Oh Pep! At SXSW: How Austin Keep It Weird

23 March 2016 | 12:12 pm | Oh Pep!

"Chicken Shit Bingo sounded pretty odd/wonderful ... Wherever the chicken poops is the number they call."

As we were there for SXSW, we got the inside scoop on what was 'weird in Austin’. Had a few tips from our stand in drummer Mike (who lives in Austin)… but we also made some of our own discoveries! 

LESLIE THE FOREFATHER

We heard about Leslie the homeless man that dressed like a woman and rode a bike around town in a speedo. There's a refrigerator magnet set of him with different outfits, where profits were given to him before he sadly passed. He also ran for mayor a couple of times and is considered the forefather of 'Keeping Austin Weird'. Him and Willie Nelson, the Kings of Austin. So they sell t-shirts like this on every street corner.



WILLIE NELSON IS GOD

Apparently Willie lives out on a ranch where a movie set was built, but he liked it so much that he kept it. You'll never hear a bad word spoken about him. We spent a fantastic afternoon at another ranch we imagine to be something like Willie's — where we played to a crowd of local interpretive dancers and absolute professional hippies.  

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THE BEST WURST

We couldn't go past this place without a picture. Can't say we were inspired to eat the 'Best Wurst', but are still hoping that there is more than one of these joints in Austin!

CHICKEN SHIT BINGO

We didn't get out there ourselves, but Chicken Shit Bingo sounded pretty odd/wonderful. Held at Ginny's Little Longhorn every Sunday. Wherever the chicken poops is the number they call. Perhaps this Fiddle Monster comes to play there too? (or just Pepi in her new Austin get up on 6th Street?!)

AUSTIN TRANSPORT

People in Austin pride themselves on weird/wonderful modes of transport. Like this drummer, who seems to travel from corner to corner in his drum..cage, as witnessed on many a night. 



…As does this this cowboy we spotted on 6th Street.



RANDOM FACTS

Did you know SXSW is also a gaming and film festival? People flaunt their gaming hero costumes all around town. Another fun (?) fact — apparently the State Capitol rotunda was purposely built to be taller than the U.S. Capitol Rotunda in D.C. and also faces away from D.C. to the South to show independence. There is your bit of education as well!


Oh Pep!'s EP Living is out now through Barely Dressed/Remote Control Records. Head to theGuide for full details on where you can catch Oh Pep! in your state.