Free Shows Hit Campus for South by Southwest
By Alison Kwong, senior, public relations Public Relations senior Alison Kwong, who also works for Fat Caddy Records in Austin, provides a run down of the best free music in the campus area during South by Southwest.
Contrary to popular belief, you don't need a $180 wristband to enjoy the fun and excitement of South by Southwest. The live music portion of the festival officially begins on March 18, conveniently coinciding with Spring Break. Fortunately for cash-strapped students, a number of SXSW showcases will take place at locations no further than a 15-minute walk from the communications building.
Here are some highlights.
Friday, March 20 The Spider House presents the Optical Sounds Showcase. Optical Sounds is an independent record label based in Toronto that aims to unite Toronto's music scene and provide exposure for its artists. Three bands from the Toronto label -- Planet Creature, The Hoa-Hoa's and The Disraelis -- will be joined by Beep Beep, from the Omaha-based Saddle Creek label, The Vandelles, an experimental band from Los Angeles, and the Shine Brothers, a side project of psychedelic minimalists the Black Angels, one of Austin's premier bands. The showcase will go from 2 p.m. to midnight.
Saturday, March 21 Antone's Records will host Freddie Steady's Ninth Annual Frontier A Go Go Rock and Roll Hootenanny. Freddie Steady is a Texas Music Hall-of-Famer with years of musical experience under his belt. The songwriter, drummer, guitarist and singer also has an impressive list of musicians with which he has collaborated, including Carole King, Jerry Jeff Walker, the Faces' Ronnie Lane and Pink Floyd's Roger Waters. His 60s guitar pop band the Freddie Steady 5 performs with Jenny Wolfe at 4 p.m. Other bands playing the showcase include garage rockers The Ugly Beats, from Austin, and The Nervebreakers, from Dallas. The in-store party runs from 11 a.m. - 8 p.m.
Sunday, March 22 To wrap up the weekend, Hole in the Wall presents the Woodstock 40th Anniversary Tribute. Marking four decades since the infamous music festival in 1969, the tribute will include a lineup of exclusively local bands and musicians: singer-songwriters Suzanna Choffel, Matt Hubbard and Mario Matteoli; indie acts Darin Murphy, David Garza and Slow Train; and psychedelic trio Tia Carrera. The show starts at 8 p.m.
Spider House, Antone's Records and Hole in the Wall host showcases daily during South by Southwest. Schedules, lineups and more information about the performers can be found at venue Web sites: