1. SWEDE IT UP Swede Fest is bigger and better, back for its 10th installment Sunday. It’s happening at Tower Theatre, a dream realized for organizers of this quirky film festival. It showcases low-budget parodies made by everyone from average joes to seasoned pros. Creativity, ingenuity and a sense of humor are king at Swede Fest, so you never know what you’re going to see. It’s free and open to movie lovers of all ages. For more on Swede Fest’s growth and rise to popularity, read this Q & A with the organizers. [More]
1. SWING BY AUDIE’S
Let’s all give a round of applause for local band Old Tire Swingers, who recently completed a five-month tour that circled the country and put 15,000 miles on its tour van. Now, the group plays its homecoming show at Audie’s Olympic on Saturday with equally-cool local band Poor Man’s Poison, plus Copper & Glass and direct-from-North Carolina, Deep Chatham. Old Tire Swingers play old-time string music and bluegrass, but its members have a history in rock bands, so they’re trying to get people to recognize it’s not just overall and straw hat music. Read my interview with Old Tire Swingers for more. [Tickets]
Once again, we check in with James Collier and Ryan Jones — two Fresno guys who are in the thick of the madness that is the South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Tx. They’re tracking some of our local bands as they wade through the throngs of shows happening every day. In this installment, that web of local music has tangled in a most lovely way.
Here are some words by James and photos by Ryan:
Okay, so the story goes something like this:
- Strange Vine books a show at a house party for Tuesday. Due to travel delays, they have to cancel the show.
- On Monday, Ryan receives a call from a music connection, asking about equipment. His friend mentions that Kat Jones is in town looking for gigs. Ryan helps Kat connect to the house party.
- Kat invites Nick and Frick from Old Tire Swingers (pictured above) to stop by after her show, in hopes that they can set up a gig with Tara, the organizer.
1. LAISSEZ LES BONS TEMPS ROULER
It’s Mardi Gras time! Sunday is the Tower District is Fresno’s annual parade. The rest of the afternoon should be filled with happenings in Fresno’s most happenin’ part of town. You can catch tunes at Audie’s Olympic (Dusty Buns will be out there too!) or party it up at Starline later in the night.
