Chicago: The Cold Windy City

Today was my last day here, i did a tour of the city's skyscrapers, i ate a massive burrito, saw Dave Eggers read some stuff then went bowling.

Bowling was in this old fashioned alley, you had to keep score yourself and a band filled with old dudes played at one end of the lanes.

Dave Eggers made me laugh. I haven't actually read any of his stuff (i only read blogs), i just know that cool people like him so thought maybe he was worth checking out. And if not, i could at least say i saw Dave Eggers and people might think i was cool or something. Luckily he was worth seeing. He read these letters he's been writing to CEO's of companys where he writes as if he's a dog. Too funny. He read another story about how evil Dick Cheney is and threw in an aside about being pulled up by a government agent who came across one of his notebooks. The cool kids are right, he is cool.

Speaking of cool Chicago is fucking freezing. When i go out i wear just about every item of clothing i brought with me and i still feel cold. I look like the Michelin man. I could never live here. This weather makes me miserable. But Chicago seems like a decent place to live, plenty of good music, art, photography, architecture, bowling alleys and other stuff to stay entertained.

I've tried to take photographs but the weather being so cold means i don't like to spend too long outside. Plus grey overcast weather does not the best photograph make. But keep an eye on Flickr for some Chicago stuff. I've been trying to photograph people on the street. I can't quite tell if it's interesting or not. When i post some examples you can let me know.

I'm tired (as usual) and i gotta catch up a plane to Las Vegas (baby) tomorrow. Meeting up with my Aussie comrades including the wedding couple. It's gonna be a blast, and several degrees warmer. Word.

South by Southwest 2005 Music Photos

I just uploaded most of my live music photos from SXSW to my SXSW Music Set in Flickr.

You Can't Keep a Good Man Down

So i was knocked out of action for 24 hours but i was quickly back on the horse for all the live music action you can pack into a day. I've seen so many great acts in the past few days. Austin has seriously rocked my chops. Some of the highlights were the Kaiser Chiefs, Buck 65, Saul Williams, Phoenix, Elkland, controller.controller and others that escape me now. I've taken a bunch of pictures which will appear on Flickr shortly.

I had a couple of dramas with my new camera. The flash broke and the new memory card i bought was corrupted. But i gotta give props to Precision Cameras, they had no problems giving me a new memory card and a brand new camera no questions asked.

I went to the Aus Music showcase yesterday which was good fun. It was kinda weird to see so many familiar Aussie acts together in Texas. They threw a good old Aussie barbeque which took an age to get served at. The chef was this perfectionist fella who took pride in preparing a hotdog with mixed peppers, garlic salt, a squirt of orange juice god knows what else. Not really like your traditional Aussie sausage wrapped in a piece of bread with onions if you're lucky.

I ducked out of the barbeque to check out Leeds band The Kaiser Chiefs. They've got the NME hype machine behind them but deservingly so. The lead singer had busted his foot and was getting round on a walking stick but that didn't stop him dancing and jumping round the stage with boundless energy. Such fun catchy tunes, mixed with good humour and great showmanship equals as much fun as you can have with your clothes on. If there is any justice they'll scale loftier hights than Franz Ferdinand and Bloc Party combined.

The standout act i saw today was probably Buck 65. I'd only known him through his records, i had no idea what he looked like, so i was kinda surprised to see he was a clean cut good looking dude. But he's sure got a lot of talent and creativity. He sung, and DJ'd and performed with a lot of charisma. And he reinterpreted my favourite track Wicked and Weird as a kind of punk rock song about 3 times the tempo as it is on the record.

I tried to check out Wolfmother tonight to complete my international stalkage of them but it seems word has travelled of their talents cause i couldn't get into their show. I ended up about 50 people back in the queue with a couple of the guys from Little Birdy and we decided it wasn't worth sitting it out as the line wasn't moving. So i cut my losses and went to see controller.controller.

Their death disco new wave post punk sounds were pretty ace. I know it's kind of old hat by now but i can't get enough of that sound if done right. Those driving drum beats get me every time.

Tonight ended with seeing French band Phoenix to a packed out crowd. The singer mentioned that as a French band they were apprehensive about the reception they'd get in Texas. But they had nothing to worry about, the crowd loved them and they were a worthy finale to the musical extravaganza that was South by Southwest 2005.

It's 5am, i should go to sleep, i gotta catch a plane to Chicago tomorrow.

Sickness Takes Hold

Ugh. I am sick, i've got some hideous American flu which has knocked me for 6. I haven't gone outside in over 24 hours. I haven't eaten anything but potato chips. I spent the day in semi delerium trying not to think about the amazing bands i missed today.

I never get sick, why does it have to happen during my limited time at SxSW?

The Music Starts Now

I'm finding it hard to fit in time to blog. I leave the house early in the morning, go to the conference all day, then go out till the early hours. The interactive conference wound up last night so that side is all over. The geeks are moving out of town to make way for the rockers. It's going to be crazy.

The last panel i saw at Interactive was titled, Turning Pink into Green: Making Money in Online Porn. The guy leading the panel was a pink haired fella called Halcyon who has created a sex blog with his pink haired girlfriend, documenting their sex life for a paying audience. He was rather charming, i met him after and he was regaling a small group of us about his adventures in a reality TV Porn Idol type show.

I finally managed to introduce myself to all the people i wanted to. I spoke to Jeffrey Zeldman and gushed praise, as i also did with Dunstan. He's such a charming Brit, unassuming and Hugh Grant like. He's got a pretty sweet sounding job working for Apple.

I also met Jason Kottke, Lockhart Steele, Jake Dobkin, Tony Pierce, Dave Shea, Doug Bowman and numerous other charming individuals. I've also got a massive stack of business cards so i can keep in touch with some people.

Last night was the first time i got to try proper Texan Barbeque. It was pretty damn good. A bonus of eating where we did was that it has a balcony attached that overlooks the Stubbs music venue, and who should happen to be playing but Queens of The Stone Age. So that was pretty sweet, i got to watch some of QOTSA from a nice elevated spot and take a few pictures.

There's plenty more to tell, but i gotta leave the house and go pick up my wristband and get stuck in to the musical festivities.

Keep checking my Flickr account to see the latest photos.

Everyone's a winner

So yeah, i didn't win that Bloggie. No biggie, it's an honour to be nominated and all that jazz. Congrats to What's New, Pussycat?

The Gawker suite of blogs won a bunch of stuff. And not surprisingly Dooce won everything she was nominated for.

I'm super tired this morning. Stayed up late and got up early to buy me some New York U2 tickets. And i'm crap at talking to strangers, so being here on my lonesome is starting to get lonely. Woe is me.

How're y'all doin? SXSW Update

I've been busy attending SXSW Interactive panel sessions, talking to people, taking photos, drinking beer and eating Mexican. I've tried to blog the panel sessions but haven't found the words. Plenty of notes have been taken and most of the speakers are putting their presentations online so i'll compile everything together at some point.

One of the highlights of today was seeing Malcolm Gladwell talk. He's the author of The Tipping Point and his newie Blink. He's a great speaker and told some eye opening anecdotes about the snap judgements people make of others. I bought The Tipping Point to read in Sydney airport and Malcolm was kind enough to sign my dog eared paperback copy.

I've spotted many a blogger i know around and about and have talked to several. I still haven't gathered the balls to say hi to Jason Kottke but i will at some point. I figure i gave him $30 to be a micropatron he owes me a minute or two to say hi to an aficionado from Australia. I own his ass.

I've also spotted Dunstan Orchard about but haven't yet found a moment to say hi. I ought to thank him for the nice photo drop shadow technique i use here on Boudist.

I've seen Zeldman all over the place but i don't think i'll say hi. He's like my total web design guru, but he scares me and i got nothing to say.

I met Andy Budd briefly and he mistook me for Daniel Bogan. Oh the hilarity!

If you're not a web nerd you'll probably have no idea who those folks are, but in my circles they're like the internet rock stars. Fear not normal music loving people, in the next few days SXSW Music starts and it'll be all rock rock rock and hangovers.

I actually bumped into Craig New from Sydney wandering round the convention centre. I took him to dinner with a big bunch of bloggers. The poor poor man.

I've posted a bunch of my photos up on Flickr in my photostream if you're at all interested in seeing what i've been snapping with my snazzy new camera.

Tomorrow is the Bloggies ceremony so fingers crossed for that.

Kings of Leon take Texas

I blagged my way to a photo pass for Kings of Leon last night. So so sweet. I got to run my new camera through its paces and it performed beautifully. There's a few more pics in the Kings of Leon Gallery.

Exploring Austin

Day 1 in Austin is almost over. I'm completely buggered. I hardly got any sleep last night, but i soldier on.

One of the highlights of today was MEETING HARRY KNOWLES! I know most of you probably have no idea who he is, he's the man behind the site Ain't it Cool News. I've been reading his site for like, ever. Well a long time anyway. Way back when it was just a very plain one page of movie news and speculation. He's very big, he's very hairy, very ginger and in a wheelchair at the moment. We spoke very briefly but it brightened my afternoon. I'm hoping there'll be more nerdy encounters like that over the next few days.

What else.... i ate the most cheesy meal i think i've ever eaten. A burrito filled with just cheese and melted cheese on top, rice with a cheese sauce and two taco's, both with cheese. Urgh. Luckily i was shown the Austin ain't all cheese and Barbeque by going to a rather upmarket supermarket with all sorts of fine delicacies. Kind of like Norton St deli back home but a lot bigger with more variety. Very nice.

What else... I collected my badge and bag for the interactive conference after waiting in line for over 45 minutes. Their computers crashed which held things up somewhat. But it gave me an opportunity to meet a nice fella called Lee. The conference starts properly tomorrow with an opening address by Señor Zeldman.

I got me a US phone number. Call me. Now. We've got a jetlagged nerdy guy waiting for your call. 512.577.2036.

Oh yeah, one last thing. I bought a new camera.

Touchdown!

I cannot believe i'm finally here. In Austin, Texas. After over 35 hours travelling. 6 airports and one aborted flight.

On the final leg of the journey, Denver to Austin, the plane was delayed due to some unamed mechanical problem. Finally, 3 hours behind schedule we were able to board and took off for Austin. About 25 minutes into the flight the pilot comes on the air and says that we're turning around and flying back to Denver. The unamed mechanical fault that they thought was fixed was apparently not. So we turned around, landed and got an another plane and finally arrived in Austin at about 2am,

It was made bearable by the nice company i was with, a local Austinite who ended up driving me to the place i'm staying, and a nice lady who let me use her mobile a couple of times to update people on my whereabouts. I've always depended on the kindness of strangers.

I'm about to fall into a sleep coma. G'night.

LA Baby

Just a quick note to say i've touched down safe and sound in LA. I've gotta hang around here for a few hours before getting on my next flight.

I'm typing this on some wack keyboard on some wack internet chair thingy which is kinda expensive.

Can't wait to get to Austin and collapse.

Love you all.

Dxxx

Beautiful One Day

It's a beautiful day here in BrisVegas. I'm about to board the next leg of my flight onto Los Angeles. I just found out there's another stopover in Auckland which i had no idea about. That means i stop in 4 different cities before i get to Austin. Oh joy.

I must be looking like a right royal geek right now. I'm sitting on the floor of the airport lounge, laptop attached to the power socket, iPod attached to the laptop to power it up for the journey ahead. If i was someone else looking at me right now i'd think i was a right wanker. I'm even going to take a photo, what a tosser.

The domestic flight from Sydney to Brisbane was fairly uneventful, just an hour and a bit. It was the first time i'd flown Qantas domestically for quite a while, i've gone Virgin Blue all the way lately. I've gotta say i prefer Virgin. Qantas seems quite stuffy in comparison, their staff are more matronly. Perhaps i'm just ageist. It reminded me of another thing i like about Virgin, it's all one class. It pissed me off to have to sit behind business class passengers getting served newspapers, extra drinks, hot towels and having their own coat check. Sure you get a couple of biscuits and a cup of tea in plebian class, but i prefer the Virgin way, all passengers are created equal.

I just got my boarding call. I'm off...

One sleep till America!!

Tomorrow at 9.30am i leave for my great journey to Austin, Texas for the South by Southwest Festival. It's going to be a killer of a travel day. I fly from Sydney to Brisbane to Los Angeles where i wait 5 hours then fly to Denver then Austin. In Austin i meet some peeps in a bar who have kindly offered to accomodate a stranger. While i actually arrive the same day i left Sydney i have a feeling i'll be travelling for over 30 hours. I expect to be somewhat zombie like for my first day and a bit.

I'm super excited, there's such awesome speakers at the interactive festival and i'm looking forward to putting faces to the names of many an international blogger. The music festival is going to be insane. So many good bands playing i'm going to be running round like a mad chook.

Anyone going to SXSW who wants to say hi should drop me an email. I'm a friendly chap who harldy knows a soul in Austin so will be looking for people to talk to. I'm hoping to take my phone and buy a cheap pre-paid sim card when i get there.

I'll attempt to blog my adventures as i go, so stay tuned for further developments...

Independent Sex and Music Film

A while back you might remember me posting about the banning of the new Michael Winterbottom film 9 Songs. Thankfully the appeals process was succesful and the film will now be released in Australia with an R18+ classification.

After writing earlier about the film a little birdy gave me a DVD preview copy of the film. It's a worthwhile film, but not great. It doesn't really have a lot of heart, you don't really get to know the characters outside of the bedroom. All you really see of them is when they go to a rock show or when they're having sex. But that seems to be the point, exploring the sexual side of a relationship and not much inbetween, the inverse to what you usually get in a film about a relationship.

If you're in Sydney you might like to attend a screening of the film which will be followed by a phone interview with Michael Winterbottom. It's on April 13th at 7.30pm at The Valhalla.

Tets

Since my other 3 dining companions have blogged about it i guess it's my turn to chime in on the Tetsuya's dining experience. It was exquisite; the food was as good as it gets, the company was warm and hilarious and the service was top notch. Nadine described the experience well, Ms Fits recorded the menu, and i can no longer link to Sherriff's blog as this is family viewing.

One particularly embarrassing part of the evening which the others have been discreet enough not to mention occured when a waitress appeared, dropped a condom on the table and asked if it belonged to any of us. Extremely sheepishly i had to acknowledge ownership of said condom. Must've slipped out of my pocket at some point. Thankfully enough euphoria inducing food and good wine had been drunk in order for me to laugh it off. Even blog it.

The reaction of people who i've spoken to about going to Tetsuyas seems to fall into two camps. Some say how wonderful it must've been and express a desire to go as well, others almost get angry at the amount of money it costs and say it's obscene. Luckily i'm in a position to be able to afford a meal like that once in (long) while and i think for the amount of joy it brings to the tastebuds, and in the company of such fine individuals, it's well worth it.

Dear The Dears,

I saw your band play at the Gaelic Club last night. I gotta say i was dissapointed. Your singer is great, he's got an emotive voice and knows how to play to the crowd. Plus your guitarists and drummer give it their all. But the sprawling and meandering nature of most of your songs got a little tired after a while. I do like your latest album, and really enjoyed the handful of songs you played off it, but you also insisted on playing lots of old songs that hardly anyone in the crowd would have known.

My major gripe with the show was with your two female keyboardists. Everyone else in the band looked and sounded great, but your two keyboardists just stood their looking bored. Even the fact that one of them was rather hot didn't save them from the fact that they looked like they'd rather be at home watching television wallowing in misery. C'mon girls, your band is really succesful, you get to travel the world, you're playing to a rapturous crowd in Sydney and your band mates are going off, loving every minute. Yet you stand dead still, emotionless and just kill the vibe.

Oh well, you got my $40, i saw you play some songs i really love off your album, but you left a rather ho hum taste in my mouth.

Reasons you will hate me

• I'm going to SXSW in a week and a bit. I'll have the opportunity to see all these musical acts:

• At the interactive festival i get to see these ace geeks expel their wisdom.
• In Austin i have rad accommodation.
• I'm going to meet Kranki.
• I'm getting a new camera.
• I'm going to Tetsuya's on Friday with the bloggerati.

Pride cometh before a fall but what else is a blog for if not to gloat occasionally.

Photo catchup

Here be some pics from Saturday 2 weeks ago.

No it's not the rapture at Hillsong it's Lyrics Born at Good Vibrations. It was wet and miserable but it was rescued from total suckitude thanks to the camp joy of Scissor Sisters.

That was some of that wet Saturday's rain.

Dan and The Covergirls. Reunited with my hot models from the cover photo for Lucky magazine.