Pitchfork

It's a long road down to SXSW, but thanks to a few venues in Baton Rouge, Louisiana, it's a slightly less expensive one. The LA capital city-- now the state's most populous metropolitan area, in the wake of Katrina-- plays host to the 2007 Gas Food and Lodging Festival from March 12-24.

The two-week fest provides traveling bands a means of making a little extra cash on the way over to SXSW-- cash which could conceivably be used toward-- yes-- gas, food, and/or lodging. Or, you know, drugs and prostitutes. Young bands: the choice is yours!

City venues Spanish Moon, Red Star, North Gate Tavern, and Chelsea's Cafe welcome a trove of indie favorites during the festival, including Deerhunter, Hella, Pelican, Jesse Sykes, Mary Timony, the Black Angels, the Rosebuds, Dirty Projectors, Dirty on Purpose, Georgie James, Bishop Allen, Daughters, Young Widows, Silversun Pickups, Six Parts Seven, Say Hi to Your Mom, and more. Check out the complete lineup below.

Spanish Moon:

03-12 Silversun Pickups, The Rosebuds
03-13 Pelican, Daughters, Russian Circles, Young Widows
03-14 Deerhunter, 2CV
03-16 Astronautalis, Club of the Sons
03-17 Jason Isbell (of Drive-By Truckers)
03-19 Hella, Dirty Projectors
03-20 Six Parts Seven, The Apes, Antelope
03-21 Say Hi to Your Mom, Bishop Allen, +/-
03-23 The Black Angels, Vietnam

Red Star:

03-12 Apollo Sunshine, Dirty on Purpose, Earl Grey
03-13 Mary Timony, Georgie James
03-15 The Honored Guests
03-16 We Landed on the Moon

Chelsea's Cafe:

03-12 Jesse Sykes, The Moaners
03-13 Jim Bianco, Jenny Owen Youngs, Tobias Froberg
03-14 JJ Grey and Mofro, Hobex
03-15 Sons of William
03-16 Eric Lindell
03-17 The Loft
03-21 Michael Foster Project
03-22 Southern Culture on the Skids, Reverend Peyton's Big Damn Band
03-23 T.J. Black and the Black Sound Parade
03-24 Rocket 88's Old Time Rock'n'Roll

North Gate Tavern:

03-12 Constants, Thou
03-13 Carrigan, 60 Cycles of Sound, The Melters
03-14 Nothington, Vaeda, Save the Last Bullet, Starscream's Revenge
03-15 Aces Over Kings, Stranger Than Angels
03-17 Red Collar
03-19 The Sundresses, Dimestore Troubadours
03-21 Lunara
03-22 Gracer, Epic, Lazarus Heart
03-24 Juan Prophet Organization, The Vermillion Lies, Wilderness Pangs