Slacks for Ella Funt

After 3 days of watching live music for 12 hours a day (1 p.m. to 1 a.m.), I’m exhausted. I’ve seen so many bands that they all run together in my head. Alex had to spend his days at the Blender House, working on his chicken and bee drawings, so I went to the day shows on my own. That was probably my favorite part—what could be better than escaping New York winter to hang out in the Austin sunshine, listening to music, beer in one hand, taco in the other. For the curious (Toby), these are the bands I saw. Most of them I even sort of remember.

Thursday
Sparklehorse (somewhat unclear on how Mark Linkous manages to still be alive)
Lily Allen (she was pretty adorable)
Robyn Hitchcock and Peter Buck (why do aging rock stars insist on wearing those shirts)
The Phantom Family Halo (horrible—singer playing the drums, three guys on keyboards)
The Sights (a relief after the previous band)
Midnight Movies (pretty good)
The Office (they were nice)
Jamie T (I was mostly asleep at this point)

Friday
Danbert Nobacon (He was fun, but his between song banter made him seem craaazy)
Scissors for Lefty (eh)
Great Northern (wasn’t paying much attention)
Margot & the Nuclear So & So’s (didn’t hear much of them)
Sloan (wasn’t paying much attention)
Keren Ann (really awesome, playing in a great venue—a church sanctuary)
Willy Mason (the people on the pew in front of us were making out. ew!)
The Fratellis (feuding with another band in the audience. we were rooting for the fratellis)
Albert Hammond, Jr. (a Stroke. Playing music like the Strokes, but boringer)

Saturday
Rock Plaza Central (didn’t hear much of them)
65daysofstatic (noise band who blew the circuit twice, then gave up)
Dirty Sweet (these guys really really wish it were the seventies)
Maritime (pretty good)
VivaL’AmericanDeathRayMusic (happy to be sitting on a couch at this point, wasn’t really listening)
Daniel Johnston (good, weird. but good.)