SXSW 2013: Monday March 11

ETB's week began around noon on Monday at our rehearsal space.

We were going to run over a few things in prep for 2 long sets at Agave that weekend, have more material at our disposal.

But instead we got to work signing 75 CDs ordered from a corporate party last month. Set up an assembly line to rip the cellophane (me), open the cellophane (Eric), stack and arrange CDs (Rob), then sign them. I tell ya, try writing your name 75 times in a row and see how many you can get through before you start misspelling your own damn name, heh!

After that was done we got the call from Friends that the opener to our Monday residency had cancelled and if we could start early (8pm instead of 9:30pm).

Sure, why the hell not? Austin is still crawling with people still in town from the SXSW Film/Interactive part the previous weekend, and starting to crawl with people coming in for the music portion. We were already anticipating a great crowd that night.

So rehearsal was nixed so we could save energy for the longer set. Eric, Rob and I instead loaded Boss Hoss to go ahead and take the gear down to the venue then instead of after practice as 6th Street was still blocked off from the weekend. We brought 2 dollies to cart the gear a half block from the barricade at 6th and Brazos half a block up to Friends. Downtown was already starting to happen.

Later rode Boss Hoss downtown to the gig. He/She's our infamous beat-to-shit Dodge band van, brought back into service and running so far so good. Pulled up to the posh and historic Driskill Hotel at 6th and Brazos and had them valet park it for $30. Take good care of her, heh! Not having to deal with parking or crazy bullshit traffic at the end of the night was worth the extra expense.

Show was great. Downtown was packed more than most weekends. Had a great crowd that filled Friends immediately and stayed packed even during our break. Then filled even more. We felt like we were on fire and had a blast playing.

Band morale and camaraderie are very high, especially after how amazing our Saxon show 2 days previous went. And that has been translating into our music and onstage chemistry. Which carries over into increased audience reaction. That increase in audience reaction raises OUR energy level. Which carries over into increased audience reaction. And so on.

So yeah, great fuckin night! Kind of a blur now as it was a 5 1/2 hour total marathon of face melting. Wow.

But no rest for the wicked or weary, SXSW week was upon us...