Thursday, March 16

There was roasted meat (yum!). And there were shows: a major-league secret show (Beastie Boys at Stubb's; I don't know how "secret" it can be called when a line stretched all the way around a city block three hours before the show); Smoosh and the Long Winters stunned the impossible-to-get-into Barsuk showcase; Nic Armstrong and IV Thieves slayed an indifferent crowd at La Zona Rosa, and the Minus 5 caroused into the wee hours (disclosure: I sing harmonies in this Seattle semi-supergroup; I'm also a part owner of Barsuk).

There was even an after-party in Nada Surf's hotel room featuring members of the Long Winters, the road manager for Gomez, and a couple of cases of warm beer. I, however, faded fast and headed to my hotel room for a much-needed four hours of shut-eye before starting the whole sordid process over again.

Stay tuned, friends.

-- Sean Nelson, MSN Music Editor

I was so overwhelmed upon reaching the main strip along 6th Street, where a majority of the venues are situated, that I spent at least an hour just wandering up and down it in a daze, not knowing where to actually begin.

I thought I'd try my luck by swinging by Stubb's to see the Beastie Boys gig, but their "secret" show had a two-block-long line to get into it. FACT: Gurj Bassi doesn't do lines.

But at least I heard a majority of the show from outside -- a slight consolation, I guess. This only put me off attempting to get into the Morrissey show. A friend of mine actually managed to get in and said it was beyond packed. She also told me that the Moz Father performed some golden Smiths songs and even ripped off his shirt. If it wasn't for the fact that my mascara wasn't waterproof, I would've been sobbing upon hearing that information.

I headed to the Pure Volume party, where I stayed until they threw us out. The gig was literally held in someone's back yard. There was an open bar and a fantastic line-up of bands playing on the bill. First up was New York's finest, Nightmare Of You, with their incredibly infectious songs. Resistance to dance was futile.

The following act, Head Automatica (also from New York), gathered the evening's largest audience and rightly so. Straight out of Ohio, We Are the Fury did a stellar job of following up Head Automatica's set. Fans of the Used and My Chemical Romance would love this semi-screamo band. Not only that, but all the members of the band looked about 16 years old, had fantastic shoulder-length hair styles and were impeccably well-dressed in sharp pin-striped suits. Big thumbs-up, guys.

The closing band of the night was the Photo Atlas -- they're officially my new favorite band. HOLY. SMOKES. I like to think it has nothing to do with the free booze. This band is flipping fantastic. They're so good it makes me want to spit profanities non-stop as if I have Tourette's.

-- Gurj Bassi, for MSN Music

Quickly ... Shows I loved today:

Eef Barzelay (of Clem Snide) -- Barzelay's solo LP, "Bitter Honey," will be in my top 10 this year. I love all things Eef. This was the perfect way to start the day.

Steve Wynn -- Lots of buzz around the former leader of the Dream Syndicate, currently touring with his band the Miracle Three, and deservedly so.

Kris Kristofferson -- OK, we didn't see him, but we heard him while we stood in line for the New West Party. This reminded me a lot of my attempt to see Johnny Cash at the 1994 SXSW.

Romi Mayes -- Don't know her? Neither do I, but she cut in line in front of me for a beer. The mostly Canadian crowd was nuts about her, so she was forgiven. Plus, I walked away with free Six Shooter Records shot glasses with tequila inside! How can you beat that?!

Mark Pickerel -- How on Earth can Bill Rieflin (Ministry, R.E.M.) play a set without ever having heard the songs? Pickerel's drummer bailed on the trip to Austin (according to rumor, a hangover made him miss his plane in Seattle), and Rieflin, in town to drum for the Minus 5, stepped in with literally no preparation. Nonetheless, he sounded like he'd been rehearsing for weeks.

Closing out the evening was the supergroup you've never heard: the Minus 5. With Mr. Rieflin on drums, Peter Buck (R.E.M.) on bass, and Scott McCaughey (Young Fresh Fellows, R.E.M.) leading the whole mess, we saw a who's who list of rock helping out in the absence of their regular lead guitarist, John Ramberg. Jim Sangster (Young Fresh Fellows), MSN Music's own Sean Nelson (Harvey Danger), Andrew Rieger (Elf Power) and Steve Wynn all jumped in to what seemed more like a show at their local bar than the SXSW showcase they were playing.

The bar closed around 2:30 a.m., and so did I.

-- Scott Balikian, MSN Entertainment

Today was hands down the most rock and roll I've ever heard. My tastes are diverse and deep, anchored by urban music from Kingston to London via Mumbai. It wasn't that I targeted rock shows today -- on the contrary, I hit a variety of showcases. It's that, from the late afternoon into the wee hours of the morning, barking guitars pour out of every venue, and there are truckloads of venues. As you weave through throngs of people barricaded block after block, the music becomes white noise. And the people-watching is unmatched.

I started my night at the Dualtone showcase, and arrived in time to catch the tail end of Bobby Bare's set. In a word, superb. His voice has a power that only comes from years of practice (Bare's first hit was in 1958), and it was a treat to hear the man in person. I was told he was joined by his son, Bobby Bare Jr., but I cannot confirm that, as the venue was rcammed -- people sandwiched from the stage all the way to the back of the back patio.

It was refreshing to see a predominantly young crowd react so enthusiastically to this elder statesman's set. Then again, I don't see how you could be unenthusiastic. There's a purity in Bare's delivery that is universal; it seems to transcend tastes. Bobby was followed by Brett Dennen, who delivered a fine performance ... but the night was young and I had a lot more on my agenda, so it was time to hit the road.

I strolled up the street to catch both Gecko Turner and the Refugee Camp All-Stars at Caribbean Lights, but was pleasantly sidetracked at the Oslo by young Icelandic band Jakobinarina. "Icelandic band" conjures images of austere soundscapes, á la Sigur Rós and Múm. Jakobinarina is obviously a reaction to the aforementioned stereotype -- angst-ridden seemingly 17-year-olds rocking out. The frontman had it on lock: all the moves, all the enthusiasm. It was great!

Caribbean Lights, the venue which housed PRI's "The World" and KUT-FM's "All Music is World Music" party, was tough to get into. It seems odd that the token "global" music party for a predominantly rock-oriented festival was the toughest to enter, but it was. A line for days outside the venue, and a strict capacity policy, ensured that I missed Gecko's set.

I did hear Refugee Camp All-Stars, who put on an incredible performance with what seemed to be an entire township of musicians on stage. With all that is happening in contemporary African music and the Refugees' limited tour schedule, this show was a treat, and the crowd's enthusiasm confirmed my belief that African music awareness is at its highest since the '80s.

Up next, one of two shows that I swore I would not miss. First, Mates of State. Their new album, "Bring it Back," has not left my CD player in weeks. Between MSN Music, my radio shows, and club stuff, I keep tabs on a lot of music -- I have to -- but there are very few things I get to listen to more than once (and even fewer things I want to listen to more than once). The live show did not disappoint.

Mates played as part of the Barsuk/Saddle Creek showcase, located at the impossibly packed two-floor Parish. Piz-acked! (Mad thanks to Mr. G, who was able to sneak us up the back staircase in enough time to hear the Mates of State.) Jason's drums were hot, and Kori's electric keys cut through the mix brilliantly. For just two folks -- electric piano, drum set, lead and harmony vocals -- the sheer amount of sound they produce is inspiring. Frankly, the crowd was subdued, but I couldn't stop bouncing to "Fraud in the '80s," the lead single. (There's a reason it's a single ... )

Nada Surf jumped on stage after the Mates. Despite some minor sound issues -- no soundcheck is one of the perils of SXSW -- they killed it. They're great live, and it was excellent to see the crowd get into it.

A few tunes from Nada Surf, and it was time to jet. The Gossip was playing an all-ages show up the street in a fenced-in parking lot. Not to be missed. Kids, man, they're tough. And they love their tunes. The fenced-in parking lot that became "Emo's Annex" for the festival housed the ever-energetic Gossip show. The band is composed of guitar, drums and Beth Ditto, the most charismatic frontwoman currently on the scene. Pure, raw and uncompromising. Absolutely vicious.

Despite some wicked invites and the best intentions, I passed on the afterparties. It was time to catch some sleep to recharge for the next day.

-- Kyle Hopkins, MSN Music

Badge? I don't need no stinkin' badge!

Some have described SXSW as overly commercial and too corporate. Perhaps there's truth to that. But die-hard music fans can avoid purchasing expensive industry badges or waiting in long lines to obtain the less-exclusive wristbands and still get an earful of totally free music from the same performers showcased at official SXSW venues.

Countless clubs, restaurants, shops, galleries and parking lots offer free music -- and sometimes free beer and barbecue -- every day during the festival starting at noon, which may be too early for those who rolled in after 2 a.m. from the "official" showcases. Here's what I've witnessed so far at no cost:

A Band Named Sue at Mean Eyed Cat: This Johnny Cash cover band fit in well at a venue that designates the men's room as "Johnny" and the women's room as "June." I usually try to steer clear of cover bands, preferring to see the real deal when possible, but when my co-worker said his friend was the tribute band's drummer, I had to check it out. Plus Johnny Cash is my all-time favorite, hands down. I've always thought that if a band does a cover tune, it should somehow make the song its own and not replicate it word for word, lick for lick. A Boy Named Sue met my requirement by including a trumpet player in its three-piece band ... and on every song, not just "Ring of Fire." Fun and different, but nowhere near the untouchable JC himself.

Twangfest Party at Jovita's: It's hard to believe that a little two-night tribute to twang that I attended at St. Louis' Off Broadway back in 1997 has exploded into a four-night annual showcase marking its 10th year in June. Twangfest, a nonprofit festival organized by a handful of members of an alt.country e-mail list, is now half the age of SXSW and well represented at its much larger Southern counterpart. This is the sixth year Twangfest has hosted a free party at SXSW, and they've got two stages -- an indoor one and an outdoor one -- so that there's never a break in live music.

The first Twangfest offering I took in today was Eef Barzelay, the quirky, awkward vocalist for Clem Snide. Eef performed on the indoor stage, where pasty white boys belong. Next up, on the outdoor stage, was the tanned Steve Wynn & the Miracle Three, one of whom is a chick drummer (let's hear it for under-represented female drummers!). Steve and his crew are playing no fewer than 10 shows this week ... and, according to Steve, most of their gear was borrowed, right down to his guitar pick. That's a lot of mooching they'll have to do to perform 10 shows. Back inside, Lucero was going strong with their dirty country rock. Marah followed with its equally dirty rendition of twang-tinged rock and roll.

Elana James & the Continental Two at Jo's Hot Coffee: I could've stayed in my circa 1938 motel room and heard Ms. James just fine from the parking lot across the street, but I wanted to hear in person her new band's sound, which harks back to the 1930s as well. The former Hot Club of Cowtown violinist and vocalist now fronts a band that includes a guitarist and upright bassist to fill out her Western swing fiddle tunes. Her buttery smooth vocals and old-time instrumentals were a crowd pleaser.

Spoon/Echo & the Bunnymen at Town Lake Stage: The heavily sponsored lineup at this location brought out the biggest names ... and crowds. Why it's called Town Lake Stage when it sits on the southern bank of the Colorado River is a mystery to a non-local such as me. Voters honored Spoon with Austin Music Awards for 2005-2006 band of the year, song of the year ("I Turn My Camera On"), album of the year ("Gimme Fiction") and best rock band. Wow. Their atmospheric indie rock harmonized perfectly with the Austin twilight.

Echo & the Bunnymen headlined the show set against the impressive downtown skyline. This was today's highlight for me, mostly because of its nostalgia factor. After seeing them perform while I was in high school, back before drummer Pete de Freitas met an untimely death in 1989, I never could've imagined that I'd see them again 18 short years later -- in Texas, of all places -- or that their songs would evoke the same feelings. Nevertheless, there I was, as close as I could get to Ian McCulloch himself, surrounded by a new generation of fans most likely introduced to the group as a result of their song "The Killing Moon" being featured in the film "Donnie Darko." 

Tomorrow's freebie highlights: Bloodshot Records Party, Little Willies and Rosanne Cash.

-- Dottie Martin, MSN Entertainment