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SXSW scene report: Saturday notes
- The Whip In scratched the outdoor portion of its SouthBySuds event Saturday because of the horrible weather, but inside, the store was a lovely refuge from the chill wind and the SXSW madness elsewhere.
Around dinnertime, Naga Valli was singing and playing the harmonium, accompanied on percussion by Oliver Rajamani. Her beautiful voice was wonderfully lulling on traditional Indian material, and she gave an original composition in English an interesting melodic twist by using Indian melismatic technique.
Patrons relaxed in the booths of the Parlour Cafe, milled around the front counter deciding what to order or sat at the bar chatting quietly. The barista made me a fabulous chai, foaming the soy milk so expertly that somebody at the next table asked “Is that a Guinness?”
At the Continental Club, by contrast, it was sheer madness. Since so many outdoor events had been canceled, or people just didn’t want to attend them, it seemed half the Friday population of South Congress was jammed into the Continental or trying to get in the back door well before the evening showcases.
Discretion being the better part of valor, I darted back out and went across the street to South by San Jose, where David Garza was undeterred by the wretched return of winter. He entertained a hardy group of bundled-up fans with high-energy material, including a country tune that schnookered people into line dancing, just so that he could throw a devilish Tejano number at them.
A couple of hotel workers walked through the edge of the crowd carrying firewood, a peculiar and sorry sight on the first day of spring.
Garza mocked a band that had canceled, saying “I think they had to blog or something. But we’re here to rock!” He proclaimed that he was going to do a Herman’s Hermits tune, no, it was by Kajagoogoo, but they’re too shy-shy.”
The trouble with having a hit is, you have to do it, and he gleefully careened into his own “Disco Ball World,” which prompted singer Amy Cook to jump on stage and wail in harmony.
- I am not sure how theologians will analyze this, but during SXSW, there was a schism between two downtown Austin denominations. I found this out in the restroom at the Omni Hotel, where I had repaired between sets at Central Presbyterian Church Saturday because concert-goers were not allowed to use whatever facilities the church surely has, but were instead supposed to use the port-a-potties on the sidewalk around the corner. Seriously. With a wind chill in the 30s. Seriously.
Of course this outrage was a topic of conversation in the restroom of refuge, and after I lamented the extreme hardness of the Presbyterian pews as well, the badge-wearer I was talking to said with a note of relief that she wasn’t going back. “We’re going to St. David’s now
for something else. My friend calls them the Good Church and the Bad Church.”
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Permalink | Comments (2) | Categories: SXSW 2010
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By TXn
March 21, 2010 11:13 AM | Link to this
Awww, please… I did the run out to the Port-O-Lets last year, I do not blame the Church… I wouldn’t want ANYONE who looks like they might even think about going to Emo’s to use my sparkly white bathroom!
Parry… Are you even from TX?
By Matthew Odam
March 23, 2010 10:58 AM | Link to this
I was told by a member of the church who was one of the main volunteers on Friday night, that the church’s old plumbing just couldn’t stand up to the demand that would come from festival usage. I can verify that assertion. A year or two ago during the fest, i was allowed to use the toilet and it was the classic small, 1950s style crammed bathroom with ancient fixtures you would expect. There is no way it would have been able to hold up. Besides, it is “backstage,” so it causes foot traffic problems, as well.