Live from SXSW: Heading Home

After a week in which LAist sat on a panel, enjoyed immensely the panels of others, partied with our publisher, our co-conspirator from the north and the brand new baby of the family, caught Asobi Seksu with Neal Pollack, and ate ourselves into oblivion, it is finally time for us to head home.

But not without a little music first. An interview with Elvis Costello turned unexpectedly into an expose about "The Killer" Jerry Lee Lewis and we loved every minute of it. The first night of music featured a few LA based bands and we saw none of them (although we did hear Billy Idol rocking the crowd at Stubbs as we made our way to see Sleater-Kinney). No, we caught Robyn Hitchcock, The Talk, After the Fall, Mike Doughty (of Soul Coughing), The Thermals, Asobi Seksu, and Sleater-Kinney.

Gothamist's interview of Asobi Seksu is what caught our attention. They didn't dissapoint at all. Mike Doughty loves us but he's chosen darkness...and a solo set that is crowd pleasing to say the least. The stars of the night for us, though, were Sleater-Kinney. We could watch Janet Weiss drum forever. Wayne Coyne watched from the side of the stage as Carrie, Corin, and Janet wowed the crowd. The new songs sound spectacular and we can't wait for their new release in May.

Check out SFist's review of the Monday night parties. Check out cruftbox for a small part of the tuesday night shenanigans and check out both flickr and buzznet for all your sxsw photo goodness.

photo by George Kelly.