Mumblin’

This is the first year I really noticed the crowding. The crush around the convention center was out of hand; all the parking lots were full. But then, it’s the greatest show on earth so it’s no surprise people come in droves.

My friend who took the bus everywhere had a satisfactory time, though hindered by not being able to run from one club crosstown to another. A full-day bus pass is one dollar!

Badge distribution was zooish, with but that’s regular. SXSW musts dictate - DEMAND - that badgewearers keep their ID’s visible, that is not put a second placque on their lanyard, because half the time it covers their name AND THE BEST THING ABOUT SXSW IS YOU CAN SEE PEOPLE’S NAMES. When I’m emperor, nametags will be mandatory .

St. Edwards’s University, of Austin, handed out tiny squeeze-flashlights in the Trade Show. They should have put them in the SXSW bag, as everyone can use them (attached to their lanyards!) to read their club guides on dimly-lit streets. Also, the college looks pretty interesting.

Each year, almost, I note changes. Last year was that my CD discs looked elaphantine compared to everyone’s iPod. A couple years earlier I noticed the complete disappearance of pay phones. This year I went one night with a gal who is in a band that has no video and has no CD, and a dozen people said to her, when she was introduced, “I saw you on myspace.”

The Convention featured top-line speakers: Neil Young, kd lang, Sam Moore, Chrissie Hynde, Kris Kristofferson, Judy Collins, Morrisey, Billy Bragg, Beastie Boys and a free concert by Ray Davies (pronounced, in Blighty, Davis). I saw none, but they sounded fun, mostly.

There was a big New Orleans fest at Town Lake (the river that is a lake) and much other New Orleans music on tap that week. These days you can’t throw a rock without hitting a Neville or a Wild Tchapitoula in Austin bec many of the disposessed from the Crescent City have relocated to this kindred music-sympathetic (and hot in the summer) city.

WHERE THE GIRLS AREN’T. I saw many females at the sign-in at the Convention Center, then hardly any at any shows. My musical tastes are excusively guyish, I guess. But then, I didn’t go to the Morrisey show, about whom I heard one gal say the next day “He took his SHIRT off!” with an eye-rolling sigh.

Tuesday

Got into town at 2:30 pm, rented a car (When in Texas, how can you not rent from Alamo?) and motored over to the Convention Center to get credentials and photo pass from Eliz Derczo. I phoned Jurgen Koop in Dripping Springs, to set up a visit over the weekend, and left a message on his answering machine. At 4:00 met friend and host Kent Benjamin at the Texas Chili Parlor. Kent got on the phone with his other lodger Peter Case, but Pete couldn’t make it to our dinner. We all met at Kent’s at 8:30 and talked about going to some clubs, then decided to save our energy and stay in for the evening, but then jabbered into the night.

Wensday

Had Pete’s Tacos at Maudie’s on South Lamar with Kent. Then went to the Convention Center to see the mobs. The line for badge distribution to press, panelists, bands and attendees extended deep into the convention center. I blow in on Tuesdays to avoid that crush.

At 2:30 went to Emo’s w/Kent and saw Zykos, then left for Mother Egan’s where Will Sexton just ended. Visited with Highland Grounds/Hugo’s co-owner Rich Brenner and his family for a while, left, and came back at 7:00 and saw locals The Gourds, then a bit of Willie Nile. En route to the car I stopped back of Opal Divine’s and saw Mexican punk-rockers Delux from Tijuana. They were outstanding, but that’s when my DV camera broke. (Er, it’s a new camera and I couldn’t get the new roll of film in*.) I popped into the Austin Music Awards show and saw Kinky Friedman walking around, and Eliza Gilkyson onstage, both beautiful sights. Then dropped into the Continental and saw Gary Clark Jr., the young Austin blues singer, who was fantastic. Back into town to Antone’s and saw a few minutes of Beth Orton, then went to the Exodus on 6th Street to see the midnight Plimsouls show, which started 22 minutes late bec the previous band, World Party, ran late. The club was packed so densely I left out of fear of being crushed, but what I heard was great. Caught a glimpse of Our Small Capital at the Drink.

At 1 a.m. en route home I stopped at the Saxon Pub. It was a mournful visit this year, as all the other SXSW Wensdays this century I’d seen Ian McLagan there. (He played three other showcases this time.) I paid my five bucks and saw the end of Sal Valentino’s set. Accompanied by two guitarists, he sang as mellifluously as ever, looked great, it was a wonderful event and, afterwards, reunion. (We know each other thru mutual friend Swamp Dogg.) Then Freddy Steady, the house band from the Texas Music Awards earlier in the evening, hit the stage running. Freddy Krc (pron. Kirch), normally a drummer, was the lead singer and guitarist, and they ROCKED on Train Kept A Rollin’, Long Tall Sally, and others. Then a guest took the stage, a neatly dressed guy with wavy grey hair, and the place exploded seconds after he flailed at his guitar for his entry into “Not Fade Away.” This fellow, Jerry Cole, has a fairly impressive C.V. on the L.A. session scene, starting as guitarist with the Champs. The building levitated. My jaw dropped and my head shook in amazement.

Just like when I’d see Ian here, the first night in town was the best. Went back to Kent’s at 2:30 and waited til he and Pete got in so we could compare our experiences.

* Only after I READ THE INSTRUCTIONS the next morning did I learn that once the tape was inserted into the metal housing you had to push gently on the top it (!) to activate the door’s closing. Who ever heard of pushing on the mechanism itself? Not, til then, me.

Thursday

Peter’s music-journalist girlfriend Denise Sullivan came into town in the morning, and we all got acqainted while trying to awaken at Kent’s house.

At the Convention Ctr I went on the smokers balcony to see the hustle and bustle on the street below and heard a band playing at the Canadian Music1 tent directly across the street. The singer sang in the style of Burton Cummings! I’d never heard do this before, aside from Cummings. He deserves all idolization!2

For my busman’s holiday I went to Maria’s Tacos on Lamar and saw Randy Weeks, then Mike Stinson, L.A. acts I know well. Missed the earlier sets by I See Hawks In L.A. and Tony Gilkyson’s. Ran into Eliza and Nancy Gilkyson as well as Tony. At 6 I went to the Lucky Lounge for Ian McLagan, but he was positioned low so couldn’t see him, except from the wall-side raised ‘balcony,’ which was okay, but crowded. (The sidewalk was mobbed for the Richie Furay show at nearby Antone’s. Ran into Pam Des Barres walking by, snapped a photo together, and I gather she never made it into the show.) Grabbed Rich Brenner and we set out for a night on the town.

Went to Cheapo Records at 7:00 to see the 3 Balls of Fire, guitarist Mike Vernon and bassist Vic Gerard, and drummer XXXX, George Tomsco of the Fireballs and Jerry Cole. Great instrumental set for thirty people. From there we went to the Brentwood restaurant on north Burnet to dine and see the Belgian rockabilly band The Seat Sniffers, an act not connected to SXSW, and then to Jenny’s Longhorn a few blocks south to see Redd Volkaert. Next I landed on 6th Street and saw the end of the set by the Latebirds from Finland. (They finished with a Nick Lowe song, not the first time I heard him mentioned onstage at this fest.)

From there we went to Ego’s, a low-ceilinged club at a motel just south of Barton Springs Rd, on Congress to see Rick Broussard & Friends. The friend onstage when I entered was indeed a friend, Rosie Flores, who’s just returned to Austin from Nashville. And she was soon joined by Lynda Kay and former Rockat Danny B. Harvey, vets of LA clubs and the Elvis show. Rick provided a truly rockin’ show for the mostly local (everyone but us) crowd, many of whom took to the dance floor. (This distinguishes it from an official SXSW show.) At Antone’s at 1 a.m. we saw a few songs from James McMurtry, then went to the Whisky Bar and saw Ian McLagan again, this time close up. (Late shows are easier at SXSW. Parking spaces open, crowds thin out.) Walking back from Ian, we stopped again at Antone’s and caught a few songs from Hank Williams III, who is not doing the loud punk-metal show I saw at the Continental a few years ago. Now in corny country garb and working with a fiddle player, Williams has a new, old, tack. I couldn’t divine anything unique about it (Would his act, had he another name, be as sweet?) but it was fun.

1 Next night I saw a two-story house overflowing with people digging the music (and beer) of Manitoba!

2 I wonder how the Guess Who is ‘regarded’ today. You never see them cited as important, yet they pumped out a lot of great records, including the pop-revolutionary Share The Land and Bus Rider. (I never sat easily with American Woman, as it didn’t make sense to me. Who’d turn down a girl bec of the country she came from?) That “These Eyes” and “Undun” are softer, nouveau lounge-music might have hurt the group with the Style Dictators, but if so why would Van Morrison have any validity after “Moon Dance”?

Friday

Looking at the list I assembled for this night, I see I made only one of my planned club stops.

Saw the Lucky Tomlin band free on the outdoor stage at Threadgill’s downtown (their original site north on Lamar, whence came Janis Joplin’s early gigs, seems all but forgotten to SXSW people) with the same problem as last year -- a loud rock band at Bennigan’s across the street blaring into their set. Also saw James Intveld sing.

Then went, hopefully, to the Continental Club to see if I could squeeze into the Ponderosa Stomp show, and Deus, in the person of rock-scribbler Ed Ward, stepped in. He was first in line in the badge-holders line and greeted me with open arms. A few seconds later he was waved in, leaving me - first in line. It looked as though I was his ‘date’, arriving late, not like the serendipity it was. I felt guilty, but also lucky, when I was waved in soon after him. I caught one great song by Warren Storm - man that Louisiana R&B is great stuff - and then my head was blown off seeing Tommy McLain take the stage. He, known mainly for a 1966 version of the Patsy Cline song “Sweet Dreams,” (#15 on the national pop charts!)6, has long been a favorite of mine from his Jin label recordings and his Huey Meaux-produced Epic album. On the Epic album he looks like a backwoodsman with long black hair and long black beard, and now he looks elfin (appropriate for this St. Patricks Day show) with long white hair and long white beard. He did only 3 songs. Then a guy named Al “Carnival Time” Johnson, whose semi-hit is in his sobriquet, and Barbara Lynn, accompanying herself on guitar for three songs. Also appearing was “Senegal,” guitarist for Clifton Chenier. I knew his name well, because he was the guy we went to to get tickets in the 1970s to Clifton’s annual shows at Verbum Dei high school in south L.A.

Later I went up Red River and walked by Headhunters, which features psychobilly, and saw a bald young thuggish man dry(?)humping two clothed girls on the sidewalk. “That’s alcohol for you. Makes women demean themselves” said my AA companion. We looked in vain for a restaurant open late, and ended up at Denny’s on the east side of I-35.

6 In 1976 I drove through south Louisiana, and bought a bunch of singles in Lake Charles, among them “Try To Find Another Man” by McLain. I loved that record, and put it on a tape. In 1978, when I was working at Elektra, I gave that tape to John Prine and he flipped and started performing it in his shows. It is a Hatfield-Medley composition, culled from a Righteous Brothers’ Moonglow album.

Saturday

Rain in the morning. Drove to Oltorf to the Mexicali to see Cornell Hurd’s annual country-swing outdoor hoedown, but it was called off. Rain abating, I went to behold one of the numerous, or innumerable, record company parties, an outdoor do from Blooodshot Records at the Yard Dog, and as in the past it was packed like a sardine can and I left.

Went to my fr Kent’s big7 Pop Culture Press party at the Dog & Duck and saw Translator, Steve Wynn (whose cute-girl drummer caught the attention of the fronties), and a bit of Willie Nile, then removed myself to the Continental to see Andre Williams, but was left standing outside with the lookie-loos. (The club kept its doors open, so standees were just ten feet beyond [literal] insiders standing at the back.)

Went back to the Dog & Duck and saw Richie Furay8 take bows after his show. The Furay troupe needed next to get to the airport pronto for an evening gig, but cab phone lines were jammed all over town. (This remained the same every night til 3 am.) At this point Kent snagged Jules Shear’s incoming cab but it wasn’t enough to take all band members and equipt, and turned to (on?) me with what I trust was an inadvertent bait & switch saying “Art, can you take Richie to the airport in your car?”

I was staying at his house: what else could I do? And besides, it’d be nice to palaver with Rich, so I said OK, at which point Richie and his manager jumped in the cab and two sidemen and three guitars headed in my direction. Nice fellas, we got there in 45 minutes, even though it’s a 25 minute ride. The airport exit, I now know, comes up relatively near to town, and I overlooked it. Unlike L.A., which blasts big signs alerting you to LAX, Austin’s has one sign, which I overlooked, and then one stinky little airplane symbol topping the actual road (Ben White Blvd) sign. When we got to the town of Buda I learned I was nine miles past my exit, and I turned around merrily. The boys in the back weren’t nearly as sanguine as I, but northbound traffic wasn’t bad so I knew it would be only a nine-minute return trip. We got to the aiport fine, and my nervous fares emptied with relief into Richie/mgr’s awaiting arms. (I overshot the airport by the same nine miles last year, picking up Dwight Twilley. You don’t have to come right out and say it: I’m stupid.)

At 7:00 I went up to Antone’s Record Shop on Guadalupe and saw the final song by Sal Valentino. Man, he’s great (again). I saw Magic Christian, featuring Cyril Jordan of the Flamin’ Groovies, setting up, this gig accompanied by Eddie Munoz of the Plimsouls. They played to an adoring crowd in that small store.

Went to Opal Divine’s at 8 to see Two Hoots & A Holler. Leader Mike Broussard performed “my only political song” which opened with (I reconstruct from memory) “I like Richard Burton, I tolerate Tim Burton, I love James Burton, but I fucking hate Haliburton.” Broussard’s music is not rank & file rockabilly, as his songs cite off-dogma influences such as Joe Strummer, Motorhead, and Bob Dylan. Great show. Then downtown to The Drink to see Andy Pratt. He looked like, oh, Michael Bolton on the cover of his 1973 Columbia album, and now he looks like Christopher Lloyd. His singing is in the high range, like Frankie Valli, and he played both guitar and keyboard, intermittently. His music is still esoteric to say the least. From there I went up Red River and met Perfect Sound editor Jason Gross at Red Eye Fly where he was seeing Nebula, and we walked downhill to Beerland and heard Gitogito Hustler, the short-girl (I deduce) Japanese go-go band who were apparently playing at ground level, hence were unseeable. They sounded fun, though. And somehow I also saw Wussy, at Opal Divine’s.

At midnight I was back on Red River, at the Velvet Spade to see Kid Congo and Pink Monkey Bird. When I managed the Cramps, Kid was a member, and he didn’t sing but had a slow, deliberate speaking style. That style has carried into his music: he sing/speaks, in a very compelling and attractive manner. I was delightfully surprised and mesmerized by him and his 3-piece band - SXSW beginning and ending for me on a high note. From there I dashed down to nearby Bourbon Rocks and caught the end of the set by Susan Cowsill, who humbly thanked the audience for staying to see her “between the two heavyweight acts.” (Preceding her was Garland Jeffreys.) She sang well, as she always does, but her lighthearted songs were bittersweet and her somber ones somber9.

Following her the Waco Brothers, whose country-punk offerings had the martial verve of sped-up Irish drinking songs, played to an enraptured crowd. (They include members of several bands, incl the Mekons.) I’m gonna like the term “Insurgent Country,” for a little while.)

7 This free party, for the pop music publication, was loaded with acts: Steve Wynn, Willie Nile, Peter Holsapple & Chris Stamey, Matt Keating & Emily Spray, Nic Armstrong, Furay, Peter Case, Matthew Sweet & Susana Hoffs, Jules Shear. The club sold out its entire beer stock and all it could borrow from other clubs. Unlike last year, it was prepared for the rain - fully tented outside.

8 Furay’s shows at Antone’s and the Dog & Duck were deservedly packed, but a smidgen of the audience was hoping his Buffalo Springfield bandmate Neil Young would duck in, since he spoke at the convention. Nobody yelled “Neil, Neil!” at the shows, but I’d like to think that if they did, Furay would have taken a cue from Albert Brooks who when he heard that same cry as the opening act for Neil Diamond got down on his knees and sang “Swanee.”

9 She’s had a tougher 12 months than most of us. Her home and personal belongings in New Orleans were washed away along with all the concert and personal recordings she’d archived over the years. One of her brothers drowned in that deluge, and his body was found four months later. Then last month another brother died.

Sunday

Though I’d stayed up on a gabfest with Kent and Peter the previous night (like every night) til 3:30, I got up around 8:30 restless. The annual SXSW barbecue/softball game was scheduled for noon, but as it it was raining like hell that seemed doubtful10 so I drove over to the convention center hoping they kept the press room open for the few un-wired journalists they served during the week. (I couldn’t get on AOL at Kent’s house. Probably something I don’t understand about PC’s.) The place was shut tight. The town was shut down too. I stopped at Krispy Kreme, something I don’t normally do anymore (lost weight over Xmas, gotta keep it off) and brought a dozen to my housemates. When they got up we (me, Pete, Denise) got a private screening of “The Passing Show - The Life and Music Of Ronnie Lane,” the film (which Kent asssociate-produced) that world-debuted at SXSW, and at 1:00 went to Maudie’s on Lamar for another round of Pete’s Tacos. From there I went to Cornell Hurd’s office and visited him for a half hour. En route to the airport I got a call from Jurgen Koop, whom I’d called Tuesday, saying “Art, are you still in town? I just got your message.” I thought I was lax in checking cellphone messages!

Got to the airport early, 3:30 pm, for my 5:57 flight, which turned into a 7:00 flight because flights into Dallas were halted due to heavy rain there. Not too bad. Then we waited in Dallas. And waited. When I arrived in Burbank at 1:10 a.m. three hours late, there were no cabs (didn't want wifey, with a cold, to get out of bed at such an hour), but after 45 minutes I called her and she drug herself over, and I felt guilty as I pulled away at 2:20 while six of the original 12 taxi-stand strandees looked on forlornly. We had been a brotherhood, standing together for an hour in the chilly night with only 3 taxis having come. Each of us in line had called Yellow Cab, and all were told “We’re sending taxis” which meant “We’ve told the taxis, and if the feel like driving all the way out there instead of picking up drunks at bars, they’ll be there.” There was no hope at Bob Hope Airport.

10 There may have been an alternate rain plan for the barbecue, but I didn’t have the wherewithal to consult the big convention book, which gave Rain Date guidance.

A Fan’s Notes

You’re never too old to humiliate yourself. I am a bug about the Heaters, a girl-led group that had two albums released in the late 70s. They were the best group I ever saw in L.A. -- much better than their records! Fast, musically adept, funny, (couldn’t say that about ‘my’ next band, the Blasters), had wonderful songs, exciting performers, unpredictable, funny (did I say that already?). Their 1985 demo tape was my key to meeting The World’s Greatest Record Producer, who liked the band. Their big break was in 1979 when they opened for the Talking Heads at the Whisky. Their energy and music had the crowd cheering, and the Heads, with their droll delivery, had a tough time overcoming it.

Lately two Heaters have CD’d the 1985 demo, which is brilliant, so it could be appreciated anew. So when I saw David Byrne stuck in line at Stubbs Saturday night, I introduced myself and asked him if he remembered the Heaters from that night. “My god” he said, “that was our first show in L.A.” I pressed whether he remembered anything good about them, and he pulled back a bit and said, “Not really.” I said I’d like to send him their 1986 demo anyway, and he responded with a look I know too well of surprise and disinterest. I skulked away.

SXSW Coverage Coverage

Arctic Monkeys made their big American splash at SXSW, and the Austin American-Statesman sent out - who better? - wheezy Michael Corcoran to welcome them. His Nibs cut them quickly with the noticeable, if not notable, “Psssst - that’s the sound of deflated expectations.” His Majesty was not amused by their music, and left imperiously mid-set. “Maybe they got better, but I doubt it,” He harumphed, crushing their career like a bug in his beard. With such imperial swagger, someone should crown him.

Youngster1 Joe Gross opined at the opening of another Statesman supplement that “industry people”2 were bolting from good shows in mid-set to rush to others (as if everyone weren’t doing that), inadvertently telling us he wasn’t watching the shows but watching the watchers. Also his contention that the piano antics of Jamie Cullum at the Paste Magazine party showed “a wild streak that would put Jerry Lee to shame” convinced me he was born yesterday.

In the 3/18/06 Austin American-Statesman, Renusa Rayakam wrote a lively article about crowding at the fest, noting that some people who bought $175 club-admission wristbands had then “forsaken the pink handcuff” and opted for non-SXSW shows. I liked “pink handcuff.” The cutline to a photo of people lined up for a Beastie Boys show said they had to “fight for their right to get in the door.” Pretty good.

Jon Pareles in the 3/20/06 NY Times made the same mistake all reviewers make, saying that some band’s perf was “one of the best sets of the festival.” Did he go to all 1400 shows? And he suggests that big acts ‘slumming’ at SXSW may have been courting ‘indie cred,’ which he calls a “mysterious” (and laughable) quality.” He assigns a motivation to them, then laughs at them! He, of course, is full of cred. Lamenting the preponderance of rock (!) at the fest, he notes that Texas hip-hop shows were relegated to an area “far from the main strip,” as if the cacaphony of 6th Street was an agreeable or prestigious setting. He salutes the 15-minute appearance by Barbara Lynn, of the 1962 hit “You’ll Lose A Thing,” without remembering (knowing about?) her solo SXSW show at Antone’s in 1999. But reviewing the band Tapes ‘n Tapes he used the word ‘metamorphosed’ rather than ‘morphed,’ so he gets my vote. (Although, if he wrote morphed like all rock crits, maybe a copy editor changed it.)

1 In a review roundup, he used many crit-cliches so I figure he is in an early stage of gestation.

2 As if he read every nametag. The boogie-man spectre is everpresent in the rock crit field. That “the record companies,” “the industry,” “the Man” are stifling the good stuff gives writers the high moral ground they need.

And Feinally

SXSW Fathead Award goes to Greg Kot, of the Chicago Tribune, quoted in the 3/18/06 Austin American-Statesman about the fact that badge-holders were unable to get in some crowded shows: “And if I’m press and I need to do my job and I can’t get into a show, that’s a problem.”

It’s not a problem if common people are left out BUT I HAVE A JOB TO DO. Some job, seeing rock & roll shows. If he knew how to DO his job he’d arrive early for a popular show like everyone else.

-- Art Fein

PHOTOS

SAXON PUB - AF, Jerry Cole, Sal Valentino, Kent Benjamin

CONVENTION CENTER - Paul Body, on his way up (See Paul's SXSW Notes at bottom of page)

MARIA’s TACOS - Eliza Gilkyson, Tony Gilkyson, Paul Lacques (I See Hawks In L.A.)

CHEAPO RECORDS - Jerry Cole, jenny angel of the Dusk Devils, George Tomsco of the Fireballs.

THE BRENTWOOD - The Seat Sniffers, from Belgium

THE DRINK - The Latebirds, of Finland

EGO’s - Danny B. Harvey, Lynda Kay, Rosie Flores

CONTINENTAL - Warren Storm, of Lousiana

6th STREET - The Crooners, from NYC

DOG & DUCK - Richie Furay

ANTONE’S RECORDS - Magic Christian

THE DRINK - Andy Pratt

OPAL DIVINE’S - Wussy

VELVET SPADE - Kid Congo & The Pink Monkey Birds

BOURBON ROCKS - Susan Cowsill

BOURBON ROCKS - The Waco Brothers

MAUDIE’S on LAMAR - Kent B, Peter Case, Denise Sullivan

CONGRESS & MILTON - Cornell Hurd

Subj: SXLittle Paul Body.doc
Date: Thursday, March 30, 2006 11:15:57 PM
From: nancybody@earthlink.net
To: sofein@aol.com

SXLittle Paul Body

March 14th

It was a early morning and it went pretty smooth. After two fairly short flights, we got into Austin. It was good to be back. Now the real fun starts. The Hampton Inn is not the Driskill but it is close to the Convention Center, so that makes it all right. We got our badges and now it is time to rock. We are a day early, nothing starts until tomorrow but we did grub at Stubbs, saw the legendary Beatle Bob. Later we saw this movie called “East of Havana” , a movie about Cuban rappers, that was pretty good. It was produced by Charlize Theron, “ The Monster” actress and she was at the Paramount. It was pretty crowded at the Paramount theatre, I guess people heard she was going to be there. See, no matter what, people like to see stars. She was every inch a movie star with her blonde just right. So far, so good. Let’s rock.

March 15th

Well, well, we jumped right into it today, the first official day of SXSW. Had the ritual breakfast at Kerby Lane and then went shopping. I might have found a pair of boots but in my typical way, I have to think about it. Anyway we started off at the Austin Music Hall, caught the last of Miss Lavelle White and she was pretty hot. Sorry we missed her.

After she went off, they handed out a few awards, Tony G’s sister Eliza won best vocalist. 3 Balls of Fire came on and they rocked pretty good, they brought out session man Jerry Cole and he had us rocking to “Tequila”, man who would have imagined that. Then Joe Dee Graham played and he cooked, he brought his son up and he was pretty good for a kid. Then Kris Kristofferson and Jessi Colter came on, Kris did the Waylon parts pretty good and Jessi was Jessi, still one of the sweetest voices this side of the pearly gates and she is still a stone fox. Then we went over to Opal Devine’s to catch some roc en espanol. We caught the last of Zayra Alvarez from Dallas, Texas. She was good at shaking her hair and wearing a white mini skirt.

Next was Maneja Beto from Austin and they were pretty good, they had cool dynamics because they would go from really loud crazy stuff to real melodic dance stuff. They were introduced by Paul Salcido ex LATV guy, I guess that he is living in Texas now. He still owes me a free the Ozamotli 3 tee shirt from a few years back. Next up was Botellito de Jerez, a famous band from Mexico. They were having a kick on stage and so was the audience. The mosh pit and stage diving thing was happening. The kids knew all of their songs. They were sort of a cross between the early Mothers and a 70’s rock band. We flew down with guitar player. I almost pulled out some girl’s hair going for a souvenir that they threw from the stage. It was misting on the walk back to the hotel. It was almost 2 A.M. and 6th was still pretty crowded.

March 16th

Spent a lot of time at the Convention Center with Neil Young. Kris Kristofferson and a little bit of k.d. laing. They were all informative. I have never been a big fan of Neil Young but I have an immense amount of respect for him. He was funny but he kept talk about his film at a minimum, it was a gas hearing him speak. He was with Jonathan Demme the director of his new movie. Although “Heart of Gold” is acoustic movie. Demme let it be known that he digs the Neil Young’s Crazy Horse period. Kris Kristofferson aka Cisco Pike was cool. The old craggy voice is still there, the hair is grayer and the politics are pretty far left for an old guy. Hope that I am as suspicious when I hit my 70’s.

SAM MOORE

I have dug soul music for as long as it has been around. So seeing Sam Moore being interviewed was a true highlight. The songs that he did with Dave are burned in my memory. They were that important. He was in fine form, still every each the Soul Man.

Dave Marsh interviewed him and he can be a pain sometimes but he was pretty sedate. There was a lot of laughing as Sam was talking about his new record. Got my picture taken with him before the whole thing started, He is one of last of the real true soul men left. Pickett is gone now.

The Shows

Started at La Zona Rosa, Anthony Hamilton the new soul man was putting it together. He was pretty good and he had the crowed swaying and testifying. One guy even yelled at the end of a song, “ Play that song again”, yes indeed. It was real good see some modern soul music be a part of SXSW. It was too early for the people with badges but they missed a good show. Then we rambled over to Antone’s to see Uncle Earl, an all female bluegrass group. They were pretty good. They played pretty good in their thrift stores dresses. Radney Foster followed and a little bit of Radney goes a long way.

We then went down to Tambaleo’s to see Los Abandoned, there was small crowd but they played like it was 10,000 in the room. They ended with a great version of “Como La Flor” somewhere, wherever she is, that big ass Texan must be smiling down. Then we made it to the Whisky Bar to Jon Dee Graham and Ian Mclagan and the Bump Band. Jon Dee was pretty good, although he complained about the SXSW festival a little too much. Fein Art showed up just before Mac went on. Now Fein Art doesn’t dig the Stones but he digs the Bump band, they have crunch that was just about invented by the Stones. They were nice and loud. It was even later than the night before and 6th was still crowded.

March 17th and 18th

Didn’t get a chance to write the past couple of days. It all sort of went by in blur. Saw some cool interviews. Billy Bragg’s thing was real cool, it is great to see an un repentant lefty. The Latin thing was cool as usual. Not as fiery as it usually is. Big disappointment at La Zona Rosa because Bettye Lavette didn’t make it. Plane and weather trouble. Should have gone to see Roseanne Cash at the outdoor thing. We missed the Ponderosa Stomp but saw Ramblin’ Jack Elliot, so it was worth it. He was funny and he had the crowd eating out of his hands. He was at Tambaleo and when we got there, it looked like a repeat of the night before attendance wise but by the time he went on there was a crowd. He told some funny stories and did a great version of “Old Shep”. He doesn’t like flash cameras so don’t know if we got a picture of him. After seeing Ramblin’ Jack we headed for 6th but decided to stop at Antone’s because it was already pretty crowded. Over the Rhine from Ohio was just finishing and the crowd was still building.

The next group was Marah, a loud band from Brooklyn, New York. They were sort of cross between a Jersey bar band and the Clash. They came on to the Rocky theme. Enough said about that. The show really got going with Sharon Jones and the Dap Kings. I knew it was going to be good because the band was playing along with James Brown over the sound system and they were nailing it. She came on like whirling dervish. All sass and class. She’s a little tiny woman, like a compact female version of James Brown and in no time she had the place rocking like a cradle. They were joined the Dansettes from New York on one tune.

We missed Bettye Lavette but we saw the next best thing. It was late as Neko Case came on and the crowd was still roiling from Sharon Jones but she calmed us down. I knew of her but what she did at Antoine’s was spellbinding. One of the reasons why she is dug so much is that she is red headed beauty. She’s real natural and you can’t keep your eyes of her. She is like a cool, fresh drink after a good meal. She reminded me of those hippy mamas from the 70’s, only with more style and tighter pants. And I always dug a woman who could play and she can. It was late when I got back to the hotel but people were still out on the street…….Drunk because it was St. Patrick’s Day.

Saturday we went looking for those elusive boots. Think I got a lead where to find them. Saw the Randy Weeks at Opal’s in the afternoon and they were a gas. The Cinema Bar comes to Austin. The place was reeling with Spring breakers and drunks. Well, were on 6th Street. It was great seeing the fellas in Texas. Oh yeah before we went to Opal’s I went over to Waterloo to see Roseanne Cash, She was great. Ran into someone who knew Amy Farris and we had a nice conversation, got Rosie’s autograph too. Had dinner at Evita’s and it was real good. Told them we would see them next year. Next stop was the Continental Club, we wanted to beat the crowds. We sat through the Weary Boys and they were pretty good. Wanda Jackson was WANDA JACKSON and she had the place moving and grooving. Holly George-Warren was there, she always has the coolest cowboy boots.

The Paybacks were from Detroit, all I can is that they were loud. Andre “Mr. Rhythm” Williams was on next, it was him, his band and 2 Texas strippers. He didn’t do “Jailbait” but he did do “Bacon Fat”. Oh yeah and the stripper’s bacon fat was jiggling. For Nancy the evening was over but for me, I still had to go to church. Because that was where the hootenanny was held. It was crowded when I got there. It was sort of muggy inside the church. It was great way to end SXSW. Joe Henry and Billy Bragg took us to heaven with a medley of, “Girl From the North Country”, “Tupelo Honey” and “ People Get Ready”. Ramblin’ Jack followed and the crowd loved everything he did. He ended the night with “ Me and Bobby McGee”. It was raining as we came out the church but I had to see Mary Lou Lord. I only saw a few songs and she announced that it was the last time for her. Hope that it isn’t. SXSW 2006 was officially over and Mary Lou took it back to the barn.

Musing about SXSW

I have been coming since ’93 and this was by far my favorite. All of them have been good but his was special. Saw all kinds of different music and missed a lot too. But that is sort of the point, the music is like a street car that you miss, you can always catch something good just around the corner. It was a real treat seeing the old timers like Wanda Jackson, Andre Williams and Ramblin’Jack Elliot still performing. I guess they have gotten too old to change. eHH H