Justice, Moby, MGMT, booze & Playboy bunnies @ SXSW 2008

March 19, 2008

photos by Ryan Muir

Unlike last year’s semi-swanky, semi-outdoors, semi-conventient location, this year’s SXSW Playboy party (Thursday night, March 13, 2008) felt more like a rave in a big abandoned (yet conveniently located) warehouse (which ended up being the same location as the late night VICE party that happened later in the week). LIKE last year, there was a bunch of Playboy models running around in blue bunny outfits, and there was plenty of free alcohol available all night….well past Austin’s 2am bar closing time.

I got there right before Moby started (around 1?), and left almost before Justice finished (around 4). I’m a big fan of classic techno, and especially classic Moby, so Moby’s classic techo-heavy set kept me more than happy – especailly when he closed with “Thousand“. Justice’s DJ set was good too, and the visuals were definitely entertaining, but I was really just a zombie by that point. I was thinking, “this would be really fun if I could do more than just stand here”. Up until then my SXSW went something like this…..

Tuesday: last minute preparation all day, fly to Texas, arrive at midnight, check into hotel, sleep.

Wednesday: wake up early –> change hotels & run errands –> my Wednesday day party —> run more errands real quick –> my official showcase till 2am.

Thursday: wake up early —> get to Emo’s by 10:30 for Thursday day party —> dinner & short break —> see Jens Lekman @ the Mohawk (which was as good as always) —> Playboy Party —> collapse

Ryan was not only more awake than me, he got to the Playboy party earlier, stayed later, danced a lot, and thought it was pretty much the best party he went to all last week (unless you count the all day Mess With Texas festival on Saturday). More of Ryan’s photos (which also include openers The Rub, MGMT and The Heavy), below…..

Moby – Thousand