Best thing I saw: Muse at Stubb’s. Even though various SXSW volunteers and Stubb’s employees were walking up and down the line out front telling people they would not get in without a badge, there still formed a line across the street several city blocks long. Just in case. Even though the kings of Queen weren’t listed on the schedule (like it matters) and actually didn’t arrive until well after the gates opened (maybe slightly more problematic).
It was worth waiting across the street on the off chance you might get in, because that’s the smallest place you’ll see Muse and its stainless-steel rock (I always think of them as the answer to the question: what if Metallica’s Kirk Hammett had actually won the guitar job in Suede in the 1990s) for quite some time. And they didn’t shrink down the show to fit the venue: it felt more like someone had removed the upper two decks instead. (A nod to their usual arena status was mixing in a bit of Rush’s “Tom Sawyer” during the outro to one song.)
Seeing them here — they came in just for fun, not to promote anything or schmooze — was a nice palate cleanser after seeing them plagued by sound issues (and “we’re probably too big to open for anyone” issues) at U2’s show at Cowboys Stadium. Which just seems like more of a clustercuss every time I think about it.
Other highlights: Fang Island at Habana Calle 6 (“everyone high-fiving everyone” — indeed); Metric, also at Stubb’s, reminding me to remind myself I like them more than I think I do; Lucero at Club DeVille, killing it with a horn section; The Drums at Latitude 30 (though the singer could maybe tone down his Ian Curtis impersonation); Superchunk (again); and some other band I came across and am still trying to sort out the name (it was late).
Worst thing I saw: nothing, really. Unless you count my face in the mirror this morning.
Photo source: http://www.flickr.com/photos/rokfoto/12046018/in/set-294475/ via WikiCommons
