SXSW: GYMSHORTS and Bad Sports @ Hotel Vegas

GYMSHORTS. They are a punk band from Providence, Rhode Island. All I can say from the set, is that I am still deaf. The music was loud and Sarah was a true definition of punk wrapped in the frame of a small girl with a pretty smile. The rest of the band was just as gnarly, I have a small interview I will be posting at a later time, but the photos from Hotel Vegas are just too cool to wait.

I originally set out to Hotel Vegas for GYMSHORTS, but once I got to east downtown, I knew I had found my part of the city. As a resident of Eado in Houston, I am convinced the east part of any downtown is hands down the coolest.

The venue had an outdoor stage, which was the largest, a small one with a bar, and another small one in a separate room (bar of course). I panicked because I was trying to get to the other side of the crowded stage so went outside thinking the opposite entrance was to the same stage. When I got in and saw a completely different sounding band dressed as Indians. I thought I had entered an alternate universe and it was frightening.

A trio of punk rockers from Denton by the name of Bad Sports took the stage shortly after I arrived. The velocity of their set captured my attention immediately and my only train of thought was, “I must paint you.” Since the only thing I had was my camera, I went that route instead.

Right after Sarah and the boys of GYMSHORTS killed it. How such powerful screams and sounds can come from that girl is mind boggeling! Every musical aspet of this band killed it. They were great, energertic and definitely a crowd pleaser.

I’m probably going to be deaf by the age of 35, but what can I say other than totally worth it?

By Corina Carrizales