This week in Austin, Texas marks the 21st year of the infamous South By Southwest Music and Film Festival, which attracts hordes of some of the most obnoxious and conversely most talented folks in the creative universe. This week-long test of endurance and timing can result in some once-in-a-lifetime experiences if you keep your eyes and ears open to some of the last-minute secret showcases, and after parties. Rumors of performances by the Stooges, the Saints, Urinals, and the Shangri Las' Mary Weiss have finally settled into place, but there's always a chance the locations can change at the last minute, so keep your ear to the ground if you're so inclined. While it's traditionally a chance to check out all the new Texas bands that haven't toured outside the state yet, it's always a great opportunity to see some of the best out-of-state bands that don't come through your town, or only play shows out once or twice a year in their own region. With five gazillion bands playing three to four shows each day, the whole experience can be mindboggling, exhausting, and somewhat overdone, but with all those cold bottles of Lone Star, coupled with great BBQ and music industry sideshow spectacles at every angle, it's a ritual best savored when you're in the right mindset. Spanning the rock'n roll spectrum from Roky Erickson's Ice Cream Social to the Punk Slime Party out at the Scoot Inn, you've got a lot to choose from in Austin this week, and we strongly encourage you to check out as many of the free (non-sxsw) sanctioned showcases as possible, and also (or including) showcases by Norton, Goner, Birdman, Dusty Medical, Holy Mountain Records, and Chunklet, Vice, and Dot Dash as well. And be sure to stop by Austin's best live music venue, Beerland for our Friday afternoon Victim of Time showcase featuring one of the most well-rounded lineups you'll see all weekend, starting at 1pm and free of charge, yet somehow priceless. Check out the ever-changing lineup on our Austin page right HERE.
check out a great sample of video excerpts courtesy of johnnyguitar:
