Unloading drums from his band's crammed sardine-can van, Free Energy singer Paul Sprangers seemed undaunted before his first of nine gigs over four days.
"I've been training for this for months," he half-joked.
Sprangers' Philadelphia-based, Minnesota-reared band kicked off the marathon-like South by Southwest Music Conference on Wednesday the way tens of thousands of other musicians, music professionals and fans did: With a couple of the sun-baked daytime parties that now surround the 24th annual conference.
Free Energy played at the Levi's Fader Fort, the tented parking lot where Kanye West showed last year (this year's rumored SXSW surprises include Soundgarden and Muse). Sprangers' buzzing group also played to a full house at the Paste magazine party on Sixth Street, which also featured Texas legend Roky Erickson's new collaboration with Okkervil River and Illinois river rat Lissie. Holding up a beer just after noon, Lissie cracked, "The chaos has just begun."
Things were under a tight watch at the IFC (Independent Film Channel) Crossroads House, a full-scale studio the cable network built just for SXSW. Thirty-some lucky insiders got inside for close-up sets and interviews with the Walkmen and Drive-By Truckers, airing nightly on IFC at 9 p.m. and hosted by Hold Steady frontman and Edina native Craig Finn.
"I still get to hang out in Austin even without my band, and I get to ask all the questions this time," boasted Finn, who couldn't say when the Hold Steady will next be in Minneapolis -- but his 20-game Twins ticket packet will bring him back to town often.
Wednesday night's official SXSW showcases included the debut of Broken Bells (Danger Mouse and Shins singer James Mercer), Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings and Spoon.
