Chrissie Hynde greets fans and photographers after her
interview where she minced no words ("You don't have to
take an intelligence test to become a celebrity") and
answered questions about the history of the Pretenders.
photo by Seabrook Jones
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SXSW-ing Bigger and better than ever; more to see, more to do. We lounged away the evening listening to
BMI's singer-songwriter showcase at
Opal Divine's on West Sixth featuring
Inward Eye,
Sons of William, and particularly
We Are the Fury for their smart sound and slim jacket/skinny tie Eighties sensibilty with a dash of Seventies Bowie a look not so uncommon this year.
Captain had beautiful
OMD-ish vocals and that irresistible UK New Wave sound that I still love from my misspent decade of decadence, and
Nico Vega's searing vocals and guitars kept me rapt. Through Sunday, BMI turns the airport into a premier
SXSW venue by showcasing Texas greats such as
Ruthie Foster,
Carolyn Wonderland,
Big Blue Hearts, and
Redd Volkaert & Cindy Cashdollar at the airport's
Highland Lakes Bar stage.
BITCHEEEEE Backstage at the Morrissey/Goldfrapp show, the Morrissey camp was so difficult to work with that Ray Davies didn't even make it through sound check. He packed up his toys and went home, literally. I guess Davies thought that Morrissey should have had more respect for his elders.
NOTATIONS The Napster Lounge at the Levi's Trading Post had the wildest toys including this thing that was like a green scrotum with waaay too many testicles in it: squeeze hard and they turn colors, just like in real life(!)
ME Television has had great parties at their studio for both film and music with intimate showcases and other entertainments like video postcards and the Wire Image booth that will take your picture and post it online. Later, I met up with Molly Kemp, Vance Knowles, and Charles Attal, for Charles' private party (thank you, Charles!). The main party was just beginning, and the energy was palpable as that enormous room revved up into a fabulous frenzy. But we'd been separated from Charles and Molly and wound up in security hell trying to find them. We ran into Matt Luckey who told me about the upcoming renovation of Oslo and the new restaurant next door, the Belmont, that he's working on with Daryl Kunik; and chatted up arts and style icon Anne Elizabeth Wynn, who looked predictably gorgeous in an embroidered, spangled halter. Then, I went over to Emily Fawcett to say hi and get a quote for my column. "I'm working!" she snapped and turned her back on me. Note to Emily: We're all working, dear, it's SXgoddamSW. Everyone's working. And on that note, we left. Note to self: Dealing with Emily is always such a chore.
k.d. "Jake" lang stretching the boundaries during her
public visit to Austin – she's here often, but we just don't
see her.
photo by Seabrook Jones
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TOMORROW So many choices, so little time: From 3-9pm is the
RagiWorld Party at
Big Red Sun (1102 E. Cesar Chavez) featuring the
Resentments, among others, and hostess with the mostess,
Mme. Pamela Des Barres. No cover (Mme. Des Barres is also presenting her
Creative Writing Seminar at
Pink Salon on Mon-Tue, March 20-21. Go to
www.pameladesbarres.com for complete details)
Jovita's (1619 S. First) presents
Twangfest, the
KDHX-FM &
Undertow Records Party, noon-6pm
The
Western Australia Music party
Down by Down Under is at
Positively E. 4th Street (1300 E. Fourth), 2-6pm. See the flyer at
spinningworld.net
At 4pm is
BMI's California Brunch at
Caribbean Lights (612 E. Sixth) featuring the
Like, the
88,
Augustana, the
Willowz, and
Foreign Islands