I went to SXSW for the first time this past week. It was every bit as
exciting, challenging and exasperating as I'd always read it was, but I'm
looking forward to a repeat appearance.
Rather than give my entire weekend's review, (which is why there's a fluff
list)
just thought I'd mention some highlights and not-so-highlights:
HIGHLIGHTS
-Jim Roll with the Silos Wednesday night- first show I saw, and what a good
start. Jim's already got great songs, but it was a treat to hear those
songs with that group of musicians. That lap steel player blew me away.
-Cherilyn's P2 BBQ- Great afternoon of music and socializing. I met some
folks from the list who I didn't know well, or at all, and that was cool.
Just wish we'd run into each other again. Cherilyn is a force of nature.
-Kim Richey at Wateloo Brewing Company- a very welcome tonic after the
evening's earlier disappointments. Hope a new record hits the streets this
year.
-The Bloodshot party- Lotsa great music, but the Meat Purveyors and Waco
Brothers stole the show. It was great to see Neko Case for the first time,
though the sound problems were disappointing. When did Mike Lemon start
playing with her and is it a "permanent" thing?
-Hillbilly Idol- did a great in-store at Cheapo Records Friday afternoon. I
love these guys and hope they find the audience they deserve.
-Dale Watson- at Under The Sun Friday afternoon. My first time seeing him
and it won't be the last. I particularly liked his pedal steel player's work.
-Heather Myles/Rosie Flores at the Continental Club- seeing Heather Myles
was a priority for me and she didn't disappoint- great band and
near-perfect renditions of the songs- almost all of HIGHWAYS, though she
changed the set list and added "The Other Side Of Town". Terrific. Rosie
Flores was great of course, and she was joined onstage by Radney Foster for
a song, then by Wanda Jackson! Great stuff.
-I got to Under The Sun too late to see but 3 songs of the Hollisters set,
but loved those three. Came back at 7 to see Wayne the Train Hancock, who
I'd also never seen before. He was joined by Biller and Wakefield, though I
expect his fine band would have sounded plenty good on their own. Dynamite
set.
-Neko got a sound system that found her voice Saturday night, and she was
super. I heard more unreserved female admiration for her than anybody else
all weekend. <g> The Wacos didn't sound quite as good as they had at
Friday's party, IMO. WHO CARES?! They tore the fucking roof off the sucker!
The floor was vibrating as though electrified. The speakers were swaying.
It was wonderful.
DISAPPOINTMENTS-
-Thursday night we arrived at Stubb's just in time to see Wayne The Train
finish his set, which had started at 7 rather than the advertised 8PM. Then
it started raining, hard. We got pretty drenched trying to get indoors,
where it was packed. We tried to wait out the storm, to no avail. I heard
music start back up outdoors and saw a nice show from Radney Foster, though
I got soaked again in the process. Went back inside and finally got some
dinner, 2 hours after we'd put in a reservation. Great company, drag drag
drag scene.
-"Wristbands go to the back of the line and wait. BADGES? DO WE HAVE ANY
MORE BADGES NEEDING ADMITTANCE?" (15 minutes later after 30 or 40 badges
have entered the already packed venue the music starts and they still won't
let you in.)
Ah well. Reckon that's enough for now. It was a great time, and I need to
go back to sleep now. <g>
b.s.
"The truth ain't always what we need, sometimes we need to hear a beautiful
lie." -Bill Lloyd
