SXSW Music, Day 1

Our first official SXSW show was Mike Doughty, formerly the lead singer of Soul Coughing, but now a well regarded singer/songerwriter. Last year, Doughty played at a smallish Irish pub on the outskirts of what is normally considered SXSW stomping ground. This year, he played at Buffalo Billiards to a packed room. We had to cut in line with the help of a new friend, a lovely Kiwi woman who knew all about Austinist. Yes, that's right. We're internationally famous.

Doughty played a few Soul Coughing songs, including our favorite, "Janine." His banter was of top notch. He told story of having taken a 40-minute cab ride to The Salt Lick for all-you-can-meat BBQ during which his cab driver ranted about hating New Wave music.

"I can dig a man who doesn't like New Wave," said Doughty.

Before one of his last songs, Doughty explained that halfway through the song, the song modulated. "I'm not that good of a guitar player," he said, "so I'm going to stop, put on my capo, and then finish." He played the song, stopped, put on the capo, and in a display of just how much his fans like this sort of zany antics, had to wait a few minutes as the applause and cheering subsided.

After Doughty, we thought we'd head over to Emo's for a few shows, but all of our friends told us that the lines waiting to see Sleater Kinney at 1am were already too long, and that we should make backup plans. Instead, we headed across the street to see the first of several bands with cute asian keyboard players, Enon.

Enon played a great show - the first half being very keyboard driven, the second half being more guitar driven. We were extremely pleased by the musical aspects of everything, but we've got to complain about the three REAL WORLD camera crews clogging the audience.

The Real World: Austin has been tasked with shooting a documentary film about SXSW. They're going to be in the clubs and at the parties, and now they're in front AND behind the cameras. What this means is: big giant camera in your face, cop's running security, and underage kids who have no idea how to run a camera getting in your way of seeing a good show.

OK, rant over.

Cute asian girl band #2 was Asobi Seksu at The Velvet Spade. We met up with local literary celebrity, Neal Pollack and rocked out to more keyboard stuff. We love keyboards.

Asobi Seksu announced that they'll be going into the studio this summer to record a new album, which we're really excited about. We're also very excited about the idea of finding ourselves a cute asian girl to front a band. How can we go wrong?

Our growing entourage then headed out to Liquid Soul, a band that, in our incredible unhipness, we've never heard of. We walked into Elysium, a bar which is normally filled with dirty goths and where you have to pee into a stinking trough, to find 2 djs, a sax player, a trumpet player, an MC, and fuckin' special guest, fat again, thin again JOHN POPPER.

This show, more than any other, was filled with enthusiastic fans. A jazzy, yet still hiphoppy version of jazz classic Salt Peanuts had the entire audience unironically throwing their hands in the air. We were very impressed.

And then we went home. Because we were drunk, and it was cold, and there were no more shows.

One final note: The Cobra Scene, a weird, nerdy party photo guy from LA is on the scene, taking photos of all the beautiful people. Look for a dwarfish little fellow with bushy hair and a scraggly beard. Wait! What are we talking about? That's everyone.