One day London filmmaker David Bond got a letter from the government saying it had lost some of his baby daughter’s information. This prompted him to wonder two things: A) how much information could there possibly be out there for a baby, and B) why did the government need so much of it? We sat down with David when he was in town for the festival to hear a bit more about how hard it was to disappear, and what that might mean to us in the future. more ›

Nash Cook and Pooneh Ghana worked so hard all day long at our annual day party this year capturing the mood, the people, and of course, the bands. Follow the jump for more. more ›

Yes, it took us a bit to get organized. But they're finally here, our photos from SXSW One of our hardest-working photogs, Pooneh Ghana, beat the streets and got some of her signature Polaroids for us. Enjoy! more ›

Mike "Fat Mike" Burkett from punk rock band NOFX, has been permanently banned from Emo's after pulling a disgusting prank during his SXSW showcase. more ›

First things first -- the band’s lovable drummer Bun E. Carlos was missing from the lineup but guitarist Rick Neilsen’s son Daxx Neilsen did a reasonably solid job in his place. The other original members were all in top form; Rick himself was especially energetic, cantering around the stage in usual fashion, switching guitars often, and tossing out guitar picks into the audience regularly. The set-list featured a host of songs off The Latest including “Miracle,” “Miss Tomorrow,” “Closer,” and “When The Lights Are Out” (a Slade cover). There was room for another cover, “In The Street,” a Big Star original previously recorded by Cheap Trick for That ‘70s Show, and a timely tribute to Alex Chilton who passed away due to a heart attack the previous day. Besides the homage to Chilton, the loudest cheers of the show were understandably reserved for Cheap Trick classics like “If You Want My Love,” “I Want You To Want Me,” “Heaven Tonight,” “Surrender,” and “Voices.” The band closed out the riveting performance with two songs off 1979’s Dream Police -- the anthemic title track and “Gonna Raise Hell.” Sure there were a handful of missing favorites but one look at the smiling, content faces all around assured us that the powerpop legends had satisfied those in attendance. more ›

Motörhead at Austin Music Hall (3/17): Previously reserved for the Austin Music Awards, the opening night of SXSW Music at the Austin Music Hall this year was a welcome blast from the past for metal fans. Although history does not see them in the same light as the Metallicas or the Megadeths, Voivod were veritable contributors to the thrash metal movement of the ‘80s. It was heartening to see they could still deliver the goods at a sizable venue, albeit to a meager crowd. Next up, Michael Monroe ensured the days of glam were not forgotten, performing solo material as well as classic Hanoi Rocks songs to a growing and enthusiastic audience. The tunes were anthemic and enjoyable, but it was Monroe who stole the show, prancing all over stage, twirling his mic continuously, and jumping into the photo pit to allow an eager group of fans to join in on the vocals. We were a little surprised that AMH was not jam packed when Motörhead took the stage around 10:30. Considering that the band had played the night before at Stubb’s and Lemmy: The Movie had already been in the SX news for days now (plenty of Lemmy sightings included), perhaps Motörhead had worn out their welcome in town? Not in our book! The band took no prisoners as they delved into their healthy catalog for a number of speed metal gems, reminding us why they are held in such high esteem by fans of that genre. more ›

We found this guy wandering around the SXSW Web Awards Pre-Party last week. He had his own badge and everything. You can follow his adventures on Twitter: @thetweeture. more ›

Last week at SXSWi, Nicholas Carr spoke about his new book, The Shallows: What the Internet Is Doing to Our Brains. It's coming out later this spring. In total internet fashion, I asked him for a quick summary: more ›

We would entrust our very lives to Dakota Fanning. So precocious, so talented—we always have high expectations when she's involved in...anything. Dakota, please take this plane down in an emergency landing. Dakota, please lead us to new civilizations and maybe even the Fountain of Youth. First, (chick) rock this corset out like a glam/punk goddess and do it in a way that makes Cherie Currie bow down to you in awe on the Paramount stage. (That last one actually happened.) Based on Currie's memoir, Neon Angel, The Runaways charts the short life and strong bond of the teenage, all-American, 100 percent female rock band that Currie fronted and Joan Jett started back in 1970s Los Angeles. The film is music video director Floria Sigismondi's first feature and screened as a SxSW Headliner on Thursday before it's theatrical release this weekend. more ›

Thanks to Matthew Odam for this lovely recap of our day party yesterday. Our slideshow will be posted soon. more ›

On Tuesday night the SXSW Film Festival and Conference announced a bevy of jury and audience selected award winners. We were pleased to see that two of our favorite films of the festival, Lena Dunham's Tiny Furniture and Jeff Malmberg's Marwencol (both of which we previewed here and here) were awarded the Narrative Feature Jury Prize and the Documentary Feature Jury Prize, respectively. Besides the absolutely outstanding programming this year, there has also been a SXSW Film Festival first: within hours of its World Premiere screening last Saturday night, Monsters, a sci-fi alien infection tale by first time feature director Gareth Edwards, was picked up by Magnet Releasing. more ›

A partygoer trying to get into the Levi's Fader Fort on Monday was denied access, and decided to rob the venue at gunpoint instead. more ›

SXSW can be a hectic and overwhelming situation for music lovers. There's always a long list of bands you know you want to see, but there's also always a ton of bands that you're intrigued by. Here at Austinist, we've got a few favorites we're excited for, and a handful of under the radar bands that we want to make sure you've got a lead on. more ›

For South by Southwest Interactive, one of the party-est parties was the Saturday night event, Happy Cog'aoke 2. It was the kind of event where you felt like anything could happen! more ›

As the music portion of SXSW starts to warm up, why not catch some live music and watch a killer film? At the same time! Come catch the second screening of All My Friends Are Funeral Singers and listen to the soundtrack played live by writer/director Tim Rutili and his indy-folk-pop-electronic band Califone. This quirky film about a lonely fortune teller living in a big haunted house with some reasonably benevolent ghosts promises to have an interesting blend of humor and drama that will soothe and invigorate you. more ›

Before you get out there and stuff your face with free BBQ and breakfast tacos, consider arming yourself with our new iPhone app, now available for download on iTunes. more ›

SXSW can be a hectic and overwhelming situation for music lovers. There's always a long list of bands you know you want to see, but there's also always a ton of bands that you're intrigued by. Here at Austinist, we've got a few favorites we're excited for, and a handful of under the radar bands that we want to make sure you've got a lead on. more ›

The online service Spotify has energized music lovers in Europe with its ease of use and streaming of millions of songs to anyone with an Web connection. Spotify's 27-year-old CEO, Daniel Ek, didn't give specifics as to when the service might come to the United States during his keynote interview Tuesday at South by Southwest Interactive, but even a brief demo made clear that Spotify could have a huge impact when it does arrive. more ›

The late Samuel Mockbee was an architect, a teacher and someone who defied boundaries. He was the force behind Auburn University’s Rural Studio, a design program that aims to both educate students and improve an impoverished Alabama community and the subject of Citizen Architect: Samuel Mockbee and the Spirit of the Rural Studio, a SXSW Documentary Feature and world premiere. more ›

Austinist is proud to announce our 5th annual day party during SXSW, happening March 17 at the Mohawk on Red River St. in Austin, Texas. This year's event is our best yet, and we're so proud to announce the lineup, featuring: White Denim, Besnard Lakes, Washed Out, Small Black, Royal Bangs, Toro y Moi, Phantogram, Warpaint, Julianna Barwick, Yukon Blonde, First Aid Kit, Body Language, Anni Rossi, MyNameisJohnMichael, All Get Out, and Dan Black. more ›

Possibly the most pleasant surprise of SXSW Film thus far is Katie Aselton's The Freebie. Darren (Dax Shepard, in a truly brilliant performance) and Annie (Aselton) have been married for a couple of years and have reached a point of stagnation, so to spice up the relationship they decide to have one night where they step outside of their marriage and into the arms of someone else. Of course, this is a terrible idea, and takes a situation that merely was not working and turns it into an emotional blitzkrieg. It is raw and powerful and real and one of our favorite movies at this year's fest. We had the chance to sit down with Aselton on Sunday to discuss the film, her work on the FX show The League, and hiring yourself when no one else will. more ›

We're giving away a pair of tickets to Saturday's third annual Perez Hilton "One Night in Austin" party, featuring Snoop Dogg, Alphabeat, Marina & The Diamonds and more. more ›

Bear Nation, a SXSW Emerging Visions documentary, explores the big, hairy, and oh-so-happy (read: real, laid back) gay subculture of Bears. The film features a slew of candid takes on body image, acceptance, and ultimately finding a way to go easier on yourself to take full advantage of this life. Yes, the documentary about the burliest of men is surprisingly touching and we still get to hear about what gets them off -- the best of both worlds! We sat down with Director Malcolm Ingram (Small Town Gay Bar) and music icon/documentary interviewee Bob Mould (formerly of Hüsker Dü and Sugar) mere hours before their world premiere to discuss the draw of niche groups, the fur of foreign lands, and why you shouldn't use the phrase "pick up on" in questions about gay communities. more ›

As the SXSW Film Festival comes across the midway point and enters the home stretch, you’ve been offered a special gift: an extra hour of sunlight at the end of the day! How nice to be able to walk out after a marathon movie session and still catch a little much-needed vitamin D. Sure, we know that’s not what you’re here for, but it’s nice to get a little fresh hour. Enjoy it! Breathe deep. Then…get right back in there! You don’t want to miss the Swiss sci-fi flick Cargo, playing at the Paramount Wednesday night. We’re sure you know where we’re going with this, but here are the magic two words: Remember Alien? more ›

Williams and interviewer Umair Haque casually covered such topics as the importance of openness, how Twitter acts as a force for democracy, and the principles under which Twitter runs its business. more ›

While the name James Milne might not be familiar to you (yet), Milne's resume will resonate with most fans of melodic indie rock. A former member of both The Brunettes and The Ruby Suns, Milne has also worked in the touring version of Austin's Okkervil River on occasion. Which brings us to Lawrence Arabia - Milne's pseudonym, which has now become both a band and his primary musical project. The music shows signs of everything from solo John Lennon to Of Montreal, and has a sense of '70's AM gold to it as well. It's studied but easygoing, and you'll have a chance to see the results this week at SXSW. We recently emailed Milne to discuss New Zealand beer, Will Sheff, and more. more ›

This Spotlight Premiere draws comparison to This is Spinal Tap as well as A Mighty Wind, so if you’re in the musically-oriented mockumentary kind of mood, check out Le Donk & Scor-zay-zee. more ›

What do you think of when someone says the word "cowboy?" For us, we imagine leathered faces, dirty hands, saddles and the open range, but there is a different kind of cowboy that exists in America: the Professional Bull Rider—daredevils who put their neck on the line, literally, every night, entertaining crowds of eager fans with their feats of bravery, tempered with what we would consider insanity. In her newest documentary film, The Ride, Meredith Danluck encountered a culture that she never even knew existed and captured no only the thrill of competition, but also the quiet life of today's modern cowboy. We had the chance to chat with Meredith via phone last week about uncomfortable social issues, celebrity and of course, cowboys. more ›

Austinist photographer Steve Hopson has been running around town to give us a visual update from the SXSW Interactive conference. Enjoy! more ›

With a multitude of bands descending upon our fair city this week, we all could be forgiven for being enamored with that next big thing from the U.K. or the hidden secret from Chile. But it's vital we don't neglect or forget about the hordes of acts that entertain us all year long here in the "Live Music Capital of the World". Tonight, we present Local Music Is Sexy, our bi-annual salute to Austin's homegrown talent, in the cozy confines of the PureVolume House. more ›