Prelude to SXSW

Today's weather improved dramatically just in time for this year's SXSW Music Festival. That doesn't always happen. We've had everything from frost to tornadoes during SXSW, but when the skies are blue, the temps are moderately warm and the beer is ice cold, it's hard not to be glad you're in Austin and not slogging through dirty snow somewhere.

Before you pack up the U-Haul, though, don't forget we typically pay for this nice weather in August with a string of triple-digit scorchers that can only be broken by a major tropical disturbance. Also, we're surrounded by Texas, which can be scary to those who've only experienced the non-Austin parts of the state from 35,000 feet up.

For me, SXSW started this afternoon when I left my state job to go interview Peter Buck from R.E.M. It was a short interview and one of many he was doing, but I think I got what I needed. To find out for sure, you'll just have to pick up the next issue of Pop Culture Press.

After picking up my badge and weighty swag bag at the convention center, I met Kate for a drink in the bar at the Four Seasons Hotel. This is the one week of the year when a jeans-and-sneakers guy like me can feel right at home in the Four Seasons bar, so I figured I should take advantage of it.