Monday, October 27, 2008

Now that’s a party!

Anyone who has attended SXSW in the past knows what the Austin Chronicle has now affirmed in print: SXSW is the Best Party of the Year.

It’s the biggest industry party in the world. Cutting-edge multimedia technology and focus on the newest developments in the video-game industry? Mm-hmm. The best and brightest filmmakers, plus all aspects of the art and business of indie filmmaking? Oh yeah. Panels people talk about for years and music so cool you won’t hear about it until next month? You’d better believe it. And who else would deliver all this over 10 days? South by Southwest. You love it. For more than 20 years now.

Check out some of the Chronicle’s other picks for superlative Austin experiences; they’ll come in handy when you hit the ground this March.

Down under acts coming up top for SXSW 2009

Perhaps with a bit of encouragement to attend, 27 Australian and New Zealand artists have been invited to perform at SXSW Music 2009, with another round of invitations expected shortly.

SXSW rep Phil Tripp said in a statement, “Since 2002, SxSW has had over 200 artists from our side of the world showcase, many of whom have had spectacular international success as a result and others who have kickstarted their export careers early. Based on who has been invited, the focus on Australia which will be peaking as the Baz Luhrman movie paves the way, and continuing government export strategies for music, SxSW looks to be the best for us ever in 2009. We expect over 250 delegates to attend of which 100 are already registered, and with a likely additional 200 artists, crew and management from a projected 40 bands that will be able to play, the Australian Invasion version 6.0 (in years) and 450 in bodies may take our music industry over the top in 2009.”

That’s a lot of Aussies. G’day!

First Film speakers announced

SXSW today announced the first batch of speakers for the 2009 Film conference, including Internet Movie Database founder Col Needham, noted Stanley Kubrick collaborator Jan Harlan, and a keynote conversation between writer/directors Todd Haynes and Richard Linklater. There are, of course, more such announcements to come.

Friday, October 3, 2008

Follow that bird! SXSW on Twitter…

As the rest of the world did (it seems), the folks at SXSW signed up for Twitter back in 2007, when the micro-blogging/messaging service had its unofficial coming-out party and first real stress test at the Interactive conference. But for a long while, the SXSW account had but one brief, lonely tweet.

Over the past few weeks, though, SXSW has been answering Twitter’s “What are you doing?” query fairly frequently, with updates on discount registration, panels and keynotes and more. They seem to be listening to their “followers” too, and using Twitter to provide quick answers and feedback. If you’re planning to attend SXSW and you use Twitter (c’mon, who doesn’t?!), you might want to follow “SXSW”.

And while we’re on the subject, you do follow the Baby, right? In addition to notes whenever we add a significant post to the blog, we tweet other insider tips and info from time to time too.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

First Interactive 2009 programming announced

There’s nothing resembling a schedule grid just yet, but SXSW Interactive organizers have released some information about plenary presentations and panels that’ll be featured at the 2009 event.

Tony Hsieh, CEO of Zappos.com, will deliver the Opening Remarks on Saturday, March 14. On Tuesday, March 17, venture capitalist and techno-evangelist Guy Kawasaki will conduct a Keynote Interview with Chris Anderson, editor-in-chief of Wired magazine. Anderson is also credited with coining the term “the long tail”, which he explained in the book of the same title.

SXSW has a list of more than 60 panel sessions (of 180+ total) available by title or by topic, along with links to the “Panel Picker” descriptions provided by panel organizers. Look for the first draft of an actual schedule sometime in December.

So what looks good to you?

Win a week in a downtown Austin hotel for SXSW

The kind folks at SXSW are offering the opportunity to win a sweet place to bunk during the 2009 event, and all you have to do to enter is make sure you’re registered for the event—film, interactive, music or the whole deal—by November 14. One lucky registrant will receive five complimentary nights at the downtown Residence Inn Austin, just footsteps from the Convention Center headquarters.

Rooms there in the SXSW block go for $217 a night plus taxes, which means the prize is valued at over $1,200. Some of the Baby-sitters have stayed at the Residence Inn in the past and it’s a fine crib to use as a home base for the conferences and festivals. Every room has a queen bed, a sleeper sofa and a full kitchen area for those extremely rare times you might tire of Tex-Mex. There’s also free internet access, tasty, free hot breakfast buffet and a downstairs Starbucks.

Learn more about the giveaway.

Monday, September 29, 2008

Memphis bands could play SXSW for free

There are some real advantages for bands living in the shadow of Graceland, at least as far as the SXSW Music Festival is concerned. Memphis bands considering applying to showcase at SXSW 2009 could get a free ride on the registration fee, courtesy of the Memphis Music Foundation ambassador program.

The first 50 bands who visit the center between now and November 4 can get their registration fee waived by the Memphis Music Foundation. Bands can also express their interest in being part of an official Memphis music showcase planned for the March conference. Just visit the Memphis Music Resource Center, which is located at 431 South Main Street, Suite 201.

Wednesday, September 24, 2008

Ginger Man on the move

Coming as it did on the heels of news that a couple of our favorite eateries—Las Manitas and Castle Hill Café—were shuttering for good, we were...well, crying in our beer about word that The Ginger Man, where we’ve passed many a night on the patio, was being forced out of its home to make way for new development.

But there’s good news! The blog Texas Beer reports that Ginger Man will relocate to a new spot at 301 Lavaca, and is expected to be open by the end of the year. That’s well in time to shake out the bugs in the operation before SXSW. Good oh!

Early registration deadline this Friday

This Friday, September 26, is your last chance to take advantage of the lowest price to register for SXSW 2009. After that, prices for Film and Interactive badges go up $25, Music and Gold (Film and Interactive together) badges go up $50, and Platinum badges for the whole SXSW schmear go up $75.

If you know March in Austin is on the agenda, now is the best time to save a few bucks and take advantage of the opportunity to book a room in one of the downtown hotels—which are already going fast—through the conference. Here’s the registration page.

Friday, August 29, 2008

Deadline extended: 72 more hours to panel pick!

Apparently, the folks at SXSW saw a big uptick on the Interactive Panel Picker toteboard today, because they’ve decided to extend the voting deadline to September 1. So, keep on pickin’.

Last day for panel pickin’

Today is the final day to vote for your favorite proposed Interactive festival content for 2009. Get on over to the Interactive Panel Picker and have your say!

Monday, August 11, 2008

Set your site: SXSW Web Awards entries now accepted

Entries for the 2009 SXSW Web Awards are now being accepted in a total of 18 categories, including Art, Business, Blog, Mobile, Music and Community.

To be eligible, a site must have launched or substantially redesigned during calendar 2008 (except for entries in the “Classic” category), and while sites may be entered in multiple categories, each submission requires an entry fee. Until October 17, that’s just $10; afterward until the final December 19 deadline, the fee is $25.

Entries will be judged on criteria including visual design, functionality, interactivity, content and creativity by a panel of interactive industry “experts”. In addition to the potential glory of victory (along with sponsor-donated prize packages and a nifty trophy), all entrants are given the option of registering for SXSW Interactive 2009 at the lowest rate until February and, if their site is judged a finalist, will receive a complimentary registration.

Finalists will be notified in late January; the awards themselves will be doled out in a gala ceremony during SXSW Interactive 2009 on March 15.

Friday, August 8, 2008

Welcome to Austin! What’ll you have?

From the Not-Particularly-Shocking-News Department: Austin, Texas leads the nation in drinking, at least according to a study by the CDC.

Austin, Texas, is famous for its parties. People flock from around the world to attend events like the annual South by Southwest film and music festival. And when they get there, chances are they make like the locals and throw back a few cold ones—because Austin may be the hardest-drinking city in America.

Austin ranks high for its drinking habits across the board. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s (CDC’s) 2007 Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System Survey, 61.5% of adult residents say they have had at least one drink of alcohol within the past 30 days, and a staggering 20.6% of respondents confess to binge drinking, or having five or more drinks on one occasion.

Now, we’re not keen on promoting unhealthy or reckless behavior, but if you’re in town for SXSW 2009, order an extra Shiner or two and enjoy them responsibly. You’ll be doing your part to keep Austin on top.

2009 Interactive “Panel Picker” now live

The 2009 Interactive Panel Picker is now live. The web application on the SXSW site permits you to create a personal login and vote for panels you’d most like to see during the Interactive conference. According to SXSW, 30 percent of festival programming is selected based on feedback submitted through the panel picker; the remaining programming is determined by the SXSW staff and advisory board.

There’s a huge number of panel proposals to choose from, divided into categories for easier navigation. Business applications and social networking topics continue to dominate. Says SXSW:

One of the most amazing aspects of the Panel Picker is that it provides an intriguing snapshot of the current state of the new media industry. Recession, what recession? For 2009, we received 176 submissions in the “Business / Entrepreneurial” category. In fact, the only category which received more submissions was “Advertising / Marketing” at 185. These numbers reaffirm how important a role emerging technology now plays in the commerce of our day-to-day lives.

What is the most common cross-category theme amongst 2009 submissions? That would definitely be “social”—as is social media and social networks and social software and social systems. The number of proposals that reference this buzzword in one form or another indicate that (for better or for worse) we are still at the tip of the iceberg of this trend.

So get over there and get to pickin’! Voting closes on August 29.

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

‘Dillo may go pay-o

Capital Metro, the agency that runs public transit in Austin, is floating a fare increase proposal that, among other things, would make the popular, now-free downtown ‘Dillo trolley service 50 cents for a two-hour pass. Of course, that’s still a great bargain for SXSW visitors, who can use the ‘Dillo service to scoot around to various venues during the conference. The proposal will be voted upon later this month and, if approved, would take effect in October.