Austin’s iconic South by Southwest festival has gone from an eclectic festival featuring arts and entertainment to a showcase of innovation and ideas.

Techies, foodies, and celebrities have also found a home at SXSW, including late-night TV comedian Jimmy Kimmel. This year, the funnyman brought Jimmy Kimmel Live back to Austin for a week of shows, March 16-20, 2015.

Joining Jimmy for the 29th annual South By Southwest, an impressive list of A-list guests. Some of the standouts included Julia Louis-Dreyfus, Tony Romo, and Willie Nelson.

Inside the Long Center, the show taped from a custom Texas-sized set, splashed with colorful neon signs and numerous nods to the Lone Star State. I was in the audience for the March 18 show, featuring Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo, comedian Hannibal Buress, and a musical performance by James Bay.

A warm-up comedian helped prepare the audience for some big laughs by the time Jimmy took the stage. Pre-taped bits showcased the lighter side of life in Austin and featured some fun moments with festival attendees. In between segments, crew members made adjustments to the set arrangement, touched-up makeup for on-air talent and guests, and prepped the audience for what was next. The concert at the end of the production required a complete set redesign with backdrops and light panels being adjust before the band could begin mic checks and sound tests.

Even as a broadcast professional, myself, I was amazed and impressed by the number of moving parts required for a single show taping. Kimmel delivered a fun and memorable performance, clearly wowing the live audience.

The views expressed in this blog do not necessarily reflect the views of KLTV/KTRE-TV or Raycom Media.  They are solely the opinion of the author. All content © Copyright 2015 Lane Luckie