The May Fire Setlist

Mad
The List
No Clone
Sinking
Late
Wave
Make It Right
Unicorn
Red Eye

For over a decade, I thought I had lost my photos for SXSW 2009. Let me tell you about my tale of woe. You must remember this was in 2009 and I was working with an old Sony Viao laptop. I had processed the photos and uploaded the article as soon as I was able to. I was using a Sony Memory stick (those were really expensive back then), and so I had to clear the card as soon as I was able to dump it off on my laptop. Some time later, my laptop died, so the only photos I had were on a website called Vox. When Vox went under, they moved us to TypePad.

Guess what? Those photos (and articles) did not transition over to TypePad – and I no longer had the original photo files due to the death of my Sony laptop. So, for over ten years, I thought I had lost those SXSW photos. Recently, while going through an old harddrive, I had discovered I had made a backup of the Vox website in 2015! Not all the photos made it, but I am happy to have some of them back!

Below is the original file for SXSW Day 1:

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QUICK SXSW UPDATE, FIRST IMPRESSIONS
Words cannot really describe how insane it is down here at SXSW. It makes me really envious that we don’t have something like this closer to Minneapolis, or just have something like this happen annually at all major cities….

First off, I have been to “festivals” and these closed venues are lame. You see bands on main stage that are only inches because you’re so far away from the action and there are a bunch of hippy-type people in front of you anyway. Plus, because you’re closed off from civilization, they can charge you $10 for a bottle of water and you basically have to pay for it.

What I like about SXSW is that between 5th and 6th street, that there are literally 300 music “venues”. If venues are not your thing, just walking down the very crowded street, you will randomly see bands. Street food is usually hotdogs-variety, which is quick and easy. I think I liked the name of one of the street vendors, it’s called “Best Wurst”. Get it ? Loling.

By the way, this is just a place holder as I’m mobile and don’t really have all the necessary media(s). Typical Sony Memory sticks will not actually work on any media reader. I hate you sony!!

I am also microblogg/updating via the twitter, so for those who can’t wait to see the latest 140 characters!

Just quickie: saw a lot of bands, but they usually only play for short 30 minute sets (it normally takes them 20-30 mins to set up too, so there is a cycle of new bands constantly every hour on the hour). If you don’t like a set of bands, just move on to the next bar/venue/street performers. I did quick interviews with The May Fire. I’ve seen them before, but the setting at the Havana bar last night had great attendance and the atmosphere rocked. Too bad they only had two shows schedule, most of the band are spending their time until Sunday (I think I heard Caty had to head back home).

Also, I totally missed interviewing Meiko because of unforeseeable circumstances beyond my control. I felt really bad about that one because I was certain I was going to be able to make the 7:30 appointment, only to actually arrive late at 8. I was actually pretty bummed about this because I ended up reading some fascinating articles on her on the drive down here and wanted to bring up of it in the interview. (Since I am taping the interviews, I was planning on putting them in the podcasts/incorporating them in longer-form upcoming articles).

So huge apology, but I am hoping to catch her play tonight and do a writeup on it later to make up for this. Will keep you updated.

DAY ZERO (Tuesday, March 17, 2009)
Traveling… nothing too exciting. My least favorite state was the one with the road tolls (I think this was in Oklahoma). We did stop in Oklahoma City to see Blackwatch Studios. We got to hear a few songs from Minneapolis’ Cedar Avenue band from their forth-coming long playing record. The few songs we heard were incomplete, but it sounds really layered with a variety of tracks.

By the way, if the name Cedar Avenue sounds familiar to you, it is because Kristin reviewed their debut album a while back.

DAY ONE (Wednesday, March 18, 2009)
Getting my bearing was hard. I didn’t know where any of the streets were. So, when people text me: come over to (name of venue), I replied and ask what the cross streets were. Since walking around was my main means of transportation, I ended up crossing out outlier venues immediately.

Wednesday was evening-only, so I mostly went to see some British acts over at Friend’s. These guys were all from the London area, with the exception of Liverpool’s Wave Machines. These guys creeped me out with their masks that they wore on stage – however, due to heat and comfortableness, they took them off half way into their short set. Also caught a bit of Jay Jay Pistolet, whose singing voice is very peculiar… it’s like he sounds like he’s sing out the side of his mouth.

When Mumford & Sons took the stage, it was very, very, very crowded. The audience loved them and it’s apparent that these guys are going to blow up this year.

The Havana Bar had some Spanish showcase, featuring mostly Mexican bands such as Songs For Eleonor, Satin Dolls, Cosmopolitan, and Los Fancy Free. With the exception of The May Fire and Spain’s Capsula. We like Spanish acts, so be sure to read more Mexican Summer and my coverage of Los Fancy Free.

[ To Be Continued … ]