SXSW Part Deux

So now it's about that time to reflect back on some of my biggest issues with SXSW. I actually didn't have that many problems with SXSW it was just the couple of things that bugged me; SERIOUSLY bugged me. Let us begin with the thing that annoyed me more than anything else, The Kanye West Fiasco!

I love Kanye West, I really do, and I think it's awesome that he goes to SXSW and does free shows. This year was nothing new, I'm sure everyone remembers back in 08 when he showed up at The Fader and did a performance. It was awesome. His Fader performance is one of those amazing moments from SXSW where everything comes together to create an awesome experience for music fans. This year the experience was not so organic, in fact, it was completely ridiculous.

VEVO decided to make their presence known at SXSW this year by throwing a free concert with Kanye West. This in and of itself is not a problem but the way they went about it was. There were rumors Kanye would be there for a good month before the festival even began with a confirmation coming the week before the music part of SXSW began. Vevo decided the best way to go about this would be to have people text message a number to RSVP to the show. That was their first problem. Everyone and their mom RSVP'd to the show and obviously that created chaos. Normal shows have an online RSVP where they explain it doesn't guarantee entry but that they can better control. You can take the RSVP down when you have more than enough people on the list already. This is how a smart company does a SXSW RSVP. Anyway, after the initial text Vevo sent out another one (on Friday I believe) saying you had to respond to get GUARANTEED line entry. That sentence alone is ridiculous. Guaranteed line entry? Yippee I get to stand in the line! Look at me ma, I made it!

Here's a little tip about Austin during SXSW, cell phone reception is hit or miss. When you have a bunch of cell phone addicted people in a relatively tiny area you run the risk of overworking the towers. This means that a lot of people get calls and texts well after they're sent. Perhaps this is why SMART people don't have cell phone RSVPs during SXSW (yeah I'm gonna harp on that a lot). So my friend gets the text saying you must respond with the code word "Kanye" to get guaranteed line entrance a full minute before I got it. She replied in about 15 seconds and guess what? She was too late to get on the list! This is pretty much what happened to everyone and it kind of pissed people off. I'm sure this got back to Vevo so to save face they decided they would, wait for it...have ANOTHER text RSVP later that night. Yeah people, obviously the people organizing that event are super smart! (I wish you could see the face I made as I typed that.)

So Vevo spreads the word that a whopping 100 more RSVPs will be given out and that the first 1000 badge holders will get in. That is nothing people, NOTHING, and the fact that they felt the need to spread the word about that is laughable. NO really, laughable. I am quite sure I actually laughed when someone told me. So obviously that situation was going to turn into a clusterf*ck and that is why I voted no on going. Luckily, I have friends that went and were able to give me some fun details about the party.

1. All that text message RSVPing meant NOTHING! Anyone could get in line it was first come first serve.
2. People were lining up before 6 for a midnight show.
3. The show didn't even start at midnight
4. At 2 Kanye had STILL not performed.
5. Kanye went on around 4ish.
6. Complete and utter chaos.

Was it worth it? Yes, it's Kanye and yes Jay-Z and a couple other people were there so a lot of people would say yeah it was but I don't really agree. Think about this, 3 years before people were just chillin in The Fader, drinking free drinks, not waiting in line for hours, and guess who pops up on stage; Kanye. THAT is what makes a big name performance at SXSW awesome. The element of surprise that someone you never expected would show up. Not some over-hyped, poorly managed, spectacle of who can PAY the most for an artist to show up. That whole thing just left me with a bad taste in my mouth.



Issue number 2, the Perez Hilton party. This is the party I actually went to Saturday night and while it was a good time I had some issues. Let's just go ahead and list them.

1. You have a venue that holds 2500 people and you give out 10000 wrist bands.
2. No free booze (I know it sounds like I'm being ungrateful but you'll understand later)
3. No surprise guest/the way the party ended
4. Perez Hilton's attitude.



Let's just go ahead and hit all these points. Perez, like most people had an online RSVP and then you had to go pick up your wrist band to get in. Now wouldn't you think that the RSVP would close at like 3000-3500. I mean you have to count that not all people who RSVP will go but having a venue that only holds 2500 and letting 10000 wrist bands out is STUPID. That's right, it's not ridiculous; it's simply stupid. It's one of the stupidest things I've heard in a long time actually. I mean, who does that!?!??!??! So after grabbing our wrist bands earlier in the day my crew and I got in line around 5 for the party at 6. We didn't actually get in until around 8 but the people I was with made that wait quite fun. I did have a big problem with the fact that once we finally made it to the front we had to wait another half hour to get in. Why you ask? Well they claimed they were at capacity but they MOST DEFINITELY were not. I hate when people do that.

Once we got in the first thing I noticed was no free booze. I'm sorry but that's just really unacceptable. One of the sponsors of the party was a vodka company, I mean COME ON! Almost every party at SXSW has free food or free booze or both! The past two years Perez's party has had free alcohol and it just seemed like this party was just thrown together last minute and that pissed me off.

I heard rumblings that Perez was trying to make the party badge only and I think he got a lot of heat from people about that and ended up changing it last minute. Perhaps this is why he was in such a bad mood the whole time. He didn't mingle or anything he simple came on stage before each performance, introduced the person, and then went backstage again. It was odd. Don't get me wrong the party was fun and most of the performers were cool and I discovered an awesome band (Kids of 88!!!) but the vibe was off. This wasn't helped by the fact that EVERYONE thought there would be a big name performer. I mean with Diddy at the Fader and Snoop up the road I think people just thought he could get someone. The first year he had Kanye and Gaga and last year he had Katy Perry so it just would have been cool to have a fun surprise guest. It was like our party was the red headed step child of SXSW!

IF he had no intentions of having a big name performance he should have structured the show differently. It was the most abrupt stop to a party I've ever experienced. The bands went off stage a DJ came on and spun some less than stellar tunes and then bam the lights came on. I think people actually booed. I think my main issue was you expect a Perez Hilton party to be on a certain level and this was kind of just a thrown together party of nonsense. If he couldn't get it together he honestly shouldn't have had any party at all.

Aside from the two party debacles I guess I just didn't love the feeling of SXSW this year. You know that feeling you get when you find a really awesome band/rapper/artist and then a couple months/years later MTV discovers them and ruins them? THAT is exactly how I felt at SXSW this year! Most of the people I was with have been before and the common theme among all of us was "what is going on?" Too many big named brands were advertising and kind of having a pissing contest with each other to figure out who could get the biggest artist there or who could have the most people and it just ruined the spirit of the festival.

Here's the thing, I have memories of going to SXSW and seeing Kid Cudi walking down 6th. A friend of mine randomly got to interview Asher Roth on 6th two years ago. I met Nat from 3OH!3 and Shwayze outside their shows a couple years ago too. I'm not against bigger artists coming but I'm against them coming when they don't really take full advantage of some of the cool aspects of SXSW. A lot of the people they got this year *cough cough* Kanye, Diddy, Jay-Z and crew were rolling around town in blacked out SUVs and not having any interaction with fans. They simply went to do their obligatory performance, pick up their chick, then leave town. That's not what you do at SXSW!! You meet your fans, you walk around Austin and experience all the randomness the city has to offer, you do free spontaneous shows for people that truly love music, in short; you experience SXSW!!! That is not what the celebs did this year and it bugged me. I also think that all the hype around Kanye made the crowd different.

It seemed to me there were more people there to party than there were to listen to music. I love a good party but I can party in Dallas the biggest reason I go to SXSW is shows. Well, if I'm being completely honest shows and boys (don't judge me! :D ) but still music is a big part of why I go and that's the point! Too many people were there just to be seen or just to see Kanye West. The more I type this the more I realize where the good people of Austin were coming from when they said Don't Dallas My Austin! I guess I kind of feel that way about SXSW, simply put don't Coachella my SXSW.




SXSW for me is about music, the weirdness only Austin has to offer, boys, good food, cool people, and fun times. It has that nice southern charm that only Texas has to offer. Big brands trying to make money, celebrities making paid appearances, pissing contests between brands to see who throws a better party, and the kids walking around like they're the coolest thing since sliced bread (because they are rocking a new pair of Ray Bans) belong at Coachella! Perhaps I'm just being too harsh though. Maybe it's a good thing that SXSW is growing and big news and gossip blogs are following the happenings of the festival and all that jazz but I vote no. I'm an only child that never learned to share and a born and raised Texan so I guess what I'm saying is back off my SXSW! Hey, I may be a little crazy but you know you love it. :)

* OH and since I promised, the infamous, Stripper video! Haha. I don't even know if this does it justice! It's sideways, we had to do stealth videography.

SXSW RECAP

Itinerary Each Day
Thursday-Drove down, checked in, Fader! Nightlife was Shakes and Blind Pig
Friday-Fader, Pure Volume, a couple random bars and then the Library
Saturday-Perez Hilton line to get our bands, Fader, Perez Hilton party.


So I've been putting off this recap of SXSW because I was trying to figure out exactly how I felt about the experience. I've been going to SXSW since 2008 and it's become an important part of my year. I enjoy the atmosphere, music, people, fashion, and fun that the festival offers. SXSW has been around for a couple of decades now so it's not a new thing by any means but it's definitely gotten a bit more popular as the years have gone by. What used to be a fun music festival where you could hear a bunch of bands that are kind of on the brink of being discovered by the masses has turned into a bit of a spectacle. I think that's part of the reason I put off doing this review. I'm not used to having a less than stellar opinion on SXSW and I kind of felt like I was being disloyal to a friend by having some of the feelings I had about SXSW. Anyway, I've come to terms with my feelings and am now ready to do this recap. I think the easiest way to do it will be to do the recap in two posts.

This post will focus on what I experienced at SXSW. The music, events, people, things, etc... I experienced while there. I will do my next post on more of the issues I had with the overall experience. I swear it's like I'm breaking up with someone. I feel like SXSW and I have been dating for the past 4 years and now we're broken up!

"WE WERE ON A BREAK!!!"

It's really causing me a lot of strife people! Anyway, I will occasionally refer to things that I shall discuss in the next post by saying "more on that later". So I suppose there's nothing left to do but get to it, so let's do this people!

We arrived at SXSW on Thursday afternoon and immediately went to the hotel to check in and then to the Fader Fort on 4th to get our wrist bands. For those of you that don't know The Fader is a music magazine and they also have shows/concerts/parties for certain events. I'm not sure how long they've been going to SXSW but since I've been going they've been there. You RSVP before SXSW and then you get a wristband that gets you into the fort (as long as they aren't at capacity) every day of SXSW. It's a really cool experience because it's free music all day long, they have shows about every half hour, and free alcohol. It really is a win/win situation. Anyway, after getting our bands we went into the Fader and it was AWESOME! What I didn't realize then but I see now in retrospect is that Thursday reminded me of the good old days of SXSW. There were a lot of people but not too many and it was just the right amount for it to be fun but not overwhelming.

Thursday was actually the best day at the Fader in my opinion. Good music, good bartenders, and not too many people. They also had some big name people that day including Mac Miller and Wiz Khalifa so there was an interesting crowd of people there. I like being around lots of different people with different tastes in music and some of the boys there were HOT!!! Actually, 95% of the boys there were hot; hot, tall, giants! I was in boy heaven I tell you, BOY, HEAVEN! So after listening to all the music and hanging in The Fader until it closed we decided to head to the hotel to change then head out to 6th. Once we got to 6th we ended up at The Blind Pig listening to some random Minneapolis hip hop group and a band that sings r&b tunes. It is also the place where I met the love my life! I guess it's story time now!

How I Met My Future Husband!

So I saw this random kid dancing around at the show and I was like he's hot. After psyching myself up with a glass of liquid courage I decided I was going to try and talk to him next time I saw him. Well after about 10 minutes of searching I was like where is this kid? I looked around and couldn't find him anywhere then I happen to glance up on stage when they were introducing the next band and guess who it was!?!? My future husband! He played the bass in the random R&B/pop band! As my friend's boyfriend said they were "like Maroon5 but not Maroon5" ha! That perfectly summed them up. Anyway after lusting after him all during their set I grabbed a friend and found him off stage. We shared some moments and I gave him my number because his phone was dead. Unfortunately we never got to hangout because he was leaving Friday at 11 but in my mind he's my soul mate. We shall meet again!

*now back to our regularly scheduled program*


The people that were out Thursday were just so chill and it was also my best day musically. I really liked all the people I saw perform on Thursday and it was also my favorite day of the festival. We ended the night at Shakespeares which was just so fitting. I saw some old friends, met some new friends, got some free shots, and was told I'm beautiful (The grandiose compliments boys in Austin give girls are wonderful). All in all a good night.

Inside The Fader


So Friday we started the day at The Fader. Honestly, that's just what you do at SXSW. They have all the free alcohol you can drink and free shows so why wouldn't you start there? I must take this opportunity to say that my moccasins were a BIG hit at SXSW this year! I've had moccasins for about 6 years now. No really, I got them my sophmore year of college so 04/05 and I love them because they're comfy. I'm always shocked when people comment on them because I don't really dress for other people so I appreciate it when I get compliments. However, people were in love with my moccasins and it made my day! I even had one girl tell me she loved "my whole look" and I looked like Pocahontas. Ha! That's one of the many things I love about Austin. People there have a bigger respect for the anything goes type of fashion and I like that.



Wore this with my moccasins on Friday


We spent a couple of hours inside The Fader but not as long as we did on Thursday because it was hot and because it was PACKED! Friday was when I began noticing that there were a TON of people EVERYWHERE. SXSW has gradually gotten popular in the last couple of years and that's a good and bad thing. I'm glad the festival is getting recognition and that a lot of brands want to come party (i.e. Red Bull, Candies, Vibe, Fader, Perez Hilton, etc...) BUT Austin is not big enough to handle all the traffic and people so it makes enjoying the experience a bit difficult. Friday was when I first started to get the feeling that I wasn't really loving the vibe of SXSW this year but we'll get to that later. So after some time in the Fader we headed over to Pure Volume, mainly to pick up our badges in case we wanted to go there later and to use a bathroom that's not a port-o-potty! That's the one bad thing about The Fader Fort, it is actually a fort. Ha! There are no bathrooms because there's not really an inside so you simply go in port-o-potties! Once we walked over to Pure Volume we decided to head back to the hotel and chill for an hour or two, grab some food, then get ready to go out again that night.

Friday night was what began the "I think I may be over SXSW" vibe I left the weekend with. There were just too many people everywhere and too many lines everywhere and too many text messages about the stupid Kanye West show on Saturday!(More on the Kanye show later) We started out at Side Bar where we patiently sat in front of a bartender for 15 minutes. I kid you not, 15 actual minutes, before finally asking if we could be helped. Once we asked for help the bartender flipped out and my friend ended up having to go off on him. Needless to say we left that place and then ended up trying to get into Beauty Bar which was badge only, so of course we couldn't get in. Here's the thing though, NO ONE WAS THERE!! Why was no one there you ask? Why, because MOST PEOPLE DON'T HAVE BADGES! So why not just let people in. I mean REALLY!!!! Finally after a couple brawls in the street that slowed us down, some minor drama about a place for my friend to stay, and masses upon masses of people we landed in The Library. I love that place (there's one in FTW too) because it's a nice chill good time. Once we settled in the real fun began and by fun I mean the stripping.

THE STRIPPER STORY


So everyone has been at a bar when a random girl finds a random pole and begins her version of pole dancing. It happens, it's amusing, whatever. This story does not involve that girl. No, this story, involves what I can only imagine was a real stripper who found a random beam inside The Library and began doing her thing! I mean homegirl had a crowd gathered around to witness what most people have to pay a cover charge and a two drink minimum for. She flung herself on the top of that pole and spun around, legs open for all the world to see her goodies, for a good half hour. People were taking pictures and recording her and she had NO shame in her game. I was so appalled but not for the reasons you may think. I don't care if you wanna spread your legs on a pole at a bar but if you're going to PLEASE wear cute undies. Homegirl had on big, giant, WHITE, panties! WHITE!!!!!! Why in the hell would you go to a bar in big giant white panties and then hop on a pole!? Then just as I was recovering from the great stripper incident of 2011 a ho walks down the stairs yells "HEY!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! IT'S MY BIRTHDAY" then takes her top off and flashes everyone. So needless to say it was an interesting night.


*We now return back to our regularly scheduled program*


So Friday night ended with a bang but also with all of us feeling a little "over" SXSW and we still had another day of partying! And all the big stuff was reserved for Saturday.



Some of the crew in line for Perez


Saturday we spent the early part of the day at the line for our wristbands for the Perez Hilton party, The Fader, running around Austin, and having a horrible dining experience at Champs. The Champs dining experience was truly one of the worst experiences I've ever had. The waiter was completely miserable and we were very aware of this the entire time he waited on us. That is completely unacceptable and drives me nuts. Aside from that the day was pretty relaxed and good. The Fader was still crazy but hey, free music + free booze = lots of people. I guess it was to be expected but it really did become annoying after a while. We ended Saturday night at the Perez Hilton party where I was introduced to an AMAZING new band called Kids of 88! If you don't know who they are you should check them out because they are fantastic.


I also saw The Pretty Reckless and was actually impressed. I knew they were performing but it never registered in my mind that it was Taylor Momson's band. I was actually surprised at how strong her vocals were. Not really my music scene but definitely better than I was expecting. She puts on quite the little slutty show.

All in all the party was pretty fun and I made some new friends while there. I enjoyed most of the performances and the drinks were strong as hell (they should have been since we had to pay for them!). Another cool thing was they had cell phone charging stations everywhere. Anyone that's ever been to SXSW or any event that lasts all day and night knows the importance of a charging station! Cool moment of the night for me was when I also was asked to pose for a girl's fashion blog because she loved my outfit! (Yeah I'm tooting my own horn, deal with it!) At the end of the night we all went our separate ways and then my core crew and I ended our night with some 6th street Wendy's and our beds.

I woke up Sunday not feeling my best so we just packed up our stuff and hit the road back to Dallas! So here are my grades for the experience: Music = A, Friends = +A, Boys = -A, Lines = D, RSVP scenarios = C all in all experience was a solid B. Not as fantastic as previous years but not horrible by any means. I do think I'm going to take next year off though. I say that now but who knows how I'll feel when SXSW time of year rolls around again. I just think SXSW has lost some of the things that made it so appealing and that makes me not want to go again for a while. We shall see though, we shall see...



*Stay tuned for part 2 of this post which will focus on some of my gripes and have more pics! I may be able to get my hands on the stripper video too! Ha!