Witnessing the Church of Elon Musk

Minutes later, and the easy listening instrumental track being piped through the theater died down. A whoop from somewhere in the venue sparked some excited chatter. A journalist sitting in front of me asked her neighbor "Is that him at the side there?" Someone started chanting "Elon, Elon, Elon," and it briefly caught on before dissolving into an insecure giggle as the next jam faded in. By the time SXSW director Hugh Forrest took the stage around half an hour behind schedule, excitement was at fever pitch.