SXSW Music Day 2: Stubb’s BBQ Showcase and Dinosaur Jr. Secret Show

After learning a few lessons on day one of the SXSW music conference , I began day 2 (March 19) with a fresh fervor. No line or mob of badge-holding yuppies was going to stand in my way this time.

My determination served me well, but not at first. The line for the Von Bondies at the Austin Convention Center was a sight to behold – it snaked almost all the way around the hallway to the registration center. Instead of sticking around for a lost cause, I embarked on a walk up Red River Street toward Stubb’s BBQ.

At 6 p.m., the blocked-off streets already resembled the Austin nightlife in the wee hours of the morning – drunk fans staggering from bar to bar, screaming at cops, discarding garbage in mounds wherever they pleased. But I couldn’t let others’ carelessness stop me from reaching Stubb’s, which was hosting a showcase featuring dance/hip-hop duo 3oh!3, the Meat Puppets, Gomez, Andrew Bird and Ben Harper and the Relentless7. This was where I would set up camp for the evening.

Fortunately, my lessons served me well, and I was one of the first in, so I snagged some prime real estate on the stage barrier.

With two gangly Caucasian boys half-singing and half-rapping over dance-rock beats, Boulder, CO’s 3oh!3 seemed like a a crap shoot, but within the (surprisingly short) time span of their 30-minute set, my feet seemed to be shuffling of their own volition.

But 3oh!3 was just a mild appetizer for the dizzying sounds of the legendary Meat Puppets, who busted on  stage around 9 p.m. Kirkwood brothers, Cris and Curt, with drummer Ted Marcus, debuted several tracks from their upcoming album, “Sewn Together” (out May 12 on Megaforce records). However, crowd favorites included “Plateau” and the punk-psychedelic closing number “Lake of Fire,” both of which were performed by the Kirkwoods alongside Nirvana at their 1993 MTV Unplugged in New York taping.

British rockers Gomez swept into the limelight next, giving the crowd a relentless preview of their upcoming record, “A New Tide” (set for release March 31). I was a little disappointed to see that their usual road percussionist (who literally plays everything) was absent, but Ian, Ben, Paul, Tom and Olly delivered a slew of fan favorites, including a lengthy version of “Bring it On” that saw the crowd joining in as powerful backup chorus.

After a short delay (due to some apparent technical difficulties with the monitors), Chicago’s multi-talented Andrew Bird played a variety of tracks, mostly showcasing his latest effort “Noble Beast” (released January 20). The set panned out like a surreal musical magic show with Bird switching seamlessly between looped whistling, soothing violin, electric guitar and catchy vocal melodies reminiscent of The Shins and Rufus Wainwright. Bird and his crew ended in true Radiohead-style fashion with their haunting samples echoing through the speakers long after they exited the stage.

Then finally, after two brisket-jalapeno tacos (basically the best BBQ idea ever), a shameful amount of beers, and four hours of standing rigidly at the front of the venue, Ben Harper and his latest group, The Relentless7 graced the stage around 12:30 a.m. to premier songs from their upcoming album, “White Lies For Dark Times” (set for May release). There are actually only four of them, but the musicians accompanying Harper delivered their blues-driven rock n’ roll with enough to energy to get the crowd dancing like the night had just begun. But Harper, with his screaming slide guitar and his soulful melodies on tunes like “Shimmer and Shine” and “Love is a Lonely Room,” did nothing short of dazzle. Watching Harper bust out classic rock tunes with an unmatched edge, it’s no wonder that he’s had the chance to jam with some of rock’s greatest musicians, like Led Zeppelin‘s John Paul Jones (most amazing Bonnaroo show of all time, by the way).

About 20 minutes before Harper’s set ended, my legs began to give, so I started my slow trek north to a parking lot where my ride was waiting for me. But then, as I was trudging past The Mohawk at 9th Street and Red River, I heard something – a raw, fuzz-infused riff that I will never forget – emanating from the patio. I had to check my musical intuition, so I ducked inside, and sure enough, Dinosaur Jr., one of indie-rock’s most notable bands, was tearing up the stage. The show had been listed as “Special Guests,” so I hadn’t anticipated this secret surprise, but I was lucky enough to catch the last three songs of the set! Which brings me to…

SXSW Lesson 3: Just when you think it’s over, it’s not, and “special guests” are always worth checking out.

It was a wonderfully intense ending to an epic evening.

Secret shows seem to be popping up everywhere now that SXSW is in full swing. Who else do you hope pops up to play a gig?