by Tim McMahan, Lazy-i.com

By now you’ve probably already figured out that I won’t be going to Austin for the South by Southwest Music Festival this week. I grudgingly decided to take a year off after having too much fun at SXSW for the past two years. My reasoning: 1) There’s a rather limited Omaha presence this year (no Saddle Creek Records showcase), 2) I just got back from vacation (and my suntan is quickly fading), 3) I didn’t have a hotel room lined up, 4) I just need to take a year off to recharge my SXSW batteries. The Reader‘s new music editor, Chris Aponick, will be in Austin providing plenty of high-quality music reporting. I have no idea if he’ll be blogging, but if I find out, I’ll pass the link along.

Who else will be in Austin this week? Well, none other than the BluBlocker-wearing freaks that make up Satchel Grande, this year’s winner of The Reader‘s SXSW showcase sponsorship. And you can help send them off in style by dropping by The Waiting Room tonight for a send-off gig where every penny of your $5 admission will go directly into their pockets (and they’ll need it because SXSW can be super expensive). Show starts at 8 p.m.

So what happened this past weekend? Find out tomorrow in my review (with pics) of Saturday night’s Slowdown gig…

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Read Tim McMahan’s blog daily at Lazy-i.com — an online music magazine that includes feature interviews, reviews and news. The focus is on the national indie music scene with a special emphasis on the best original bands in the Omaha area. Copyright © 2011 Tim McMahan. All rights reserved.