Recap of SXSW 2010

Every year during the highly anticipated Spring Break, while boisterous college kids head to warmer climates for beaches, sun, and barrels of booze, there is a select several thousand industry geeks and musical slaves that make the trek down to Austin, TX for the annual South by Southwest Interactive, Film, and Music Festival.
This year, I was among one of the lucky people to attend a portion of the festivities. For 5 days straight, my world revolved around a plethora of schedules and how much sleep my body could handle not getting.

Upon my arrival to Austin, I immediately scoped out the 6th Street District, which serves as SXSW's main bloodline throughout the 10 days of activities. I plotted my week's activities around several main venues, including the famous Stubb's and Emo's clubs. Along with the Billboard.com tent and the Spin and Myspace loft, I had most of my big plans settled.

The week began just as it ended- countless bands, playing every street corner. Any place in the city that housed an empty lot, a stage, a patio, hell, even a sidewalk, was chocked with tens to hundreds to thousands of Shiner Bock-downing, American Apparel-sporting kids chomping at the bit to get a glimpse of what could be the "next big thing".

The S. Congress District housed more free and all ages shows, and I actually gathered more new music and enjoyed the shows on this end of town more than anywhere else during the festival. Home Slice Pizza was an excellent place for delicious grub, which my little sister and I gobbled down, and cool bands.

I was told more than 2,000 bands journey to Austin for SXSW every year. Not to mention the other several hundred unofficial acts that pack around their instruments, ready to break into song in the middle of the road. This years festival housed a few more minastream acts, including the reuniting of Hole, Stone Temple Pilots, Cheap Trick, Ozomatli, and Sum 41.

I could sit and list every band I caught, but why not just give you a small rundown of what I saw that I wish everyone else could have seen with me.

Givers


The Bright Light Social Hour



Hey Mama



Surfer Blood



Jukebox the Ghost



Couple of other bands to put on your radar:
Chew Lips, Capsula, We Were the States

So, as you can plainly tell, the opportunity to witness new and old music from around the globe is not father from sxsw than my pinky is from its nail.

The thing I learned from SXSW was not only a slew of great bands to bring back and peddle around- the more "heartfelt" experience I took away was the camaraderie I felt while apart of this event.
Us young, hip, and trendy 20-somethings like to believe our love for music, technology, and film goes unnoticed in the general society, and that our passions are clearly not taken seriously by the rest of our surrounding American sheep's. Shame on them for pushing our eclectic and cutting-edge tastes aside. Oh, the shame!

But at sxsw you are no different from the v-neck next to you. Everyone there loves music. And they love every genre and artist you love as well. If Pitchfork could transform into society's New York Times, Brooklyn Vegan top Postrank every day, and Buffalo Exchange became Wal Mart, this is what our world would be like. We could drink cheap Pilsner all day, walk around in gorgeous 70 degree weather, and acceptably crowd onto a rooftop bar for music every night.
Makes me wonder, what are the odds....????

But, all aside, the tacos, the beer, the people, and the music make this my new one-stop-shop for future Spring Breaks.
I take my hat off to SXSW for combining my favorite things in life and presenting them to me in one giant, city-sized package.
Cheers Austin, TX!

Mix Tapes Minus Idiots

Create a playlist at MixPod.com

I recently began exchanging mix CDs with several fellow music fans scattered around the west coast and Texas. It's been a pleasure discovering and being re-introduced to such great, quality music.
I thought that in honor of my recent sendout I would post my mix for everyone to enjoy.

I do believe that putting together a mix tape, cd, playlist requires more than just a random assortment of songs. Any a-hole can pick songs they dig from their Itunes, and throw 15-20 together, and have a mix.
But, in the spirit of High Fidelity, I am a loyal supporter of mix tapes minus idiots.
Mixes take thought- you have to have smooth, cohesive transitions between songs and the set up requires more time than one might think.
Every mix I make I carefully arrange each track so that when the listener pops it into their cd player it flows easily from one song to the next. I always listen to the last 20 seconds of each song over and over, until I am certain I've placed every track before and after its most appropriate and complimentary one.
I'm never afraid to mix genres when putting together a mix. Themed mixes actually bug the hell out of me. I don't know many people with GOOD music taste that can handle one type of some type for that long. I personally have music ADD, and if the styles and tempos aren't maintaining my interest, consider your cd in my trash can.

And, just to clear it up, I am not a pretentious music fan. I'll listen to just about anything that has substance and talent behind it.

To sum up....
Support your local bands. Buy concert tickets. Buy CDs. Buy t-shirts.
Yes, buy, buy, buy.
And enjoy the tunes.