>From yesterday's Austin Chronicle:
If you've sprung for a wristband (currently still available at all Star
Tickets outlets, albeit at the increased price of
$95), you're most likely interested in the latest on which acts are playing
SXSW proper, like say for instance Tom
Waits (!!), who has confirmed as a festival showcase as we go to press:
Saturday night, March 20, at the
Paramount Theatre. Both SXSW and Waits' new label, Epitaph (on which the
singer's first album in years, Mule
Variations, comes out on April 27) estimate that this will be the stage-shy
artist's first public performance
(headlining) in eight years. Quite a coup. "Absolutely," says SXSW creative
director Brent Grulke. "His first
show in years. I understand Jody Denberg may have put the bug in his ear,
to which I can only say, 'Thanks.'
We should all say thanks to Jody." Word has it that Denberg, who flew out
to the Bay Area to interview Waits a
few weeks ago, mentioned the conference and suggested the singer come out
to preview his new album.
Apparently it worked. (Denberg is preparing for SXSW by vacationing in
Mexico -- lucky stiff -- so we couldn't
thank him or confirm this story.) Grulke says the Waits showcase, which
will take place after the last film at the
SXSW Film Festival Saturday night (11-11:30pm), will be a ticketed
showcase, and that a very limited number of
tickets will be made available Friday, March 19, with the rest going to
badge- and wristband-holders. Both
Grulke and Epitaph admit that not all the ticket details have been worked
out yet, but remind fans to look on the
festival Web site for updates.
Meanwhile, there's Beth Orton who's recently been hospitalized, but is
expected to recover and play the fest.
Other names that might be of interest include former Dicks leader Gary
Floyd, who's playing as part of his new
band, Black Kali Ma, Jon Langford among the members of the Pine Valley
Cosmonauts (presumably along
with other Bloodshot Records acts), and Leon Russell'sspecial showcase
guest Willie Nelson (the two will also
be taping at Austin City Limits earlier in the evening and at KSGR for a
live on-air performance in the
afternoon). Oh, take note also of some sneakiness on the part of Social
Distortion's Mike Ness, expected to
play his showcase solo, before announcing that he's actually going to be
backed by Rev. Horton Heat's backup
boys. And that reminds me, Seattle's Verbena says their bass player can't
make it, and we hear that Foo Fighter
Dave Grohl, who produced the band's last album, may fill in. Maybe he'll
also pal around with that Krist
Novaselic guy who's here with L7.
