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S.A.M.B.E. SXSW Nightly (Almost) Reviews & Updates
March 12, 2009 Volume 12, issue 1
San Antonio Music Business Expo -- P.O. Box 201090 -- San Antonio, Texas 78220
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Published every Thursday providing FREE calendar listings for bands, live music clubs, concerts and music related events.

SXSW 2009 Film Screenings
03/13, 03/14, 03/15, 03/16, 03/17, 03/18, 03/19, 03/20, 03/21

SXSW 2009 Music Festival Schedule
Wednesday 03/18 <•> Thursday 03/19 <•> Friday 03/20 <•> Saturday 03/21 <•> Sunday 03/22

SXSW 2009 Venue & Hotel Maps

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S.A.M.B.E. Quik-Piks
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Friday March 13
Arrive In Austin about 4:00pm
Only came up to register – ended up staying. The folks at this hotel are THE GREATEST. Friendly, courteous, and treat guests as friends not as customers. Cool!
Checked SXSW Reg, line. It stretched clear down to San Antonio (Trinity St, Entrance) at 4:30. Expected a LONG wait. Went back to the room and set-up. About 6:00pm I went back to the CC and found NO LINE!!!!! Either the attendance is down, hope not, people are afraid of a little cold weather and rain, not likely, OR, these SXSW folks have got their SHIT TOGETHER. The line was moving so fast it was difficult to check out the view or the babes and babettes.

Totally unprepared for a cold drizzly Friday night. Walked a little up and down 6th. Was blown away by Eric Tessmer. If you want to see a guitar bleed, then check this guy out. He was at Friends on 6th. I caught him warming up around 7:30pm and came back around 10:00pm when he was cookin’ with the band.

Stoney’s (the red truck on Red River & 6th) still has the best thin crust pizza I have had in long time. At least a year. Ironic, cold rainy weather and New York style thin crust pizza. Yummy!

Well, so much for this update. Check with you later. 2009/03/13 23:49hrs

Saturday March 14
Well, Friday the 13th came and went and I survived. What a buzz. Returned the rental to Avis this morning. A nice leisurely drive into the unknown! Get lost! What do you think? Fascinating thing happened. I was getting ready to walk out into the abyss and asked if anyone knew which bus heads towards downtown Austin. Hmmm! Well, there was a customer renting a car and he said if I could wait he would be willing to give me a ride "to where ever you need to go". "How about New York" I replied. He said sure, "where ever you need to go". He was right when he said, sometimes we just need to slow down and smell the roses and "look at the roses, you never know what you are missing if you don't". Mark is one great human being in this chaotic world we live in. He not only stops to smell the roses but really appreciates the beauty they possess. Thanks for the ride Mark and have a safe trip to Indiana. 2009/03/14 1130hrs.

OK folks, I have been attending SXSW for at least a day and a half (cosmically speaking) and have not seen anything that excited my thought process as much as ooVoo has. Web-site: http://www.ooVoo.com Okay! Maybe Twitter 2 years ago. So what is ooVoo you ask? A new kind of internet magic! Well sort of. If it lives up to the hype I was given I will be using ooVoo very soon. In my other life I have been dealing with customers and vendors from around the globe. Long distance phone calls, downloading .doc and .xls.files, jpgs and pdfs are time consuming and tedious. ooVoo may be a god send or a devil in disguise. I will let you know. Thank you Sherry and the gentlemen whose name I forgot. Old age and gray hairs have a tendency to accelerate forgetfulness. 2009/03/14 1632hrs

Either SXSW employs evil geniuses, complete incompetents or are holding the secret patent on a teleportation device trying to drive up demand. A more reasonable explaination is that SXSW is getting BIGGER. When you have compatible panels in TWO different BUILDINGS not two different rooms it tends to make one wonder. Another explanation is that they want everyone to get off their ass and exercise more. Nah, not likely. In any case this thing that started, in retrospect, as a tiny music festival has become a behemoth. What is in store for the future only the future knows. What ever it is, there will always be the music. And don’t you forget it. 2009/03/14 1648hrs

Politics, Technology and Pop Culture
It is fascinating listening to a Gen Y person claim a division between generations. The division is not due to age but to the indoctrination of an ideology.

Politics is not driven by technology as a panelist implied. Politics is driven by the lust for money and power. Money does not necessarily bestow political power nor political power bestow money. But when married together it is possible to have things happen that can be beneficial to society as a whole or a total disaster.

The important question should be how technology is incorporated into the political discourse.

Jim Forat still has a large voice in any setting.

The claim that there is a problem with journalism is false. There is a problem with people who claim to be journalists. A journalist is classically defined as an in-depth investigative writer / reporter. Most of the talking heads of today, regardless of their platform, are more theater performers than journalists.

It was a fascinating question that was left unanswered. The politics of any generation are distinctly personal.

Psych Fest 2 Fri~Sun 2009/03/13~15 Radio Room on 6th
1945hrs. Just like during the music segment of SXSW, you never know what kind of music you may stumble upon. I was slow walking on Trinity when my ear caught a familiar sound. Something to check out? I don’t know the name of the band but it sure was interesting! Homogenized corporate rock NOT. It took me back to the last century. Wow, it feels weird saying that. This is an event that should not be missed..

What was is what is, what is old is new and history repeats itself with a similar sound but a different tone. Music lovers are wanting something more than the ‘corporate driven force fed stuff’ that is called music. Thank you Linda for reintroducing me to myself.

Part 2
Approx. 1030hrs. Distortion rules at Psych Fest 2. The band (Woodshjips) sounds like retro-acid on steroids. Pink Floyd without the Floyd.
The way music is homoginzed today i.e.: The Jonas Bros., Miley, Britney, Beyonce etc., is the reason the music industry is in such a sad condition. Woodshjips doesn’t stand a chance challenging this corporate monolith. We are not talking a niche market here. We are talking RISK market. If you live on the edge, want to live on the edge or are ON the edge, this is the music for you. This is growth music. It has a beginning, an end and light years in between. Woodshjips play what they are.

1150hrs. Finally something good from Microsoft!!! Free Stone’s Pizza. 2009/03/14 0405hrs

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Sunday March 15

Tip & Tricks! – Adobe Rules!!!

1730hrs. OK folks. Sometimes you blow it just because you do. Last night, Sat. 2009/03/14, after Woodshjips played, a band took the stage that thought they just had their van towed. Bummer! I hung out for the first songs(?) and became very bored. OK, enough of this I thought, Microsoft is giving away FREE Stoney’s pizza. If you have been paying attention, I should not have to explain further on that subject. Time for some free chow.

As it tuned out, the band, Dead Meadow, ‘did not have their van towed’. They were on a “buzz” and forgot they moved it. Been there done that! According to Jesse, the back door manager at the Radio Room, the band started to cook after I left and soon went into hyper-drive. They “wowed the crowd and had everyone pumping”. I missed something I should not have missed simply because I mistook a “wow! I just had my van towed” attitude for the lack of talent. Stupid Me.

As I was discussing last nights goings on with Jesse, The Upsidedown was doing their thing on stage and ‘their thing’ it was. Morisson without Jim, the Doors without a frame. Unfortunately I only heard a little of what they could do. Visit their Web-site: http://www.myspace.com/theupsidedown for more info.

Editorial: Who ever put this ‘fest’ together may be tapping the primal roots of modern music. Bringing the music back to the fans and out of the market manipulators (Labels) hands. Would any of the bands playing at the fest make it as a SXSW showcase? Not likely! SXSW is still about music but it has become more of a marketing vehicle than a music festival. 1925hrs 2009/03/15

Do you need a fix of growlin’ female blues? You have to check out Erin Jaimes the first chance you get. Web-site: http://www.erinjaimes.com From a block and a half away I could feel this impassioned bass player belt out her soul. It pulled me in like a moth to a flame. Her sax player was so hot I could smell the reeds smokin’. EJ has two CDs out ‘You Had To Go’ w/John McVey & The Stumble (2003) and ‘Erin James – Soul Garden’.

Now I am in search of food. My mind has acquired knowledge by Adobe and musically nourished by Psych Fest, my soul infected by Erin James and now my body requires sustenance. I have been surviving on Rye chips, pizza, milk and the great scones from The Hideout. I do not count that thing I got at the Pita joint. Ugh! This is going to take a while and as always I will ramble. Walk past the Pita place holding my nose and walk into The Hideout. No veggie food there. Its all gone! Only Ham and Cheese etc. Oh well, there is always the scones. With scone in hand I start walking down Congress figuring to get another pizza. As I walk by this Japanese restaurant my stomach kind of makes this growling sound. What the hell! It can’t be as bad as Taco Bell. I walk into the place and am greeted by a somewhat typical fast food appearance. The lone exception be soothing classical music being played in the back ground. There are two people sitting down enjoying their meal. It is important to note that it is 10:30 on a Sunday night and the two customers just happen to be SXSW staff members. I ask about the food and am answered with mouthfuls of “great food”. Ah, what the hell, it can’t be as bad as that pita. I place my order with KC who informs me they are closing soon. “Just put it in a take-out container and kick me out when you are ready to close.” I did order the Teriyaki Bowl.

Noodleism rest in peace! I have found a new place to eat, Wiki Wiki Teriyaki 609 Congress. I must have walked past this place dozens of times in the last four years since it opened and have always been curious. I have been looking for an establishment that provided great value and good quality. This is the place. A healthy portion of great tasting food. I was half way through the rice and steamed broccoli which by the way, tasted like broccoli, not something that has been dredged through boiling water, when KC said it is time to go. OK!

As I was leaving we started discussing the food and how it was prepared. It ends up that KC does not use salt in their food. The flavors are all naturally derived from homemade Teriyaki sauce. He also is an advocate of MSG free food and a practitioner of healthy living through good food practices. There are two locations for Wiki Wiki Teriyaki. One is at 609 Congress and the second is at 10000 Research Blvd. Suite #139. Visit Web-site: http://www.wikiwikiteriyaki.com Will I be going back to Wiki Wiki Teriyaki? You can bet the farm on it. Time to go for another walk. 2335hrs 2009/03/15

0010hrs. Shades of Stepping Wolf with a dash of Flock and you have A Place To Bury Strangers. Another tasty band at Psych Fest 2. 2009/03/16 0245hrs

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Monday March 16

Bruce Sterling!
OK! Bruce is now a resident of two continents and several countries. His relevance to the world, as it is, was and will be, has even more currency. When his world view was espoused at his long gone Austin house parties or on the printed page of the ‘you name the publication’ a certain Austinite attitude prevailed. Should the world, Texas, Hell! should humanity pay attention to his whacked out philosophy and projections? Humanity could do much worse! 2009/03/15 1816hrs

Plutopia at the Palmer Center was a microcosm of what makes Austin such a great city to live in. Strange behavior only to those who have never or will never experience the exhaltation of being human. 2009/03/17 0010hrs

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Tuesday March 17

Tried the Platinum Track. It had a Guthy-Renker feel to it! Maybe it is the first year rough-out. Only time will tell.

Walking down 6th and heard this loud sound coming from the British Embassy. Those Brits are not afraid to mix it up. Caught about 5 minutes of Electric City before the ‘feed me’ alert went off. Time for some Wiki Wiki. 2009/03/171840hrs

One more thing about Wiki Wiki Teriyaki. If you are in a hurry this might not be the place for you. The food is prepared and provided to you rather quickly but as soon as you take that first bite the whole world slows down. I am a bite and swallow eater. One bite, one chew and swallow. That is not possible here. Each morsel explodes with flavor as soon as you bite into it. Each chew brought out more flavor. I almost forgot to swallow. The noodles were firm and chewy and the steamed vegetables were just crunchy enough. So if you are figuring on getting a quick bite of excellent Japanese style food before the show, you better order it to go. 2009/03/17 1740hrs

Walking back to the hotel I heard the harking of an angel coming from the British Embassy. Well, the angel tuned out to be angels. I stood outside the Embassy and only saw one young lady singing. I thought, ‘wow’ somebody sure knows how to tune a harmonizer. Thats when the projector flashed the name Webb Sisters on the wall. If it was not for the hat, I would not have noticed the second sister hidden by the SRO crowd. The line going in was 20 deep. • As I stood there enjoying some great harmony singing, a band member from Finn stepped out of the tour bus. He was the gentleman who told me the name of the first band when I stopped by earlier. Gary explained that the venue where they were supposed to play was closed by the Fire Marshals. Never fear, Finn will be playing in the Embassy Wednesday night. 2009/03/17 1850hrs

Now on to the adventure I have been waiting for all day, Saint Misbehavin’: The Wavy Gravy Movie. If you think you know the history of the Gaslight in New York or the Hog Farms participation at Woodstock 69’ or even about what the term “hippie” means, then you really need to see this film. I could gush on all of the good things that came about because of the sixties sub-culture or harp on all the bad things that happened during the same time period. That is not what this movie is about. It is about how one individual who knew who he was and was surrounded by people that also knew themselves and made huge contributions to humankind. Without considering the “bottom line”. Will the world learn from this movie. I hope so. Did it have an effect on me and cause me to reflect on the way I deal with life? Absolutely!! See this movie. If for no other reason than to find out who you are. Please visit Web-site: http://www.seva.org and Web-site: http://www.campwinnarainbow.org. Have a safe life. 2009/03/18 0255hrs

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Wednesday March 18

Crash Course #1: Recording
This panel should have been on EVERY artists ‘must attend’ events list. Unfortunately it wasn’t! About a 2/3 capacity room heard some of the most insightful and poignant information every artist should be aware of. Why the low attendance? In my experience with artists it is “I already know that stuff” or “why do I need to know that?” or just ordinary timidness of not wanting to admit that they may not know something. The pros and cons of digital as compared to analog were discussed with the consensus that the argument is now dead. Each format has its advantages and knowing the limitations of the recording environment and set-up should be the determining factor. The most important thing mentioned was “it is the song and the personality” of the artist. All the gear in the world cannot write or sell a good song or sell it when it is performed. That is still up to the artist. 2009/03/18 1425hrs

Girl In A Coma -1:00pm @ SXSW SESAC Day Stage - ACC
The girls are true to form. Some great songs from the SESAC stage.
Looking forward to Girl In A Coma -10:30pm @ SXSW Maggie Mae’s 323 E. 6th 2009/03/18 1435hrs

The Loudness Wars!
Pity the poor fool who thinks their iPod or whatever MP3 player they’re listening too, sounds great. Dynamic Range is what gives music character. Compress the shit out of it to make it a smaller digital file or to make it sound louder totally destroys the original sound. Bob Ludwig may not be the most captive speaker but he does know what he is talking about. Bruce Springsteen, GNR ‘Chinese Democracy’, and many others have been mastered by him to make them sound GREAT not LOUD. Is there a place for waveform compression to increase the overall ‘loudness’ of a given piece? It all depends in what you are sonically trying to create. It is either going to be good or it is going to be loud. Pick your poison. Ultimately the listener / purchaser will make that decision. 2009/03/18 1745hrs

FREE Food! Canadian Blast
I have been doing the Wiki tour as of late but not tonight. Great pickles, slaw and other veggies to consume. For you carnivores there was also, from what I kept hearing, great BBQ brisket and chicken. Yumm!!! Of course that was only the appetizer. The main course was Mother Mother from BC. This 5 unit outfit from the north country knows what they want to do. They want to make music and rock your ass off. And they did! It reminded me of someone but that is a good thing. Familiarity can be a comforting. They are now on the S.A.M.B.E. Quik-Piks list. Check them out at the SXSW Habana Calle 6 Patio at 0100hrs. 2009/03/18 1745hrs

Nice Switch! Waz at the One 2 One HAMM Benefit has some film ready stuff that sets the plot and tells the story. 2009/03/18 1930hrs

Pink Nasty on the other hand was a boring drone! 1.5 songs and I was dozing. 2009/03/18 2020hrs

Headed out to try and catch Hacienda at Headhunters. By the time I got their they were checking out. It must have been a great show. The place was SRO and people were being turned away. I really blew that one. 2009/03/18 2030hrs.

This is when I stumbled upon the 10th Annual Texas Rockfest with 2 FREE stages corner of Neches & 7th, more stages on Trinity and Multiple FREE Clubs on 6th Downtown Austin. Also need to mention the Red Gorilla Music Fest @ Multiple FREE Clubs on 6th Downtown Austin 2009/03/18 2130hrs.

Caught Girl In A Coma -10:30pm @ SXSW Maggie Mae’s. The girls were in excellent form. They presented several new songs and had the place bopping in place. New album due in June. 2009/03/18 2230hrs.

Sofia Talvik - 11:00pm @ SXSW The Ale House 310 E. 6th (Alley Entrance) was everything I expected and more. Her songs were crafted as stories of family. The respect and love for those who should be closest to you and the longing for love as a personal quest. Four albums in Sweden and one in the works when she gets to California later this year. 2009/03/18 2315hrs.

My ear then became my guide. It directed me to the Beauty Bar Backyard just down the alleyway from the Ale House. A mesmerizing sound was drifting from inside the tent that enclosed the backyard. A rhythmic beat from the drum, bead shakers accompanying a gently rattled tambourine and a gently picked acoustic guitar. I shut my eyes and I could see the music. I was tripping without doing drugs. A calm and serene feeling overcame me and then just as gently as it began it ended. Wow!! One thing I began to realize is that clubs have found a way around the smoking ban in Austin. Just put up a tent and call it a covered patio/backyard. I had to book. The music kept resonating in my head and I had to find out if it was in a fixed medium. I finally found Tara Jane O’Neil, the young lady who put me in a musical trance. She was unwrapping some Book/CD’s and of course I had to get one. I went outside for some air and started leafing through the book. This was not an ordinary book by no means. It turns out that Tara is also and artist and a poet. Go Figure! I now have possession of an autographed copy of ‘wings. strings. meridians. a blighted bestiary. Thank You Tara. 2009/03/18 2130hrs.

My guide has taken over again and I end up back at the Ale House. What has a stand-up bass, 2 guitars and a mandolin? Hoots & Hellmouth. These guys know how to make music. It was fascinating watching them use the two plywood platforms as the percussion accompaniment. They give foot stomping music a new meaning. If you are attending SXSW you can catch them on the @ SXSW SESAC Day Stage - ACC at 2:30pm on Friday, March 20. 2009/03/19 0330hrs.

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Thursday March 19

Gallon of milk in hand (low fat) I head back to the room. As I walk by the One 2 One on 5th I start looking for the band list. “Hey dude, they really have a good line-up tonight” I am told. This young man and I start talking and low and behold, it is his band that is playing. Talk about shameless self promotion. That is what it takes in the music industry today. Forget the traditional label concept. Music is becoming organic. It lives and breathes on its own. Unless of course you are selling Tobacco or Booze. We hit on the subject of what SXSW is all about. It is essentially a marketing tool that provides big money interests an avenue to a young, in my case not so young, audience. Is music and raw talent still the inspiration for this event? I believe it is. It has just been smothered by the desire to increase the bottom line. Even with all of my perceived negatives about SXSW, it is still a great place to hear music, network and learn. Oh yea! The band playing at the One 2 One (8:00pm) tonight is The Will Evans Project. Bluesy, jazzy rock! Could be an interesting evening! 2009/03/19 1315hrs

Finally made it into the Sounds From Spain tent. As expected, there was great food and great music. Caught some great sounds from Nacho Vegas. One thing about the Sounds From Spain. You will never be disappointed. Next up was Underwater Tea Party. I missed their showcase but no regrets. I did hear some great stuff. Definitely check these guys out if they are in you area or check out their download on their SXSW schedule.

Headed for Mother Eagans to catch The Belleville Outfit and noticed the BOA ATM had a line as long as some of the clubs.

On the way to Mother’s I walked by The Belmont on 6th and caught a taste of Chris Pierce. He will be doing a showcase at SXSW @ The Ale House 310 E. 6th (Alley Entrance) on Friday, March 20, at midnight. 2009/03/19 2035hrs

Waiting for The Belleville Outfit to kick this party into high gear. Have noticed the volume wars have begun and things seem more chaotic on the “street”. Bikers careening between pedestrian, dogs begging for tips. Things are so creatively chaotic that even showcase artist are performing on the street. There is even an acoustic piano player working the street. Many moons ago when I summered in New Orleans, it would not be uncommon to see an acoustic upright down the street to Jackson Sq. Well, the piano on 6th was not a traditional upright, but it was still a piano in a road case. Not bad stuff for SXSW. 2009/03/19 2050hrs

The Belleville Outfit is so scorching hot they make the star Sol seem like the planet Pluto. The only thing that marred an outstanding performance was the stench of cigarette smoke. Even in an “outdoor patio” it was nasty. I think I figured out how the clubs got around the smoking ban. Put up a tent and call it a ‘covered patio’. 2009/03/19 2140hrs

SXSW Esther’s Follies 525 E. 6th is a rip roaring hoot. Grabbed a top row seat and caught the last few songs from Sgt. Dunbar & The Hobo Banned. These guys and gals are more than musicians and entertainers. They are purveyors of good living through music. And they have fun doing it.

The space ship has landed and the The She Creatures have disembarked. Damn, I forgot my tinfoil hat. These “ladies” walk the walk and talk the talk. They played a cover of “Fever” like you will never hear, unless of course you’re at one of their gigs. On an entertainment scale of 1 to 10 I give them an 11. 2009/03/20 2350hrs

The Embassy was a far cry from the listening room I am now in. Bedford.com has brought the Webb Sisters to a special place for a special time. When they played the Embassy their vocals cut through the street noise like a hot knife through butter. The quality of the performance was superb. Charley bought a mandolin in California and named it Henry Snow. She even taught Henry how to sing. The closing number was a piece that they performed with Leonard Cohen. The line ‘if it be your will’ struck me like a bat upside the head. I referred to the young ladies voices as that of angels on Tuesday, knowing nothing of their back ground. Spooky! They were even called back for and performed an encore which was appreciated by the SRO crowd. 2009/03/20 0050hrs

Oh Yea, I did catch a piece of The Will Evans Project. Tasty. 2009/03/20 0445hrs

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Friday March 20

I walked into the Slaughtering Sacred Cows panel expecting a “butcher shop” but it in effect was a massage parlor. Leave it to Jim Forat to raise the bar. Mediocrity is not his style. When does critical presentation turn into a ‘hate fest’ and are there still ‘critical reviews’ or ‘critical stories’? We are not talking brain food here! Just a writers opinion of what they feel is good, bad and what might be improved upon. Fields and Marsh had great jousting matches with Uleski and Powers filling in the gaps. There was also an online writer to make the connection to the current state of music reporting. His assertion that blogs and web-zines can be opinion makers raised a few hackles with Marsh. All in all this was a great panel. Input from Jim Ward and other established writers, pundits and your discription here made this a fun experience. 2009/03/20 1505hrs

You can liken SXSW ‘09 to Woodstock ‘69’ on several levels. Wavy Gravy, Michael Lang and other folks involved with that iconic event are here. There is even a panel on Woodstock. Except for the asphalt and the dispersing effect of having SXSW in a downtown setting, the comaraderie is ‘seemingly’ apparent. As compared to previous ‘tightly controlled’ SXSW events, there are more ‘independent’ event / festivals going on. Maybe it has to do with the focus on Woodstock or maybe JUST maybe there is a sea change happening in the corporate mind of SXSW. Then again, if history is any guide, it just may be a new marketing tactic. 2009/03/20 1450hrs waiting for The Wet Secrets at Headhunters.

Sometimes you miss one thing while looking for another. Apparently that was the case with Luke Doucet And The White Falcons. They did a showcase at Esther’s at midnight on Thursday (SXSW Esther’s Follies). The gods of good music had mercy on me. I was given another opportunity today. The Headhunters (720 Red River Street) day show was running late and as I stood against the fence, this cool, jazzy, folksy, bluesy sound kept assaulting my ears. Well, not exactly assaulting, just unrelenting. Their groove cut its way into my aural nerve center. I gave it up and entered the smoky den in which they were performing. No disappointment here. These guys are from Canada so you better catch them while you can or better yet, support them and buy their CD ‘Bloods Too Rich’. 2009/03/20 15000hrs waiting for The Wet Secrets at Headhunters.

$100 was more of a distraction and provided the opportunity to get a pizza.

Finally, The Wet Secrets. How often do you get to hear a Bone and a Bb Trumpet married to a moog? Not often. When you see marching band uniforms you expect to see a marching band. Unless you have The Wet Secrets on your stage. Is their music unique and exceptional, not really, but it is entertaining, With two towering Amazons in band uniforms thoroughly dominating the stage the name Wet Secrets makes sense and if you don’t like it “Grow Your Own Fucking Mustache”. The beginning of this story was initiated at Esther’s last night at The She Creatures show which was one of only two shows I have seen from mike on to mike off, the Webb Sisters being the other show. Of course Esther’s is a dark cave and as I was getting ready to book I realized the people sitting next to me were wearing Band Uniforms. What the hell I thought, is this the new gimmick for bands. As it was explained to me, the band members are all former BAND members. Ironic isn’t it. 2009/03/20 15550hrs

Metallica is apparently still huge. News vans, satellite links, thousands waiting for 2100 spaces to see the show. Whose idea was this? Die hard metal fans all over the place 2009/03/20 1930hrs

Bored flacid as I wander through the musical jungle that Austin has become. 2009/03/20 2000hrs

Drifting down to the Saustex Showcase at the Habana changed everything. The Krayolas & The West Side Horns - 9:00pm @ SXSW Habana Bar 708 E. 6th are on stage. They are bringing a taste, no, a complete seven course meal of South Texas rock n’ roll to the “live music capital” of Texas. They had a special walk on guest that blew everyone away with his squeezebox. Their new CD ‘long leaf pine’ contains some great tunes. If you have never heard a great corrido you will be in for a treat with “Twelve Heads In Bag” or find out where they are performing and ask for “La Conquistadora”. You will not be disappointed.

A set change gave me the opportunity to change shirts. DO NOT WALK UNDER THE TREES on 6th. Crackles! Nuff said.

Next up was Mitch Webb & The Swindles featuring Odie on bass. Mitch and company have been playing the South Texas circuit for years and always deliver the goods.

During the set change to De Los Muertos I wandered up to see Melissa Auf der Maur @ SXSW El Sol y La Luna 600 E. 6th. This diminutive young lady can punk and play kick ass bass with the best of them or turn intellectual and dazzle with philosophical outpouring. Can M be considered a metal maven. Absolutely!

Got back in time to catch De Los Muertos (Web-site: http://www.myspace.com/delosmuertos01) warming up. Wow! Wow! Wow! How can I have been in San Antonio and never heard how amazing this band is. Paul “The Captain” has this not quite baritone voice that will not quit. His ability to craft images with words lends one to believe he was scripting a movie, not writing songs. I expect to be hearing an seeing more De Los Muertos.

Set change. One of the cool things about the Habana complex is that there are four shows going on at roughly the same time and they don’t intrude on each other. You walk outside to the backyard, across the street to the lower level or down by the creek on the patio. What did catch my ear was Jason Isbell & the 400 Unit in the backyard. This 8 piece included a bone, a sax and a trumpet that fattened the sound into mesmerizing whole.

Now who would ever expect a pinata protest. It turns out that Pinata Protest was not some subversive group out to save pinatas but a bunch of folks that throw down some punk/conjunto/polka and get you off your ass and onto your feet. If you need a jolt of reality in your life Pinata Protest will charge you up.

How to describe Boxcar Satan? Dark forboding Goth like the name implies, nope! Heavy Metal, nope! How about jazzy punk rock n’ roll with a twist of the blues. Boxcar Satan is a complete train set in a 3 piece package. It is kind of shocking, at least to me, to see “western wear” uniforms on such an “unwestern” band. Enjoy.

What did we learn tonight? We were taught that even though Austin claims the title of “live music capital”, there is more talent in Texas than Austinites want to admit. We may not have the quantity of music in San Antonio but we sure do have the talent. Maybe even more! We just keep it to ourselves. 2009/03/21 0500hrs

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Saturday March 21

WOW! Cruiserweight was rockin’ the Beauty Bar. It is fascinating watching these guys perform. The crowd knows the lyrics as well as the band. Go with Cruiserweight. 2009/03/21 14200hrs

If you have been following anything I have written by now you may have noticed a trend. Yes, I do some research on specific artists but by and large I let my ear be my guide. The drill, as usual, collected a bunch of stuff that needs to be off loaded and all of a sudden over the sound of the traffic, I hear Janis Joplin. Wait a minute! Just because Metallica is at SXSW doesn’t mean they can raise the dead. As it turned out it was Wallis Bird. This is one smokin’ vocalist / guitar player that will cook you on the spot, brought to you by the Reeperbahn Festival at Habana Calle 6 Patio. The festival is held in Germany and unlike most other festivals is completely free to the public. Visit Web-site: http://www.reeperbahnfestival.com for more info and artist applications. Oh yea, Wallis, From smoky lounge style ballads to an in your face jazzy blues, this young lady from Ireland is really hot. It doesn’t hurt that she is really hot also. If she doesn’t melt your soul she will melt your eyeballs. You can still catch on the SXSW SESAC Day Stage - ACC at 5:00pm or at SXSW Habana Calle 6 Patio 709 E. 6th. at midnight. 2009/03/21 15200hrs

What do you get when you marry Yes to Megadeath to Metallica? A Good Rogering! 2009/03/21 15400hrs

If the 10th Annual Texas Rockfest is about anything it is about fun. Almost every band that I saw was having FUN! They were not selling anything, sure they wanted to get noticed and had merch, but more important was the music and just havin’ a Rockin’ Fun Time’. One of the bands I saw today was Simplistic Urge from Chicago. It just goes to show how far musicians are willing to travel just to have fun in front of a responsive audience. 2009/03/21 16200hrs

There seems to be a disconnect between the schedule and performance times at the Ale House. All is good though. The chance to wander always has its own benefits. 2009/03/21 2000hrs

Return to the Ale House in time to catch the last few songs of Rachel Goodrich. Terra is on deck.

Terra Naomi apparently has touched a lot of people with her You Tube videos. An interesting development, as the crowd swells in anticipation of her performance. Word of mouth is a good thing. Terra has a Dolly Partenesque range and quality that is quite evident in her songs. Her sound has more emotional impact performed live than when heard through a computer set-up. Her lyrics create an emotional bonding with the song and have a tendency to bring a tear to your eye. Of course the folks in the audience want to hear Say It’s Possible. When she strikes the first chord everyone surged forward. What looked like a packed house is now compressed into a 3/4 house. Bonding? There are several versions of Say It’s Possible, but my favorite is still the original raw acoustic version with the runners up being the ones with the paper signs held by people who believe. Will Terra ever make it to number 1 on Billboards Corporate Top 100 list. Not likely, but she will always be number one with those who Say It’s Possible. 2009/03/21 2055hrs

Hair is not out of fashion it just has a more exclusive following. Long Hair bands, not the bouffant posers, but the real hair bands dominate the 10th Annual Texas Rockfest. Mad Temple from LA put on one ‘kick your door down’ show. Loud and in your face. What Rock N’ Roll should be! The Rockfest is about Fun! I do not know how many times I have said it and don’t care. These bands give it their all in the true spirit of bringing the music to the people. 2009/03/21 2119hrs.

After two years I finally get to see Scotland Yard Gospel Choir. Yeah, Yeah, they have played all over Austin in the last few days but I do not have access to that “teleportation device” that SX is keeping under wraps. Fortunately for me Smokin’ Music was strictly a hook even though cigarettes were freely available. I DO NOT SMOKE! SMOKING KILLS! I was concerned that the ‘fog machines’ may be laced with a nicotine additive. Silly me, would the tobacco companies really do that? Getting back to SYGC, is what this is about. They did not disappoint and are even going to tour Europe, kick out with a new CD and more. If you need high energy good time party hardy music then you need SYGC.

Time to get bored again. It is amazing all the flavors of people that are cruising the ‘entertainment district’ of Austin. What used to be constrained to several clubs on 6th St. and Red River now extends to well over a hundred venues/restaurants/clubs extending into the ‘warehouse district’ and beyond. What has music done to Austin? Better yet, what has music done for Austin?

Wandering aimlessly as us old folks usually do, I drifted over to the Embassy. While I was hanging out and watching the slide show, not much musically happening, this phrase popped up. “Let’s push things forward” accompanied by “Viva la Revolucion”. Wow! Cool! What in the hell! According to the young, every body is young to old farts, lady at the door it is something coined by Darwin. This will require research at a later date. I did co-opt one of the posters. It shall grace my souvenier drawer or hell, maybe I will put it on the wall in my office.

While hanging out waiting for Wallis Bird to perform another one of those magical music moments happen. There is this beat, this rif, this energy, this not understandable lyric pulling me across the street. This is another one of those WOW moments. La Gusana Ciega from Mexico City is playing at the @ SXSW Habana Bar 708 E. 6th. Same story just a different language about boy loves girl, boy loses girl etc. etc. I know not one word of Spanish. I was standing there and asked this gentlemen if he liked the band. He said yes he did. He did a synopsis of the lyrics for me and continued to gush about the band. Then it struck me. He was with the band. What a hoot. So there I am jam and bopping to lyrics that I haven’t got a clue as to what they mean. But that is the point. Music transcends language barriers. The thread of rock n’ roll is spun like a spiders web around the planet. It is one of the rare infections that does more good for humankind than bad. Long live Rock N’ Roll.

Time for some lyrics I can understand or at least claim I do. Wallis Bird is all set up to go at SXSW Habana Calle 6 Patio 709 E. 6th. Shock Time!! When I saw Wallis earlier she did a solo acoustic act. Damn, now there is a bass, a drum kit and a multi instrumentalist. More Cool!! If Wallis was cookin’ solo she is going into orbit with this outfit. She didn’t quite reach that altitude but she sure did a sub-orbital burn. Wallis has an uncanny ability to work the room. She reaches out and grabs you by the ears and says ‘listen to me, I have something to say’. It is hard not to pay attention unless you are being chased about by cigarette smoke. That put a chill on the moment but even then Wallis brought me back to where I wanted to be. Wrapped in the lyrical world she crafts so well. What a hook! What chorus! What a bridge! With smatterings of modern scat, she deftly weaves in and out of story lines bringing it home to the crowd that has now become her friends, her family. 2009/03/22 0050hrs

The race is one! Dressy Bessy plugs in at 0100hrs. They are at Lambert’s not across the street. This is going to take some fast walking.

Just what I expected from Dressy Bessy. Pop-rock, happy-rock with sour ball overtones. Most of the folks at the show were 30 somethings maybe a little less. That may be due to the club though. Even still Dressy Bessy had the two dozen or so folks on their feet. Only the bar flies were sitting down. One of the opening bands was the 757s from Minn INSTANT UPDATE FIRE ALARM GOING OFF EVACUATE THE BUILDING!! 0445hrs. issota. As luck would have one of the band members was Jughead. Over 20 years ago I had a houseboat in Lacrosse, Wisconsin. I also worked for the harbor to help cover slip fees. Jughead, aka Jimmie Peterson was only 18 at the time. Now he is in a band playing at SXSW. Does anyone know how fast our world is shrinking? Considering that Lambert’s is on the outskirts of nowhere, there is a respectable turnout for both bands. Remember, it is Saturday night and there are over a 1000 bands playing throughout Austin. 2009/03/22 0548hrs.

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Sunday March 22
Good Morning Austin. It has been a great party. Saw some great shows, missed some great shows. Could it have been better? Of Course! I could have seen ALL THE GREAT SHOWS! I can dream or is that have a nightmare. Desert later today. The Softball Game. 2009/03/22 0548hrs. Actually caught this fuck up 2009/03/23 1648hrs. in San Antonio after the current day job!

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Monday March 23

Print Media over SXSW Minions
2009/03/23 1648hrs. In San Antonio

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SXSW 2008 ‘Almost Nightly’ Updates
SXSW 2007 ‘Almost Nightly’ Updates <> SXSW 2006 ‘Almost Nightly’ Updates
SXSW 2005 ‘Almost Nightly’ Updates <> SXSW 2004 (3/17-20)Updates

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