Happy Birthday to me! Since I’d like to gift myself an extra hour of sleep, we’re going to keep this brief with a simple list of my day’s highlights:

• BMI Brunch – always the primo spot for food, networking, and music, this year brought eating with Jay Nash and Drawing North, sets from Tor Miller and Shawn Hook (among others) and of course running into…well just about everybody.

• The Quantum Party on the Whole Foods rooftop – after a failed attempt to get into the Key Bar, we eased on down the road to Whole Foods where I drank Mama Chia (win!), discovered a fantastic new LA band, The Heirs, and chatted with Gingger Shankar.

 

• 30 seconds of Blue October – because walking past the maxed out venue and only getting to see/hear a snippet of a song is better than no Blue October at all (and probably one of the best musical moments of my week).

• Bday Chai – Starbucks gifted me a free drink so I took it! The largest most delicious chai was the perfect pick-me up to get me though the day. It even came with a golden ladybug type creature which I will take to be extra special luck.

• Aussie BBQ – the two stages packed in tons of great Aussie acts. I was able to catch Tigertown and Drawing North before the impending storm put a pause on any outdoor music venues.

• Compelling singer-songwriters – I spent all night at a church or the ASCAP showcase sampling singer-songwriters and none of them disappointed: Matt Woods, James TW, Billie Marten, Jay Nash, Jake Bugg, Jake McMullen, and a surprise special set from Lapsley (the perfect way to end a wonderful day of music).

      

Can’t believe tomorrow is the last official day of SXSW!

 

~ Kristen