So, perhaps it's fitting that my little black book is filled with names of bands and set times rather than the numbers of one-time lovers?  These bands, after all, are a much more reliable and sustainable source for instantaneous fulfillment - at least for me - whether that be through dancing my ass off at shows, blasting tunes on my iPod, watching live videos, looking at photos or just plain nostalgia.  And though it really is coincidental that my mini-notebook is black, it's possible that my subconscious had something to do with the color choice.  Nonetheless, here's my digitized black book's rundown of SXSW '10 Day 3.

First up was Roxwel's day party at the Dog & Duck Pub featuring Ideal Soul Mart, Jenny Owen Youngs, Crash Kings (solo performance by Tony Beliveau), Miniature Tigers and New Politics.  Austin's Ideal Soul Mart never fails to impress me with the multi-instrumental talent of the duo, comprised of Clay Fain and Adam Luikart, as well as their rhythmic and melodic tunes.  Songstress Jenny Owen Youngs, hailing from Brooklyn, has a beautiful voice and a knack for originality in her writing.  And, though Tony Beliveau was the only Crash King to perform (his brother and the band's bassist, Mike, came down with a nasty case of food poisoning the night before), he definitely had the skills to exclusively command the audience's attention with his piano-playing and singing ability.  All in all, these three sets were a great way to ease into the day after no less than six nights out in the last eight days.  Also, Roxwel will be posting full sets and interviews from each of the performers in the coming weeks, so stay tuned! 

By the time I made my way downtown after some office time, there was a lull in my schedule since the day parties were winding down and the official nighttime showcases hadn't begun.  So we made our way to the Fader Fort for some free brews and caught Los Angeles' Fool's Gold, an African-pop band that incorporates Hebrew/English lyrics into their upbeat, sunny songs.  They were definitely a fun band to stumble upon, as was the SoundLab (powered by Korg) at the Fort!  Not being musically inclined - as in the actual act of playing/making music - I've never messed around with synthesizers, vocoders and the like - but the SoundLab definitely spawned my interest.  Who knows, DJ FerrFerr may be coming to a venue near you sometime soon (ha)!  Also, I've got to give Korg heady branding props on that booth - great idea!

Anyhoo, I was hoping to catch The Black Angels next at the Mess With Texas event, but, unfortunately, either I had their set time written down wrong in my little black book or they were running way late.  So, instead of sticking around for the end of YACHT's set and waiting on the Angels, I headed to Stubb's to get in line for Metric and Muse, both of whom I had never seen before.  In fact, Toronto indie rockers Metric only caught my attention late last year.  I loved how Emily Haines (vocals, guitar, synthesizer) introduced "Gimme Sympathy" with a personal note.  She sang a little of "Rock and Roll Will Never Die," a phrase she repeats to herself every morning when she wakes up. 

For those that had seen Muse previously, I bet it was quite a different (and more intimate) experience watching them perform at Stubb's, Austin's amphitheatre located in the heart of downtown that only holds a few thousand, since they typically perform in large coliseums and arenas (Madison Square Garden recently).  I really enjoyed the variety of musical elements they draw upon for their energetic live performance, which definitely had the crowd - and me (when I wasn't trying to keep my camera steady) - bouncing around.  And that's my only gripe about taking photos and videos at shows (which I love to do), but I don't get to dance ALL THE TIME! 

After scarfing down a delicious sandwich from the Austin Daily Press trailer, conveniently located in the Stubb's/Club de Ville/Mohawk vicinity, we tried to get inside of Club de Ville for Neon Indian, but that didn't happen due to the massive amount of people waiting in line for the same.  And here is where the night starts to get a bit blurry - not due to alcohol (seriously!) but tiredness/sickness (it was bound to happen, but boo to my sore throat!).  Let's see, we checked out Flosstradamus, a duo of DJs from Chicago, which I felt very "meh" about.  Maybe it was my sick-i-ness?  I don't know.  But I had heard good things about them from a variety of sources, and I love dance-y beats but just wasn't feeling them at the time.  The much-hyped Bear in Heaven was our next stop at Emo's Annex, and they weren't doing it for me either.  Another surprise considering they've got an electronic, psychedelic rock vibe to them, and I'm definitely a fan of all that.  Again, maybe it was my sick-i-ness?  Or perhaps their moustaches - one really in particular - that screamed pedophile?

Ok, upwards and onwards to Shout out out out out I went.  I actually saw these guys last year at their SXSW showcase with The Egg (wish they had come back too!) and was into their fast-paced "livetronica" dance tunes.  I lovelovelove their drummer.  As if playing drums didn't require enough energy, this guy goes above and beyond.  Seriously.  Check him (and them) out out out out!