Take a look at Ryan Prado’s interview with British Sea Power. For the record Ryan is also one hell of a bowler.
They’re also playing a few times at SXSW so I’m sure we’ll be seeing them at least once.
Catch them live on the following dates:
03-05 Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Club
03-08 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
03-13-16 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-19 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
03-20 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
03-21 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
03-22 Urbana, IL - Canopy Club
03-24 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
03-25 Pontiac, MI - Eagle Theatre
03-26 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
03-27 Columbus, OH - The Basement
03-28 Louisville, KY - Phoenix Hill Tavern
03-29 St. Louis, MO - Billiken Club

EVEN MOAR

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MOAR:

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If you’re one of those lucky enough to get your employers (or parents) to foot the bill for sending you to Austin the second week of March for SXSW (or one of the even fewer lucky enough to be able to afford to pay for themselves) you may, at this point, being asking yourself “Well who IS playing this year?” Well lucky for you, we have the semi-complete list of bands playing sanctioned SXSW 2008 events right here. Read ‘em and weep after the jump (part 1 of 3…thats how many goddamn bands are playing):

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Our hommie Allen Chen over at The Austinist just shot me an email to clue me in about the launch of the SXSWist microsite which will be stacked with all of your forthcoming SXSW needs and questions regarding your upcoming Austin experience. Austin - for the record - is our favorite city (next to Chico - which isn’t really a city I guess - more a pre-city) and we’re looking forward to consuming a massive amount of Lone Stars while stacking massive amounts of content for you to enjoy.

Let’s just hope Texas votes Obama next Tuesday.

My earlier post about SXSW 2008 got me thinking: where are all the party invites, press releases hyping showcases and all the other annual hoopla surrounding what is supposedly the music industry’s most important yearly gathering? The pre-festival buzz for this year’s festival hasn’t just been toned down, its been practically non-existent. A non-scientific poll of many of the publicists, industry heads and random cred stackers I got drunk with last year at SXSW finds that most of them are taking a pass on SXSW 2008. It seems like they aren’t the only ones either. Discussion over at the ever-vigilant industry board Velvet Rope seems to be unanimously negative in regards to this year’s festival, including rumors as to the possibility of the perenially badass Levi’s / Fader multi-day party being a no-go this year and the possibility that the fest has perhaps gotten a bit too big for its own good:

I think it may have jumped the shark last year. Too much PR about bands that didn’t matter. Too many things going on to focus on music that might have mattered. Too much like an economic development trade fair now.

Its bigness was an asset for awhile — everyone would be there. But once it got to a certain size, then it was probably too big to get anything done. When you have 1500+ bands getting official showcases and most of them getting ignored, sooner or later you end up asking, why are they here?

I know several industry insiders telling people not to bother to register or buy a pass because there are enough free events that you don’t need one. And I think the bands themselves have grown tired of spending $30 to apply when they know they won’t get in. And if they come to accept that they don’t have a chance, they can just tune out the whole thing.

I guess we’ll see in a couple of weeks.

Photo of me from SXSW 2007 by Melissa Welliver (Hardly Knew Her)