Photo: Chris Wissman
I wrapped up SXSW 2016 with four shows under my belt and all were great! Now that I've had some time to recover, here's my recap...
Show One
The Make Fuzzy Tracks show went great! It was at capacity and had a one-in-one-out policy. The highlight of the night was that I realized I was performing right next to the legendary, George Strait. Growing up in Texas, my dad always chalked the tape deck in our Oldsmobile full of, "All My Exes Live in Texas", "Ocean Front Property", and the obligatory "Amarillo By Morning". Pretty exciting, since he retired from touring.
Show Two
Hard Luck Lounge was my next stop. Tons of people and awesome decor. What made this show interesting was that I was performing between two bluegrass groups. Given the juxtaposition of my music and theirs, I was feeling like I would stick out like a sore thumb. The opposite happened. Everyone accepted the different vibe and welcomed our set with open ears. I had a great time! The Lady Luck food truck parked on site is not to be missed.
SXSW 2016: Show number two at Hard Luck Lounge in Austin, TX | Photo: Amanda Dissinger
Show Three
The third stop landed me at Kebabalicious--a restaurant serving kebabs with a chill stage on their back patio. The venue sounds an unlikely place for a rock show, but it's location was ideal for foot traffic coming from SXSW, being on E. 7th St downtown. I also met someone from Red Light Management at the show who was super nice.
SXSW 2016: Show number three at Kebabalicious in Austin, TX | Photo: Carolyn Bailey
Show Four
Finally, the same day as the Kebabalicious show, I closed out my week with a 1am time slot at the historic Hole in the Wall. I practically had to tape my eyes open to keep from falling asleep, but had such a great time once the adrenaline kicked in and I started playing.
All in all, I had a great time. Outside of my own shows, personal favorites from others over the week included:
- Mitski, Lucy Dacus, KING, Beach Slang, Pure Bathing Culture, White Reaper, All Dogs, Prawn, Football, Etc., and Pinegrove
Can't wait to do it again with a release in tow at SXSW 2017!
Now comes the studio...
<3
-Dean
