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SxSW

our roadtrip to Austin

by Liz Mategrano and Erik Swedlund

Undertaking the 1100 mile drive from central Illinois to Austin, TX, was the least we could do. The intrepid Too Many Colors staff traveled to the 2000 South by Southwest music festival to bring you back news of the latest and greatest in the music scene.

All that driving can be tiring, though. What follows are the notes of two extremely pooped music reporters. Liz and Erik wrote down their thoughts about the bands they saw and the drive across four states, but not with any clarity.

We simply present their comingled notes--it's up to you to make sense of them.

The Drive Down

On the road @ 5:34pm with some Taco Bell and a whole lot of other stuff. Stopped near Collinsville to go potty @ 7:40pm . Nice gas station attedent gave us directions that will cut 20 mins off the trip--big whip. He even drew us a map, but it wasn't scale. Erik said the tp was very soft for a gas station. He is on his second cup of joe. Erik 2--Liz 0. Entered Missouri @ 8:10pm. Listened to Diane. . . The Twin Peaks Tapes of Agent Dale Cooper, and Alphabetical Electronica, Ska, and Surf mix tape.

9:25 Stopped in MO at mile marker 192? Switched to Liz driving. Finished listening to the Monkees (Pisces, Escariot). 1st cuppa joe for Liz. Now listening to Pixies tribute album. Liz dislikes MO highway--prefers it flat, straight, and wide, like IL.

Earlier, while listening to "Percy Patterson's Pet Pig Porky," by The Monkees, we passed a restaurant called Porky's. Now we just passed a town called Doolittle while listening to "Monkey Gone to Heaven." Then, singing along to "Here Comes Your Man," ("Outside the boxcar waiting . . ."), we pass a billboard advertising "Boxcar Willy's"! That's too weird. Alas, we have no Janice to listen to as we pass Joplin, MO.

10:52 PM. 374.1 odometer. Stop for gas in Marshfield, MO. Now listening to Pixies singles and B-sides.

12.25 AM. 100.0 odo. Last reststop in MO. Listened to Jesus Jones, now listening to the Violent Femmes. On to OK! Got off to go to the bathroom

1.15am. 146 odo. Listening to Alphabetical Pop. Switched drivers.

3.30 AM. Sleep at rest area.

6.15 AM. On road. Odo 383.8. Friday fuel up odo. 408.5.

The Hole in the Wall, Wednesday night

Boondogs
acustic guitar/ girl singer front w/rock-a-billy backing. Winners of garageband.com. Nice and easy. Passable, sweet sound.

Texacala Jones & the T.J. Hookers
Annoying Janis Joplin vocals on top of hard rock-a-billy. Girlfriend needs to find her own voice, or join a tribute band. Queer stage persona. Saxophone contributes nicely to their large noise. The roadies really enjoyed it because they were the only people who could understand the lyrics.

Bastard Sons of Johnny Cash
Almost exactly what the name says. Deep-throated, lonely desert lounge-a-billy and roots rock. Also, good looking guys. Really, really swinging.

Mount Pilot
Kick-bass driven rock off the Delta, with beautiful, crunchy riffs.