Day One
Wednesday, March 14, 2012
-Mary and her sister picked me up at my apartment around 5 a.m. (EST) for Mary and me to make our maiden voyage to Austin, Texas for the music portion of SXSW 2012.
-Arrived at the Bluegrass Airport in Lexington, Kentucky
My Review and Comments:
This was my first time on an airplane and I had no idea what to expect. So, I made motto: “Follow Mary!” We had already printed out our boarding passes, so we went or…I followed Mary to security check. When I went through the full-body scanner I forgot to take out my chapstick, so I was subjected to full-body pat down. The lady giving me the pat down asked if I wanted a private room. “No, just go ahead and do it here” I said. I was ready to go, because we only had ten minutes before our plane took off.
After the pat down, I realized I didn’t have my cell phone. I frantically ran back to talk to one of the security guards and he said he hadn’t seen my cell phone, but that he would page over the intercom system about a lost cell phone. No one returned my cellular device. So, security guard wrote down my information on a post-it note, in case someone turned it in. When Mary and I got to our gate, our flight wasn’t boarding, yet, so I ran back downstairs to see if someone turned in my cell phone. To my amazement, someone did! Thank the Lord!!! Everything was good after that!!!
My first flight was….well we’ll just say I survived! Mary and I got to set next to each other on the plane and she let me set by the window.
Take off scared the hell out of me! We just kept picking up speed, picking up speed and picking up speed. I felt like I needed to prepare myself for hitting a wall at a billion miles per hour, but we didn’t hit a wall.
I eventually got the guts to look out the window and it was beautiful. It was still dark outside and I could see these bright yellow and gold lights in these swirly patterns from the plane window. When you’re that high up the world seems so small. It may seem like a cliché to say that, but when you’re that high you’ll understand.
Landing was… well I looked at Mary and I said, “Oh, that landing wasn’t bad.” Then Mary says, “We haven’t landed yet.” (Ker-plunk sound) “Oh,” I said.
-Arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport
My Review and Comments:
My first thought was “I’m in TEXAS!!! Whhhaaa.” <3
We had about a one hour delay due to the time change from eastern time to central time, when we arrived at the Dallas/Fort Worth International Airport. So, we just chilled and rode on the Skylink, which is a high-speed train that connects all five terminals in the DFW Airport. The Skylink is kind of like a rollercoaster…at least that’s what I told myself at the time. I survived that,too.
Mary and I also got on one of those flat/standing escalators. I told Mary how I had always wanted to try one of those things, so we got on a few of them right in a row. I thought they were so cool, until I got on like the third one. I clipped the heel on my left boot and tore the heel a little bit away from my boot. My boots were still walkable, but those are like my favorite boots. Flat/standing escalators aren’t so cool to me anymore.
-Arrived at the Austin-Bergstrom International Airport
My Review and Comments:
I kept thinking. I’m in Austin! I’m in Austin, Texas! The live music capital of the world!
As Mary and I were coming down the escalator we noticed to our right these really cool guitars. I’m assuming they were there for SXSW, but who knows…maybe there are always there. Austin, Texas is the live music capital of the world.
-Pete and Lisa picked Mary and me up. (Lisa and Pete are family friends of Mary’s, which we were staying with in Austin.)
My Review and Comments:
Pete and Lisa were extremely nice and kind people who took us into their lovely home to stay for the duration of our stay in Austin, Texas for SXSW.
-Dropped our luggage off at Pete and Lisa’s home
-Pete and Lisa dropped us off at the Radisson Hotel in downtown Austin
My Review and Comments:
After Pete and Lisa dropped us off, Mary and I were like kids in a candy store. We didn’t know what to do or what to take in first. All we knew was that we should probably go to the Austin Convention Center first to register and get our wristbands/press passes.
-Went to the Austin Convention Center for registration and wristbands/press passes
My Review and Comments:
At the Austin Convention Center we got officially registered and we got these really cool wristbands that served as our press passes. We were threatened…or informed that basically if we lost these wristbands we were screwed.
Mary got her camera tagged to take photos.
We also got a booklet/pamphlet that listed all of the shows and venues during the music week at SXSW. Looking at the booklet/pamphlet overwhelmed Mary and I, because we saw all the possible things we could do over the next few days.
-Went to The Coffee Cup to plan our day
My Review and Comments:
Mary and I decided to go to The Coffee Cup and get a cup of coffee and research through the pamphlet/booklet. We planned out our day from there…well somewhat of our day.
-The Stage on Sixth (Paste Magazine showcase)
-Saw: Typhoon (Interview with Typhoon) / Apparat Band
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| Typhoon |
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| Apparat |
My Review and Comments: The first place we walked to was The Stage on Sixth. Paste Magazine was having a showcase there. FYI--The Stage on Sixth really is on Sixth Street in downtown Austin. Also I believe Sixth Street in Austin is one of the most fun streets Austin.
The first band we saw at The Stage on Sixth was Typhoon.
Typhoon is a 12-piece band from Portland, Oregon. That day they only had 10 members, but they totally rocked out. I absolutely loved their performance. It was loud, all the members sang vocals and they were definitely in sync with one another and harmonized very well.
They were also my first interview at SXSW.
-Waterloo Records
-Saw: Spoek Mathambo and Friends (Interview with Spoek Mathambo and Theo) / Trivium / Fun
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| Waterloo Records on Lamar |
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Spoek Mathambo and Friends show at Waterloo Records
(Photo Taken By: Mary Allen) |
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Trivium show at Waterloo Records
(Photo Taken By: Mary Allen) |
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| fun. show Waterloo Records |
My Review and Comments:We made our way to the world famous Waterloo Records. Also it’s cattycorner from the world headquarters for Whole Foods.
But now I know why Waterloo is world famous…they have CDs from everywhere.
While at Waterloo we saw Spoek Mathambo and Friends, who put on a killer performance. I was also able to get an interview with Spoek Mathambo and Theo.
-B.D. Riley’s Pub & Restaurant—To eat and see a band
My Review and Comments:
B.D Riley’s is an Irish Pub & Restaurant that had pretty good food. I had their half-pint sized burgers, which was three small burgers with the works. Pretty tasty.
There was a band performing on this small stage in the corner of the restaurant. It was a 3-piece band with a guitarist, a bass and a drummer. The band never said their name and none of the employees we asked knew who the band's name either. The band was a killer loud rock/metal band and you couldn’t hear the lead singer’s vocals at all. Though, the band did have a good beat going on.
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| (from left to right: Jonathan, Mary, Carol and Wes) |
My Review and Comments: Long story short, around October 2011 I saw on Bart Crow’s Facebook Page a music video he had posted called, Brass Tacks by this band called Not In The Face. I really like the song and the video, so I posted it on my blog and I liked Not In The Face’s Facebook page. A few days later I noticed that Not In The Face posted their Brass Tacks video on WRFL’s Facebook page. My WRFL co-workers encouraged me to contact the band and maybe try to bring them here to do a concert in Lexington. I e-mailed Not In The Face from their home website and ever since them I’ve been in contact with Not In The Face’s manager.
I had e-mailed Not In The Face's manager a few weeks before SXSW about possibly getting an interview with Jonathan and Wes from Not In The Face during SXSW.
We never set up a time or date, but wouldn’t you believe it, but I saw Jonathan and Wes walking down the street and I looked at Mary and go…”Those are the guys from Not In the Face”. Mary told me to go and talk to them, so I did.
I felt like a total stalker, because I started walking behind them down the street and I didn’t have a clue what to say, so I was just like, “Hey, aren’t you guys from Not In The Face?” To my surprise they actually heard me, because if you know me I’m a quite person with a soft voice, but they heard me and they turned around and they were like ya we are.
I began spitting word vomit out of my mouth, because I got nervous, and when I get nervous I have all of these thoughts, but I just can’t put them in order to make logical sense. But somehow I must have got my thoughts in an understandable order, because I told them how I had been in contact with their manager and luckily I had a WRFL sticker in my hand that I gave to them and explained to them how they posted on WRFL's Facebook wall. Why did I have a WRFL sticker in my hand? I don’t remember why I did, but I’m glad I had that WRFL sticker in my hand, because I probably would have looked like a total loon without it. (insert chuckle here)
But Jonathan and Wes were like do you just want to go ahead and do the interview now. I told them if they had the time and if that was convenient for them and they said ya. I was completely taken away by their kindness. They were super sweet guys, totally laid-back and down-to-earth. I can’t say enough good things about them. Absolutely the two nicest gentlemen I’ve ever met.
Mary and I went up to Buffalo Billiards with Jonathan and Wes to do the interview. One of the best interviews I’ve ever done! So, glad to meet them.
-Maggie Mae’s/Maggie Mae’s Rooftop
-Saw: Marcus Foster / The Apache Relay
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| Marcus Foster |
-Saw Best Best Best Friend Band on the street performing
-Buffalo Billiards
First, I just want to say that Buffalo Billiards is a great venue and it was the perfect space for Not In The Face’s show.
Second, Not In The Face put on a kick-ass show at Buffalo Billiards. It was loud, energetic, fun and I mean I feel like I’m using generic words here to describe their show, but I just don’t know how else to explain their show other than it kicked some serious ass.
There’s only two guys in Not In The Face, Jonathan and Wes and you know you can compare them to other 2-piece bands, such as the famous White Stripes, but don’t. Just go see a Not In The Face show and you’ll know what I’m trying to convey here. Just got to a Not In The Face Show and you’ll know…you’ll know!
Also we met the lead singer, Joshua, from The Blind Pets at the show.
-1100 Warehouse
-Saw: Andrew W.K.
My Review and Comments: Mary and I moshed pitted at the Andrew W.K. concert and we also helped people crowd surf.
This was my first mosh pit and my first time helping other people crowd surf. (I was not brave enough to crowd surf myself).
When I was mosh pitting I thought this is soooo cool! I’m mosh pitting at an Andrew W.K concert. For once in my life, I am cool! Then after the mosh pit I thought…I could’ve died! Like seriously…I could’ve died. Those mosh pits are dangerous.
The next day or the morning after the Andrew W.K concert I had a bruise on my left ankle. I remembered someone stepping on me in the mosh pit, that’s probably how I got the bruise.
My first thought was I have a bruise from mosh pitting at an Andrew W.K. concert. For once in my life, I’m cool! Then I thought…I could’ve died! Like seriously…I could’ve died. Those mosh pits are dangerous. (It’s March 24, 2012 and the bruise is still there. haha)
-Clive Bar
-Saw: Motion City Soundtrack
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| Motion City Soundtrack at Clive's Bar |
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