Why SXSW When You Can NPR?

See, you coulda stood in this line to see Vampire Weekend at SXSW. Or you could just click your mouse right now. Good call.

Gettin’ old. See, I wish I’d stayed an extra night in Austin — woulda been nice to hear R.E.M. at Stubb’s, where they played the opening night of South by Southwest’s music fest on Wednesday. But, ya know, I didn’t really miss it — or the crowds, and what crowds. For those who couldn’t make the short drive down to Austin, NPR has kindly archived the whole concert — along with those from My Morning Jacket, Yo La Tengo, the great Bon Iver and the better-believe-it Vampire Weekend, which generated the massive crush of humanity above. Saved about a million dollars in gas, to boot — and bootleg, come to think of it. –Robert Wilonsky