Last week HearSay questioned the motives of J&J Blues Bar and James Hinkle regarding a star-studded jam session after a wake for Robert Ealey. Since then, thanks to a tidal wave of angry letters (not all of which emanated from the same fax number), HearSay has learned that Hinkle has been very supportive of the Ealey family, both during its present difficulties and over many years previous. Given that, HearSay apologizes for presenting Hinkle's actions out of a broader philanthropic context.

Already fading into memory like Saturday night's binge drinking and Sunday morning's hangover, the visceral joy that is Austin's annual musical blowout, SXSW is still sending ripples out into the local community. "It couldn't have gone better," burbled Idol Record's exhausted Erv Karwelis. "I've got, like, 50 e-mails on the strength of Wednesday night's showcase." Karwelis said that David Fricke, Rolling Stone's senior music editor, spent most of the evening proclaiming his affection for Idol artists in general and Clumsy in particular. "We've had a lot of interest from different A+R reps, and all I need now is someone to offer us some money," he said. Readers desperate or bored enough to wonder what A+R types look like might want to attend Sunday's Local Show at Dallas' Club Clearview, where Karwelis expects to find a representative of Hollywood Records and their legal beagle.

Daughter Entertainment representative and Ridglea Theater booking agent Melissa Kirkendall said she spent an entertaining evening with ex-Dead Kennedy Jello Biafra, who asked if he might be allowed to play at the venue. She added that the cost of the badge was money well spent; the conference offered so many opportunities to make connections with other promoters as well as to see any number of otherwise unknown bands.

Paul Bassman, manager of Fort Worth's Flickerstick, said that following the band's "amazing" showcase appearance, "things are going really, really, really good. Labels are calling. It's a little too early to get too specific, but there is one major that totally gets it."

Putting an end to months of speculation, Lisa Gottheil of New York's 2:30 Publicity agency confirmed that the Toadies are slated to play a big blow-out show at the Ridglea Theater (New Yorkers are soooo cute when they try to pronounce "Ridglea" -- usually the word ends up sounding like an already-chewed piece of gum attached to their dentures), on April 14. Interestingly, that date and place has already been booked for KTCU's monumental musical extravaganza, Noizefest 2001.

There has been no comment from any of the fine folks associated with the station or the theater regarding the date, but certain scurrilous sorts suggest that the Toadies and Noizefest are not mutually exclusive.