![_Dandy Warhols at Emo's East [Show Preview]](http://austinist.com/assets_c/2012/05/DandyWarhols-thumb-250x250-715813.jpg)
The Frickin' Free-For-All Guide to SXSW: Everyone's Invited
For every specialty showcase presided over by SXSW and its strict badge-holders only policy, about fifteen other events are taking place on the east side and elsewhere, featuring many of the same bands and oftentimes featuring free libations. Both the official and unofficial sides of SXSW have notable advantages and disadvantages, which make for a good chunk of casual conversation during the festival (the rest is taken up with where to find the best and most free beer). What we've compiled here is a list of some of our most worthy hopes for a non-sanctioned SXSW blast during the days and occasionally nights of the coming week.
Also, we'd be remiss not to mention how helpful Showlist Austin has been during this week, to say nothing of how excellent of a performance database they are during the rest of the year. This free beer is for you guys.
Monday
Red7 - From the Mind of Adi
Official shows begin on Tuesday, but unofficial shows get the jump by a day. Our man Adi is throwing a big party co-sponsored by Breakthru Radio, Big Red and many more. It's at night, so don't show up at 3pm hoping for snacks and drinks. Among the bands performing on the outside stage are Ringo Deathstarr, TV Torso and Hard Proof Afrobeat, while inside music will be spun and performed by Skiggy Rapz vs. DJ DNS, DJ uLOVEi, and DJ I Wanna Be Her. RSVP here.
Club 1808 - Party Party Partners present Escapes VI
Party Party Partners (warning: animated gif-heavy website) are kicking off six full days of Escapes with a show at Club 1808. Starting with a Zorch happy hour at 6pm, they're cramming like eighteen bands into twenty minute sets. Groups playing include FreshMillions, No Mas Bodas, Daniel Francis Doyle, FM Campers and many more, and the headliner is a Zorch vs. Best Fwends throwdown. It is free.
Tuesday
Klub Krucial - Swamp presents SwampFest
It's an all-ages metal fest at Klub Krucial featuring Kylessa, The Roller, HOD, and Mammoth Grinder. It promises "enough metal to destroy your ears for the rest of the week," so how could you pass that up?
Wurhaus - AWTHUMFETHT 6666 Not so much a satanic metal fest as "a yearly showcase of mostly Texas-based fringe, DIY, performative performance future engineers," Awthumfest (spellings abound) is in its sixth year. Performers at this showcase out at the Wurhaus include Missions, Silent Diane, Black Gum and more. It will take place from 2-10pm.
With almost as many performers as bosses in Mega Man 2 (we're trying here, nerds) Datapop returns with 8-bit music-makers from Stockholm to Beijing. It's like The Wizard, but drunk, and with dancing. Projectionists including Austin's own Party Time! Hexcellent! provide visuals. And then they're doing it again on Wednesday. Choose wisely.
Wednesday
We're having our party on Wednesday. Please come!
Red7 - Forcefield and Terrorbird Party
For the fourth year in a row, our public relations pals at Forcefield and Terrorbird are getting together for the purposes of merrymaking. That being said, these dudes work hard, and their two-stage lineup is strong - outside you can see Toro Y Moi, Generationals, Braids and more, while inside The Soft Moon, Nite Jewel, and many more perform. It's free.
The French Legation - Yours Truly and Bella Union
This east side museum is hosting some of the best music of SX, no shit. Bella Union is teaming up with the awesome videomakers at Yours Truly for a joint showcase. It starts at one with Lanterns on the Lake, and continues with Alessi's Ark and more, and then closes at 5 with a set from Vetiver. Also: free beer and tacos.
The ND - Altered Zones Presents
This show starts at noon, and features Girl Unit, Sleep Over, and John Maus. The prolific Maus is getting a lot of buzz this year, which comes as only some surprised based on the success of his compadre and brother-in-aesthetic-arms Ariel Pink. Maus' last release was the lo-fi but inspired collection Love is Real - with this year's We Must Become The Pitiless Censors Of Ourselves he may reach a deservedly larger audience.
Thursday
Baby Blue Recording Studio [1522 E. 12th Street] - Night of Rage III
It's $5 and you can't bring glass, but Baby Blue has quite the roster for their NIght of Rage III party. Featuring locals including The Carrots, Hatchet Wound, and Yellow Fever alongside bands like Inservibles from Mexico, Carsick Cars from Beijing, and Weird TV from uh, Olympia, this is an international showcase in a close-knit setting.
East Side Drive In - Pitchfork Presents #OFFLINE
These dudes are partying on both Thursday and Friday at the Drive-in, and what lineups! On Thursday you can see J. Mascis, The Fresh and Onlys, Times New Viking and others on the first stage, while The Dum Dum Girls, OFF!, Mount Kimbie and more play the second.
French Legation - Lawn Party
Flamingo Cantina - Under the Radar party
This show starts early with Violens, and is followed by The Dodos, Yuck, etc. It winds down with sets from The Dears and Atlas Sound before they do it all again the next day with Okkervil. Free.
The Parish - NPR Music
It's free but for 21 and older only. We don't know if that's a concession to NPR's more sage, "turn it down" fanbase, but either way it's not all soft world music and cowboy poetry at this showcase, thank god. The Antlers headline, supported by WILD FLAG, tUnE-yArDs (that name...ugh) and more.
Threadgill's - Roky Erickson's Ice Cream Social
A tradition, this year the Social features Peelander-Z, The Baseball Project (R.E.M.'s Peter Buck, Dream Syndicate's Steve Wynn and Young Fresh Fellows' Scott McCaughey), J. Mascis, and of course a headlining set from Erickson himself with Billy Gibbons guesting.
Cheers Shot Bar - Treehouse Diddly
This free three-day party is taking place at the notorious sixth street dive Cheers, but only Thursday's show features Mark Eitzel with Members of American Music Club at 3:45pm. The surreal-ness of partnering Mark "Cold Light of Day" Eitzel's music within this incubator of wayward Saturday nights, pink panty droppers and vomit is worth your while. Also playing: Conspiracy of Owls, Bobby Long, Sea of Bees, many more. Free food if you can keep it down.
Longbranch Inn - Impose Magazine
Impose Magazine's website is a cluster of semi-relevant information, but we've at least gleaned that they're having a nice late-night party at Long Branch featuring Quiet Hooves at 8:30, followed by acts like Sun Araw, Prince Rama, Parts & Labor, Woodsman, and a "Secret Guest" at 1:15 a.m..
Friday
House of Commons (2610 Rio Grande) - Redefine Magazine and Clumsy & Shy
This house party asks that you "come at noon & stay forever!" Why not? You'll have two stages of music, featuring Christmas, Valleys, Wildlife, and other generic-sounding names that make non-generic music. Also: The Night Beats, Future Blondes, Casiokids and many more. Free, BYOB.
The Mohawk - The A.V. Club presents March Into Softness
This two-stage event has the phenomenal though very moody Low acting as headliners, and Baths, Ted Leo (solo), Tristen, and more perform. Access to the sponsors means you'll need to RSVP.
Klub Krucial - Mexican Summer and Gorilla Vs. Bear
This unofficial showcase begins at noon and ends at six, when *BAM!* it turns all official on your ass. The free entry/free beer portion of the party will include acts White Denim, Cass McCombs, Star Slinger and more.
Scoot Inn - Texas Style Death Match
A three day event, Friday's death match includes Odd Future and Das Racist outside and Pentagram, Sweet Apple and Fang Island within.
3217 1/2 Hampton Rd. - Muzzle of Bees
RSVP here for this backyard bbq, featuring our own One Hundred Flowers at 12:30, The Loom at 4:45, and Josh Pearson at 6:15.
Ruta Maya - ATX Wildfire Reggae & Arts Festival
Three days and nights of reggae music are taking place at Ruta Maya. The headliner of the entire event (Saturday) is General Smiley, or, as you may know him, the Smiley of Michigan and Smiley.
Saturday
The Mohawk - MOG Party
Stakes are getting high - this is a big damn show. Okkervil, Big Boi, TV on the Radio, The Smith Westerns. Twin Shadow, Yuck and more also play.
Monofonus Press Compound - Harsh Realm 2
The first Harsh Realm featured a huge dragon, spells, metal, beer, and amazingness. This year? Ralph White/Tim Kerr, Soft Healer, Sun Araw, Daniel Francis Doyle and more. Two stages, lots of room to spread out.
Urban Outfitters - Backlot Performances
This series happens all week, but on Saturday you can see Reading Rainbow, Screaming Females, Beach Fossils, and more.
Jo's Coffee - South by San Jose
Enjoy black coffee and the Black Angels at this SoCo showcase, also featuring Black Joe Lewis & The Honeybears, Menomena, White Denim and more. Yeah!
