A Less Innocent Time

Once upon a time, as the former Austin Chronicle intern, I went to the first SXSW. I think I flew from Dayton Airport that year, since I was going to college in Ohio. Later, I went to subsequent SXSWs, those times from New York.

This was a different world, a world where everyone you knew was at one show or another, and you’d see all your friends over the course of the night. Parking was plentiful, BBQ and tacos were cheap, and lines were easily avoided by a few quiet words to a friend at the door. Back then, we didn’t stay in hotels because we were young and sleeping on friend’s floors or sofas seemed perfectly acceptable. You’d go to a bar with a friend to see a band, then they’d wander off to a different show, and you’d go along with someone else to another spot. Eventually, you’d all end up at the same spot again, the best spot, the place where everyone you knew was laughing and enjoying the band the whole town had turned out to see. Or maybe it was a party, but there was always a band there, too.

I don’t remember when I stopped going to SXSW, but it was before some of you were born. Life changes, people find other things to do, and in time, I stopped visiting Austin altogether. Eventually, I no longer recognized the names of the acts, and finally, didn’t even look to see who was performing.

I wasn’t in Austin for SXSW last week, and I got out of town yesterday afternoon before it really kicked in, but my five days in town felt like the old days. Not that I was hopping from club to club or seeing music—in fact, I saw zero bands. But I did see friends. So many friends, friends from Austin and the Chronicle, friends from Ohio, friends from comics, one friend from my hometown of Alexandria, friends from bands, Daniel’s family, and they all saw me too, as I spoke on stage about Daniel Johnston’s artwork and our friendship, and how we ended up putting his Batman, Superman, and Orion on the cover to Batman #121.

I even made a few new friends.

I stayed in a tiny house in the backyard of a host who had been following my career, as he too had worked at the Austin Chronicle. I took photos of the tiny house, but I neglected to take photos of all my wonderful friends.

I have a few group shots, but not of everyone.

And I realized, I never had cared about SXSW. I only cared about spending time with my friends, and about those special nights when they’d all end up together.