… for those of you heading to Austin next couple of days:
1. For some reason all of the stores at the Austin airport have bankers hours and seem to be closed after dark. So forget grabbing a quick cup of coffee or a snack (if you’re the type who likes to head straight from the plane to the party).
2. It’s about $25 to take a cab from the airport to downtown. It’s a one dollar to take the Austin Flyer (the local bus). The express bus picks up on the baggage level, one-stop the entire way until downtown. From the taxicab area, walk 25 yards directly to the right, you’ll see the sign. Plus it’s not even really a bus… it’s more like a pretty trolley.
3. If you’re unlucky enough to be staying at a hotel near the airport, make sure you get the cell phone of the taxi driver who brings you there. Taxicabs are nearly impossible to hail during SxSW. But if you have the celly of your guy, you can make him your bitch all week.
4. Make friends with someone staying at the Omni. There’s a hot tub on the roof if you can grab 10 minutes to soak your feet (which will be throbbing from standing on cement all day). It’s worth it. Plus, killer view.
5. Don’t bother making any plans until you get here. Everything changes minute to minute. Flexibility is key. Make sure you’re comfortable ditching your friends if need be.
When you get here, find me:
@ THE iNSIDERS NETWORK Showcase:
Thursday March 18, 12P – 5P, 204 E. 6th St. (BD Riley’s)
Lineup: Karl Mullen, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, Robert Deeble, Michael Miller, Roman Candle
Also, I’ll be on the SxSW Music Panel “From the Stage – An Artist’s Perspective,” discussing life in the digi-age:
Wednesday March 17, 3:30P – 4:30P, Convention Center
Tags: austin, Karl Mullen, Michael Miller, Robert Deeble, Roman Candle, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, SxSW —
You know the drill. IN SHORT is our monthly hodgepodge selection of stuff we think’s worth mentioning… sometimes it’s about music, sometimes not. This month, it’s about live music (what’s that? We kid, we kid), the interwebs, sort of:
SxSW Interactive, Film & Music Festival
Every year it seems someone is always questioning the validity of music conferences. And for good reason. Mostly they suck. The music panels especially. A bunch of know-it-alls who live at 30,000 feet and just like to hear the sound of their own voices — seemingly never doling out any practical, useful advice. Sadly, the music panels at SxSW are generally no exception. But now that I’ve started going to the Interactive portion of the festival beforehand, I could care less.
SxSW Interactive, that’s where you actually learn things. And generally, there’s less drinking (then during SxSW Music) which makes for better brainwork. You remember people’s names. Business cards actually find their way into your suitcase. You take notes. You have ideas.
Then, a funny sort of phenomenon starts to happen as the week wears on and Interactive flows into Music (Film is supposed to be the bridge but really, who goes?). Less green vegetables. Less sleep. Longer nights. The hotel staff now knows you by first name. Instead of sitting at panels you’re standing all day shows. But your attention span is shot and your smart phone is blowing up. Plus, your feet hurt.
Fun stuff. But in the end, I’m there to work. Every second of every waking moment, networking my little hiny off with the hopes that some of it will somehow pay forward and help make this crazy ride we’re on stick (even I don’t exactly know what that means but I’m leaving it in). Fingers crossed.
The best part: gazing out at an endless sea of head-bobbing, balding-with-ponytail, over-40 grown-up heads, collectively getting their badass rock ‘n roll groove right on.
Who says we old farts don’t rock? In Austin, we sure as hell do.
That said, here’s to seeing you at our showcase (a production of THE iNSIDERS NETWORK). If you’re in Austin, do drop on by. Those free beers I’m always threatening to buy you guys? Come and get ‘em.
Thursday, March 18, 12 PM-5 PM, 204 E. 6th St. (BD Riley’s)
12:00-12:35 They Were Stars
12:50-1:25 Seth Glier
1:40-2:15 Robert Deeble
2:30-3:05 Michael Miller
3:20-3:55 Steve Poltz
4:10-4:45 Roman Candle
Yeeeeeeehaw.
Tags: IN SHORT, Michael Miller, Robert Deeble, Roman Candle, Seth Glier, Steve Poltz, SxSW, THE iNSIDERS NETWORK, They Were Stars —
