Attending SXSW? A Show For You To Avoid

If you’re heading to SXSW next week, color me jealous-ish. Lots of bands, good. Long lines and tons of bloggers, bad. Nonetheless, may I offer a suggestion? Unless you enjoy tedious anti-war preaching from rock stars, avoid Stubbs on the 13th.

Any of the following acts might be tolerable on their own, but together? Performing for a movie about a soldier’s experience with war? Oh dear.

Ben Harper, Tom Morello and Serj Tankian will perform at a South by Southwest showcase for the documentary and soundtrack “Body of War,” inspired by a U.S. soldier paralyzed while serving in Iraq.

The performance is set for March 13 at Stubbs BBQ in Austin, Texas, and will also feature Kimya Dawson, American Bang, Brendan James, RX Bandits and special guests to be announced.

I’m sure the movie’s quite touching, but does anyone deserve to put through several hours of Harper, Morello and Tankian back to back demanding an impeachment or encouraging Nader to run, or whatever? Add Kimya Dawson to the mix, and watch the cuteness collide with the caustic rhetoric! Austin, I didn’t support the war, I never voted for Bush, but whatever I did to encourage those guys to perform together, I’m sorry. Really, really sorry.

SXSW: Harper, Morello, Tankian Declare ‘War’ [Billboard]