SXSW is coming! Do you have your wristband?

I love SXSW for a variety of reasons and it's almost here again!

Number one reason we love SXSW: It gives friends who no longer, or never did live here, a reason to head to Austin. Either to play a show or to cover a story. Owning Austin Modern has given us tremendous opportunities to meet a lot of fun and unique people, many work within the music and film industry so SXSW is 'old home week' for us.

If you are coming to Austin for SXSW, here are a few ideas to stick in your 'inside info' book.

The locals know that SoCo is a flippin MADHOUSE. If you are going to see a specific band and they are playing anywhere on South Congress, plan on delays and traffic and no parking. South 1st is a great place to wander around for in-store free events.

Austin is not a bus friendly town, however if you are staying near downtown you should be able to take the Number 1 bus to every where you need to go. The Number 1 runs from way South Congress to way North Lamar, points in between being 6th street, the Warehouse Dist. and Guadalupe.
RECORDS: Vinyl Shopping in Austin: End of An Ear on South 1st, Number One Stop (New, Used, Indie and Rare). Waterloo for local pressings, and Antones for those of you with a yen for Mingus, Coltrane or Speedy West (Vintage Western Swing, Blues, Jazz and Texas-centric Vinyl)
Sadly, Sound on Sound has closed in the last year.

If you like texas-psycho-billy, they're a bit long in the tooth, but I still dig the Flame Trick Subs. They put on a good show!
Think vintage Cramps meets 80s Blasters, throw in a few pin up girls and send them out to get drunk with Johnny Cash. Fun stuff.

Best Burger in Austin - Casino el Camino on 6th street (shoot for 6pm or shortly after opening) they grill guys are surly and sometimes just plain rude, but it's sooooo worth it.

BBQ- East 12th 2000 East 12th Street to be exact. SAMS BBQ. about an 8.00 cab ride from the 6th street madness. These are good people making insane bbq. Get the Brisket. The tiny white house might be packed to the rafters with a line out the door, just wait your turn and be nice. This is no place to pull that rock god bullsh*t. No one cares who you are. And sometimes, that's a nice relief, right?
Looks like any other well loved 1930s house in an older part of Austin, but this place is LEGENDARY. It's not some fancy place that every magazine in America has dubbed Austin's Best BBQ or TEXAS BEST BBQ. But this really is it. The real cool crowd goes to this place. Go here during SXSW and find yourself sitting next to rock legends hanging on the down low, taking a break from all the glitz and rah rah SXSW for some true texas bbq. Grab a seat on the patio at one of the "general seating" picnic tables and chat with your fellow man. Sit a spell, have a beer and know deep in your heart "This is the best BBQ in Texas"