Tennis Take Over Fat Possum SXSW Showcase, Smith Westerns Fall Flat

The Fat Possum SXSW showcase at Club De Ville on Wednesday was a schmear of unexpectedness. This Oxford, Mississippi label was once --seemingly long ago -- known as a landing pad for blues and Southern styles only.

But, in fact, here, the Deep was well-represented on a cloudy day in Austin, R.L. Burnside hats littering the audience.

Still, once MellowHype -- an arm of the super hip and super racy Odd Future Wolf Gang Kill Them All hip-hop collective -- took the stage, it became increasingly obvious that this wasn't your granpappy's Fat Possum. Tyler, the Creator, the groups de facto leader, chimed in and told the audience where to stick it... in a more ribald fashion. [More on MellowHype's performance here.]

Bass Drum of Death followed and absolutely tore the place apart. Hair and chords swaying, the Oxford group lined up progressions for fierce thrusting. As a duo, Bass Drum of Death is suited to a tee at South by Southwest: no frills, just rock and roll in your face. They come with something of a "Fat Possum sound," which follows the reverb-heavy footsteps of Wavves or Crocodiles.

Tennis took the stage next, with all eyes glued on the Denver-based dream-pop outfit. Like them or not, many can't get enough of the husband-and-wife's floating songs crafted at sea.

Smith Westerns, who followed, were not up to the task of the large venue, unfortunately. Their sound was too sparse and skeletal, and not even their punky bravado could make up for it.

The young Chicago band's recent 'Dye It Blonde' is a statement, something the group needs to aspire to live, what landed them on Fat Possum -- the newfound home of such luminaries as the Walkmen and Spiritualized -- in the first place.

Ah, well, there's always next showcase, right?