JEFF LEVEN’S SXSW JOURNAL:
THE GRAND PLAN

Well, it’s SXSW again—honestly my favorite week of the year (forget Xmas)!!! As promised, below is my hour-by-hour mega-matrix for the festivities. I’m going to be staying off-campus (a buddy from back home very cleverly wired in a fantastic residential rental) but will be reachable at all hours by blackberry email.

Those who read my HITS blog last year will remember my shout-out to Calhoun. The band is about to release a fantastic new record this year and will be playing Saturday, March 15, at Stephen F’s Bar at 9:30pm. I highly encourage everyone to check it out.
Aside from seeing Monte Negro, I also encourage people to check out the Cosmica showcase on Wednesday, which features some amazing Latin-flavored rock ranging from Ceci Bastida to David Garza.

I should also quickly note that those looking for some real Texas flavor and music would do well to check out James McMurtry. My first experience in the music industry proper was booking him to play my high school auditorium, which he benevolently (and surprisingly) agreed to do. He’ll be playing numerous times over the weekend and is an amazing lyricist and guitar player. I’m also excited about the resurgence of Blue Mountain, although devastated that their resurrection comes at a time when No Depression magazine is going out of physical circulation—but the genre lives on. SXSW also has a good metal presence this year, with everything from High on Fire, Helmet and Motorhead to Earthless, Blue Cheer and Witch.

OK, so if THAT’s not enough, here is my planned overall schedule, which, as always, is aspirational, not necessarily geographically or physically possible and very much subject to change. Note the DSLH party as well as the Paste and AP parties (I write for Revolver these days as well).

Our firm has a couple dozen clients playing, too, so if you’re at a loss for ideas, just hit me up over email and I can suggest a couple dozen other things to see. To run through just a representative handful: N.E.R.D., MGMT, Yeasayer, Ingrid Michaelson, Phantom Planet, Cribs, Thurston Moore, Tokyo Police Club, Ra Ra Riot, Film School, Rogue Wave, Two Gallants, Voxhaul Broadcast, the Dodos, White Denim, Radio 4, Delta Spirit, Lucero, Eagle Seagull, Diplo, Plushgun, Tapes N’ Tapes, etc.

Apologies if I seem to be missing your band/showcase/party, etc. I’ll try to cover as much ground as humanly possible and am open to being redirected on the fly where it doesn’t conflict with client and/or firm obligations. I also tend to try to catch stuff that won’t come through L.A.—so if there’s something I’m missing that will in the next few weeks/months, by all means let me know. But here’s the gameplan for now. My clients are listed in boldface; a brief description of each band follow this tentative itinerary.

Wednesday, March 12
6:30am Leave LA Arrive Austin 12:25pm
1pm 2:30pm: SXSW check-in, etc.
3pm Monte Negro Maggie Mae’s (KLBJ taping)
4pm A Place to Bury Strangers SESAC Day Stage
5pm Ra Ra Riot SESAC Day Stage
6pm Blue Mountain (Mother Egan’s 715 W 6^th)
7pm Canadian BBQ (Brush Square)
9pm Monte Negro Continental (Cosmica showcase)
11pm Earthless (Bourbon Rocks) or Dead Confederate (Stubbs)
12am R.E.M. (Stubbs) or Coyote Shivers (Orchid Viper Party Casper!)
1am Aggrolites (Flamingo)

Thursday, March 13
10:30am Lou Reed keynote (Convention Center)
11:15 Brooke Waggonner (BMI Acoustic Brunch)
11:30 Eldar (BMI Acoustic Brunch)
12pm Sickest Party (Mollie) Dizzy Rooster (5^th & Congress)
1pm Crash Kings Habana Calle 6
2pm Good with Grenades Red 7 (TKO showcase)
2:50 pm Monte Negro MexicArte museum day party (419 Congress)
3:00pm Run Run Run Red 7 (TKO showcase)
3:05pm Motorhead - Vice (Stubbs)
4pm Alternative Press party (Terrace 59 421 Congress)
5pm Spaceland Party Antone’s
5:30pm Blacklist (100 E North Loop)
5:50pm Monte Negro Orchid (Swingbox party)
6:15-8pm Davis Shapiro Party (Shoreline)
8pm Blair - T.C.’s Lounge (1413 Webberville Drive)
9pm Howlin’ Rain Emo’s
10pm Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip Wave Rooftop
11pm Simply Saucer (BD Riley’s)
12am James McMurtry (Antone’s) or Infected Mushroom (Sky Lounge)
1am High on Fire Emo’s Annex (Relapse showcase)

Friday, March 14
10:30am Run Run Run Antone’s (Surefire Party)
12:30pm Blair Mohawk inside (Hot Freaks party)
1pm Anathallo- Emo’s Annex
2:00pm Kaki King (Paste party) - Volume
2:00pm Loeb party
3:00pm Summerbirds in the Cellar (Bourbon Rocks)
4pm Yeasayer Windish Party (Emo’s)
5:00pm Monte Negro Habana Calle 6 (Batanga party)
5:30pm Yep Roc Party (Dirty Dog)
7pm Mad Decent party 421 W. 3rd
8:00pm dinner @ Parkside
9:30pm Phantom Planet (La Zona Rosa)
10pm Weather Underground (1412 W. Oltorf)
11pm Cribs (Stubb’s)
11:30pm Helio Sequence (Bourbon Rocks)
12am Devotchka (Antone’s)
12:45 Thurston Moore (Mohawk)
or
1am Dan Le Sac vs. Scroobius Pip (Ninety Proof) or Robyn (Pangea) or Lucero (Red-Eyed Fly)

Saturday, March 15
12pm Fuck Buttons Paste party - Volume
1pm Monte Negro SXSW Live Taping (!) (Convention Center)
2pm Run Run Run Parish (Navdo Party)
3pm 360 Deal Panel Convention Center
or 3:05pm Chromeo (Stubbs)
4:30 Monte Negro Red 7 (Monster party)
4:30pm Voxhall Broadcast Dirty Dog
5:45pm Monte Negro Borders (600 River)
6:45 Joseph Arthur (Homeslice Pizza)
or 6:45 Kimya Dawson - Garden Party 802 San Marcos (Press Here party)
7:15 Atlantic/Chop Shop Party (Brush Square)
8pm Tift Merritt (Parish)
9pm Edison Glass (Esther’s Follies)
9:30pm Calhoun (Hilton Garden Inn)
11pm This Will Destroy You (Hideout)
11:45pm Run Run Run Orchid (Viper Room party)
1am - ??? Vice (TBA)

Sunday, March 16
Waterloo/Marsh/I-10
Vacation/drive from TX to L.A. March 17, March 18.
In office and swamped March 19.
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Blair: http://www.myspace.com/musicblair
In a nutshell: Captivating indie rock singer/songwriter featured in NPR, KCRW spins, hefty blog coverage, EP on CMJ charts, appearing on upcoming World Leader Pretend record (WBR).

Crash Kings: http://www.myspace.com/crashkings
In a nutshell: Galvanizing pop/rock trio with dizzying instrumental skill. Recently formed - band members have played with artists ranging from Juliette & the Licks, Linda Perry, Sierra Swan, etc.

Monte Negro: http://www.myspace.com/montenegrorocks
In a nutshell: Mind-blowing mix of alternative rock, reggae, punk and rock en espanol. Recently signed to Epic Who Told You EP out now, full-length due June 10. Top 10 video on MTV3s TRL. For a sense of what the shows are like: http://futuresounds.blogspot.com/search/label/Monte Negro

Run Run Run: http://www.myspace.com/runrunrun
In a nutshell: Anthemic rock with indie rock textures and intelligence, electrifying live experience. Songs from current EP spinning on both KROQ and Indie 103. Collaborations with artists ranging from David J (Bauhaus, Love and Rockets) to Steve Perry (Journey). In the midst of extensive national tour.