Goodbye, Festivus!

Well, the wife and I are saying our sad farewells to Austin, Baron Von Doviak and Maury the Wonder Chibeagle this morning, hoping our Super Shuttle gets us to the airport in time to join the mass exeunt from the 2007 South by Southwest Festival. I've had my last breakfast tacos at the Java Company until next time, and we're on our way back to the chilly but thawing East Coast.

And, let's see...since last we met, I've seen the turtle sanctuary on the U.T. campus, a program of excellent Texas-made short films (including the indescribable "Babycakes") and a bunch of highly kick-ass cover bands at the all-day Ego's cover band festival, topped by a Tom Waits cover band called The Box Spring Hogs, featuring uncanny voice-a-likes for both the current gravel-preacher Tom AND the old-timey young barroom balladeer Tom. The band also included a glockenspiel, a Tilda Swinton-as-White-Witch fiddle player and THREE drummers (two dudes and a lady completely possessed by the awesome power of the wappadang).

I haven't seen Tom in person since the mid-80s, but this was definitely the next best thing, and a far more satisfying musical experience than just about any live show or recorded single I've experienced in years.

And now, airport security.