Cowboy and Indian inspiring a rain dance onstage at this year's ACL Festival...photo by RLC
The winners of this year's Austin City Limits Music Festival, in addition to music lovers, were the bands and artists calling Austin, Texas home. Over the course of the week I saw some amazing examples of why Austin considers itself the "live music capital of the world". Whether it was the ramshackle glory of the Hickoids second annual ACL alternate the Austin Corn Lovers Fiesta or any number of bands blasting out of bar fronts on the legendary 6th Street, there was a wide array of music on display. Perhaps, no better band crystalized the city's diversity and eclectic reputation than the seven-piece collective headquartered in Austin know as Cowboy and Indian. The band has only been around for a year and a half and is already making waves on both coasts, generating buzz and interest from record labels and recruiting followers via the "tribal" quality of their live shows.
Indians Daniel James & Jazz Mills...photo by RLC
The core of singer/guitarist Daniel James (also of Bay Area favorites Leopold and His Fiction), singer Jazz Mills, and singer/guitarist/banjo player Jesse Plemons (who some might recognize from television's critically acclaimed Friday Night Lights) , tweak Americana music by giving it a spirit that feels fresh and unique. The band grew out of a songwriting partnership struck between Plemons and James, bringing Mills in to complete their vision.
Cowboy Jesse Plemons...photo by RLC
With their mid day set in blistering heat, Cowboy and Indian helped cool things off with songs that recall country while injecting enough rock to have the crowd in attendance dancing. They even managed to conjure a little rain by the end of their forty-five minute set. Songs spanned from the haunting "Bali Hai", to the rollicking choogle of "Ledbellies (Hurt My Pride)" and the just plain RAWKING of "Hand Me Down". Even more impressive was Mills who is seven months pregnant delivering an arresting performance in the extreme heat. I was able to sit down with James for an interview on the most recent "What Duvet Said...About Music" Issue 35 HERE. He details the bands inception, growth, and future in the twenty minute conversation that mixes in plenty of music from both of his bands, in addition to helping curate they show's playlist. Below are two videos the band has released in support of their EP. The band is scheduled to have their first full-length release come out sometime in 2012 on a label TBD.
Additional Indians, sisters, Phoebe (back) & Stephanie Hunt...photo by RLC
The lovely and soon to be mother Jazz Mils...photo by RLC
Daniel James of Cowboy and Indian/Leopold and His Fiction...photo by RLC
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