SXSW 2008 Thursday

Me and Ken Bethea-guitarist for the Old 97's

Ken Bethea and Rhett Miller-The Old 97's

Rhett Miller-The Old 97's

Me with Rhett Miller and Murry Hammond (The Old 97's) behind me

The Donnas

Thursday afternoon was the New West Records party at Club Deville. I was so lucky to get to go because it was an invite only party. My friend who invited me had passes because his company does post production work on New West's DVD's. Free fajita tacos and beer. Everything tastes better when its free!

I saw Murry Hammond and Ken Bethea from the Old 97's as soon as I walked in. Ken and I waved at each other. He was talking to someone and I didn't want to interrupt. Heard a few New West bands play. They have some random people on their label including Dwight Yokam and Alice Cooper. No, they weren't there. Bumped into Ken on my way out from the bathroom. I told him we met a few years back. He interrupted me and said, "I know, Missouri." I told him he had a good memory (the last time I saw Ken other than a show was at the Gristmil in Gruene before their show at Gruene Hall. Before that it was at a random show they played without lead singer, Rhett, at Longbranch Inn during SX a few years ago. He told the audience that I had seen him really drunk before...meaning the time he got drunk off of Peppermint Schnapps in my apartment in Columbia when I lived with Julianne. He also played "Timebomb" on my guitar that night) and asked him about the cover art on their new album. He told me he bought his wife a painting from the same artist who did their cover. He had to take off because they were about to go on.

I got to stand in the front row. Haven't been able to do that at an Old 97's show in years. I stood next to a girl who works for No Depression Magazine and was happy to see that I was not the only 30 something there going ga ga over Rhett Miller. Their new songs sound much better than their last album on New West. Thank God!

Ran into Ken again after their set and he told me about their new album. He was super excited talking about it. I told him we were leaving and he said he'd probably see me around. Awesome!

My friend and I then took off and went to a bar on 6th Street called Dirty Dog. We saw a band called Die, Die, Die and then The Donnas. Die, Die, Die was good but I admit I am not a Donnas fan. Glad I got to see them, but I just found the lead singer kind of irritating. I noticed a young group of girls standing in front of us and my friend recognized them. They were the members of Carebears on Fire, a band consisting of three girls ages 12 and 13. They were so cute and cool and playing SXSW. Wow!

Later that night I met up with Cody, Madelyn, and Veronica for Spoon at Auditorium Shores. This was technically my first Spoon show, but I cant really count it because I couldn't even see them on the stage. It was still fun, got to hear some of my favorite Spoon songs (of the ones I know), and luckily there was a large screen so I could see what was going on. Anything outside with the Austin skyline as the backdrop is cool though!

Overall, just about the perfect SXSW day!