Peter, Bjorn, and John

PB & J, right?

It's emergency food. Seems to appeal to childen. Good when you are really hungry and there's nothing else in the house.

Northern State

I had heard this trio on our SXSW player and liked the idea of a white girl hip-hop act and placed them on my list of picks. But honestly, it was a total accident that I saw them last night at the Tap Room (our published schedule had The Trucks listed at 11 pm, and I was there around 11:30). They grew up together on LongEYElund. They are in their 20s. They had never played South by, mentioned it was a 13-hour drive here, and one of them has allergies that kicked in right away upon her arrival.

And I loved, loved them!!! I could not stop grinning.

They were funny, enchanting, entertaining. They made jokes about America's Top Model and Destiny's Child, and the bye-bye-bye video.

My photos are not good. Camera in the phone.

They were very uncomfortable shoes

I saw these last night in the storm drain, at the corner of 4th and Guadalupe

SXSW Live studio! It is the real thing!!!

I just got back from our SXSW Live studio inside the Austin Convention Center, and I am just blown away. It is the real thing, people! Two real stages with professional, first-rate sound production and lighting; mobile television production vans parked inside the convention center. TV production people running around everywhere. A Harley suspended from the ceiling (that was the project of our producer and friend Conor MacInally, who produces CD USA every week for Direct TV.)

I really hope people decide to see a favorite act in the studio, or take a chance on a unfamiliar one. It is a clean, safe venue with superior production values. If you are thirsty, there is a bar. TWO bars. Please check our band schedule and make it a point to attend. You will be floored by this experience.

another band for tonight

My pal K. has another pick for tonight: The 1900s, a lovely psychedelic band from Chicago!

Their showcase is at 11:30, at Habana Calle 6. I liked what I heard on myspace.

If I have more updates I will add them to the pages I have already created rather than do it piecemeal.

Get your own ride

I am often asked what my role is in SXSW. It's kind of a trick question. I screen film festival submissions, but I don't have a job during the event, usually. Some things I used to do — introduce films, for example — are capably handled by other people now. No, I make up my job as I go along. If I am meeting a registrant, it's my job to learn more about him or her and make the person feel welcome. It's my job to listen to a staff member tell me a funny story, a complaint, or a suggestion about doing something another way. And I am not above doing any scut work. It's a little like being the Ensign Pulver of SXSW. Laundry and morale. I'm exaggerating quite a bit, though.

As the boss himself observed this week, it is very important for SXSW spouses and lovers to "get their own ride." I have made many mistakes over 19 years in this area, and as much as it pains me to know that loved ones of SXSW staffers are suffering from feelings of confusion, neglect, and helplessness, there is not much to be done for them. They have to figure it out for themselves and get their own ride.

I also feel deeply for those whose friends and family think SXSW would be a great time to visit, and try to catch up with their son/daughter/brother/sister/friend, you know, when they are not working. For dinner. In a restaurant. And why not? Everyone seems to be having so much fun. These precious people, too, have to get their own ride.

Sex in the movies, and everywhere

"Sex Scenes Stay Hard" (good heavens) was the name of a film panel yesterday, and since John Cameron Mitchell was a panelist, I went. I'm not sure what his film Shortbus is about exactly but it features lots of scenes of sex acts, I am told. He offered to the audience that during the course of filming he engaged in a certain mouth-to-someplace-else-not-the-mouth sex act with a woman for the first time in his life, and had good memories of it (I am paraphrasing here). This wasn't greeted with quite the response you might expect, such as laughter, but I guess Mitchell really wasn't making a joke, now that I think about it.

Any filmmaker in the audience hoping for a never-fail method of handling a sex scene would not have left the panel with a plan, but I thought the conversation among the filmmakers was still productive. Here's what they agreed on:

It's important to understand what the context of the scene is in the story.
It's important to understand what you're trying to show the audience about the characters when they are having sex.

Not knowing these things will mess you up.

Sometimes it's better to shoot the sex scenes first, and get them out of the way. Other times, it seems better to save them toward the end of the shoot when actors feel more comfortable.

I couldn't help thinking about the mostly private nature of sex in real life. So I thought it was interesting that everyone in the panel sort of accepted it as a given that sex scenes in films are fine if the story "requires" it somehow, and should not be resisted even though they are very, very ticklish to accomplish. Do you look like a wuss as a filmmaker if you decide to forgo a sex scene? Maybe.

There was also some discussion about porn, which seems pretty obvious given the context. Here we are in "an area." I don't regard porn as simply one thing in a list of a person's interests: gardening, hiking, learning Spanish, porn. Nope, doesn't work. Just as I am not interested in seeing people I know actually have sex, I am SO not interested in knowing that they watch porn.

The conversation eventually came around to violence, and how it's more acceptable to the MPAA than sex, and link between sex and violence in slasher films (the virginal character is usually the survivor). I know it's got to be more fun for crew to figure out how to fake blood and mutilation than it is to fake sex (oh, and sometimes that sex is not fake). But the conversation never did go as far as discussing movie violence that involves sex acts, which I very much wanted to hear people's thoughts about, as there have been some recent films and television that use this. The one, two punch of this seems to me to be a very deliberate decision and calls for some justification.

I was fortunate enough to be able to continue this conversation with some filmmakers I met at the Chronicle party last night, Seth Gordon and Ed Cunningham (their documentary is The King of Kong). Seth missed the panel, but I was able to fill him in on the highlights. The conversation led to "favorite sex scenes in the movies." I told him some of my immediate favorites:

The Tin Drum (it's a long shot, the lovers are framed from fairly far away through a hotel window)

The French Lieutenant's Woman (Jeremy Irons and Meryl Streep)

The Woman Next Door (French film)

Oh, yeah, I forgot to mention Unfaithful (director Adrian Lyne; for many reasons this is more titillating to women than men, it's obvious that it's supposed to be for women. I kind of resent this but I'm not sure why).

Probably all these films share something in common — attraction between people who are already committed to someone else — but as someone in the panel pointed out, if it were just normal relations, it's not dramatic and not very interesting in a film.

The online world

Sunday I was able to attend part of a panel on e-mail, and why it's such a problem. The authors of a new book, Send, outline "eight deadly sins" of email, including emails that are vague, insulting, illegal, cowardly, RE:re:re: re, saracastic, too casual, or inappropriate.

http://www.thinkbeforeyousend.com

Report your own email blunders, or horrid emails you have received!

David Shipley and Will Schwalbe, authors of the book, said that it's been demonstrated that the portion of your brain that would normally filter, monitor, or control your impulses gets shut off when you are doing email. (I can only assume this happens when you blog, too; well, no, in fact I'm sure it does.) And, sometimes, people make honest mistakes.

Supposedly, email will go "out" someday soon. Much has been written about the value (and lack thereof) of our current communications, and I'm not going to get into it here. I only know I have asked (in emails, unfortunately) many times for messages from my daughter's school to be limited ONLY to items that I must take action on, and not announcements about who wants to thank whom for the most recent popcorn sale or any other non-essential piece of news.

Up to this point

I have packed my SXSW with less activity than last year so far. We did not attend the Film Hall of Fame on Friday, as we have in the past, so that cut down on the frenzy right away.

On Friday we went to the film opening party, which was held at the former Fox and Hound. That building is slated for demolition, so what can go in there? condos and "mixed use" development. I am already weary of the new, glitzy Austin.

The actor Paul Rudd was in line in front of us to get into the party (he is in two films we're showing). He seems so normal and non-actory it hurts. He stayed at the party and talked to people, appeared at the film panel he agreed to do, did Studio SX yesterday. My esteem for him is huge!

Roland bumped into Morgan Spurlock in the lobby of the Hilton and had a chance to tell him how important 30 Days is. If you haven't seen it on FX, 30 Days is a reality show (sort of) based on the model Spurlock established in Supersize Me: What could you try for 30 days just to see what it's really like? My favorite shows have been: When Spurlock and his wife, Alex, tried to live on minimum wage for a month, when a callow, homophobic youth from suburban Michigan lived in the Castro district with a gay roommate, and when a man who lost his job to a company in India lived in Bangalore with a family and worked in a call center.

Spurlock is currently featuring a full beard and long hair, because he is working on a hunt for Osama bin Laden? (there is probably a lot more to this story). He has been another accessible, great guy for us. I have not seen the film he produced, What Would Jesus Buy? but I want to. It's all about Christmas commercialism.

We had the biggest interactive opening party ever at the Fox and Hound, which ran concurrently with the "Grindhouse" party across the street at Brush Square Park (not one of our parties, though). It was weird to see the reverse images of the Italian B-movies (didn't they used to be called B-movies?). I admit to a certain love of the grotesque, which these films revel in, and there's nothing like that Eastman color of the 1970s (thanks to my brother for pointing this out). But as a fan of "things that are old" myself, I have some complicated feelings about how much homage is more than enough. I don't think Robert Rodriguez and Quentin Tarantino will overdo; they'll keep exploring their curiosities and passions in film, which are more vast and numerous than than most people's. It's their less-schooled fans (who have yet to emerge) that I'm thinking about.

Think of it this way: You love mid-century modern decor, right? So, be choosy. Pick one or two iconic furnishings, don't fill a room with them. It just doesn't feel very genuine, otherwise. It just looks like you're latching onto a trend that you barely understand or honestly appreciate. I think even Tarantino has expressed this before,when audiences for his QT fests have treated the films as something "ironic" or comical.

My music fest picks for Sat., Mar. 17

St. Patrick's Day, plus SXSW, plus Saturday, equals watch yourself. Last year got hairy, with me screaming at some dumbass in the elevator of the Hilton. But at least he shut up, after I told the bitch to! Then, there was a passed-out guy in the hall right in front of the door to my room. Security was all up in that, yeah. See, I'm agitated already … maybe I should stay in and watch JAG instead

12:00PM Irina Bjorklund & Peter Fox (SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center) Another chance to see this European act

1:15PM The Jellydots (SXSW Dew Music Festival at Town Lake) The final act of the family music showcase

2:00PM Dengue Fever (SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center) Also a chance to see this act again

2:15PM Kraak & Smaak (SXSW Live Austin Convention Center) Good place to see this act again

7:00PM Jandek (Central Presbyterian Church) I don't know what you know or don't know about this act from Houston. He has self-released almost 50 albums of the most difficult music, but it's undeniably interesting. Until about 18 months ago, he had never performed live (that anyone knows of) or showed himself to his public. http://tisue.net/jandek/ A couple years back, we showed a documentary on him, Jandek on Corwood (rent it from Waterloo sometime). When I was a teenager in Houston, one of the things to do was listen to the Dr. Demento show on the radio, and he played Jandek records. I had almost forgotten about Jandek until the documentary. I saw him in only his second stage performance here at the Scottish Rite Theater — it was a sold out show. I'm not positive what to expect, except a lot of hipsters trying to get into this show.

8:00PM Jets Overhead (Molotov Lounge) Two girls and three guys from Victoria BC, I like their big wash-of-sound

8:00PM Pink Nasty (Elysium) 24-year-old Sara Beck, and she moved here from Kansas

8:00PM Buzzcocks (Emo's Main Room) If you didn't see them at SXSW Live, get in the fray here

8:00PM Patton Oswalt (Friends) If I see this comedy showcase, I will make sure to use the ladies' first, because Patton Oswalt makes me laugh so hard I almost piss myself

8:00PM Get Cape. Wear Cape. Fly (SXSW Live Austin Convention Center) A clean, safe venue to see this buzz band from England

8:30PM Inward Eye (Momo's) I have a weakness for sibling acts, and these are three young brothers from Winnipeg whose song "Disaster" has me bobbing my head furiously every time I hear it

9:00PM Field Music (Beauty Bar Patio) English trio whose mp 3 I liked

10:00PM Upground (Spiro's) Latin-infused music, should be a lively crowd at this venue

10:00PM Golem (Habana Calle 6 Annex) Guys and girls both in this klezmer-influenced act, sounds very interesting

11:00PM Palomar (Habana Calle 6 Patio) This is the only band that I HAVE TO SEE. Three girls, a guy, and excellent songs! Glad to have them back. Also, this is one of my favorite venues

11:00PM The Moog (Lambert's) Hungarian rock band. Wonder if we've had a Hungarian rock band before?

11:00PM Grupo Fantasma (Emo's Annex) I think this act is really good and now Prince knows it, too

11:30PM Mother Mother (Momo's) A brother, a sister, another girl, and two guys from Vancouver. Like the pop sound

12:45AM The Tragically Hip (Antone's) I think it was in 1995 that the "Rolling Stones of Canada" played Liberty Lunch. It was something that would have been unfathomable in Canada because they are so popular there. Every Canadian SXSW visitor seemed to be there (including a Kid in the Hall) and could not believe the treat of their playing in a small venue. I wonder what their reception will be like now. Let me know if you hear them play a song

1:00AM Melissa Ferrick (Creekside EMC at Hilton Garden Inn) I liked what I heard

1:00AM Girl Talk (Elysium) This hip-hop act is smokin'. I can't think of anywhere I would rather not be, though, than on Red River on the last night of SXSW at 1 am, on St. Patrick's Day

1:00AM Nicole Atkins & the Sea (Copa) I liked what I heard and Copa is a really nice venue

My music fest picks for Fri., Mar. 16

One thing I should mention is that there are certain venues I avoid (ask me one-on-one, I'm not going to say it here which ones), so if you see acts that are worthy but not mentioned, that may be why.

1:00PM The Buzzcocks (SXSW Live Austin Convention Center) We are doing our first live TV show, and Friday will be the third day of live music with a studio audience on Direct TV. Our friends at Blaze TV have made this possible. Go to the studio!!

3:30PM The Watson Twins (SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center — you need a badge or artist wristband) There seem to be a lot of opportunities to see these women perform

5:00PM The Oohlahs (SXSW Live Austin Convention Center) Good place to see this act again

6:30PM Ozomatli (SXSW Dew Music Festival at Town Lake) This whole show is going to be great, Public Enemy is on afterward!!!

7:00 PM The Watson Twins (SXSW Live Austin Convention Center) Lots of chances to see them

7:45PM Nellie McKay (Exodus) Rhymes with mick-TIE. She's very talented

7:45PM Public Enemy (SXSW Dew Music Festival at Town Lake)

8:00PM Puppetmastaz (Latitude 30) Oh, if you must see rapping, German puppets

8:00PM Dirty Fuzz (Blender Bar at the Ritz) Like the female vocalist in this act

8:00PM Dana Falconberry (18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn) I don't know who the heck she is, but I can't get her sweet voice out of my head

8:00PM The Last Town Chorus (The Parish II) Woman-helmed act, liked the mp3

8:00PM Irina Bjorklund & Peter Fox (Uncle Flirty's Loft) Liked the mp3; the woman is also an actress in European films

8:50PM Muck and the Mires (Blender Bar at the Ritz) Publicity photo shows them to be a mature act, but damn, their song "Don't Let Her Get Away" is absolutely infectous!

9:00PM Luminous Orange (The Ale House) Here I have to say, if you are bored, then go to anything Japanese and you will not be bored anymore

9:00PM Adrienne Pierce (Light Bar) Read in her bio that she likes Cheryl Crow

9:00PM The Zebras (The Parish II) From Brisbane, Australia, so we don't have to deal with the whole "Sydney vs. Melbourne" thing. Liked the mp3

9:00PM The Watson Twins (Central Presbyterian Church) They're everywhere but this is a good venue to see them, production values are going to be great

9:00PM The Breakup Society (Habana Calle 6 Patio) From Phoenix, woman in the band, and I liked the mp3

9:00PM Saturday Looks Good To Me (Red 7) I have already mentioned them

10:00PM My Brightest Diamond (Antone's) Shara Worden, already mentioned. Get there early if you want to see her

10:00PM The Hard Lessons (Whisky Bar) "The Hard Lessons don’t suck in a way that can make the most jaded cynic care about something new again." Hoo-kee. They're fronted by a couple from Detroit, and I swear they are making fun of Jack White

10:00PM The Victorian English Gentlemens Club (BD Riley's) "The Victorian English Gentlemens Club are two girls and a boy from Cardiff, UK. There is no apostrophe in the name of the band, although they are well aware that there should be." The personnel I like to see, and sensitivity to punctuation, to boot!

10:00PM Duncan Sheik (Central Presbyterian Church) I am interested in this artist because he wrote the music for a hot new Broadway "rock" musical, Spring Awakening

10:00PM Six Parts Seven (Maggie Mae's) I think I like this experimental act, but I may have them confused with another act

10:00PM Young Galaxy (Habana Calle 6 Annex) Two girls, three guys, from Montreal, sweet-sounding pop

10:30PM A Winehouse (La Zona Rosa) Another chance to see Amy Winehouse

11:00PM The Stitches (Emo's Jr) Raw and interesting, and they're not kids

11:00PM Shawn David McMillen (The Hideout) A bit of a far-flung venue, local artist, but I liked his mp3

11:20PM Bedroom Walls (Club One 15) Like the mp3, but based on their bio, their stage performance could be very different from their record. Two women and a guy

11:40PM Hoodoo Gurus (Blender Bar at the Ritz) Holy smokes, they have been around a long time and they are back!!

12:00AM Headlights (Red 7) Girl and two guys from Illinois

12:00AM Kraak & Smaak (Latitude 30) There are several chances to see this Dutch act

12:00AM Ron Sexsmith (Bourbon Rocks) I have missed him before and would like to see him this time

12:00AM Peaches (Exodus) This act was very good when her name was Karen Finley. Many chances to see her over the weekend

1:00AM Ghandaia (Copa) Latin rock

1:00AM The Ettes (Whisky Bar) Two girls and a guy, and he is not playing drums. They sound high energy

1:00AM Peter Adams And The Nocturnal Collective (BD Riley's) Really interesting, creative, musical stuff, in the vein of Sufjan Stevens — in a way

1:00AM The Electric Soft Parade (Maggie Mae's Rooftop) British, liked them

1:00AM Tullycraft (The Parish II) From Seattle. I actually don't know them at all but have been told they're good

1:00AM The Apples in Stereo (Dirty Dog Bar) I like this band and have never seen them live. The last time they played at La Zona Rosa, I was at Stubb's watching Supergrass give a so-so show and I have been mad at myself for missing Apples ever since. My hunch is there is renewed interest in this band ever since Robert Schneider appeared on The Colbert Report in the rock contest with Stephen Colbert and Chris Funk of the Decemberists

1:00AM Skye (Central Presbyterian Church) Again a nice place to take a load off and I liked the mp3

My music fest picks for Thu., Mar. 15

Again, I am trawling for acts that have all women, mostly women, or some women, and are still considered rock acts. I am told by a music industry professional of my immediate acquaintance that it doesn't matter whether are women in rock or not, because no one is stopping women from rocking. I am told that popular culture at large really supports women in the entertainment industry. Boys are really getting a raw deal right now. I am really glad to get this news, because I guess I was confused about how I experience this culture. They gave us our women rockers already! Whew!! What you are supposed to do if you don't like Sheryl Crow or Alanis Morissette, I don't know. So, in search of their much less desirable substitutes (and the men who will love them):

4:30PM Martha Wainwright (SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center)

7:00PM Rocket Summer (SXSW Dew Music Festival at Town Lake) This is really a solo act. I saw this kid three years ago at some 6th St. venue that didn't really even have a stage. He was about 16 or 17. He sings and plays his heart out and is very talented. I later saw him in the audience at Stubb's for Supergrass. "Rocket Summer guy! I saw you! You were great!" I screamed. He was so sweet and stopped to talk. Obviously, he hasn't quit yet, for he is on our Mountain Dew stage.

8:00PM Panda & Angel (Lambert's) They have "panda" in their name, and that's a start. Three women, two men

8:30PM The Besnard Lakes (Mohawk Patio) Tried to see this Canadian act two or three years ago but missed them

9:00PM You Should Go Ahead (Molotov Lounge) Another Portuguese rock band!

10:00PM The Sundresses (Lava Lounge Patio) Don't really know them but they have played several times for us (there's one chick in the band)

10:00PM Stephanie Dosen (The Ale House) Liked her mp3 a lot

10:00PM Dengue Fever (Emo's Main Room) This act this the most fun. A multi-racial, multi-instrumented band backs this Cambodian pop singer who wears these formal gowns onstage and sings like a little bird

10:30PM Shout Out Out Out Out (Beauty Bar Patio) Probably will be mobbed

10:30PM Sondre Lerche (Antone's) Love him

11:00PM The Hedrons (Red 7 Patio) All women, guess that's legal in Scotland

11:00PM Canada (Habana Calle 6 Annex) But they're from Michigan. One woman in the band

11:00PM The Trucks (The Tap Room at Six) All women, from Seattle. I don't know how that happened.

11:00PM The Awkward Stage (Light Bar) Shane Nelken, a frequent Carl Newman collaborator. His record was produced by Kurt Dahle, drummer for the New Pornographers and my very favorite (male) drummer

11:00PM Winterpills (Momo's) I liked their mp3

11:00PM Lionheart Brothers (Emo's Jr) Norwegian

11:30PM The Little Ones (Antone's) I have listened to this LA group's EP of wonderful pop songs a lot and I love them

12:00AM Northern State (The Tap Room at Six) Three-woman hip hop act

12:00AM The Slats (Lava Lounge Patio) Minneapolis punk, liked their mp3

12:00AM The Oohlas (Red Eyed Fly) Same person who gave me The Little Ones' record gave me this group's record, too, knowing that I like the pop music. Also from LA

12:00AM Novillero (Light Bar) My favorite band that has ever been on the TV show Monk. Part of the Mint Records showcase

12:00AM Amy Winehouse (Eternal) Am told she is very good, much, much more talented than some other "boiled spaghetti" female singers the UK is currently throwing against the wall and seeing if they stick

12:30AM My Brightest Diamond (solo acoustic) (Emo's IV Lounge) Shara Worden, the multi-talented singer and keyboardist on the Sufjan Stevens record

1:00AM Monahans (Habana Calle 6 Patio) A local act I am really enjoying

1:00AM The Hot Puppies (BD Riley's) All girls, pop, English

1:00AM Immaculate Machine (Light Bar) Also part of the Mint showcase. The niece of Carl Newman sings and plays keyboards in this band and I like them a lot

1:00AM The Ponys (Emo's Jr) This act is well-liked and oft-mentioned

My music fest picks for Wed., Mar. 14

I have actually gotten a head start on my agenda for this year. All my activities are subject to change, however!

Where possible, I have chosen acts with women, instead of all guys. I've chosen pop, rock, and experimental over alt.country (which rules out a lot of women). Many of these acts have their mp3s on our SXSW Player, which you can access from our Web site. I like to have more than one act in mind per hour, in case one club is too crowded, I'm not liking the act, or if I just don't want to miss anything.

12:00PM (noon) Saturday Looks Good To Me (SESAC Day Stage Cafe Austin Convention Center) Okay, I don't know this act but they keep coming up over and over in my reading

8:00PM Matt Sheehy (Soho Lounge)

8:30PM Elemeno P (The Parish II) They're from New Zealand

9:00PM Division Day (Blender Bar at the Ritz) Their info page says John Vanderslice likes them, and I like John Vanderslice, I like the mp3 I heard

9:00PM Harris Tweed (18th Floor at Hilton Garden Inn) Female/male act, very pop, from South Africa

9:00PM X-Wife (Friends) A Portuguese rock band

9:00PM Street To Nowhere (Whisky Bar)

10:00PM Rosie Thomas (Central Presbyterian Church) Did her record with Sufjan, and I love and adore Sufjan. Central Prez was an excellent venue last year. You can sit down, which is so nice

10:00PM Monsters Are Waiting (Friends) Keep hearing their mp3 and I like it

10:30PM Busty Duck (The Parish II) A Belgian rock band. " We want to make pop music, but we want power in it as well. We may not be the only ones but we do it the busty way."

11:00PM Buttercup (Co-op Bar) From San Antonio, and I like their mp3.

11:00PM The Gentle Good (Copa)

11:00PM The Mountain Goats (Emo's Main Room) John Darnielle — people love him or they don't. I do. Blonde Redhead is on after him, and it's at Emo's. BRed is a bit Eurotrashy for me but that show is going to be packed

11:30PM Minipop (The Parish II)

12:00AM Paper Moon (Co-op Bar) Canadian

12:00AM The Glass Family (Room 710) An Austin band I really like

12:45AM White Ghost Shivers (Molotov Lounge) Also an Austin act and they are good

1:00AM Bermuda Triangle (Co-op Bar) Norwegian

1:00AM Softlightes (Central Presbyterian Church) Remember, a calm venue where you can be seated. I liked the mp3

1:00AM Daylights For The Birds (Latitude 30) Again, listen to the mp3