SXSW 2005 


Wednesday and Thursday 

The shows so far.
Wednesday
Anything but Prettier at the Dizzy Rooster. The band was so hot, they blew the breakers. Not once, but twice. But the picked the songs back up again just like dropping a needle. Good set, and the crowd loved 'em. (Also, the band had to sign waivers because of the MTV Real World cameras were there. I'm hoping the content was not some jaded hipster saying "Dood, this band suxors."
There was another MTV Real World sighting on the way to the next show - a camera crew was tracking the every movement of a young fellow eating a hot dog. I was surprised at my own reaction - I shouted "HEY, THAT DUDE'S EATING A HOT DOG!" I'm not sure why.
So we ended up on Red River looking to find something without planning, which is not a bad strategy at SXSW, especially on Wednesday night. We wandered into to Beerland to be washed in the pulsating punk stylings of The Winks - an all female punk quartet, who battled some of the sound system and the rowdy Beerland parishioners. There should be a building code standard that says punk bands should perform on a stage elevated high enough so the bass player can kick audience members in the head.

Thursday
I have not the slightest idea why, but I felt less than optimal Thursday morning. I dosed up on Tylenol and tap water, and headed to Red's Scoot Inn for the Scootenanny, which opened with Austin indie pop sensation the Casting Couch. After walking around the Scoot Inn to stave off waves of random nausea, the Casting Couch was just what the doctor ordered, perfect music for a beautiful day.

At 5 or so, we headed out to the Austin Museum of Art to see Jon Langford's "Executioner's Last Songs" described as a "multi-media performance." I wasn't sure what to expect, but i sat on the floor with a bunch of other folks as Jon, Sally and Jean Cook sang, guitarred, uke'd, and fiddled through Jon's life - from Wales to Chicago, stories of the Mekons, art, the death of country music and the death penalty. I loved it, of course. Langford's read from a text that struck a nice balance between absurdity and tragedy. I wonder how well it would go over with folks who are not huge fans. The Sundowners piece was especially moving. Two moments stood out - Sally makes a random crack while Jon is reading his text, which devolves into riffs on the text to include mentions of bears licking his testicles, until Sally makes him start the page over.
Also, if there was never a place for Beatle Bob and his dance, it was here. But that didn't stop him. URGH!

After a cuppa, we headed out to Antones, missing what was reputedly a hot set by Winnepegglers, the Duhks for Jim Lauderdale and Ray Wylie Hubbard. Jim was definitely a songwriter. Nice voice, professional band, and mostly country music (one song was written and sung in the style of Van Morrison, another as George Jones). Buddy Miller sat in for a few songs with Jim, but really cooked when Ray Wylie Hubbard took the stage. The last few songs with RWH, Buddy and Gurf Morlix tore it up, and gained more than a few converts.

Today, coffee and cigarettes, and who knows what.  

Posted: Fri - March 18, 2005 at 10:55 AM           |

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