What We Loved On The Last Day Of SXSW

Another grueling and glorious SXSW has finally come to a close. Bob Boilen and Stephen Thompson, the last men on the island, gathered at 2 a.m. to recap the sets they loved on the festival's closing day. On Stephen's recommendation (he's before), Bob saw Los Angeles singer-songwriter in the Central Presbyterian Church. There, in a sanctuary from the noisy, standing-room-only buzz of Austin, her guitar and beautiful voice rung out in the big room. On the last day of Stephen's 21st year at the festival, he loved , a British? You should check it out.) Bob ended his last night with a madcap set from a British punk band called . The singer stripped himself nearly naked and then began climbing on various objects around the room, a la Iggy Pop. It was a powerful set, and the singer was relentless in his pursuit of a higher perch. He tried to climb a photobooth offstage and then fell off it with a resounding thud. When he got back to the mic, he turned and said, "Well, at least I tried." It's as good a message for SXSW as any.