Category Archives: SXSW

Paul McCartney Blew The Lid Off The Frank Erwin Center

 

img_1011

Sometimes for some shows, you pay the premium price of admission because the legend status the star brings in.  Most of the time what you get is a decent showcase of the classic songs and maybe a few new ones.  You’re also left wondering if the huge ticket price was a worth it.  Paul McCartney ended up doing two shows at the Frank Erwin Center and I sneaked my way into the 2nd show.  Paul did not fall into that category.  He put on a helluva show.

So this was my first time at the Frank Ewrin Center.  It will probably be the last, unless I’m desperate.  I’m not sure if the facility was well suited to serve cold beer.  They tried, but failed miserably.  Warm tepid beer all around!  I think it was an afterthought because of it being a school facility.  Besides that major issue, the rest of the place was decent.  The age is showing and I’m not surprised of the whispers of its impending demise as a building.

At any rate, I wasn’t there for the building, I was there for Paul McCartney.  So my wife asked who was opening up for him.  I didn’t know and didn’t bother to look it up.  I’m glad I didn’t because he really didn’t have an opening act.  Sure, some guy was out there spinning dance remixes to his songs but that doesn’t count.  Mainly because it sounds like every other bad dance remixes of classic songs.  People, usually old people, feel that just throwing a beat behind a song and speeding up the tempo makes it a dance track.  Nope, it just makes it tacky.  Stop it.

So he was off and we were presented with a retrospective slide show thingy that lasted about 40 minutes.  The photos and graphics blended nicely but I did catch some repeats.  Overall, I think opening festivities worked well in setting the stage for Paul but it by no means stood out on its own.  If any major act had a prelude to a show, this was the primo example of how to do one.

Click here to view the embedded video.

Finally, it was time for Paul to come on out.  After about two songs, I knew it was going to be magic.  It reminded me alot of what John Fogerty did at his SXSW set this year.  Just a clean, cut, straight up performance of selections of Paul McCartney’s music catalog.  I was really getting into it.  Then the show unfolded in front of us.

Stage lights, lasers, moving stages, all helped set the mood to different songs.  I didn’t expect it at all.  So when the penultimate moment came and the damn stage nearly blew up during ‘Live and Let Die’, I leaped up and yelled “FUCK YEAH!”  I couldn’t help myself.  Coming down from that and riding out other great stage moments wiped me out.  I’ve rarely been to a show when I was wiped out afterward.  Especially when sitting up in the nose bleeds and not standing in general admission.

It was well worth it.  I recommend anybody who has a chance to see Paul McCartney to do it quick.  The guy is 70 and can still put on a helluva show.  If I can do that when I get that age, it would be real magic too.

SXSW 2013 With A Twist

fogerty

Oh what’s the twist?  Finally getting something knocked out.  Yeah, I went this year and am now just getting around to saying something about it.  This year’s take was different in the fact that I went all wristband and not the badge.  Did things work out as well?  Yes and no.

First off just check out the playlist of videos.  I uploaded dumped a whole bunch of videos this week on the YouTubes and they say more than I could right here.  Highlights included John Fogerty, Eric Burdon, Orange Goblin, Houses, Bear Mountain, and Black Pistol Fire.  It was another eclectic year and I didn’t bother trying to get into some of the bigger name acts.  That said, and what you could tell from the list, I did alright seeing both big and small acts.

Click here to view the embedded video.

The only real downside with not getting a badge was missing out on the day parties.  Yes, it was more music, but it was also tons of free drinks and food.  It’s no wonder I survived this year and didn’t get sick like I did the last two times.  Oh, I still got mine, though.  Especially Tuesday night and Saturday.  But I digress.  The point is, the lows weren’t too low and I still managed to see some great acts.

I even got to see a KC buddy of mine’s band.  They drove all the way from KC (on tour) to hit up the Dizzy Rooster and rock out Saturday afternoon.  Good times were had by all who came to see Get Busy Living.  We even had room for them to crash at our place.  It gave me a good glimpse of what life on the road could be like.  That van was HUGE.  I can’t wait to see them again.

So that’s my short capsule review of SXSW 2013.  The usual suspects applies but it was just different enough that it sold me on next year already.  And I don’t have to feel pressured into getting the ginormous badge.  That is, unless I want to perform and/or sell my musical chops.  I guess we’ll have to see what 2014 will bring me.  Until then, enjoy the videos.

A New Quick High Note: My Album For RPM Challenge

Hokey Air Travel Album Cover Front

Real quick y’all.  I’ll be regurgitating some tasty concert action from the last month, as well as spurt up some SXSW swankiness going on this week, but in the meantime, I actually have my RPM Challenge album up.  Yup, for 2013, I did an album in the month of February.  Now, I didn’t have extra time to put some pizazz on it, but I did crank out enough to call it an ‘album’.  So there’s that.  Head on over to my real life blog for a little more on the process.  Check out the tunes rightcheer:

 

SXSW Day 05: Brogrammer Up!

Yes, Tuesday was the last day of SXSW Interactive and I’m starting to get bogged down.  It’s a good that all I have to do is drink more Red Bull and pop the ole collar here.  In all seriousness, the day’s events for Tuesday went from learning to exploring to networking to partying.  My voice is gone and my legs are dead.  But it was all worth it to me. Continue reading SXSW Day 05: Brogrammer Up!

SXSW 2012 Day 04: Battery Almost Charged

Now that the rain was behind us, it was time to make up for lost outside time. Monday brought some travelling as well as some gathering. I only attended 3 panels, but they were all pretty much worth it. The rest of the day was good ole booth to booth fun. After Tuesday, it’s all music and all anight. So Monday was a way lighter day. Continue reading SXSW 2012 Day 04: Battery Almost Charged