SXSW Day Dos

Thursday was epic. We spent 12 hours downtown, and although it was packed with more musical merriment than one could imagine, by the end I feared my head might explode.

First we dropped into the Flamingo Cantina and caught Slaraffenland's set - a crew of Danes on Portland's Hometapes label, which also includes Eau Claire buddies Megafaun, (featured in the above photo) who we saw next. Fantastic show from these bearded gentlemen, who now reside in North Carolina. About 10 minutes after this show, we caught word that Portland darling Laura Gibson was playing a couple blocks away at the Side Bar. We walked in just as she was starting, and it was a treat. I could have done without the really loud, distracting drunk dudes guffawing and saying loud manly things in the background, but what do you do.

THEN, we biked across the Colorado River, which for some reason Texans refer to as "Lady Bird Lake." Whatever you say, Texas. We went to Auditorium Shores and saw Elvis Perkins, The Cold War Kids, and another Stumptown friend, M. Ward, who surprised me with a rollicking rock and roll show, the perfect ying to the yang of his recent, more subdued show at the Aladdin Theater. My friend Nathan Jr. is playing in his band, so it was great to see him get some Jumbotron time. Shredding, nonetheless.

We biked back downtown but the mayhem at this point was overwhelming, and we soon climbed back on our two-wheelers and went back home to recharge. SXSW, I vow to keep up with you.

(Laura Gibson)

(M. Ward and Nathan Jr. Jumbotron action)