The Bronx The Black Lips: show reviews at sxsw

The Bronx at inside Emos Wednesday at the Brooklyn Vegan show during SXSW.

It was the first day of SXSW. We caught a free showcase outside Emos with bands we didn't care for-it was mostly admiring the high-rise denim revival and how band members resembled our friends-and free Lonestar. We were just killing time before The Bronx played across the street. As time grew closer we entered Emos. We stayed in the patio waiting some more, buying beers, talking to the band like a little school girl fan, and catching up with other South By veterans. We downed the last beer and went inside to wait. I began to get nervous. Like waiting for a car crash to happen in a busy intersection. The drunks in the crowd shared their enthusiasm for what was to happen. Still nervous. They finally got on stage. They began with Stop the Bleeding. Twenty seconds in I lost my voice and I was exhausted like I had jogged miles wearing cement shoes but I kept. I was kicking, shoving, hip dancing, yelping whatever choruses and verses I could afford from my leathery chords, and falling endless times. The Bronx played favorites of mine like Heart Attack American from The Bronx I and Shitty Future from II. I was wearing my boat shoes and I lost them quick. Didn't matter much. Boots and sneakers were stomping my red hot socks the remainder of the show. Friends told me they would come across one or the pair throughout the show and tried to salvage them but it was useless in the chaos. At one point I found them but I just threw them on stage. Quite stupid now that I can look back. A thirty minute set left me smelling like a dumpster. Exhausted and fulfilled. It hurts to cough and laugh. I bruised like a fruit. A friend says I need more vitamin C in my diet.

The Black Lips at Mess With Texas 3 Saturday

It was the last set of Mess With Texas 3, the sun setting down. Absorbed in the large crowd, all of them sweatied and bruised from the Circle Jerks moments prior, I joined them waited for the Black Lips to start. I slowly moved to the front finding crevices in the crowd. I could see the band get ready: awesome short shorts, gold teeth, and Pilgrim attire. My allotted space became few and I knew the crowd would be a wave and we would all be falling atop each other side to side and back and forth for the entirety. The back of the stage was filled with scenester girls wearing whatever fashion ads filled the latest Nylon. They weren't into punk music but all their subscribed blogs did so there they were. The shit finally started, mostly new songs from the latest release, 200 million thousand. I was stoked and howling. I was manhandled and shoved around till I made my debut at the front of the stage. Our favorite songs from Good Bad Not Evil were done along with others hidden in the rough. I sang what I could, trying to keep my arms intact and my feet on the stiff ground, praying I wouldn't lose my last pair of shoes, my Vans, the key word is slip. Sweat pouring and bodies converging endlessly like Mexican jumping beans on acid. My recent stick n' poke was rubbing on sweaty coarse bodies causing that unbearable static on the flesh. King Kahn came out and did a song with the Lips. I raised an arms out when I could; though cautious, I didn't want it to come off in the tempest. It was two hells, maybe mirrored reflections, everyone singing, smiling, having a buck of a time. Girls bras were thrown on stage, I counted three. At one point and to paraphrase, they said on the mic, Jesus fed 5000 people. We can do better. Out came bags of McDonalds filled with dollar burgers. And how they flew! Wrappers and cheese fell like confetti on the crowd. I got a piece of bread in my mouth. The patties that made their return to the stage were pitched back to the crowd with the backs of their guitars, a fast food minor league game. My bruises doubled and I again smelled something fierce and maddened. After the last pattie took flight and every song and bead of sweat was exerted the Lips finished their set. Everyone gave their thanks and we dissipated to our caves before the second round at night.