SXSW: Divey Taqueria Performances and Sammy Sosa’s Samosas and Mimosas with Pile

Imagine wanting a pizza in the east downtown area of an unfamiliar city. Naturally, you should order it from the man who is selling it out of his home. This is the reason Pile is and will remain one of my favorite bands.

They had ordered pizza online from a guy who makes it in his home. The guys get to what they think is the right address and open the door, expecting a business. Instead, they walked in on a man working out. He was very angry and shouted, “How dare you not respect me in my home!” among other things. They ran away and ended up getting pizza from Super Happy Fun Land. On the way back to the venue, they were playing at they see that same man getting arrested in his front yard.

I heard this crazy story outside and was a little star struck that I was meeting the band. In between bites of pizza, they introduced themselves.

I saw Pile to kick off my spring break in Houston at Black Barbie off Canal Street. The venue had its charm. I called to see what time they would be playing and the man on the phone said, “Have you ever been here? The place is a yellow taqueria.”

I get there and the price of beer was “donation only.” The cops get called for a noise complaint and cut off the band opening for Pile and the door guy got arrested. That didn’t stop the guys. As they say, the show must go on. Into the set they played the song of the new album, “F*** the Police.”

What a show it was. There were less than twenty people there, a few dogs in the crowd. It was a magical night.

Pile started off my spring break and ended it. I saw them Sunday again as my last show of SXSW at Frank in Austin. The capacity for the venue was 175. Guess who was occupant 175? It was me!

The show had a much larger audience than Houston’s show, the cops were not called and the Bacon Bloody Marys were not priced as donations only. Favorites like “Pets,” “The World is Your Motel,” and “Baby Boy” were played.

After the set I got to have a small interview with lead singer, Rick Maguire. The band was enjoying their Sunday Funday. This brunch showcase was sponsored by Third Man Records and they were taken care of with an open bar and food. Jack White is always looking out for his musicians.

The group had played seven shows at SXSW over a four day period. I had tried to go to Saturday’s show at The Liberty, but the line was so long.

Rick said, “I had gone to the van to take a nap and the line was crazy, when I came back they had just kind of let everyone in.”

They also performed at Todd’s Mansion.

“We played there last year. It is basically some dude’s garage. Next door was his brother’s house, where there was a half-pipe and bands were playing in there.”

They are completing a tour in the U.S and then going off to Europe.

With all the craziness of touring and the new album being released Rick’s response was, “I’ve resigned myself to the idea that this is how I am going to conduct my life now. I see this not as my job, I see it as my work. I’m very happy doing this. There was a point where I had to sort of not do things for comfort and for a wage anymore. I had to take a risk and commit myself to something that I really love doing. This is me doing it and it has been very rewarding.”

The first song off of the new album, “The World is Your Motel” is one of my favorites and he gave me a bit of insight, “It was written in reference to a book called White Noise by Don DeLillo. There is a part in it where it is kind of the humdrum of life-where his wife is a dumpy woman in a tracksuit. I feel like that sometimes. It is also talks about the low hum of the garbage disposal and just all the things being in the same vibration.”

Final words from the drummer Chris, who sports an epic beard, were “Playing rock music is fun!”

Rick said, “Next time you’re in Austin check out Sammy Sosa’s Indian Resturant, Sammy Sosa’s Samosas and Mimosas. It’s delicious. Great brunch.”

I will always be the most gullible person and fell for it asking follow up questions.

It’s not a real place.

By Corina Carrizales