What Shaking, SPI Music Festival?

November 5th, 2008 · Tags:Airports · Arts

The day I hopped on Southwest Airlines headed to South Padre International Music Festival, there was an earthquake. When I climbed on a plane to return to Love Field, there was a landslide — I got back just in time to cast a dissenting vote in the election. Oh well. In the days between, my Texas Tech climbed to #2 in the polls, and I got to attend a miniature Sun Splash with Steel Pulse … I saw Blue Oyster Cult again, and checked out Ghostland Observatory and many other bands. Most notable — THE braided one — Willie Nelson — closed the festival. Kudos to Willie and his family for adding SPI to their schedule.

The festival is growing, the acts are worthy of the travel, and the off season on Padre is refreshing, if you have every swarmed the beach during Spring Break — 6 pings, near-perfect, room to grow.

So, who doesn’t like swimming in a warm ocean in November? … SERIOUSLY, put the concert on your schedule for next year. This, the second ever, SPI Fest gained respectability with the addition of big name acts and a crop of newbies. It can be challenging to see all the acts you want … but no fighting huge crowds and no 100 degree weather. Who knows what next year will bring?

A few notes:

Biggest draw — Los Lonely Boys packed the Bay Stage.

Most missed — I didn’t see Alejandro Escovedo, due to conflicting schedules.

Sans cowbell — Blue Oyster Cult played DFTReaper, but didn’t pay homage to the SNL classic.

Media savvy — Twanguero glad handed me at a cofee shop and pulled me in for their show.

Eternal slacking — I found Fastball lacking, despite the way with words.

Follow that? — Foghat played to a near empty, dry swimming pool at the Schlitterbahn stage, after Blue Oyster Cult reaped havoc.

Lose face — Wi-Fi at Schlitterbahn blocked FaceBook … prolly designed to keep the lifeguards focused.

Trick/Treat — Dog Men Poets entourage girls’ costumes rocked Halloween.

Infinite abyss — Hole in Willie’s acoustic guitar gets bigger every year.

Wordy Vegas — cool name, those Last Vegas dudes — (from a Vega dude)