As usual, I never got around to documenting the final days at SXSW. After thursday, I was a little jaded. I had attended many shows where the venues were “showcases” for some label. Annoying, aloof, drunk, all kinds of self-important people.
Then friday came and things get real crowded. The goal for me tends to be avoid the lines, not see anyone in particular. The evening was totally redeemed by two bands.
Grupo Fantasma & Gogol Bordello
Just before the midnight show, we waited outside The Vibe for the Austin band Grupo Fantasma. With 10 or a few more, they have a large stage presence. A lot of horns and a lot of energy. Finally, a venue where everyone was having a good time. We bounced about in the crowded venue for the whole show.
Afterward we tried several places on Red River, saw Red Eyed Fly didn’t have a line like the rest. It has always done us well, so we popped in. Saw the last 3-4 songs of a crazy mahem set. Gogol Bordello It was gypsy punk with high energy. Two girls in costume were the percussion section. One bass drum. One symbols. A gypsy fiddle, a mad eastern European, all from… NYC. Think Mojo Nixon playing East European Folk Music. Yes, it is too much to wrap your head around. The show ended with the singer balancing on the bass drum as it was passed into the audience.
I can’t emphasize enough that I would readjust my schedule drastically to see either of these bands. Since the former is based in Austin and just released their first CD, I’ll likely have a chance. I can only hope that Gogol will get back down to Texas.
-b
April 25th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
music, sxsw |
no comments
I was just thinking as I was watching the Astros play in Mineapolis that there looked to be many empty seats, and I wished I had the means currently to bop up there, catch a game, and check out the city.
Low and behold, I just got a call from good friends John and Marsha K, who just drove there from Chicago (having recently transplanted from dreary Plano). They did get some good seats. Four rows behind the dugout should place them solidly in fade-to-commercial camera view.
Must watch Astros game…
April 19th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
astros, friends |
no comments
In the Mundanities of Life file, I’ve had a leaky shower for several weeks. Conn and I have been shutting the hot water off at the valve after using the shower, and turning it on again when we want to use it. A little annoying.
It’s an old claw foot porcelain tub with a faucet fixture that pokes out of it going up. The old one (I know now that I’ve take it apart) was an odd mixture of very cheap plastic and nicely machined metal. The one metal part that wasn’t the best was a very small one that the rubber gasket abutted to when it was closed. It had several chips out of it that caused the hot water to drip when “closed”. Over years I’ve had to increasingly tighten the hot water valve tighter and tighter.
(more…)
April 18th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
725 |
no comments
Destruction in war to be expected
The military incursion in Iraq, for brevity lets term it a war (though the Congress hasn’t declared it such, they did give President Bush the blank check to act as such) can be expected to cause much destruction. Much of the munitions being used are very good at minimizing collateral damage to both human life and property. But when a 1000 pound bomb explodes in your neighborhood, you have to expect a bit of damage. It’s war, that happens, lets get some oil money in there to fix it.
What I don’t understand is the mindless need for destruction. Not by looting hoards, which, as distressing as it may be, is typical human behavior. The mindless destruction that is bothering me is that being performed by our troops.
(more…)
April 11th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
inthenews |
no comments
Today Vice President Dick Cheney, addressed American Society of Newspaper Editors. (full text) He said some things I agree with and several I don’t, and definitely implied some things that are questionable, which seems de rigueur for the administration. However, right now I’ll only address one part of his comments. Going off topic he threw a personal jab, “In the early days of the war the plan was criticized by some retired military officers embedded in TV studios.”
I feel certain he was referring to retired general and former NATO commander Wesley Clark who is working currently for CNN. Clark has expressed reservations about the current military incursion, expressing the opinion that the diplomacy prior to the action should have been more resolute. He has also expressed questions about certain operational military details in Iraq. The Slate and others have opined that Clark may have an interest in running for president (as a Democrat) in 2004.
(more…)
April 9th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
government, inthenews |
no comments
Some people know that I’m applying to HISD’s ACP program. I haven’t told many people, not wanting to jinx my application, having been unemployed for over two years and applying to many, many, many jobs. Everyone I’ve talked to has said I should get accepted automatically, but you never know.
Two monday’s ago I went in to give them the application, but I had not done my TASP tests (I read that portion of the application procedure and promptly filed it under “forget”), and I had failed to get my transcript from HCC for 3 hours of English I took in 1985. If I had not used it on my University of Texas degree, and thus it was on my UT transcript, they wouldn’t have known about it.
(more…)
April 7th, 2003
Posted by
bshirley |
hisd, job |
no comments
