Austin360 blogs > Out & About > Archives > 2008 > March > 13
Thursday, March 13, 2008
Thanks for Your A-List Best Columnist votes
You guys! So nice. I completely forgot that last week was the window for voting on Your A-List fave for Best Statesman Columnist.
I assure you I didn’t vote or campaign. I’m glad you find Out & About appealing and I thank able colleague Matthew Odam for the kind words.
Now this is not campaigning, but the vote for Best Blogger is going on right now. Reminder: You can only vote once an hour.
Permalink | | Categories: Media, Out, Your A-List
SXSW on the streets
“Can’t they stretch this out over the rest of the year?” asked the taxi driver. “It’s all too much at once.”
He got it right. SXSW shows the city off to its finest: Its green hills in spring glory, its wide sidewalks (and goat paths, in some cases) flocked with stylish pedestrians, its cafes, clubs, theaters and concert halls reverberating with artistic talent. No wonder so many tourists, including celebrities, visit this time of year.
Walking to work each morning, the only crowd is at Jo’s Hot Coffee, since most festival-goers are still snug in bed. South Congress Avenue bustles unbelievably as the day progresses.
Into the night, every downtown street crawls with revelers, some done up to the nines, like Lindsay Lowe and James Fattu.
I’d like to see a nationally-themed club like this in Austin every day. (Usually called Latitude 30.)
Permalink | | Categories: City, Out, SXSW
SXSW ‘Lost Coast’ review
‘The Lost Coast’
Three stars.
Permalink | | Categories: Movies, SXSW
SXSW showcase at Pangaea
Pangaea makes a fairly decent music venue. The improvised stage to the rear of the deep upper-floor space allows for a sofa section up front and a some standing room to the rear, with a VIP terrace stage left. The sound quality varied from point to point in the room, but given the slapped together equipment at every SXSW venue, I had nothing to complain about.
The Norwegian band The Shining (like the movie): Even Heansen, Lisa Hammer, Jarle Bernhoft
We were there for buzzy Daniel Lanois, the Canadian singer songwriter whose guitar work dazzled. Cultures clashed at times in the high-end club, as music lovers attended the sounds from the stage intently, while the usual club kids chattered on the sidelines.
Drummer Brian Blade, who played with Lanois, and drummer Steven Lance Barci, who idolizes Blade
About a quarter way into Lanois set, the management cleared a section from the VIP terrace, then hauled out champagne, vodka and other chilled drinks, along with glasses and the whole special Pangaea set-up. Clearly, somebody important had just entered. I stared and stared, since the new posse was right next to me, only to realize it was Lou Reed, stony-faced along with the rest of his gang while Lanois finished his set. So Lou Reed.
Permalink | | Categories: Music, Out, SXSW
SXSW at the Fader Fort
To enter the Fader Fort on East Fourth Street is ascend into rock heaven. The magazine, with the help of Levi’s, which maintains a shop up front, has carved spaces for artists and the media throughout the labyrinthine brick warehouse that once housed part of Austin Youthworks. Each cubby is decorated to the extreme (black and red are popular this year), and the courtyard of the school is transformed into one of the city’s hottest music venues (My Morning Jacket, etc.)
I felt significantly older in this crowd, for the first time during the 10 days of parties. Manchester’s The Answering Machine (Ben, Gemma, Martin, Pat)
Nick Meyerson of The Wonderland Avenue, Lauren Smitherman of TCEQ
Helen Flores-Duron, Luis Andonaegui of — guess what? — Hong Kong Blood Opera
Permalink | | Categories: Music, Out, SXSW, Style
SXSW Music with the Mayor party
Mayor Will Wynn could not have lobbied for a finer afternoon than yesterday’s for his Music with the Mayor reception at Austin City Hall. Artists, boosters and industry types mingled in the blissful sunlight as Black and White Years, the Talking Heads-like Austin band with the terrific sound, rocked steadily from the stage. (David Byrne produced their last album.)
Outrageously talented Patricia Vonne and her fond husband, Robert LaRoche, who introduced me to Vonne’s family, up from San Antonio for a SXSW visit
Cody Longbotham (Gibson Guitar), Christie Albino, Richard Panter (Talk Radio)
The town swarms with journalists. Arthur Bradford and Patrick Nelson from How’s Your News?
