.:SXSW Review 2004:.

SXSW 2004 SHOWCASE REVIEW: 

J.R. Castillo “Live” At The Broken Spoke

Austin, Texas-   As the sun set on the last Friday of winter in Austin, you could sense something new in the air and it wasn’t the advent of spring.  The annual South-By- Southwest Music Conference was in full swing and I found myself at one of the modern-era’s Texas Landmarks- the Broken Spoke.  

There were five bands on the bill that night, but one in particular set themselves apart from the rest of the pack.  J.R. Castillo, a native of South Texas, and his band Unwound, took command of the stage for all of 40 minutes, but their performance left a lasting impression on all in attendance.

J.R.’s showcase was loaded with great music.  From the endearing “Surviving Emily” to his female-pleasing “I Want The Fairytale”, J.R. had enough of the progressive punch to compare him with the likes of Tim McGraw and Keith Urban.  On the other hand, J.R. catered to the traditional and honky-tonk contingency with songs like “In Case You Were Wondering” and “Dancehall Romance” that conjured visions of a young George Strait and Kevin Fowler.  In showing off his softer side, J.R.’s “She’ll Be Back Tomorrow”, a song he dedicated to Monique Terrell, a friend who has passed on, was heartfelt and true.  It was only to be outdone by J.R.’s two best songs of the night, the Spanish flavored bilingual, “Cantinero” and the hard-driving knock your boots off, “Goin’ To San Antone”.  The latter add credence to J.R.’s overall impression as an artist and his ability to have defined his own musical style and persona. 

J.R.’s rich and deep voice was captivating from start to finish.  Along with a polished delivery, J.R. has the cowboy good looks and the stage charisma to compliment his superb vocal talent.  Having written or co-written all of the songs he performed, J.R. also demonstrated writing skills that even the seasoned Nashville songwriter would envy.  His energy on stage kept you locked in to his every move as he went from song to song, and when all was said and done, he left his audience wanting more.

As if that wasn’t enough, J.R. has surrounded himself with a great group of musicians.  His drummer, Mike Collins, and his keyboard player, Richard Sanchez, are the foundation of his sound.  Their musicianship would compliment any national touring act.  Their musical savvy was more than evident on and off stage.  His dual guitar section of Skip Hernandez and Luis Martinez, work well together.  Their one, two punch gives the band the edge that drives J.R.’s music.  Their talents compliment each other.  J.R.’s fiddle player, Bonnie Riley, played well and showed signs of greatness throughout the showcase.  Although the youngest in the band, Miss Riley held her own with the seasoned veterans.  At last, his bass player, Jim Fox was consistent with his playing.  Although he encountered a bit of memory loss at the intro to “I Want The Fairytale”, he locked in well with the rest of the rhythm section the rest of the night.  Without a doubt, Unwound is one of the most solid and tight nit bands on the circuit.

Overall, J.R. Castillo’s SXSW showcase was undoubtedly one of the best performances at this year’s conference.  It would be easy to get lost in the mix of the nearly 1,000 acts showcasing this year, but as a result of J.R.’s marketing genius, the conference was covered with orange t-shirts bearing his name.  His booth at the trade show was voted “Best Artist Booth” and was the talk of the conference from session to session.  It’s no wonder that he’s been able to push 160,000 CD sales in two years and receives over 5,000 hits a day on his website.  Is it all marketing and hype?  That would be easy to assume, but it couldn’t be further from the truth.  Just come out to one of his shows.  By the end of his performance, J.R. Castillo will make a believer out of anyone.  There is definitely something in the air around here.  Stay tuned!

Lana Parish

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