AUSTIN MAYHEM
There's so much to even break down when trying to explain what felt like two months crushed into 6 days. Austin was amazing...non stop fun with sleepless nights and daytime adventures. Our week started with a 25 hour road trip...which we had planned on breaking in half, but instead, went straight through the night. Ouch. But somehow, by the time our crew landed on the doorsteps of the Oh No! Oh My! house, we were good to go. Those 1o minute naps along the way had successfully added up. We played hours of Wiii before passing out in masses on the floor and couches. And then, it was Wednesday morning and we were off, awakening to what wouldn't cease until the following Tuesday. Eeek!
More or less, I spent my week touring around with Scanners, Oh No! Oh My!, The Deadly Syndrome and Pony Up. Most of the crew all crashed together in the same house so within a day we were one big happy family. Up by nine, to sleep by six...drinking by noon. And now to follow, a rundown of Austin SXSW highlights...because otherwise, I could fill up this entire site, and besides, that's what the photos are for.
Monday: Driving, driving, driving.
Tuesday: Driving, driving, Wiii.
Wednesday: Scanners play Convention Center, drinks at noon. Prep for the DIM MAK and TBA showcase party, eat sandwiches...ensue partying. Get free schwag, get free drinks, photo marathon...shots at midnight for DSO's birthday. Shots at 12:05. Clamor into the van and head to the ONOM house at 2:30. No sleep til 4am.
Thursday: Head to Hank Sinatra's house with ONOM for their show. Drink 40's and eat free BBQ with absolutely amazing barbeque sauce. Absolutely. Hot heat, goats, roosters and chickens, cats chasing field mice. Tacos and junkyard soundstages. Port a pottys and wooden swingsets. Get 2 free cases of 40's and head to the NYLON/DIESEL party where all 4 bands play again. Free ice cream and vodka. More free schwag. Lots of stickers and jumping around and two free handle of Vodka. Group split up...I rest for an hour and then recharge myself for the Playboy party. Playboy party = Whitestarr madness, plush pillows, free anything and everything, Bloc Party, Ghostland Observatory, Illinois, more BBQ, playboy bunnies, Rascal Flatts attacks, last minute shots of jagger at 3am and ends with knocked over dumpsters and a man with a rifle chasing us down the street. Home to the ONOM house for additional 40's and tamales.
Friday: Sleep 3 hours and rush to the Jane Magazine party. Sit on rooftop for 3 hours with ONOM and Pony Up. Bloodcat Love stumbles in...stumbles out. Love them for their cheeriness. ONOM play another amazing show. I leave and head to the Pig with Deadly Syndrome for another show. Charley and I eat horrible pizza. Drink fantastic beer. Scanners and Pony Up are amazing. Boys on E make out in the corner and then play kick the can. Har Mar degrades the college boy audience, then flings his sweat on them. We all go home...for more 40's on the porch.
Saturday: Roll out of bed, brush my teeth. Jump in the tour van and go straight to the URB/PUMA party at Beauty Bar. Tom and I eat breakfast. Dave and Anne Lee show up full of giggles. Hearts. I leave and go to the Flaunt Party and have a frosty mango punch drink. Then I have an ice cream. Free. Back to Beauty Bar for the Scanners show...too good. Port-a-pottys tip over and the street is flooded in blue. I photograph the Scanners television interview under a tree. Back to the house for a nap. And off to the VICE party.
And this is the real cap off for the entire week. Against Me lose their shit at the VICE show...bottles are busted, flags are disabled, shirts are torn off, and the building collapses. Yes...no more rooftop patio and west side wing. That Elk's club is demolished due to I don't really know what. I take a rock from the rubble....and then eat 4am treats with Scanners. And this is the end of SXSW. I'm still awake...and eager for more.