SxSW 2008 recap: lists and numbers
Top four shows:
- J Tillman @ Habana Calle 6
- Boubacar Diebate @ Copa
- Fanfarlo @ Emo’s Annex
- Two Sheds @ Cedar St. Courtyard
Bands seen: (around) 38
Different shows (showcases, parties): 14 (7, 7)
Money spent on shows: $63
Bands seen that I’d never see before: 33
Bands seen that I’d seen before: 5 (David Bazan, Bodies of Water, Jens Lekman, the Morning Benders, Oh No Oh My!)
Showcases turned away from (were full or otherwise weren’t selling tickets): 5 (SC Jag @ the Mohawk, Billions @ Antone’s, Bowery Presents @ the Cedar Door, Subpop @ Bourbon Rocks, Saturday @ St. David’s)
Number of those that I stayed and watched the bands through the fence: 1 (SC Jag)
Showcases that said they weren’t selling tickets but let us in later: 1 (BrooklynVegan)
Showcases with posted “no cameras policy”: 7 (all)
Showcases where my bag was checked and my camera was turned away: 1 (Saturday night @ Buffalo Billiards)
Number of shows where I was a “VIP”: 1 (the Bay Area Takeover. Thanks, Christian! I feel special)
Number of shows I thought about going to to see the Dodos, but later decided I needed to see someone else that was much harder to see in San Francisco (showcases): 4 (French Kiss showcase, SFxSXSW, Leafy Green showcase, KVRX party)
Top shows in the ‘as awesome as I could have hoped it’d be’ category: J Tillman, Two Sheds, Fanfarlo
Best bar band: Centro-matic
Best UK upbeat indie pop band (and close second): Fanfarlo (Noah and the Whale)
Highest energy performances: Von Iva and Red Rocket (the Blacks, Throw Me A Statue and Dr. Dog weren’t on valium either)
Oddest performance: 60 Watt Kid
Most criminally underattended show (and a guess at attendance): J Tillman @ Habana Calle 6, the Undertow Showcase (75)
Number of times I have now seen David Bazan (as part of Pedro the Lion or Headphones, or solo): 14
Number of shows besides his own that I saw David Bazan: 2 (Centro-matic, J Tillman)
Number of shows that I saw Daniel of Nada Surf: 1 (Park the Van/ Daytrotter showcase during Dr. Dog)
Best celebrity that I saw in DFW on the way to Austin (and a close second): Hulk Hogan (Rogue Wave)
Money spent on beer: ~$25
Beers consumed: [redacted for the benefit of the author's reputation]
Best meal: Curra’s Grill in South Austin
Best afternoon: +1 house party at Hank Sinatra’s house
Approximate number of times that [redacted] of +1 yelled about “Olde English” out of a 40 oz container “oh! that’s so good!!”: 6
Number of times I bored Chris of the morning benders by talking about dhrupad-style Indian classical music: 1
Best sign (and location): “Cheap craft beers. *Sexy bitches* *No bums* Bonus” (outside Maggie Mae’s)
CDs purchased: 5
Vinyl purchased (and what): 1 (7″ split w/ Fanfarlo & Sleeping States)
Number of other people in America that likely have said 7″: 0
CDs given to me or otherwise free: 10
Silly English bands that didn’t have any CDs to sell: 1 (Noah and the Whale)
Number of apologies Fanfarlo gave for the price of their merch due to the relative strength of the pound to the dollar: 3
Best wurst: Best Wurst
If you want to read more or see my photo albums:
Day 1 (RadioRadio, the Low Lows, Jeffrey Lewis and the Jitters, Kaki King, Centro-matic)
Photo album
Day 2 (Two Sheds, Red Rocket, David Bazan, 60 Watt Kid, The Blacks, Film School, Von Iva, Two Gallants, Bodies of Water, Evangelicals, Bon Iver, Jens Lekman, J Tillman)
Photo album
Day 3 (Fanfarlo, Deer Tick, Jeremy Yocum and the Last Rounders, Trainwreck Riders, Peggy Sue and the Pirates, Johnny Flynn and the Sussex Sit, the Morning Benders)
Photo album
Day 4 (Throw Me the Statue, Noah and the Whale, Castledoor, DeVotchKa, Grand Archives, Sea Wolf, Boubacar Diebate, Oh No Oh My!, the Teeth, Spinto Band, Dr. Dog)
Photo album




I saw Hulk Hogan at Disney World when I was in high school. THAT was weird.
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