If you're more interested in supporting Bayou City musicians, there are plenty of opportunities to do so. Local darlings Japanic rock the Cheetah Lounge on Wednesday, March 14, while the Westbury Squares represent at the Hole in the Wall on the same night. On Thursday, March 15, the Free Radicals invade yuppie enclave the Empanada Parlour, and Houston sons Clay Blaker (he's been covered by none other than Barbra Streisand!) and Cory Morrow (now an Austin resident) hold court at Maggie Mae's. (Show up a little early and catch the Moonlighters, a Hawaiian-music quartet that features former members of Helmet and the Pain Teens.) In what is probably the most hilarious and appropriate artist-venue pairing in the history of booking, Jody Hughes camps it up at the Rainbow Cattle Co. (a gay C&W club) on Friday, March 16. On Saturday, March 17, Middlefinger salutes the Capital City at Opal Divine's Freehouse, immediately followed by up-and-coming heavy-metal act Marzi.
As summaries of SXSW go, this is just the tip of the iceberg, which is fitting, because you can never fully experience the spectacle that is SXSW. There's simply too much going on; you will always miss something. Consider yourself forewarned: Lineups are in a constant state of flux until the last band heads home on Sunday night, but that's all part of the thrill.
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