Day one here at the 2006 SXSW has been...well...pretty much the same way it's been on day one every year that I've attended. Hectic. Unorganized. Humid.

I forgot how horrid the traffic situation is here in Austin during SXSW. Like seriously, what the hell? It took me 3 hours almost to the second to get from far North Dallas to north Austin. It took me a little over an hour to get from north Austin to 6th and Brazos. Whadda whippin'.

However, I digress...I have someone I'd like you to meet. I don't much like getting my pichur took. I don't like hard copy reminders as to how old I am and how skinny I ain't no mo'. So I borrowed from a 2nd grade school project my son and daughter had years ago...and I give you...

Flat Cindy and her awesome 2006 SXSW adventures!

Each day I'll post pictures audio and a written diary of our adventures at this year's SXSW. Keep checking back on each day's blog post cuz it'll be updated throughout the day.

Here's a little about Day One....

Once we hit Austin, we drove straight to 6th Street.

Flat Cindy took a moment to check out a band performing outside on 6th Street and left me to unload all the gear from the car.

Once we hit town and found a place to park and unloaded, Flat Cindy and I rushed to B.D. Riley's to catch Airline, Sorta and Johnny Lloyd Rollins.

First thing Flat Cindy did was to belly-up to the bar...

Lookie who we found! Deck Sachse of Mission to the Sea was there as one of the day's hosts! Flat Cindy got a little frisky with him.

Flat Cindy took over the merch table for Airline. She does so love that band.

The crowd enjoys Airline's performance.

Flat Cindy talks shop with Patrick Nichols of This is Texas Music and Juan Gutierrez of Black Water Gospel at B.D. Riley's.

Reagan and Kay (your co-hosts for the B.D. Riley's party) showed bands and artists the greatness that is Band Site Live...

The first "must see" band on our list finally took the stage. Yeah, yeah, we know we can get our dose of Sorta back at home-base, but it's been like...like...I dunno 6-months or so since I've caught 'em live. Plus, I'll never miss a chance to see my favorite bands in mid-afternoon.

Click here and here to listen to a couple of songs from their live performance.

This performance was recorded with this set up. I was just kinda experimenting...I was way in the back and the mic/recorder was obstructed by fans, walls and glass.

Flattie McCindy waves buh-bye to B.D. Riley's. It's off to the convention center to pick up our badge!

Here's the line downstairs where you wait your turn to go to...

...the line upstairs...

Flat Cindy tried to make her way to the front of the line by flirting with a SXSW volunteer...

Finally we reached the badge-gettin'-place...only to be told to go wait in another line until they call our name...

Hey, look who F.C. found! Why it's Hunter Hauk of Quick & Dallas Morning News!

Flat Cindy dines with Midlake at Fox & Hound. She nearly finished off McKenzie's fries when he wasn't looking.

Kate Mackley did a quick interview with the Midlake boys-to-men - Click here to listen

This recording was done with my laptop and this mic. There's some static sounds in the beginning because we were outside, upstairs at the Fox & Hound and it was windy.

Oops...oh crap! Literally...

Once the Midlake interview was over, I had about a 10 block walk to find my car. Once I made my way through the throngs of people walking the streets, it was about halfway into Milton Mapes' set...and by the time I drove through the bumper-to-bumper traffic to make my way to South Congress, it was too late, M.M. set over. Tired, sweaty, stinky and starving, I decided to try and find a room to refresh and rest-up for tonight's show with I Can Lick Any SOB and Two Cow.

I had orginally intended to come down here on Thursday, so that's when my hotel reservations begin. I decided to come down early thinking there were bound to be some cancellations. I was soooooooo very wrong..

I started the search for a room in far south Austin...and I hit TWELVE hotels and they were all full. I just kept driving south until I realized I was in freakin' San Marcos. Three of the 4 hotels I tried in San Marcos were full too. I finally found this little hole of a motel and plugged in as soon as my laptop hit the bed. It's 10:51 PM, and I ain't drivin' back to Austin to fight that mess tonight which is a bummer because I rarely get to see SOB and Two Cow, and now it seems I've blown my last 2 chances for awhile.

Once we finally found a vacancy...albeit a crappy flea-bag vacancy...but a place to lay our weary heads just the same, Flattie just had to check her MySpace first thing...even the crappiest of motels have Internet access these days.

Flattie Cin and I will do a much better job tomorrow...now it's off to bed...

Eatin' and Drinkin'

Wednesday, March 15th

~3 bottles of water

~2 glasses of white wine

~1 slice of veggie pizza

Cindy now blogs at The Fine Line.