A parking lot under the hot sun and mid-afternoon Lamar traffic doesn’t always add up to a meaningful set, but hats off to the Waterloo staff for sticking with it. I actually enjoyed my time on the asphalt this afternoon, which is much more than I can say for the rest of my humidity-stained memories in Austin. I like rock music better when I’m not damp.

James Williamson, Texan by way of Detroit, practically invented the punk rock guitar riff when he co-wrote “Search & Destroy” with Iggy Pop. That led to one of the most insane journeys a rock & roll musician could have: From garage bands, reform school, and the Stooges to disco producer, Silicon Valley techie, corporate VP, and re-birth as a Stooge.

Imagine growing up in South Memphis and only knowing Stax Records as a vacant, bottle-strewn lot with a lonely state historical marker in front. “How could something so huge be wiped off the map for future generations?” asked Memphis hip-hop kingpin Al Kapone. “Why wasn’t it passed on to us?”

In the late Nineties, many SXSW attendees discovered the best band performing all week wasn’t playing an exclusive showcase for industry insiders, but performing free on the South Congress sidewalk. Houston’s Allen Oldies Band remains an irony-free covers combo that embodies all that is – or was – unhinged and transcendent about rock & roll.

Daytime parties on South Congress have always been a mixture of see and be seen, run into someone you know, and catch a couple of bands at the same time. Friday afternoon, the light at the end of the tunnel was a faint glimmer and sunglasses hiding bloodshot eyes were in abundance even though it was overcast.

Superchunk leader and Merge Records founder Mac McCaughan showed up to Mellow Johnny’s bike shop downtown with just an acoustic guitar and some songs. Shocking, right? While there wasn’t much rockness to it, stripped of the thrash and pop, some of the songs hold up remarkably well. Others less so.

Your faithful Mo' Music author and his amazing photographer buddy Ryan Obermeyer set out to do SXSW our way. Check us out every day this week for a recap of the night before

Wrapped in a ball gown she referred to as “tailored plastic,” Momma Monster sat down with Fuse’s John Norris for her SXSW Music keynote conversation Friday morning, making her the youngest artist and first woman in 15 years to do the honors.

Austin's been on the receiving end of loads of late-night love all week, thanks to Jimmy Kimmel, who's been taping his weeknight chatfest at the Long Center since Monday. The city comes off resplendently on the small screen, but what's behind all those spectacular shots of a packed and cheering Dell Hall is a lesson in crowd control.