Austin's Power

Welcome to the 25th anniversary of the SXSW Festival in Austin, Texas. Josh Ritter is currently on stage at the Convention Center. Twenty minutes ago and it was Emmylou Harris, singing a powerful adieu to her late friend Kate McGarrigle and giving us a foretaste of her upcoming album, 'Hard Bargain'.

Bob Geldof delivered the keynote address on this St Patrick's morning, roaring passionately about the need for engagement in music. He was name-checking George Bernard Shaw, Goethe and Johnny Rotten, and he bashed the bloggers with profanities before chastising Americans for being "exhausted". He summed it up thus: "the noise of American revolt must continue".

Last night we were pounding the streets, checking out the bars, the buskers and the uncommon venues. Mona from Nashville were throwing shapes at Antone's, The Dears were in fits at Spill and there was a revelation at the Central Presbyterian Church. Josh T Pearson played some tunes from his 'Last Of the Country Gentleman' album, which is monumentally honest, raw and disturbing. Beneath a giant crucifix, he sang 'Sweetheart I Ain't Your Christ', and we felt a severe chill of intemperate art. He bookended his performance with 'Rivers Of Babylon', remembering the days of exile, the dread of never getting home and the flicking chance of deliverance. Hope you get there, Josh.