Thursday, March 1, 2007

SXSW Wristbands Sold out on Tuesday; Possibly More on March 14

All 4000 SXSW wristbands sold out on Tuesday by noon, reports The Daily Texan. Shortly after noon on Monday, subscribers to the SXSW SMS list with a 512 area code were given the alert that wristbands were going on sale. The wait lasted only a few hours for most customers, and the bulk of the wristbands were sold on Monday. In contrast, last year, they sold out in a day (4000 wristbands went on sale at 10am and sold out at 6pm); however, unlike this year, the time and location of the sale was disclosed approximately a day ahead of time.

“Depending on how many badges we sell, we will release more wristbands later,” said SXSW spokeswoman Elizabeth Derczo. She said a limited number will be available at the March 14 - March 18 music festival for $175 each.

Breakfast Tacos!

Here’s a quick rundown of the breakfast taco scene in Austin, TX, originally by Karen Broyles, and updated a little by me:

Austin is a breakfast taco town: eggs, cheese, maybe some chorizo or potatoes, in a tortilla. Simple, fast, tasty, and cheap!

I’m going to try to run down the best and/or highest-profile breakfast tacos around, but only with this disclaimer: there are always going to be more, possibly better ones, and everyone has their favorite(s). They’re everywhere in Austin--not only are there the endless carts set up in parking lots, but even Texas burger chains serve them (Whataburger, for example, calls them “taquitos”). Here are a few of my favorites. Not all are terribly accessible for out-of-towners on foot, but if you can get there I’d recommend them.

Oh, and by the way, they’re not just for breakfast anymore.

For quick and easy tacos near the Convention Center, there’s a Taco Shack located in the Frost building, but they cater to the weekday breakfast and lunch crowds, so if you sleep in, you’ll miss out. Monday through Friday they’re open 6:30AM to 2:30PM, and on Saturday, they’re open 7AM to 1PM. And they are closed on Sundays.

If you’ve got enough time to sit down and enjoy some breakfast tacos, check out Las Manitas Avenue Cafe, located on Congress Ave. It’ll be a short walk from your hotel, and there’s often a wait during SXSW, but it’s worth it. We’ll cover Las Manitas more in a future entry.

Mi Madre’s is just barely east of UT campus at 2201 Manor (pronounced MAY-nor) and famous for their breakfast tacos. I like their other food, but the tacos are so good that most Austinites never get past them. You can get all the usual things in your taco, in whatever combination you want (beans, cheese, potatoes, eggs, Mexican rice, any imaginable meat, migas, avocado, etc.). They’re closed on Sundays and after two, so make sure you get there while they’re still serving.

Taco Xpress (2529 South Lamar), sometimes also known as Loca Maria’s, is the South Austin taco stand of choice. Everything’s good and they have all the standard offerings, but especially recommended are the migas taco, the refried beans, and the vegetarian taco with tasty black beans. This is where you want to go to experience the more gritty South Austin ambiance rather than the trendy South Congress thing. You’ll know you’re there when you see the giant lady’s torso sticking out of the modest building.

Juan in a Million is an Austin fixture at 300 E. Cesar Chavez Street. You can get all the usual tex-mex dishes, but everybody comes for the Don Juan, a potato, egg, cheese, and bacon breakfast taco (I get mine without bacon) that comes so stuffed that you have to order at least two extra tortillas to unload into. The fact that one taco equals three normal ones means that if you eat more than a couple of Don Juans you might get your picture up on the wall.

The thing about the Don Juan is that even though potato-egg-cheese tacos are ubiquitous here, this particular concoction is completely unique. There’s not another similar taco to be found anywhere. It’s excellent hangover food, and so filling you shouldn’t order more than one on your first visit.

The other big attraction is Juan himself, proprietor Juan Meza. He’s usually around and if he is you’ll know, because he has to give pretty much every single person a handshake and a knowing glance when they come in or soon after. I hear he’s less gentle with dudes than he is with the ladies.

Mother’s is Austin’s highest-profile vegetarian restaurant, just north of UT campus at 4215 Duval St. It’s not my favorite, but during weekend brunch they nearly completely redeem themselves by serving a great breakfast taco with their “bueno soysage” fake sausage with eggs or tofu. It’s very nourishing and healthy-tasting while still satisfying all the proper taco requirements.

Last but not least, Amaya’s Taco Village (in the Capitol Plaza shopping center at 5405 N. I-35) offers one of the most authentically tex-mex options in town. I don’t know what they do to their beans (I pretend not to detect the lard), but together with the requisite velveetaish cheese you find in the best tex-mex joints they are irresistable. Runny, but irresistable.

And if you’re vegetarian, and find yourself in the neighborhood, get some of the breakfast tacos with veggie chorizo at Bouldin Creek. Delicious! 

(Thanks again to Karen Broyles for her original write-up).

2,400 seconds you don’t want to miss

This is your annual reminder: make time for 20x2. Not a lot of time, mind you, but certainly well-spent. This year brings the seventh edition of this popular evening event, wherein 20 guest speakers—artists, webheads, musicians, poets, filmmakers and sundry creatives—are each given two minutes to answer one question. For 2007, it’s “What if?” and the responses are certain to be as diverse as the participants, which include Khoi Vinh, Amanda Congdon, Evan Fleischer, Kevin Lawver, Kevin Cheng, Cindy Li, Southpaw Jones, Glenda Bautista and a dozen others.

The proceedings are corralled by show creator Kevin Newsum and partner Jeff Rider, and presided over with style and wit by emcee Mike Stephens. It all goes down Monday night, March 12, from 7–9:30 pm at a new location this year, The Parish near Sixth and Brazos. Admission is free to SXSW badgeholders and a paltry $10 for the hoi polloi.

Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Interactive Playpen returns, whereabouts of Peter Parker unknown

What happens when you turn hundreds of geeks loose with millions of Lego toys? Magic! The popular Interactive Playpen, which made its debut at last year’s Interactive conference, returns this year and the organizers are seeking suggestions to make it even more brilliant than before. Hit up the site to see some of the 2006 mayhem and give ‘em your input.

(Photo by Sam Felder.)

South By Karaoke Underground

If you’re still hanging around Austin on the Sunday after the Music Festival and Conference, you might be interested in doing some singing of your own with the Karaoke Underground:

The Karaoke Underground is resurfacing again for SXSW! We’ll be at Creekside Lounge, a new venue this year that’s downtown at 606 E. 7th Street. That’s right across the street from Red 7, two doors towards the interstate from Red River. Sunday, March 18th is the day, we’ll start things off around 8 p.m. I’m going to add about a dozen songs for the show.

For those of you who came to our show at Red’s Scoot Inn last year, yes, I inspected the ceilings. In case of rain, this year’s show will be completely waterproof. And since they have a PA, it’ll be FREE as well!

Where There’s Smoke, There’s Barbecue

No visit to Austin, Texas is complete without visiting at least one of the city’s fine barbecue establishments!

Some people say that barbecue is the only authentic “American” cuisine. “Traditional barbecue” is meat slow-cooked for a long time over a low heat (purists say you need a wood fire for best results). The typical cooking temperature is between 250 to 275 degrees and the usual barbecue cooking time can be for several hours. Why so long? Collagen, the material that holds muscles together, takes quite a long time to turn into gelatin and dissolve, but once it does, it makes the meat nice and tender. Essentially, barbecue is the evolution of a very old cooking technique that involves using the tough, cheaper cuts of meat and cooking them until they become soft and juicy, usually with a dark, tasty layer of goodness on the outside.

Legend has it that when Columbus arrived in the Caribbean in 1492, he was exposed to the Native American method of cooking wild game on a large wooden structure, exposed to the heat and smoke of a wood fire. When the explorerers asked about this cooking style, they learned that the word for the wooden platform sounded very much like barbacoa in Spanish. And such, they returned to Europe with knowledge of a new cooking method, one that would eventually become known as barbecue. And your dad grilling up meat in the backyard during summer parties? That’s not really barbecue. The distinction between barbecuing and grilling is the level and intensity of the heat used. And it’s the smoke from the burning wood that gives barbecue its unique flavor.

Before the meat is cooked, however, many cooks season their cuts using a dry rub to enhance the flavor. Each chef has his or own special combination of spices and herbs, but typically the rub contains salt, paprika, chili powder, garlic and onion powders, black and red peppers, alongside a secret ingredient or two. Many barbecuers also use a marinade followed by a dry rub to add both flavor and moisture to their works of culinary art. And as for the barbecue sauce, if they use any at all, it is added towards the end of the process since the high sugar content of most sauces mean they would carmelize and turn black during the cooking process.

So now that we know about how barbecue is cooked (I’ll leave the discussion of the different types of wood up to the experts), so exactly what kind of meat makes for good barbecue? That depends where you’re from! Texans favor beef brisket, which is the cut from the breast section under the first five ribs; the folks in North Carolina feast on pulled-pork sandwiches from pork shoulders smoked over hickory coals; Kansas City is known for its tasty spare ribs. As for Austin, its own style of barbecue was heavily influenced by German butchers who settled there in the mid-1800s. Inspired by Mexican vaqueros, they emphasized beef instead of pork in their barbecue, choosing to hand rub the meat, and to cook it in pits filled with oak, hickory, pecan and mesquite woods.

The Austin Chronicle has a listing of some of its favorite barbecue suppliers. And we’d be remiss in our duties without mentioning two places within walking distance of the convention center: Stubb’s on Red River Street and East 8th Street and Ironworks BBQ on Red River and East 1st Street. The Washington Post rounds up some other BBQ joints for those willing to travel further. And let’s not forget the requisite pilgrimage to the Salt Lick during SXSW.

But whatever your choice of beef, pork, or chicken, be sure to grab a handful of napkins, and load up on some sides as well, including but not limited to potato salad, beans, coleslaw, cornbread, mashed potatoes, an ear of corn or two, as well as a big slice of watermelon for dessert.

So, who’s hungry?

Music Player v.07

The SXSW Music Player is now online. It’s a great and handy tool for previewing SXSW Music in the background. The player will randomly stream mp3s from artists showcasing at the festival, and you can easily search for bands, view showcase information, and more. 

Tuesday, February 27, 2007

Happy hours and hours and hours…

The SXSW Interactive conference is pretty amazing when you think about it, featuring dozens upon dozens of panels and keynote presentations putting you at the very edge of that place where technology and humanity meet. But let’s face it: you can only hear web pundits go on about “monetizing eyeballs” or “leveraging mashups” or using made-up words like “folksonomy” (what’s that about?) before you need a break.

You need a drink. You, friend, need a party.

Fortunately, you won’t go wanting. The days of SXSW interactive are packed but at night, after the lights dim at the Convention Center, there’s a whole other schedule waiting for you. It’s real-life social networking! Herewith, just a few of the parties and events you might not want to miss.

Continue reading "Happy hours and hours and hours…"...

SXSW Film Interviews at eFilmCritic

eFilmCritic has, once again, done a great series of interviews with directors of many of the works screening at SXSW Film. View all the interviews. 

ScreenBurn Festival and Video Game Tournament

ScreenBurn, four days of presentations on the newest developments in the gaming industry, is the gaming arm of SXSW Interactive. ScreenBurn is free and open to all SXSW Interactive, Gold, and Platinum registrants.

The 2007 edition of ScreenBurn focuses on The Rise of the Independents. The new gaming component of SXSW Interactive, this four-day event provides up-and-coming gaming industry talent an opportunity to learn from more established professionals. Rise to the next level of your career through enlightening panel discussions, networking opportunities, and technical discoveries. ScreenBurn features four days of presentations related to the newest developments in the gaming industry, held on the Third Floor of the Convention center.

ScreenBurn 2007 also includes the ScreenBurn Arcade, taking place on the first floor of the Austin Convention Center on Saturday, March 10 and Sunday, March 11th. The ScreenBurn Arcade, an open platform of exhibitors and game tournaments, is free to the public and connects consumers, independents, developers, and soon to be masters of the game world.

There will also be an EVO Championship Series video game tournament happening at ScreenBurn, with the winners taking home cash prizes!

The following tournaments will take place in the 2007 ScreenBurn Arcade:

Saturday, March 10 from 12:00 - 5:30
Capcom vs SNK 2, Street Fighter III: 3rd Strike, Guilty Gear XX: Slash, and Tekken 5: Dark Resurrection.
Sunday, March 11 from 12:00 - 5:30
Marvel vs. Capcom 2, Super Street Fighter II: Turbo, Super Smash Bros: Melee, and Virtua Fighter 5.

Due to strict time constraints, all EVO South events will be run as single-elimination, best 2 out of 3 games and have a limit of 128 people per tournament. top 4 finishers in each game will earn qualifying seeds for the EVO World Finals in Las Vegas, NV. Competing in the tournament is free and open to all, but you have to register in advance. Register now. 

Ben Brown, Internet Rockstar, on SXSW

[Ben Brown meets Malcolm Gladwell at Break Bread with Brad, SXSW 2005]

Ben Brown ruminates about South by Southwest’s past in The Official Annotated Ben Brown SXSW Timeline, or Boy, Have I Had A Lot of Fun!.

I love SXSW.  It is one of my favorite times of year because it means that everyone I know and love will be in Austin all at the same time for almost two solid weeks of partying.  Yes, partying.  Sure, you can go and hand out business cards or launch your business or debut your awesome video podcast, but when I think of SXSW, I think of a constant orgy of beer, whiskey, tacos and barbeque the likes of which could not exist anywhere outside of the heart of Texas.

In honor of the events coming up in just a few scant weeks, I have created an annotated timeline of my involvement in the event.  I think that once you read this, you will agree that without Ben Brown, there would be no SXSW.

Ride/Room Share board is active

Hey, who feels like a big doof? Yep, that’d be me. I built out the Ride/Room Share board of SXSW Baby! just a couple of days after the new site went live and then merrily went about my life, completely forgetting to flip the switch making it live.

Um...oops. And sorry.

Anyway, if you have a room to share in Austin during SXSW or would like to carpool with other SXSW-bound folks, check out the Ride/Room Share. As the festivals near and area hotel rooms dry up, this may be a helpful resource for roommates and shotgun riders.

Monday, February 26, 2007

Music Festival Wristbands Wrapup

There’s loads of discussion on Donewaiting’s SXSW blog about wristbands.

CBS 42 said that as of 5pm, there were “about 100 wristbands left, at $160 each.”

KXAN and News 8 both have video footage of the wristband sales at Waterloo Records today.

Austin360 talked to SXSW Director Roland Swenson:

[He] said more wristbands would go on sale eventually, but he declined to give numbers.

“Our plan right now is to wait a week, track how registrations are coming in, take another look at our total capacity (and then) put some number of wristbands on sale the first night of the festival,” he said.

If you missed out on getting a Music Festival wristband, it looks like March 14th is the date to watch. 

The ritual chaos and considered lunacy of South by Southwest

I’m not sure how I missed this, but SXSW Founder Louis Black has an essay about SXSW in last week’s Austin Chronicle, The ritual chaos and considered lunacy of South by Southwest:

I love SXSW. Make any joke you want, any nasty jibe or cutting joke. It’s my favorite time of the year. SXSW is imagined Austin, music Disneyland Austin, and Austin fantastic, but it is always organically of this town, and none of the SXSW staff ever forgets or loses sight of that fact. As Austin was, as it is, and as it will be, so is SXSW. It is not a foreign event or an invented idea. SXSW views creativity, champions culture, presents music, encourages ideas, celebrates dialogue, approaches new media, and shows films almost exactly as this town always has – only, perhaps, multiplied and magnified.

Wristbands on sale NOW!

[photos via Alex Myers]

Music wristbands are on sale now! If you’re in Austin, get yer butt to Waterloo Records (Sixth and Lamar) and bring cash or credit card. Limit two per purchaser. Supplies are, of course, limited.

Don’t forget your Texas Driver’s Licenses, UT IDs, utility bills, or car insurance certificates to prove you’re an Austin resident if you want in on the first batch. More details.

UPDATE: Austinist was on the scene. Check out the Craigslist scalping that’s already begun.