Larry Does Austin: SXSW 2009

Heather and I are packing up to fly down to Austin this Wednesday for our first ever SXSW! We're crazy excited about it, but a little anxious. SXSW is a very different sort of "festival" than anything we've ever been to before. This is no Merlefest or Bonnaroo, where everyone is in one outdoor location with several stages you can wander through. This isn't some small-time Bluegrass festival... it's an entire city full of bars and concert halls bursting at the seams with gigs and showcases!

Looking at the official schedule, you can immediately tell that if you took in a tenth of it all you'd be exhausted for a month. And those are just the official showcases! There are probably twice that number in unofficial parties and hoedowns! We definitely have our work cut out for us if we want to make the most of our SXSW time... but Heather's done her homework, and here's what we're thinking:

Wednesday
We'll hit the ground in the late afternoon and will immediately rush out to see the Conqueroo/Guitartown party, thrown by one my favorite promoters (Cary Baker) and some local North Carolinians. We'll hopefully get there in time to see another North Carolinian, Chip Robinson, and his new band. We'll see the likes of the Silos, Dave Gonzales, Scott Miller, and Willie Nile. We'll sadly miss James McMurtry and John Dee Graham, but they're playing a few other times this weekend, so here's hoping!

Joe Ely's playing that night at Momo's too, so we'll try to get in there too, if we can! Several of these shows are restricted access, and all of them are limited "seating," so you just never know what'll happen.

Thursday
Our friends, Aquarium Drunkard and My Old Kentucky Blog, are throwing a party called "Vaya Con Tacos" that includes acts like the Roadside Graves, Port O'Brien, and the Rosebuds, among many others. It'll be great to hang with Justin Gage and Dodge. We're also hoping to get into the New West showcase that day, but details are scarce. Not sure yet.

That night is Heather's and my favorite -- the Yep Roc showcase at the Continental Club! We'll get to see BeauSoleil, the Iguanas, Dave Alvin, and the Gourds! Plus, the Continental Club is one of those "must see a show at before I die" venues. I'll be able to cross that one off the list.

Friday
Friday is another action-packed day with excellent Bloodshot Records day party (hells yes!), a showcase by the Hot Freaks blogger community (which includes our buddy Justin Gage of Aquarium Drunkard), and a couple other Americana showcases at Mother Egan's and the Habana Band Backyard. With Justin Townes Earle and the Dex Romweber Duo at the Bloodshot showcase, we'll probably be glued there all day! Ah, the tragedy of SXSW....

We've blocked out Friday night for the showcase thrown by our good buddy Gregg Geil, Americana Roots, and GalleyWinter. They've got Scott Miller (still one of my absolute favorite songwriters), Wrinkle Neck Mules, the Josh Grider Trio, the Modern Day Drifters, Jason Eady, Nick Beaudoing of the Doc Marshalls, and the perennial favorite, Two Tons of Steel. I can't tell you how excited I am to finally attend one of Gregg's SXSW showcases! I've been chomping at the bit for this for several years now! Viva la Austin!

Saturday
Well, if we haven't collapsed in a quivering heap by this point, we're looking at the Bloodshot Showcase and a few day parties. To be honest, we'll probably be sleeping and trying to catch some of the wonderful "weird" Austin, including a cupcake stand, some famous barbecue, and the Cathedral of Junk. Hmm.... no, there's still more music to be seen and heard!

Sunday
From what I can tell, most of the showcases and parties are over by this point, but I've heard tell of some post-party parties that can be truly epic. I hear that Alejandro Escovedo has a well-known but not-publicized party on Sunday night with loads of special guests? I'll keep an ear out for that one. Sunday we'll definitely be taking in some of the Austin sights, and getting ready for the trip home on Monday.

Wow, I cannot freaking wait! Music to hear, whiskey to be drunk, friends to make and to catch up with... definitely going to be a good time.