There’s something I like about Central Time. Being two hours ahead of the time zone we normally exist in for some reason feels right. So we’re sitting here in the lobby at the Four Seasons (which is quite comfortable I might add) finishing up some video editing from last nights opening pregame SXSW foray while ZZ Top’s Billy Gibbons is behind me chilling at the bar having a morning beer.

SXSW is without question both the busiest and best week of the year. We arrived late afternoon today (Tuesday) ready to start drinking Lone Stars, eating BBQ and working our collective asses off getting tons of content and meeting virtually everyone there is to meet.

SXSW 2008 looks to be better than 2007 (not that SXSW 2007 sucked or anything) since Red Bull is back this year with the Red Bull Moontower (at SXSW 2006 the Red Bull House stole the entire show). Now we really don’t know what’s going to be going down over there (we’ll let you know after we find out) but we are certain of one thing - the Red Bull Moontower will be the place to be for SXSW 2008. What we do know is this:

Anchored by the Red Bull Energy Station, the Alamo Draft House Rolling Road Show and a solar stage, the Red Bull Moon Tower will be a mix of a musician compound and a high-end party where anything can happen.

More on all that throughout the next few days especially since I know we’ll be there until the 4am mark nightly for the next four nights. The first thing we had to do after a drink at the hotel bar was hit up Ironworks BBQ for a completely amazing dinner. I think I want to move into that place and just spend my day eating, at the least I think I need to eat there at least once a day for the next week.

CNET News’s Daniel Terdiman wrote an interesting article regarding the wasteful aspects of annual South By Southwest music, film and interactive festivals in his blog Geek Gestalt. He writes:

When I took the two bags I was given as a Gold pass holder–for the interactive and film festivals–back to my hotel room, it took me more than five minutes to lay everything from them out on the floor for a photograph.

Terdiman points out that, depending on the pass, festival goers may get up to three bags-worth of swag. Having gotten one last year, I can vouch for how heavy they are — at least 8 pounds — and honestly, I don’t know what happened to mine. So I guess I’m part of the problem. Anyway, just something to keep in mind when you’re sucking down those free Lone Stars.

Take a look at Ryan Prado’s interview with British Sea Power. For the record Ryan is also one hell of a bowler.
They’re also playing a few times at SXSW so I’m sure we’ll be seeing them at least once.
Catch them live on the following dates:
03-05 Vancouver, British Columbia - Plaza Club
03-08 Denver, CO - Hi-Dive
03-13-16 Austin, TX - SXSW
03-19 Omaha, NE - Waiting Room
03-20 Des Moines, IA - Vaudeville Mews
03-21 Minneapolis, MN - Triple Rock Social Club
03-22 Urbana, IL - Canopy Club
03-24 Chicago, IL - Empty Bottle
03-25 Pontiac, MI - Eagle Theatre
03-26 Cleveland Heights, OH - Grog Shop
03-27 Columbus, OH - The Basement
03-28 Louisville, KY - Phoenix Hill Tavern
03-29 St. Louis, MO - Billiken Club

Our hommie Allen Chen over at The Austinist just shot me an email to clue me in about the launch of the SXSWist microsite which will be stacked with all of your forthcoming SXSW needs and questions regarding your upcoming Austin experience. Austin - for the record - is our favorite city (next to Chico - which isn’t really a city I guess - more a pre-city) and we’re looking forward to consuming a massive amount of Lone Stars while stacking massive amounts of content for you to enjoy.

Let’s just hope Texas votes Obama next Tuesday.

My earlier post about SXSW 2008 got me thinking: where are all the party invites, press releases hyping showcases and all the other annual hoopla surrounding what is supposedly the music industry’s most important yearly gathering? The pre-festival buzz for this year’s festival hasn’t just been toned down, its been practically non-existent. A non-scientific poll of many of the publicists, industry heads and random cred stackers I got drunk with last year at SXSW finds that most of them are taking a pass on SXSW 2008. It seems like they aren’t the only ones either. Discussion over at the ever-vigilant industry board Velvet Rope seems to be unanimously negative in regards to this year’s festival, including rumors as to the possibility of the perenially badass Levi’s / Fader multi-day party being a no-go this year and the possibility that the fest has perhaps gotten a bit too big for its own good:

I think it may have jumped the shark last year. Too much PR about bands that didn’t matter. Too many things going on to focus on music that might have mattered. Too much like an economic development trade fair now.

Its bigness was an asset for awhile — everyone would be there. But once it got to a certain size, then it was probably too big to get anything done. When you have 1500+ bands getting official showcases and most of them getting ignored, sooner or later you end up asking, why are they here?

I know several industry insiders telling people not to bother to register or buy a pass because there are enough free events that you don’t need one. And I think the bands themselves have grown tired of spending $30 to apply when they know they won’t get in. And if they come to accept that they don’t have a chance, they can just tune out the whole thing.

I guess we’ll see in a couple of weeks.

Photo of me from SXSW 2007 by Melissa Welliver (Hardly Knew Her)