*An introductory note: For those who don’t know what SXSW is, click here to read my first blog post from it in 2006 (it’s kind of fun to look back on the acts from that year, too). You can see all the SXSW posts and nothing but by clicking on “SXSW” under the categories slot to the right of this page. On to the blahgging:

I drove into Austin today holding about 100 different party invites, a few dozen emails mentioning semi-secret gigs, and of course the official mega-list of the 1,500 1,700 bands actually playing the sanctioned showcases at this week’s 22nd annual South by Southwest Music Conference. Rocking ‘n’ rolling never requires more paperwork and planning than during SXSW week. Funny how something considered so cool and hip actually requires some serious geek work.

Even after all that, though, I didn’t find out about one particular show of note until I saw an ad for it in the Austin Chronicle: a Scion-sponosored gig featuring Motorhead. Here’s the poster for it.

It’s hard to explain, but the fact that Motorhead is playing any kind of party related to SXSW just floors me. That’s sort of the ultimate sign that SXSW is bigger than it’s ever been. A veteran, working-class British metal band with the scariest-looking guy in rock as its frontman somehow got hooked/suckered into coming to town for this thing.

Other unlikely participants in SXSW this week, all of which I see as further proof this festival is reaching world domination:

*Playboy is hosting a party here after the showcases late Thursday night (actually Friday morning). No kidding. It’s based off their March music issue, for those who actually do read the articles. The party lineup is hardly just filler, though, with French electronic kingpins Justice performing along with Moby and MGMT.

*Perez Hilton, the flamboyant king of celebrity-gossip bloggers, is returning again this year and even hosting his own party. My wife, his avid reader, tells me this. She saw him on the street down here last year (he’s hard to miss, the way he dresses) and she gawked at him the way most people did seeing Iggy Pop down on the street.

*Major League Baseball has some kind of street exhibit being set up in town with special activities. I found out about this through my usual MLB.com newsletter channels, not any hipster blog, of course (nor via Perez).

*Even TV food queen Rachael Ray is also hosting a showcase. The lineup is surprisingly good, save for one band. Guess which one: The Raveonettes, Holy F–k!,  Scissors for Lefty and her husband John Cusimano’s band the Cringe.

A few pre-SXSW gigs are taking place tonight (Tuesday) including one with Von Bondies at Emo’s, but I think I’m gonna take in Austin legend Alejandro Escovedo’s usual Tuesday gig at the Continental Club instead. Check back Wednesday afternoon, when the fun really begins.

This entry was posted on Tuesday, March 11th, 2008 at 8:56 pm and is filed under SXSW. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.