We exit into streets choked with people working their way back to the main strip, grabbing food and making plans before the evening’s shows begin. Eighty-eight official venues have shows scheduled that night, and the bills are laden with popular independent groups like She & Him, Dr. Dog, Miles Benjamin Anthony Robinson, The XX, We Are Scientists, Broken Social Scene, and others. Outside The Music Gym, Weingarten leans against a wall and goes silent as he works to compose his thoughts about Shabazz Palaces’ set. “I feel dumb sometimes,” he says, “because it’s supposed to be just ‘Blah! Tweet!’” He ends up giving them 133 characters, and he makes all of them count: “#SXSW 39)SHABAZZ PALACES: Ex-Digable Planet does impossibly funky, dubby avant-rap with shakers, kalimbas, ideas without boundaries.” Then, two minutes later, as if realizing that they could use the help, he tweets about them again: “#SXSW 39)SHABAZZ PALACES: Truly a unique and wonderful mix that deserves to be one of SXSW 2010’s breakout stars. Get Googling!”
The Seattle crew passes by and waves farewell. Weingarten nods. “See you on the Internet!”
Thanks for such a beautiful article, Justin. Thanks for adding something lovely, interesting, and new to my day. 1000TimesYes to you and to profiles about cool people like Christopher R. Weingarten. I love him!
#1 Posted by Bunny Jones, CJR on Tue 25 May 2010 at 12:24 PM
I haven't read many articles involving Twitter that I've actually enjoyed. This was a great profile on Weingarten-- full of quotes and rich details.
#2 Posted by Cindy, CJR on Tue 25 May 2010 at 12:53 PM
I agree. I have to tweet at work for my office. Twitter kind of hurts me in my soul. But here's this buy who made it beautiful and useful.
#3 Posted by Bunny Jones, CJR on Tue 25 May 2010 at 01:03 PM
well told. like a good new yorker profile (gold standard for this reader), this offered three things: (1) a personal connection with weingarten, instilled from a steadfast objective viewpoint, balanced with (2) an increased interest in the topic at hand and the ideas you (and he) develop (like another commenter, i am not usually impressed by reflections on twitter culture, this being an exception), both of which you impart with (3) smooth, effortless entertainment.
good profile.
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