By the third week of March each year, followers of music news invariably grow tired of the seemingly endless stream of reports from a small but wonderful city in central Texas. That's because every writer, photog, flack and minion involved at all in the music industry retreats into a bubble of performances, drinks, food and sun. It's SXSW, as fun for revelers as it is tedious for those who stay away.
Sadly, this post is another twig on the mountain of posts, so we'll just keep this very short, and very sweet. Our (personal) foray this year lasted all of thirty hours. The quality of iPhone photos, as is commonly known, is often sketchy, so bear with these. Or not. Enjoy. Or not!
This is Sixth Street, the main drag of Austin. It's closed to vehicular traffic during SXSW. Recommended if you enjoy random encounters with sots and/or stepping in gum that's been simmering, fondue-like, in the Texas sun.
Y'all, here's Stubb's BBQ. They have their own brand of BBQ sauce; perhaps you've seen it in your local Whole Foods, or Kroger, or Albertson's, or Piggly Wiggly? This restaurant-slash-outdoor-venue hosted Metallica on Friday night. You didn't get in. Purchase a bottle of sauce and then listen to Creeping Death at a loud volume to approximate the experience.
How many examples of egregious product placement can you spot in this photo? I see seventeen. Whoa, make that eighteen. Actually, nineteen. Wait...
Walking down the street, one encounters random performances such as this one. Who are these people? Who knows! The guy standing at the bottom of this contraption was no help. You can't find good help these days. :-(
One of the peculiarities of SXSW is seeing bands perform way outside of their normal comfort zone. Here are New York dream-poppers Au Revoire Simone, keeping it real by playing a late night set at a rowdy whiskey bar. Not pictured: enormous bar tabs of all audience members.
Each year, SXSW is increasingly about the daytime parties. There is generally free food and drink. I had an acquaintance approach me at this party. I said "Hey - how are you?" He replied, "Is there free food here?" People are savages. Here, New York's excellent Harlem Shakes play a set heavy with tunes from their upcoming album Technicolor Health. You should listen.
And so ends this brief look back at SXSW 2009. To recap, this year's highlights included looking at the place that Metallica was set to play, but from the outside, six hours before; dodging tipsy revelers; pondering the identities of random performers; pondering one's own existence; pondering where to find a bathroom. And, yes, planning next year's trip.
Sadly, this post is another twig on the mountain of posts, so we'll just keep this very short, and very sweet. Our (personal) foray this year lasted all of thirty hours. The quality of iPhone photos, as is commonly known, is often sketchy, so bear with these. Or not. Enjoy. Or not!
This is Sixth Street, the main drag of Austin. It's closed to vehicular traffic during SXSW. Recommended if you enjoy random encounters with sots and/or stepping in gum that's been simmering, fondue-like, in the Texas sun.Y'all, here's Stubb's BBQ. They have their own brand of BBQ sauce; perhaps you've seen it in your local Whole Foods, or Kroger, or Albertson's, or Piggly Wiggly? This restaurant-slash-outdoor-venue hosted Metallica on Friday night. You didn't get in. Purchase a bottle of sauce and then listen to Creeping Death at a loud volume to approximate the experience.How many examples of egregious product placement can you spot in this photo? I see seventeen. Whoa, make that eighteen. Actually, nineteen. Wait...Walking down the street, one encounters random performances such as this one. Who are these people? Who knows! The guy standing at the bottom of this contraption was no help. You can't find good help these days. :-(One of the peculiarities of SXSW is seeing bands perform way outside of their normal comfort zone. Here are New York dream-poppers Au Revoire Simone, keeping it real by playing a late night set at a rowdy whiskey bar. Not pictured: enormous bar tabs of all audience members.Each year, SXSW is increasingly about the daytime parties. There is generally free food and drink. I had an acquaintance approach me at this party. I said "Hey - how are you?" He replied, "Is there free food here?" People are savages. Here, New York's excellent Harlem Shakes play a set heavy with tunes from their upcoming album Technicolor Health. You should listen.And so ends this brief look back at SXSW 2009. To recap, this year's highlights included looking at the place that Metallica was set to play, but from the outside, six hours before; dodging tipsy revelers; pondering the identities of random performers; pondering one's own existence; pondering where to find a bathroom. And, yes, planning next year's trip.