And That Was The Third Day

Friday, March 17

Happy Paddy’s Day! Man, I feel terrible. I feel like I have been awake for 40 hours. I am sore in weird places I am not used to being sore. I need to snap out of it because I have another full day of music. Luckily, I am off of work! I can spend the day as I please. I am trying to find some good free music because the daytime is best for that. Unfortunately, the weather sucks. It is raining and windy. It hasn’t rained in Central Texas in 5 months, but it is raining this weekend. Lovely! There are free shows at Waterloo all day everyday during SX. I can try that if nothing else works. There is a free show at LZR with Morningwood, Hellogoodbye, Thrice, Halifax, and a bunch of other groups. The Spin show is also today, but I can’t find out who is on the bill for that. I also don’t think I have a chance in hell to get into the Spin party. I will drive downtown and see what looks good. Traffic is terrible. Everyone is heading downtown. Parking is even worse. I drive around downtown for about 30 minutes and do not see a thing close to LZR or AMH. Even the garages are full. YIKES! I decide then to just head to Waterloo Records and check out what is going on there. Actually, People in Plans have a show there at 5pm. Cool, I really did like them. But, should I really see a group twice, or try and check out a new group. Check out a new group! The group at Waterloo at 4pm is called Goblincock. Just picture that in your head and you can probably guess what they sound like. They are dressed in black shrouds with their faces covered. There voices are distorted so it sounds like God talking to Kent in “Real Genius.” Most people there were laughing at them. This was the most interesting group I saw at SX. After they were done, I stick around to browse the music selection. This is my favorite in the city. In the meantime, People in Planes show up and are just walking through the store. How cool! I practically ran into the guitarist. What is weird now, is that Waterloo starts to play their album. So, the band is in the store, talking to their manager, and their album is playing over the PA system in Waterloo. I wonder, is that weird for them? Are they used to it? It seems weird to me. It is getting late now and with the traffic I caught getting here, I need to head back home to get ready for the nighttime shows. Another big night is ahead.

Since the schedule was put together, I had planned on seeing a British group called the Subways. They are one of the buzz bands this year. I have heard material from their album and it sounds very good. They are playing at Stubb’s at 10 pm. In fact, the entire showcase at Stubb’s tonight is good. It includes, Metric, the Magic Numbers and Snow Patrol. There is also a little show at LZR hosting the Arctic Monkeys. Now, this band has caused such a buzz because they have the highest selling debut album in Great Britain. There music has just started playing stateside. They are one of the bands that has gained their popularity by myspace. Myspace has a very large presence at SX this year. Some people are happy with it, others are not. I really want to go to this show, but I don’t think I have a chance to get in after 11 pm. I should probably just try another venue. OK Go is playing at the Dirty Dog bar. They could be entertaining. But, Stubb’s first. I get there early, around 7:30 and the place is pretty empty. I find a place close to the stage and sit. A bunch of drunk Irishmen show up with their Irish flag and they are wishing people a Happy Paddy’s Day. They look like they are having a good time. The first band to come out is Vega 4. They are an Irish band with a hot lead singer. I can look at him all night. I really enjoyed their set. It was their first time in Texas and they were enjoying themselves. The next band is a British group call White Rose Movement. They have a harder sound and are dressed more for a Goth crowd. Not something I would expect to hear at Stubb’s. They were enjoyable nonetheless. Finally, at 10pm the Subways take the stage. Stubb’s is now full for the most part. The band consists of a guy guitarist/singer, a blond female bassist, and a guy drummer. The girl is this tiny little pixie who looks like she weighs about 90 pounds. She just kills the bass. They bounce all over the stage, from end to the next. I really dig their music, loud and bouncy. At one point, the lead singer throws his guitar to a stage hand, climbs up the speakers and jumps over to the balcony overlooking the stage. He walks around the balcony, comes down the stairs, walks through the crowd, and then goes back to the stage. I have never seen anyone do that at Stubb’s. They rocked. So far, they are my favorite group I have seen. I will pick up their CD next week. After they finish, I high tail it out of Stubb’s to Dirty Dog bar. I decide it wasn’t worth fighting the crowd at LZR. Of course, like every other show I have been to so far, there is a line. I don’t care, I wait. The good thing is, the front of the bar is open, so you can see in and hear everything that is going on in the bar. There is a camera on the stage that is projecting onto a screen in front of the bar like a TV. So, I can stand outside and see what is happening. Well, this line is not moving a bit. The band goes on at 11 pm, and I am still standing outside. I can still see them from outside. The sing “Get Over It” and by this time it is about 11:30 and I have really missed the entire show and I am not getting in anytime soon. I head back to Stubb’s to catch the Magic Numbers and Snow Patrol. I find out on Saturday morning, the last song OK Go performed was “A Million Ways.” They put down their instruments and re-enacted the entire video. They do it at every show since MTV won’t air it. It is another DAMNIT on my part. I get back to Stubb’s and once again, a very long line. Man, I might not get in here either. It is still early, so I join the line in the hope of getting in soon. There are two girls in front of me who realize I am by myself. They decide to talk to me. They were cool. They had gone to the Spin party earlier that day. The Go!Team, the Cribs, We Are Scientists and a few others bands played. They said it was really good. I am sure it was. I find out one of the girl’s stepdad is from Louisiana so she had just gone to Mardi Gras. Me too! Small world. They asked me if I had ever seen Snow Patrol before and I said no. She said they were “kinda worth” waiting in line for. They had tried to get into the Beastie Boys show the night before and told me they were only taking badges so there wasn’t a chance of getting in. Both of them like me had wristbands. She told me the line was ridiculous. I believe it. We wait in line about 30 minutes and finally get in, after the long line of badge people entered. Finally, I can see more music. Everything seemed to get off schedule because I only missed one bad there, Metric. The Magic Numbers were supposed to go on at 12, but it was 12 and they weren’t on yet. They went on around 12:15 and played their full set, so Snow Patrol was late also. The Magic Numbers were an interesting group. They were all dressed in black with long hair and dark make up. But when they started to play, it was happy pop music that was danceable. Looking at the member, I would have never thought they played that type of music. I did recognize a few of their songs. It seems most of the crowd were fans. I have to keep an ear out for them. Snow Patrol comes on around 1:30. They are good. I have heard a few songs by them. I am really tired by this point and not sure if I can stay their entire set. The band has a new album coming out next month and they are heavily promoting it. All the plastic drink cups at Stubb’s say Snow Patrol and their new album name on it. It seems like a smart way to advertise. I stay for about half of their set. It is 2 am and my back, feet, legs and everything below the waist hurts. Knowing I have a long day tomorrow, I decide to head home. I am parked by the interstate so no long trek to the car.