One thing is for sure about SxSW. The nights are long and morning comes fast. You see all types out here but the people that can’t handle their booze are the most obvious and more often than not, hilarious. I can second Joran’s sentiment from yesterday as my feet also hurt so bad I could punch someone in the face but enough whining, let’s talk about SxSW.

I managed to catch brand new Bloodshot Records signee Whitey Morgan and the 78’s. They’re a classic country band in the vein of Waylon Jennings and such. They put on one hell of a show and offered up one of the best quotes of the day when between songs you could hear the death metal band next door and Whitey said, “Death metal just isn’t as evil when the sun is up and it’s a beautiful day.” and a beautiful day it was.

I got my first taste of the best laid plans going to shit when I walked into a bar by accident and say that they were having a Memphis music showcase later that night. Suddenly, all my other plans for the night didn’t seem nearly as important as catching Harlan T. Bobo (disappointing after all the hype), Star and Micey (a pleasant surprise), Cory Branan (he’s making a habit of slaying crowds this week and last night was no excption) and Hill Country Revue (these guys get better every time I see them) so I scrapped them and parked my ass at Babarellas for the night. Sometime around 11pm I did sneak around the corner and caught Those Darlins who are building themselves one hell of a reputation for playing drunk. Secret seems to be catching them before midnight as I’ve caught them twice now and both shows have been stellar.

So here I sit at 10:30am Austin time, tired, dirty and a little queasy which I am guessing is due to the room service tray I don’t recall ordering that’s in the corner. It’s at moments like these I am at my best he said, pouring a morning glass of Jim Beam. I’ll talk to y’all tomorrow but first I want to leave you with a video I got yesterday of Ha Ha Tonka doing their song, “St. Nick on the Fourth In A Ferver”. Interestingly enough, on the way to this show a pick pocket decided to relieve me of my Flip camera. I know I had it cause I stopped and film some of Betty Soo’s set on the way and then it was gone. In a pinch I used my iPhone which did an amazing job.

Day 1 in Austin for me was a crash course. My first attempt to see a show turned into a 3/4 mile walk to find out that my schedule was wrong. My second attempt turned into a 1 mile walk to find out that the guy I wanted to see had been rescheduled for an hour later. I was feeling pretty dejected at that point and decided to sit down at a bar, have a few drinks and collect myself.

Everything settled down after that. I managed to see Those Darlins perform sober, something they failed to do later in the night.

The ninebullets.net show was a raging success and I’d have more video of it had my video camera not died. Day two is when shit is gonna get serious. I got a charged camera, a clear head and an empty stomach. I’ll see y’all tomorrow. Here are some videos from last night and don’t forget to follow me on Twitter:

Joe Pug performing at the ninebullets.net party:

Kasey Anderson performing at the ninebullets.net party:

As you probably already know all of us here at 9b are not actually at 9b at the moment. We are in Austin, TX at SXSW and hopefully quite pickled by the time you read this. Since St. Patrick’s day falls on a Wednesday and somehow Wed. has become Top 5 day around these parts we asked the leprechauns that run this place while we are away to throw this one up for you today. Oh yeah…a topic…How about your TOP 5 IRISH SONGS. You can go with songs about Erie, songs in Gaelic, or songs by Irish singers. I know there’s someone out there that likes ‘em but could we skip U2 if at all possible? You know I love you all…come find me at SXSW…

Alright kids, shit’s about to get serious up in here. Tomorrow’s regular Top 5 posting will be posted as normal, but after that we’re shifting into SxSW mode. I’m not entirely sure what’s about to happen but I am guessing it will consist of a lot of music, a lot of whiskey, not a lot of food and an effort to capture it on ninebullets, twitter and facebook. If things go according to plan, there will be daily recaps, videos and interviews posted here with lots and lots of microblogging taking place on twitter and facebook. If things go awry then ninebullets will probably be populated by a lot of incoherence until I get back to Florida. Either way, it should be fun.

So keep checking the site, follow us on twitter (@Autopsy IV, @RomeoSidVicious & @Kasey), and follow me on Facebook. If you happen to be in Austin for the weekend, come to our showcase and say hi.

See y’all on the other side.

The Drive-By Truckers return today with their 10th studio album, The Big To-Do, and they managed to bring some of the rawk back, as well. I gotta be honest, after the last two studio releases I was pretty sure my torrid love affair with the band was in its setting sun. It seemed that marriages, kids, label disputes and time had worn the edge off the band, and I really wasn’t digging the new direction very much. That feeling was reinforced when The Fine Print came out and I was reminded of how good the band had been and how subpar I felt that the last two albums had been. Then I read somewhere that Patterson said their new album was gonna be a “return to rock” and, despite my efforts otherwise, I started to look forward to the release of The Big To-Do.

So I guess the question to ask is, is this the return to rock the band promised? The best answer I can come up with is that it depends on your reference point. I mean, it’s not the rock record that SRO, Decoration Day or The Dirty South were, but when set beside A Blessing and A Curse and Brighter Than Creation’s Dark, its rock is undeniable and quite welcome. The standout tracks on the album are Cooley’s homage to a stripper, “Birthday Boy”, Patterson’s working man’s anthem, “This Fucking Job” and a redone (I know this song from somewhere) version of “After The Scene Dies”. There are stories of excess like “The Fourth Night of My Drinking”, of murder like “The Wig He Made Her Wear”, and a particularly touching ballad to Cooley’s son called “Eyes Like Glue” closes the album. There are moments where you’re left scratching your head, though. Both of Shonna’s contributions feel out of place and really kill the album’s pace, as does Patterson’s “The Flying Wallendas”.

In the end, yes, I think this is a return to rock for the Truckers. I don’t think we’ll ever get another album like The Dirty South or its predecessors from the band and that’s okay. They’re not those people (or that band) anymore, and as people change and grow, so does their music. I’m just glad to see we’re not gonna be stuck with ABAAC’s and BTCD’s from here on out, and with that in mind I’ll say The Big To-Do is essential listening.

Drive-By Truckers – This Fucking Job
Drive-By Truckers – Birthday Boy

The Drive-By Truckers Official Site, The Drive-By Truckers on myspace, Buy The Big To-Do

Stream the entire album:

In the time I’ve been writing about these guys here on ninebullets they’ve gone from a little lovable band from the Midwest to “band to watch” status. Having completed nationwide tours with a whole list of ninebullets favorites such as Jason Isbell, Clutch, and William Elliot Whitmore, Bloomington, IL’s Backyard Tire Fire are back in 2010 on their own label and with a new album, Good To Be.

In previous reviews/articles I’ve routinely mentioned that these guys could have easily slid into the Capricorn-era sound. I can not say that about Good To Be. There may be the occasional Capricorn overture in their sound, but they’re wholly modern with their current sound. Problem is, the Capricorn-era feel was one of the things I genuinely loved about Backyard Tire Fire, so the first few listens of Good To Be left me wanting. After multiple listens, as tends to be the case, that wanting started to fade and I began to listen to the album for what it was, not what I expected it to be, and I finally warmed up to it.

The album opens with, IMO, it’s best song, “Roadsong #39″. It’s a fantastic grooving piece about (I imagine) running around the country in a rock and roll band. There is a line in the song that I love that says, “there’s a smell that I know at the end of the show, it’s sweaty and it’s smoky and it’s ripe and it’s rock and roll.” I think anyone who attends shows on a regular basis knows the origin of that line. “A Thousand Gigs Ago” treads in the touring band/van mindset, offering an uncompromising glimpse into the reality of being in a small touring band. Thing is, however, Micah Schnabel does it 100 times better, but I say that not to slam Backyard Tire Fire. Hell, I like the band, but I feel like they got lazy with this album. Specifically, I think they got lyrically lazy with this album and think that helps to explain why I liked the album more as I listened to it. See, I’m a lyrics guy, so the first time I listen to your album I am totally focused on the lyrics and I move out from there.

With that said, I’d say Good To Be is a steak dinner with Chinese food for lyrics. Musically, it has great grooves, it’s catchy and utterly enjoyable. Lyrically, it’s fine and totally “sing-along-able” but pretty thin under close inspection. Hopefully, this is just a blip, ’cause I *loved* the lyrical content of their last album, The Places We Lived. Regardless, this is 4 gazillion times better than Lady Antebellum and should be checked out.

Backyard Tire Fire – Roadsong #39
Backyard Tire Fire – Brady
Backyard Tire Fire – A Thousand Gigs Ago

Backyard Tire Fire’s Official Site, Backyard Tire Fire on myspace, Buy Good To Be

Before Sunday night (March 07, 2010) I had missed every chance to see Tim Barry play live. Circumstances had aligned against me and I was either out of town, sick, without transportation, or possibly dead (I got better) every time he rolled through Houston. In a very short amount of time I realized what I had been missing. Before I talk about any of the specifics let me make clear that this was the most intense show I can remember seeing bar none. It takes that spot from some great shows with absolutely crazy stories attached to them, like waking up in New Orleans on a tour bus, that are now put to shame by a show where nothing really all that crazy went down. The only way to chalk it up is to the sheer intensity that Tim Barry radiates on and off the stage. Now lets get on to the story…

So me and my brother showed up way too early because I thought the show would sell out. (As a side note: Fuck you Houston for not selling this show out. You bunch of bitches!) So we stood outside smoking and talking while trying to stay out of the possible line of fire from some asshole calling himself “Pony” who was waving around what he referred to as “My nine”. I thought he was the manager or one of the owners which would make his asinine behavior legal so we didn’t call the cops on the jackoff. We should have. He’s not even employed by the club. And eventually decided to wander down the street and grab some food and hope that “Pony”, who actually said “Man fuck that book (The Outsiders) I’ve been going by Pony since before that asshole write that book”, didn’t kill anyone and ruin the show before we got back.

When we managed to wander back I caught up with Tim and, much to my surprise, was taken aback at his humility. We hung out for a while before the show and I got permission to shoot some pics of the show as well as met some pretty cool people including a dude who had bicycled from Tampa, FL to Houston, TX and had come to see the show. Tim deflected most of the compliments people had about his music preferring to talk about life and wander through random topics. It was more like meeting an old friend for the first time rather than meeting a rock star.

That all changed when Tim took the stage. “I’m Tim Barry and I’m from Richmond Virginia” While there was a lot of intensity about him before the show, especially when he talked about the incident where he broke his hand, that intensity took on a whole new form when he picked us guitar. It’s almost impossible to describe him on stage to someone who hasn’t seen him play. He obviously enjoys what he is doing but there is an underlying “fuck you” that’s just waiting to break through. It almost felt like I was watching someone about to fight with themselves. With the crowd yelling along with every song the energy in the club was something that must be experienced to be believed.

All of that was almost destroyed when the aforementioned asshole “Pony” got on stage between songs and began ranting about why he didn’t understand why Tim would tour with those pussies on the Revival Tour and he was out of their league and much worse. Being as that the Revival Tour is put on by one of Tim’s best friends and musicians on it with him are all friends of his you can imagine that this went over like a ton of bricks. But Tim restrained himself and “Pony’s” friends pretty much got him out the door, into his car, and told him to fuck off before coming in to finish the show. Tim handled it well even taking time to say he understood that the guy was trying to compliment him and just went about it in the exact wrong way. And then he started playing again…

There were beers, there were shots, and there was even an asshole but most of all Tim Barry took the stage, owned the crowd, and played like a man possessed. If you have seen him you know what I mean. The tense arms, the spittle flying, the random “fuck you” between verses or songs, and him leaving all the blood, sweat, and tears on the stage. Like many shows it was over way too soon. We all said our goodbyes and parted ways into that moist Texas air. I know I normally share stories about the bands I cover and whatnot but the stories I have from this show, outside of the show itself, aren’t the kind of stories a body is inclined to make public. They seem, as weird as it sounds, too intimate to shove into a few words and post on the intertubes. So you’ll have to be satisfied with this write up and the pics I took. Quoth Tim Barry: That’s all I got…Goodnight!

Feel free to stop by my site to see all the pics from the show. I need to crop a couple a little differently but they are all posted. And as usual if Virgil or Tim, or hell anyone, wants to use the pics to promote Tim then just drop me a line and they’re yours to use.

Tim Barry – Exit Wounds (Live)
Tim Barry – Wait At Milano (Live)
Tim Barry – Avoiding Catatonic Surrender (Live)

Tim Barry’s Home Page
Tim Barry @ Suburban Home Records

Here is a real treat to start off a Friday morning. This is a bootleg of a show the Truckers did way back in 2002 when Jason was still in the band. What’s interesting about this show is that it was the first of two shows they did which are rumored to be where the whole idea for the Dirt Underneath acoustic tour came from. Personally, I love how you can hear the crickets and frogs in the background throughout the show. Get’s me ready for summer.

You can download the entire show here and listen to the samples below while it downloads.

Drive-By Truckers – Outfit
Drive-By Truckers – When The Pin Hits The Shell
Drive-By Truckers – The Living Bubba
Drive-By Truckers – Zip City
Drive-By Truckers – The Assassin

Darren Hoff was part of the beloved and now defunct Austin-based country juggernaut The Weary Boys. It’s been nearly two years and a day job since the Wearies flamed out and Darren is the last one to surface with a new project. Better late than never, I say.

When it came time for Darren to form a band he went back to where he started, calling upon folks he’d met and known via the Austin music scene. Guitarist Ben Massey had been a mainstay in the area since relocating from Maryland, while drummer Brandon Burke was initiated almost by accident when he agreed to play drums on the eve of a show. Keyboardist Jim Hawkins came to know Darren through Darren’s aforementioned day job at a music store. He was originally just working studio sessions, adding keys and acoustic guitar accompaniment to songs in the studio, but somewhere along the line it was decided that he should become a full share member. Finally, along came guitarist-freshly-turned-bassist Gregg White, and The Hard Times were formed.

I’ll be honest, when I first started listening to Darren’s album I wanted it to be The Weary Boys, and when it wasn’t anywhere close I was disappointed in the cd and put it away. As time passed I got to thinking about what I wrote when I was reviewing the new Lucero album, asking if it was fair for fans to expect certain things from bands and what was the band’s obligation to those expectations. Is it fair for me to summarily dismiss Darren’s album because it wasn’t The Weary Boys?

No. It wasn’t. So I pulled the album off the cd rack and took it back to the car.

What Darren did, while ignoring my personal desires to hear a new Wearies album, was make an utterly fantastic country music record. While some people might be put off by the fact that it doesn’t really break any new ground, I am not one of them and on closer listen it turns out that this record is pretty much exactly what I should have expected from Darren, based on his songs from The Weary Boys. All of which makes me feel like even more of an asshole. So if you’re a Weary Boys fan like me, I’d suggest you check your prejudices at the door and check this album out. If you’re a fan of the country music your dad listened to, then you’re gonna enjoy this album.

Darren Hoff & The Hard Times – Out Into Nothing
Darren Hoff & The Hard Times – Stop Breaking Down
Darren Hoff & The Hard Times – Oh Midnight

Darren Hoff & The Hard Times on myspace, Buy Darren Hoff & The Hard Times