This town is great. Here I am, at the end of my South by Southwest volunteer shift. I flip through the Chronicle to see who's playing tonight. I notice Marcia Ball at Antone's, started early, like 7:00. I walk the 12 or so blocks from the Austin Convention Center to the club at Lavaca and 5th. Poke my head in so see how much it costs. $15. "Any show special for SXSW volunteers?" Hmmm... $10. Cool, I'm there.

Inside, the dance floor is all that separates me from Marcia. Sometimes it's empty, sometimes full, but never crowded. Now, I've seen Marcia in New Orleans, her frequent stomping grounds. You'd never get a ticket to see her the night of the show. Probably not in San Francisco either. You certainly wouldn't be able to walk up to the stage without fighting an intense throng of people. But here in Austin, I was able to stand there and enjoy a fine, fun show. And take a few snapshots!