SXSW: My Highlights

Oh SXSW, you tricky mistress you. Sure, it's a really great week, filled with countless bands and hopefully free booze- but that doesn't change the fact that by the end of the week you're ready to collapse. So, as I recover, I thought I'd share some of my personal highlights, band or otherwise.

She and Him: The collaboration of singer M. Ward and actress Zooey Deschanel proved to be really soulful and edgy. Who knew she could sing? It's a little Rilo Kiley, so if you're a fan, check out She and Him.

Salt and Samovar: A band I've been hearing about all over NPR and KCRW, I was really excited to see them, even after a super long night. The hype was justified- this ended up being one of my favorite shows.

Standing next to Rolling Stone editor David Fricke at the Bad Veins show: The band was awesome, and watching Fricke scribble notes onto a pad made me feel pathetically hip. The guy is really the best thing about Rolling Stone in the past couple of decades, and last year I got to watch him interview Iggy Pop. Look for Bad Veins in the next issue of Rolling Stone perhaps? Maybe Fricke's Picks can make them big.

Lou Reed's Keynote Speech: Oh, Lou. I love him, I always will. He's crochity, but who cares. When asked if he put thought into his songs, he said "I have a B.A. in dope". Gotta love it.

Oh, there's so much more that I could talk about, but I'm sure that its pretty self-serving, and I won't bore you. I will, however, encourage you to volunteer at SXSW next year, as you get a free badge or wristband! Take Tere Garza's class- it's a requirement!