SXSW started off right with Black Joe Lewis on Wednesday. Austin's very own twenty-something soul shouter was so much fun I thought about going out on a high note and picking things up the next day. Instead I hit a very weird Slits reunion, if two original members and three young recruits count as "the Slits" at all. Ari Up bounced around in skintight leggings, mooned the crowd, and reminded us repeatedly that "the Slits exist!" Entertaining, yet surreal.

Whoever scheduled Man Man, the Weakerthans, Devotchka, and Billy Bragg for the Cedar Street Courtyard on Thursday was clearly clueless that four popular bands back to back + one tiny courtyard tucked between two buildings = one giant mess waiting to get in. Such is the SXSW experience. Devotchka played a lovely set backed by the Tosca String Quartet and Billy Bragg was a real treat, bringing his electrified protest songs across the pond to Texas.

X taped a solid set at the Convention Center for a certain satellite provider that was open to everyone on Friday. The TV tapings were a new thing this year, and definitely a good bet for anyone without a wristband. Billy Zoom is the definition of a ham. He had a full-toothed grin absolutely every time the camera swooped toward him or a fan snapped a picture. But man can that guy play.

Saturday I kept things low-key and checked out Space City Gamelan from Houston. I knew pretty much nothing about gamelan going in but it's an ensemble playing traditional Indonesian music with instruments not unlike a xylophone or maybe a bell choir. The whole thing was fascinating and very much in the spirit of discovering new music at SXSW.