We here at Rocks Off are only about a week away from chafed inner thighs, weird Japanese punk bands puking in hotel pools and sweating out our morning mojitos while walking to an art space off 4th Street.
South By Southwest is now only a week away. It was all fun and games in December when we were posting our little suppositions of who would be playing, but now this shit is serious.
In addition to all the nightly mess, SXSW is also a great place to get loaded on the cheap during the day. Not to mention all the free cigarettes for those of us still giving our lungs the finger. All the live music at night is more than likely badge or wristband only, and in the Great Recession it’s not easy to shell out a mortgage payment for a badge, or even two cell-phone bills for a wristband.
In that spirit, Rocks Off has compiled a list of the free day shows available to the public. Most kick off around lunchtime and close by 6 p.m. or so. Some require an RSVP, while others are free as long as there’s room. There may be lines at these shindigs if you get to them late, but don’t be discouraged. As folks stumble out, they let more thirsty people in.
And yes, there is free booze EVERYWHERE. Just remember to tip your hosts.
Rocks Off got our list from newmusictipsheet.com and other sources, but as always it’s best to go digging on Twitter, MySpace and Facebook to get even more dirt.
Wednesday, March 18
The Austinist’s “Gonna Gonna Get Down 4”
Mohawk, 912 Red River, 11 a.m.
DJ Ceeplus Bad Knives, Kevin Devine, Caitlin Rose, Vetiver, The Mae Shi, Elvis Perkins in Dearland, Akron/Family
HearYa.com/QuinnStorm.com’s “Stimulus Package”
Paradise, 401 E. 6th, 11 a.m.
Justin Townes Earle, Gringo Star, Tigercity
Affliction/MySpace Records/Ticketweb/Spaceland’s “SXSW Throw Down!”
Maggie Mae’s, 323 E. 6th, noon
The Boxing Lesson, Natalie Portman’s Shaved Head, Titus Andronicus
Terrorbird/Force Field Day Party
Red 7, 611 E. 7th, noon
Beach House, The Thermals, Loney Dear
Can’t Stop The Bleeding
Beerland, 711 Red River, 1 p.m.
The Homosexuals, Eat Skull, Psychedelic Horseshit
Thursday, March 19
Gorilla vs. Booze III
Peacock, 515 Pedernales, noon
Vivian Girls, White Denim, Wavves, free Red Stripe
The Artery Foundation/Casa De Awesome/Rise Records “SXSW Showdown 2009”
Emo’s, 603 Red River, noon
The Devil Wears Prada, Dance Gavin Dance, I Set My Friends on Fire
Lose Control Party
Canvas, 105 E. 5th, 2 p.m.-2 a.m.
The Twelves, Don Rimini, Designer Drugs, The Hood Internet
Black Fontanelle Presents “A Compound Fracture”
The Black Fontanelle Compound, 5615 Jim Hogg Ave., noon
Aids Wolf, Magic Jewels, Bermuda Triangles, Snack Truck, Tyvek
Navdo/Go Entertainment/Obscure Magpie Music “Fourteen Hour Party”
The Compound, 1300 E. 4th, noon-2 a.m.
Dead Confederate, The Warlocks
Friday, March 20
Village Voice Media’s “The Showdown 2009”
La Zona Rosa, 612 W. 4th St., noon
M.Ward, Gomez, Cursive, Crystal Antlers, Bear Hands
SPIN Party
Stubb’s, 801 Red River, noon
Echo & The Bunnymen, the Black Lips, Glasvegas, The Crystal Method DJ set, free booze and BBQ
The Onion AV Club & Canvas Media Present “It’s Pronounced Par-TAY”
The Radio Room, 507 E. 6th, noon
…And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead, Ra Ra Riot, Parenthetical Girls
“Shirts For A Cure” Presents
Red 7, 611 E. 7th, noon
The Bouncing Souls, Dillinger Four, Darkest Hour
Music Heals Party
Aces Lounge, 222 E. 6th, 1 p.m.
Paul Wall, Members of Swishahouse Records
Bloodshot Records’ Annual SXSW Day Party
Yard Dog Gallery, 1510 S. Congress, noon
Andre Williams, Exene Cervenka, Justin Townes Earle, free Shiner and beer nuts
Saturday, March 21
Rachael Ray/Rose’s Mojito “Feedback: The B-Side at SXSW ’09”
Maggie Mae’s, 323 E. 6th, noon
The Hold Steady, New York Dolls, Bob Schneider, The Cringe, free food and mojitos
The Smoking Section’s “The Grand Ole Party of Bootleggers & Tastemakers”
Peckerheads, 402 E. 6th St., 1 p.m.
Lady Sovereign, King Khan and the Shrines, free Sailor Jerry’s rum, Sweet Leaf Tea and Taco Cabana
“Mess With Texas 3”
Waterloo Park, 15th & Red River, 1 p.m.-10 p.m.
The Black Lips, King Khan & The Shrines, Japanther, Coalesce, Monotonix, The Bronx
Reeperbahn Festival Party
Habana Calle 6 Patio, 709 E. 6th, 3 p.m.
The Tontons, Murder, The Black Box Revelation, Wallis Bird, The Shackeltons, free German BBQ
This article appears in Mar 5-11, 2009.