11 March 2014: Nancy Silva Project @ The 311 Club- SXSW- Austin, TX

Nancy Silva Project

With an entire day of different acts at The 311 Club, the next band that was on stage after Poc Nation was NANCY SILVA PROJECT.

I kept seeing the name but didn’t know what or who to expect.

As I researched the band over the Internet, my curiosity was well-piqued.

Knowing that the set would be finished in plenty of time for me to get home at a decent hour, and that the bands were finishing pretty close to on time, I stuck around for this band.

Much like the rest of them, NSP was there before they were to be on stage. I kept staring at her… wondering if that was in fact the Nancy Silva that I kept reading about and hearing on the Internet.

Finally I just went over and talked to her. Duh!! Sometimes simple is best.

It was a pleasant conversation. I think she was kind of surprised to hear the words that were coming out of my mouth. But she was happy to hear that in a short amount of time that I had come to like her music.

Yay me!!! This would come out to work to my advantage in spades almost.

I would talk and talk and talk with her until there was nothing more to talk about, and even while other bands before Poc Nation were playing, being in close quarters with her was kinda cool. She had barely met me and when we parted ways so that she could go prepare, I got a hug. How freakin’ cool is that?!?!???

So I picked up her CD and a t-shirt. I was a merchandise buying mofo… I tell you what!!

Now you KNOW I am not going to pass THIS up!!

Then NSP would hit the stage after Poc Nation and I pretty much did not wander far from the stage and I kept to myself in my spot through both sets. Only to find out how rockin’ NSP really was when playing live!!

I found myself just going with the flow of it all. People around me dancing like fools. Others drunk as hell trying to get into it and keep their balance at the same time. I guess you could say that a good time was had by all.

I enjoyed it at least.

I was most impressed with a song called “Yesterday” I just really got into it.

For my first time out for NSP, I cannot complain.

She will be performing on the BIG stage this evening. I believe it is the same stage that BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE will be playing on this afternoon.

I plan on going for both bands. I just will have a few hours in between and probably back and forth for both shows.

And to think, NSP was playing at the Dirty Dog Bar really late Sunday night and I didn’t go. All of those possibilities lost!Oh well. I’ve made an impact it seems with Nancy Silva. And of course she’s just so darn pretty. Or so I say! 

I don’t know how all of this is going to play out today because the weather took a turn and now there’s so much wind that I feel like I am back in southwestern Kansas again.

Nothing I am not used to, just not used to it happening HERE.

I’ll follow NSP for as long as I can. They are a band from San Antonio, but I don’t drive. So, we’ll see what happens.

I was happy that I stuck around for NSP. It was a great decision as it was entertaining.

Then when after the show, I bought two more t-shirts and got a bit of a break on the prices. Thank you, Nancy!!

After that, she was gone. I thought that I would get a few more photographs with her and probably a few more hugs as she was very open to that. But she vanished. Poc Nation and her entourage was gone as well from the club. And it was getting late, so I busted out of there and took off for the designated bus stop to return home.

Only to arrive at that corner to see the exact bus that I needed to get home was right there parked.

The ramp to get on to the bus was in a weird place and I was in need of assistance, so I called aloud “Can someone please help me??” and I was surprised and both disgusted that NOBODY did a thing. Nobody moved. Finally someone jumped up and pushed me onto the ramp from the weird angle that I was in and I boarded the bus and got home by midnight.

What is wrong with people??

So now I wait around now for me to leave to go back to see BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE. I just kinda wished it was NOW. But patience must be had.

Expect more posts about all of these experiences soon!!

11 March 2014: Poc Nation Returns To The 311 Club- SXSW 2014

“If it’s illegal to rock and roll, throw my ass in jail!”~ Kurt Cobain 

And so it begins. A week of live music thanks in part to the SXSW Festival.

After a few days of rest from Wellborn Road which “technically” was not a SXSW show… I finally went to one that WAS.

And first up was my beautiful, beautiful friends from Mexico City who for the last several months has been stomping all over and around the New Jersey/New York area. Probably since around Christmas or even before that.Thankfully they came back here. 

It was to be at the very same venue and club that I had first laid my eyes and ears upon them.

I thought it was a little fitting to return to The 311 Club and then find Poc Nation there.

It wasn’t how I remembered it though. And that’s just fine by me.

I showed up several hours earlier so that I was there at the club before the sun went down. And that worked in my favor to be there that early. I also came along bearing gifts. Gifts that I was not sure would be accepted. But I had to at least try!

It was also good to see Auggie Del Ray and Brenda Flores of BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE walk in, even though they were not playing there.

I found it very amusing that the bar had two different types of classic movies going on at the same time. One was an old version of Sinbad and the other showing Terror of MechaGodzilla.

Yeah… no brainer. Go for giant lizard!!

A man wearing NOTHING but a diaper and a broken smile, using a cane attempted to come into the club but he was denied. It was both funny and terrifying. NOTHING BUT A DIAPER FOR A GROWN MAN!!!!!!!!!

Suddenly members of Poc Nation began to show up. And almost right away they recognized me. Probably because I WAS in fact wearing a Poc t-shirt! That was most likely the dead giveaway. Until Poc herself showed up.

I squealed so bad to myself it was stupid and embarrassing.

I began to speak in Spanish with her. And it was a surprise to her that my Spanish was so good. She assumed that I was using some kind of translation website to talk to her via Facebook.

There were NEW merchandise from Poc Nation and I wanted it. I wanted it ALL!!! But I ended up with only a $30 t-shirt. But you know what? Its of Poc flipping the double bird. 

You just don’t see that every day on any t-shirt!!

My gift to her was one dozen long stemmed red roses. I couldn’t tell if she was flattered or what. The only thing that she could do was stand there with her jaw on the floor, then say my name over and over and over again.

Yep… it was a hit! And a damned good one at that. Stroke of genius I may add.

By the time Poc Nation got on stage to play it felt like I had been hanging out with Poc for an eternity. And I’m fine with that.

I jumped right up front and didn’t bother to move. I didn’t care. People can just go around me one way or the other.

And they did. At least those who were attempting to take photographs closer to the stage.

The thing is that I am not use to these very very short sets that I’ve been experiencing. I know that The 311 Club has had bands playing all day long and had more to go, but the sets were just so short that honestly by the time any one that was there listening got settled in….. it was all over.

What the hell, man???

They were amazing and even better than I remembered from last September. They pulled some people into the club that originally weren’t there and everybody was having a great time. Myself included. It was great. Those are the kinds of shows you love to be at.

As they were breaking down their equipment, I shouted at Poc (and then to their guitar player) if I could take the set list. And both were agreeable to it. How I would have loved to have that thing autographed. Because I am an autograph hound. 

Poc Nation will have two more shows for SXSW but sadly I will not be able to make them. And I think that sucks.

It was six months since the last time I saw Poc Nation. And then six months before that. I hope that Poc Nation makes more stops here along the way because I simply just cannot make it to San Antonio… no matter how many times she invites me to events there.

Poc did sign my CD though. Then when I was safe and sound at home, I realized she spelled my first name wrong. Oops!!

After Poc Nation was Nancy Silva Project that I was curious about and I stayed for that. And I have adventurous tales of my experiences with that band as well from the night. But one band at a time.

For much of the rest of the week will be performances by BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE. One more by Nancy Silva Project. Another from Resisting Vegas (if I can remember what time/day they told me) and then hanging it all up with CASKET OF CASSANDRA.

Next post: Nancy Silva Project.

My First SXSW Experience

“In West Virginia yesterday, a man was arrested for stealing several blow-up dolls. Reportedly, police didn’t have any trouble catching the man because he was completely out of breath.” ~ Conan O’Brien

There’s always time for a first in life. With those first experiences becomes the possibility for things pleasant as well as scary.

It wasn’t as nail biting as I thought it would be. After a decade of hearing about this event year after year after year, knowing that hundreds of thousands of people would attend, and I was going into unfamiliar territory as I have never been before.

If you have read the previous blog post, you know that I was bound and determined to make it to Sixth Street in Austin, Texas to see BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE perform once more.

My excitement was getting the best of me. I kept checking over and over and over again the bus schedules for the area throughout the entire afternoon to make sure that I knew where I had to be so that I didn’t miss out.

I actually got off the bus at a certain point and then found myself going down one helluva steep hill until I had reached Sixth Street. Then I turned to the right… should’ve turned left. I was nervous about the crowds. Not really knowing what to expect. After all there are reasons why the city’s motto is KEEP AUSTIN WEIRD.

But all in all, I was safe when I reached the venue, The 311 Club. A venue that claims to be Austin’s premiere  R&B night club. A little strange since BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE isn’t that musical genre, but its SXSW and anything that can happen- will happen.

As a matter of fact I was so early that I was able to catch the band before play. Although it was a very unusual sound check to say in the very least. I’ve never in my life heard anyone just use the F-bomb to check a microphone’s levels. And that’s all I heard.

I wasn’t paying that much attention. I was stuck between the desire to hang out and chill with BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE before they got on stage and just letting them be so that they could prepare.

As the current band had played their set, I was getting more and more involved with it. At least audibly. I wasn’t paying much attention to the stage.

And then I saw this!!

Wait. What? Who? Huh?? HELLO NURSE!!!!!!!!!!

Who is this girl? Why didn’t I see her earlier before they got on stage? Inquiring minds wanna know!!

I kept hearing her say something that I thought was “punk nation” which would have been suitable for the dress and slight demeanor of the entire band on stage. Turns out I was wrong. Its Poc Nation. The name of the band.

I got closer and closer and closer to the stage. Like a predator on the Sahara. But I only went so far as people there were recording video with their smart phones.

If I would’ve had my way, I would’ve been right up on that stage at her feet. 

I waited once the band was finished. They announced that the last song was called “Go To Hell” and I just stared at Brenda Flores and started cracking up.

After I recovered from the laughter, I began looking at their merch table, I didn’t know if I was going to be able to pull it off to buy something from Poc Nation as well as BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE. I went into a hormone-induced panic.

Not only that, but BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE wasted no time with getting on stage and drumming up the diesel for their performance.

I got a photograph taken with the girl as she hung around my neck and the only thing that I could think of was if that I could get a woman to do that all of the time, I would never leave the house.

I went into financially defensive mode when I noticed a CD and a t-shirt being sold. After that, I noticed a note taped onto the table saying that they accept major credit cards. But the person that I was dealing with said that they had no idea where that came from and they were not accepting credit cards.

Meanwhile, I’m missing the show that I came to see at SXSW.

I suppose that one could argue that since it was my first ever SXSW show and the first time I had ever wandered into that area for the festival that BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE stole my SXSW virginity.

I digress.

So I went off to bombard the front of the stage but again, people were recording with phones so I only got so far with it. But I was still ahead of much of everyone else.

There are certain bands that just give me goosebumps when I listen to them. This would be another band to be added to the list of those who do that.

The last song of their set I remembered from Acadia Bar & Grill in Houston, Texas where I was motioned over to approach even closer to the stage by the bass player, Maribel Sabido. The 311 Club stage was much higher and I didn’t suspect that anyone would be daring to jump off of it.

I was wrong!

Brenda Flores and Auggie Del Ray were doing their stage “battle” for lack of a better term and then Auggie was facing away from the audience but his heels were on the edge of the stage.

I wondered what was going to happen.

Then suddenly Auggie just jumped and in the middle of the jump got turned around, landed flat on his feet, and rocked out the rest of the song on his bad ass guitar.

I noticed that he was mere inches away from me. Not even that! More like centimeters. And I didn’t know what to do. Did I pat him on the back or the head? Did I throw up The Horns in his face or my fist shaking in the  air? The beads of sweat coming off of his biceps were flying everywhere along my own arm.

Sharing is sometimes caring, right?

He then crab walked a few steps and kept rocking it out!!

Then it was all said and done.

I did eventually hang with BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE afterwards. I finally got a t-shirt from them in my size, purchased some big posters and had them signed and then had to find a way to get to the nearest city bus stop which was about one-quarter of a mile away.

But it lands inside the gay district of Austin. Talk about your butt being glued to the seat at all times. I don’t roll with the pole.

I do feel more comfortable and confident though if I decide that I want to go back. I know that BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE will be playing along Sixth Street every night until the end of the week. I’m considering it, running low on funds though. City buses used to be FREE for me, but not any more. And that’s a shame. Wednesday’s show is too late in the evening for me to get back home, so maybe the rest of the week? Who knows!

I came home and immediately went on to Google to find Poc Nation. Not a lot there. Just web articles that were in Spanish. I found their Facebook fan page though. So obviously I joined.

The band (or at least the girl) is from Mexico!!

After dealing with inflamed hormones, that was a bit heartbreaking to find out. I had hoped that Poc Nation was some band from the state of Texas. But its Mexico. They’ve been all over the world as well.

I think its safe to say that if I ever find out that Poc Nation is in my area, that I’m going to break bones to get to that show!

Once I get into a musical act or band, such as BEAUTIFUL DISTURBANCE, SIX MINUTE CENTURY, or something like that… then I am 100% involved with it for life!

At least I didn’t have any problems with people though. Hundreds of thousands of people coming to Austin, Texas and 22,000 music acts to play throughout the city during SXSW. Hell, I even saw Tard, aka Grumpy Cat this past Thursday. A bunch of moron photographs meowing like idiots just trying to get the cat to meow. So sad!

If there would’ve been a problem, I think it would be safe to assume that I wouldn’t go back to SXSW. Unless one of the Houston bands were there… then I might consider it. But I don’t have to cross that kind of bridge. All in all though, it was a lot of fun. I was promised the diesel and that’s what I got.

 

12 March 2013: Beautiful Disturbance At The 311 Club: SXSW

 

“Yea we will be full on diesel.”~ Auggie Del Ray

In the midst of the SXSW Music & Film Festival, I just couldn’t help myself knowing that Beautiful Disturbance was on my home turf again.

After seeing them just four days prior, I made that clear decision to do it again.

So I left early. Too early to be in fact. But that would end in my favor and that story will be for a future blog post that you won’t want to miss.

But this is Beautiful Disturbance.

Its nice to know that they’ve seen me enough times where I’m not feeling so much as just another music fan of theirs, but rather a part of The Pride, The Family as they put it.

Brenda’s vocals tonight was impeccable. Auggie was ripping that guitar into pieces that eventually I am almost expecting him to bash one on stage at some point in his musical career. Maribel Sabido dazzled with her flawless bass and Nate Harmon kept the fuel pumping on drums.

I was promised diesel, and that’s EXACTLY what I got! And the only thing that stuck in my head when I left the venue and walked into the insane mass of people there for SXSW was HOLY CRAP!!!! But the true HOLY CRAP came when I spotted a naked woman just wandering in the streets.

I am telling you that you are missing out if you haven’t heard one song of theirs. I promise, you will be pleasantly surprised to what this band can and does bring to the table. They play with fire, that diesel, in their veins and let it all out when they are on stage.

Beautiful Disturbance will be at the SXSW Festival at various venues every night until this coming Saturday. After that, they are back on the road.

I’m seriously considering getting my butt into each and every show that I possibly can, now that I know the bus route and how things ebb & flow with transportation.

Be a part of The Pride. Join The Family.

I did. I’ll be there…. for life.