Monday, March 26, 2007

Little Miss SXSW: The Musical

Friends have been asking about SXSW, and I've been meaning to post about it. But I was tired for the entire week following the journey, so pardon the delay.

The best adjective to describe SXSW is overwhelming. At times I was ready to collapse on 6th Street from exhaustion, and other times I was so freakin excited to be working in the music & media industries that I couldn't stop smiling.

This year was a lot of work for me and not as much concert-going as last year. On top of some great business meetings, Paste hosted/sponsored four events this year -- our annual day party at Maggie Mae's (with DiscRevolt, WXPN, and Three Thieves), our official showcase with SoundExchange, a day party with The Militia Group, and an evening house party at Synthetic Pictures creekside studios.

I was sad for everything to end because SXSW-prep stole a lot of my time and energy in Q1. Very proud of how everything turned out, though.

Among the bands I wish I'd seen but didn't: The Fratellis, The Blood Arm, MuteMath, Damien Dempsey, Andrew Bird

To tell you more about what I did see, I will now be creative and use a musical format... yes, that's right... I give you:

LITTLE MISS SXSW: THE MUSICAL



Day 1: All Over the Place

Scene 1: Hartsfield International Airport

"Wait For Me! (I Have Baggage!)”.............. Caren and Leila
“Breakfast Ends at 10am!”.................. Chili's Staff
"We'll Drink Instead"....................... Caren and Leila

Scene 2: Somewhere in the Middle of Texas

“Driving Thru a Satanic Car Wash"........... Jason and Jared
"This Storm Will Pass"..................... Caren and Leila
"Haven't You Seen a Brit Before?".................. Leila, Sketchy Gas Station Guy

Scene 3: Austin Convention Center

“I Miss Arrested Development”................ Caren, David Cross

Scene 4: Opal Divine's

"Where Is This Place? (Caren Is Confused)"........ Jared and Leila
"First Strangers, Now Friends".............. Caren, Andy's Friends in Austin

Scene 5: La Zona Rosa

“Whoo! Alright-Yeah...Uh Huh"............... The Rapture
"Let's Be Lame and Do Some Work"................. Caren and Jared

INTERMISSION



Day 2: Austin, TX

Scene 1: Magnolia Cafe

"Let's Start the Day"....................... Paste Business Team

Scene 2: GSD&M

"Once Upon a Time, I Applied Here"................... Caren, Media Planners

Scene 3: New West Records Party

“Nothing Like a Lone Star Beer"............. Ensemble
“Rickie Lee Jones Freak Out"................ Ensemble

Scene 4: Rhapsody Showcase at Mohawks

"To the Bat Phone!"......................... Robyn Hitchcock, Peter Buck
"Give Me Back My Bass"...................... Peter, Bjorn & John

Scene 5: KLRU Studios - Austin City Limits set

Musical Interlude........................... The Apples In Stereo

Scene 6: Ringers Bar

"Tar Heel Fans Unite"....................... Nate, Austin, Caren, Brian

Scene 7: Sixth Street

"Cellphone Died Again"...................... Caren
"It's a Long, Long Line to Our Show"............... MuteMath
"Who Knew I Was a Little Edgy?"............. Rocky Votalato
"On a Couch With a Smashing Pumpkin"........ Caren, James Iha
"When Ice Hits Your Head"................... Albert Hammond Jr.

INTERMISSION



Day 3: Austin, TX

Scene 1: Paste SXSW Party, Maggie Mae's

"Where Have All the Gift Bags Gone?"........ Paste Business Team
"Do the Boxed-Wine Box-Step!"................ Ensemble
"We Were Hardened by the War"......... Cold War Kids
"It's a Wonderful Life"....................... Caren

Scene 2: Eddie V's

"Drunk at Dinner"........................... Caren, Others? (Anyone?)
"Tomohawk (Steak) Chop!".................... Paste Editorial Team

Scene 3: Paste Showcase, Austin Convention Center

"Full of Surprises (Freestyle Interlude)"... Pigeon John, Gift of Gab
"I Roll Six Deep"........................... Jamie Kennedy
"Cookies and the Spree"..................... Ensemble, Polyphonic Spree

INTERMISSION



Day 4: Austin, TX

Scene 1: Paste Day at the Belmont

"Nice Day For Sunscreen"................... Ensemble
"Green On St Patrick's Day"................ Ensemble
"You Can Steal Our Van (But You Can't Steal the Rock)"......... Colour Revolt
"Death Be My Cellphone".................... Caren
"I'll Follow You To Every Party"........... Jamie Kennedy
"Drunk at Dinner (Reprise)"................ Paste Editorial Team

Scene 2: Uchi Restaurant

"Sushi or Sashimi?"........................ Waiter, Business Colleagues

Scene 3: Dive Bar

"How Did We Get Here?"..................... Caren, Tim
"Fender Bender Blues"...................... Ensemble

Scene 4: Synthetic Pictures Studios, backyard creek

"I Wanna Be (Where Grey Goose Is Free)".... Ensemble
"Let's Get Loud"........................... The Ringers
"What Would Ringo Do?"..................... The Redwalls

Day 5: Austin, TX

Scene 1: Somewhere In the Middle of Texas

"Broke Down Buick, Broken Foot".............. Kate, Jared
"Whataburger, Whataday".................. Paste Editorial Team

Scene 2: Houston Airport

"Wait For Me! I Have Baggage (Reprise)".... Paste Ensemble

FINALE

"Little Miss SXSW"......................... Ensemble

END

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