Admission was free, beer was flowing, the sun was still up, and--to a huge ovation--singer-songwriter Kris Kristofferson [ tickets ] ambled onstage solo, acoustic guitar slung around his neck, harmonica strapped on.

Then he began playing. And the crowd got quiet, enraptured by the charismatic performer.

It's tough for Austin-area residents who aren't interested in paying for a South by Southwest Music Conference registration (which start at more than $300) or waiting in huge lines for tickets to individual shows to partake in the full menu of SXSW attractions. So the SXSW schedule at downtown's Auditorium Shores amphitheater is free, and thousands of locals always take advantage, along with conference-goers.

It's hard to imagine another performer who could so completely command an audience's attention in such a setting, but Kristofferson pulled it off with an easy confidence, playing a 40-minute set of hardscrabble classics like "Me and Bobby McGee," "Help Me Make It Through the Night" and "The Silver-Tongued Devil and I."

More powerful, here in the capital of President George W. Bush's home state, were the heartfelt protest songs, including "Not in My Name" and "Don't Let the Bastards (Get You Down)"--both written more than a decade ago, but still amazingly topical. The songs were occasionally punctuated by the roar of military jets overhead.

Another regular SXSW feature is Japan Nite, for which a slate of Japanese groups take over a club. Stealing the show this year was the Tokyo punk-funk trio Fuzzy Control, which came across during their showcase at Caribbean Nights as a more-melodic version of The Red Hot Chili Peppers. The energetic group displayed great chops and an endless stream of catchy choruses. Note to Perry Farrell: this group should open up Lollapalooza this year. The kids'll dig it.

Later at the Copper Tank (North Room), Sacramento's Low Flying Owls [ tickets ] wowed the crowd with its bottom-heavy, atmospheric and rhythmic brand of rock. Frontman Jared Southard has the swagger of a Jim Morrison or Lou Reed--which is a requirement for getting this type of material across.