Friday at South By Southwest seemed to both slow down and speed up. There were numerous day parties happening simultaneously worth checking out–Pitchfork, Merge, Noise Pop, David Cross' Mess With Texas–but the night's performance line-up felt a lot less packed. I found myself arriving at showcases early and doing a lot of waiting around. And with boredom comes alcohol.
ZINGERS:
1:33pm: Clem Snide at the Bloodshot Records day party. Why have I had the impression that I didn't like Eef Barzelay and company all this time? The group opens with an apparently new song, a bittersweet, endearing track about the travails of the musician's life. I know the topic's been done to death, but there's always room for one more when it's done well.
3pm: Zach Galifianakis takes the stage at the Noise Pop party, as he's hosting the event. He introduces himself as Banjo Pussy Whistle, the president of Capitol Records, and announces there will be an award for Most Disinterested Hipster at the event. The best line arrives toward the end, when a photographer snaps a few pictures of him: "I'm as photogenic as Terri Schiavo." Hey-yo!
3:07pm: To show just how pleased they are to be playing, Aqueduct begin their set with an abbreviated, slowed down cover of The Pointer Sisters' "I'm So Excited." They end their set, appropriately, by covering the theme song to Walker, Texas Ranger.
3:50pm: L.A. band The Broken West open with, I think, "On The Bubble," the first track from their solid new I Can't Go On, I'll Go On. Surprisingly, the crowd thins a bit as they play.
5:38pm: Bob Mould opens with his solo standard "Wishing Well" before going into more favorites from his solo and Sugar catalogue. He debuts a new song later, and I think I may be the only one at Emo's Annex who thinks, "Finally, new stuff!"
9:48pm: Pop-punk heroes J Church dig deep into their massive back catalogue–frontman Lance Hahn writes at a Bob Pollard-like pace–with "Nostalgic For Nothing." The group's new material from the upcoming The Horror Of Life sounds particularly aggressive.
12:03am: Headlights slay 'em at Red 7. I need to revisit their album.
12:20am: On Red 7's patio, Valient Thorr blaze through a set. Apparently Wayne Kramer joined them at one point.
MISSES:
2:57pm: I've been at the Noise Pop party for less than 10 minutes, and I've already seen two ironic New Kids On The Block T-shirts.
3:45pm: Least convincing flyer for a SXSW performance thus far: a band called Colourmusic whose members/friends/etc. hand out mini handbills with this quote at the top: 'My favorite band at SXSW this year.' –Scott Booker, Flaming Lips Manager. ("Flaming Lips," naturally, is in bigger type.)
10:21pm: The line to get into The Parish for Steve Earle isn't moving. No one's coming out, and no one's going in. Turns out the revolution isn't starting now.
1:20am: After all the rumors about a Hot Water Music reunion, and despite the "special guest" listed on the schedule for the No Idea showcase, it becomes obvious after Chuck Ragan's set and the limited time left for The Draft that it's not gonna happen. That "special" guest? The Riverboat Gamblers, who played earlier. Meh. But at least Ragan and The Draft perform solid sets.
NEITHER ZINGING NOR MISSING
2:25pm: Wayne Coyne of The Flaming Lips appears at the corner of Sixth Street and San Jacinto holding a microphone in front of a little rock combo that consists of one person playing a kiddie drum set, a bassist, and a guitarist (I think). I arrive a little late to figure out exactly what's going on. But when I return a few minutes later, the kick drum on the kiddie set has apparently been burned. Yup, it's SXSW, so Coyne's up to his usual shenanigans. Last year he rolled down Sixth Street in the big plastic ball he uses to crowd surf at concerts.