Below is Texas A&M student journalist Vicky Flores’s account of mtvU’s recent SXSW video shoot in an abandoned Austin powerplant. Head back all next week as Ahead of the Curve presents sweet performance shots daily from the likes of She & Him, Miike Snow, J Cole, Surfer Blood, Best Coast, Curren$y and much more.
By Vicky Flores, Texas A&M University
Zooey Deschanel
Nestled in the most unexpected of venues, I had a memorable concert experience at…a powerplant.
But location wasn’t the main thing that stood out after the long day was complete. It was instead a variation of getting to discover new artists along with walking alongside a buffet table near a Hollywood idol.
The experience itself was one I won’t soon be forgetting. It was gnarly being able to be around a video shoot like that. I usually only get to see the finished product, but being able to visualize all the work that goes into making these things reality gives me a new found respect for the nature of the business.
First, Marina and the Diamonds wowed me with a performance that, I must say, I wasn’t expecting. Female vocals don’t usually appeal to me, but her voice was so different and so subtly perfect. The song “I Am Not a Robot” still sticks out to me.
Along with Marina, another band that made an impression was Miike Snow. Yes, its a tad odd that he spells his name with two “i’s” but his music more than makes up for the somewhat unnecessary spelling mishap.
I’ll close this with a review of She and Him. Zooey (and I stood by her, so we’re on a first name basis) and her counterpart M. Ward provided an eclectic mix and impressed me, even though I came in fairly skeptical of the actress.
