SXSW Day Two Recap: Corridor, Dry Cleaning, Deeper, Desire, Justice, and more

Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Justice @ SXSW

Today was a longer stretch for REVERIE from panels, more unofficial showcases, and a late night stop at the Elysium for the Italians Do It Better showcase. Don’t worry, we made sure to grab a few bites and stay hydrated in between, but the schedules were picking up speed and we tried our best to stay on top of the action.

We began our journey at the conference centre for Justice, who took some time to chat about their forthcoming album Hyperdrama and answer the audience’s burning questions. They delivered each line with pure authenticity and intentionality, as well as the way they approach strategically releasing their music (or lack there-of) with Xavier de Rosnay saying “My favourite line from Mike Tyson is ‘Everyone has a plan until they get punched in the mouth. We do things if we feel they are somewhat pleasant, even if it’s just for a small niche amount of people.” They also kept their panel lighthearted, cracking jokes, albeit maybe unintentionally, sharing stories about their first time at Coachella (where Gaspard Augé kicked someone’s pet rat on stage) and the ways the duo are still learning to work together, with Xavier sharing “On Afterimage [unreleased], Gaspard said no bongos, which was ridiculous because it was only 10 seconds.” and Gaspard earnestly replies “10 seconds too much”. Shortly afterwards, Justice lingered to chat with fans and sign vinyl with the crowd begging them for a surprise DJ set - it’s safe to say that the fans are eager for more and Hyperdrama is bound to dominate the festival circuit.

Corridor

Our essential first stop will always be the Canada House and today was a delight with the POP Montreal x M for Montreal showcase that featured some of Canada’s best including a DJ set from La Sécurité, Love Language, Night Lunch, and more. As our excitement grows for Corridor’s forthcoming album Mimi (out in April on Bonsound), we took to the patio to watch them share a few new tracks with ease. While it’s been around 5 years since the band have released new music, they jumped right back in showcasing their evolution as a band with a musical reciprocity that beams from the stage.

Photo Credit: Jess Arcand (@jessarcand) - Corridor @ Swan Dive

Dry Cleaning

Dry Cleaning was top of list, as they have come so far since the days in 2020 when the band were set to debut at the festival. With Florence Shaw’s poised vocals and Tom Dowse’s staccato guitar lines - it didn’t take them long to find their groove at Empire Control Room presented by Rosklide Festival. Florence also read an eloquent statement from a notebook in poetic fashion, exemplifying ways you can use the stage with intentional purpose, saying “we strongly object the way RTX is associating with this festival and culture to make and fund their arms”.

Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Dry Cleaning @ Empire Control Room

Deeper

Shortly after Dry Cleaning, we hit up the Empire Garage to get some fresh air and weave our way through a packed crowd to catch Deeper. The musicianship with this band is not one to ignore - they are sharp, high-energy, and meld a hazy landscape that stands uniquely in their own post-punk territory. Kicking off the show with “This Heat”, it brought us back to the influence of their 2020 album Auto-Pain that was a listening essential in isolation, to the present day reunion where we could all sing the words at the top of our lungs in celebration.

Photo Credit: Shannon Johnston (@me_onlylouder) - Deeper @ Empire Garage

Johnny Jewel x Desire

Elysium was next on our list and the environment was the perfect setting for the Italians Do It Better showcase. Walking in, it feels like a vampire goth club out of a scene of True Blood, with the cinematic music to match. Johnny Jewel, label founder and one half of Chromatics (and countless other projects that are legendary in their own way), was surrounded by 3+ synths, masterfully weaving soundscapes against a projection of film scenes compiling his work. From Drive to Bronson, Johnny reminded us how his work provided a sonic world for these iconic films. Following his solo set, he was joined by label manager and mate, Monteal’s Desire. Pirouetting around the stage with black roses in a head to toe latex outfit and feather duster, Desire brought a synergistic energy to the crowd that was heartfelt, fun, and touching. Off the top, she shared that she would be releasing a new album and led with an unreleased whimsical synth-laden ballad. The crowd were at their highest during her covers of New Order’s “Bizarre Love Triangle” and Kylie Minogue’s “Can’t Get You Out of My Head”, with Johnny Jewel’s glitter tears glistening on keys. She closed the show with crowd favourite “Under Your Spell” from the Drive soundtrack, bringing everything full circle with Italians Do It Better. Their intersection on culture, film, and music is unmatched and their influence will be talked about for many years to come.

Photo Credit: Jess Arcand (@jessarcand) - Johnny Jewel x Desire @ Elysium