Tim Wut @ SXSW

Living the frozen life for 1.5 weeks

Before I sit down and properly recap the SXSW experience for the official publications whom have graciously sponsored my trip (TechZulu, LA Music Blog, LA Canvas, plug.dj) I figured it best to get a truncuated snippet of the entire week-and-a-half journey in short form.

I arrived last Saturday and this one week has felt like a month.

Instead of considering SXSW a festival, take a look at the event as a complete transformation of the city of Austin — to a gigantic seething mass of people, activity, music, and organized chaos. Amidst all that, I’ve found a ton of value and enjoyment in my experience here in both the interactive and music portions with serendipitous encounters, unplanned experiences, and off-chance connections.

However, I’m reminded of the extreme importance to take a moment and give proper condolences to the deeply tragic drunk driving incident that befell SXSW this week. With two dead and 21 critically injured, it’s been noted as the most serious incident of its kind in the festival’s history. Nothing short of senseless and terrible. An act of reckless violence that struck a dark chord in the community of festival goers, the people who have congregated in the city of Austin with one unifying purpose: to celebrate life with good music.

But with that, my time here has been unlike anything I’ve ever experienced. Some highlights that stick out in my mind, in no particular order, stream of consciousness style:

• Countless complimentary entrance into events and mixers, my favorite being #mondaymeatups at Fogo de Chao. Courtesy of TechZulu’s awesome 6 year accrual of social currency.
• In one day, seeing Elijah Wood, Shaq, and Seth Rogan come through the doors of the Indiegogo + TechZulu tech cafe. Elijah Wood is a cool motherfucker, Shaq is goddamn monstrous in size, and Seth rogan is a very busy man.
• Notable news: Shaq is running an Indiegogo campaign to launch SHAQ FU 2 . He is giving the fans the game they deserve. Huge props to Justin and the Twitch.TV guys for setting up Shaq to play the original Shaq Fu. Dubbed, #sxsf (shaqbyshaqfu), it was easily the most meta thing I’ve seen in my life. I thought the universe was going to implode.
• This week I learned: Nick Carter of the Backstreet Boys also is also an aspiring horror movie script writer/director (need to fact check) and has an Indiegogo campaign to fund his project.
• Wearables was the technology talk of the town — and perhaps the year. Interesting to see where the use cases go for these technologies to go past tracking your steps.
• Still on wearables: Thunderpants, the vibrating underwear, controlled through an app by your partner to initiate long-distance intimacy.
• Favorite item of the week: Breathometer and their breathalyzer unit + app that gives you your BAC rating AND provides you how long it will take to sober up.
• Learning about a Japanese technique to create cold brew coffee from Austin locals.
• Meeting Sinbad. ‘Nuff said.
• Being denied entrance into a Snoop Dogg party because of my protein shaker cup (filled with powder), and less seriously, my DSLR camera (afterthought in ejecting me from the party).
• The sheer terrifying nature of riding in a pedicab, with my morbid mind envisioning myself tipping over with every sharp bump/turn. Don’t even get me started on the over-river foot bridge we crossed.
• A serendipitous encounter with RV Sherpa and their Indiegogo campaign to crowdfund an awesome RV colony with hostel style bed space for SXSW Music goers who couldn’t justify the egregiously high hotel room and AirBNB costs. Great for small groups of travelers.

“People shouldn’t be denied a festival experience because of high lodging costs.” — John Alexander

• Staying with RV Sherpa has actually been an amazing experience. I’ve met an intensely wide spectrum of people, startup founders, musicians, and others.
• Watching Childish Gambino for the first time at a Microsoft Titan Fall release party, of all things.

List goes on and on — but for brevity’s sake I’ll stop right here.