You don't have to cough up the cash for a wristband or a badge to get in on the SXSW Music action. Below we've picked a free (open to the public) official SXSW Music event for each day of the fest.
Tuesday, March 17: Riot Act and No Play showcases Kick off your SXSW Music experience with free official showcases at Cheer Up Charlies. Inside, catch Austin darlings Abram Shook, Jess Williamson and Shivery Shakes. On the outside stage, see New York's Deaf Leaf Echo, Denver's In The Whale, and Houston's New York City Queens.
Wednesday, March 18: The Accidentals, Jessie Frye Stripped down happy hour shows at the Hotel Second Play Stage offer a front-row seat for up-and-coming acts. Head to the Sheraton for The Accidentals at 5 pm and Jessie Frye at 6 pm.
Thursday, March 19: Spoon Spoon will headline the first of three nights of music on the SXSW Auditorium Shores Stage. Gates open at 3 pm, and you'll want to arrive early to catch My Jerusalem, Mac McCaughan, and Charles Bradley & His Extraordinaires. Spoon will take the stage at 8 pm.
Friday, March 20: The Lowest Pair, Sam Morrow Cheers to the end of the work week at this Hotel Second Play Stage happy hour showcase. The Omni Hotel plays host to banjo duo The Lowest Pair at 6 pm and LA-based singer songwriter Sam Morrow at 7 pm.
Saturday, March 21: BoDeans This Austin-centric afternoon show at Auditorium Shores starts just before 3 pm with Hunter Sharpe, The Eastern Sea and BoDeans filling the afternoon lineup. If you have the stamina, stick around for an evening of international sounds.
Neil Diamond — a member of both the Songwriters and Rock and Roll Halls of Fame with 10 No. 1 songs and over 56 million albums sold — is such a music legend that it would be easy to do a straight-up biopic of him. Instead, the new Song Sung Blue — named after Diamond’s 1972 hit song — serves as a shadow Diamond biopic, with his songs showcased through a real-life husband-and-wife tribute act known as Lightning & Thunder.
Based on the 2008 documentary of the same name, the film focuses on Mike Sardina (Hugh Jackman), who comes up with the idea for a Diamond-centric act when he meets Claire (Kate Hudson). The duo soon grows in popularity locally in Milwaukee, headlining not just restaurants and bars but also some larger venues. As their legend spreads, they even start to get the attention of the media and bigger names outside of Wisconsin.
Of course, it wouldn’t be a good biopic without a little turbulence, and — without spoiling things — Mike and Claire learn that good times never seemed so good when they face more than their fair share of troubles. The couple endures their ups and downs with the help of their combined family, including children Rachel (Ella Anderson) Angelina (King Princess), and Dana (Hudson Henley), as well as a community of fellow tribute acts.
Written and directed by Craig Brewer (Dolemite is My Name), the film’s appeal lies mainly in the irrepressible enthusiasm of Mike, a man born to entertain if ever there was one. Neither his long-dormant alcoholism nor health problems nor location in the Upper Midwest can stop Mike from demonstrating his showmanship skills. Of course, it helps that he’s portrayed by Jackman, who - despite getting a little long in the tooth — gives every performance his all.
What the story can never quite answer, though, is why this particular couple is worth an entire feature film. Sure, they have a somewhat interesting arc, especially when it coincides with a certain early ‘90s grunge band, but otherwise there’s little that separates them from other tribute acts toiling around the country. Brewer struggles to define them outside of their singing lives, and when things get really bad for them, the emotional connection is at a minimum.
Then there’s the aspect of incorporating Diamond’s music, some of which has endured across the decades more than others. Naturally, “Sweet Caroline” gets a notable showcase, but whither “America” or “Heartlight”? The title song is featured the most often, as Mike uses it to celebrate his yearly “sober birthday,” but it’s not a barnburner. Mike also has an obsession with the relatively obscure "Soolaimón," an odd choice both for him and for the movie to include so much.
Jackman and Hudson have good chemistry together, and when the film puts them together in singing scenes, their bond becomes infectious. Each of them has naturally melodic voices as well, lending an extra boost to that part of the film. Supporting actors like Anderson, King Princess, Michael Imperioli, and Fisher Stevens complement them well, but Jim Belushi, playing their promoter, gives a hammy performance that seems to be in a completely different movie.
While it’s unclear who the audience for Song Sung Blue might be other than hardcore Diamond fans, it has just enough crowd-pleasing moments to make for a solid watch. The entertainment factor of the film comes and goes, but Jackman using every ounce of his abilities mostly makes up for any deficiencies.
