Kid Canaveral at SxSW: MICHAEL BLOODY CERA

Day 4. Saturday. 8 continental US shows down, 3 remaining across a relatively intense five-hour span.

First! The day begins hot and gets hotter - we loaded up and hit the road to downtown Austin, specifically a jolly Irish pub called Fado's on West 4th street. Kate skilfully negotiated heavy traffic, drunken revellers, cyclists and American drivers, and we were there but a smidge after eleven AM to set up on their bijou outdoor stage, whilst dozens of rugby and soccer (football) fans watched Scotland avoid a wooden spoon and Man Utd do something... they responded well to our spirited flyering and even better to our set. Hurray! No time to waste though - a quick pint of Smithwicks and we were back in the car to gig number 2...

Back uptown, we went to a delightful yard party called the Beast Side Bash. We nipped in to Red House Pizza, where we had played the previous day and had some bloody amazing food, which was free because they are incredibly nice and generous people. Then we saw MICHAEL BLOODY CERA outside and I had to be calmed down. I'm still not calm. It was Michael Cera! he didn't follow us to the gig alas. Maybe next time. Back to the gig; me and Kate sat on a blanket on the lawn and watched Spiro Agnew rock his/their socks right off, whilst David and Scott retired to the shade with a PROPER AMERICAN RED CUP OF BEER FROM A KEG. Did I mention it was hot? REALLY hot. 85 degrees hot. I'm not great with Fahrenheit, but I think that at that temperature, Scottish people are risking death. We set up, jumped on 'stage' (more lawn), and played in the full sun until we couldn't play no more. Because our slot was finished. By this point, smeared in factor 30, we were beginning to colour a tad. Like we had caught the sun. With our faces. BUT NO TIME FOR RESPITE. Back in the car...

Gig 3! This was the one we had been waiting for; our final SXSW gig at the lovely Waterloo Cycles, hosted by the lovely Michael Zakes, in his lovely forecourt next to some bikes and children and dogs. We were preceded by a wonderful Chicago group called Very Truly Yours, who were really, really good, and looked marginally less heat-stricken than us. After a quick chat with BBC Scotland and Vic Galloway, we hopped on stage again. This time, an unreasonably tall non-adjustable mic stand meant that I had to stand on a crate. AN ACTUAL CRATE. I felt like Tom Cruise. I almost fell off a few times, and if I had I would have eaten that microphone en route to the concrete. Meanwhile, David was blinded by sweat but soldiered on, while Kate, due to a lack of keyboard stand, held the Korg like a keytar and bopped away like it was 1987. Next a piano-key necktie. Afterward we glugged some more beer, watched sweary fun Norwich-based Fever Fever and sobbed gently in the shade in a welter of emotions and heat exhaustion. Back home now via Whataburger for some cooling showers, pints of water, and then back out into the Austin night for some unfettered shindiggery. WHO KNOWS WHAT TONIGHT MAY BRING. Hopefully we will survive and have another farewell blog for you at the final conclusion of our SXSW experience. See you then!

Rose Canaveral x