Talk to anyone the mission of SXSW, and you'll get the same answer: new music (with a post-script that "It used to be so much better, man"). Asking what kind of new music will splinter the consensus—unsigned bands? Texas bands? Indie bands?—but, ideally, people come to SXSW not to reinforce what they already know and love, but find some new stuff to know and love.
Ideally. Because in recent years, SXSW has become a destination for well-established artists looking for a quick victory lap or to generate buzz for their new material. The Hold Steady needn't be in Austin playing half a dozen times (though I respect that). And neither does one of the biggest bands in the world, Metallica. But here they were, playing a "secret" show at the 3,000-capacity Stubb's. Getting ready for that show swallowed up a lot of my day.
1:20 p.m. – Okay, I cheated on my rules today about not seeing bands I've seen before. The Thermals are playing our day party, which I have to attend, so it's not like I can ignore them, right? The Oregon poppy punk (or punky pop) trio makes charming music with the basics: power chords, awesome melodies, and smart lyrics. See, you don't need a therimin and children's choir to make something compelling. Their new record, Now We Can See, is pretty much guaranteed a spot on my year-end top 10.
1:36 p.m. – "We're gonna play over at Club Deville in like an hour or something," says singer-guitarist Hutch Harris. Many bands come down to Austin and destroy themselves, playing every day, sometimes multiple times, usually for little or no money. Even if you don't like the band, you have to respect their masochistic dedication. Although The Thermals are all over the festival this year—at least eight shows—they play our party like it’s the first and best show of the week. Bassist Kathy Foster hops around the stage, her bouncing curls making her even more adorable, and Harris and drummer Westin Glass all have big smiles on their faces. That should be the motto of SXSW: It's exhausting, but it's fun.
3:15 p.m. – And so the process begins. I'm to meet Metallica's press wranglers at the Four Seasons Hotel, where I will talk to an as-yet-undetermined member of the band for 15 minutes or so with three other writers for the upcoming release of Guitar Hero: Metallica. Round-tables like this are generally deal-breakers for us, but I'm not expecting an in-depth, A.V. Club-style interview from it.
3:46 p.m. – A frazzled man hands out the press credentials for Metallica outside of one of the hotel's conference rooms, including a badge that guarantees us entrance into the show tonight so long as we arrive before 7:45. (The band is scheduled to perform at 9:30.) Standing next to me is the unmistakable David Fricke of Rolling Stone, who looks slightly annoyed when the frazzled guy asks his name again. I don't think it was a full-on "Don't you know who I am?" moment, but it still made me chuckle under my breath. See, even having the same haircut for 30-plus years doesn't ensure people will recognize you!
3:50 p.m. – There are probably 25 or so journalists milling in this hotel conference room, eating the free food and watching people play Guitar Hero: Metallica. Another five or so press wranglers keep a watchful eye, assembling small groups and escorting the journos upstairs. It's all very structured and choreographed. There will be no ambling up to frontman James Hetfield and asking, "Bro, why do you rock so hard?"
4:06 p.m. – Finally my turn arrives, as I head to the elevator with writers from the Seattle Times, Denver Post, and Philadelphia Inquirer. We're going to small conference rooms on another floor for our one-on-one with guitarist Kirk Hammett. It looks like the band is split up on three different floors for these interviews, and I'm happy to have gotten Hammett. Mostly, I'm happy I didn't get Lars. Maybe that's unfair to say, but you've seen Some Kind Of Monster, right?