Hook 'Em Horns! The University of Texas at Austin is ramping up its presence at this year's South by Southwest (SXSW) festival, launching a Longhorn-themed extravaganza known as the Hook ‘Em House. The venue? None other than Austin's legendary Antone's Nightclub, which will open its doors for UT's takeover on March 8-9.
A true blend of academia and entertainment, the Hook ‘Em House is set to feature five panels that tackle the "What Starts Here Changes the World" motto head-on, focusing on topics like health, AI, sports performance, and the burgeoning field of digital creators. SXSW revelers can expect a lineup that includes Kollective CEO Jeremy Hills, content guru Remi Bader, and the brainy President Jay Hartzell himself, who'll be getting chatty with healthcare heavyweight Dr. Thomas J. Cahill III of Newpath Partners LP fame. All of this intellectual fodder will be complemented with musical musings from acts tied to Austin or UT, as reported by KXAN.
And it wouldn't be a celebration without a proper march. According to the Austin American Statesman, the Longhorn Band will kick things off bright and early with a parade from the Austin Convention Center to the Hook ‘Em House. The festivities are to continue with a nod to International Women's Day and, to sweeten the deal, warm cookies courtesy of Longhorn alum Tiffany Chen, founder of Tiff's Treats.
The second day's focus shifts more towards culture, with panels on success in the content creation arena and sports wellness. Sporting enthusiasts can look forward to watching parties for UT's basketball games and a curated selection of tunes from KUTX 98.9 DJs. Moreover, the panels boast industry juggernauts like Diligent Robotics CEO Andrea Thomaz and David Paydarfar, chair of Neurology at the Dell Medical School.
UT's Hook ‘Em House isn't all play and no work, though. Hartzell, in an exclusive interview with the Austin American Statesman, gushed about UT's commitment to fields like AI and robotics, calling it an "interdisciplinary and fast-growing field at UT." They're doubling down on this commitment, declaring 2024 "The Year of AI," and are set to sprinkle a bit of Longhorn learning magic in among the SXSW buzz.
With an event that's at the nexus of intellectual discourse, technological exploration, and pure Texas flair, UT’s Hook ‘Em House is touted to be a hot ticket at SXSW. So for those with a taste for the educational along with their festival frolics, Antone's looks like the place to beat. Ghostland Observatory and Dayglow will do the musical honors, ensuring that when it comes to merging the brains and the beats, UT has got it on lock, as detailed in the KXAN report.
