SXSW 2009

As SXSW really gets kickin’ tonight, you might find yourself slightly depressed about not being there; I know I do. Well, I am here to help. NPR has a great 100 song streaming sampler. That means you can listen to it on your computer at any hour of the day. You can also download a 10 song sampler of SXSW bands right into your iTunes for free.

Not to mention, just when you didn’t think it could get any better… you can pretend you’re in Austin and listen to a live feed of concerts. Shows from The Decemberists, Thao Nguyen & the Get Down Stay Down, M. Ward, Andrew Bird, Blitzen Trapper, PJ Harvey, Mark Olson & Gary Louris (Jayhawks), and more – just click here for a full schedule. So grab a beer, turn up the heat, turn down the lights, get a little rowdy and turn up the volume, oh...and don't forget to throw a pizza in the oven so you can grab a slice around 2 am...you'll never know the difference.

Do You Like Ray LaMontagne?

Well, if you happen to be in Minneapolis, there's a great show at the Turf Club tonight. Joshua James is opening for Neil Halstead. Check out Joshua James' bio here. Neil is from the UK and is also an acoustic performer. It should be a great show!