SXSW 2012 Detailed Outline Day 2

Day Two
Thursday, March 15, 2012

-Woke-up—bagel and coffee at Pete and Lisa’s

-Pete and Lisa dropped us off at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Austin

-Latitude 30 for the showcase British Embassy Music SXSW 2012
-Saw:  Morning Parade / Bitches

Bitches

My Review and Comments:

I really liked the band Bitches.  It was guy on guitar and vocals and a woman on drums and vocals.  I really liked it when the guy would go, “We’re Bitches.”  I was like that is soooo rock n’ roll.

-La Zona Rosa

-Saw:  The Staves / Crystal Fighters

The Staves
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Crystal Fighters
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

 My Review and Comments:

The Staves were amazing.  Their harmonies are spot on and they all three have the sweetest voices.

The Crystal Fighters were so entertaining.  I loved their show and their sound.  They kind of reminded me of mix between a reggae band and ska punk band.  Very cool show and they have a very cool sound.

-The Studio by HGTV—We painted on the wall (Interview with Jonathan)

WRFL is on the wall!!!  Right by the HGTV show Junk Gypsies!!! 

-Interview with Those Manic Seas

-IFC Crossroads House at Vice
-Saw:  Polica / Punch Brothers
-Interview with Space Between Words

Punch Brothers
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

My Review and Comments:

After watching Polica and the Punch Brothers, Mary and I sat down and met four nice guys in a band, called Space Between Words.  We were able to get a few words with them for a quick interview.

-tenOak
-Saw:  Two Cow Garage  / Cheap Girls 

Two Cow Garage
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Two Cow Garage
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

My Review and Comments:

Two Cow Garage is one of my favorite bands of all time and this was my first time seeing them live.  And I just have to say that after seeing a Two Cow Garage concert if you are not in love with them, then just quit listening to music.  Just stop.  Harsh?  Maybe.  Should I go that far saying something like that?  I think yes and after you see a Two Cow Garage, you will agree too.

Two Cow Garage is a 3-piece band that is a loud in your face cow-punk band that is here to melt your face off, give your fist pumping hand early stages of arthritis and give your bobbing head whiplash.  One of my favorite live performances of all time.  Two Cow Garage knows how to put on a show and deliver.

Mary and I got to meet Micah the frontman for Two Cow Garage.  He was super sweet and gracious, when I congratulated him on an awesome show and told him how I’ve been  following his band for a long time, that I loved his solo stuff and that I thought he was a terrifc songwriter and vocalist.  I just couldn’t say enough, then again it was probably the word vomit again, because I was nervous talking to Micah.  I mean this was Micah from Two Cow Garage that I was talking to.  The frontman from a band that I’ve been following for four or five years now.  A band that’s music changed my entire life.  Two of their songs saved my life, Glass City and Humble Narrator, which they performed that night at tenOak.  I was sooo excited to hear and see those two songs performed live.

Two Cow Garage a band’s music totally worth checking out and a band totally worth seeing live.

-The Iron Bear
-Saw:  The Ettes / VHS or Beta

The Ettes
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

My Review and Comments:

The Ettes were great!  They have a great sound and are great live!  The drummer is pretty much amazing to watch.

VHS or Beta was a pretty cool electronic/techno/rock band.  A little different from my taste, but I definitely dug their sound.

-Buffalo Billiards

-Saw:  Say Anything

SXSW 2012 Detailed Outline Day 3

Day Three
Friday, March 16, 2012

-Pete and Lisa took us sightseeing around Austin

My Review and Comments:
Austin is the closest I’ve ever been to heaven!

They don’t call it Hilltop country for nothing!  There were hills everywhere.  There was green everywhere….green treetops and green grass.  It was breathtakingly beautiful.  No words can describe Austin’s beautiful landscape.

I asked Pete and Lisa if they knew of a place where I could pick a Bluebonnet.  Lisa said that picking a Bluebonnet flower was illegal.  I was like oh…okay never mind, I didn’t know that.  Then she said she was joking and we eventually pulled over on the side of the road and I picked two Bluebonnet flowers and two Indian Blanket flowers.

I still don’t really know if picking a Bluebonnet flower is illegal, but I have two of them and if any Texas officials read this and want to confiscate my flowers, I’ll surrender them.

-Pete and Lisa dropped us off at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Austin

-Walk from Radisson to get food

-I ate a breakfast wrap at nearby food stand

My Review and Comments: 
Delicious Food.  I had scrambled eggs with bacon in a wrap pocket thing, accompanied by Texas salsa.  Delicious!

-Peddy Cab to South Congress Street

My Review and Comments:

Taking a peddy cab to South Congress Street was interesting to say the least.  It was a long ride or pedal, but our peddy cab driver was very nice about it. 

A coconut water brand sponsored our peddy cab driver’s peddy cab and he offered us bottles of mango flavored coconut water.

We actually had to get off of the peddy cab once because the driver went down a sidewalk that was between some buildings and some vehicles and the peddy cab couldn’t get through the tight space.  So, Mary and I had I to exit the peddy cab and the driver had to pull the peddy cab back about 20 feet before he could put the peddy cab back on the road.  (Good Times)

-Hotel San Jose
-Saw:  Dry The River 

Dry The River

My Review and Comments: 

Dry The River was a very mellow and cool band from London.  I really liked them.

At the end of the concert the frontman ran off stage and went backstage, while the rest of the band ended playing the set.  It was a very awkward moment and the crowd didn’t know how to respond. 

I thought it was very rock n’ roll and that probably the frontman was about ready to get sick.  Probably one or two, too many alcoholic beverages.  Poor fella.

-Entered into the Lonestar Music Showcase and checked out some stands and some cool vintage t-shirts

-St. Vincent de Paul Thrift Store

My Review and Comments:

Mary and I had the pleasure of meeting this really nice lady who worked at the store.  She told me she was a volunteer there.  This intrigued me, so this is what I found out about the store…

St. Vincent de Paul Stores of Austin are owned and operated by the Ladies of Charity of Austin, and the Society of St. Vincent de Paul, Diocesan Council of Austin.  Together, these organizations offer basic needs assistance to those in the community.  The store provides goods and services, along with funding for other outreach programs sponsored by these two groups.

Pretty cool program…ehhh?!

-Hung out pool side at Hotel San Jose

 -Attempted to go to the showcase Fancy as F**k to see the Spooky Qs at Burnadette’s
 

My Review and Comments:
Long story.  Damn the taxi system in Austin.

-Ate Stubb’s BBQ

My Review and Comments:

Eating at the famous Stubb’s BBQ….amazing.

Wonderful food and service.

I got pulled pork BBQ, fried okra, a side of hand-cut French fries and a piece of Texas white bread.

Best BBQ and best side items I’ve ever had.

As soon as we ordered we got our food.  Just like that.  We ordered and then BAM…food.  No kidding.  The man who brought us our food apologized for the wait.  I looked at Mary and thought this is what we ordered, but...we just ordered.

Our waitress came by and asked how our food was and we said great and we also commented about how fast we got our food.  Our waitress explained that the BBQ is prepared hours before so all they have to do is plop it on the plate.  (How cool is that!)

I also got a famous Stubb’s BBQ t-shirt. (classy)

-Mohawk Patio
-Saw:  Codes / Felix Cartal / AraabMUZIK / Madeon / Zeds Dead / Skrillex vs 12^th Planet

Part of the general admission line to get in to Mohawk Patio

Codes
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

AraabMUZIK
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Madeon
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Zeds Dead
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Skrillex
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

My Review and Comments:

Mary and I got into this show super quick, because we got priority access due to our wristband/press passes.  There was a line for general admission that was about a block or so long.  Most of the general admission line consisted of younger kids.  The bouncer told Mary and I that there had been people standing there since 9 a.m., just to see Skrillex, who was the main performer of the concert.  And Skrillex wasn’t set to perform until 11 p.m.

The music played at this showcase was dubstep/electronic music.  I know that Skrillex is kind of a big deal in that genre and that he recently won a Grammy, but I still don’t get that kind of music. 

I mean the music was great if you where in a club, but not for a concert.  All it is, is one or two dudes hitting buttons and switches.  

I completely respect what Skrillex and the other artists like him do, but that music just isn’t for me.  It’s computer generated, electronic music that is pretty much…at least to me I considered it as glorified DJing. 

-IFC Crossroads House at Vice

-Saw:  Citizen Cope

Citizen Cope
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

-Easy Tiger Patio

-Saw:  Girl In A Coma

Girl In A Coma
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Girl In A Coma
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

 My Review and Comments:

A totally kick-ass three piece girl band from Austin, Texas.  They are hard-core, in your face, hold nothing back and tell you like it is girls.  I love them.  Amazing sound, amazing vocals and amazing live performers.  Gotta love Girl In A Coma.  If you haven’t seen them live, I suggest that you do.

SXSW 2012 Detailed Outline Day 4

Day Four

Saturday, March 17, 2012

-Pete and Lisa dropped us off at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Austin

-Went to The Coffee Cup

My Review and Comments:

I tried the Vanilla Latte on ice.  I highly recommend this.  It’s like drinking heaven in heaven (Austin, Texas = heaven).

-Austin Convention Center—Style X (fashion exhibits, fashion shows and etc…)

-Mixology Townhouse
-Saw:  Audic Empire 

Audic Empire

My Review and Comments: 
Audic Empire is a Reggae band from Austin, Texas. 

I met Josh one of the guitarists in the band at Waterloo Records on Wednesday.  He told me about his band and Mary and I went to his band’s show on Saturday.

I really liked their performance a lot.  I thought they were a very polished band.  I hinted some rock, blues and psychedelic influences intertwined with their Reggae.  Very cool show and I loved their performance.

-Mechanical bull at Antone’s

 My Review and Comments:

We entered into the famous Antone’s and there was a guy with his acoustic guitar sitting on a stool pouring his heart out singing to an empty room.  My heart went out to that guy.

At Antone’s I got on the mechanical bull to only take a picture, not to ride it.  And a future note to keep to myself when I go back to Austin, Texas.  Don’t attempt riding the mechanical bull at Antone’s, because I’m too short to jump up and get on the bull.  Really?! It took me three times to jump up on the bull and I never sat on it.  I just laid on it.

- Latitude 30 for the showcase British Embassy Music SXSW 2012

-Ate at El Sol Y la Luna 

 My Review and Comments:

I ate Migas.  The Migas were delicious.  Moderately recommend.

-Austin Music Hall for Perez Hilton’s One Night in Austin Showcase
-Saw:  Kimbra / Ed Sheeran / Cher Llyod / Dragonette / Kreayshawn / DEV / Timbaland

Ed Sheeran
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Timbaland and Perez Hilton
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Kreayshawn
(Photo Taken  By:  Mary Allen)

Perez Hilton with the check for VH1's Save The Music
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

Dragonette
(Photo Taken By:  Mary Allen)

 My Review and Comments:
Well Mary and I originally were going to this showcase to go see Kreayshawn perform.  I thought this showcase was going to be in a little bar.  Plus I knew, but I didn’t realize at that time who all the artists were going to be performing alongside Kreayshawn, so I thought it would be easy to get into this little bar…see Kreayshawn and go.  Well, I was wrong.

We get to the venue and it was guest list only.  Somehow we got in.  I don’t think we were supposed to, but we did.  (And as I’m writing this I’m thinking what if someone really, really important reads this and I get in trouble for getting into Perez Hilton’s One Night in Austin Showcase.  Then another thought comes to me...it’s okay.  Who’s gonna do what now?  In about a month or two I’ll probably hear a knock at my door from the proper authorities. Oh, Boy!)

So, Mary and I are at this venue and that’s when we or at least I realize this is Perez Hilton’s One Night in Austin showcase.  I really didn’t know at the time who Perez Hilton was, but I’ve heard of him and I’ve heard of the Hilton Hotel chain.  Also we both realize that this showcase is kind of like VIP…hence the guest list.

The music was not my cup of tea.  I absolutely cannot stand pop music and this is what this showcase was.  It was pop music that is or is borderline mainstream.  This showcase is what I think shouldn’t be a showcase at SXSW, because of the mainstream appeal.

Nonetheless, we were there, we stayed.  At least all the proceeds from the ticket sales at Perez Hilton’s One Night In Austin Showcase was going to VH1’s Save The Music Foundation.