If you’ve been been paying any attention at all to the LAMB, you’d know that we recently held the second annual (official) meetup on July 11-13 in Chicago. A great time was had by all, and the even has been documented on the site’s of many LAMBs who either made the trip or are locals to the Chicagoland area. We even did a LAMBcast that was set in the apartment of another local LAMB. Long story short: if you didn’t go, you missed out.
But alas – good news is here, and it is this: there will be a 2015 meetup where you can remedy this ill (or continue your streak if you attended either the last one or the 2013 one in Las Vegas). The big question facing us now, though, is…WHERE SHOULD IT BE HELD?
(Right about here is where I should address the fact that this is a numbers game. The vast majority of LAMBs are located somewhere within North America. As such, that’s where these meetups will most likely always be held. Which isn’t to say that non-N. American meetups can’t or shouldn’t happen or wouldn’t be official. In fact, LAMBcast host Jay Cluitt is in the midst of pre-planning a UK-based meetup. Spoilers! Anyway…)
As with large conventions or Super Bowls, the leading contenders for such meetups are likely to be within large metropolitan areas with plenty to do (bonus points for film-related things) and pleasant weather (though scheduling the meetups for spring/summer can mitigate that). Also, as with those events, the LAMB looks to diversify the region where such meetups take place. Las Vegas is essentially west coast, Chicago is midwest, so the next meetup is most likely to be held in either the south or northeast part of the US. (One of these years – when we’re all rich – we’ll get ambitious and try Hawaii or Jamaica.)
Still, there are a number of opinions out there, even amongst those regions, and as such, I’m conducting a poll right here to determine where we go next. I’d like the poll to be conducted via comments rather than Polldaddy or something like that, though, for it’s going to be a bit of a weighted poll. Frankly, those that have attended prior meetups have shown the desire and initiative to attend, so their votes count more. Additionally, I think it only fair to count one vote per site (otherwise, we’d end up in Baltimore every year 
). Based on prior conversations and the thread over at the LAMB forums, I think I know which city is winning this poll before it starts, but just to get you started, here are the leading contenders. Feel free to throw in write-in votes as well, if you like.
Austin.
You know my choices, but if I had to rank the Top 4 options right now, I’d say:
1) Austin (for mere convenience)
2) New Orleans (it’s close, and I’ve never been)
3) New York City (I want to go, but it’s damn expensive)
4) Baltimore (only because the other 3 are more appealing in comparison)
As we mentioned on the forum board, of the four choices mentioned above we’d vote for New Orleans.
But if we could suggest another city, we’d nominate Atlanta as another worthy city. Hartsfield-Jackson Airport is a major hub for both Southwest and Delta, so flights shouldn’t be hard to come by. And Georgia is one of the more up-and-coming film locations for Hollywood (heck, The Watch filmed some scenes just a few minutes away from our apartment): http://www.georgia.org/industries/entertainment/georgia-film-tv-production/filmed-in-georgia/
N’awlins! Then Austin, Baltimore, NYC.
I’d also be down with Atlanta as an option.
Denver! But…of the ones listed above, I’d probably say Austin.
The only city I absolutely, definitely would NOT want to do for a meetup is New York. I know it sounds cool in theory but it’s a really terrible idea for the this type of meetup. Just my two cents.
AND I have to suggest Baltimore every year because:
a) It’s my hometown
b) Like 6/14 meetup lambs also live there
C) It’s actually a really fun, unique city. It gets a bad wrap and doesn’t deserve it. And I don’t want to hear anyone mention crime because we just went to Chicago where like a billion people a day are shot or killed in traffic accidents.
d) It would be a cheaper option than New York
So is Baltimore the official FTS vote?
Well I’d have to ask everyone but I know we all agree that it would be lame if New York is chosen over Baltimore.
ALSO: saying “those that have attended prior meetups have shown the desire and initiative to attend, so their votes count more” but then saying “I think it only fair to count one vote per site” is contradictory lol Just saying.
But for reals, I’d also like to throw DC into the mix. Or A Baltimore/DC weekend.
I think Austin, NOLA & Atlanta are all really great options.
Well, it doesn’t look like NYC is a real threat, so you don’t have much to worry about on that front.
I get what you’re saying about the contradiction, but I’m trying (perhaps unwisely) to please all of the people all of the time, or at least maximize the potential to do so. Not sure of what a better tactic would be.
Hahah Honestly, I was just giving you a hard time
My first vote is Austin only cause I’d LOVE to go there but honestly, I’d go anywhere to hang out with you awesome people.
*cue the AWWW!!! track!*
-Jason
Atlanta!
Speaking as a dirty foreigner, what exactly is the draw of Austin? I don’t know anything about it, other than the Alamo Drafthouse, and it seems a long way to go for a cinema. Is there something I’m missing? And it better not just be that Richard Linklater made all his films there. That’s no reason to go anywhere.
Due to the distance, I’m more inclined to vote for somewhere that could occupy me for a week or more, as it would probably be my holiday-of-the-year. Hence, I opt for New York, with New Orleans second.
Austin has a huge bar scene & is also considered the live music capital of the world. There are a few different Alamos and they are really cool (even if larger franchise Alamo multiplexes exist elsewhere.)
I’m kind of with you, Jay. I’m a-ok with Austin if it’s the selection (and it looks as though it will be), what with it being the closest of the contenders to me, but I worry about us having enough to do. It would be great to go there for SXSW – although not for a meetup – and I’m struggling to muster up excitement to go there outside of that reason (not that it’s not an awesome place to live, apparently). Basically every contending city is going to have loads of bars (and really, how many are needed?).
My vote for next year (or the year after): San Francisco.
My two cents are New York or Baltimore. It’d be the only chance I have of attending. Can’t justify airfare for the meet-up if it’s elsewhere.
Miami…Miami…Miami! My Home!
Has there been any kind of date discussion yet?
I think the idea is to hammer down the location first and then choose the dates after. Unless there was some kind of event that was the driving factor (ie we’re going to the Oscars!) which would lock down both simultaneously.
Makes sense. Well, for the record, there’s a slim chance I’ll be in North America in August/September of 2015. Not guaranteed, but throwing it out there seeing as no date has been agreed upon yet.
I see that both my sitemates have voted without consulting me, which makes them very, very naughty. Fortunately, my vote is also for Austin.