I would like to take moment to talk about a Space Squid advertiser. Now, this isn’t one of those times where I’m pimping a Space Squid advertiser on the blog because of a sneaky conflict of interest. This is one of those times when something becomes a Space Squid advertiser because that particular something is so cool, so awesome and so in touch with the hipness of the moment, that they naturally gravitated toward being a Space Squid advertiser.
I am speaking of The Human Party Virus.
The Human Party Virus is a series of free day shows and alternate venues during the SXSW hoopla next week. There’s going to be about 40 bands over the course of five days. You should definitely check out the lineup your own damn self, but I can tell you there’s some good bands playing.
Woozy Helmet will be playing (Sat.March20,Club1808,3:00pm), and they’re one of the great un-sung bands of Texas. They’re like the Wonder Twins of dance-punk. Only there’s three of them.
There’s also the Always Already, Best Friends Forever, and Jana Hunter. All of them well worth the price (free!).
Moth!Fight! has got a show (Sat.March20,Club1808,4:30pm), and this will probably be the last time that they’ll play at a local venue before they get to be too big and cool and you no longer get to say, "I knew them when." They’re sort of like a more raw version of Arcade Fire, but more Texan than Canadian, which is always a good thing.
I don’t want to brag, but I saw Moth!Fight! at the house show which the promoters of The Human Party Virus put on for the previous SXSW. It was just at this dude’s house. The bands set up in the living room, and out back there was a firepit and a table filled with discarded sample liquor from the host’s brother’s bar.
Before the show was over at the end of the night, we had noise complaints called on us five times. On the fifth visit, the authorities showed up with representatives from every municipal department with the power to write a ticket. There were literally four civilians with white shirts and clipboards standing in the front yard. Plus the cops.
So The Human Party Virus has learned its lesson about informal venues, and in the process gone huge.
Now, I know what you’re thinking. This is SXSW. There’re shows everywhere. I was talking to this guy the other night and his SXSW plan was to just ride around on a bike, seeing if there was anything that sounded cool. I heard of this guy who forgot to lock his car when he went to buy groceries, and when he came back a band was putting on a show in his back seat.
It was a jazz-rock trio from Oklahoma. Apparently they were pretty good.
So what I’m saying is, you’ve got a lot of music opportunities this SXSW. So wouldn’t you prefer to choose the music that has the good taste to be a Space Squid advertiser? I mean, seriously.
