Anyone going? This will be my first year in Austin. Any must see bands? Must hit eats? Thanks in advance for the suggestions. GP
I'll be there Tues-Sun. Here's kind of a wish-list of how I'm hoping the week plays out for me: http://sched.org/sxsw2008/extrawack Some are bands I work with, some are friends, all should be fun. Try to plan to see Motorhead at Stubb's on Thursday at the Scion/Vice party. They may not be the hippest/youngest/whatever band down there, but they'll change your life (and perhaps your hearing). And ever since Michael K hipped me to Gil Mantera's Party Dream, I've not missed them on any trip they've made to NYC, and hope to see them again down there. GP- Shoot me a PM if you want to grab a beer.
Must hit eats: Recognizing that you will be out all night....I'll start here: Breakfast: Kerby Lane - The pancakes are so damn good. An Austin staple. Magnolia Cafe - Good all around breakfast After that, I would recommend Chuy's for Tex-Mex.... The Salt Lick for BBQ (drive out to the country ...but it is worth it IMHO). Any other types of food that you particularly like?
I thought you'd be face down drunk by now. By the way: An online film I had the great pleasure to be a part of just won a SXSW web award: Best Educational Resource: The Story of Stuff SXSW has web awards? Who knew? I heartily encourage folks to check it out. I'm completely impartial, but it's pretty damn good www.storyofstuff.com
Yeah, I meant to congratulate you on that! Mad props. A friend of mine has a documentary in competition there this week: http://2008.sxsw.com/film/screenings/film/F9748.html Flying On One Engine Synopsis: Wheelchair bound, without a larynx, and diagnosed with a life-threatening aortic aneurysm, Dr. Sharadkumar Dicksheet now lives only (and barely) so he can travel to India to perform free operations in marathon-like surgery sessions where up to 700 children receive treatment for their cleft lips and other deformities. Although Dicksheet survives off of social security while living in his Brooklyn apartment, his life is drastically different in India where the eight-time Nobel Prize nominee is treated like a living god. FLYING ON ONE ENGINE shows how this quirky, funny, and sometimes difficult character overcomes his own ailments by helping others. [youtube]afb0TAy_qDw[/youtube] Really compelling and interesting. It's got some great reviews so far...I would love to see it get picked up by a studio.
Check out Vampire Weekend I saw them with Tokyo Police Club this summer, their pretty good. http://www.myspace.com/vampireweekend
Wow, that was a great time. My faves were Santogold, X, BLK JKS, A Place To Bury Strangers, Kate Nash (who played with Billy Bragg!), Duffy, Helio Sequence, Nicole Atkins, and of course, Motorhead! Photo evidence here: http://flickr.com/photos/extrawack/sets/72157604137170545/
Great pictures. Looks like you hit the pizza stands, Stubbs BBQ and the taco stands. Rough night for the stomach. LOL. That Oriental Massage place has been there since I was in college (1994-1998). I never see anyone going in and out because I think they have an entrance off the back that they don't advertise.
She cancelled a show in Birmingham on Monday the 17th because they felt they'd probably be tired from SXSW. I'm sure that's true to some extent, but it's kind of lame to book the show and then cancel it because you think you'll be tired.
I have to say I was a bit pissed at Stubb's tonight (eventhough SXSW is over, I was here seeing Gogol Bordello) and they took for fuggin' ever to get people into the venue and then they told me I couldn't take pictures because my camera was too nice eventhough it was a point and shoot. Very frustrating to be stopped from taking photos when everyone else around you is snapping away like mad.
I know exactly what the story is there, and I have to defend my Jersey homie... There are so many day parties and showcases that pop up in the last month of planning before SXSW, and record co's, publicists, and managers book their artists into everything they can because it's all so high-profile. I think Nicole did six or seven shows in 3 days down there (I saw 2 of them, and a third on DirecTV when I got home). She really belts 'em out during a show, so the reason to cancel a show the next day isn't just "she's tired", but "she's completely burned out and her voice might not be as good as a paying audience deserves". And she's ALWAYS touring, I'm sure she'll be back there soon. What are you bitchin' about? You were in Austin that night!
I pheel your pain on this Nico. I got 2 days of SXSW pics up on Fresh Bread: Day 1: http://freshbread.blogs.com/fresh_bread/2008/03/south-by-southw.html Day 2: http://freshbread.blogs.com/fresh_bread/2008/03/south-by-sout-1.html
Aweseome D. Hall shots, GP. I just watched the rebroadcast last night...he sounded great. I love the reggae version of "Maneater".
Nice photos. Since you saw them, please tell me a little more about Akron/Family. I've heard of them but haven't heard them. They're playing a weekend festival around here in May, taking place the same weekend as a big college fest - ostensibly music, but basically just several thousand students heading to a field outside of town and getting rip-roaring drunk. That's going to be my funnest weekend of 2008.
I love Akron/Family - they can write some amazing songs ("Italy," "On The Water," "Moment," "Future Myth," "Phenomena"); they can also get a little out there as sometimes they go on weird tangents. but highly recommend them.
My agent didn't originally know I'd be in Austin that night and had me booked to see Nicole's show in Birmingham.
My band opened for them on Sunday, they were a blast! They did play a pretty long time and they did go off on weird tangents. But they do craft a beautiful tune and have a lot of energy that is infectious.