The Deli at SXSW: Part 4 – IHEARTCOMIX+JELLY+MAD DECENT CARNIVALLE

So yesterday I really started feeling all my breakfast beers and constant music and schmoozing. The good news is that I’m getting a keen eye for picking out jaded hipsters from plain old dirty hipsters. Also all these mustaches are making me feel like I’m at The Stonewall Inn circa 1969. I was finally able to eat some awesome BBQ until I was sweating barbeque sauce at a place called Iron Works Barbeque. The majority of my day was spent yet again at the IHEARTCOMIX+JELLY+MAD DECENT CARNIVALLE.  The lineup was eclectic and sweet smells of funnel cake wafted through the air. Rye Rye brought her M.I.A approved booty shaking party jams all the way from Baltimore. After her was spastic NY rap group Ninjasonik led by Reverend Mcfly and Telli Federline.  They bounced around the stage spitting rhymes about PBR, skinny jeans, taking drugs and fucking, lots and lots of fucking. Their set was highlighted by their remix of Matt and Kim’s “Daylight” that showed off their rapping skills and wide range of influences. The Very Best came on and breezed through their summer jams and ushered in the only rays of sunshine of the day, quite appropriately. They also had to show up everybody by singing in five different languages throughout their set. I don’t see what the big deal is, I could be the next indie sensation if I picked up a hype man and a couple copies of Rosetta Stone. But seriously, that is some impressive shit. To close the night oout, Philly hero Diplo jumped up on stage right after The Very Best to start off the headlining Major Lazer set. After warming the crowd up for a bit, crazed hype man Skerrit Bwoy and contortionist/presumed sex-goddess Mimi bombarded the stage and brought the house down.  The crowd was treated to extended versions of “Hold the Line” and crazy dub-step freakout “Pon De Floor” while Skerrit Bwoy dry humped to the beat like the future of our time on earth depended on it. Diplo and Switch sat back modestly and let the antics of Skerrit and Mimi take center stage. At the after party, I tried to get a few words from Diplo, but it was hectic so all I remember him saying was that he likes the vegetarian subs from Subway. (Hear that Subway – you have an in with all those dance crazy vegan hipsters.) All in all – it was an appropriately sloppy albeit chilly end to my time here at SXSW. I have never looked more forward to sitting on a plane in my life. Philly, Honey, I’m comin’ home! I hope that you enjoyed reading about my journeys, and please don’t hate that I had a much, much sweeter time this week than you. I already know that the rest of The Deli staff is a little green. (Photo by Joey F.) – Adam G.