Notes:

1. "The Fifth Annual Swollen Circus" (a pre-party for the annual SXSW Music Festival).  12 performers, limited to “3 concise pop songs each.”

2. Online review:  “Whiskeytown's Ryan Adams, nearly unrecognizable in a new haircut, hushed the boisterous crowd with a set of stark and mournful new tunes.”

3. Online review and picture:  “Ryan was clearly the star of the evening. He appeared later than planned, along with his guitar/sound tech (a new concept at the Swollen Circus) and sat down on the tiny stage. Then it happened: as soon as Ryan started his set of three new songs, the room went quiet. Real quiet. Church quiet. Usually the crowd is noisy + chatty at the Hole, but everyone was just mesmerized. Tonya (Hazeldine) added some sweet harmonies on the last song, after he played the first verse so she could learn it. A memorable performance, so much better and intense than any of the drunken Whiskeytown shows I have seen...”