#SXSW 2012 - Saturday

A slow start to the day combined with massive St. Patty's day crowds kept us from covering as much ground as we had other days. We stumbled into the Rachel Ray party at Stubbs just in time to see the TV star singing a cover of Journey's "Don't Stop Believin'" with Train. Yeah, quite the musical highlight as you'll see below.

Next, somehow we walked right into the MOG Party at the Mohawk just before The Roots' only SXSW appearance. The best band in late night played a loose 75 minute set which ran from "Here I Come" to covers of "Sweet Child O' Mine" and "Bad To The Bone".

After a trip to ACL Live to see Sleigh Bells and Nas, we finished up with a boozy Tommy Stinson set at the appropriately named Whiskey Club. The sound guy and venue's equipment sucked and after several attempts to get mics to work and vocals in the monitors, Stinson had enough & declared the gig over, walking off the stage. Stinson's wife (and backing vocalist) pulled the thing back together and got him back on stage for a gloriously woozy blast which was the perfect end to a great South By.

Worthy: The Roots, Sleigh Bells, Tommy Stinson
Meh: Nas, Train (guilty pleasures though they may be)
Regrets: Wasting the 8 pm timeslot waiting at ACL Live for a "TBD" set that ended up being no one... No one? They couldn't find anyone that was willing to play a premier SXSW venue in front of Sleigh Bells and Nas? Unforgivable.