4/16/16

Basically it was a stripped down version of last weekend's show in Austin, with the Hickoids on last and at the Hole in the Wall. Big difference is I caught the majority of bands AND I didn't play like shit! Woo ME!

I did miss Jesus Christ Superfly, I hadn't seen those guys in a couple of years and i was looking forward to it, but didn't quite get out of the house in time. Lame. Me...

Beaumonts did the Beaumont thing. Funny how I don't even think about those dirty ass songs anymore. They are a part of my subconscious now, and apparently my subconscious is fine with songs about dog fucking. Everything is normal at the moment.

For a part of their set I was outside watching a dude do 7/8's of a card trick. It was one of those long drawn out story tricks (he did a decent job, but you could tell he didn't practice that often (I'm letting the magic geek slip out...) He got distracted near the end and it kinda fell apart. I'd never seen a card trick at the Hole before, wish it was a doozy...

PDB went next with the same shenanigans as last week, in a room a quarter of the size. It's actually more impressive in the back of the Hole. They are right on top of you, at Fitz it's more of a "show over there" Not at the Hole. Byron being right on top of you isn't necessarily the best thing, but it happens...

Our set was pretty great. We pulled out a bunch of tunes we rarely play and a couple we never play. Feels good when you can surprise yourself!  It had been at least a year since we even practiced "Gudbye To Jane", but we did it early in the set and we pulled it off Good work Hickoids! Now go practice for next week.

4/9/16

Hickoids played the PDB anniversary at Fitzgerald's again. It was basically the same concept as the last time they did it (before this blog existed!) but it was expanded to Zelda's downstairs. Extra big and dumb!!

I had just gotten off an extremely relaxing seven day cruse at 8AM that morning. We pulled in to the Houston port and drove like hell back to Austin. Five hours later I was in my truck driving to Lance's to make the round trip for the show. At least I wasn't driving, it's a lot easier to ride/nap.

We played upstairs between the Beaumonts and PDB (so preheadliners? ) and I played like shit. I was told I played fine, but I felt like I was using all of my brain to just barely hold on... And I was listing... Jesus, what a mind fuck that was. I'd turn a little and my whole body felt like it was flying in that same direction, felt like I could puke. The lights weren't helping either. They'd move and my stomach would follow, my brain wanted out! I never heard of seasickness after the cruise, but now I've felt it. Yea for me...

Anyway our set was thankfully short and PDB got up with the same set-up as last time. A "tour through the ages" as it were. We caught a decent portion of the set and slunk off in to the night. I was in bed around 6AM and I slept for twelve hours.

Worth it.

3/19/16

My second and final show for SXSW 2016 was at 5PM on Saturday the 19th at the '04 Lounge. It was the Hickoids and it wasn't the Hickoids... Cody had to leave town for a death in the family, rough...

It was already a mess of an afternoon by the time I got there. White Miles from Austria was setting up and about to whip some ass. I drank some off brand beer (it actually said "cold snack" on the side of the can...) and prepared myself for the evening.

White Miles was pretty on it. I'd been joking with Andy, tour manager extraordinaire before they played "another fucking band with drums and guitar... how original." My snotty ass shut up real quick once they started. Pretty awesome riff-rock with loads of animal drums underneath. How could I not love it!

Our set was pretty lackluster by comparison. We played fine without Cody, but we aren't our best when he's not around. The '04 is a lot of fun. You are right on the floor and folks are walking by when your playing it really gives you the opportunity to fuck with them! I love bumping my sweaty ass up against a total stranger in the middle of a set. Makes me feel like I have power. The power to fuck with the innocents!!! Well... there were nostly non-innocents there at that point.

Fishermen were next followed by Monkey Shines followed by others I missed because I'm lame and wanted to go home. So I did.

SXSW was easy this year, which means it may come back for vengeance next year.