SXSW is here!!!

Or something. About to head out to catch Adrian and the Sickness at the Key Bar, so will keep it quick.

Eric Tessmer Band is now a three piece. If you know us you know what happened. And that is all I have to say about that.

Tuesday SXSW kick-off show at Red Eyed Fly was a blast, as it is every year. Family gathering, great bands (Hyde Park Showdown, New Disaster, Amplifed Heat, Broken Teeth, and Honky with guest guitar by "Pat Travers", aka Phil Anselmo from Down/Pantera). Awesome time. I need to finally try to play this show, heh.

Last night ETB did a leisurely set outside the Salt Lick on their tiny outdoor stage. I was using my Fender TB600 and backup 4x10 as my SVT was being rented out and the TB-600 would blow the speakers off my Deitz replica 2x15. So I suffered thru the 4x10, which sounded like total ass. Another dust cap is rattling off the cheap speakers, causing it to sound like a whoopee cushion. And it rattles to bad I can't have the metal speaker grill on it while playing, adding to my desire to kick all the damn speakers in so I'd never have to suffer through that piece of shit ever ever ever again. But we had another gig after this one, so had to keep my cool. Split the difference and just ripped that damn dust cap of said speaker. Problem solved!!!

Not a bad show, decent crowd, decent pay, free barbecue!

Next show was a house party for the owner of Rare Magazine in Austin. We pull up and out front is the black limo that Josh and I jumped off of for a Mother Truckers shoot for same mag a few years back. We set up, and the cops are there before we even begin. Nice. So we wait a few minutes after they leave (give them time to get farther away). Blow into "Ledbetter Heights" to open, and blow the circuit breaker. Then we blew it again, and again, and again. Awesome. Then cops come back, but wait til we are done to shut it all down. "Y'all are bad ass, but we've had 8 noise complaints and we can hear you 2 blocks away." They were cool about it.

So spent rest of evening hanging out, making contacts and drinking for free. Good times.