what sxsw means...1700 bands, 12,000 wristbands, 12,500 badges, and $90 million for the local economy, according to the paper's front page today. this year for me, it meant missing Lou Reed twice, seeing J Mascis thrice, coming down with a wicked cold halfway through, and not getting any sleep 2 nights this week. And of course, catching up with industry friends and old friends and smiling all the way through the leg pain and sleepiness. Saturday was definitely anti-climactic compared to all the great stuff I had seen earlier in the week, but it was still great.
typing this in Chicago during my layover between flights back to VA...730am couldn't come soon enough (I just wanna sleep on the plane - can we board yet?) as it got to the point in the evening last night where it didn't make sense to try and get an hour or 2 of sleep and then hope that a cab picked me up or that i would hear my alarm, so I rode with Jeff back to his place, threw my stuff together while the cabbie kept the meter running, and it was off to the airport around 4am...a nice litte $45 cab ride, plus tip (Emo's closes at 2am, but being the sound guy and it being sxsw, Jeff has to stay an extra hour-plus to get the stage ready for the next day. Plus, the club next door was still thumping until almost 3 anyway, but we wanted to let things die down a bit outside before trying to catch a cab, which we did at 330. Finally got a pic of Jeff at the soundboard too, with that "is-sxsw-over-yet?" look on his face...classic.
Best Fwends was the final band I saw this year, and they were a pretty silly duo who sort of rapped/screamed/sang over pre-programmed beats. Sort of like Sesame Street meets The Whitest Kids U Know...at least it was a fairly easy teardown for Jeff, which is partly why I stuck around and waited for him. I never did figure out where to catch the late-night South 1st street bus...Gave up on the bus system (I even called the number, but the automated operator couldn't understand me), and decided to try to meet up with Pete, Lindsey & Drea at the VIce party which went until the wee hours. Didn't want to go in without knowing if they were already there or not, and we couldn't make connections (still not sure if they went or not), so I went back Emo's way since I had forgotten to try Jeff's favorite pizza in a truck right across the street, Stoney's mobile pizza. I wasn't even that hungry (we had gotten more BBQ for dinner at Ironworks), but it was pretty good, esp. for that time of night. The singer and the drummer from The Donnas walked by (they had played Emo's main room before X tonight), and I totally would have gone up to them and asked for a picture and told them how awesome they were last week in DC opening for The Hives if I hadn't had a slice of pizza in my hand. I know, excuses, excuses...I was just thinking how I didn't really want that Best Fwends pic to be the last picture I took from the fest, The Donnas one would've been nice, but as I looked down at my right arm adorned with various venue "over 21" bracelets, I noticed my Emo's stamp said "envy." So I figured that was a pretty good last picture, although I also remembered to take one of my 1st SXSW badge. There were still some things I couldn't get into, but overall, it was very nice thing to have all week.
OK, so I'm kinda going at this final day of sxsw backwards....
It started with my intention to see one of my favorite new bands, The Heavy (a Curtis Mayfield-esque singer + a funky grunge backup band) at 1pm, but was still updating my blog and pics & vids and kinda waiting on a ride with jeff and his friends to avoid the one-hour bus process, so we weren't ready to motivate til about 3pm.
Jeff & friends went to the FxFU (hey, this a family blog :) fest which featured some old friends of theirs. FxFU is one of many non-sxsw sanctioned events that have sprouted up in response to the increasingly more "mainstream" nature of sxsw. In its 10th year, FxFU just celebrates loud weirdness in general, and of course sticking it to the establishment fest. I intended to make it over there at some point, but the Harp Garden Party turned out to be really cool and was running a bit late, so by the time we were ready to leave, it was also time for dinner.
As you can tell from the lineup picture, some pretty big names were involved...all free and right around the corner from FxFU in the very big backyard of the French Legation Museum, on 8th St. just east of the highway. $1 PBRs and eventually I got a free ice cream drumstick outta the deal...another warm March day in Austin - very nice in the shade, but it definitely got windy and chilly at sundown...
another J Mascis sighting...a short solo set with plenty of blistering solos on his distortion-fueled acoustic. I think the last song had a 10-minute guitar solo at least, but it was nice that the typical J Mascis/Dinosaur Jr. volume issues were non-existent - it was just the right volume, even a bit quiet, which definitely fit the setting - lots of folding chairs under a big tent and lots of folks sitting on the grass near the stage.
Thurston Moore was up next, and despite some technical problems to start the set, the Sonic Youth frontman seemed in good spirits with his cracking backup band, including SY's Steve Shelley on drums. Most if not all the songs came from Thurston's excellent solo album from last year.
Stuck around for a bit of She & Him (which Thurston referred to as Him & Her during his set)...M Ward and Zooey Deschanel. It was nice and kinda sleepy, but Zooey was clearly pretty nervous or else is just not gifted with a very strong voice fit for a live band with that much volume. You gotta give her credit for trying at least, and she could've definitely picked a worse collaborative partner than M Ward.
After the free ice cream, it was off to Ironworks for some more bbq. Thankfully, the long line moved quickly, and to break up the 12-block walk up Red River to get to Waterloo Park in time to see The Breeders at 840pm, I stopped off at 6th St. for an ATM break, some souvenir shopping and a quick stop in for a pic with my pals hanging out at Casino el Camino.
Breeders were good...some of the new material isn't exactly "main stage at a big free festival" type music, in that the songs seemed to be slow & short and not exactly catchy, but I look forward to hearing their subtleties on the cd. "Cannonball" came about halfway through, and no surprise, got the biggest response. But "Happiness is a Warm Gun" and others from the 1st Breeders record reminded me of how great of a debut that really was, and even the Amps stuff came off pretty well...not sure they touched much from the last Breeders record, which was probably a good thing. My Missouri friend Wes & I agreed that the Deal sisters totally need to do an all-country covers record, as they closed the main set with what i believe is a cover that makes it onto the new cd.
lots of wandering Sat. night...couldn't get in to Jim James playing solo in a church because the line even for badges was too long. Although listening back to the new stuff they played via the npr.org webcast, I'm not sure I'm as excited as I once was about the new MMJ cd. Ok, I'm still excited and I'm sure it'll sound better on the cd, but I'm definitely glad I chose the Alejandro Escovedo show. Just when I thought Jim's voice couldn't go any higher, turns out there's a couple more octaves in there...
Ok, have to do some on-air SXSW commenting & actual playing of music, so I'll add a few more tidbits later...thanks for reading!!
Tuesday, March 18, 2008
Saturday, March 15, 2008
South By Southwest 08 Day Three recap
got a pretty late start on day 3...my plan to motivate on 2 hours sleep got nixed when i didn't hear my alarm and woke up at about 11am, which was when i orignially intended to be downtown. Once i was able to use the internet again, i was too busy checking up on email + plotting out the next 2 day's day parties and nighttime showcases (I lost my day party list somehow the other day)...
So I'm ready for the bus at 3pm...it arrives at 330. By the time I get to Stubb's, Vampire Weekend has just gone on for the Spin day party. I figured since I was running late, I'd have to wait in a massive line, but it was no problem getting in...probably because entrance was invite only, which discouraged those who didn't have a pass from even trying, unlike the FREE free stuff. $5 for another excellent BBQ sandwich and then I realize there are free mixed drinks...uh oh. Kinda glad I didn't get here earlier, based on how I felt after just a couple hours there...actually the free drinks stopped at 5, just as Perry Farrell introduced X...but that's also about when some industry and Missouri friends showed up, so it was all good. Why did I not take a picture of Perry? I was trying to get my Missouri friends into the party, and the way they introduced him, it sounded like he might play a set, so I thought I had time to get closer to the stage. Anyway, VW were good, but the singer's crack about getting a "Jurassic Park vibe from this place" in regards to what's probably the best non-theatre live venue in the live music capital of the world fell on deaf ears..."ah, you're all too young," he said. No, it was just not funny. There's a funny track called "Banter" on the Flight of the Conchords cd, and it's just the 2 guys talking between songs in a live setting. As silly as it sounds, that in-between song stuff can really add (or detract) from the live experience...one of the reasons I'm a big Pearl Jam fan, actually. Eddie Vedder has done his research about the venue or town or whatever they're playing, and it just makes the live experience relatable and unique for the audience. Sheesh, Vampire Weekend, work on that a bit, wouldya? And of course, a good 30-40% of the crowd left before the legendary X took the stage (they were the real deal before VW was even born), and it was my 1st time seeing them, and it was awesome! Original lineup intact, and I was able to get pretty close too!
Having met up with a couple Missouri pals at Stubb's for X, we decided a dinner plan was in order after trying unsuccessfully to get into the Levi's/Fader party. We all had wristbands, but there was another line that wasn't moving that we got sick of waiting in, plus the owner of the main clubs in Columbia emerged from the Fader party and was ready for dinner too, so we went across town and met up with some more old friends and caught up over mexican food at Guero's. By the time we got a table and ate, I had basically missed all the stuff at 8pm and 9pm, so it was onto Club De Ville to check in with the White Rabbits boys before they played their midnight set. Seems like they're riding high these days, having been signed by the guy who signed Radiohead and touring with The Walkmen and Spoon this spring. Knowing I'll see them in Norfolk soon, I decided to wander because there about 10 things I wanted to at least check out for a bit before last call at 2am...
Onto Red Eyed Fly for Land of Talk, a band I know very little about - I wrote them down on my schedule based on a little blurb I read - and they were pretty solid. Tried to wander over to MGMT at Stubb's, but even my badge wouldn't get me in because it was filled to capacity....hmmm. Didn't expect that one. Have a feeling lots of Sia and N.E.R.D. fans were in attendance waiting for them to play later at that same venue.
Wandering back up the street in anticipation of a long line for Be Your Own Pet at 11pm, there really wasn't one and I caught a bit of the band before, Tall Firs. There was a young kid in front of me in line they weren't going to let in because of her age, but her mom who was with her pointed out she was in a SXSW band, and she promised them her child wouldn't leave her side, and they got in. Not sure what band she was in...maybe Tiny Masters of Today or there's one other "kiddie" band that's making sorta punk rock waves these days whose name escapes me at the moment...anyway....pretty cool mom & kid. I wish I had been in a SXSW-accepted band and got to see J Mascis and Thurston Moore when I was 12!
Realizing there would be no problem returning later for the end of Be Your Own Pet and the start of J Mascis (who was followed by Thurston Moore, whose Ecstatic Peace label was doing the showcase that night), I walked all the way over to Pangaea, a club I hadn't been to before, to see Nicole Atkins. On the way, I had to stop for some NCAA basketball action (and to rest my legs...so much walking! plus, I can feel a cold coming on...ugh), as a restaurant had a couple of giant flat screens showing the Big 10 and Big 12 tournaments simultaneously, and both games were close with less than a minute left. As I watched through the window, sure enough, Minnesota threw the ball in the length of the court with a little more than 1 second left, and the guy hit the shot, so they upset Indiana! Ah, March Madness, I love thee...
So Nicole Atkins was pretty excellent...swanky venue with lots of couches, which seemed cool, but unfortunately meant an element of what I took to be their "regular" crowd jabbering loudly right up close to the stage. And I stood behind a photographer who had literally the brightest flash on his camera you've ever seen, and to make matters worse, kept snapping photos constantly through the set...Normally, they snap a few during the 1st couple songs and then move on, but this dude was clearly obsessed with Nicole, but it was pretty cool to get up that close in that kind of intimate setting.
Back towards 6th st. after trying to get a pic thru the fence of White Rabbits as they were setting up, but it didn't turn out. Went back to get my elusive J Mascis pic as he got ready for his midnight set. Then wandered over to Red Eyed Fly for one of my favorite new discoveries of the last year or so, Cloud Cult, not very hopeful of getting in because it's a small place and there had been a line earlier. Turns out it was no problem and I'm glad I went...strings, 4-part harmonies, and a painter on stage with the band...plus, they're very environmentally conscious with their cd packaging and touring and the area they live in Minnesota. So check em out, ok?
HEALTH was running late at Flamingo Cantina, and I didn't make it through the end of their 1st song. I kept seeing their name on cool showcases/day parties, so I thought I'd give it a shot, but it wasn't really my kinda thing, for that point in the evening anyway. They were very, um, enthusiastic though.
Heard the last minute of "Summertime Blues" from Blue Cheer emanating from the Emo's Annex, a tent across the street from the main Emo's. Too packed to get in, but you could still see and hear fairly clearly. A guy standing next to me said he'd seen em back in 1968 and we agreed it wasn't like you couldn't hear them from where we were standing...and I think I convinced him to check out Cloud Cult after he asked me what I'd seen that was cool.
By the time I made it back up to Club De Ville, I heard the last half of the last White Rabbits song, and then got to talk to my old Streetside Records co-worker Greg a little bit after. White Denim, one of Austin's most buzzed about new bands, was up next and were really good. One of my fav new bands I didn't even know about when I came down here...
Met up with Amy & Ed from Williamsburg, VA and they came through with some Zicam for my cold. Kind of odd sticking a Q-tip up your nose in the middle of the street at 1am, but hey, I didn't bring any Airborne with me!
They wanted to see N.E.R.D. at Stubb's, while I really wanted to see another one of my longtime favs I've never seen live, Joseph Arthur, so we agreed to meet up later for a possible afterparty Pete knew about. Joseph was pretty amazing, just one guy and an acoustic guitar with occassional female backup vocals. And I got there in time to see "Honey and the Moon" and "In the Sun," 2 of my favorites by him, the latter of which was covered by Michael Stipe and Coldplay for Hurricane Katrina charity relief a couple years back.
Afterparty never materialized, which was probably for the best, as I stopped into a convenience store that was thankfully open late for some Halls and OJ. As I waited for a cab outside the PureVolume afterparty that I couldn't get into, Bushwick Bill of Geto Boys fame comes strolling down the street, posse in tow, with whoever was leading the posse announcing who exactly we were in the presence of...pretty good afterparty entrance.
Cabbed it back home (can't take anymore walking), and now, I'm already getting a late start for another day of adventure that will include seeing the Breeders at the Mess With Texas 2 festival at Waterloo Park at 840pm! Will hopefully see a couple day parties beforehand, and I'm gonna try to see a Jim James (from My Morning Jacket) solo set in a church at 10pm!
So I'm ready for the bus at 3pm...it arrives at 330. By the time I get to Stubb's, Vampire Weekend has just gone on for the Spin day party. I figured since I was running late, I'd have to wait in a massive line, but it was no problem getting in...probably because entrance was invite only, which discouraged those who didn't have a pass from even trying, unlike the FREE free stuff. $5 for another excellent BBQ sandwich and then I realize there are free mixed drinks...uh oh. Kinda glad I didn't get here earlier, based on how I felt after just a couple hours there...actually the free drinks stopped at 5, just as Perry Farrell introduced X...but that's also about when some industry and Missouri friends showed up, so it was all good. Why did I not take a picture of Perry? I was trying to get my Missouri friends into the party, and the way they introduced him, it sounded like he might play a set, so I thought I had time to get closer to the stage. Anyway, VW were good, but the singer's crack about getting a "Jurassic Park vibe from this place" in regards to what's probably the best non-theatre live venue in the live music capital of the world fell on deaf ears..."ah, you're all too young," he said. No, it was just not funny. There's a funny track called "Banter" on the Flight of the Conchords cd, and it's just the 2 guys talking between songs in a live setting. As silly as it sounds, that in-between song stuff can really add (or detract) from the live experience...one of the reasons I'm a big Pearl Jam fan, actually. Eddie Vedder has done his research about the venue or town or whatever they're playing, and it just makes the live experience relatable and unique for the audience. Sheesh, Vampire Weekend, work on that a bit, wouldya? And of course, a good 30-40% of the crowd left before the legendary X took the stage (they were the real deal before VW was even born), and it was my 1st time seeing them, and it was awesome! Original lineup intact, and I was able to get pretty close too!
Having met up with a couple Missouri pals at Stubb's for X, we decided a dinner plan was in order after trying unsuccessfully to get into the Levi's/Fader party. We all had wristbands, but there was another line that wasn't moving that we got sick of waiting in, plus the owner of the main clubs in Columbia emerged from the Fader party and was ready for dinner too, so we went across town and met up with some more old friends and caught up over mexican food at Guero's. By the time we got a table and ate, I had basically missed all the stuff at 8pm and 9pm, so it was onto Club De Ville to check in with the White Rabbits boys before they played their midnight set. Seems like they're riding high these days, having been signed by the guy who signed Radiohead and touring with The Walkmen and Spoon this spring. Knowing I'll see them in Norfolk soon, I decided to wander because there about 10 things I wanted to at least check out for a bit before last call at 2am...
Onto Red Eyed Fly for Land of Talk, a band I know very little about - I wrote them down on my schedule based on a little blurb I read - and they were pretty solid. Tried to wander over to MGMT at Stubb's, but even my badge wouldn't get me in because it was filled to capacity....hmmm. Didn't expect that one. Have a feeling lots of Sia and N.E.R.D. fans were in attendance waiting for them to play later at that same venue.
Wandering back up the street in anticipation of a long line for Be Your Own Pet at 11pm, there really wasn't one and I caught a bit of the band before, Tall Firs. There was a young kid in front of me in line they weren't going to let in because of her age, but her mom who was with her pointed out she was in a SXSW band, and she promised them her child wouldn't leave her side, and they got in. Not sure what band she was in...maybe Tiny Masters of Today or there's one other "kiddie" band that's making sorta punk rock waves these days whose name escapes me at the moment...anyway....pretty cool mom & kid. I wish I had been in a SXSW-accepted band and got to see J Mascis and Thurston Moore when I was 12!
Realizing there would be no problem returning later for the end of Be Your Own Pet and the start of J Mascis (who was followed by Thurston Moore, whose Ecstatic Peace label was doing the showcase that night), I walked all the way over to Pangaea, a club I hadn't been to before, to see Nicole Atkins. On the way, I had to stop for some NCAA basketball action (and to rest my legs...so much walking! plus, I can feel a cold coming on...ugh), as a restaurant had a couple of giant flat screens showing the Big 10 and Big 12 tournaments simultaneously, and both games were close with less than a minute left. As I watched through the window, sure enough, Minnesota threw the ball in the length of the court with a little more than 1 second left, and the guy hit the shot, so they upset Indiana! Ah, March Madness, I love thee...
So Nicole Atkins was pretty excellent...swanky venue with lots of couches, which seemed cool, but unfortunately meant an element of what I took to be their "regular" crowd jabbering loudly right up close to the stage. And I stood behind a photographer who had literally the brightest flash on his camera you've ever seen, and to make matters worse, kept snapping photos constantly through the set...Normally, they snap a few during the 1st couple songs and then move on, but this dude was clearly obsessed with Nicole, but it was pretty cool to get up that close in that kind of intimate setting.
Back towards 6th st. after trying to get a pic thru the fence of White Rabbits as they were setting up, but it didn't turn out. Went back to get my elusive J Mascis pic as he got ready for his midnight set. Then wandered over to Red Eyed Fly for one of my favorite new discoveries of the last year or so, Cloud Cult, not very hopeful of getting in because it's a small place and there had been a line earlier. Turns out it was no problem and I'm glad I went...strings, 4-part harmonies, and a painter on stage with the band...plus, they're very environmentally conscious with their cd packaging and touring and the area they live in Minnesota. So check em out, ok?
HEALTH was running late at Flamingo Cantina, and I didn't make it through the end of their 1st song. I kept seeing their name on cool showcases/day parties, so I thought I'd give it a shot, but it wasn't really my kinda thing, for that point in the evening anyway. They were very, um, enthusiastic though.
Heard the last minute of "Summertime Blues" from Blue Cheer emanating from the Emo's Annex, a tent across the street from the main Emo's. Too packed to get in, but you could still see and hear fairly clearly. A guy standing next to me said he'd seen em back in 1968 and we agreed it wasn't like you couldn't hear them from where we were standing...and I think I convinced him to check out Cloud Cult after he asked me what I'd seen that was cool.
By the time I made it back up to Club De Ville, I heard the last half of the last White Rabbits song, and then got to talk to my old Streetside Records co-worker Greg a little bit after. White Denim, one of Austin's most buzzed about new bands, was up next and were really good. One of my fav new bands I didn't even know about when I came down here...
Met up with Amy & Ed from Williamsburg, VA and they came through with some Zicam for my cold. Kind of odd sticking a Q-tip up your nose in the middle of the street at 1am, but hey, I didn't bring any Airborne with me!
They wanted to see N.E.R.D. at Stubb's, while I really wanted to see another one of my longtime favs I've never seen live, Joseph Arthur, so we agreed to meet up later for a possible afterparty Pete knew about. Joseph was pretty amazing, just one guy and an acoustic guitar with occassional female backup vocals. And I got there in time to see "Honey and the Moon" and "In the Sun," 2 of my favorites by him, the latter of which was covered by Michael Stipe and Coldplay for Hurricane Katrina charity relief a couple years back.
Afterparty never materialized, which was probably for the best, as I stopped into a convenience store that was thankfully open late for some Halls and OJ. As I waited for a cab outside the PureVolume afterparty that I couldn't get into, Bushwick Bill of Geto Boys fame comes strolling down the street, posse in tow, with whoever was leading the posse announcing who exactly we were in the presence of...pretty good afterparty entrance.
Cabbed it back home (can't take anymore walking), and now, I'm already getting a late start for another day of adventure that will include seeing the Breeders at the Mess With Texas 2 festival at Waterloo Park at 840pm! Will hopefully see a couple day parties beforehand, and I'm gonna try to see a Jim James (from My Morning Jacket) solo set in a church at 10pm!
Friday, March 14, 2008
quick update
heya!
had some internet issues last night upon arriving back at home base (at 4am)...so just a quick recap of yesterday before i head out for more adventures today!
didn't oversleep, just didn't sleep leading up to Lou Reed's talk yesterday morning, so i cut my losses and got a 2 1/2 hour nap in before heading back downtown in the afternoon...read a recap of what i missed here Sad I missed the Levi's/Fader thing, but the line for that the past 2 days has been unbelievably long, and it's hard to determine what time which act is playing, so even if you are on "the list" (which i think i am having rsvp'd through email), there's no guarantee of getting in and you're not sure what you're gonna see when you get in. And every time I walked by, there was something lame (not even live music) blaring from the tent, so whatever...
instead i went to the Twangfest day party at Jovita's (sorta close to where i'm staying) and saw a Missouri friend who's working with the St. Louis band Gentleman Auction House with the Emergency Umbrella record label. Check em out, esp. if you dig Bright Eyes and Arcade Fire...
got to be on DirecTV's coverage of sxsw for a few minutes in the crowd at Sia's set at the convention center...yay for glowsticks!
skipped a couple free dinner offers to attend the Body of War showcase at Stubb's, featuring Serj from System of a Down, Ben Harper, Mason Jennings, Kimya Dawson, Brett Dennen, Billy Bragg and more. Bought an advance copy of the 2-disc soundtrack...it comes out tuesday...very interesting movie/music project. Was hoping for an Eddie Vedder surprise appearance, but that didn't come to pass. Check out the documentary, also called Body of War, which won some awards here at the film fest this week. Never thought I would see a crowd pogo-dancing to "This Land is Your Land," but if Tom Morello tells you to do something, you'd better do it! Ended up running into Ben Harper randomly outside a club around 3am and got a picture that actually worked this time!
and speaking of photographic redemption...well, sort of. 2 things. 1) i figured out slow shutter speed works better for nightime concert action shots...duh! so yesterday's pics turned out a little better. and 2) i totally got into a day party that a guy in front of me appeared to want to get into, but didn't...and that guy happened to be Moby! The 3 girls in front of me in line were all giddy when they realized who it was, so i took a pic of them with Moby, and didn't wanna bother the poor guy for another one. We were surrounded by lots of folks, so i thought it might lead to picture with Moby day...oh well. Sometimes it's better to have the story than the photograph (?)...
Had some sweet BBQ at Stubb's btw as the Body of War thing got started...had free briscuit earlier in the day after revelling in my "I got in but Moby didn't" day party glow...
Saw UK Mercury Prize nominees Working for a Nuclear Free City later in the evening...
actually skipped the Whigs/Yo La Tengo/My Morning Jacket thing at Austin Music Hall (way across town) in favor of Alejandro Escovedo (there were rumors of a Lou Reed guest spot here that didn't come to pass either...doh!), Carbon/Silicon, and Syd Straw, 3 artists I figured it was a rare opportunity to see, as opposed to artists I deeply love but have seen a few times and will most likely see again....the My Morning Jacket show I believe was carried by NPR, like the REM show was the night before...check the archives there...i know i will!
The night ended with Via Audio at Habana Calle's annex...one of my fav cds of last year, and they really were excellent and fun live...went to the outside stage for a bit to catch the groovy/arty/noise duo No Age, and when I got back inside, the boys from Spoon were among the 30 or so folks checking out Via Audio! Jim from Spoon (who produces their records) also produced Via Audio's...Spoon had played a free show at 8pm at the outdoor ampitheatre, which I wanted to make, but the Body of War thing took precedence...
So after wandering downtown for a bit helping friends get closer to their home base...we came across Ben Harper...I think he might've been trying to get into the Playboy party (we certainly were!) that went until the wee hours at a huge warehouse downtown. Alas, we were not VIP enough (not sure if Ben was), so I cabbed it home with Jeff, who had had an unusually long day as soundman (even by sxsw standards). I ended up oversleeping this morning, but I'm gonna try to make Vampire Weekend and X at the Stubb's/Spin day party in a couple hours!
Not as many big names to look forwar to today, but still plenty of good stuff...I'll try to post my pics and vids soon!
Cheers!
had some internet issues last night upon arriving back at home base (at 4am)...so just a quick recap of yesterday before i head out for more adventures today!
didn't oversleep, just didn't sleep leading up to Lou Reed's talk yesterday morning, so i cut my losses and got a 2 1/2 hour nap in before heading back downtown in the afternoon...read a recap of what i missed here Sad I missed the Levi's/Fader thing, but the line for that the past 2 days has been unbelievably long, and it's hard to determine what time which act is playing, so even if you are on "the list" (which i think i am having rsvp'd through email), there's no guarantee of getting in and you're not sure what you're gonna see when you get in. And every time I walked by, there was something lame (not even live music) blaring from the tent, so whatever...
instead i went to the Twangfest day party at Jovita's (sorta close to where i'm staying) and saw a Missouri friend who's working with the St. Louis band Gentleman Auction House with the Emergency Umbrella record label. Check em out, esp. if you dig Bright Eyes and Arcade Fire...
got to be on DirecTV's coverage of sxsw for a few minutes in the crowd at Sia's set at the convention center...yay for glowsticks!
skipped a couple free dinner offers to attend the Body of War showcase at Stubb's, featuring Serj from System of a Down, Ben Harper, Mason Jennings, Kimya Dawson, Brett Dennen, Billy Bragg and more. Bought an advance copy of the 2-disc soundtrack...it comes out tuesday...very interesting movie/music project. Was hoping for an Eddie Vedder surprise appearance, but that didn't come to pass. Check out the documentary, also called Body of War, which won some awards here at the film fest this week. Never thought I would see a crowd pogo-dancing to "This Land is Your Land," but if Tom Morello tells you to do something, you'd better do it! Ended up running into Ben Harper randomly outside a club around 3am and got a picture that actually worked this time!
and speaking of photographic redemption...well, sort of. 2 things. 1) i figured out slow shutter speed works better for nightime concert action shots...duh! so yesterday's pics turned out a little better. and 2) i totally got into a day party that a guy in front of me appeared to want to get into, but didn't...and that guy happened to be Moby! The 3 girls in front of me in line were all giddy when they realized who it was, so i took a pic of them with Moby, and didn't wanna bother the poor guy for another one. We were surrounded by lots of folks, so i thought it might lead to picture with Moby day...oh well. Sometimes it's better to have the story than the photograph (?)...
Had some sweet BBQ at Stubb's btw as the Body of War thing got started...had free briscuit earlier in the day after revelling in my "I got in but Moby didn't" day party glow...
Saw UK Mercury Prize nominees Working for a Nuclear Free City later in the evening...
actually skipped the Whigs/Yo La Tengo/My Morning Jacket thing at Austin Music Hall (way across town) in favor of Alejandro Escovedo (there were rumors of a Lou Reed guest spot here that didn't come to pass either...doh!), Carbon/Silicon, and Syd Straw, 3 artists I figured it was a rare opportunity to see, as opposed to artists I deeply love but have seen a few times and will most likely see again....the My Morning Jacket show I believe was carried by NPR, like the REM show was the night before...check the archives there...i know i will!
The night ended with Via Audio at Habana Calle's annex...one of my fav cds of last year, and they really were excellent and fun live...went to the outside stage for a bit to catch the groovy/arty/noise duo No Age, and when I got back inside, the boys from Spoon were among the 30 or so folks checking out Via Audio! Jim from Spoon (who produces their records) also produced Via Audio's...Spoon had played a free show at 8pm at the outdoor ampitheatre, which I wanted to make, but the Body of War thing took precedence...
So after wandering downtown for a bit helping friends get closer to their home base...we came across Ben Harper...I think he might've been trying to get into the Playboy party (we certainly were!) that went until the wee hours at a huge warehouse downtown. Alas, we were not VIP enough (not sure if Ben was), so I cabbed it home with Jeff, who had had an unusually long day as soundman (even by sxsw standards). I ended up oversleeping this morning, but I'm gonna try to make Vampire Weekend and X at the Stubb's/Spin day party in a couple hours!
Not as many big names to look forwar to today, but still plenty of good stuff...I'll try to post my pics and vids soon!
Cheers!
Thursday, March 13, 2008
South By Southwest 08 Day Two recap
OK, so I'm new to this whole laptop business and I decided at the last minute to not bring it along today as I ventured from South Austin to downtown (via the fab mass transit system - just $1 for an all-day pass!)...I had enough fun carrying my bag o' schwag around all day (couldn't bear to miss out on free dayparty stuff by actually using my all-day bus pass and dropping the bag full of magazines, cds an attendee directory and other promotional items back at home base)...
By the time I caught the right bus going the right direction, I got downtown to the convention center around 1130am. By the time I had 4 or 5 different people tell me the proper procedure/place to pick up my badge, I was starting to get a little impatient. But then I thought about how many thousands of people descend on Austin for SXSW (not only radio and record company folk, but all kinds of media outlets obviously and each musician + their respective road crew gets their own badges or wristbands too). A little after noon I'm looking for a combination of great music + free food day party. Lots of them have great music (some more conveniently located than others), and most have free beverages of some kind. But the food seems to be more and more elusive each year. Most every party makes you RSVP by email beforehand otherwise, no food (and sometimes you can't even get in to check out the music - even though it's free - if you're not "on the list"). A good portion of SXSW is definitely about marketing, and I seem to be noticing more product placement this year (maybe that's just cuz I got the free bag o' schwag for the 1st time with my conference badge). Like young marketeers trying to give you free gum at various street corners and then taking your picture with your smiling face enjoying the gum. I did not fall for that, but I did encounter a certain "guitar hero" of mine shortly after I took the picture of the streetcorner band you'll see in my sxsw photos...J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. now has a very distinctive long mane of gray hair, and he wears unique glasses, and he was by himself kinda aimlessly wandering down 6th St. (the main downtown drag). As I passed him, he seemed to be at a stopping point, so I did something I don't usually do...went up to him and introduced myself! Told him I'd seen him do a solo set a couple years ago at SXSW right after Curt from the Meat Puppets...forgot to tell him I saw the Dinosaur Jr reunion in Missouri as well...and then I asked if I could take a picture with him. He said sure and as I walked away, I realized my camera hadn't taken the photo after all...so now no one's going to believe my J Mascis story! Guess that's what I get for getting too close to one of my idols...I should have at least told him how his music has gotten me through some tough times, and I'm not even sure I thanked him at the end of the very awkward conversation! He was basically exactly how you'd think he'd be...I asked when he was playing at SXSW (I had only seen his name once on the schedule) and he said "pretty much every day." Turns out he's playing drums with another band (Witch, I think)...and I totally should have asked what he was most looking forward to seeing - he must still have some yearning for new music otherwise why would he even bother with the industry craziness of SXSW?? Or I at least could have told him he's a guitar god for this (or any other) age. OK, so I blew that one...but I took a picture with a scary bear later in the day to make up for it :)
So back to the dayparties...started with the Red Eye distribution party at the Mohawk. As the raucous sound of Nico Vega got louder as I approached, I was hoping they would do at least one more song once I got in since I knew I was getting there at the tail end of their set due to my kinda late badge pickup. And yes, they did do one more, and I got a couple good pics out of it. So the day was off to a good start...and overall the whole day was very awesome (except the J Mascis thing). There was another stage inside the Mohawk where The Bleedin Bleedins started right as Nico Vega ended. Very majestic, U2-sounding stuff from an apparently half-Irish, half-Bostonite band (as they intro'd themselves). I had seen their name along with cool lineups at other events this week, and wanted to check out at least a few songs, and I'm glad I did. So I'm with you Pub Crawlers in spirit then, lads & lassies!
OK, I'm taking too long here..gotta get to the biggies...Van Morrison and R.E.M.! I got into both, fairly easily 1) because I had a badge, the long line for Van moved swiftly while the badgeless were in an even longer line and I doubt many of them got in and 2) because I got to Stubb's (where R.E.M. was playing) 2 acts before they went on, so at 10pm I endured Papercranes (I hadn't heard of them either but turns out River and Joaquin Phoenix's sister can really sing! Not sure about a lot of her generic/bad lyrics though...but it's one of those voices that can still pull it off, and she's certainly a mesmerizing presence - thankfully, since her band didn't have much of one). They claimed Gainsville, FL as home, even though Michael Stipe would claim them for Athens, GA later during R.E.M.'s set. The Athens, GA band Dead Confederate was after Papercranes and before R.E.M. and they were a mix of Nirvana song structures done in a My Morning Jacket style. Pretty powerful stuff, and I thought it was a gutsy choice on R.E.M.'s part. I've played them a time or 2 on Brighten the Corners, so I knew a little about them, and the crowd overall seemed pretty favorable to them (compared with the smattering of applause Papercranes got). Both openers enlisted nice strategic use of a sidestage smoke machine as well...bonus points?? The new R.E.M. stuff must not be Automatic for the People quiet, I told myself during DC's uber loud/soft set. And sure enough, R.E.M. did several new songs, saving "Supernatural Superserious" til the encore. "Fall on Me," "Drive" and "Man on the Moon" were really the few "hits" performed on this beautiful, crisp night in Texas. A song they hadn't done in 2 years, "The Great Beyond," was received really well, as was "Imitation of Life." They did 3 politcal songs in a row (a new one, which Heath Ledger apparently loved that Stipe dedicated to him, then "Final Straw" and "Bad Day," which combined with the political commentary from their outspoken frontman seemed to kind of take the wind out of the sails of the crowd a bit. Not because of the subject matter so much as the tempo of the 1st 2 of the 3, maybe. But the new songs are virtually all very rockin' and short, too - Stipe even made mention of how many new songs they have that are 2:30 or under ("so if you don't like them, go get a beer or take a bathroom break") And he also made mention of how NPR is carrying the show on their website - check it out here I guess they carried it live too...had I known, I would've given you blog-readers a heads-up, trust me! I think we'll have an R.E.M. radio special coming soon as well, leading up to the release of Accelerate April 1st. Stay tuned...I had to laugh earlier in the day when I saw the posters up all over Stubb's for the new R.E.M. release..."brilliant and unrelenting," it said. Wow, methinks these dudes need to loosen up a little...that's the Bill Berry factor that's been so hard for them to replace I think. Not only the fact that he's the one that would apparently insist on catchy choruses whenever they would start to get too "arty" (how many "hooks" can you hum off the last 3 R.E.M. albums...), but it was also the fun factor...Bill always seemed to have, if not a smile, some kind of dumbfounded expression on his face that reminded you these were just 4 regular dudes from Georgia who happened to make great music together. Now Stipe seems like the normal, kinda having fun one! Scott McCaughey of the Minus 5 is still part of the live R.E.M. band, and he tried to bop around a bit, and Peter Buck certainly did a few good scissor kicks, but Mike Mills seemed to be having tech problems or not having a very good time and granted, SXSW crowds tend to be a little tough so as a band that energy needs to be brought forth - you can't rely on the crowd to help you get into it. Partly because it's a lot of jaded industry types in the crowd, but also because if you're not an entertaining band, there's 1500+ other ones who folks will be glad to give a chance right around the corner...So overall, I give R.E.M.'s new songs very high marks (and high marks for playing so many of them, especially on a webcast show), but the setlist pacing was a little odd (I'm sure the webcast + the fact that we were in Texas had a lot to do with the political comments/songs). It just further added to the odd new band chemistry when Mills, Stipe and Buck gave the bow at the end of the encore, not including their 2 "extra" guys...maybe it's an ego thing...they don't want even a semi-flashy drummer to steal the spotlight away from the original 3 members. And McCaughey is at his best when he adds subtle keyboard flourishes rather than feedback-laden guitar parts (does "Fall on Me" really need 2 guitars?). Hey, it's my blog...listen to the webcast for yourself! Oh, and I noticed a lot of this stuff cuz I was up in about the 5th row on Mike's side, thanks in large part to getting there a couple hours early! So yes, it was very sweet to see such an amazing band at such a small (3,000) amazing place...I just wanted to give you a few of the dynamics I noticed from that vantage point that you may or may not be able to pick up on the webcast. Oh, and all the dudes on stage with hair have gray or really graying hair...maybe I was distracted by that and I don't know what I'm talking about!
And speaking of "take your greatest hits show and shove it," how about Van Morrison?! Great, great show at La Zona Rosa, which I don't think even holds 1,000 people. He is still in such great voice, and man, I forgot how well he can play the saxophone! He also played a mini-guitar (not a ukele or mandolin, just a small acoustic). But you could feel the crowd kind of looking around at each other when he let EACH member of his 9-member band (10, including Van) take a solo on the first song! It was pretty much one or 2 solos per song after that, thankfully, although it was a crackin' band for sure. No "Moondance" or "Into the Mystic" or "Brown Eyed Girl" or "Domino" or countless other favorites that would've blown the roof off the place...just kind of a steady simmer, leading up to a very boisterous finale of the song from one of his recent albums about drinking wine behind the store (I'm blanking on the title). And he lived up to his curmudgeonly reputation, berating someone for using their "moh-bile" phone during the show...joking (?) about how he was glad they were well into the set, since he had things to do that night out on the town. And like R.E.M., lo†s from a new cd that'll be out April 1st. Pretty awesome first Van Morrison show, all in all.
Oh, and I forgot to mention my camera battery was about to go out right before R.E.M. went on, otherwise I would've taken more pics/video. And when I found out the show was being webcast, I figured that would sound better anyway than my camera sound.
Other day party highlights - Shearwater and Liam Finn were excellent...how much does the Shout Out Louds singer look like Jason Schwartzman?? Played some sweet Family Guy pinball...got to say hey to my Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin pals from Missouri and caught a couple of their day party songs on the way to Van the Man (W side of Congress Ave). Saw a couple good Jesca Hoop songs after Van. Raveonettes were good, but it is kind of formulaic i suppose...saw Ira from Yo La Tengo after the Why? set at Emo's, but after my J Mascis debacle, I didn't want to botch that one too, even though I'd just interviewed him a couple months ago in the Corner Lounge. I'll be seeing Yo La hopefully before My Morning Jacket late tonight...gotta go now and catch Lou Reed's keynote address in a couple hours! It seems like I just got home (I did as of 4am after a fair bit of walking to make up for all the luck i've had getting here and being here)....whew!
By the time I caught the right bus going the right direction, I got downtown to the convention center around 1130am. By the time I had 4 or 5 different people tell me the proper procedure/place to pick up my badge, I was starting to get a little impatient. But then I thought about how many thousands of people descend on Austin for SXSW (not only radio and record company folk, but all kinds of media outlets obviously and each musician + their respective road crew gets their own badges or wristbands too). A little after noon I'm looking for a combination of great music + free food day party. Lots of them have great music (some more conveniently located than others), and most have free beverages of some kind. But the food seems to be more and more elusive each year. Most every party makes you RSVP by email beforehand otherwise, no food (and sometimes you can't even get in to check out the music - even though it's free - if you're not "on the list"). A good portion of SXSW is definitely about marketing, and I seem to be noticing more product placement this year (maybe that's just cuz I got the free bag o' schwag for the 1st time with my conference badge). Like young marketeers trying to give you free gum at various street corners and then taking your picture with your smiling face enjoying the gum. I did not fall for that, but I did encounter a certain "guitar hero" of mine shortly after I took the picture of the streetcorner band you'll see in my sxsw photos...J Mascis of Dinosaur Jr. now has a very distinctive long mane of gray hair, and he wears unique glasses, and he was by himself kinda aimlessly wandering down 6th St. (the main downtown drag). As I passed him, he seemed to be at a stopping point, so I did something I don't usually do...went up to him and introduced myself! Told him I'd seen him do a solo set a couple years ago at SXSW right after Curt from the Meat Puppets...forgot to tell him I saw the Dinosaur Jr reunion in Missouri as well...and then I asked if I could take a picture with him. He said sure and as I walked away, I realized my camera hadn't taken the photo after all...so now no one's going to believe my J Mascis story! Guess that's what I get for getting too close to one of my idols...I should have at least told him how his music has gotten me through some tough times, and I'm not even sure I thanked him at the end of the very awkward conversation! He was basically exactly how you'd think he'd be...I asked when he was playing at SXSW (I had only seen his name once on the schedule) and he said "pretty much every day." Turns out he's playing drums with another band (Witch, I think)...and I totally should have asked what he was most looking forward to seeing - he must still have some yearning for new music otherwise why would he even bother with the industry craziness of SXSW?? Or I at least could have told him he's a guitar god for this (or any other) age. OK, so I blew that one...but I took a picture with a scary bear later in the day to make up for it :)
So back to the dayparties...started with the Red Eye distribution party at the Mohawk. As the raucous sound of Nico Vega got louder as I approached, I was hoping they would do at least one more song once I got in since I knew I was getting there at the tail end of their set due to my kinda late badge pickup. And yes, they did do one more, and I got a couple good pics out of it. So the day was off to a good start...and overall the whole day was very awesome (except the J Mascis thing). There was another stage inside the Mohawk where The Bleedin Bleedins started right as Nico Vega ended. Very majestic, U2-sounding stuff from an apparently half-Irish, half-Bostonite band (as they intro'd themselves). I had seen their name along with cool lineups at other events this week, and wanted to check out at least a few songs, and I'm glad I did. So I'm with you Pub Crawlers in spirit then, lads & lassies!
OK, I'm taking too long here..gotta get to the biggies...Van Morrison and R.E.M.! I got into both, fairly easily 1) because I had a badge, the long line for Van moved swiftly while the badgeless were in an even longer line and I doubt many of them got in and 2) because I got to Stubb's (where R.E.M. was playing) 2 acts before they went on, so at 10pm I endured Papercranes (I hadn't heard of them either but turns out River and Joaquin Phoenix's sister can really sing! Not sure about a lot of her generic/bad lyrics though...but it's one of those voices that can still pull it off, and she's certainly a mesmerizing presence - thankfully, since her band didn't have much of one). They claimed Gainsville, FL as home, even though Michael Stipe would claim them for Athens, GA later during R.E.M.'s set. The Athens, GA band Dead Confederate was after Papercranes and before R.E.M. and they were a mix of Nirvana song structures done in a My Morning Jacket style. Pretty powerful stuff, and I thought it was a gutsy choice on R.E.M.'s part. I've played them a time or 2 on Brighten the Corners, so I knew a little about them, and the crowd overall seemed pretty favorable to them (compared with the smattering of applause Papercranes got). Both openers enlisted nice strategic use of a sidestage smoke machine as well...bonus points?? The new R.E.M. stuff must not be Automatic for the People quiet, I told myself during DC's uber loud/soft set. And sure enough, R.E.M. did several new songs, saving "Supernatural Superserious" til the encore. "Fall on Me," "Drive" and "Man on the Moon" were really the few "hits" performed on this beautiful, crisp night in Texas. A song they hadn't done in 2 years, "The Great Beyond," was received really well, as was "Imitation of Life." They did 3 politcal songs in a row (a new one, which Heath Ledger apparently loved that Stipe dedicated to him, then "Final Straw" and "Bad Day," which combined with the political commentary from their outspoken frontman seemed to kind of take the wind out of the sails of the crowd a bit. Not because of the subject matter so much as the tempo of the 1st 2 of the 3, maybe. But the new songs are virtually all very rockin' and short, too - Stipe even made mention of how many new songs they have that are 2:30 or under ("so if you don't like them, go get a beer or take a bathroom break") And he also made mention of how NPR is carrying the show on their website - check it out here I guess they carried it live too...had I known, I would've given you blog-readers a heads-up, trust me! I think we'll have an R.E.M. radio special coming soon as well, leading up to the release of Accelerate April 1st. Stay tuned...I had to laugh earlier in the day when I saw the posters up all over Stubb's for the new R.E.M. release..."brilliant and unrelenting," it said. Wow, methinks these dudes need to loosen up a little...that's the Bill Berry factor that's been so hard for them to replace I think. Not only the fact that he's the one that would apparently insist on catchy choruses whenever they would start to get too "arty" (how many "hooks" can you hum off the last 3 R.E.M. albums...), but it was also the fun factor...Bill always seemed to have, if not a smile, some kind of dumbfounded expression on his face that reminded you these were just 4 regular dudes from Georgia who happened to make great music together. Now Stipe seems like the normal, kinda having fun one! Scott McCaughey of the Minus 5 is still part of the live R.E.M. band, and he tried to bop around a bit, and Peter Buck certainly did a few good scissor kicks, but Mike Mills seemed to be having tech problems or not having a very good time and granted, SXSW crowds tend to be a little tough so as a band that energy needs to be brought forth - you can't rely on the crowd to help you get into it. Partly because it's a lot of jaded industry types in the crowd, but also because if you're not an entertaining band, there's 1500+ other ones who folks will be glad to give a chance right around the corner...So overall, I give R.E.M.'s new songs very high marks (and high marks for playing so many of them, especially on a webcast show), but the setlist pacing was a little odd (I'm sure the webcast + the fact that we were in Texas had a lot to do with the political comments/songs). It just further added to the odd new band chemistry when Mills, Stipe and Buck gave the bow at the end of the encore, not including their 2 "extra" guys...maybe it's an ego thing...they don't want even a semi-flashy drummer to steal the spotlight away from the original 3 members. And McCaughey is at his best when he adds subtle keyboard flourishes rather than feedback-laden guitar parts (does "Fall on Me" really need 2 guitars?). Hey, it's my blog...listen to the webcast for yourself! Oh, and I noticed a lot of this stuff cuz I was up in about the 5th row on Mike's side, thanks in large part to getting there a couple hours early! So yes, it was very sweet to see such an amazing band at such a small (3,000) amazing place...I just wanted to give you a few of the dynamics I noticed from that vantage point that you may or may not be able to pick up on the webcast. Oh, and all the dudes on stage with hair have gray or really graying hair...maybe I was distracted by that and I don't know what I'm talking about!
And speaking of "take your greatest hits show and shove it," how about Van Morrison?! Great, great show at La Zona Rosa, which I don't think even holds 1,000 people. He is still in such great voice, and man, I forgot how well he can play the saxophone! He also played a mini-guitar (not a ukele or mandolin, just a small acoustic). But you could feel the crowd kind of looking around at each other when he let EACH member of his 9-member band (10, including Van) take a solo on the first song! It was pretty much one or 2 solos per song after that, thankfully, although it was a crackin' band for sure. No "Moondance" or "Into the Mystic" or "Brown Eyed Girl" or "Domino" or countless other favorites that would've blown the roof off the place...just kind of a steady simmer, leading up to a very boisterous finale of the song from one of his recent albums about drinking wine behind the store (I'm blanking on the title). And he lived up to his curmudgeonly reputation, berating someone for using their "moh-bile" phone during the show...joking (?) about how he was glad they were well into the set, since he had things to do that night out on the town. And like R.E.M., lo†s from a new cd that'll be out April 1st. Pretty awesome first Van Morrison show, all in all.
Oh, and I forgot to mention my camera battery was about to go out right before R.E.M. went on, otherwise I would've taken more pics/video. And when I found out the show was being webcast, I figured that would sound better anyway than my camera sound.
Other day party highlights - Shearwater and Liam Finn were excellent...how much does the Shout Out Louds singer look like Jason Schwartzman?? Played some sweet Family Guy pinball...got to say hey to my Someone Still Loves You Boris Yeltsin pals from Missouri and caught a couple of their day party songs on the way to Van the Man (W side of Congress Ave). Saw a couple good Jesca Hoop songs after Van. Raveonettes were good, but it is kind of formulaic i suppose...saw Ira from Yo La Tengo after the Why? set at Emo's, but after my J Mascis debacle, I didn't want to botch that one too, even though I'd just interviewed him a couple months ago in the Corner Lounge. I'll be seeing Yo La hopefully before My Morning Jacket late tonight...gotta go now and catch Lou Reed's keynote address in a couple hours! It seems like I just got home (I did as of 4am after a fair bit of walking to make up for all the luck i've had getting here and being here)....whew!
Wednesday, March 12, 2008
South By Southwest 08 Day One recap
Howdy from Tejas!
Seemed like it took forever to get here, but once downtown, it wasn't long before I felt right back at home (away from home)!
Flight left Dulles on time at 6pm (thanks Tad for the ride!), but my connecting flight in Chicago was delayed by about a half hour, so I didn't get to Austin til 11pm local time. A $25 cab ride later and I was outside Emo's, laptop and luggage in hand, and Liam Finn walks right by me as I'm trying to contact my friend Jeff with whom I'll be staying (he works at Emo's). I tell Liam he "rocks" as he walks by again, and he responds with a "cheers, mate!" He seemed surprised someone actually recognized him (he's Neil's son)...wish I could've come up with a better line (like, "say hi to Ed for me" - he's opening for Eddie Vedder's solo tour next month). Looking forward to seeing Liam live later in the week...
Turns out I'm at the wrong door to meet up with Jeff, and once I go into the Emo's Jr. side, I see him right away setting up The Blakes on stage...I knew Emo's had some cool bands playing (all for free) tonight, but I couldn't remember exactly who, so I was pleasantly surprised as they were one of the bands I was looking most forward to seeing. They were very good, energetic and rockin'...I can see why Iggy Pop is a big fan. Oh, and while they took their time setting up, I zipped over to the Emo's main room, where Portugal The Man was playing their somewhat generic brand of indie rock to a fairly large crowd. So that was technically the 1st band I saw tonight if you're keeping score at home...
Got a ride with Jeff's roommate Toni and her friend Dawn back to their side of town..on the way stopping off to say hey to more Austin/Missouri pals living/staying nearby. I've stayed with Pete & Lindsey my past couple of times down here, but Lindsey's recently moved so they don't have as much room to put people up this year...but Jeff & Toni came through for me and after meaning to post this about 6 hours ago, I fell asleep at the keyboard, so I'll stop for now in order to catch a bus that will take me to the conference center, but stay tuned all week...
videos are here - http://www.youtube.com/Swebgem
pics are here -http://picasaweb.google.com/jeffscorner/SouthBySouthwest08.
R.E.M. and Van Morrison are tonight!
Seemed like it took forever to get here, but once downtown, it wasn't long before I felt right back at home (away from home)!
Flight left Dulles on time at 6pm (thanks Tad for the ride!), but my connecting flight in Chicago was delayed by about a half hour, so I didn't get to Austin til 11pm local time. A $25 cab ride later and I was outside Emo's, laptop and luggage in hand, and Liam Finn walks right by me as I'm trying to contact my friend Jeff with whom I'll be staying (he works at Emo's). I tell Liam he "rocks" as he walks by again, and he responds with a "cheers, mate!" He seemed surprised someone actually recognized him (he's Neil's son)...wish I could've come up with a better line (like, "say hi to Ed for me" - he's opening for Eddie Vedder's solo tour next month). Looking forward to seeing Liam live later in the week...
Turns out I'm at the wrong door to meet up with Jeff, and once I go into the Emo's Jr. side, I see him right away setting up The Blakes on stage...I knew Emo's had some cool bands playing (all for free) tonight, but I couldn't remember exactly who, so I was pleasantly surprised as they were one of the bands I was looking most forward to seeing. They were very good, energetic and rockin'...I can see why Iggy Pop is a big fan. Oh, and while they took their time setting up, I zipped over to the Emo's main room, where Portugal The Man was playing their somewhat generic brand of indie rock to a fairly large crowd. So that was technically the 1st band I saw tonight if you're keeping score at home...
Got a ride with Jeff's roommate Toni and her friend Dawn back to their side of town..on the way stopping off to say hey to more Austin/Missouri pals living/staying nearby. I've stayed with Pete & Lindsey my past couple of times down here, but Lindsey's recently moved so they don't have as much room to put people up this year...but Jeff & Toni came through for me and after meaning to post this about 6 hours ago, I fell asleep at the keyboard, so I'll stop for now in order to catch a bus that will take me to the conference center, but stay tuned all week...
videos are here - http://www.youtube.com/Swebgem
pics are here -http://picasaweb.google.com/jeffscorner/SouthBySouthwest08.
R.E.M. and Van Morrison are tonight!
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