[Follow Rank: DropletPoints: 34.25]

Dang, SXSW sounds rad! Have fun out there, @chubes and congrats on getting the media badge! Thanks for sharing all these bands you saw too, I can’t wait to check them out.

Man this forum is so awesome for finding new music and it’s just getting started. Can’t wait to see what happens when even more people get on here!

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Best music I saw yesterday 3/12/24 in Austin, TX:

The Vices @ Side Bar

Bodega @ Side Bar

Cosmo Pyke @ Seven Grand 

Rickshaw Billie’s Burger Patrol @ Empire Control Room

The Vices @ Valhalla (late night)

I also saw some sets that were just alright. I won’t even mention them.

Dinner at Casino El Camino was fire. Had the buffalo burger. It’s a dang 3/4 hunk of beef cooked to perfection. And relatively affordable for what you get.

Another day coming up. Including our own jam down at VooDoo Doughnut. Free and open to any artists who want to jam!

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Also, I’m probably going to move to Austin this fall. I love it here and it seems like there are many more opportunities for someone who wants to have a legitimate business in the music industry in this city.

I love Charleston but being in Austin makes it feel so small.

Since Extra Chill is already established in the music media world, I would not be starting entirely from the bottom in Austin. I would have to make all the venue connections and stuff, but in terms of acquiring tickets and media passes, I have already completed that part of my hustle. Thankfully.

SXSW has been one hell of an experience so far.

And I haven’t even mentioned all the bands who dropped off. People in the crowd are definitely rumbling about that, and longtime attendees have noted the general air about the event is different than it has been in the past.

It does seem pretty fucked up to me how SXSW would take money from war machines for a festival that is supposed to be about music and connection. It’s tone deaf at the very least and a sign of corporate greed at the most likely.

Because you know those checks were fat.

But, I’m here, and I’m enjoying the festival and the city. Many of these events I’ve attended were unofficial showcases anyway. Seems like the lines are pretty blurred between official and unofficial as many of the venues are hosting both at different times in the same day.

[Follow Rank: PuddlePoints: 50.5]

Are there jam-friendly bars yes or no

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

@marleyfacedboy

Venues yes, haven’t found the specific head bar yet but i’m going to see Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country today at Empire.

Goose played at Stubbs not too long ago.

so did Futurebirds

all of these venues are within a 2 mile radius

 

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Best sets yesterday:

Alec Meza @ Yeti Store

Proxima Parada @ Empire

TAUK @ Empire

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country @ Empire

Open Jam @ VooDoo Doughnut

El Combo Oscuro @ Hotel Vegas

Loved to see some jam band representation yesterday. Got to catch up with A.C. from TAUK for a moment after their set and gave him (another) Extra Chill sticker, which he said was going on his case.

The open jam was rad. There were several random people off the street who hopped up on stage including one very impressive young man who was feeling the vibes as a singer. Pretty cool to see music moving people like that.

Night cap at Nickel City, a sweet little dive bar that has a dank food truck out back.

It’s so cool to me how a lot of these bars partner with a food truck or several and have them set up and slang food. It creates a lot more variety rather than having your typical bar food that every place has.

[Follow Rank: DewPoints: 13]

So, you’re saying that Extra Chill might become an Austin-based music blog? Hell yeah!

Glad you got to check out Casino El Camino. That place is legendary. You might stand in line for a moment to order food, but once it comes out you can see that it was clearly worth the wait.

You’ve gotta try their wings next!

[Follow Rank: DewPoints: 13]

Posted this in another thread, but I also wanted to share this video I found of Greg Freeman’s full set at Cheer Up Charlie’s the other day.

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Two more days left in Austin. I’ve set the wheels in motion to be living here by October or November. The opportunities for someone like me in this city are very, very clear to me at this point.

Yesterday I lost my notebook (must have fallen out of my pocket) and had basically a full-fledged panic attack thinking I would lose everything I had written down all week.

I retraced my steps, speed-walking almost two miles from Halcyon Coffee to Hotel Vegas, and was massively relieved to find that the door guy had my notebook. It had been probably about 2 hours, and I noticed it was missing when I reached in my bag to note that Halcyon was an awesome coffee shop.

Best sets yesterday:

Colatura @ Lazarus Brewing

Reyna Tropical @ Hotel Vegas (She Shreds Fundraiser)

Spencer Thomas @ Lambert’s 

Rose Hotel @ Lambert’s

Daniel Donato’s Cosmic Country @ Antone’s 

Brainstory @ Antone’s

In general, Antone’s has the best sound out of any venue I’ve been to in Austin so far. The Daniel Donato set there had a way better mix than the one at Empire.

Pretty awesome sets there last night. I’ve heard from people around here that Antone’s is known for their sound. It’s a really nice system and they had a crisp mix for all sets I saw.

[Follow Rank: DewPoints: 10]

I sure hope you get a comfortable couch in Austin

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

@chillicheeseslurpshake ha! I’m probably gonna move into Oliver’s house

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Yesterday was a different kind of day. A friend of a friend, who is becoming a friend (Carson from Flags, Tilt, Exotic Fruitica & more) told me about Spitefest taking place at Sunny’s Backyard — the most DIY-style event I had gone to during SXSW thus far.

I showed up in time for the end of Tilt’s set, a local punk band from Austin and they were sick. Then I sat through two mediocre sets from overly loud and sloppy punk bands from NYC, during which a fellow Charleston music scene person, Anfernee showed up to hang with me. These bands were a little rough and I won’t name them here, and then Exotic Fruitica came on. They were good again but we had to bounce.

Anfernee

Anfernee and I spent the remainder of the day wandering around 6th street just checking out the sights and sounds. After a couple hours of that, we found a hip-hop open mic setup on the corner of 6th and Red River. “Cookin on the Corner” set up by some guys from Philly who drove down with a bunch of gear. Anfernee hopped into the mix and cooked the corner to a delicious level, and it was dope to see the SC-born talent getting some recognition from all different zip codes.

Having recently moved from Charleston to Austin, Anfernee and I discussed the differences between the cities and the reasons why he ultimately decided to make the move. The two of us were in agreement about many of the things we discussed, which was ultimately how Charleston’s lack of resources tends to hold back creatives who are looking to succeed. Also how it’s not our responsibility nor is it our problem to fix that, and it could take a lifetime to do it.

The city of Charleston is focused on other things and does not care about enriching the music community. The largest festival in town (High Water) books one local artist per year. It’s just so far off from what it needs to be, and it doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. These are my thoughts.

Anfernee and I parted ways and I ended up at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken for dinner which was incredibly good. Such a chill place too. I didn’t have room for dessert but the guy next to me ordered this brownie and ice cream concoction that looked absolutely amazing. I would have probably died if I tried to eat it, but he told me I should come back and try it if I get a chance.

Then, I was excited to attend my personal main event for the week, which was Faye Webster at the Moody Theatre. She was on the cover of Rolling Stone that morning, a fact which I had learned the night prior during the Athens to Austin showcase at Lambert’s. I ran into some familiar faces there considering how close Athens is to Charleston, including an old friend Mia Naome, the best photographer I had worked with in Charleston.

Faye Webster

Faye Webster was super awesome and genuine. She mentioned being conflicted about the performance considering the political situation, but expressed gratitude for the fans that came out to see her. It was a very heartfelt way to start the set and then she played the rest of it without comment. Very professional way to handle the situation. There really were a lot of people who were there specifically to see her, who knew all the words to every song.

I’ll have a more in-depth review of that performance once I gather my thoughts and make my way back home to Charleston and my office and my garden.

Moody Theatre

I also want to comment on the Moody Theatre, which was a really impressive venue to my eyes. 2750 seats. Large enough to draw a big act but small enough to feel intimate. Three tiers with the lowest tier being general admission.

The halls are lined with historic photos from Austin City Limits, as the theatre is the home of the ACL Live broadcast, which has been running since the 70s and has had some of the most famous musicians of our time on it. Including Willie Nelson, whom the street where it resides is named after.

On Austin

I really, really love this city. I’ve spent the past week wandering the streets and learning my way around. The setup for live music here is extremely impressive. The amount of quality concert venues within a 2 mile radius is unlike any city I’ve ever been to. It’s so ripe for live music and set up for it, it’s like a dream for someone who considers live music an important aspect of their life.

I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity. I’m also glad that it came at the point in my life that it did, because I have already developed some relationships and notoriety as a journalist that has opened the doors for me. Although I am brand new to the scene, it does not feel like I’m starting at the bottom.

When I was first starting out in Charleston, nobody cared about what I was doing. It took consistent effort to build a following. That would be the case in Austin too, but when I can say that I’ve interviewed Ryan Stasik and Kanika Moore and TAUK and several other recognizable names, people are all of a sudden much more interested.

Lots of love for both Charleston and Austin. Texas is calling me.

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

SXSW Recap 3/15/24: 

– Seeing Faye Webster the day she was on the cover of Rolling Stone

– Hanging with Anfernee on 6th Street

– Discussing Charleston vs Austin, creatively

– Sloppy (some good) punk bands at Sunny’s Backyard

– Dank fried chicken at Gus’s

[Follow Rank: PuddlePoints: 50.5]

chubes said:

Yesterday was a different kind of day. A friend of a friend, who is becoming a friend (Carson from Flags, Tilt, Exotic Fruitica & more) told me about Spitefest taking place at Sunny’s Backyard — the most DIY-style event I had gone to during SXSW thus far.

I showed up in time for the end of Tilt’s set, a local punk band from Austin and they were sick. Then I sat through two mediocre sets from overly loud and sloppy punk bands from NYC, during which a fellow Charleston music scene person, Anfernee showed up to hang with me. These bands were a little rough and I won’t name them here, and then Exotic Fruitica came on. They were good again but we had to bounce.

Anfernee

Anfernee and I spent the remainder of the day wandering around 6th street just checking out the sights and sounds. After a couple hours of that, we found a hip-hop open mic setup on the corner of 6th and Red River. “Cookin on the Corner” set up by some guys from Philly who drove down with a bunch of gear. Anfernee hopped into the mix and cooked the corner to a delicious level, and it was dope to see the SC-born talent getting some recognition from all different zip codes.

Having recently moved from Charleston to Austin, Anfernee and I discussed the differences between the cities and the reasons why he ultimately decided to make the move. The two of us were in agreement about many of the things we discussed, which was ultimately how Charleston’s lack of resources tends to hold back creatives who are looking to succeed. Also how it’s not our responsibility nor is it our problem to fix that, and it could take a lifetime to do it.

The city of Charleston is focused on other things and does not care about enriching the music community. The largest festival in town (High Water) books one local artist per year. It’s just so far off from what it needs to be, and it doesn’t seem to be changing any time soon. These are my thoughts.

Anfernee and I parted ways and I ended up at Gus’s World Famous Fried Chicken for dinner which was incredibly good. Such a chill place too. I didn’t have room for dessert but the guy next to me ordered this brownie and ice cream concoction that looked absolutely amazing. I would have probably died if I tried to eat it, but he told me I should come back and try it if I get a chance.

Then, I was excited to attend my personal main event for the week, which was Faye Webster at the Moody Theatre. She was on the cover of Rolling Stone that morning, a fact which I had learned the night prior during the Athens to Austin showcase at Lambert’s. I ran into some familiar faces there considering how close Athens is to Charleston, including an old friend Mia Naome, the best photographer I had worked with in Charleston.

Faye Webster

Faye Webster was super awesome and genuine. She mentioned being conflicted about the performance considering the political situation, but expressed gratitude for the fans that came out to see her. It was a very heartfelt way to start the set and then she played the rest of it without comment. Very professional way to handle the situation. There really were a lot of people who were there specifically to see her, who knew all the words to every song.

I’ll have a more in-depth review of that performance once I gather my thoughts and make my way back home to Charleston and my office and my garden.

Moody Theatre

I also want to comment on the Moody Theatre, which was a really impressive venue to my eyes. 15,000 seats. Large enough to draw a big act but small enough to feel intimate. Three tiers with the lowest tier being general admission.

The halls are lined with historic photos from Austin City Limits, as the theatre is the home of the ACL Live broadcast, which has been running since the 70s and has had some of the most famous musicians of our time on it. Including Willie Nelson, whom the street where it resides is named after.

On Austin

I really, really love this city. I’ve spent the past week wandering the streets and learning my way around. The setup for live music here is extremely impressive. The amount of quality concert venues within a 2 mile radius is unlike any city I’ve ever been to. It’s so ripe for live music and set up for it, it’s like a dream for someone who considers live music an important aspect of their life.

I’m very grateful to have had this opportunity. I’m also glad that it came at the point in my life that it did, because I have already developed some relationships and notoriety as a journalist that has opened the doors for me. Although I am brand new to the scene, it does not feel like I’m starting at the bottom.

When I was first starting out in Charleston, nobody cared about what I was doing. It took consistent effort to build a following. That would be the case in Austin too, but when I can say that I’ve interviewed Ryan Stasik and Kanika Moore and TAUK and several other recognizable names, people are all of a sudden much more interested.

Lots of love for both Charleston and Austin. Texas is calling me.

Yeehaw

[Follow Rank: Frozen Foods IslePoints: 10524.5]

Not to mention, marijuana is decriminalized!!!