If you don’t understand the American political climate, take up a job working door security at SXSW for one of those comprehensive-event-package firms who look for workers on Craigslist.
Savoir Adore
8 p.m. @ Empire Garage
I will fully admit I didn’t see Savoir Adorei, but it wasn’t for the lack of trying: I was hoofing it in the rain and bailed halfway through my light-jog to go see Prateek Kuhad.
Prateek Kuhad
9 p.m. @ Stephen F. Austin Bar
I have ordered a whiskey sour at every water-jug-fungus venue in downtown Austin. The Stephen F. Austin Bar (and Intercontinental Hotel) is the only one who makes something better than what you drank when you were underage and you found a jug of sour mix. The flavor even changed as I drank more of it. The hotel bar was a quiet venue, with nice seats and drink coasters and everyone was very respectful, although they couldn’t resist throwing those not-quite-paper towels on the bathroom’s marble floor.
Jimi Tents
9:30 p.m. @ Karma
I swear upon everything that is holy, no matter how much herpes medication Austin puts on this place, Karma will just not go away. This place used to be the worst for me back in high school, at their old location, when you couldn’t drink but you could buy Red Bull.
Jimi Tents was good though. I like how he made the crowd boo when his 15 minute set was over, yelling hot potato (I think?) as he handed the mic back to the organizer’s host.
Everything Everything
10 p.m. @ Stubb’s
I was lied to. Crystal Castles was supposed to be play but the torrential sprinkling pushed all the set times back. Anyways Everything Everything played and the band seemed really into it.
Crystal Castle
11 p.m. @ Stubb’s
OH HO HO, I waited for this band — watching a poor tech mess with the equipment for ages — just so I could see what a rejuvenated corpse sounded like. The new singer didn't seem quite the same, mostly because she was trying to be, but if Crystal Castles has one thing going for them (him), it's that all the people I asked standing in the dirt waiting for them (him) to come on didn't know they had broken up yet.
I left after listening to a new band mimic an old band, but a friend of mine who stayed said their set was cut short, either due to technical difficulties or maybe because they didn't start playing until seven minutes before their set was supposed to end.
Misterwives
11:15 p.m. @ Brazos Hall
There comes a time in life when you have to choose between this and dignity. When you can choose to walk away and keep it, or throw it away for a glorified Greyhound station where the people sitting in the corner are wearing J-crew.
Misterwives is great. I even Shazamed them later when a friend put them on. But man. There’s just something about having to order a drink you don’t want with a RFID-enabled wristband — as Terminator Conner and co. rest their hands on their guns behind you —that sucks.
Bleachers
12:05 p.m. @ Brazos Hall
At this point I was on my third flavored water and stayed because I was already missing out on Santigold, and because a guy at Santigold told me Bleachers was the next Springsteen. Radio disc jockey from Kansas City. Nice guy.
But I couldn’t get over the five dudes with guns standing behind me (and more scattered throughout) to enjoy the show. Seriously watch this.
Monk Parker
1 a.m. @ Tellers
Monk Parker • Sadly Yes from Glasgow Dreamer on Vimeo.
Monk Parker played a last call show at a dark third floor bar I can’t really remember, but the bartender there made me the first old fashioned I’ve ever liked. Tasted like bubblegum and dignity.
Monk Parker has a Texan singing voice but an English accent when he talks. Would make a great pirate.
