Yesterday I finally hit the wall. All the music, parties, booze, and sun caught up with me, and between not sleeping and blogging, along with writing a feature for next week's paper, I had to hit the brakes early in the evening. But I was able to get a lot of work done on the story, which was absolutely necessary. But there isn't a lot to report, and I took even fewer pictures. I missed out on shows from Dananananaykroyd, All the Saints, White Denim, Camera Obscura, Devo, Okkervil River, and a rumored 2 am show on the Lamar Pedestrian Bridge that was to feature the likes of Vivian Girls and Shaky Hands.

Bummer. Still, at SXSW, you have to pick your battles.

I spend the entire afternoon on the far east side, bouncing between the Levi's/Fader Fort and Ms. Bea's Backyard BBQ. There couldn't be two more different venues. The Fader Fort is a huge corporate monstrosity, with logos posted everywhere, designed and landscaped to oblivion. Ms. Bea's, however, is a shack with a dusty parking lot, a shitty PA, and kids crammed every which way.

I start off at the Fader Fort, and there's a line to get your wristbands. I don't mind too much; the line moves reasonably quickly, and soon I am inside. As soon as you enter the Fader Fort, you are thrust into a fully functioning Levi's retail store. Yes people are actually buying jeans (at full price) at a party. It's weird, and kind of sickening, so I dash through and end up outside, where there are all these other booths of different vendors. It feels like I've literally walked into a commercial. Aggh, where is the free beer?

I find it, and find the large stage. A band called Solid Gold is playing, and they are the perfect accompaniment to the fake, commercial surroundings, playing songs that are meant to dig up every aspect of rock's past without contributing anything new to the proceedings. One song sounds glam, but it's "Bennie and the Jets" glam, which is the wrong kind of glam. Another sounds like NY dance punk, and feels even more dated. Another is like Southern rock with 808 drum machine. They're trying to cram everything remotely fashionable into their music with a lack of regard for taste, texture, and context. The band is called "Solid Gold," for crying out loud. I don't know what you do with a band like that, except hire them to play the Levi's Fader Fort.

The weird thing is, I feel like I've seen this band before. Perhaps I have, or perhaps they are meant to replicate so many other bands I might have seen. There's a guitarist sitting down behind the amps, nearly off the stage altogether, with a large rag draped over his head. Is he in the band? He's definitely playing. Are the others mad at him? Is he on the run from the law? Is he the puppetmaster, playing Wizard of Oz behind the curtain?

They have a Guitar Center logo on the bass drum head. That pretty much sums up this band for me.

Fortunately, the next band is the much-lauded Pains of Being Pure at Heart. While their name might be even worse than Solid Gold, their music is much, much better. As soon as they start playing, I like them immediately, and despite the droopy-eyed twee-ness of their songs, they feel like the perfect sunny afternoon band: peppy, energetic, melodic, but easy on the ears. They actually sound softer, smoother than on the record, with more organ coming out of the mix, and every song sounds like a hit. The hype on this band is justified—they aren't mindblowing, but they are really very good. If you like that sort of thing.

Over to Mrs. Bea's to see Titus Andronicus, but things are running late and I am treated to a solo set from Deer Tick. It's fine sunny afternoon folk picking. Ms Bea's has been the place to be much of the time, with a stellar lineup and late night unamplified sessions from many big bands. I wonder if this is the first all ages crowd I've been in. It makes a difference.

Then Vivian Girls play, who are fun idiocy live. They said they are playing 19 shows at SXSW, and that setlists have become irrelevant at this point. Despite their itinerary, they seem chipper, not too frazzled. Their music doesn't leave much to talk about, you either can tolerate it or you can't, but they are adorable, especially the dreamy redheaded bass player. (Okay, I'll stop.) She tosses a soccer ball into the crowd for people to bounce around while they play. But a soccer ball is not a blow-up beach ball, and people are afraid to toss it because it's obvious someone will get hurt. The Vivian Girls heedlessly egg the audience on. "You get a prize if you hit us in the head while we're playing! Ten bonus prizes!" But no one takes them up on it. We don't want to hurt you, girls!

They play a cover of "So Bored" from Wavves, which they say Wavves just taught them. So they played it five times yesterday. They say they even played it twice at their official SXSW showcase, which apparently was "douchey."

Titus Andronicus plays, and they seem wilder and more frantic than ever before. The grand aspect of their music is totally lost at Ms. Bea's. In this picture, the singer is about to jump backward off the drum kit. The highlight is watching the dorky teenager kid lose his shit while watching his favorite band. He's screaming louder than the singer. I wish I took a picture of him. Anyway, I consider to myself how so many bands cultivate a druggy sound, and create an aural image of slowly sinking into a hazy narcotic pool. Titus Andronicus, on the other hand, is the sound of taking one shitty hit of really bad acid, freaking the fuck out, and never touching drugs ever again. I love them.

It's back to the Fader Fort for Women, who I have been desperate to see ever since arriving too late and missing them at their Portland show last year. They are a weird band to have play here, with experimental songs that sound like music melting in front of your ears like a Dali clock. There are complicated time signatures, atonal riffs, and curveballs galore. The band looks serious, professorial, and hot. (Which makes sense. They are Canadian.)

As soon as they're done, I flee the Fort and hear Ponytail screeching from Ms. Bea's. That little girl can be heard miles away. I get there, but I can't see them, and with the girl's vocals amped through the PA but none of the instruments, it's very hard to listen to. We wander away looking for tacos and go way too far to this health food place that doesn't actually sell tacos. I get some soy thingamajig and a green smoothie. Taco itch not scratched; fortunately I had some really good ones at the beginning of the day.

Then we slowly wander back to downtown, deciding whether to find the bus or to call a cab. Soon enough, a cab rolls by and we head to a downtown hotel to relax in a friend's room for a bit. It's on the 15th floor and they have a sweet view from their balcony. It's great to stare out and meditate for a bit.

We're trying to come up with a game plan for the evening and are coming up a little short. Dananananaykroyd is playing, but it is far away. McLuskey is mentioned and so is Future of the Left. I can't get excited about any of these choices because I finally feel work looming over me. I'm also exhausted. I decide to do the conservative thing and head back to my hotel to continue to write my article for the paper and rest up for the final day. I think it is the right decision. I hope it is. So, I'm sorry that there's less to report here, but that's the way it happened.

Lastly, here is a picture of some delicious tacos!

The one on the left was cactus! It was... interesting.

You're welcome.

Anyway I am off to another late start today. I woke up early, feeling good, went out and got some breakfast and drank a bunch of coffee, but I actually fell asleep while I was writing this blog post, so today, again, I am already behind. I'll try to see as much as I can on my last day here, but tomorrow's post may be on the late side since I need to wake up early and catch a plane.

Current taco total = 12