Thursday, March 22, 2012

SXSW 2012 - Another Banner Year

When attending festivals such as SXSW, the general modus operandi is to get out and meet up with as many folks as possible to network and see new acts. As life would have it, our batch of miscreants did just the opposite. We rolled out fifteen deep and created our own party wherever we went and never looked back with Rory Kelly, She Rides, Hellbound Glory and many of our local friends in tow.

Best Bloody Mary's in Austin
Leroy and Rico of Hellbound Glory with Billy of Rory Kelly
Hill Country Live at SXSW 2012 with Hellbound Glory, Billy Joe Shaver, Shooter Jennings, Ray Wylie Hubbard, Lukas Nelson, Chip Taylor, Roger Alan Wade and more
At the Hill Country Live showcase on Friday night, we had to break up bar room brawls (leave that to proud Texan Preston), we were to hush up so he could actually be heard by Ray Wylie Hubbard, as we were having to good of a time and they wouldn't even allow Jamie Johnson in the side door by the stage, saying it was too packed. Add in Dan from She Rides standing on tables and dancing, Hellbound Glory blowing away the stage and the one cool mofo that is Shooter Jennings and friday night will be going down, as a night of legend.

Billy Duffy of the Cult on the big screen
Local wrassler Cowboy James Claxton's koozie
Saturday brought about an easy laid back day in which we all decided to chill out at our mother hen's house in Austin with Tammy. Hospitality is known throughout the south but what we witness every year in Texas is beyond comprehension. Tammy's humble abode turns into a band camp and the beer and whiskey flow like a wild river. With that type of good time already on tap, who needs the crowds of sixth street or the cool factor. 

Zeke's leg is a living canvas of late night tattoo's

Rory Kelly rockin' the Headhunters stage
Once we had finally decided to leave the creature comforts we embarked on a mission to catch the Cult. Legendary act and rightfully deserved through Billy Duffy's supreme mastery of the guitar and the commanding presence of solid rock n' roll chops. Our main goal for the night though was to get over to the XSXSW Showcase at the Austin Moose Lodge for the weekend showcase put together by Hillgrass Bluebilly, Saving Country Music and Muddy Roots folks. We were able to catch the sets by Hellbound Glory, James Hand and Sunday Valley, but most of all we got to hang with Keith over at Hillgrass and talk shop on some new projects we are going to team up with. 

A "Bastard" sportster chop we saw outside of the Cult show
Zeke is a good buddy of ours and master spoons player, cigarette roller and metal fabricator
Guitar legend in the making, Rory Kelly never fails to smoke every band playing with them
As things are shaping up, 2012 is going to be a banner year in our camp. After hanging out with quite a few friends and making many new ones in Austin, be on the lookout for quite a few new projects coming out to the masses and for all the rowdy ones in Rusty Knuckles Music to be invading your local clubs sooner than later.

Billy Miller and Pops of Rory Kelly bringing the thunder to Texas Rock Fest

Andrew the drummer from She Rides
Hellbound Glory smokin' the packed house at the Saxon Pub for Hill Country Live
Rico of Hellbound Glory's pedals