SXSW Day 5: Enumclaw, Jane Weaver, Olive Klug

SXSW Day 5: Enumclaw, Jane Weaver, Olive Klug

April 12, 2023 in Concert Reviews

by DJ Libel


Friday carried a frantic energy as worn out bands and worn out festival-goers tried to pack in as many shows as they could before SXSW started to wind down. Like a moth to a neon flame, I headed over to Cheer Up Charlies for an unofficial showcase featuring Enumclaw, a hardcore band that I figured would bring the energy.

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Enumclaw performing at Cheer Up Charlie's during SXSW 2023. Photo by Bella Russo.

Enumclaw

Enumclaw is fresh on the scene via Washington, blending shoe gaze and hardcore with emo-esque, heartfelt lyrics. The crowd came ready to party, opening up mosh pits for songs like Thin Air and Cowboy Beebop. On stage, the bassist and guitarist careened around under the disco ball. Every song was excellently loud, sprinkled with guitar solos and breaks for wailing vocals that really sold lyrics about love, loss, identity. I was really looking forward to this show, and Enumclaw’s performance didn’t disappoint- I think they struck a perfect balance of volume and energy, but were true to the melodies and raw emotions that shine in their recordings.

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Enumclaw at SWSW, photo by Bella Russo.

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Jane Weaver performing at Central Presbyterian Church during SXSW 2023. Photo by Bella Russo.

Jane Weaver

The next artist I saw was Jane Weaver, an English singer, songwriter, and record label owner. I’ve been addicted to her song The Revolution of Super Visions since I discovered it on her 2021 album Flock, and listening to her set at the Central Presbyterian Church, I was able to decode why. Weaver is a dream pop genius. Her vocals soared through the church high and clear. Her music is both catchy and dreamy, moving between loud and quiet throughout each song, anchored by punchy guitar riffs designed to get stuck in your head. At times, watching her and her band jam out (in the most elegant ways, because of course, this is Jane Weaver) her songs became psychedelic, transcendent. I was in awe, and watching the lights behind her catch the haze in the air only added to the experience. Every aspect of her music- the analog and electronic guitar and synth, her vocals, the crisp guitar solos and breakdowns were perfect on stage. I felt like I was inside every song, and I didn’t want to ever leave.

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Jane Weaver during SXSW 2023. Photo by Bella Russo.

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Olive Klug performing at the Driskill Hotel during SXSW 2023. Photo by Bella Russo.

Olive Klug

So, technically, I caught Olive Klug’s set on Saturday as SXSW slowed to a stop, and it turned out I couldn’t have picked a better way to end my week. Klug is a folk musician who writes vulnerable and sweet songs and sings them with refreshing conviction. As a musician, they needed no help besides the acoustic guitar and keyboard that they switched between effortlessly. As a performer, they were charming and down to earth. Introductions between songs sounded like “This is a song about not knowing how to cook rice and dating people who are very particular about brewing coffee” which got laughs from a very captive audience, and lyrics about the heartache of growing up were so relatable that they made me tear up. Klug’s songs are light and fun but leave room for all emotions, and each one instantly reached everyone watching thanks to their universal relatability.

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Olive Klug performing at the Driskill Hotel during SXSW 2023. Photo by Bella Russo.

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