SXSW Baby

Sched’s SXSW 2012 by the numbers

Ewan — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 21:13:21 +0000

Just how big was SXSW this year? Well, Taylor McKnight and the team from Sched (good friends of The Baby!) have put together the numbers of SouthBy attendees using the timetable and planning service they provide.

So what did we go though in March? Over a million page views, eight thousand events, five hundred and fifty-eight venues, and there’s more in Sched’s annual report.

But my favourite number? If you add up all the events at SXSW,and how long they ran for you get the scarily big number of 10,652 hours of Austin events. That’s just over one year two months, and three weeks of content… you wouldn’t be finished by the time SXSW 2013 rolls around!

The Greatest Entertainment Summits of the Year

Ewan — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 20:59:58 +0000

That’s how Kevin Moreno sums up this year’s SXSW in California’s El Pasino:

Whether you listen to hip hop, punk, pop, rock, or electronic, no matter what the genre is, SXSW will have a band you will enjoy. The greatest thing about this festival is whether it’s a big mainstream artist, an up and coming underground band, or somewhere in between, SXSW has it all.

More at El Pasino. We couldn’t agree more – and if you missed it, our 2012 Music Sampler is still available!

My SXSW 2012, by Mark Collins

Ewan — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 08:32:47 +0000

Mark Collins takes a look back at this year’s SXSW, although in the best tradition of the press, when he writes SXSW he means SXSW Music)

The price of Lone Star was fairly consistent. On the downside, mainstream America fully embraced SXSW after slowly creeping in on the festival for years. Whether it was the 60-foot-tall Doritos vending machine, the party sponsored by Nike, or American Express broadcasting a live Jay-Z concert on Sixth Street, everybody wants a piece of Austin. SXSW is still about music, but it’s also so much more.

With his favourite (and worst) bands, events, recycling, and the love affair from the hipsters for his Moleskine… it’s a fun read over at HuffPo.

8 Things That SXSW Interactive Taught Nate Hideman

Ewan — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 08:35:30 +0000

CNBC writer Nate Hideman is back from Austin, and has sat down to think about what he learned from South by Southwest, and has eight concrete takeaways from the event. For example:

It’s often said that the real action at SXSW doesn’t take place at the panels or the keynotes, but in the surrounding cafes and bars where entrepreneurs and investors do deals over a breakfast taco or a shot of tequila. For most attendees, the sit-downs, dinners and parties are more important than the event’s programming because of the business relationships they foster. “One relationship can move the needle $100,000,” said Neil Blumenthal, the CEO and founder of the eyeglasses company Warby Parker, as the clock struck midnight at a Beachmint party. “That’s why I’m not at home right now.”

You can read the full list on CNBC. How many of these did you manage, or have they missed something obvious?

In the mosh pit with Bruce Springsteen

Ewan — Sun, 25 Mar 2012 22:13:15 +0000

The gig that many were talking about at SXSW? Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band. And if you didn’t get a ticket (or if you want to relive the experience), then Michael Mayer has done a fantastic write up:

And on through an hour, two hours, Bruce played. He crowd surfed, at the end of songs he’d heave his guitar 30 feet through the air to a roadie, he climbed on amps and drum kits. He delivered most of his new album to rapturous applause. The hits pushed the crowd into group swaying and singing that seems like it could cure disease…

Even if you think in advance that you’re not someone who sings at concerts, you belt this stuff out. And everyone does, so there’s no reservations. And it’s not like anyone hears you. We’re all standing in the face of a 32-legged hurricane, a jet-turbine engine, the E Street Band. The sound is huge, so huge you don’t think it could have ever been matched in rock history.

More at A+E Interactive.

Sing Whitesnake’s “Here I Go Again” and add SXSW 2013 to your calendar

Ewan — Thu, 22 Mar 2012 23:33:38 +0000

And it all starts up again – have you considered attending SXSW 2013?

Interactive: March 8th – March 12th 2013.
Film: March 8th – March 16th 2013.
Music: March 13th – March 16th 2013.

Things to do if you are still at SXSW

Ewan — Tue, 20 Mar 2012 22:29:09 +0000

Go home.

Really, go home.

Things to do Today at SXSW: Sunday 18th

Eric — Sun, 18 Mar 2012 16:47:38 +0000

Softball and BBQ

GO HOME

Things to do Today at SXSW Saturday 17th

Eric — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 14:00:56 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Yellow Submarine (1968) Newly Restored (UK) (SXSchedule)
12:00pm Paramount

• Rachael Rays
Stubbs (Just stay there for the day, trust us)

SXSW Film: Best of the Fest

Eric — Sat, 17 Mar 2012 13:41:56 +0000

This years slate of films at SXSW was great, but we wanted to take time to point out our favorites and recommend that you see these films if it’s the last thing you ever do. Seriously, they’re that good.

CatCam
Italy Love it or Leave it
Indie Game: The Movie
Rock and Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen
Beauty is Embarrassing
Iron Sky
Brooklyn Castle

We saw a lot of other films, all of them excellent, but these are the cream of the crop (that we saw).

We can’t wait for next years films, and more importantly, we can’t wait for these films to be seen outside the festival circuit. Some, like Brooklyn Castle have important messages, others like Beauty is Embarrassing offer insight into what defines us as human beings.

Thanks to all the folks at SXSW Film who worked so hard to bring us an incredible festival!

Things to do Today at SXSW Friday 16th

Eric — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 14:00:55 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• The Do-Deca Pentathlone (SXSchedule)
9:45pm Stateside

• Bug Girl
3.00pm Trophys Bar

• Under the Radar
Flamingo Cantina

• Third Man Records
The Stage on Sixth

Things to do Today at SXSW Thursday 15th

Eric — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 18:54:31 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Big Star: Nothing Can Hurt Me (SXSchedule)
7:00pm Paramount

• Filter Showdown
Cedar Street Courtyard, 208 W 4th

• Paradigm
IFC Crossroads House/Vice

SXSW Baby Podcast, Thursday March 15th

Ewan — Thu, 15 Mar 2012 17:12:38 +0000

Music is in full swing, there’s duelling guitars all along 6th Street (and a cinema slap bang in the middle). You just have to love SXSW right now!

Jonathan Lisecki and Jenn Harris (Gayby),

Chat and music from Nive Nielsen.

Follow the SXSW Baby blog for more South by Southwest fun, and what we’re up to on the ground via Twitter and @SXSWbaby. Got news about SXSW for us? Get in touch via SXSW Baby’s contact form! Don’t forget to follow the podcast via the RSS feed!

SXSW Baby Podcast, Wednesday March 14th

Ewan — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 15:46:59 +0000

Interactive bows out, Music takes over, and Film keeps on screening. We’re just past the half way mark!

Simon Willison and Natalie Downe (Lanyrd)

Nir Paniry and Gabriel Cowan (Extracted)

Music from Gemma Ray.

Things to do Today at SXSW Wednesday 14th

Eric — Wed, 14 Mar 2012 13:40:21 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Rock ‘N’ Roll Exposed: The Photography of Bob Gruen (SXSchedule)
1:45pm Ritz 1

• Blondfire (SXSchedule)
1100 Warehouse 8:00-8:40 pm

• Scottish Music Showcase (SXSchedule)
Starting at 8:00pm at Easy Tiger Patio, 709 E. 6th St.

• SXSW Trade Show (Info)
11:00am – 6:00pm

• Parties
Canadian BBQ(SXSchedule)

SXSW Baby Podcast, Tuesday March 13th

Ewan — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:51:22 +0000

SXSW continues, and while Interactive reaches its last day, there’s still nearly a week of fun and games for everyone still here (and still to arrive) in Austin!

Mark Kendall, director of La Camioneta.

Artist Hugh MacLeod, www.gapingvoid.com.

Music from Anamanaguchi.

Things to do Today at SXSW Tuesday 13th

Eric — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 14:00:38 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Waiting for Lightning (SXSchedule)
7:45pm Canon

• SXSW Trade Show (Info)
11:00am – 6:00pm

• Panels
WallE or Terminator: Predicting the rise of AI(SXSchedule)

SXSW Trade Show and the gdgt Event

sharon — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 13:32:42 +0000

Walking through the SXSW Trade show we noticed quite a few interesting booths:

We were exciting to see Space Camp there. While not usual for a SXSW event, you have to admit it gets the space geek in you excited. We were!
Beautecam, an app specifically designed to determine skin type and tone, was there. They were also handing out tiny zoom lenses that attach to your phones camera to allow the app to work. Clever idea and way out of the norm for SXSW.
Otterbox had a very visible booth, and drew a large crowd to play their version of “Plink-O” where the winners won an OtterBox phone case.
We were happy to see several booths take our advice and offer items that had staying power; bandannas, mini Sharpies on lanyards, notebooks, and a new item we’ve not seen at SXSW before: headphone cord keepers.

We also checked out a tech event over at the Austin Music Hall; gdgt. This event was like the techie ubergeeks Trade Show! With companies like Seagate, SanDisk, LogiTech Boxee, and Roku displaying their cutting edge tech products! Is was really like a mni CES! The gdgt Live show is touring the country, check out the website for info!

One of the most interesting booths there was the Simple.TV booth.

Simply.TV has a device that allows you to record onto it’s $149 DVR from any broadcast or basic cable service and have it available to view remotely if you choose. The feature that got our attention was the ability to add your own external storage, including networked storage! Having the ability to add your own external hard drive to the setup eliminates the problem of diminishing space on your DVR!

It was a great event, and more like what we’d like to see in the future at the Trade Show, cause who doesn’t like gadgets?

;

SXSW Baby Podcast, Monday March 12th

Ewan — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 15:20:43 +0000

The sun is out! So while you all burn, because we don’t have hats or remembered Factor 50 sunblock, lets capture another day at SXSW with our daily podcast.

Director Timo Vuorensola and Proucer Tero Kaukomma talk about their “Nazis from Space” feature, Iron Sky.

Steven Lowe talks about the impact on SXSW Interactive on a ‘regular’ delegate.

Music from The Balkan Beat Box, “War Again”.

Things to do Today at SXSW Monday 12th

Eric — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 14:24:21 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Beware of Mr. Baker (SXSchedule)
2:15p Alamo C

• SXSW Trade Show (Info)
11:00am – 6:00pm in the Convention Center

• Panels
Play Time Kids and Game based learning (SXSchedule)

Restoring History: 100 Years of Universal Films(SXSchedule)
11:00 am Paramount

Take a Tour of the Interactive & Film Lounges

Eric — Mon, 12 Mar 2012 00:40:43 +0000

We took the day today to explore the various and sundry lounges that are scattered about SXSW. It was entertaining, informative and fun. definitely worth taking time to get off the beaten path.

We explored the HP NVIDIA lounge on 6th, the Beacon, the Microsoft, and the Samsung Bloggers lounges in the Convention Center, and the Gemalto lounge in the Hilton.

There are many others, so step off the path, and explore!

SXSW Baby Podcast, Sunday March 11th

Ewan — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 19:23:34 +0000

The rain appears to be lessening, but that’s nothing comapred to the growth and buzz in the air around INteractive and Film – Music is in the background as well, ready to take over. But for now, let’s chat to:

John Yost, CEO of Super Better.

The cast and crew of King Kelly.

Music from Ruby Jane.

Things to do today at SXSW Sunday 11th

Eric — Sun, 11 Mar 2012 14:00:34 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• Iron Sky (SXSchedule)
11:45pm The Alamo Ritz 2

• Panels
The power of unpopular (SXSchedule)

SXSW Baby Podcast, Saturday 10th March 2012

Ewan — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 17:24:20 +0000

SXSW starts again, and as we all hide from the rain, what delights have we uncovered four our daily podcast from Austin?

Jeffrey Kimball
The Central Park Effect

Ville Heijari
Angry Birds Space

David Tenczar
The Greatcoats

Things to do today at SXSW Saturday 10th

Eric — Sat, 10 Mar 2012 14:00:05 +0000

Here are more highlights from the SXSW schedule, as chosen by the SXSW Baby! team:

• SXSW Social Breakfast
8am at Magnolia Cafe

• ITALY LOVE IT OR LEAVE IT (SXSchedule)
11:30am The Alamo Ritz 2

• Panels
Anime More than Cartoons (SXSchedule)

• Parties
Copyblogger: Computer Blue at Rattle Inn, 610 Nueces Street