Paper Executive Editor Alex Swerdloff is at SXSW for the week, and
she'll be writing little recaps and guides to all the craziness going
down in Austin for those of us stuck at home. Try not to slip into a FOMO coma.
There was something a bit calm-before-the-stormy last night in Austin, even as revelers clogged the streets of downtown, lines winding around the block for the Miike Snow and Kasabian show at Stubb's. No one was going whole hog (except maybe for some of the digital and film peeps, many of whom were leaving this morning). We decided to take it easy-ish, after a full day of running around, to save up for today, which marks the official start of the SXSW Music Festival. Here's what went down yesterday, and what's cooking today.
There was something a bit calm-before-the-stormy last night in Austin, even as revelers clogged the streets of downtown, lines winding around the block for the Miike Snow and Kasabian show at Stubb's. No one was going whole hog (except maybe for some of the digital and film peeps, many of whom were leaving this morning). We decided to take it easy-ish, after a full day of running around, to save up for today, which marks the official start of the SXSW Music Festival. Here's what went down yesterday, and what's cooking today.
WHAT WENT DOWN YESTERDAY
Last night, the winners of the SXSW Film Festival awards were announced: Gimme the Loot, Adam Leon's film about two teenage graffiti artists in the Bronx, won the narrative feature competition, while Eden, director Megan Griffiths' disturbing film (based on a true story) about a New Mexican teenager who was kidnapped and held as a sex slave for two years, won the feature film audience award. Shout out to its star Jamie Chung (she, formerly of Real Word: San Diego fame), who won the special jury recognition for performance award.
At a screening for Brian Knappenberger's documentary about hacktivisit group Anonymous, We Are Legion, two masked members of the group appeared (one in person and one via live video) and answered audience members' questions. [via CNN]
AmericansElect.org (a website devoted to popularizing a third party Presidential candidate) won the People's Choice awards at the SXSW Interactive Awards ceremony. (Last year's winner was Groupon.)
There was still a ton of music: Santigold (who may or may not have been lip-synching?), Built to Spill, Daniel Johnston, the Delta Spirit, Bear in Heaven, Caveman, ...Trail of Dead, Light Asylum, Danny Brown (who yelled "If you ain't eat no pussy, I will"), Peanut Butter Wolf, Tycho, and our favorite act of the evening, Electric Wire Hustle, Kiwi-soul purveyors from New Zealand, who we caught at Swan Dive.
WHAT'S COOKING TODAY (SEE ALSO OUR GUIDE TO 10 MUST-SEE SXSW ACTS)
The NPR showcase kicks off at Stubb's with Andrew Bird, Fiona Apple, Sharon Von Etten and Dan Deacon.
Theophilus London, Big K.R.I.T., and Gary Clark Jr. play the Pandora Discovery Den.
The sh*t show that is the Fader Fort kicks off with Black Hippy (Kendrick Lamar, Schoolboy Q, Ab Soul and Jay Roc) Santigold, Danny Brown, The-Dream, and Zola Jesus.
Kenny Rogers and Lionel Richie will unite at the Billboard party.
...Trail of Dead, Friend Roulette and Fan-Tan play the Goodnight Records day party.
The Drums, Reggie Watts and Niki & the Dove at the Under the Radar party at Flamingo Cantina.
Titus Andronicus, Cloud Nothings, The Men, Princeton and Mr. Dream play the Consequence of Sound party at Beauty Bar.
Menswear designer Billy Reid is throwing a shindig tonight at the Swan Dive with Delta Spirit, The Punch Brothers, Brendan Benson and more.
Tennis, Caveman, Hospitality and Ben Kwellar play the Paste magazine party.
Light Asylum, Blouse, Nick Waterhouse, Unknown Mortal Orchestra, Lee Fields and the Expressionists play the Spaceland party at the Shangri La.
