Each year, Stubb's outdoor amphitheater hosts a nightly lineup of impressive, typically well-known acts, and this year was no exception.

Normally, I avoid this place like the plague during SXSW. Waiting in lines and standing shoulder-to-shoulder with tons of other fans isn't very conducive to taking notes for a music review. I scrapped this admittedly negative preconceived notion of mine on Friday (3/14), though, for one band, or more accurately for one man: Pharrell Williams of N.E.R.D. [ tickets ] I headed that direction in anticipation of the usual long line, but nothing. I got right in without a moment's hesitation and just in time to catch a few songs from Australian pop singer Sia [ tickets ]. I'd never caught a song of hers before, but I was blown away by her smooth, calm voice while waiting in line for a drink. The blonde-bobbed singer, dressed in colorful garb, played soulful sing-along songs and reminded me of a happy, satisfied child (possibly due to her blunt, kid-like cut and recent album cover for "Some People Have Real Problems," for which her face was graffitied with magic markers.) Her positive outlook and easy stage presence were contagious.

Unfortunately, that satisfaction didn't stick with me as I waited and waited (did I mention I waited?) for Williams' rap outfit, N.E.R.D., to take the stage. On the schedule for a 1 a.m. start time, the handful of men, Pharrell included, finally took the stage around 1:45 a.m.--only about 30 minutes after I'd lost my patience. Determined to see some segment of the performance after waiting so long, I managed to survive the spastic crowd for a couple of songs before calling it a night. What those songs were, I couldn't tell you, but I can tell you that this huge N.E.R.D. fan was sadly underwhelmed.

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