SXSW Days Tres and Cuatro

Oofta. We woke up on Friday morning and decided to set some boundaries. Take it easy. Know our limits. So naturally we ended up Austin’s legendary Magnolia Café at 4am for nachos and home fries. Sometimes you just have to call an audible.

We started the day at the Rumblefish party at the Tiniest Bar in Texas, catching a set from Portland’s 7 member, 82-instrument band Loch Lomond, followed by Nico Vega from L.A. -- a metal/hybrid/sorta bat-shit crazy but good-sounding girl-fronted act. At this point we decided to throw “Get a Grip Friday” rules out the window. (Which for the record were never firmly established.) We dipped back into the 6th Street mayhem and found some seats under the stars in the Side Bar’s outdoor patio before hopping next door to Beerland to catch the Vivian Girls, girl-punk from Brooklyn.

Then we come full circle. Where it ends and begins, with nachos and home fries. My body hates me. We’re working it out.

Saturday was truly one to scratch into the “really great day” bedpost. Hometapes put on a all-day event called “Friend Island,” with free pancakes, (that squirt out of a can! Mine was shaped like a snail.) Deschutes beer on tap and bands and bands and bands. My favorites were Peter Broderick, (member of Horse Feathers and Efterklang) an unplugged acoustic front porch-esque set from Raleigh’s Megafaun, and some face-melting electronic business from old pals and Madison residents All Tiny Creatures. And let’s not forget more goodness from those Danes, and some bonus Danes whose band was called “Murder.” Which was surprising, since they were three dudes sitting with their legs crossed singing melancholy folk music. Maybe they got some bad thesaurus information.

I apologize for the “Then we did this, and then I ate this, and then some guy said this” nature of these SXSW posts. It hurts me more than it hurts you, I promise. The amount of notable activities is a bit overwhelming. I’m not even telling you everything. Like how the ATM charged me a $6 finance charge, or about the holes that my “cute girl shoes” chiseled into the back of my heels. Anyway, I appreciate you sticking with me. These bands deserve the attention of my gargantuan readership. (Musicians, thank me later. In all of your albums.)