Day 1 - Austin Power!
The sun is shining and a heatwave is on its way in Austin - that and the general fervour is making me sweat with anticipation.
More from the day...
As the heat slowly dissolves into the evening I follow the trusty sat nav to the Enchanted Forest, a place
The first day's afternoon though is a little frustrating - I cue for registration, I cue for the San Francisco's Noise Pop showcase featuring Die Die Die! from New Zeland and the Octapus Project, to no avail. I bump into Huw Stephens who'se standing in the most painfully loud Emo's Annex watching Scotish band Frightened Rabbit, who give it to the nachos eating fresh faced punters. I cue for the Levi's Fort, a rabbit warren of a buildings with various workshops, art installations and bands playing - only this cue also goes around the block and I make do with hearing the strains of the Kills booming around the neighbourhood's earthy walls. Last year's best kept secret is out obviously! So far so not so good on my Austin mission.
As a break, I decide to head up for lunch and a quick haircut for the hubby in a cool street of vintage clothes, boots and cafes called South Congress.
I'd first heard of via the lovely Truck label folks, who played there last year. Its a myriad of pathways, lit trees, massage tents, fortune tellers, food stalls, and two stages of bands set in an old hobo camp or as its known now an Enchanted Forest! A few self appointed freaks stalk the forest in mother earth type get-up but generally its just a beautiful place to go, and opens till 4am on weekends - Yippe for the hippie!
Back down to 6th street and I manage to catch the performance of the festival from Kitty, Daisy and Lewis - despite technical difficulties, they plough with holy vengence through the hits, Mean Son of A Gun, Honolula Rock and Roll, Blue Moon etc.
The evening ends for me back at Emos where Kimya Dawson from the Moldy Peaches makes way for the next best thing since Yeasayer. Indeed a band fans of LCD Soudsystem, The Whip, and mostly the aforementioned Yeasayer will get very excited about the exccentric, energetic, nonchelant, frenetic Mah Jong from Chicago. A revolving cast of two drummers, two programmers, guitar, bass, what seem to be electronic steel drums, and songs which range from silly raps to yelping punk noise even sung on one song in British accents!! Now i've heard everything, and its only day one!
