It happens every spring as SXSW approaches: I start thinking “how can I get sent to Texas to cover the music?”

I made it in 2010, covering for New Times (and myself as well), missed 2011, and likely will miss 2012 – it’s tough to get media outlets to do anything other than the bare minimum these days.

But I was looking through some photos from 2010 and came across two of my favorite moments from 2010 : Ty Segall’s indoor set at the Mohawk (which blew away media darlings Surfer Blood, who were playing outside at the same time), and the unexpected Noah Engh set at Manic Fest Destiny.

I’d expected neither; I hadn’t really paid attention to the Mohawk lineup (except I knew I had to see Surfer Blood per a New Times request, and I personally wanted to see Death play), and Noah Engh wasn’t even on the list of performers that day.

But those are really really the best parts of SXSW: the stuff that happens BETWEEN the stuff people go for. With SXSW becoming almost a parody of itself (and doing some sleazy shit with performers), it’s people like Segall and Engh that still make me long to cover it. See for yourself, with this short clip, badly shot, of Noah Engh making Austin worthwhile:

There’s more, but by no means all of, my 2010 coverage here.