That scene is repeating itself dozens of times here at SXSW each and every night this week, with bands both large and clandestine emerging in bars, rooftops and empty lots all over Austin. Among the many over-the-top happenings last night was a three hour gig by Bruce Spingsteen and the E Street Band that apparently lived up to even the wildest expectations. I'm sure for those lucky few who got in (myself not included), it was a memorable experience.
My own private bliss was achieved a few blocks away at Mohawk, where, close to 1am, Brooklyn's own Sharon Van Etten emerged to close out the Secretly Canadian/Jagjaguar showcase. This was my first time seeing Sharon live, after months of glowing recommendations from friends and professionals (such as Talia's review of her Bowery show last month.) With every inch of floor and balcony space packed with reverntly attentive listeners, she started out quietly, playing a mix of acoustic and electric guitar. Her secret, though, is her voice: dark, seductive, smoldering like the last embers of a midnight campfire. When she chose to, she ignited those embers into a crackling flame, fueled by a raging passion that was both startling and impossible to ignore. Standing 15 feet from the stage, it was as thrilling a show experience as I've had in recent memory.
And, it's only Friday morning. Who knows how many more moments of rapture there will be before the weekend it out?