Neil Weiss asks what P2 bands are going to be performing at SXSW and why. Hillbilly IDOL will be at the Broken Spoke on Fri. the 19th at 9:00. I have heard that we are followed by the Countrypolitans,Don Walser, Wayne Hancock, and then Dale Watson. Since I read the P2 digest everyday and enjoy partying with other P2ers I guess HBI qualifies as a P2 band. The first reason that Hillbilly IDOL is going to SXSW is because it is there and we juried in. Another decent reason is simply that I've never been to Austin and March is still pretty gloomy in Cleveland. With an annual average 89 sunny days around here it is always attractive to go somewhere else (preferably warmer and brighter). Somehow ,we lucked into a pretty nice showcase time at a really great spot and that was really the clincher. Practically speaking, a Friaday night showcase made it easier to take time away from our day gigs and go do this. One reason that may not have been mentioned too much about considerations in doing SXSW is kind of twisted and may be unique to Cleveland . It is the assumption that "the expert always comes from out of town" . In order to establish a bit of local credibility in the field you have to leave town, at least temporarily. We have many wonderful local fans who have been with us for a long time but trying to work with the local promoters is still virtually unpenetrable. Just going to SXSW may produce a few nice results with folks back home. Hillbilly IDOl will do what we can to make our trip as successful as it can be given our independent status and relative newcomers to the field. We were complimented to be invited to do a short acoustic set on Jim Caliguiri's KOOP Friday morning show and we will also do an in store set at Cheapo records later that afternoon. I suppose that the way I look at SXSW is that it provides a platform from which one may depart and use to their best advantage. The pirate showcases almost prove that in an iromic way, if SXSW wasn't happening there would be no need for pirates. HBI is looking forward to getting warm, having a darn good time, not sucking when we play, meeting other folks and hearing some very cool music. This all seems pretty do-able. Whether we do it again next year is another question entirely but it seems like the right thing for us to do this year.
