SXSW Parties We Are Looking Forward To

This year there are more excellent non-official SXSW parties than ever before. Unless you intend to hit a seminar or panel, or schmooze on the Trade Floor, you really can almost see every decent band down there gratis during the day.

Here's a few free shows we're shooting to hit:



Yeah, you read right, The Wedding Present. For free. At dinner time. Awesome.

And dig Terrorbird & Force Field's boss bash...they even put a beer bottle in the flyer to get the point across:



I'm desperate to hear what These New Puritans sound like live, so I'm so there.

These New Puritans - "Elvis" mp3

And my favorite daytime venue last year, Filter's Cedar Street Courtyard, has another great slate of shows lined-up, PLUS gratis BBQ, blackjack tables (!!), and daily broadcasts by the best host on radio (terrestrial or satellite), Sex Pistol Steve Jones of Indie 103's "Jonesy's Jukebox":



Wanna see me bounce like it's Max's Kansas City in 1977? Be at the Courtyard for the Switches set.

Switches - "Drama Queen" mp3

And in case we were going to be picky about what free beer we'd be drinking down there, The Tripwire today posted their guide to the best of what to drink in Austin.