I think I just found a reason to go to SXSW:

Our venerable The Decemberists will perform The Hazards of Love live to open SXSW Music on Wednesday, March 18, 2009.

Are you keeping up with your dates? The album will be performed live a week before its official release!

The performance will be streamed and archived at NPR's SXSW site

Looks like flights from San Jose to Austin for March 17 to March 21 are around $200. So tempting...