It's awesome to be back in Austin, again. And while this certainly isn't my first appearance on a popular #SxSW panel, things do feel different this time.

When I was first invited to Austin to speak at South+Southwest, I didn't even have an iPhone. And that's not to question my role as an Early Adopter, it is just to point out that the iPhone had yet to go on the market. It was quite a long time ago! (But not so long ago that I've noticeably aged in either my interests or appearance.) Why, we didn't even have Yelp! back then. As a common joke among SxSW insiders goes, "I've [...]

#Chevy is excited to connect through their innovations during #SXSW. Learn more here: bit.ly/z0JoxS

— SXSW (@sxsw) March 9, 2012

• The fun panels?

• The networking?

• The late nights with wacky drinking games?

• The hot viral rain of lab-made death that's going to wipe out everyone there in approximately 12 minutes? (Sorry, spoilers!)

The panel discussion was defiantly titled “Flying The Indie Flag” and the mood was clearly intended to be triumphant. “Indie labels are having a banner year,” crowed the panel’s organizers at last week’s South by Southwest music festival in Austin, Texas, and are “being successful by doing it their way, in a world where major labels no longer control the music business landscape.” Yet the faces on the actual indie label panelists looked anything but victorious.

Sub Pop Records co-founder Jonathan Poneman—still earning sizable royalties for his initial signing of Nirvana over two decades ago—scowled his way through a series of accolades delivered for him. And Mac McCaughan, frontman [...]

At a desk in the press suite, I told everyone that I was going to observe the transition of technology nerds into punk rock party animals. A film critic said he was happy to be leaving because he hates “all those hipster douchebags.” Another critic said there should be a booth for loosening tight pants. I felt uncomfortable, as I was wearing a pair of Pacific Sunwear “Skinniest” jeans.

I am also wearing a button-front light blue striped shirt and very tight jeans. I chose to wear sandals this morning, because I couldn’t find my shoes. I am wearing the exact outfit that I wore out last night.

I flew to Austin by way of the most conservative flight route in all of western North America: Orange County to Salt Lake City. The in-flight magazine exalted the merits of Utah. An article about Munich referred to the city’s “complicated past," a really terrific euphemism. While waiting for a gate in Austin for thirty minutes. I checked my phone. In two hours, I’d gotten 25 e-mails from publicists wanting me to see their films. They’re form letters that all look the same: Bold and centered 18-point font announcing the name of the movie. Two sentences in italicized 16-point font briefly explaining the film. A six paragraph press release, [...]

"People say SXSW is the new Cannes."

Awl pals Tim Sutton and Seth Bomse have been known to make surprisingly watchable short films starring a not-so-good-looking aging person puttering around his apartment. So imagine what they might do with attractive teenagers diving into a glassy Appalachian lake, or hiking through a lush summer forest, or riding bikes in the desert at sunset. People who attend this year's South-by-Southwest Film Festival won't even have to imagine it, as Sutton's first full-length feature film, Pavilion, has been chosen as one the festival's "Emerging Visions" selections, and will have its world premiere in Austin between March 9th and 17th. Seth edited the film, which has [...]

I arrived in Austin with a thirst to critically assess SxSW. As the week progressed, I believe I began to lose my mind. My sense of self-awareness was buried beneath the revelry and hedonism of the happening.

On Thursday, I set out without a goal. I blindly looked for friends or live music. I roamed on into the night without any success. The next day I made a schedule that I actually adhered to. The younger version of myself is going to kick me for saying this, but “organization is the key to success.”

You don't need to know who any of these people are to read this story, told over night, entirely in Tweets.

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Can someone please find @BrianVan and tell him Nick is locked outside the house and needs help. Brian was last seen at Stubbs…Wed Mar 16 05:47:02 via webNick Douglasnick

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It's Nick's meddling girlfriend again: Brian is in Austin jail, for real. Gave me his twitter password on his one phonecall. Go help him!Saturday Night's Children: Peter Aykroyd (1979-1980)