People that come to Austin often wonder what our slogan “Keep Austin Weird” means. Technically it refers to supporting local businesses as opposed to chains. But, it’s evolved over the years into so much more. Now it’s more about embracing individuality and uniqueness is all respects..especially in people! And that is what Eeyore’s is all about.

You first board a school bus serving as a shuttle down to the park. For many of you this will be your first time on a big yellow school bus in many years. Don’t overlook the short 8 minute bus ride. Ours consisted of a spontaneous sing-a-long

Welcome to Pease Park!

Eeyore’s is all about freedom and expression and music. Some call it a hippy festival and if that’s what being a hippy is, I’m in!

Yards full of hula-hoops to play with..check!

Potato sack races for big and small? Double check!!

A spontaneously huge drum circle in which you can play anything that even makes noise. The sound combines in collective freedom and rings through out the park. So bang a drum for me…

And bang a drum for you…

The drum circle grows from little…

to big!

As the day goes on the musicians, instruments, and costumes get more interesting

Costumes are creative and crazy and the people watching is top notch! Check out this crazy chick (me)

SilverMan shows up every year…

I wonder how he gets that silver paint..ya know everywhere…

Beam me up

This one really has to suck when you have to pee

The bird is the word

Silver is the new black

So what if I have paints made of fake hair and a parasol.. are you saying you don’t?

This is about the only snowman you ever see in Austin

Let’s go do some toad!

Even the kids get into the costumed fun

Feel free to check out the entire flickr set here

Happy Birthday Eeyore! See you next year for number 48!

Only in Austin (or at least places as cool as Austin.)

(droooooool…..)

But seriously… I think on a given day Molotov’s crowd would be too swanky for a jeans and chucks girl like me, but on typically stunningly beautiful spring Austin day during sxsw it was absolutely perfect.

A very interesting quasi-death-metal band was playing in the downstairs bar.. if anyone knows what these guys are called let me know..I need to give credit where credit was due. I’ll be honest..it was loud and well…kind of bad…but it was actually quite amusing to watch 45 year old men trying to be 21 year old death metal rockers…they just tried so darn hard

So after a couple of free drinks downstairs.. I venture up to Molotov’s beautiful roof top patio…. There’s nothing that can quite explain how awesome sitting on a rooftop watching a good band rock to the backdrop of a big blue Texas sky while drinking free booze. This band 28 degrees north really just rocked it! My only band I saw with a rocking harmonica player.. really just great. Check them out if they come to a place near you… (my friend and I had a fight over if the lead singer looks like Jack Black or not..you tell me..)

They had a preceding band at both shows called Pearl and the Beard. They were…interesting. Akward, but I think that’s what they were going for. The one girl (you’ll see which one I mean) looks like Velma from Scooby Doo, how can you not be amused by that. Some of the songs they did were genuinely good, the skill was certainly there. Some however were just really strange, one was even just a clapping revival, felt like an odd gospel song. Either way, that’s what you gotta love about sxsw..you just never know what you’re going to get!

Up first was the show at the Dizzy Rooster. The sound there was really dismal and poorly setup but Wakey! (I know them personally so I can shorten it to one Wakey!) pulled out a great performance. As for Pearl and the beard..well… yeah. You gotta love the Dizzy Rooster though, it certainly pays an interesting homage to Austin bars. In fact, to be honest, I think I’d really really like the rooster if it wasn’t in the heart of sixth street infested with the douchey fratsters.

So it’s a Friday at 11 a.m. and I’m drinking at a bar in the middle of sixth street…beat that

Up first..Pearl and the Beard (better pictures of them in the second show.)

Now we’re talking… Wakey! Wakey!

If you wanna play in Texas (even if you’re from Brooklyn…) you gotta have a fiddle in the band

One of my favorites of Mike Grubbs… the man has wicked crazy talent

Show number two for Pearl and the Beard and Wakey! happened over at the Kung Fu Saloon, which it turns out I actually really enjoy on a weekday afternoon It’s chill and open and the bands were playing on an outdoor patio…totally great. And the sound was MUCH better here!  Oh, and since Wakey hadn’t played my favorite song (Brooklyn) at the rooster, I asked and got them to play it here! Thanks Grubbs!  For my money (which was free but I would have gladly paid) it didn’t get better then a live performance of Brooklyn by Wakey! Wakey!

For your listening/watching pleasure: A video of wakey! wakey! playing Brooklyn:

Even the view from the back of the line was pretty great

Once inside, I took a walk around the grounds just checking out the scene, it really was an interesting setup.

I mean really, out door picnic tables, warm lighting, space and a view of downtown…my kind of party!

And you know, for me to say it’s my favorite venue..there’s gotta be free booze! There was and plenty of it.  I can’t stress how well this party was managed. The line was easy to get through, the venue opened on time, booze lines were a bit long but that’s to be expected. Free soco and Budweiser products.

And free ping pong? Have I mentioned this venue rocks

You’re already impressed and we haven’t even gotten to the music yet!
I love the huge monitors set up so short folks like me could get a good view!

And my favorite performer of the night Twank Star (and the chick next to him with the blonde hair had an amazing voice!!)