Oh Canada!

Just on the strength of Neil Young alone, it's clear that Canada has its own way of doing things. It’s a curious mix of the conservative and the outright goofy, which is exactly what I ran into when I tottered into the annual Canada bash where tequila, that legendary spirit of the north woods, mixes freely with another Canadian tradition, Shiner beer from Texas. There, bedecked in tall marching band hats, was The Wet Secrets, a name that made all the females in the posse I was hanging with, exclaim, Ewwwww!

Despite the umm, zany outfits, The Secrets were a loud, sweaty rock ‘n’ roll band who were leaving it all on the stage when I was there. There's something about the sights and sounds of a grown man, in a majorette hat, honking the hell out of tenor saxophone, that sums up the infinite musical flavors to be found at SXSW.

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