Somewhere in this city, something magical is happening. A rock band is wowing a tiny crowd with an unforgettable 45-minute set. Nobody minds the heat or the low ceiling because this quartet from Tiny Town, U.S.A., is making history. Certainly not at the Red Eyed Fly at 10 p.m. on Thursday, where a trio called Honky is performing in white cowboy hats and Amish-style beards.
Honky does boogie-metal, fast and nasty.
When the bassist takes a solo, he skips the fancy fretwork and simply licks his guitar. Maybe the band will play Satan's next barbecue, but a major-label deal seems out of the question. That's the South by Southwest Music Festival for you. In the span of just five days, some 550 bands perform in dozens of clubs scattered throughout this Texas capital, trailed by thousands of rubber-necking music industry executives, promoters, publicists and journalists. With so many acts and so little time, everyone at this vast flea market of talent, which ended yesterday, is under the impression that the next Pearl Jam is just around the corner.