Graceful Parenting in Austin

John was giving Misty a hard time. She wants to see live music more, but finds it hard to do, but today, or all days, she isn’t feeling social and hasn’t made it out of the house yet. He is giving her a hard time because she doesn’t have to go out far, the band is playing on her own block, underneath her neighbor’s carport, just a few houses down. It’s a late afternoon, outdoor show that welcomes kids. No traffic or parking hassle. No cover charge. Free burgers and hot dogs.

John is thinking, if Misty doesn’t make it to this show, she won’t make any show ever. I’m thinking, this is a great gig for Diego’s Umbrella, this unofficial SXSW block party, and maybe more bands should try it…

At SXSW, a band is one of 1,700 bands, which is fun in a way and intimidating in another. The competition for the buzz is fierce. Who is hot, who is not, which bands need a wristband, which need a second wristband, which make you wait in three different lines to get in. You are playing for important people in the music industry, but for all their importance, they might also be snobby and arrogant and not that much fun anymore. There is so much posturing, by the bands and the fans and the important people and the people who want to be important.

There are reasons for it all and it all works in its own way. But compare that scene to our unofficial SXSW block party. Our neighbor has friends in a band from San Francisco in town for SXSW. The event has wrapped up by Sunday and the guys have the afternoon free so they decide to play in our neighbor’s driveway. He makes some calls to the block the day before and on Sunday we get the grill going and bring food to share. The kids and sometimes the grown ups are dancing in the driveway. Some of the older kids are listening from high in a tree. Baby Girl is sleeping during the show, but I think that means she likes it.

It was music in its simplest form, just a conversation between regular people, without all of the middlemen that SXSW represents. And while I’m all for the middleman because they play a big role in how music happens and I enjoyed a SXSW show the day before, it’s also nice now and then to just have a conversation between the people who make music and the people who listen.

And, instead of being one of 1,700 bands at SXSW, on Sunday afternoon, Diego’s Umbrella was the biggest act on the block. People were taking pictures, filling the tip jar and buying CDs. And the audience was genuinely grateful. There are a lot of small kids on the block and a lot of parents who don’t get out to the clubs, so they especially enjoyed the music so close to home.

There were no record executives or press and Diego’s Umbrella didn’t get discovered on my block, but they might have paid for the gas on the way home and everyone had a good time.

And Misty made it to the party. Who knows, maybe next year we’ll have another SXSW block party, it would be simple, just a conversation between regular people.