CLICK HERE FOR MORE SXSW 2018 COVERAGE!
AUSTIN, TX- For most of our SXSW artist coverage, we’ll keep it relatively short and sweet. We have over 80 artists to cover, so cut us some slack! 😉 We’ll basically be formatting each post into two parts: (1) Why our contributor wanted to see this act and (2) what our contributor thought of the performance”. Easy peasy. If you want to learn more about the act, make sure you click through to their social media links to get in the know. You won’t be disappointed!
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Why I Wanted To See Marty O’Reilly: When I was going through SXSW’s list of “official” acts, Marty O’Reilly and the Old Soul Orchestra’s recording titled “Off and on Again” caught my attention. From their 2018 album “Stereoscope”, this haunting stirred some pretty mature emotions from me. With Marty’s raspy voice emoting about fears of the ephemeral, I noted this band as one that I should catch if time permitted.
At the suggestion of one my close friends, it was recommended that I should attend Miles Davis House while I was in Austin. It turns out my friend’s friend is Erin Davis, the son of seminal trumpeter and jazz legend Miles Davis.
Presented by Miles Davis Estate in association with Legacy Recordings/Sony Music Entertainment and Riviera Imports, Miles Davis House is an annual SXSW day party hosted by the Miles Davis family and featuring a wide cross section of multi-genre emerging talent, the next generation of musical disruptors. In the spirit of Miles, the celebration promotes music, art and cultural progressiveness.
When I arrived at Miles Davis House, I discovered that the original act that I wanted to check out, Starcrawler, had to cancel their appearance due to the hospitalization of their lead singer, and in lieu of Starcrawler, Marty O’Reilly and the Old Soul Orchestra stepped up and filled in.
What I Thought Of Marty O’Reilly’s Performance: With less than 12 hours notice, and literally before they had to drive from Austin to New Orleans for another gig the following day, Marty and his Old Soul Orchestra spent a few extra hours in Austin to ensure that the music didn’t stop at Miles Davis House.
Their inspired brand of blues and traditional folk imbued the venue with a soothing atmosphere. When the string ensemble of the violin, upright bass and acoustic guitar hit the perfect sonic chord, that pristine sound was a perfect compliment to Marty’s raspy voice. It was a very impressive last-minute performance, and in those 30-40 minutes on stage Marty and his band stayed focus on the music, nary thinking of the 500+ miles, 8 hour drive that they would be making as soon as they stepped off of the stage.
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CLICK HERE FOR MORE SXSW 2018 COVERAGE!
