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Y’know, the SXSW is such a non-stop week of showcases, films, parties, and a great chance to catch up with hundreds of people from all over the place, that any attempt at documenting and relating the blur of activity would be somewhat compromising. Besides, every person’s experience is completely different, and who’s to say what’s worthwhile or not. That said, here are the SXSW highlights, as I tried to describe in an email to my friend Glenn in England upon my return. Bear in mind, in between all the madness accounted below there was a couple dozen other bands, lunches, dinners, meetings, and drinks, the details of which are too great to relate or too vague to remember. First night, Tuesday, flew into Austin and promptly hooked up with Mark and Cindy who run the Beachland Ballroom in Cleveland. Watched some clips that Cindy brought of her documentary in the works about legendary Ohio punk rockers, the Dead Boys. Then we all rushed off to see "Treasures of Long Gone John", a documentary about art collector, record company rip-off artist who runs Sympathy for the Record Industry, and his painter pals in LaLa Land, followed by a party at the Rat Fink headquarters gallery above the Continental Club. (Note to self: must remember to pace myself).
Thursday started early, hooked up with friends/clients Music Link Productions hired to videotape the Capitol party at La Zona Rosa, with sets by Roseanne Cash, Magic Numbers, Morningwood, and Sound Team. Had a great time. Raced over to the Waterloo in-store by the Go Team!, then back across town to catch a full set by Roky Erickson and the Explosives at the annual "ice cream social" at Threadgills. Hanging out with Peter Case, Cyril Jordan, Pete Buck, David Fricke, Scott McCaughey, etc. etc,. etc., all there drooling. Friday afternoon we had a major lunch, checked out another film festival screening of the Danielson Family documentary, and afterwards caught up with Cyril Jordan’s band, Magic Christian at Threadgill’s. Freddie Krc of the Explosives really did a great job of hooking up the boys all over town during the week. Finally settling in at the Continental Club night for Ponderosa Stomp night at the Continental with guests Archie Bell, Roy Head, Barbara Lynn, etc., plus got a chance to run by Jim Campilongo’s gig, and a newly modified lineup for Brian Jonestown Massacre which was just great.
Final night on Sunday, caught the taping of Austin City Limits show featuring the “New Orleans Social Club”, transplants Cyril, Ivan, Leo, George Porter, Raymond Weber, Henry Butler, backing up Irma Thomas, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux, John Boutte, Willie Tee and Marcia Ball. Followed by a torrential Texas downpour and the best steak dinner in a while. BS |
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Wednesday afternoon hung out at the IODA party and checked out Bay Area acts including Heavyweight Dub Champions and Oranger, plus two sets by Birdman Recording artist Dengue Fever (love that female Cambodian vocalist, and that Ethiopian sax). Wed night was mostly about the Austin Music Awards and the great closing set by Roky Erickson and the Explosives w/special guest Powell St. John. Also a chance to hook up with Austinite Papa Mali, who was there to pick up a lifetime achievement award for his former band the Killer Bees. From there we bolted back to 6th Street raced back to back sets by World Party and the Plimsouls, the Birdman party at the Deville to catch a Brian Glaze and Gris Gris. Ended up at the Echo and the Bunnymen show at a warehouse party at 3:00 am.
Then over to the Continental Club for the Bug Music party and a huge crawfish feed. Thursday night started with a long wait outside Antone’s to see former Buffalo Springfield and Poco member Richie Furay, bearing the long line in anticipation of a guest appearance by Neil Young. No Neil, but a great show that recalled the country rock days of my youth,…ahhhh, all those great songs. Caught a set by former Skratch Pikl video pal Mike Relm working his magic scratching the visual images of dvds like others do vinyl records; unfuckingbelieveable (see the review of his “Radio Fryer” mix cd in my queue). Then met up the lovely Sausalito based vocalist Heather Lauren fresh from the airport, and straight to Cedar Street to catch Ruthie Foster backed by Papa Mali and crew, and ending up at the Nickel Creek show at Stubbs,
