From Mid-SxSW

Spring break means something different here in Austin. That's the one week of the year when there are no hotel rooms in the entire city, when it's impossible to get a table at a downtown restuarant, and when papparazzi come pestering celebrities in a place where there ought to be neither.

It's SXSW.

When I was in high school, I wanted to go to SXSW (South by Southwest) so badly. I wanted to go to music show after music show after film debut after film debut. I wanted to hang out with the cool kids all week long. How awesome to live in Austin!

Then I moved to Austin when I was 26. It came time for SXSW to roll around, and I discovered... that I was right. It is awesome!

Last night the fella and I only attended one show, a free show by an art punk band named Mei Shi*. The members of Mei Shi took one look at their ragtag band of audience followers and began playing their set of maybe five songs early and badly, just to get out of there sooner. From now on, I'm going to call them Mei Sheesh.

I took my DROPS 103-1 Cardigan out for its public hipster debut. The fella took one look and said, and I quote, "It's done! You need some big wooden buttons, try a mahogany color. Where are the rest of the sleeves?"

"The sleeves are supposed to be that length."

"Oh." Pause. "Okay."

I do appreciate his unwavering honesty.

The next few nights look like they'll bring with them jaunts to see C-Mon & Kypski, The Raveonettes, My Brightest Diamond, Flatstock, maybe some films, and lots more. I don't go to this many music shows in a year, mind you. But when in Rome...

Wish me luck!

* No idea how to spell it.

EDIT: Aha! The band is called The Mae Shi. (Or the Mae Sheesh.)