We are busy setting up today for the Music Fog Marathon, presented by Neustar, which starts tomorrow at Threadgill's WHQ. This shindig is open to the public and it is unofficial, which means you don't need a wristband, a badge, or any other "papers" to attend. We do ask that you eat, drink, and tip your wait staff! And if you haven't tucked into a Chicken Fried Steak, or a Chicken Fried Chicken, you owe it to yourself to stop by Threadgill's for that alone while you are in Austin. Just so you know, Music Fog will be set up in the back room of the south location, at 301 West Riverside. There will be music outside, too, but we will be in air conditioned comfort, with the iconic red velvet curtains behind the stage that we have called home for the last 3 years in mid-March. Today, we are busy blocking out the windows (we abhor light---we are vampires, really!). We are setting up cameras and audio, and hanging lights and checking angles. The calm before the storm is upon us. Not that I would call this calm. For all the preparation, there is always something we haven't thought about, an unprecedented challenge, or something new to learn. I think that makes it extra cool, but it drives Beans crazy.

But back to reality. Even though we are nose to the grindstone, that doesn't stop us from looking around us, as Tuesday is album release day. Among the CDs coming out today is the full length debut from Caitlin Rose called Own Side Now. She will kick off her US tour in Austin this week , though we don't have her coming to see us, unfortunately. We do have Ron Sexsmith, though, for whom she will be opening on eleven dates. Then Caitlin is off to Australia for some shows with The Felice Brothers. Busy, busy, busy. That's pretty heady stuff, but not surprising, as Caitlin's album was released in Europe last August, garnering rave reviews, and she has spent most of her time touring there since its release. We found this quite lovely video for you, "Own Side." It is sort of the title track.

- Jessie Scott