as SXSW 08 descends upon us...

SXSW 08 descends on us... and my story So the SXSW music festival has to be one of the most energetic times of the year here in Austin Texas (our humble home)... we have SXSW in the spring and ACL Fest in the summer... both events just completely infuse the city with an energy that doesnt exist any other time of the year... and honestly its amazingly refreshing. For one week during the spring we rock n roll kids are able to reclaim the downtown district of Austin which used to be full of music and life and is now sadly over run by shot bars and human meat markets. For those of you that don't know... the famous 6th street in Austin texas is no longer a haven for live music... there are 1 (maybe 2) bonofide venues on 6th... the rest have either closed or moved elsewhere... BUT during the SXSW music fest the musicians and artists reclaim the territory and reinfuse the city with what makes Austin special... with what drew me to this fine city in the first place. Good bands and great music can be found billowing out of every doorway and every window... enthusiastic and energetic people can be found running to and fro in search of that great unknown band that they're going to see and brag about later... i will digress and tell my story of just that;

5 years ago Bradley was playing a SXSW showcase with another band and i was guitar teching for the show (this was just as we were beginning to dream up the idea of Sounds Under Radio mind you)... and I remember it quite vividly... we were at Hickory Street Barbeque, a little place down on S. Congress Ave that held maybe 50 people... a place that was and still is 360 other days out of the year NOT a live music venue, a place where the 'stage' was cut in half by a tree planted right in its middle... and a place where you smell like bbq after you leave for many many days later.

anyway... Bradley played a great show with the band he was showcasing with and we decided to stick around for the next band... I had met the lead singer Karen earlier in the evening and she had humbly given me a copy of their EP for free which i thought was very sweet of her to do... i tried to pay her for it, but she wouldnt accept my 5 dollars. So we decided to stay for their show.. she was a very shy and very modest woman... and I remember really liking the hat that she was wearing.

Karn had a 3 peice band (which i remember in the beginning thinking was rediculous because... how could any band play a show without a bass player right?), there was a super skinny guitar player with 2 little amplifiers and a kinda geeky drummer with thick horn rimmed glasses and he appeared to be playing a jazz kit. interesting.

So they set up quickly and Bradley, myself and a few other friends (with about 20 other folks) crowded around the front of the stage just to see what it was all about... and mere moments later we were all having our heads absolutely ripped off by these amazing sounds, this fantastic energy and this brilliant front woman who became an entiery different person when they began playing... singing, screaming, yelling, chocking herself with the mic cable, spitting beer and slinging sweat everywhere and on everyone... it was without a doubt, hands down, one of the most amazing live shows that I have ever seen and for the rest of my life probably will ever see. The PA cut out twice in the middle of the set... but it really made no difference... everyone in the place... absolutely everyone had their eyes and ears glued to the stage.

So 40 minutes later they played their last song and this quaint little front woman said to the crowd in a very soft and shy voice, "ummm sooo thanks for listening everyone... we drove a really, really, really long way to get here... from New York actually... so thanks... i hope everyone liked it... we're called the Yeah Yeah Yeahs."

4 months later I picked up a copy of Rolling Stone with them on the cover. Thats right folks... I saw the Yeah Yeah Yeahs with about 25 other people at a crappy BBQ joint in Austin TX... and it was one of the most amazing musical experiences of my life.

These are the moments that I search out every SXSW... that to me is what the festival is all about.

So yes folks... we will be playing the festival this year (several times actually) and hope to have some more discoveries and more stories to tell by next week... we couldnt be more excited for the weeks events... and if you are by chance in town for the festival, come out to a show... we have a few--

Sounds Under Radio SXSW 08 Show List

Wed March 12
SXSW Official Showcase (wristband or badge required)
Blind Pig Pub Rooftop
317 E 6th St., Austin, Texas
8pm

Thurs March 13
Planetary Media BBQ/ Day Party (must RSVP)
Maggie Maes (upstairs stage)
6th and Trinity.

Ground Floor Stage
12.00 Plushgun
12.35 Throw Me the Statue
1.10 The Shackletons
1.45 Gran Ronde
2.20 Leopold & His Fiction
2.55 Portugal. The Man
3.30 Elf Power
4.05 The Dykeenies
4.40 South

Roof Stage
12.10 Mostly Bears
12.45 Edison Glass
1.20 The Red Romance
1.55 Cloud Cult
2.30 American Princes
3.05 Sounds Under Radio
3.40 Look See Proof
4.15 Longwave
4.50 Starsailor

Friday March 14
Sure Fire Media Day Show (RSVP at www.do512.com)
5th and La Vaca
10:30 AM ­ Run Run Run (Los Angeles, CA)
11:15 AM ­ Jets Under Fire (Austin, TX)
12:00 PM ­ The Soldier Thread (Austin, TX)
12:45 PM ­ The Mercers (Austin, TX)
01:30 PM ­ Johnny Goudie & The Little Champions (Austin, TX)
02:15 PM ­ Dremnt The End (Austin, TX)
03:00 PM ­ Mothers Anthem (Austin, TX)
03:45 PM ­ Sounds Under Radio (Austin, TX)
04:30 PM ­ Alpha Rev (Austin, TX)