Vivisecting Media

Tales From SXSW – Day 1

Niki and I got up around 8am in the morning to get ready for the 3 hour drive down to Austin. After a quick bite to eat at this killer Mexican joint that made the best home-made tortillas, we got on 35 and headed to Austin. Once in town we stopped by the hotel to check in and I had this foreboding sense they would mess up our room buy giving us a King or some shit. I was 100% on and they only had a King room left. It ends up that SXSW had the hotel down for a lot more double/doubles then they really have. Luckily they had a spare roller-bed we could use.

After we dropped our crap off, we headed to Niki’s friend Dani’s place, picked her up and then headed downtown so that I could grab my badge. I had to wait in this long ass line to get the badge but it was organized well and it moved pretty quickly. The one thing that had me rolling with laughter on the inside while waiting in line was the sheer number of hipster haircuts. This place is hipster mecca and they all are heading here to see the bands.

Of course I can’t really say much since I was wearing a Threadless t-shirt and a knit hat and Niki has the whole indie drummer “I am so emo it hurts” look going so I am sure everyone was thinking the same about us (he actually isn’t emo we just like to joke about it).

After we grabbed the badge we headed off to the Industry Of Music day show at Tap Room Six on Colorado. There we saw Patty Hurst Shifter from Raleigh, NC and then Scott H. Biram who did a one man grit blues/rock set that was so over the top and good that I was floored and he totally won over the whole crowd.

After a few pints of local brew we grabbed a bite to eat at Noodelism where we chowed on the nitro noodles, be warned they have 3 chilies next to them for a reason. Super tasty but I think I lost all sensation in my lips. After getting some food in us it was time to head over to Stubb’s for the fucking killer Matador show.

Stubb’s is a BBQ joint that has an outdoor back area that can fit around 1000 people. You may recognize Stubb’s from your local supermarket where you can buy their sauce. Anyway, the sound system and stage was perfect for the size of the venue and Jennifer O’Conner was on when we got there. She is a blend of old Liz Phair and a hint of the Flaming Lips.

After Jennifer went one, Brightblack Morning Light came up. I was pretty disappointed with their set, it was way too mellow for the crowd and people were there to see a rocking show. The next in the line-up was the New Pornographers. I have wanted to see them play for a long time and they came out and laid down a non-stop jamming 40 min. set that just left you wanting more. The thing about SXSW is that the New Pornographers were an opening act that and that just amazes me!

Belle & Sebastian were next up on the stage and they played an hour and a half set. It was a packed house and the crowd was really into the whole set. Once the set was over a lot of the crowd started to bail. Niki and I were surprised at this since Mogwai was the final act. Mogwai came out on stage and just laid it all down. Unfortunately, one of the guitarist was having monitor issues but even with that the show was amazing. The shear sonic wall of melodic distortion and delay was the perfect way to end a line up like that.

At that point we had been standing on gravel for 6 hours and our feet were killing us. We headed back to the car and tried to find the ATX after party. The original location was closed (rumor of a police raid) but as we wandered back to the car we say they had just moved the party to a parking lot. We popped in to see what was going on with the free beer but the crowd was all slammed up trying to get to the kegs. It felt like a bad high school kegger in the woods and our hunger for food and sleep kicked in.

After stopping for some 3 am pancakes at Kirby Lane we finally came home and crashed. It’s about 12:30pm right now and we are cleaning up for the next round. We are going to the “I heart comix” day party, then we are going to see Morrissey and Goldfrapp.

And as Niki just commented… “What’cha doing suckas?!”