Mockingbird Airbag

SXSW Day 3

Saturday 3.18

Red Monroe day, bitches. We had 2 shows, both on 6th St, one at 2 pm and one at 6 pm.

Blind Pig Pub - This is the place we played last year opening up for the Burden Brothers (gag). As soon as I walked in, memories of a 12-minute long version of "Dirty Sanchez" clung to me like white on rice as I puked in my throat. So, I thought, there was no way this year's show would be that embarrassing. The Blind Pig crew has really made the outside area pretty unique and fun for bands. At least this year, no one can play silent guitar to the street below...i.e. look like a douchebag to the people around. Especially when the amps are faced the opposite way. But I digress....

This show was a cool chance to "warm up" for the bigger crowd at 6 (at least we hoped). We ended up playing pretty well anyway to a small crowd. The band after us was called Seis Pistos from Mexico and they pretty much barraged us with punk rock tunes in spanish. The singer's between-song banter was pretty hilarious in his choppy english and humble jokes. I bet these guys are wildly popular back in Chihuahua.

We meandered over to the Chuggin Monkey, our 2nd venue and caught The Colour, who we almost had a show with in Dallas. These guys are about to put out a CD and it should catch fire, no doubt. They are a music PR director's dream. They've got the look, the tunes, and they're from LA.

A big thanks to everyone who came to the 6 pm show, we had a great crowd and even some people peeking in the open windows from the streets. I finally got to play the tamborine a bit and despite some the house bass amp crapping out, we had a great show and I think played to some important people.

So after 2.5 good days, something negative had to happen. I circled the 6th St area no less than 5 distinct times, trying to find a way to get to the alley behind the Chuggin Monkey. In doing so, I'm pretty sure a part of my soul was sucked away in the midst of the insane traffic and one way streets of Austin. I swear I've never been so mentally exhausted in such a short amount of time. It was excruciating. Legally, it was impossible to get to the alley, so I finally had to maneuver down a one-way alley the wrong way. Oh and let's not forget the swift kick to the back of my car that I received from an impatient horse in one of those "romantic" carriages when I ventured a bit too far out in the street and dipshit oncoming cars kept me from being able to get out of the way. Ugh.....looking back it's kind of funny. Too bad I couldn't get the license plate of that buggy.

So, SXSW came to a close as we left the next day (post-driving 30 miles up I-35 to find a hotel...not that I expected anything less). We are looking forward to writing in the next couple of weeks and putting together an incredible show for the Wall of Sound Festival on April 8th and 9th.....

Red Monroe - Blind Pig Pub

Seis Pistos

The Colour

Red Monroe - Chuggin Monkey

posted by Airbag1 @ 7:00 PM