Saturday, March 8, 2008
SXSW Baby! Social Agenda: Saturday, March 8
What’s that? The first full day of the conference has barely begun and you’re already looking toward the night? Well, we say good on ya! Here are just a handful of this evening’s events you might want to hit after the panels wind down:
- Bike Hugger Beer & BBQ: Sounds like something out of Orwell, right? Two wheels good, four wheels bad. OK, perhaps it’s not that black and white. This event, promoting “bike culture blogged” promises “pedals not panels”, along with free beer and food in Brush Square Park, right outside the ACC. Free to badgeholders.
- Dorkbot Austin: Take a bunch of hackers, designers, engineers and artists, pitch ‘em into Brush Square Park at 6 pm, and you wind up with something like a science fair mash-up, co-sponsored by Make Magazine, SXSW Interactive and the International Game Developers Association of Austin. Hot and nerdy!
- GeekAustin Happy Hour: They describe the event in terms of a personal ad: “GeekAustin ISO fun m/f for drinks and interesting conversation at JBlack’s Feel Good Lounge (710 W 6th Street). Hobbies include hardware, software, microformats, accessibility, design, mashups, rich and social media.” Sounds like the pasty are ready to party!
- Frog Design SXSW Interactive Opening Party: Frog Design parties are rightly legendary, if for no other reason than the elbow-to-elbow crowds they attract. Thankfully, they’ve graduated from hosting in their own offices to more spacious digs over the years. 2008’s party promises the funky sounds of Grupo Fantasma, the spectacle of fire dancers and more, at the Mexican American Cultural Center, 600 River Street, 8–11 pm. Interactive badge required.
- AMODA Digital Showcase: Laptop battle! Laptop battle! Fight! Fight! The Austin Museum of Digital Art presents its annual party at The Mohawk, 912 Red River, featuring live electronic music and visual art. And yes, a laptop battle where digital musicians compete through a series of elimination rounds to try to outperform each other.
- 16 Bit: We probably should have guessed after last year’s off-the-hook “8 Bit” party that there’d be an upgraded sequel. Joyent, Pownce, Rocketboom, ComicVine, Get Satisfaction, Laughing Squid, 30 Boxes and Dogster/Catster have teamed up to produce the unofficial SXSWi opening after-party, with performances by 999 Eyes (a “human oddities freakshow"), DJ Invidkllr and DJ V.I.N.cent, an open bar, and...yes, more. RSVP required on Upcoming, Facebook or Pownce.
