SXSW: march 20, saturday daytime

it was one of those off-and-on gray days in austin, where the sky was somewhat shaky. i didn't know if the sun was just peeking out at me shyly or what, but i was ready to start my day early. i have to say i was in a sour mood when i woke up. i think i almost felt like crying, i was so emotionally exhausted. this past month has been a trying time for me. and i went downstairs to smoke outside the hotel, and then do some writing in the hotel lobby.

as i was writing, i saw this familiar looking guy on the couch. i suddenly realized this guy was dan wilson, the lead singer of that band semisonic, except now i think he only does solo stuff. he had played the ascap sundance music cafe in january, so i recognized him from those photos. you might think i'm sorta bizarro, but i used to have a huge crush on this guy back when my favorite song used to be semisonic's "secret smile." that song still makes me happy... it's the kind of sentimental happy that never goes away like when i hear that new radicals song, "you get what you give." it reminds me of my romantic mishaps over the years, and i'm overcome with whimsy.

so i had to do it. i went over and sat next to dan wilson and introduced myself, explained i worked for ascap and he did the sundance music cafe we produced and blah blah blah blah. he was supernice. i didn't tell him i used to have a crush on him. that will be my secret smile for now...


the winter pageant @ the tillery street theater
[winter pageant write up coming soon]

SXSW: march 20, saturday night

rachael yamagata @ la zona rosa
most amazing rachael lyric: "not gonna shed one more tear for you until sunday afternoon"
[full write up coming soon]


matthew caws of nada surf
...so when i had the chance to see matthew caws and ira elliot play a stripped down nada surf set, i was jumpin. it was pure. it was beautiful. lemme tell you, not too many songs can withstand the test of a simple acoustic strip down. most would run away from embarrassment after being so naked because they tend to be empty. but nada surf songs have tons of substance in their storytelling and the strength of their lyrics. plus, they are romantic, which always draws me in. the stage was short so matthew asked everyone to sit on the floor, and it reminded me of the intimate setting that the very first on the moon music show i threw last year in march had with the moldy peaches side projects at luxx, except the floors were cleaner.


ira elliot of nada surf
matthew is a gifted storyteller, and we were moths drawn to the flame of his heartache and openness. beautiful. they are working on recording new material, i hear, so i can't wait to hear that!! i was singing along to pretty much every song, except for the new ones (for obvious reasons), and at one point, i had to consciously lower my voice because i felt like i was singing louder than matthew!!! i didn't want to have a rockstar moment, if you know what i mean... i told ira about it later, and he laughed and said, "that's so awesome!"


michelle from read yellow @ club deville
[read yellow write up coming soon]


bishop allen
after read yellow, ran into the bishop allen kids everywhere at sxsw. love those kids, but every time they had a show, i was working at the trade show. sometimes things like that get me so down, but luckily i've seen this kids perform so often, i could just sit at the trade show and think fondly about them and just smile. i imagined justin singing one of my favorite bishop allen tunes, "quarter to three," and my face would light up. if you don't know these kids, get to know them now. they are the sweetest bunch with the most surprisingly good music.


ezt
[ezt write up coming soon]


???, brian, daniel
ok, i'm not sure who that girl in the photo is because i wasn't formally introduced to her, but that is brian, the booker from the knitting factory l.a. and daniel next to him. we were outside of the cass mccombs show at one of the many monitor records blowouts. they had amazing fajitas outside of the venue. texas is good for mexican food, which i ended up scarfing down a lot. my stomach is still recovering!


cass mccombs
cass mccombs is just one of those songwriting wonders that astounds me. i pay so much attention to lyrics when i judge a band, especially with people like cass. substance over style, any day kids. his recorded music is much more wondrous and simple than his live performance. when he's on a stage, cass has a full band with a full sound. when he's on the recording, it feels like it's just him and you in a room and he's telling you all about the sorrow in his life. it's pouring out of his mouth and flowing directly into your heart until your stomach wrenches with empathetic pain. ouch ouch ouch. he didn't play my favorite song, "so damn pure," though, but i forgive him because he did an amazing "aids in africa."


ira from nada surf
while we were gathering enough passes for all of our group to get into the kemado/vice party on saturday night, the doors suddenly closed. we were like, what are we gonna do now? fortunately, we had been talking to ira outside for a while and he saved our evening. after he showed off his "national waffle association" button, he solved our problems, and invited daniel, tom, brian and i to his friend's house party. fortunately, tom had a car and drove our asses over to this guy's house. i felt like i was in suburbia! a real neighorhood! a real backyard! no supertall buildings with glass windows in sight! it was a nice laidback change. we rolled into the house and a gaggle of comedians (i think including eugene mirman) were jamming and goofing around on instruments.


just chillin' in texas on swings and stumps


swinging texas!

we walked to this beautiful backyard with home-made christmas lights chandeliers hanging from the tree-tops. their was a bench swing sweetly framed in lights. the setting was perfect and instantly comfortable. our host and hostess for the evening were instantly hospitable, offering us beer and friendly conversation. i LOVE texans. they are proud, but they are damn friendly. they also had a fireplace in the backyard that looked like a bong, no doubt. check it out below.


daniel, that is NOT a bong.

i had this really long conversation with ira and his maplewood bassist jude about drumming and what drummers would like to be asked in interviews, as they rarely do the interviews... then we talked about the infamous nada surf tune, "popular." i don't care what anyone says, i love that song. and if you listen to my launchcast station, you will notice that it comes on the station every single time!! yes, it's very highly rated. spoken word. making fun of high school brats. the crescendo and sarcasm. genius!!! but of course i also really loved their other songs, especially off of the latest album...

the house party was pretty much the perfect, laid back way to end our sxsw extravaganza. we all gave each other a group hug and parted our separate ways, promising to party with each other again soon. hopefully i'll make it over to l.a. at some point to visit brian. and i'm seeing tom again this thursday. i feel like i met some really good friends! the bonding that goes down in austin is one of a kind and i can't wait to go back next year.