SXSW Thursday Daytime

Is it really only half over?

Tapes n Tapes started things off nicely on Thursday.

But let's back up.

Juan in a Million started things out wonderfully Thursday. Half a Don Juan (now a whopping $3.25) and a machacado taco with chiles and tomatoes with a pile of chips and salsa (not as blistering as usual) with coffee and a lot of water was exactly what this boy needed to get up and go.

From there we went to Austin Cycles, Eric's new shop, to check it out and say hey to Sol. Great place. A really nice setup with a long bar and the work space behind it, so that customers can sit on a stool and watch the work being done. I can see why Eric loves his new job so much.

Then came Tapes n Tapes out behind Yard Dog. Great show, really makes me want to see their showcase. Great blistering indie riffs with french horn, growly and melodic. The CD, The Loon, is really good, though I've only been through the whole thing once.

We headed home to clean up and grab the bikes, then headed downtown. Into Emo's Jr., where Dengue Fever had the room rapt and baffled. The Cambodian singer lady was belting it out to some groovy worldy stuff played by a tall trio behind her. In the main room some other band was playing, don't know who, seemed sort of like a demented Poi Dog crossed with Dexy's midnight Runners. Weird but hard to look away. We went out and across to Emo's IV to see Willowz, but they were screechy and awful and we broke the hell out.

From Emo's it was on to Room 710 where the schedule was off in our favor--so we caught WHY? again. Good show, though much the same as the night before and still without Gemini. After that Gogogo Airheart played, and they were fun to listen to. Not so great to watch, but they do rock it.

We walked from there to the Beauty Bar where we hoped to catch a set by Lady Soverign, but she was inside and invite only, so we went round back and listened to Cut Chemist spin for a while. He was good, great aftternoon music, not big dance but not downtempo. Then we walked over to the 18th floor hotel bar to see Editors, but Eric and I bolted for home instead. We were planning to see Spoon at 7 and wanted to eat and get ready.

Eat we did. The Green Mesquite. Fantastic. Bubba taco basket, one brisket one chicken, and a gallon of Dr. Pepper. A heavenly place to be on a Thursday afternoon with a slight beer buzz, sweaty from the bike ride home. Texas just like I remember it.

This is just Thursday day. The night hadn't even started. I'm writing this on Friday morning, and I'm in stunned disbelief that this is only half over.