Not all of us can journey down to the SXSW. We have day jobs, obligations up here in Chicago. Besides, why bother fighting the crowds and BBQ lines? If you’ve paid close attention, all the best acts from SXSW have been stopping by the Bottle in the last couple weeks or will come by in the next month. So, you know, you’re welcome.Secret Colours is one of those bands. They’re headlining the Mister Suit Record Release Show here, Wednesday night with Fred Thomas (of Saturday Looks Good to Me) and Yeesh. Yeesh, that’s a good show for a hump day… or any day, for that matter.Before Secret Colours left our beautiful city we charged the gents with a little mission. We asked them to report on their SXSW experience so that everyone up here in Chicago who didn’t get to attend could live vicariously through them. They, being some pretty nice dudes, were happy to oblige. Here it is, everything you need to know about SXSW!We left for the Capitol of Texas by way of the "night flight". The entirety of the band, cruising down the highway in our trusted Ford van. The preferred, or rather accustomed mode of travel is through the night. Rest is for the wary, the sand has been brushed from our eyes and we are eager. What makes a night flight is the sort of accompaniment which is brought along. Sonic stimulation enhanced by high spirits. Lift off, the pilot has turned off the signal to stay seated.The flight is at an end, eighteen hours in and we have landed in sunny Austin, TX. Our manner is disheveled, and the city is in chaos. A massive upheaval that picks the city's locals off of their vine and plants a seed for tourists and suits combined. Somewhere in the midst, there's a small town hero attempting to strike a chord to be heard. We gather ourselves, collect our festival wristbands, too tired to sleep we headed towards East Austin this evening. We indulged in a few gin & tonics at our favorite Austin hang out, “Yellow Jacket Social Club”. Located off of the beaten path on a side road following some train tracks, we felt strangely at home.Easily the best part of the festival is the opportunity to hit up the local food. You learn pretty quick that the trailers downtown offer something no more than street food but if you take the time to explore a bit outside of downtown you’ll find yourself at some incredible trailers and food joints. A standard that we have upheld recently is a visit to “Lucy’s Fried Chicken” in South Austin. Chicken gizzards with an assortment of various hot sauces, it’s difficult to go wrong. In East Austin a friend who happened to be a local suggested the Micklethwait Craft Meats trailer which proved to be a close contender.We had a total of four shows spread over the course of the five or six days we were in town. It wasn’t our first rodeo with SXSW. Our band has grown accustomed to the city over the years by playing various festivals and recently tracking our latest album “Positive Distractions” at “Dandy Sounds Studios” (Any Kind, Cross Record) in Dripping Springs, TX. We were able to catch some incredible performances. Some of which were St. Vincent, Damon Albarn, Sean Lennon, Cross Record, Any Kind, and our Chicago friends in Future Monarchs.Loaded up on barbeque, fried chicken and whatever else we decided to destroy our systems with, it was all at an end. The days tend to blend together, and by the end of the festival the cold embrace of Chicago seems oddly appealing. Maybe it’s the comfort of a bedroom, a familiar face, or just the emotions that the Chicago seasons seem to brand into those who wear it’s flag proudly.

Road to the Bottle with Secret Colours (SXSW 2014 Edition)