Category Archives: sxsw

musical weekend

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I had a non-wristband, mostly Continental Club SXSW 2004 experience. More details to come, here’s the overview…

Thu
Nellie McKay (Waterloo Records)
Hot Club of Cowtown
The Bigger Lovers
CC Adcock
Marah
The Fourty-Fives
Southern Culture on the Skids

Fri
The Bellyachers (Cheapo Records)
The Allen Oldies Band (Rue’s Antiques)
Powderfinger (Emo’s Annex – Australian BBQ)
The John Butler Trio (Emos Annex – Australian BBQ)
Toots and the Maytals (Auditorium Shores)
Shooter Jenning
Jessi Colter
Charlie Musselwhite & Charlie Sexton

Sat
The Allen Oldies Band
Jim Bianco
James McMurtry
Mary McBride
The Goldstars
Redd Volkeart
Jon Dee Graham
Moxo Nixon
Kris Kristofferson
Patricia Vonne

-b

SXSW Day 1

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SXSW was good.
After I got into town, saw Nellie McKay at Waterloo.
Went to S. Congress, Hot Club of Cowtown at Continental.
Dinner w/ friends at the Boathouse – UT beats Princeton.
then spent the whole evening at the Continental, ending in Southern Culture on the Skids.

i’ll try to write more next week.

also 12/16 on round one, puts me tied for 22nd in the pool,
my dad has 15/16, putting him solely at the top,
three more days to go before the 1st weekend winner gets $42,

then at 3am, i walk into an unfamiliar house, having found the key, in the pot, and a made bed,
(~29th / Lamar)
excellent,

-b

Whither Shiloh, Texas

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Handbook of Texas OnlineSo, a few weeks ago, I was browsing the Handbook of Texas Online. It’s something I do. Browse resource materials. It’s similar to my love of the technical manual.

Anyway, as I was browsing The Handbook, I came across an interesting entry. Or more precisely, I came across sixteen identically titled entries. All for places named Shiloh, Texas.

Most Southerners think of The Battle of Shiloh, in Tennessee. Memorialized with a national park.

This, and many other towns came to the name from a common Bible reference, to a town that was known as a place of rest.

To find out whether later US towns were named for the battle field or the Biblical reference, you’d have to dig through some local history.

When I think of Shiloh, I think of the dive-bar just up the street from me at 13th & Studewood in the Heights. An,… interesting place,… to be diplomatic.

In The Handbook there are 16 places, all with references, that claim to have called themselves Shiloh, Texas at one time. I got an odd idea to try to visit all the places described in the entries.

So, tomorrow on my way to Austin, I will try to find the Shilohs in the following counties…

Burleson

Waller

Should be interesting.
I’ll need to get outta here reasonably early. I wanna be in Austin in time for a 4pm perfomance by Nellie McKay.

-b

SXSW T-2 days

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The last several years I’ve payed for the wristband, had many excess hours to plan, read, and sceme, and written email updates almost daily. I won’t be doing that this year. I’m going the cheap experience – which is just a rich, but different.

And what updates I do manage, I will do on LJ, instead of email.

I’ll be getting into Austin sometime during the day on Thursday. The combination of Work (which I now have), Flying Fish Sailors (which I feel the need to see), The Big Top (where I love to be), and St. Patricks Day (which I haven’t been in town for for 3 years) will keep me here wednesday night.

Thursday, I drive. Perhaps with a Shiloh stop or two (see info elsewhere). If I get into Austin early, I’ll need an in-store plan. If I get there 6ish – that’s when UT has their first game – and I’ll be meeting up somewhere to watch.

My only other current plans (not enough time to research – see “Work” above) include Fri afternoon on S. Congress for the Allen Oldies. Friday late night at the Parish club (if it’s not too expensive, or too crowded). Sat morning at Continental Club – Mojo hosts 10am till 6pm.

No other ironed out plans currently.

-b

Polyphonic Spree

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I just saw the VW/ipod commerrcial with Polyphonic Spree (turn the music off on the main site, then try the polyphonic player).  Once again showing that VW Bug’s and Apple’s advertising are on the cutting edge.  They were one of the most amazing shows I saw at 2002 SXSW and had to see again this year.  By the end, you’re not sure if they are aping a cult or are trying to get you to join, but you don’t really care.  This 20-plus-piece band is one to see if you can get the chance!
They’ll be in NYC/Boston rsn, then europe for a bit, back in texas briefly in Sept (but not Houston), then sweeping about the usa.

-b

SXSW Fri Night – Mar 15

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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