One of the biggest heartbreaks about SXSW is actually missing a band that you love because the schedule is just so full and abundant. Missing a good band at SXSW to take a risk on seeing another emerging artist perform for the first time is what happens sometimes when you are in a rush, slightly intoxicated and generally just swept up in the moment and surrounding chaos of Austin’s 5th and 6th street. For me this year as a SXSW newbie, learning that Avan Lava did a set after I came home from the event was my biggest ‘doh’ moment.
I’ve had an eye on Avan Lava for quite awhile. Their quirky diddy ‘So Fucked Up’ caught my attention last year and their disco-tinged ‘It’s Never Over’ is what caused me to raise a suspecting eye-brow that ‘hey, these guys got something special’.
Think of Avan Lava’s music as a hybrid between Scissor Sisters, Chic and a few urban bits thrown in for good measure. Their music is everything that Hercules and Love Affair should be producing now, instead of the disappointing output we seem to get from such a promising collective.
I’m not terribly worried about having missed Avan Lava perform live at SXSW. They have been performing at the event since 2013 and they generally do manage to tour internationally. You can bet that I’ll be at their next London show and until then, they’ve just released a brand new EP which just came out yesterday called ‘Make It Real’ for me to luxuriate in and fill the void with new single ‘Take This City’. I’ve been listening to the EP on my morning commute and by the time I get to the office, I’m already in a state of eurphoria from the disco dance drama.
I guess the morale of the story is that sometimes a missed connection is a beautiful thing to relish in. That’s why this blog is here and it’s why I most certainly can’t wait to start talking about Avan Lava more and introduce them to the EQ Music community.