It seemed you couldn't throw a Lone Star tallboy last week in Austin, Texas, without hitting a Minnesota band. About 35 of them (and maybe a dozen more, who knows?) traveled due south for the world's largest and most hyperactive music conference, South by Southwest, now in its 24th year and as magical and madcap and maddening as ever.

There were local acts all over the official SXSW schedule for nighttime showcases. They were all over the blogs that keep track of the day parties, too, including six of them on the Minnesota Music party that Vita.mn co-sponsored with Best Buy Musical Instruments and First Avenue. Heck, one local band was even perched above the bustling Red River Street on a billboard.

Here's a look at the festival from their view.

After coming into last year's fest with a blogger buzz, Solid Gold topped themselves last week with an official showcase in a prime location/timeslot, plus one more party gig on their schedule. Oh, and they had that billboard. "We're thinking of climbing up there and taking a picture on it, if we get drunk enough," frontman Zach Coulter said while walking down 6th Street on opening day. The billboard ascent never happened, but plenty else did.

Past experience: Their fifth SXSW.

Number of shows: Seven.

Best gig: Their official SXSW showcase Friday at Club DeVille, Coulter said. "It was a cool outdoor club, the sound was great, and it was definitely the biggest crowd we had the entire fest," he said. "We've had several years before where our official show was the worst one we played, so it felt great this time. It's the show you kind of build up to."

Best thing that happened off stage: "I had one of the best tacos of my life, and it was when I really needed one. You forget to eat at SXSW. I found a great taco cart over on the east side of I-35, where [webcast site] Daytrotter had its events. It was nice to get away from all the mayhem. But then to find an amazing $2 taco, that topped everything."

Worst thing that happened off stage: "I really wanted to see Jeremy Messersmith with his new band, but never did. And then the Pines were staying at our same hotel, and I never once saw them, either. You go down there thinking you're going to hang out with and catch all your friends, but things get lost in the mayhem."

Traveling arrangements: "We drove straight down and straight back, stopping only to eat. Took about 23 hours. We always stay at a Red Roof Inn a little outside of downtown, which we like because it has a little cantina attached to it where we can get a quick, cheap breakfast."

Craziest thing we saw: "GWAR walking down Sixth Street."

Best celeb sighting: Actor Adrien Brody. "He was at the place where we played our showcase. I'm not sure if he saw us, though."

Was it worth it? "It's always hard to judge. You never know who's at your shows. You can play a show to 800 people and nothing comes of it, or you can play a show to 10 people that winds up being more advantageous. This year for us really did feel successful, though. After five years, we had more exposure this year. You know, you need some hype to go down there and make a splash, which I think we did this time. I mean, we had our own billboard down there, which I still can't believe."

"It feels a lot like a show at home, except for the weather," the singer/songwriter quipped at the sun-glowing Minnesota Music party. His comments would prove ironic two days later, when the thermometer took a bizarre turn to Minnesota-cold. Messersmith had his official showcase that night at Central Presbyterian Church, the conference's holiest venue. Sounding divine with a Beatlesy new band featuring guitarist Brian Tighe, he introduced his song "Beautiful Children" by saying, "Usually, I have to preface it by saying, 'Imagine a Minnesota winter.' But now I can just say, 'Imagine Austin today.'"

Past experience: His second SXSW, first time with an official showcase.

Number of shows: Four.

Best gig: Central Presbyterian Church. "Oddly enough, it was the first time we've ever had a sound check as a four-piece band," he said. "It's been almost 10 years since I've played in a church. Once I got past the youth-group flashbacks it was actually amazing."

Best thing that happened off stage: "Catching not one but two films at the Alamo Drafthouse theater. Seriously: Gourmet food, beer and wine need to make their way to a theater here in Minneapolis."

Traveling arrangements: "We rented a 15-passenger van and hit the road with six people total. We drove straight there and back again for a total drive time of about 44 hours. We stayed awake by playing 'lateral thinking' puzzles, which strangely involved a large number of cannibals, circus freaks and gruesome murders."

Was it worth it? Yes. "Despite all the driving and costs, it's worth it simply due to the number of fans and musicians who come from every part of the world. It's great to meet artists you like and meet your 'superfans,' both of which are so important to a touring musician."

The puny P.A. speakers were rocking on their flimsy stands and looked in danger of falling down, even if singer/guitarist Hideo Takashi didn't topple them himself as he bounced wildly around the "stage" -- actually a corner of an 80-year-old Mexican restaurant called Jaime's. The Japanese-American punk duo played as earnestly as if they were at First Avenue, and the crowd responded ecstatically. The Mexican dishwasher from the restaurant came out and seemed to dig them, too.

Past experience: Fifth time.

Best gig: The Jaime's showcase. "We got to play with bands we like, such as Terrible Twos, Rivercity Tanlines and the Spits," Takahashi said. "They were awesome. And our favorite local band, the Blind Shake, started the night. It was a great show, beginning to end."

Best thing that happened off stage: He and his friend Peelander Yellow (of the band Peelander Z) tried to crash the Riverboat Gamblers' showcase with a non-SXSW VIP pass from the club. "While the security guy was carefully checking the pass, the Gamblers' singer Mike walked by us and told him we were cool. It was a perfect timing."

Wildest thing we saw: "Andrew W.K. was playing a party at an apartment building. So many people were there just hanging outside. We finally found the line to get in and waited, and this one guy started pushing our friend, and they started to fight. It happened so quick and luckily ended quick, too. It doesn't sound so crazy, but it was happening at 3:30 a.m. And we were drunk."

Was it worth it? "If you never attended SXSW before, you should come at least once. I always tell myself, 'No SXSW next year,' but I always end up coming back. If you're in a band looking to get signed, don't waste your time and money. You would be competing with Stone Temple Pilots."

"This is a song about summer, which is still a long way off for us." We Became Actors singer Jesse Stensby said that to a crowd of about 30 people Wednesday afternoon at a puny club called Plush, which was anything but. The band unleashed a song that's not a long way off from becoming a Minnesota classic: "I Feel Like This Summer Is Gonna Be One Long Hold Steady Song."

Number of shows: Two.

Best gig: "I'd honestly have to say it's a tie between the two," Stensby said, mentioning the Plush gig first. "There was a good energy in the room and we really seemed to win the crowd over by the end of things." As for the second one, the Minnesota Music party, guitarist Christian Dahlager said, "If I could, I'd play a rooftop show in 70-degree weather at least once a month."

Craziest thing we saw: Said Dahlager, "GWAR showed up Saturday at the Fader Fort. Now, seeing them wasn't all that crazy. But seeing the goosebumps on their semi-exposed nether regions up close in 40-degree weather? That was pretty wild. And disgusting."

Best celeb sighting: "We were battling it out all week between Erik Estrada and Robert Duvall for which made the better story. We saw Estrada in line to get a wristband, and Duvall in a caravan of Escalades. We have no idea why either of them were there. I still say 'CHiPs' wins out every time."

Traveling arrangements: "Our drummer's Chrysler, hauling a borrowed trailer with a hole in the roof that we patched on the side of the road with an emergency blanket and duct tape. Our living situation was a little more comfortable. We found a guy renting out his apartment on Craigslist, and it couldn't have turned out better. I was slightly worried it'd end up being a creeper situation with dead bodies in the closet."