What da shit you guys?! Tonight's Protomartyr show at Holy Mountain isn't sold-out yet?! Before you go any further get yourself a $10 ticket because the doors open in less than three hours and by all rights this show should have sold-out last week.
It just goes to show what a strange bubble SXSW can be. Last week I saw Eagulls who were tremendously buzzy before and during the festival but there was hardly anyone at their headlining show last week? Protomartyr came out of the festival critical darlings and several people whose taste I trust told me they were great at the festival but somehow this show isn't sold-out? What's going on Austin? Has the bro-culture surpassed the blog-culture? I know downtown is mostly brofessionals and trustafarians now but we working-class indie kids need to do our part too.
Part of me is afraid that bands like Protomartyr will woo Austin bands away to Detroit. As our city gets more crowded and expensive, urban wastelands like Detroit, Cleveland and Pittsburgh become more and more appealing to artists. After doing a quick Craigslist survey, it looks like you could live three months in Detroit for the cost of one month in Austin. Le sigh.
Regardless of trends in urban development and the possibility that we could lose our favorite bands to cheaper cities we need to focus on right now and right now we are preparing for tonight's show at Holy Mountain. We've already discussed the fact that Protomartyr is the headlining act and that they're from Detroit. Playing the support slots tonight will be Xetas and Simple Circuit. Both of those bands live here so don't let the Proto guys convince them to move ok?
