Maximum Performance

SXSW ’07: So Many Parties, So Little Time

Well, here I am, just arrived in Austin, the Live Music Capital Of The World. My rock 'n' roll journey began at the most un-rock 'n' roll hour of 6am today, and then during my two-hour stopover I discovered the harsh, cruel reality that the Dallas/Fort Worth airport does not stock Red Bull. Nor does it sell Rock Star, Tab Energy, Go Girl, Monster, Sobe Adrednaline Rush, Redline, or any other type of the precious life-giving energy drinks to which I am addicted in a hopelessly Pete Doherty-like way. I wasted my entire layover desperately and fruitlessly scurrying to each of the 17 or so sundries stations scattered across Terminal D in search of my drug of choice, which of course made me only more tired when I came up Red Bull-less. Zzzzzzz...

However, upon landing I bought a delicious, refreshing, silvery-blue can of the stuff, got my wings, and now I am ready to party Texas-style, y'all! As you can see from my obsessively anal party spreadsheet pictured above, I take my merry-making seriously. I'm going to try to take it easy tonight, though (famous last words), because I have to be at our Austin studio bright 'n' early tomorrow (well, early by SXSW standards, at least--1pm) to do some interviews. What, you think I just party all the time? No way, man--I work hard AND play hard. Tomorrow I interview this awesome new Welsh band the Automatic (hope their accents are easier to decipher than fellow Welshmen Goldie Lookin Chain, whom I interviewed at SXSW 2005) and Stroke-turned-solo artist Albert Hammond Jr. So I must be professional (i.e., not too hungover). Thank gawd for Red Bull. (Seriously, Red Bull ought to give me an endorsement deal by now...)

OK, time's a wastin', so I better repaint my face and hit the party circuit. If anything interesting happens tonight, I'll blog about it sometime between scrubbing off the facepaint and collapsing onto my hotel bed. Later!

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