Friday March 6th
It was a fresh Friday morning. There was excitement in the air! The car packing legends had come and gone. It was Tanya II's first outing and we were looking forward to have her show us the road. Pile into the big red fun bus! Our first stop - Phoenix, Arizona for the IPO. We checked into Motel 6 and threw on some clean clothes. Met Brian Michael O' Neil (yay!) and his lovely Girlfriend Alexis and the newest member of the legends society of the world, Mark Spomer (double yay!). Played the show, along with a great band called
Love Me Nots and then indulged in one too many Absolut Press'. Drunk Anna knows her way around Phoenix! Tara has become the van reversing legend.
Saturday March 7th
Hangover central. Anna was very bad that day. Tara was up at the crack of dawn and was asked to pose with a Harley Davidson by some perve while she was lying at the pool. ewwwwww. Steve and Gary were tippin' away. Went to Lowes to get some breakfast. Anna spills coffee all over the shop. "John to aisle 6"! Wendy's was closed - disgrace. Daycent lemonade in McDonalds! Went to Crabby Dons that night.
Sunday March 8th
Still in Phoenix. Arthur is sick - food poisoning. Played a gig at Ruby Room with local band
Leaf. Steve and Gary are one!
Monday March 9th
5am wake-up. Santa Fe, New Mexico bound. Crazy hills, windy roads. Snow-capped mountains. Miles of straight road. Crazy weather. Rain, sunshine, rain, sunshune, Narnia, desert, googly-eyed from 9 hours o' drivin. Stopped off in quiet village in front of the mural of the wild west and an old man. "I ain't never heard of Island"... Cactai ahoy!! Fookin loads of 'em. Arthurs got a coffee ass. He's still stick, t'elpus. Checked into Days Inn. "What the fook, Rollaway, what the fook?" 7,000 feet above sea level. Ears popping like lunatics. No water = headache. Santa Fe Brewing Company = Dolan's Warehouse. Yay! Mar Lou's mountain cousins came to the gig. Saw Eric Kelleher in 20 years time. Apprentice papparrazi - Josh & Hannah with their teacher
David. Great people! Too tired to sleep. Giddy goolies! Decided to spoon instead.
Tuesday March 10th
Went for Conty Breaky! Stole all the fruit. Piled into the big red fun bus. Albuquerque, New Mexico bound! Met Paula who put us up in her house for 2 days, Pure sound! Mario fed us at Top Dog. Bus system is called 'Rapid Ride'! haha. The happiest woman in the world works in Wendy's. Atomic Cantina = The High Stool. But we weren't playing there! Playing at Burts Tiki Lounge next door. Wicked larf! Justin from Santa Fe came for 2nd night. Delighted to meet and play with
Gideon. Super stuff! Surprisingly nice write-up in the local paper.
Wednesday March 11th
Went to Old Town Albuquerque. Gary bought a T-shirt. Hot sauces called anus exploder, Ass-blaster & One fucking drop at a time! Tara's kind of shop. Went to the cinema. Thought we were in the Omniplex until we left! Oh well, back to the tour...
Thursday March 12th
Goodbye New Mexico, hello West Texas! El Paso. Found Cracker Barrell, daycent dinners with spuds, meat and gravy! Just like yer Nana cooks 'em. Owen arrived. Yay! Wrecked from the travellng, decided to get an early night.
Friday March 13th
Goodbye Owen and El Paso, hello Alpine, Passed through MARFA! on the straightest road in the world. Almost ran out of pertrol half way up a mountain, eeeeeeeeeeek!
Stopped by border control. Arrived in Alpine to the biggest WSBD banner in the world! Drove wrong way up a one-way street. Woops! Got into a venue (rapid gaff called Railroad Blues)! and we were greeted by none other than John 'Dirty Eyes' Dad! Set up, checked into Holland Hotel (cutest Hotel in the world!) Ate dinner at pure daycent Italian gaff accross the road from venue owned by Andrew - Yummers. Realised we had to do a 3 hour set (Fookin hell) Stretched it out to 3 sets. Guy proposed to his girfriend just as we finished our 2nd set! Drunk by 3rd set, lots o dancing from the crowd, great larf. Fun and Frollicks in the Green Room afterwards. Hammered, the lot of us. The price is right!
Saturday March 14th
On route to Austin - yay!!! Toot toot. Got pulled for speeding. Trooper thought it was funny that we were called 'We Should Be Dead' and let us off with a warning. Tara, Anna and Oisin (T's teddy) roll in the back! Bad asses.. Got to student house where we will be living for the next week. Everyone seems loverly! Went to the Dog and Duck for Fish and Chips! Anna's shoe got stuck in the mud on the way. Had to hop into shop to wash it off! Met Victoria, our legendary SXSW Liaison. Great Gal! Supped up.
Sunday March 15th
Met the one and only Dave Dart (of
Dart Music International) The Patron Saint of The Southwest. Dave arranged our WHOLE tour and now that he knows us he'll never get rid of us! haha. He has the smiliest head we've ever seen! Some of the best one-liners of all time. And t-shirt ideas too! Went to the Spicy Pickle for lunch and then the Mean-Eyed Cat for a beer. Lee, Michelle and Ado are arriving tonight. Toot toot!! Made a 'We Should Be Crew' sign and headed for the airport. Sent the new arrivals to bed coz they were gee-eyed from travelling. Went to get ice-cream. Tara made a double-shit joke! Can't remeber what it was...totally shit though. Owen ate too much ice-cream - passed out in the back of the van.
Monday March 16th
First Austin gig at Neuva Onda (Mexican Restaurant). Fisher Price PA!!! Neighbours complaining of noise...Not a good start. Met Pam, nice lady! Went to check out 6th street with the lovely Victoria in tow. Roastin....Anna got burned. Theres a shocker. Scoped out the venues for the rest of the week. They look class! Found out from Victoria that Austin is known for its fresh water springs and they also have a rake of bats. Met Leslie, the local transvestite who also ran for Mayor! We were told that Hot Chip &
Oppenheimer had stayed in the student house that we were staying in. Oooooh.
Tuesday March 17th - Paddys Day!
Everywhere, these little birds puff out their stomachs and make a camera sound. WTF? Played
Dart Music International Night on Sixth Street. Smashing gig! Sooooooo glad to have Ado!!! Played with some great acts from around the world like
Polly Mackey & The Pleasure Principle (Liverpool, UK) &
Bang Bang Eche (New Zealand). Great fun, 2 down - 3 to go!
Wednesday March 18th
First official day of SXSW music. Went to convention centre to get our wristbands. At least 3 tmes the size of Jetland! Played our 3rd Austin gig at Parish. Met
The Mighty Stef from Dublin. Great Guys, Great band. Went to see Camera Obscura but ended up in the wrong venue...wooops. Got to see Death Mouse and Booka shade instead.
Thursday March 19th
Went on an IMRO / ASCAP boat trip on the river in Austin. Free booze & sun!! Met
Dirty Epics from Dublin, great larf. Meant to stay for an hour but spent most of the day there. Had to meet Arthur at 5:59!! Ran into
Mighty Stef again - went to Irish pub.
Friday March 20th
Played our 4th Austin gig at Agave on 6th. Went really well. Decided to go the Scottish night at La Zona Rosa. Finally saw Camera Obscura along with Glasvegas, Proclaimers & Primal Scream. Tried to get an early night... official showcase tomorrow!!
Saturday March 21st
Arsed around the house and panicked for the day. Tara had a fight with the guy at the offie. She told him that he was an idiot and wrong and therefore had nothing going for himself! Tara & Steve plaster the town in WSBD posters an hour before the set. Met Mark, the loverly stage manager. Got our photo taken "acting natural"... mortified. Started the set with a crisis. Carried on regardless! Set went surprisingly well. Best laugh we've ever had playing actually! Last gig of SXSW, now LETS PARTY!!! toot toot. toot. Anna high-fived Justin Hawkins about Jetsonic guitars while walking down the street. Went to a class party in Smokin' Music. Free boozy Liquor??? Didn't know what to drink! A rake of free smokey tobacco too! Flootered.
Blog for rest of the tour and more updates to come soon! Check back...
WSBD
xxxx