Fraser A. Gorman SXSW Diary: Part One

Melbourne singer-songwriter Fraser A. Gorman is one of the many Aussies in Austin this week for the massive SXSW conference.

The Milk! Records labelmate of the revered Courtney Barnett, who is also at SXSW, has been cool enough to give us insight into his Austin experience and we've got the first part below for you.

Our plane is jam-packed with musical/industry/media types and we set down in Austin, Texas on Sunday, 15 March amongst a flurry of cowboy hats, flat peaked baseball caps, gold chains and MacBook laptops. The smell of smokey meat is thrust upon me not only because every shop in the terminal is basically a BBQ shop, but our TM, Dylan (who is an absolute legend) insists that I go right up to the counter and check out the lovely glazed meat being carved out by a sweaty shop keeper. The man next to us, who is drooling over his beer gut the size of a 44 galleon drum is next in the line of about 20 people waiting for their greasy fix.

We roll on.

It's cold in Austin, which I think is rare, but I like it because it reminds me of a grey, wintery day in Melbourne. It's lovely to take a quick breath and fill my lungs with brisk Texas air while I can. I'm sure it will heat up later when 4000 bands cruise into town and scramble over the top of each other in a desperate plea to prove to any label, promoter or booking agent from all over the globe that their tunes and show are the best in the world (or not).

As the van cruises past the trailer parks, diners and dilapidated shacks towards the looming skyscrapers of downtown Austin, I'm not sure if I am excited or shitting myself. Probably both.

We sign in as artists in a great auditorium, luckily we are a day early and we walk to the front of the gigantic queue without fuss. We grab a wristband and get out. There is a strong sense of urgency surrounding everyone in the vicinity. Police cars with lights blaring, people scrambling to put up posters, setting up parties, pallettes of beer being transported across the streets.

We got in a couple days early because Courtney has a lot of press to do before her SXSW showcases so there is probably only one-tenth of the people that will be here in a couple days. And it's already overwhelming.

Bones Sloane and I order bangers and mash that night because it reminds us of Melbourne.

Look out, Austin.

Fraser A. Gorman SXSW Diary: Part One

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