SXSW Battle Plan: Saturday

Midway through Saturday night is usually when I start to fade at SXSW. It takes something really compelling to keep me from dropping off. Sometimes it's a great set from a band I didn't know about, sometimes it's a train hitting a truck parked on the railroad tracks behind Gallery Lombardi.

8pm
Tia Carrera, Whisky Bar
Well-oiled power trio doling out big, thick slabs of mind-numbing hard rock in the tradition of Black Sabbath.

Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players, Eternal
I thought this family slide show band concept was brilliant the first time I saw it, but they performed almost the exact same show the next time I saw them and it was tedious. If you haven't seen them, it's worth a look.

9pm
Harold Ray Live in Concert, Jackalope
Atomic-powered swingin' Sixties rock and soul act from Oaktown.

127, Tambaleo
Experimental combo from Tehran mixing jazz and traditional Iranian sounds. I haven't heard them, but it isn't often you get to see a band from Iran here. You can only imagine what they'll probably go through at customs.

10pm
Sluts of Trust, Latitude 30
Art school new wave meets trade school heavy metal on a Glasgow streetcorner. The collars clash and the crowd goes wild.

Gore Gore Girls, Continental Club
Four gang debs from Detroit playing garage rock with a sexy, sneering presence Russ Meyer would've appreciated.

Harvey Sid Fisher, Chuggin' Monkey
It wouldn't be SXSW without Harvey Sid and his astrology songs.

11pm
The Paybacks, Continental Club
Wendy Case sings like Rod Stewart after swallowing a beehive, and I mean that in a good way.

Petty Booka, Elysium
If you've seen one Japanese ukulele duo playing songs by the Ramones and Hank Williams...

12am
The Original Dirty Rapper a.k.a. Blowfly, Jackalope
Clarence Reid a.k.a. Blowfly was doing the X-rated rap thing when Luther Campbell was still in Pampers. Reid was also an instrumental figure in the mid-Seventies heyday of Miami's T.K. Records.

The High Dials, Soho Lounge
Great Montreal psych-pop band that sounds nothing like Broken Social Scene, the Arcade Fire or the Dears. I'm going to try to catch their Cheapo in-store instead so's I can see Blowfly.

Ron Flynt, Habana Calle 6
Former 20/20 frontman Flynt put out one of 2004's best local releases with the autobiographical L.A. Story.

1am
Rockland Eagles, Habana Calle 6
Their good-natured resurrection of big top arena rock sound never fails to disappoint me unless I forget to bring earplugs.

Vanilla Ice, Cedar Street Courtyard
Word to your mother, indeed. This is pretty clever booking on SXSW's part, but I'm still holding out for Brian Austin Green.