SXSW: Last Official Day

Today was the last official day of the festival. I felt a bit quesy thinking this whole thing was soon going to be over so I started early and went to a day show to see Crystal Antlers play. These guys are epically intense and it was at this point I resorted to using my ear plugs. The band thrashes the music out to create a sound of gigantic proportions and stun the crowd into giving them your full attention. I had a chat to lead singer Johnny Bell after the show, dripping from sweat from his performance. He explained to me their touring schedule, and at that point I realised how hard some bands are working to get their name out there. They’ve been touring non-stop for months and had another performance immediately following the one I had just seen, Makes my job look too easy.

Next up, I caught Still Flyin. It’s like someone took a high school music class and put them on stage. There was about 12 of them up there and it looked like so much fun, people dressed up in strange suits and some not playing an instrument at all, just dancing. At the end of the set they asked if anyone else in the crowd wanted to join them so they did. Not sure I’d buy their album but I’d like to join their band.

I got a quick burger and then headed to the Mess with Texas festival in Waterloo Park. This is a free festival with a dream line up (www.messwithtexasparty.com) . Having a beer listening to The Thermals with thousands of other people, I decided that Austin is the coolest place in the world. PERIOD.

I wanted to stay longer but there was another concert on at Lady Bird Lake with Erykah Badu and the Canniabinoids. The concert was running so late they only played two songs but it was worth the mission. Immediately following was Explosions In The Sky. It was the perfect soundtrack to watch the sun go down under and marvel at the ridiculousness that is SXSW. It is everything I imagined it to be and more.

I hauled ass back into town to check out The Mae Shi. Check out this band. You can’t not have a good time at their show, they pulled out this massive parachute everyone danced under and the crowd was eating out of their hands, Next up was HEALTH who oozed experimental rock goodness.

I then hauled my ass over to Emos for my last offical band, Mr Daniel Johnston. The floor was packed and Daniel did not disappoint. He played heaps of his older stuff and finished with True Love Will Find You In The End. Loved it.