Kevin Bronson on March 21st, 2009

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Jane’s Addiction played in an old supermarket. Metallica was going to play a secret show. The Hold Steady are the Official Band of Everyone. Those were the big topics on a busy Friday at South by Southwest while I angled in and out of the shade on the Cheers patio and then darted off to check out some showcases, which, sadly, did not include an impromptu marching band [above] on 6th Street.

Highlights: Six bands getting their Buzz on; Thao With the Get Down Stay Down; the Pains of Being Pure at Heart; water; aspirin.

Lowlights: Balky monitors that sabotaged the Local Natives’ set on the Cheers patio; a friend who was denied entry to see Big Boi because she had a small digital camera in her purse; surly Friday night drunks on 6th; chili dogs with no chili.

By the numbers

500: Number of blocks it feels like you’re walking to get to 6th Street in Austin by Friday; of course, it’s only about 12 blocks from where I’m staying.

33: Number of L.A. musicians I encountered on the streets of Austion, not counting the ones who played or stopped by the Buzz Bands party.

14: Number of bottles of water consumed Friday.

1: Number of times I heard “Johnny B. Goode.” Chicago quartet State and Madison threw it into their noontime set at Lovejoys.

1: Number of sets, out of 10 witnessed on Friday, that started late.

0: Number of times I’ve seen the Silversun Pickups.