like death, so I hightailed it to my room for some sleep.

NINE HOURS LATER, I regained conciousness. I still felt like complete and utter shit, but my friends rallied the troops and convinced me to at least go out for dinner. So, I pounded some medicine and off we went. It was my first time on Bourbon Street and it was crazy packed. Just about every bar was blaring different 311 music and there were hordes of fans outside dancing and singing at the top of their lungs.

311 Fans Celebrating and Singing on Bourbon Street

My friends had 32 ounce margaritas and 64 oz “Huge Ass Beers”, but unfortunately I was unable to partake in those festivities. We finally found a place to eat and had some surprisingly good chicken phillys and quesidillas. We made some more rounds on Bourbon Street chatting with 311 fans from Ohio, Maryland, South Dakota, JAPAN, and just about every other US State and foreign country you could think of! I couldn’t believe how packed the streets were… I can’t even imagine what it’s like for Mardi Gras!

Though our evening was rather entertaining, I was even convinced to have ONE BEER (haha). My friends kept the party going but I went back to the hotel to prepare for the real festivities the next day. I got a great night’s sleep and felt sooo much better the next morning, which was actually more like lunch time. We headed out for some real New Orleans food. I had Crawfish for the first time and a delicious shrimp po-boy. Then, even though I still wasn’t feeling 100% I had my first encounter with the infamous “Huge Ass Beer” sold right on Bourbon Street. Basically they fill a giant plastic Miller Light bottle with the draft beer of your choosing - 64oz of fun.

My new friend (the beer) as well as the old friends I’d came with, and myself then high-tailed it over to the arena for the pre-show festivities outside. We hung out with so many cool fans and everyone was taking pictures with everyone else. I even met pro football player Keith O’Neil (formerly of the Indianapolis Colts and recently traded to the New York Giants). We became friends and then I noticed his massive Superbowl Ring, he then informed me as to who he was and even let me sport the ring for a while! It’s like all of the 311 fans were at a family reunion! We all sang 311 songs together and talked about which songs we hoped they’d play. Two years ago in Memphis the band played for 5 1/2 hours… we were hoping this show would be even longer.

Part of the 311 Family- me, Keith O’neil and his awesome Superbowl Ring!

When we went inside the show kicked off around 7:30pm and went until just about 12:30am. WOW, it was incredible and though not as long as the set 2 years ago, still very impressive for one band (especially one with the energy that 311 exudes on stage) was able to keep it up for such an extended period. The rocked it through crowd favorite such as “Do You Right”, “Down”, and “Who’s Got The Herb?” One of the highlights of the night was a cover of The Steve Miller Band’s “The Joker”.

It was the highest attended 311 Day in the history of the event and the energy of the crowd literally pulsated through my body. Although, my cough and runny nose reminded me that I was still sick, the crowds energy literally surged in my arms and legs as I danced along to every song.

When the night came to an end no one wanted it to be through. They didn’t even play “Unity”, one of my favorite tracks. But, alas… I guess they can’t play every song in their roster, if they did we’d be there well into the next day. The masses walked in a huge mob down to Bourbon Street. The mile long trek seemed to only take a few minutes as the united fans sang 311 songs and chatted about the nights events.

I would have loved to keep the party going with my 1500 or so friends but I still was under the weather and knew I had much in store, I was headed to the airport for Austin, TX and SXSW at 6am.

So, I headed back to my hotel and had some trouble getting to sleep due to the energy that was still pulsating through my body. I ended up just laying there and never falling asleep. It was another rough travel day and by the time I ended up in Austin, I was a delirious mess. Not to mention the airplane really did a number on my ears, which don’t hurt quite as much right now but are still completely stuffed, and crackle every so often, releasing some of the pressure.

I ended up taking some medicine and passing out. Which is really what I needed because aside from the ears, a bit of a cough, and a runny nose… I’m doing 100% better and I’m ready to take on the streets of Austin!

DAY 2 - MUSIC, BBQ, and Fun in Austin, TX

Wow, so I had the craziest day yesterday… in a good way! DJ Latola, DJ Annie, and myself headed down to the main festival area at SXSW and I believe my quote was something along the lines of “I’m feeling much better today but I’m not going to push it. I’m not going to drink alcohol or whatever, just going to make it through the day”.

A few minutes later we were shuffled into a wine tasting and I couldn’t help buy partake!

Mumpsy LIVE at Pangea

The good news is that I feel much, much better. Especially after seeing so many rocking shows yesterday. Briefly, I saw Jukebox The Ghost, Mumpsy, Clock Hands Strangle, The Whigs, Yo La Tengo, and a few others which I’m sure are slipping my mind right now.

Plus, as you walk down 6th street you get snippets of music coming from every direction and it all sounds incredible. What an amazing experience. I love the setup here in Austin where everything is in the same area, one venue after another.

Also, I was able to eat at the WORLD FAMOUS Stubb’s BBQ! It lived up to and surpassed every expectation I had for it. The second I bit into my delicious rib I was in awe… LITERALLY IN AWE that anything could taste so damn good!

Today is a new day, It’s currently 12pm here in Austin and I feel like I’m getting a late start since all the festivities kick off right around this time. I decided to meander down there a bit later today so that I could make it a little later tonight. Walking around for 12 hours yesterday, watching music, and exerting so much energy had me worn out! Especially, considering I’m not completely over being ill.

I’ll keep you posted on new endeavors and if you’re around town please say hello. I met a really cool fan of my show here yesterday. After studying my badge for a minute she told me how much she loved BTR. Also, that we had basically the same taste in music. She got a picture of us together and then we chatted about music for some time. I love meeting fans of BTR and music in general. It’s fun to connect with people that share the same interests! So, if you see me on the streets… hit me up!

DAY 3 - More Food, More Music, Each Day Is Getting Better and Better

So, SXSW is pretty rad. I was able to procure some delicious and free tex-mex yesterday and I’ve got to say that music aside, I would move to Austin, TX just for the yummy food.

Yesterday was another busy day and I still feel like I didn’t get to accomplish all I set out to do. The highlight of the day for me was seeing Jason Collett. Check out the review section here on the BTR main page for a mini-review of his set. I truly enjoyed every second of the show at Mohawk.

Jason Collett at Mohawk

Also, playing at Mohawk but on the outdoor stage was British Sea Power. I dipped out of Collett’s set when it wrapped up and dashed from the indoor setup to the outdoor one a few songs into British Sea Power’s set. They were rocking it out and I could tell they were playing a stellar set but I was a little disappointed in the sound (which wasn’t their fault)! It sounded OK during more melodic pieces but as soon as they rocked a little harder everything seemed to come through the speakers in one loud blob. It got fixed a bit as the show went on but I was a little perturbed by it.

That seems to be an issue I’ve heard from quite a few people here at SXSW, both fans and artists saying that the sound wasn’t too great. And, it makes sense if you think about it. Each venue is pounding through set after set without much time in between. It’s gotta be near impossible to get the sound right for every act. It seems like the first act of the day and of course the headliner have the most hope for an impeccable sound.

Yesterday, I also walked in (by accident) on the last song from a country singer that was quite popular back in the day. The song was “Strawberry Wine” and the artist was Deanna Carter. The song was a huge hit when I was in middle school and though I was never a big fan, I have to admit I sang along. lol

Another highlight was seeing the legend Daniel Lanois. The guy has mad skill on the guitar and his drummer was pretty badass as well.

There is so much more to talk about but unfortunately I’ve gotta run to catch all the exciting festivities on today’s docket.

DAY 4 - SAVE THE BEST FOR LAST!!

Saturday at SXSW was fantastic. I no longer have a voice and I’m bruised all over from moshing! Yeah, that’s right, little 5′3″ DJ Emily went all nutso and starting pushing people around during Colourmusic’s song “Yes!” which they closed their set with.

Me with Colourmuic after their rocking set!

However, Colourmusic wasn’t the only energy packed show I saw. I rocked out to The Ettes as well. I saw The Ettes just a week or so ago but the show at SXSW put the one in Gainesville to shame. Before the set began I heard rumblings from the people around me. Comments like, “have you heard of them?”, “Have you seen them before?”, “I heard they were good”. As soon as the set ended those same people that seemed to not know much about the group were saying “that was awesome”, “I’m going to buy the album”, and “wow”.

The amazing White Shoes & The Couples Company

Another fantastic show that I will cherish forever was White Shoes & The Couples Company. Since the group is from Jakarta, Indonesia I feel like this was a very special and wonderful opportunity to catch them live at SXSW. I danced my ass off at White Shoes & The Couples Company and you’ll have to hit up the BTR site this Friday for a full report from the White Shoes’ show, I’ll be doing a review and since they are from Jakarta, Indonesia it might be wise to check it out because I don’t know how often any of us will get to see them live; I feel extremely privileged I was afforded the opportunity.

Guess what else…I MET RACHAEL RAY! More importantly, I ate some of her delicious recipes which included 7 Layer Sliders, delicious ribs and some tex-mex mac-n-cheese. She also had a pretty badass showcase the highlight of which was The Raveonettes who put on a really fun show. Their set was WAY TOO SHORT but one of the best I saw at SXSW.

Rachael Ray’s Delicious 7 Layer Sliders

Another highlight of the day was Tally Hall playing an acoustic set which was their impromptu solution to the setup of their show at a vintage clothing store (read more in the review section here on the site).

Now though, I am so wiped out. We were out all day yesterday from 11am til’ 3am and the Texas heat has seriously taken its toll. However, it was all worth it! Every show I saw today went above and beyond my expectations and of course meeting Rachael Ray (I’m a big fan) was a highlight as well.

Me and Rach (yeah, we’re tight like that!) lol

January 2, 2008

Lots of us are recovering from our New Year’s Eve debauchery and focusing on our resolutions for 2008. But, how can we forget good ol’ 2007?

For me, it was a wonderful year. There were so many great albums released over the past 12 months, and I didn’t quite realize it until I compiled my list of albums to contribute to the BTR DJs Top Albums of 2007 article (which went up on the site this past Monday).

I found it exceedingly difficult to narrow it down to just five albums, and narrowing it down to 10 tracks proved to be quite difficult as well. So, I made a master list, whittled it down after extensive time spent cuddled up with my iPod, and then produced the list below, which represents what I feel to be the best tracks released in 2007.

1) Gronlandic Edit
by of Montreal

Frontman Kevin Barnes really opens up on Of Montreal’s 2007 release, Hissing Fauna, Are You The Destroyer?. He moves away from the abstract lyrics of past albums and into concrete thoughts; an all-exposed mode. In fact, the entire album is a peek into his brain.

After separating from his wife, Barnes headed to Norway, where he penned the album. But there is no boo-hoo, woe-is-me sappiness to be found. Instead we get an agitated, frazzled and (at some points) straight-up pissed off Kevin Barnes. And these emotions are not just found within the lyrics, but within the delivery as well. At times he seems frustrated, almost mocking the world around him and himself.

An example of this is my number one track for 2007, “Gronlandic Edit,” in which Barnes divulges his feelings on higher powers, expressing consternation over choosing a god. It seems odd that a poppy, dance tune could produce such a deep message, but it does, and with style. In typical Of Montreal fashion, the arrangement of the vocals is astounding and Barnes’ vulnerability completes the package.

2) Atlas
by Battles

I’m a lyrics person, hands down. I’d say 95% of the time, the first thing that strikes me about a song are the lyrics. I enjoy a good beat and melody just as much as the next guy, (and I think it’s a given that most great tracks have all of these elements) but I can almost overlook poor production or an off-key voice for a song that is cleverly worded. “Atlas” by Battles is one of the rare exceptions in my musical tastes.

The first time I heard the track I was transported into another realm. The music led me into a fantasy world and opened up a creative part of my brain I barely knew existed. I truly didn’t feel like myself, but in a totally good way. In complete contrast to my normal listening patterns, I was bowled over and awestruck after my initial encounter with “Atlas,” yet I couldn’t tell you a single lyric from the song.

Now that I am more familiar with the track and its lyrics (which are quite sparse and repetitive) I must say they were spot on. The lyric most repeated in the song is “People won’t be people when they hear this sound,” and that could not be more exact.

3) Anyone
by Joan As Police Woman

“Anyone” can be found on Joan Wasser’s album, Real Life, which was released overseas in 2006. It was released in the United States in 2007 and that is when I became hooked. The disc has many great songs (”Christobel,” “Real Life,” “I Defy”) but for some reason this track really hits home with me. The words “Anyone can see through me, but you’re not anyone,” are so simple, yet beautifully crafted and elegant, which is really how I feel about the entire track.

4) Story Of My Life
by The Ones To Blame

“I’m flat broke and I ain’t got shit to show for it.” That would be the opening line to the Gainesville, Florida-based alt-country quartet’s track “Story of My Life”. And, if you’re like me you’re probably thinking, “well, damn! That’s the story of my life too!” The song goes on to depict thoughts and stories which are the remnants after a night of heavy drinking. The all female group harmonizes their way through a fantastically candid memoir that we can all relate to.

5) The Way I Am
by Ingrid Michaelson

You can’t go wrong with great bass. Then add some bongos, and you’re damn near in heaven. Now, add a sincere voice and an acoustic guitar, perhaps some peppy clapping and you’ve got the makings of a hit. Made popular by an Old Navy commercial, Ingrid Michaelson’s track “The Way I Am” is about the unselfishness you feel when you’re completely in love, and the comfort of knowing that your partner accepts you the way you are.

6) You’re Supposed To Be My Friend
by 1990s

Straight up poppy, Brit-rock, crazy, fun! It’s impossible to listen to this track and not smile, you’ll also be dancing around, chanting along, and jumping up and down. Make sure your first listen is behind closed doors while no one is watching.

7) Don’t You Evah
by Spoon

Indie rock darlings Spoon did it again with their 2007 release Ga Ga Ga Ga Ga, and by ‘it’ I mean succeeded on every account. The album doesn’t really have a low point but one of the highest is the hit “Don’t You Evah”. It’s an irresistible tune that will have you headed to the store to purchase the rest of the abum!

8 ) 100 Days, 100 Nights
by Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings

Sharon Jones and The Dap Kings capture a sound straight out of the 1960’s. Their album 100 Days, 100 Nights could easily have been released back in 1967, but lucky for us it was released 40 years later. The group is making a name for themselves in the indie music scene with stellar live performances and an undeniably spectacular sound. The title track off their latest release is one of the best of the year for sure.

9) Elodie
by Tommy Wallach

The song, “Elodie” has lyrics both in English and French, but don’t worry if you are not fluent in the latter. California-based artist Tommy Wallach has that covered. He actually has a video for the track, which is a tutorial of sorts. The video was my introduction to the track but I think I would have been just as hooked on it had I come across it in MP3 form. It’s a deliciously fun tune.


10) The Country Life
by The Silver Seas

The Silver Seas frontman Daniel Tashian composed the track “The Country Life” based on a genre of music many indie musicians of today probably have not even considered as a style of music, much less one relevant for an album in the year 2007. The genre is 1970s TV sitcoms, and it may sound odd at first, but Tashian was on to something because this track is both catchy and fun. It’s one you’ll get stuck in your head over and over again, but you’ll be glad it’s there.

All of these tracks can be heard on BreakThru Radio!!

Link To This Article

by Emily Smith

So, The Gainesville Sun did a nice article on BreakThru and I’ve been meaning to post a link to it for a while. But, as anyone who comes across this blog knows, I’m a bit of a slacker. I keep making deals with myself about posting at least once a day… it never seems to work out that way though. So, my new resolution is once a week… I think I can do it.

Anyway, I’ll post part of the article below and you can follow the link at the bottom to the article. It has a really, really horrible picture of me… but Matt looks good and so does our closet.

By BILL DEAN AND DAVE SCHLENKER
Sun staff writers
Two Gainesville DJs on BreakThru Radio start new live music showcase

DJ Emily greeted her listeners with a comforting “Welcome back, friends” before spinning her crunching audio brew on one broadcast.

“If you are a little groggy today, this song right here should do the trick,” the Gainesville disc jockey said. “The track’s called ‘Wake Up.’ You’re hearing it here, on BreakThru Radio.”

The song has the attitude and adrenaline to get any motorist through Archer Road’s worst driving nightmares. But BreakThru Radio isn’t a drive-time, FM broadcast interspersed with Toyota ads and proper FCC manners.

BreakthruRadio.com is an Internet radio station, one that a year ago received about 250,000 hits a day to hear its free, downloadable broadcasts. Today it attracts more than 700,000 hits daily in its mission: Find and play the best unsigned bands and indie artists.

(CONTINUE READING BY CLICKING HERE)

Howdy Friends,My Tuesday show is up on the BTR site. Some great tunes to get you through the work day. Log on and check it out!

- Emily

DJ Emily BTR
July 24, 2007

00:00:00 -
00:00:22 - You Can’t Stop Me Now - The Mercies
00:03:33 - The Good Life - Arrow Up
00:06:42 -
00:07:49 - Protons, Neutrons, Electrons - The Cat Empire
00:12:33 - Dead Friends - The Saps
00:15:14 - Last Step - Harlan T. Bobo
00:17:52 - Mockingbird - Slings and Arrows
00:22:05 - Eavesdropping (Simon Bookish Remix) - Grizzly Bear
00:26:53 - Picket Fences - Melina Jones
00:29:42 -
00:29:55 - Somnambulist - Small Sails
00:34:23 - Midnight Voyage - Ghostland Observatory
00:39:15 - La Salvadora - Lorenzo Goetz
00:42:07 - III - Swayze
00:48:49 - Summer - Shy Child
00:52:46 - Me and My Dad Built Her - Look Mexico
00:56:45 -
00:57:21 - Lights Go Out - Deadstring Brothers
01:02:02 - No Voice Was Raised - Castanets
01:07:13 - Astronauts - Half Acre Day
01:12:02 - Same Shoes - Tiny Whales
01:16:14 - Wonderlust King - Gogol Bordello
01:20:36 - Hot Lava - Kudu
01:25:55 -
01:26:25 - Works Cited - Candy Bars
01:31:28 - Finish