IVANA'S SXSW BLOG

This morning's 4am wake-up call (L.A. time) was for a much better reason than yesterday's 4am wake-up call (earthquake), although no less difficult. Re-dressed in what I had worn yesterday, I stumbled down to the lobby of the Four Seasons to be there for the arrival of Alpha Rev, who were due to perform live on KGSR at 7:30am. One of the keys to management is showing up places before the band. Trying to assemble seven musicians, all arriving from different places, who had been onstage playing for VH1 less than seven hours prior, is comparable to herding cats. The lobby area was already packed with hundreds of mostly local KGSR listeners, and the band slayed the crowd with "Colder Months" and the single, "New Morning," which was familiar to many because of KGSR airplay. Had I not been in the lobby as early as I was, I would've missed my HUGE Mark Mothersbaugh sighting. I had an uncontrollable urge to fawn over him, but somehow I resisted. Tip for beating the lines at registration: Show up at 9am. Mark Shimmel was the only other person I saw that early. Couldn't go back to sleep, so I watched The View and figured out my agenda for this evening: Non-com dinner first, then Warp showcase, then Sharon Jones & the Dap Kings, Broken Bells and Spoon at 12:15. Did I mention that I saw Robert Duvall twice already at the hotel? And Peter Lewit rode in the elevator with Bill Murray earlier today. Celeb spottings galore! Even I was recognized this afternoon at the first-ever solo performance by Dave Faulkner of the Hoodoo Gurus... Hey, aren't you that girl from the documentary on the Hoodoo Gurus? Yes. But no autographs please. At least a dozen key radio people are here, with even more arriving tomorrow. I have to pace myself. More later.