(see recaps of day 1, day 2, and day 4)

By this point in SXSW the fatigue and pain from blisters were beginning to set in, but no pain, no gain! Right!? Hence, my third day had a bit of a slow start but eventually I made it over to the flagship Whole Foods Market for the Quantum Collective showcase. The set up was pretty cool – a number of booths giving out free samples of food (and an actual grill as well) lined the perimeter of a large patio atop the establishment, anchored by a large stage beneath a large lattice. A tarp protected the bands and spectators from the elements.

I picked up my press wristband and headed upstairs just in time to catch Mystery Skulls. I had reviewed this guy’s tunes late last year for the Columbus division of Warner Brothers’ marketing team. I’m not sure what to call Mystery Skulls – it’s not quite EDM, yet carries more muscle than mere electropop. Whatever it is, this dude manipulated his decks (and the crowd) quite effectively, even at 2 in the afternoon during a rainstorm. Buzzworthy band Big Data followed up to work the crowd even more than before. Alan Wilkis and friends portrayed a suave, groovy stage presence that overshadowed the grey weather and the cool temperatures. A highlight for me was hearing the hit dangerous. It’s a shame we couldn’t hear all of the songs with their actual special guests, but that wouldn’t be a very reasonable request now, would it? Jukebox the Ghost followed with a very chipper version of indie pop rock. My personal preferences lean toward something with a bit more muscle, but they gave a tight performance that engaged the audience well. I was happy to see them since I skipped their show in Columbus in favor of a free The Soil and the Sun show on the other side of town just a few weeks prior.

The real surprise of the day would be July Talk. I first heard of them when Basic Cable Preachers, who have played a Tuned Up showcase in Columbus, were tapped to open for them at Rumba Cafe. The band had a massive blues rock sound led by dual lead vocalists Leah Fay and Peter Dreimanis. Gravely deep vocals coming out of a small frame I think surprised many people. Leah’s stage presence can mainly be described as sassy – at one point she was staring down random unenthused guys in the audience, wearing a creepy grin reminiscent of the Overly Attached Girlfriend meme. “Smile! Make my day!” she beckoned. One guy actually went onstage and picked her up and twirled her around. This was not preplanned nor was this dude a friend of the band, as evidenced by their interactions at the end of the song.

I closed out my time at Whole Foods by watching two acts of decidedly different flavor: Blitz Kids and Of Verona. Of Verona is dreamy female fronted indie electronica, in the style of Broods and CHVRCHES, but more chill. The band’s stage presence was very 80s-esque. Blitz Kids contrasted with a set of straightforward in your face rock tunes. The Red Bull Records band wasn’t quite heavy enough to get a pit moving, but definitely in your face in a very fun way.

Following a short break, I hit up the Swan Dive on Red River Street. On the patio out back a fellow named Luke Wade was playing. I enjoyed his Americana meets funk vibes which charging my phones alongside some dudes from a band called Green River Ordinance, who would play later that night. Luke certainly crammed people onto that small stage, and delivered a show that was confident but not cocky. Inside, Knox Hamilton played in the corner nearby the entrance, alight with pink hues from the nearby spotlights. This band’s performance was similarly restrained, yet this wasn’t a turnoff to those watching. Though the only music out for public consumption by this band is the alternative radio hit “Work It Out,” they maintained everyone’s attention in the unfamiliarity, even showing a diversity in sounds that for some reason surprised me. I wanted to watch their whole set but I left for another showcase with a conviction that in that moment it was “go or forever hold your peace.”

This showcase was in the Cedar Street Courtyard, for an event titled Floodfest. The lineup this evening consisted of Fashawn, Until the Ribbon Breaks, and headliners Run the Jewels. Somehow, I arrived right on time – there were a significant amount of people in the relatively small courtyard but it wasn’t jam-packed yet. Not too long after I arrived, Fashawn delivered a very passionate set that I found myself drawn into. Conflicting worldviews were communicated in his sentiments of “F*ck the world / I love the whole world” – an inner battle that many people face. It’s an abrasive spin on the Christian worldview – we live in a fallen world, yet a divine imprint makes our surroundings worthy of appreciation. Until the Ribbon Breaks, followed up with a set that was maybe less passionate but twice as cool in terms of just being straight up groovy. They played cuts off their record almost verbatim, including a backtracked line of dialogue from the album that I love – “Why do you like Until the Ribbon Breaks? Because it makes me feel good!” My personal favorite song from the album, “Pressure,” had the threesome engaged in an onstage breakdown between floor toms, a drum kit, and a sampler pad. Rad.

Run the Jewels performed an expletive laden set backed by some of the best hip hop beats I’ve heard in a long time. I think the mood of the evening during their set was encompassed by a moment when I glanced to my right and I saw a tall gentleman (taller than me, actually), his mixed drink glass poised in the air, and head shaking back and forth to the rhythm with a fedora set in place on top. In that moment, that dude had more coolness in one finger than I had in my whole body. A rumor of Zack De La Rocha of Rage Against the Machine making an appearance during “Close Your Eyes” turned out to be untrue, and there were no surprise attacks onstage (unlike earlier in the week during the duo’s performance at the Spotify House) but the lack of notoriety was of no detriment to the performance. I left that show thoroughly satisfied with my day and ready for my final day of my first ever SXSW.