Music

SXSW 2011: AUX in Austin Day 3

by Nicole Villeneuve

Friday has come and gone and even if we’ve deduced that every day in Austin during SXSW is a Friday, the real one was another gem. It was the hottest day yet and though we’re not sure what the temperature hit, the sun blazed all day and burned our little noses again as we flew around town on foot for our well-established interviews/live shows/food/drink/fun/repeat-all-day routine. Never never land.

First up was Duff McKagan, and while a couple of us hunkered down in the makeshift office space that is the Austin Convention Centre, the rest walked around a buzzing downtown with the modern legend. The free wifi, coffee, energy drinks (what have you done to us, SXSW?), and snacks from the Press Lounge made it bearable to miss.

From there we headed to meet A-Trak and Chromeo, then quickly to check out some of the daytime parties along our walk to the fancy W Hotel fourth-floor pool to chat with Theophilus London and sort of just wish we were swimming instead. Fake summer!

We were so enchanted by Matt and Kim on Thursday that we chased them to Fader Fort where we were granted magical temporary artists passes to go meet them backstage for a really casual and, again, super positive couple of minutes. “Maybe we should start spreading that Kim’s a bitch,” Kim herself said. Good luck with that one, no one will ever believe it.

We chose to leave the east side of town to return to the west spot the weird Jack White Jam Van thingy and refuel on some complimentary food and drinks. We made the right choice. You’re welcome, feet and heavy-backpack weary shoulders. Take a load off. You earned it.

The night ended as strong as an Ox, speaking with Obits’ Rick Froberg, catching their stellar set, then dropping into the Canadian house on our way by to see Buck 65. And look who joined him! Shad Shad Shad. We just don’t want to let Canada out of our site.

Unfortunately the day had us wiped and the superpacked Parish was too hot and it was too late to stay for Wild Flag. We took one last walk through the mayhe of 6th Street and called it a day. Goodnight, Friday moon.