Caught Live at SXSW: The Raveonettes

I’ve already posted these at LAist but thought I’d go into a bit more detail here. I caught the Raveonettes after literally getting thrown onto (not under) the bus, by Kyra who was hosting day parties Thursday and Friday at Red Eyed Fly with Little Radio.

It’s definitely a spectacle to see every side of a festival that includes 1700 bands, some 100+ venues and all of the labor, scheduling, and moving about that it entails. It’s not uncommon for bands to play 3 or more sets in a day during SXSW. So it’s crucial that the bands and their crews are on time and expedient and for the most part — this was the case. Little Radio’s setup at Red-Eyed Fly was an ADD-dream-come-true, with an outside stage and an inside stage, each with staggered 25-40 minute sets so that there was never a quiet moment. Red Eyed Fly was another establishment that participated in one of the the biggest — likely the tastiest — cocktail promotion I saw throughout Austin: The Dewars and Ginger Ale. All I could think was that someone finally set Dewars straight at a focus group… you CAN mix scotch with Ginger Ale, and it’s even tastier and more special if it’s with something like Reed’s Ginger Beer.

Anyone who heard me DJ or received a mix from me circa 2005 knows that The Raveonettes “Love in a Trashcan” is a favorite. So it just worked out perfectly that it was the song they performed when I turned on the camera.

Still more from SXSW 2008 to come.