The Austin Chronicle Hair of the 3-Legged Dog Day Party Revives Hotel Vegas on Friday of SXSW

Tripaw Hank, Austin Chronicle office dog and namesake of the Hair of the 3-Legged Dog Day Party, didn't make an appearance in the club but his foamcore representation did (photo by Isabella Martinez)

There's one cure for a sleep-deprived, week-long bender, and The Austin Chronicle served it in four doses of live music (and countless bloody marys) during our eighth Hair of the 3-Legged Dog Day Party.

Austin artists Kydd Jones, Being Dead, Rattlesnake Milk, and Urban Heat scored a chilly day at Hotel Vegas, while fellow locals Eldorado Cafe and liliwell supplied edible freebies. Chron music contributor Kevin Curtin introduced performers and sponsors with shouty enthusiasm, then boomed, "It's okay to get drunk right now!" For the record, we had plenty of Rambler and cold brew too.

Kydd Jones (photo by Isabella Martinez)

Shortly after, the Austin hip-hop limelight Kydd Jones seized the patio stage, eager to warm the wind-chilled crowd. The rapper/fashionisto led multiple chants as he steamrolled through standout "Crispy Sprite," and deep cuts "Demons" and "King."

Being Dead (photo by Isabella Martinez)

Following a satirical script reading by Curtin, psych-rock act Being Dead graced the grandstand, looking alive – and smiley – as the host initiated "Happy Birthday" to guitarist/vocalist Cody Dosier. The duo sprinkled unreleased tracks into their “Apostles' Prom” and “Hot Car” standards before closing with arboreal offerings ("a bloody mary!") and barking breakdowns via unreleased "Tree Land."

Rattlesnake Milk (photo by Isabella Martinez)

Next up, Rattlesnake Milk peddled country wares with a blues-y twist. The quartet's shadowy Chicken Fried Snake emulated yesterday's overcast skies, but singer Lou Lewis' zigzag vocals and guitarist Andrew Chavez's clever licks brightened the atmosphere.

Urban Heat (photo by Isabella Martinez)

When the sun finally appeared, Urban Heat shrouded the party in percussive thunder, warbling synths, and a beautifully haunting cover of Q Lazzarus' "Goodbye Horses." Darkness be damned, the post-punk trio delivered the audience to the light with Austin Music Awards Song of the Year, "Have You Ever?" Jonathan Horstmann's resounding baritone and pantomimes punctuated the closer right before the vocalist leapt off a kick drum and invited a final sing-along from a grinning audience. Consider us cured.

See more images from the Austin Chronicle’s eighth annual Hair of the 3-Legged Dog Day Party in Isabella Martinez’s photo gallery.