SXSW 2007: Rolling Stone Takes You to Austin
For those of you who are’t lucky enough to be in Austin for this year’s South by Southwest festival — or for those unprepared to brave the debauchery — you’re in luck. This year, not only did we dispatch badass photographer Noah Kalina to nail all the sights (See his Day One, Day Two, and Day Three galleries), we sent intrepid Pete Maiden down south with cameraman Alexis Boling, a big booze budget and contributing editor Jenny Eliscu, who’s charged with making sure it all works.
We gave Pete clear instructions: See as much music as possible, talk to the bands and fans, eat BBQ and drink an obscene amount of Texan beer. Watch the video now.
And tune back in Monday to catch a hyped-up set from the Stooges, more interviews with bands and fans, glimpses of the monstrosity of live shows…and, of course, check back to see if Pete survives the weekend.
Here are Pete’s highlights so far:
Checking out Sixth Street, which closes to vehicle-traffic so thousands of fans can roam in and out of the music venues that line the blocks.
Caught an Attic Jam hosted by Pete Townshend, where he rocked out with Rachel Fuller, Willy Mason, Martha Wainright, European sensation Mika and more.
Sat down with the Horrors to talk U.S. vs. Euro festivals and why you need a homing pigeon in Austin.
Chatted with A & R legend Michael Goldstone about why SXSW is still an amazing opportunity for bands to get seen and signed.
Heard a hilarious confession from a young English lad who’d gotten blacked-out drunk back in the U.K., woke up in Austin, shagged a Texan and didn’t know where or how he was going next.
And of course checked out a ton of live music from Bloc Party, the Horrors, to Albert Hammond Jr. (from the Strokes).