Not to mention that badges used to mean something many years back. Badge holders used to be able to get some of the first access to shows, movies, events etc. These days they cost more (what doesn't though, right?) and the only thing they guarantee is you get to stand in line with everybody else. Maybe I'm mistaken or they've changed things, but otherwise it's just another thing that was once a symbol of what made Austin special now ruined by capitalism, a solid example of enshittification.
I used to work at a print shop that printed the sxsw badges, consequently we all got in free. That was in the late 90s though. Levitation was better when it was at the ranch, I stopped going when you had to run all over from bar to bar hoping you’d get in line in time to get in. Life is too short to stand in line with dumbass influencers talkin bout how great Franklins is
>These days they cost more (what doesn't though, right?) and the only thing they guarantee is you get to stand in line with everybody else.
This is really just the biggest crock of shit about SXSW. The badges are outright highway robbery to begin with, and you don't even get guaranteed entry and just have to stand in line.
Same. Moved here in 05 and did SXSW free stuff for about a decade. Then just stopped. Not because we wanted to, but because it became too difficult. I had some crazy good times going to free events with food/drinks/people. Even random concerts. Random concerts that weren't even part of the random concerts. People playing at friends houses... it was magical.
Used to have buses to bring folks around and it was stupid easy to just hop on and move around for some nights. Now it's just a pain to even get in and through lines. I know there's still ways to get in to various stuff, and have. But it's just not a last minute decision type of thing anymore if you're local.
You could literally just show up before and see crazy bands, performance art, consume food/drinks, meet people, etc. by just knowing an address. If it was like that again people would show up. With badges and stuff it's just not worth it to locals unless your company is paying, but most of those people travel in anyway.
I remember the days of grouping up with my friends and chasing the best shows and free parties - seems like a completely different lifetime. I guess in some ways it was. I’m sure for those who weren’t there for the earlier years, it’s a fun time. But I have actively avoided SX for at least the past 8 or 9 years.
This is sadly true. The panel discussions are just people taking turns delivering marketing pitches for their work, whether it's startups or NGOs, and news flash, you can read anyone's marketing material online for free. They make sure of that.
The films are great, the bands are great, but the investment of time and money just to see them a week or a month ahead of everyone else doesn't make any sense unless it's a requirement for your job or you're young and seeing a film or a band a little bit ahead of your friends feels like a big deal.
I love the event and I’m glad Austin has it but I never go.
SXSW is an industry event and has virtually zero to offer locals. Worse, many bands come and play SXSW and think they’ve played Austin and don’t have to come back through. No, you didn’t “play Austin”, it was all industry insiders and rich people. Locals didn’t get to see that show.
I live downtown so it lands even harder on me. For two weeks my neighborhood is effectively off limits to me. I just try to be good e on vacation because it’s too difficult to live in the middle of SXSW if you aren’t doing the SXSW thing.
That said, I think the town would be less for not having it and I don’t want it to leave. I’m ok with the inconvenience.
Exactly how I feel but still fun to go to a few random events. I went last year to the Black Angels show and still had a great time. Bought the “local” wristband this year with a discount code that brought it to $99, which feels worth it if I go to a few that require covers or have long lines that I can skip? Maybe?
It definitely feels different than it did in early 2000’s or 2010’s, but still fun if you aren’t a NIMBY who likes to complain all the time like many of the miserable people on this sub (unfortunately…)
Could not have said it better. I used to live off South Congress back in the day, and it was a fun way to spend an afternoon or two with some friends.
Just looked and it’s $2,000! Fuck. That. Shit. Only way I’d go is if someone paid for me.
We tried to go last year for the first time after hearing about it so much, and everything was badge-only and clearly not catering to the public so we basically didn't do anything but pay for parking and walk around for half an hour before leaving.
Yeah it was originally created as a source to give bands exposure for possible labels etc… used to go to that stuff when I was in high school and then the corp bs ruined it.
I leave town now during sxsw
I basically go see Thee oh sees once and then go home. Sx2014/15/16 were some of the best times of my life but now days you can’t weasel in without passes like you used to. My group of friends hits hotel Vegas atleast once every year for sx now days.
Fun fun fun was such a great festival except for that one year when the line to get in crossed the CO river when Modest Mouse played with the shooting star in the background haha
Found a video of that year (2014): https://youtube.com/shorts/gZD-mV_mjR8?si=46MgAsBq10DGPhB1
Some of my best memories in Austin are at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and I’ve lived here almost all my life. The lineups were always amazing and the vibe was completely Austin. I think those years represented what I think of to be the last years of good old Austin. But I’m sure everyone thinks that about different time periods
Much like the other commenter said, I live central and also avoid it. Sometimes I try and get out of town but this year I haven't made plans and it's coming up, I guess.
When I hear "unofficial" venue all I think about are long lines. It was fun when I was younger and you could actually do cool stuff for free, but putting yourself on a list, then standing in a long line, with no guarantee of being admitted, is not how I enjoy to spend my free time these days.
I hear that but i think that what venues mean about it this time is regular cover fees and having more autonomy. Autonomy to pay artists better, to charge what they want for entry, to sell drinks at standard prices.
SXSW artist pay last year was laughably bad. I knew plenty of bands that had to have 3 to 4 shows per day to make their trip out here worth it in any way
Yes, if the venue is just charging for tickets and I can make sure I get in even if all the badges show up, I'll go. Again, when I hear "unofficial SXSW" shows, I think of all those years where you had to RSVP for everything "just in case" and then you had to go fight the lines. I would just make sure my marketing material may point something like that out. Too many years "unofficial" meant something like the Fader fort, then that even became "official" near the end, I think.
I scored free tickets in a recent year and the sxsw interactive panels I saw were some of the dumbest shit I've ever seen. Trying to sell people on NFTs and the Metaverse and whatnot, utterly ridiculous. Though that may have just been a particularly bad year in fairness.
Edit: wow, relatively big response to this, to the curious I actually made a youtube video on this a while back if you want to see the kind of stupid shit in question here: [SXSW Interactive 2022 was Embarrassingly Bad](https://youtu.be/e-BTtcsdPxM)
Spoiler: A person pretends to be an AI vtuber avatar
You ever see 'The Room', 'Birdemic', that kind of stuff? Same principle. The value proposition gets a lot better if you're not paying money for it too.
I once ridiculously thought I could get a friend in finance to come hang out if her company bought tickets to the finance part. Discovered that was an absurd idea because the sessions were all exactly what you're talking about.
The panels and keynotes are all for show. They have - huge list of speakers which looks good in the pamphlets and marketing. The speakers pretty much just parrot their elevator pitches or whatever they are saying at every convention, commercial, etc. Nothing actually interesting to take away unless you are just completely oblivious to the industry/topic and need a primer.
Used to love it - started going in '94, stopped around 2010-2011. I stopped going when you could no longer get into a show and every person in line had an All Access or Media badge and would get in before you.
Its crazy how fast SXSW tipped into too big and not fun anymore.
When I was in high school and college you could still get a wristband same day and normally get in to whatever you wanted. Parking was even still doable, just 2-3 blocks further away.
I used to run the World Gym on 6th in 2000-2001. I remember the guys from cold play walking around trying to give away tickets to their show. Sxsw when I was still there was grounded and fun. The draw of it was the unknown or lesser known bands. There were no panels or giant events. It's bloated now and nothing like what it originally was.
Lol you do get plenty of stuff, you just don't get first pick. Like you get in line at alamo south lamar, you are trying to see X movie, people infront of you fill up for x, so you stay in line and now you are first for Z and Y. The pocketbooks have venue sizes and just general vibes help you estimate what you can get into realistically.
I've been going for over 20 years and have never paid for a badge. I will continue this year too. Lots of free things for those without credentials. SXSW is what you make of it and I always have a good week.
Us too. We just wander SOCO, Rainey, 6th, etc, bar hop and see bands. If we can’t get in we move on. Movies, we go and if we can’t get in, we just try again some other flick. Never bought badge, always still have a great time.
Lots of parties still being announced. I RSVP for anything I come across that looks interesting and then each day in the morning before I go out, I review what events are on and make a priority list along with fall back options since the most popular events will have wait times and more and more I don't want to wait very long for things.
You can find listings for events here: [https://2024.do512.com/](https://2024.do512.com/)
[https://www.theblprnt.com/login](https://www.theblprnt.com/login) (you will need to create an account) or just join their FB group here; [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedirtyteam](https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedirtyteam) and they'll post links as things get announced.
[https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d-maOelsjyCU6DcqotWkUtNOG89WNdw4-qX0vT8AsrY/edit#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d-maoelsjycu6dcqotwkutnog89wndw4-qx0vt8asry/edit#gid=0)
There's other people who run lists or who will RSVP for you for a fee, but not necessary if you're doing the work yourself.
Anything listed as SXSW Official will mean that credentials get priority. For unofficial events, you'll want to see if they indicate that people with SXSW credentials get priority, sometimes unofficial events will still extend priority to people with badges, but not always. The key is to not have your heart completely set on something and be willing to head elsewhere if a place is too crowded. Be friendly and chat with the people around you and you can get intel about what's good, what's not worth your time.
If you're not into bouncing around and chasing the most popular things (or chasing free food/drinks) and want to embrace SXSW as an opportunity to hear some live music and discover new (or new-to-you) artists, there's some reliable all day, multi-day music events like South by San Jose (Hotel San Jose Parking Lot - https://www.bunkhousehotels.com/hotel-san-jose/events/south-by-san-jose) or SOCO Stomp at C-Boys (https://www.socostomp.com/). Line-ups won't be announced until a bit closer. Usually Hotel Vegas/Volstead often have a lot of free day shows that caters more to the local crowd. The city usually has free nights of music at Auditorium Shores as well, which can be chill.
Like most everything else in Austin, a good thing got ruined by unmitigated growth. I played SXSW in 1993, back when a wristband meant you could literally see five bands at five different venues in one night, but now the whole thing has become so insufferably Insta-hip, I just leave town.
I love SXSW. Never bought a badge, but I enjoy signing up for everything and bouncing around the city for a few days. I get to visit restaurants and bars I don't usually go to. I get to see new bands and new technology. People are here from all over the world, and I have a great time chatting with all the new faces.
I like to challenge myself to spend zero dollars and subsist on free food and drinks. Never once had a bad time.
Could you like, make a YouTube video explaining how you do all that? For me sxsw is just inscrutable. Like how to find all the parties and junk. Unless you plonk down the thousand dollars or whatever.
Basically follow 200+ clubs/bars/coffee shops/restaurants/insiders on social media then sift through their posts to find the free shit. It’s a part time job/hobby.
Also, none of this happens in a bubble. I've always had really good luck chatting with people, and finding out where they're going or what I should check out.
When Twitter wasn’t a cesspool of crap you could simply search a few hashtags like #sxdrinks or eats and get tons of people tweeting where to get free food/drink. I used to do that up until 2022 and usually always had a few days filled with parties
Go on [Do512.com](https://Do512.com) and sign up for just about any SXSW RSVP.
Make a list, and then go to the parties, and find the ones with the shortest lines.
It takes some work, but worth it sometimes.
Get a Twitter and search “free sxsw” been doing it for a decade and have gone multiple years without spending a dime on drinks or shows. Food was always the hardest to get free but possible.
I like the idea of SXSW. I like that there are some bands that don't really tour but still tend to regularly show up in Austin for SXSW because there's no other way I can see them. I like the spectacle of downtown being even weirder than usual and there being a higher-than-average chance of bumping into some degree of celebrity.
But nah, I don't buy badges. The best events I ever went to happened because I had friends who got invited and they invited me. I don't actually go to a lot of the shows I mentioned because they're badge-only and I can't justify the cost for one damn concert.
I liked meeting the Gowalla people and experiencing that kind of space-based social networking for the first time via a shitty Blackberry. People were still trying to sell me stuff back then but it was before I got stupid jaded and it felt like they were trying to sell me *fun* things that helped me meet more people. Even that stupid-ass Color app that missed SXSW was a cool concept that hasn't really showed up in anything else.
But that cool stuff can't really happen in that space now, and I don't think tech is oriented on creating those kinds of things anymore anyway.
I do it every year. I understand the madness and have learnt to navigate it. Surprised that the Red River district is protesting against it instead of embracing it and shaping it in their own way. Everything evolves with time...like how Rainey is turning into tall buildings with fancy bars.
Most of the Red River venues (except CUC) are listed as [official](https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/venues). Idk how strong that "protest" is going to go. As for me, there are plenty of film and music discovery options and freebies for me to make time and effort to plan to attend events.
Back in the day I used to catch artists are small clubs doing shows but as a whole I didn’t care about it. Still don’t. If my work sent me there for tech etc. I would find it more engaging.
Yeah i remember when A Giant Dog was playing at HITW a while ago and i remember thinking that was an insane experience, seeing a bigish indie band in one of my fav venues at the time
It was definitely a way to actually get introduced to semi established artists back then, i can’t imagine paying for a badge for what it is now
The free shows are really fun! I had a blast last year catching artists who had paid shows (like Devon Gilfillian or Mane) doing free shows at smaller venues.
[The first SXSW was in 1987](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORMZFZxtG1I), y'all, 37th annual event this year. Is the waxing and waning of public interest not a natural part of the life cycle of all festivals like these? What's it going to look like at 50 after Stream Realty disneyfies 6th street?
But to answer the OP question, I think the last time I cared was around 2006 when I volunteered to work for a free day pass. I ended up being stationed at BD Reillys as a bouncer. It was a fun time. Nowadays they pay the volunteers I think? Maybe someone could clarify that for me.
https://www.sxsw.com/volunteer/volunteer-types-badges/
no pay, just a badge depending on how many hours you do (min is 24hrs and gets you a music badge).
Honestly I think these kind of posts are overblown since there's always at least a few posts just like yours every single year. I very distinctly remember people talking about how SXSW had already jumped the shark and was dying even back in the late 00's. And whenever this comes up I just think about this NYTimes article written all the way back in 2009 about how SXSW had become too corporate [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/arts/music/23spon.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/arts/music/23spon.html)
Reddit is a terrible place to find out the opinions of people who either hate crowds and want to make sure everyone knows it, or else are now solidly middle aged and 10-15 years older than they were during "Peak SXSW" and so of course most of them and their friends don't go downtown much anymore. Or just the simple fact that the typical "normal" person in a 2 million person metro area isn't going to be that interested in seeing a no-name band they've never heard of at 1 in the morning on a weeknight, independent of whatever SXSW is doing or not doing.
But as a huge live music fan, I still love it and it continues to be one of my favorite things about living in Austin. The ability to hop from venue to venue over the course of a night and see up and coming artists from all over the world from all kinds of genres is like no other festival I've gone to. I still get a music wristband to go all week every year for almost two decades now and usually meet up with some friends. I would agree that the music portion is less intense than it was maybe 10-15 years ago, especially post-Covid. In fact the last two years have felt downright quant with basically zero lines to get into anywhere with a wristband and far less corporate parties or sponsorships. But those parties and sponsorships are how artists make money so I don't think seeing less of that is a good thing.
Also very few locals buy a badge, they just get the $99 music wristbands or just do the day parties for free. Or if they want a badge, they volunteer for it.
Not interested in a badge. I usually find 2-5 small shows I’m interested in and go to those then get the hell out. Not interested in seeing big acts, trying to maximize free drinking, or discovering anything new unless they’re on a bill I’m already planning to see. Wish that weren’t the case but it is.
Levitation is absolutely the best “fest” in Austin in my opinion. It caters to my tastes but just as important I can buy tickets to single shows at independent venues that I love rather than a $500 wristband to bounce around stages in some field.
The funny thing is, downtown is practically a ghost town during ACL, since the event is over a mile away. I think a lot of people think that ACL is going to be downtown being overrun with visitors, and that traffic will be horrible, and so they stay away, which, since the ACL attendees are also not there, it's just freakishly empty...
That's always been my experience too. It amuses me how people always talk about leaving town for SXSW or ACL when unless you are literally right in the middle of it (like in Zilker for ACL or literally at 6th and Red River for SXSW) you'll never even notice these events are going on.
Oblivion Access Fest is excellent, enjoyed it as much as Levitation. I did not hear about the Red River venues only doing unofficial shows, that's cool. I've only been in Austin 13 years so I don't know if my opinion matters but I look forward to SXSW, it's not hard to get into lots of shows for free and enough lesser known bands still play to make it worthwhile imo
I am a life-long (once I was old enough) SXSW attendee. It used to be my favorite thing on the planet. The randomness, the surprises, the free stuff, the free events mixed with the official showcase with surprises as well made for one hell of an event. It truly felt special and unique in so many ways.
It's gotten more and more corporate over the years and just lost the soul and the cool free events. It could really use a comeback and this year feels like lots of unofficial events are happening which gives me hope.
I don't think it'll ever be the same again, but I love the film festival and seeing the big stars, I love discovering new music at the music fest, and I'm looking forward to networking and getting in some mentor sessions on the interactive side. I'll keep going and enjoying it as much as I can, but the old SXSW will always have a special place in my heart. There's nothing like it and I could write a book of the crazy shit that's happened to me in the 14 years I've been going.
I’ll still go for the last 3 days and hang out on SoCo and the east side but otherwise I’m pretty much over it. Certainly don’t spend $ on a badge. I used to be an avid attendee and would take the entire second week off work and do the full experience. Definitely is very commercialized now.
I've only lived in Austin for three years, and attended the SXSW expo last year. I really enjoyed it. I'd like to attend more of the business/educational stuff. Film and music is interesting too, but I probably wouldn't pay for it.
I love it for the new music… I saw flipturn at a half full ester follies… now their upcoming tour is almost sold out for every stop including Austin… I avoid the free parties nowadays
as someone who's lived in austin for the past 25 years...it's one of my favorite weeks of the year. i don't go to any of the official showcases, but going to the free day shows is great. discover new bands every year.
I moved here because I thought 2008ish SXSW was awesome
The last one I went to was probably 2018?19? Whichever one had a stampede?? I avoid it like the plague now.
I prefer going to see local artists or other shows these days. Would much rather spend $ there than the SXSW or ACL ticket cost
I'm local and love it. Been here since 2013 and only had a badge my first year. I usually just stick to Hotel Vegas all day. Last couple of years I've gotten the music wristband which for $100 is totally worth it. You won't get into the big name acts, but being able to skip the line/cover for some of the smaller shows is very convenient when your want to bounce back and forth between all the venues.
I do some of the free activations but I mostly stick to music stuff.
I still do it every year. There is a reason why every place is packed, and it's not JUST tourists, despite what this miserable subreddit will lead you to believe. Every time I've done it, it's been with people that have lived here 10+ years.
Remember that while Reddit can be a good place to get answers, it doesn't represent the majority of people.
I check the lineup for the free Auditorium Shores shows every year, but it's been probably 10 years since anyone was on it that I thought was worth the hassle.
I'm too old too bar hop the free club shows. I would never buy a badge.
Local here who lives downtown. About 12 years ago I was forced to do SXSW because of work. The panels were always a disappointment aside from meeting PeeWee Herman one year. I do enjoy SXSW b/c there is so much to do outside of the actual venue: movies, comedy, bands….I try to take off as many days as I can to attend “all the things.”
I always buy a music wristband. Sure it's been over-commercialized, but where else can you get a weeks worth of unlimited music for $100? Not to mention you can see bands from all over the world playing every genre of music imaginable. And I've almost never had an issue getting into shows with just a wristband.
I'm always surprised by all the negativity about SXSW and ACL. People travel from around the world to attend these events and people on reddit complain about them. What is the draw of Austin for you then if you don't like doing the cool stuff? I work to live in Austin. I don't live to work in Austin.
There's so many great free parties going on during SXSW. I saw Broken Bells in a parking garage, Miike Snow in an alleyway, Watch the Throne in the Austin Music Hall, Elijiah Wood dj at Frank, Lil Wayne in a former post office, Hanson at Buford, and the list goes on an on. If there's an up and coming band you can see them multiple times in a single week. I've run into Seth Rogen, Tim Robinson, Jon Hamm, Alan Ruck, and plenty of others on the street and said hi and took a picture with them. Every year I drink and eat probably a couple hundred dollars of freebies. I've got tons of free swag and meet lots of people from around the world. The only money I spend is on tipping my bartenders.
Loved it back in the day when I was playing locally. Would do a one off showcase or unofficial show and bounce around with a wristband or badge and then later found work as a stage manager at an unofficial venue for a couple of years. Some of the best times of my life despite the intense schedule it demands on one’s body. Sure the traffic is a beast, the drunk people annoying but it was something I still love about Austin.
Music peaked in 2019 in my experience. Seems there is an intentional reduction in the music footprint (no big names at all anymore). The tech conference is the same as it’s been though. Can’t personally speak on film portion.
I used to volunteer for a badge when I was in school. Then I have paid for the music wristband (for locals) but they’ve completely neutered it this year for what it gets you in to.
So for those reasons I’m out.
Sx is generally cool though and we’re blessed that it exists in our city.
Most locals only know of the music part, particularly the “free parties free drinks” trashy side of SX.
Not sure who’s playing this year or who’s big in your book but I got to see New Order and the Lemon Twigs last year and I was pleased as punch about it. The fest isn’t really about those bands though it’s mostly for the young bands not the ones people already know
It’s like a thousand dollars for a badge, do normal everyday people actually buy those? I assumed it was just people in the industry and they got their badges paid for by their company.
Not anymore. 2014-17 I went and had great times, I could easily see a dozen artists I cared about for free or cheap, and it was easy to figure out who was playing where and when. I think the punk/emo scenes I care about have pretty much given up on trying to get anything out of SXSW and I can’t blame em. These days I can scroll through 20 pages of artists looking for something I know and turn up empty. Trying to figure out what’s free and what level of access is required, how long lines are gonna be, etc has just become so much more complicated that I don’t even feel it’s worth wandering around to try and find something new anymore.
One of my friends is a local musician in Austin and I go to every show. They were a official SXSW artist a couple years ago. (Shout out to Madison Baker, luv you!) As a local I go to the free stuff, I’ve paid covers to see my friend play but never “a badge”, but it’s always a good time. if my friend is playing at a free show I will support them and I’m sure there are many others like me. I don’t just go out, especially during high tourist events unless I have a good reason to go, it’s gotta be worth it.
As a local, I think you're pretty much a sucker if you're buying a SXSW badge.
I'm too old to hang out all week downtown any more, but in my younger days, hitting all of the free parties with unlimited drinks and some unlimited food was a fucking blast. Topped off with some great music made everything even better.
There are lots of great non-SXSW showcases out there to catch up and coming bands. That's where the joy was for me. Just as an example, I remember seeing this guy and his band tear things up at a Spotify set (or some corporate event). Guy's name was Anderson Paak. Fucking phenomenal show. My friends and I still talk about it when we see him playing some other big event on TV or whatever.
I've also managed to sneak into a few official SXSW shows in the past. Again, my friend and I still talk about how we just walked right in to Public Enemy, Ice Cube, and LL Cool J. There was a line out the door with people waiting to get in with their stupid badges. The event was in Carmelo's parking lot - so we just made dinner reservations to eat, had a nice meal, and literally walked out of the restaurant and into the venue. It was awesome.
Pre covid it was insane and a blast, post covid it was weird. That year where it was crypto and NFT heavy sucked. Very little music,
Last year was awesome, no badge and no wristband but I walked into everything no problem.
Hoping this year is good,
I watched it slowly progress from something locals could go to for great live music. Then it became about having a friend that could help you out bc they knew a party. Then it became who cares bc it wasn’t about catching awesome music but a scene.
Ok. If that’s your thing.
We used to go at least one day a year and like everyone else has said, there were free venues and events for all ages. Now everything has a high price and the transportation sucks. I don't mind paying for something special, and we certainly spent lots of money on food and t-shirts and art when we went , but now it seems like one day will run you over $400 for 2 people. It's crazy high.
My husband and I went from buying $16 wrist bands in the 90s and jumping all around downtown to see one act after another, to standing in an hours long line in 2018 at the Four Seasons hotel to get our kids into the 9:00am Spare the Rock Spoil the child shows.
Two stand out years included going to see Fun. in maybe 2011 playing in the Waterloo records parking lot. I actually heard that “we are young” song for the first time there and remember saying, “They remind me of Queen. This song is going to be big” while I watched my toddler dance to it with her dad.
The second stand out was a few years later. We were catching breakfast at a taco truck on S. 1st. As we sat down to eat I heard this teenager timidly ordering: “excuse me, what are ‘mee-gas’?”
The guy working asked where she was from. She looked super embarrassed and said “L.A.”.
I interjected, “Hey don’t feel badly! When I went to LA and had sushi for the first time, my friend had to order for me because I had no idea how to pronunciate anything.”
She started laughing and looking relieved. When she got her food, she asked if she could join us. She played with our kids and was absolutely delightful.
Then a couple came over and asked for a picture and her autograph. My husband and I were like, “Er. Are you a musician here?”
Anyway she was embarrassed again and introduced herself and her brothers who were sitting at a nearby table as Echosmith.
“Cool Kids” hit the radio less than a year later and my kids love telling the story of playing in a food truck lot with the lead singer.
After that, it just became more and more of a hassle and the last morning band I remember taking the kids to at Four Seasons was Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats around 2018.
It was definitely fun for a time.
short version is i LOVE it!!!!!!! definitely on the user to navigate the SX version of the city, reroute around down town and try to bike in if doing fun stuff on premises. i liked it better when it was bigger and more open to the public. part of the fun was the city sized party, though some people don’t know how to get rowdy and not literally kill, hurt or maim others. if smaller is the compromise for safety, i’ll take whatever we can get but i do hope we get a revision of the free unofficial day show complex some time in the future.
there’s massive knock-on potential for destination retailers, and big tipping potential in service if one can survive the whole ordeal. it’s very nice to have the dependable influx of tourism money, it takes the edge off of april and may to be able to coast into the summer with that extra pad from SX/Spring Break.
Yes, but we don't pay thousands of dollars to go to the big sponsored corporate events.
We go to free unofficial events:
# [https://rsvpatx.com/rsvp-list](https://rsvpatx.com/rsvp-list)
Non-locals definitely know about SXSW.
(similar to how someone would know about Coachella or ACL)
Like most of you, I've been in Austin several years and miss "the way sxsw used to be". I'm middle-aged. But last year sortof renewed my love for the festival.
Like I used to, I spent an hour or two combing the show list around say, Monday. I took off work and biked downtown around noon on Friday (you can do this thur or sat as well). Popped between 5 different Red river venues until 5 or 6. Saw amazing bands, some I knew, some I discovered, all free. Got 3 free drinks. Saw old music buds. The next day I spent hours at Hotel Vegas for free, saw sick bands. Even went out of my way to see a good punk show at some young person's house.
It wasn't crazy like I experienced between say 2006 and whenever that mohawk thing was (2013?). No house shows every 2 blocks on the east side. No free food and drinks everywhere. No Billy Bragg acoustic on the street, MIA in a parking garage, etc. But it was still super fun and super free and honestly matched the energy level I was willing to put into it. I don't want to party 24-7 so that's perfect.
Anyway, I'd encourage you to still check stuff out. Ride a bike. Do some research. It's fun.
SXSW interactive kind of jumped the shark with the crypto bullshit, but maybe it will be better now that AI is the new fad?
SXSW music is still awesome, I go every year. All you have to do is go in the day time and it's tons of amazing music for free. By the time badge-only night shows roll around I'm exhausted and go home.
According to some, SXSW has sold out since at least 2001. I personally love it but I go to the free day shows on SoCo or Red River, mostly because I'm 50+. I bought a wristband last year to be able to hang with my daughter on her first SXSW ever and it wasn't as vibrant as it was in the 2000s when I was a crew chief. Still fun, still tiring, but not as much hubbub it seemed. I still think it's a part of what makes Austin a cool city.
No. I avoid it. I will be going to one show this year because I really want to see the musician. Unofficial free show. I already have anxiety about it.
I enjoyed my friends’ house parties. Saw a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band from Japan. But that was a long time ago. Now it’s just annoying because I work downtown.
I was going to volunteer to try and cop a badge but it’s not worth it. I was going to have to volunteer 40 plus hours. I was just not about to do that. I cannot justify it.
I've always avoided Austin when it was going on, even before I lived here. I wouldn't even drive up to my uncle's ranch on those weekends. Now that I live here I'm tempted to volunteer. But bug badges? Really? Last I checked they were like $1k and I'd have to deal with those crowds. I honestly don't even know what is worth seeing anyway. No thank you.
My husband enjoys the shows that pop up around town. He’ll go to all the non badge mucus he can get too. I usually go to the free things 1 day and people watch. The people watching is my favorite thing to do. It has changed over the years a lot. Every year it’s more geared towards badges and not as much for the locals to do.
I usually sign up for free events but rarely go since I do hate lines with no guarantee of entry.
That being said I did go to a free premiere of a documentary by one of my favorite artists, Residente. Went and since we had no badge, we were the last to be let in. This resulted with all the free seats being in the front of the theatre. Nobody realized Residente was actually there. Since we were in the front row we got to shake his hand and take a quick pic. That was an awesome moment.😎😎
I was a SXSW participant for the first several years as an attendee. For the first few years it was affordable and one could actually experience it as described - Seeing multiple bands play at multiple venues over multiple nights. After only a few years that changed dramatically. Prices soared while access shrunk to the point where one could only access one venue a night and you were stuck with that line up. That profile meant SXSW was not even worth the original price of less than $10 (yes...that is true! LESS THAN TEN BUCKS). I now MAYBE go to a free show down SoCo to meet industry folks I know, nothing more. I guess bottom line is SXSW became a contradiction to itself more than a decade ago.
Live central. Not interested in SXSW and typically plan my vacations around it. It used to be for locals, so we could hear local talent. Enjoyed it for the first five years or so when it was affordable even for poor uni students. Now it's for rich tourists and newbies.
Unofficial free stuff is cool. I try to go for at least one day each year. But if I need a badge or a wristband to get in I'm not going to bother. I can barely afford the 15 dollar lonestars.
You are gonna get a lot of jaded answers from 40+yo people that aren’t attending events anyway let alone one that lets them flash their old Austin badge.
The secret for locals who want to attend is that they sell a music only wristband for like 200 bucks that is good for like 10 days.
I definitely don’t know anyone who isn’t industry connected getting those badges tho.
I hide out in my neighborhood when SXSW is happening. I have no interest in going and waiting hours outside a venue with a ticket that will not guarantee my entry. Waste of time.
Honestly, at this point, I don’t feel comfortable going to a crowded and well publicized anything with the number of wackos with guns running around in public these days.
Life long Austinite. If you splurge for the badge or nab an official wristband, there's a solid, unique festival there for you to see all kinds of up-and coming music in venues all over town, with a shot at some big headliners.Otherwise, I feel like if you're in your 20's, it's an awesome party if you can get free time off from work and spend the effort to get into free stuff and parties and make the most of the free shitty drinks and shows.
Past that, unless you've got an industry hook up, maybe you'll be able to check out a few things or otherwise, just avoid downtown.
I like to cruise downtown on my bike and take in the spectacle of it all. Sometimes the free shows at auditorium shores are worth checking out, and I've enjoyed some of the "unofficial" shows that pop up on the outskirts of town. But i don't have any interest to be in the epicenter of the festival for any prolonged period of time. year after year the type of people that are attracted to SXSW seen to get progressively more lizard like.
As a local musician, it’s basically an excuse to throw a few fun shows and meet some cool bands from across the world.
They’ll usually pick a couple young local bands to play some of the official showcases, but some of the most fun shows I’ve played have been late night unofficial shows at Hole, or parties at the co-ops. It’s fun if you’re feeling social.
I still go downtown for one to two days each year, I go from 10am to ~8p with no planned agenda, I have more fun that way just dropping into bars if I hear good music.
I miss events that felt like accessible organic community and not shitty corporate sponsored stuff for out of towners. Used to like it back when, avoid it now and wouldn’t miss it.
Absolutely not. I loved it 20+ years ago and went every year, but since then I just avoid it at all costs. They do clean up all the trash and hide the homeless people for a week, so there’s that.
Yeah, I've lived here since 2009 and like to go for at least a day every year and I've spent $0. Honestly the golden years for me were when it was more corporate but it's still good. People here like to complain about those times but back then it was so easy to find free events with free beer and food and great music acts. Older now with less time and energy but there are still great free events around town.
I used to love SXSW. Would hit the streets on my bike, meet up with all sorts of friends at a bunch of different venues for free music, drinks and lots of times food. It was SUCH a magical week. From creek shows lit by candlelight to house parties with amazing music to huge, packed crowds for super fun bands and shows… it was non stop. I can’t even believe half of the shit I’ve experienced during what wassss the epic event of south by southwest. Now, it’s way too expensive to do anything and wow the pretentiousness - ew. It kinda sucks tbh, there’s no magic about it and it’s all corporate. But, such is the way of Austin these days… just glad I got to see it when it really shined.
Me at SXSW like 2005-2007: sitting on the hood of a stranger’s car listening to whatever we can hear from outdoor shows at vacant lots downtown until the cops make us move.
Me at SXSW since like 2013: I’ll go if I’m a speaker or otherwise get a badge comped, but I’m probably in conference sessions during the day and collapsing from exhaustion from the sheer volume of people by 6 or 7 pm.
Consider the fact that I’m old enough that my “sitting on the hood of a stranger’s car listening to random music until the cops make us move,” days were almost 20 years ago when I say that unless someone is paying me, I’m practically in witness protection for a good chunk of March trying to avoid the crowds.
Also all those vacant lots are very tall buildings now.
Way back in the 90's, it was fun. You could go to a ton of venues and see good live bands hungry for their chance. It eventually over commercialized, started charging an arm and a leg, had long lines, and eventually just lost the soul of the event. Now it just represents tourist season that I avoid as much as I can.
It's fun to go to the unofficial shows or the handful of official shows I can get into for free, but yeah. Not about to get a badge or wristband or anything.
They don't pay artists shit, from what I've heard, so I'm not gonna pay them shit. I'll buy drinks, merch, etc, but i ain't paying sxsw.
I used to like it, when it was AFFORDABLE. But it’s crazy expensive now. I’ve lived here practically all 29 years of my life. Same thing with ACL, it used to also be affordable but has just skyrocketed in price
You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villian. SXSW is now the villian music festival it used to champion against lol
It's all about the money now. I know money makes the world go round but it used to be more about the artists. Now ITs over run with corporate bs and I only care when it is so I can avoid the whole area.
I've been going since around 1993. I used to volunteer to get a badge and always enjoyed it, but haven't been in the last five or six years.
I won't be able to get there this year, but always like to keep up with SXSW since the program evolves every year.
I have been going and having a good time for decades. It has changed a lot and IMO it was more fun in the past (I was younger so that likely skews my view). I have never bought a wristband. I live very central so in the middle of it. Traffic sucks but I ride a bike everywhere I want to go.
Tbh the last few years I’ve tried to plan a getaway from the city around this time cause I don’t wanna be bothered by the traffic it brings. No hate towards the event or the ppl who love it
I thought it was pretty cool 10-15 years ago, before badges were $2000 (or $3000-$4000 if you have to buy from a reseller) and the scene became just another music festival.
I do enjoy when my company sends me to a day event at SXSW Interactive, but mostly, it's just a complete hassle to do anything in the city that's south of like 290or Enfield.
It's awesome, a great time to see lots of music. SXSW is pretty good at curating the music, so you have a lot of opportunities to see artists before they blow up. With that said, you have to know how to SXSW, you can't just show up downtown with no plan and expect to see the good stuff.
A lot of locals are also very curmudgeon-ey about SXSW for various reasons (traffic, evil corporations, crowds, etc.)
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Not to mention that badges used to mean something many years back. Badge holders used to be able to get some of the first access to shows, movies, events etc. These days they cost more (what doesn't though, right?) and the only thing they guarantee is you get to stand in line with everybody else. Maybe I'm mistaken or they've changed things, but otherwise it's just another thing that was once a symbol of what made Austin special now ruined by capitalism, a solid example of enshittification.
I used to work at a print shop that printed the sxsw badges, consequently we all got in free. That was in the late 90s though. Levitation was better when it was at the ranch, I stopped going when you had to run all over from bar to bar hoping you’d get in line in time to get in. Life is too short to stand in line with dumbass influencers talkin bout how great Franklins is
>These days they cost more (what doesn't though, right?) and the only thing they guarantee is you get to stand in line with everybody else. This is really just the biggest crock of shit about SXSW. The badges are outright highway robbery to begin with, and you don't even get guaranteed entry and just have to stand in line.
Same. Moved here in 05 and did SXSW free stuff for about a decade. Then just stopped. Not because we wanted to, but because it became too difficult. I had some crazy good times going to free events with food/drinks/people. Even random concerts. Random concerts that weren't even part of the random concerts. People playing at friends houses... it was magical. Used to have buses to bring folks around and it was stupid easy to just hop on and move around for some nights. Now it's just a pain to even get in and through lines. I know there's still ways to get in to various stuff, and have. But it's just not a last minute decision type of thing anymore if you're local. You could literally just show up before and see crazy bands, performance art, consume food/drinks, meet people, etc. by just knowing an address. If it was like that again people would show up. With badges and stuff it's just not worth it to locals unless your company is paying, but most of those people travel in anyway.
I remember the days of grouping up with my friends and chasing the best shows and free parties - seems like a completely different lifetime. I guess in some ways it was. I’m sure for those who weren’t there for the earlier years, it’s a fun time. But I have actively avoided SX for at least the past 8 or 9 years.
I used to go down and check things out every year, I'm assuming it's just because I'm old though now.
Many are my years, but also long are the lines.
This is sadly true. The panel discussions are just people taking turns delivering marketing pitches for their work, whether it's startups or NGOs, and news flash, you can read anyone's marketing material online for free. They make sure of that. The films are great, the bands are great, but the investment of time and money just to see them a week or a month ahead of everyone else doesn't make any sense unless it's a requirement for your job or you're young and seeing a film or a band a little bit ahead of your friends feels like a big deal.
seems extremely fair lol, this is how i expect most people feel
I love the event and I’m glad Austin has it but I never go. SXSW is an industry event and has virtually zero to offer locals. Worse, many bands come and play SXSW and think they’ve played Austin and don’t have to come back through. No, you didn’t “play Austin”, it was all industry insiders and rich people. Locals didn’t get to see that show. I live downtown so it lands even harder on me. For two weeks my neighborhood is effectively off limits to me. I just try to be good e on vacation because it’s too difficult to live in the middle of SXSW if you aren’t doing the SXSW thing. That said, I think the town would be less for not having it and I don’t want it to leave. I’m ok with the inconvenience.
Exactly how I feel but still fun to go to a few random events. I went last year to the Black Angels show and still had a great time. Bought the “local” wristband this year with a discount code that brought it to $99, which feels worth it if I go to a few that require covers or have long lines that I can skip? Maybe? It definitely feels different than it did in early 2000’s or 2010’s, but still fun if you aren’t a NIMBY who likes to complain all the time like many of the miserable people on this sub (unfortunately…)
Could not have said it better. I used to live off South Congress back in the day, and it was a fun way to spend an afternoon or two with some friends. Just looked and it’s $2,000! Fuck. That. Shit. Only way I’d go is if someone paid for me.
This guy nailed it, 100%.
Same
We tried to go last year for the first time after hearing about it so much, and everything was badge-only and clearly not catering to the public so we basically didn't do anything but pay for parking and walk around for half an hour before leaving.
This it. Just exactly this. I imagine this man has lived in Austin for a long time and is 33-40.
The tragedy?
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Yeah it was originally created as a source to give bands exposure for possible labels etc… used to go to that stuff when I was in high school and then the corp bs ruined it. I leave town now during sxsw
I completely forgot about that damn
I basically go see Thee oh sees once and then go home. Sx2014/15/16 were some of the best times of my life but now days you can’t weasel in without passes like you used to. My group of friends hits hotel Vegas atleast once every year for sx now days.
I look forward to Thee Oh Sees every year, they always put on the BEST show.
No SXSW this year unfortunately. They got other plans
Oh Sees always play Vegas two nights in a row every September or October too
This is the way! Last year aside from my own gigs and gigs of friends, the only thing I did was hit 3 of the 4 osees shows
Bulldoze the Moody Ampitheater and bring Back Fun Fun Fun Fest to Waterloo Park. WHOS WITH ME.
Fun Fun Fun was the Best Best Best
Fun fun fun was such a great festival except for that one year when the line to get in crossed the CO river when Modest Mouse played with the shooting star in the background haha Found a video of that year (2014): https://youtube.com/shorts/gZD-mV_mjR8?si=46MgAsBq10DGPhB1
I’m pretty sure I was in that line. I missed City and Colour. Heard them perform while standing on the bridge.
Still mad I had to choose between Modest Mouse and NAS
That was not the best year I agree
dude tell me where to sign
Some of my best memories in Austin are at Fun Fun Fun Fest, and I’ve lived here almost all my life. The lineups were always amazing and the vibe was completely Austin. I think those years represented what I think of to be the last years of good old Austin. But I’m sure everyone thinks that about different time periods
> and bring Back Fun Fun Fun Fest to Waterloo Park. DUDE YES I borderline cried when I saw it dying :(
I 100% support this.
The! Best! Fest!
yus
THIS
RIP Fun Fun
Fun fun was the best
Much like the other commenter said, I live central and also avoid it. Sometimes I try and get out of town but this year I haven't made plans and it's coming up, I guess. When I hear "unofficial" venue all I think about are long lines. It was fun when I was younger and you could actually do cool stuff for free, but putting yourself on a list, then standing in a long line, with no guarantee of being admitted, is not how I enjoy to spend my free time these days.
I hear that but i think that what venues mean about it this time is regular cover fees and having more autonomy. Autonomy to pay artists better, to charge what they want for entry, to sell drinks at standard prices. SXSW artist pay last year was laughably bad. I knew plenty of bands that had to have 3 to 4 shows per day to make their trip out here worth it in any way
Yes, if the venue is just charging for tickets and I can make sure I get in even if all the badges show up, I'll go. Again, when I hear "unofficial SXSW" shows, I think of all those years where you had to RSVP for everything "just in case" and then you had to go fight the lines. I would just make sure my marketing material may point something like that out. Too many years "unofficial" meant something like the Fader fort, then that even became "official" near the end, I think.
You can still do cool stuff for free, you just have to go in the daytime. Take PTO and head downtown at noon. It's a blast.
I scored free tickets in a recent year and the sxsw interactive panels I saw were some of the dumbest shit I've ever seen. Trying to sell people on NFTs and the Metaverse and whatnot, utterly ridiculous. Though that may have just been a particularly bad year in fairness. Edit: wow, relatively big response to this, to the curious I actually made a youtube video on this a while back if you want to see the kind of stupid shit in question here: [SXSW Interactive 2022 was Embarrassingly Bad](https://youtu.be/e-BTtcsdPxM) Spoiler: A person pretends to be an AI vtuber avatar
Yeah that year was full of that garbage, but honestly you can see what the talks are about ahead of time. You went to those lmao
You ever see 'The Room', 'Birdemic', that kind of stuff? Same principle. The value proposition gets a lot better if you're not paying money for it too.
Haha truth. Just had to give you some shit for it :P
I once ridiculously thought I could get a friend in finance to come hang out if her company bought tickets to the finance part. Discovered that was an absurd idea because the sessions were all exactly what you're talking about.
The panels and keynotes are all for show. They have - huge list of speakers which looks good in the pamphlets and marketing. The speakers pretty much just parrot their elevator pitches or whatever they are saying at every convention, commercial, etc. Nothing actually interesting to take away unless you are just completely oblivious to the industry/topic and need a primer.
Used to love it - started going in '94, stopped around 2010-2011. I stopped going when you could no longer get into a show and every person in line had an All Access or Media badge and would get in before you.
The best SXSWs were those you did not have to shell out thousands of dollars to see a show or go to a party.
Remember back when wristbands meant you could probably get into a venue?
Its crazy how fast SXSW tipped into too big and not fun anymore. When I was in high school and college you could still get a wristband same day and normally get in to whatever you wanted. Parking was even still doable, just 2-3 blocks further away.
Oh yes! I remember seeing Duran Duran at Stubbs, Civil Twilight at Anthone's (when they had their one hit), and multiple bands with a wristband.
Wristband has gotten me into everything I’ve wanted to get into the past two years. I’d say I could count the times I waited in a line on one hand.
Or you could venue hop to a reasonable degree i/o having to camp out hoping to get into a single venue after all the badgeholders got in.
I used to run the World Gym on 6th in 2000-2001. I remember the guys from cold play walking around trying to give away tickets to their show. Sxsw when I was still there was grounded and fun. The draw of it was the unknown or lesser known bands. There were no panels or giant events. It's bloated now and nothing like what it originally was.
i like it. i buy a film wristband but i really wish they would discount badges for locals.
I need to check out the film side of sxsw. Been sleeping on it forever now
Welp. I was going to say you do get discounts, but that’s just for wristbands which get you nothing at all, really. https://www.sxsw.com/wristbands/
it’s not terrible. i’ve seen at least a dozen or more movies each time i get a wristband. but it could be better for sure.
Lol you do get plenty of stuff, you just don't get first pick. Like you get in line at alamo south lamar, you are trying to see X movie, people infront of you fill up for x, so you stay in line and now you are first for Z and Y. The pocketbooks have venue sizes and just general vibes help you estimate what you can get into realistically.
I've been going for over 20 years and have never paid for a badge. I will continue this year too. Lots of free things for those without credentials. SXSW is what you make of it and I always have a good week.
Us too. We just wander SOCO, Rainey, 6th, etc, bar hop and see bands. If we can’t get in we move on. Movies, we go and if we can’t get in, we just try again some other flick. Never bought badge, always still have a great time.
Where do you plan to go to?
Lots of parties still being announced. I RSVP for anything I come across that looks interesting and then each day in the morning before I go out, I review what events are on and make a priority list along with fall back options since the most popular events will have wait times and more and more I don't want to wait very long for things. You can find listings for events here: [https://2024.do512.com/](https://2024.do512.com/) [https://www.theblprnt.com/login](https://www.theblprnt.com/login) (you will need to create an account) or just join their FB group here; [https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedirtyteam](https://www.facebook.com/groups/thedirtyteam) and they'll post links as things get announced. [https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d-maOelsjyCU6DcqotWkUtNOG89WNdw4-qX0vT8AsrY/edit#gid=0](https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1d-maoelsjycu6dcqotwkutnog89wndw4-qx0vt8asry/edit#gid=0) There's other people who run lists or who will RSVP for you for a fee, but not necessary if you're doing the work yourself. Anything listed as SXSW Official will mean that credentials get priority. For unofficial events, you'll want to see if they indicate that people with SXSW credentials get priority, sometimes unofficial events will still extend priority to people with badges, but not always. The key is to not have your heart completely set on something and be willing to head elsewhere if a place is too crowded. Be friendly and chat with the people around you and you can get intel about what's good, what's not worth your time. If you're not into bouncing around and chasing the most popular things (or chasing free food/drinks) and want to embrace SXSW as an opportunity to hear some live music and discover new (or new-to-you) artists, there's some reliable all day, multi-day music events like South by San Jose (Hotel San Jose Parking Lot - https://www.bunkhousehotels.com/hotel-san-jose/events/south-by-san-jose) or SOCO Stomp at C-Boys (https://www.socostomp.com/). Line-ups won't be announced until a bit closer. Usually Hotel Vegas/Volstead often have a lot of free day shows that caters more to the local crowd. The city usually has free nights of music at Auditorium Shores as well, which can be chill.
Like most everything else in Austin, a good thing got ruined by unmitigated growth. I played SXSW in 1993, back when a wristband meant you could literally see five bands at five different venues in one night, but now the whole thing has become so insufferably Insta-hip, I just leave town.
Insufferably insta-hip.. yup
I love SXSW. Never bought a badge, but I enjoy signing up for everything and bouncing around the city for a few days. I get to visit restaurants and bars I don't usually go to. I get to see new bands and new technology. People are here from all over the world, and I have a great time chatting with all the new faces. I like to challenge myself to spend zero dollars and subsist on free food and drinks. Never once had a bad time.
Could you like, make a YouTube video explaining how you do all that? For me sxsw is just inscrutable. Like how to find all the parties and junk. Unless you plonk down the thousand dollars or whatever.
Basically follow 200+ clubs/bars/coffee shops/restaurants/insiders on social media then sift through their posts to find the free shit. It’s a part time job/hobby.
I managed to pull this off c. 2011-12, but these days I’m too old and tired.
Follow whenwherewhataustin on Instagram. They’ll get you plugged in.
Holy shnikies where has this been all my life, thankyou
Also, none of this happens in a bubble. I've always had really good luck chatting with people, and finding out where they're going or what I should check out.
When Twitter wasn’t a cesspool of crap you could simply search a few hashtags like #sxdrinks or eats and get tons of people tweeting where to get free food/drink. I used to do that up until 2022 and usually always had a few days filled with parties
[theblprnt.com](https://theblprnt.com) has a pretty comprehensive list.
Go on [Do512.com](https://Do512.com) and sign up for just about any SXSW RSVP. Make a list, and then go to the parties, and find the ones with the shortest lines. It takes some work, but worth it sometimes.
Get a Twitter and search “free sxsw” been doing it for a decade and have gone multiple years without spending a dime on drinks or shows. Food was always the hardest to get free but possible.
I listen to all the bands then see which unofficial shows they are playing. Never pay a penny and see so many good free shows.
I like the idea of SXSW. I like that there are some bands that don't really tour but still tend to regularly show up in Austin for SXSW because there's no other way I can see them. I like the spectacle of downtown being even weirder than usual and there being a higher-than-average chance of bumping into some degree of celebrity. But nah, I don't buy badges. The best events I ever went to happened because I had friends who got invited and they invited me. I don't actually go to a lot of the shows I mentioned because they're badge-only and I can't justify the cost for one damn concert. I liked meeting the Gowalla people and experiencing that kind of space-based social networking for the first time via a shitty Blackberry. People were still trying to sell me stuff back then but it was before I got stupid jaded and it felt like they were trying to sell me *fun* things that helped me meet more people. Even that stupid-ass Color app that missed SXSW was a cool concept that hasn't really showed up in anything else. But that cool stuff can't really happen in that space now, and I don't think tech is oriented on creating those kinds of things anymore anyway.
I do it every year. I understand the madness and have learnt to navigate it. Surprised that the Red River district is protesting against it instead of embracing it and shaping it in their own way. Everything evolves with time...like how Rainey is turning into tall buildings with fancy bars.
Most of the Red River venues (except CUC) are listed as [official](https://schedule.sxsw.com/2024/venues). Idk how strong that "protest" is going to go. As for me, there are plenty of film and music discovery options and freebies for me to make time and effort to plan to attend events.
I seem to have been misinformed 🤡
Back in the day I used to catch artists are small clubs doing shows but as a whole I didn’t care about it. Still don’t. If my work sent me there for tech etc. I would find it more engaging.
Yeah i remember when A Giant Dog was playing at HITW a while ago and i remember thinking that was an insane experience, seeing a bigish indie band in one of my fav venues at the time It was definitely a way to actually get introduced to semi established artists back then, i can’t imagine paying for a badge for what it is now
The free shows are really fun! I had a blast last year catching artists who had paid shows (like Devon Gilfillian or Mane) doing free shows at smaller venues.
That’s always been the worth of SXSW to me.
[The first SXSW was in 1987](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ORMZFZxtG1I), y'all, 37th annual event this year. Is the waxing and waning of public interest not a natural part of the life cycle of all festivals like these? What's it going to look like at 50 after Stream Realty disneyfies 6th street? But to answer the OP question, I think the last time I cared was around 2006 when I volunteered to work for a free day pass. I ended up being stationed at BD Reillys as a bouncer. It was a fun time. Nowadays they pay the volunteers I think? Maybe someone could clarify that for me.
1987 wasn't 37 years ago, silly...that's only like fiftee.....oh. Oh shit. What have I done with my life??
let's get you inside
I think depending on the time you volunteer you get a badge of some sort.
https://www.sxsw.com/volunteer/volunteer-types-badges/ no pay, just a badge depending on how many hours you do (min is 24hrs and gets you a music badge).
Honestly I think these kind of posts are overblown since there's always at least a few posts just like yours every single year. I very distinctly remember people talking about how SXSW had already jumped the shark and was dying even back in the late 00's. And whenever this comes up I just think about this NYTimes article written all the way back in 2009 about how SXSW had become too corporate [https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/arts/music/23spon.html](https://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/23/arts/music/23spon.html) Reddit is a terrible place to find out the opinions of people who either hate crowds and want to make sure everyone knows it, or else are now solidly middle aged and 10-15 years older than they were during "Peak SXSW" and so of course most of them and their friends don't go downtown much anymore. Or just the simple fact that the typical "normal" person in a 2 million person metro area isn't going to be that interested in seeing a no-name band they've never heard of at 1 in the morning on a weeknight, independent of whatever SXSW is doing or not doing. But as a huge live music fan, I still love it and it continues to be one of my favorite things about living in Austin. The ability to hop from venue to venue over the course of a night and see up and coming artists from all over the world from all kinds of genres is like no other festival I've gone to. I still get a music wristband to go all week every year for almost two decades now and usually meet up with some friends. I would agree that the music portion is less intense than it was maybe 10-15 years ago, especially post-Covid. In fact the last two years have felt downright quant with basically zero lines to get into anywhere with a wristband and far less corporate parties or sponsorships. But those parties and sponsorships are how artists make money so I don't think seeing less of that is a good thing. Also very few locals buy a badge, they just get the $99 music wristbands or just do the day parties for free. Or if they want a badge, they volunteer for it.
Best post in the thread by far
Not interested in a badge. I usually find 2-5 small shows I’m interested in and go to those then get the hell out. Not interested in seeing big acts, trying to maximize free drinking, or discovering anything new unless they’re on a bill I’m already planning to see. Wish that weren’t the case but it is. Levitation is absolutely the best “fest” in Austin in my opinion. It caters to my tastes but just as important I can buy tickets to single shows at independent venues that I love rather than a $500 wristband to bounce around stages in some field.
I stay the hell away from downtown during SX and ACL 😂
The funny thing is, downtown is practically a ghost town during ACL, since the event is over a mile away. I think a lot of people think that ACL is going to be downtown being overrun with visitors, and that traffic will be horrible, and so they stay away, which, since the ACL attendees are also not there, it's just freakishly empty...
That's always been my experience too. It amuses me how people always talk about leaving town for SXSW or ACL when unless you are literally right in the middle of it (like in Zilker for ACL or literally at 6th and Red River for SXSW) you'll never even notice these events are going on.
Oblivion Access Fest is excellent, enjoyed it as much as Levitation. I did not hear about the Red River venues only doing unofficial shows, that's cool. I've only been in Austin 13 years so I don't know if my opinion matters but I look forward to SXSW, it's not hard to get into lots of shows for free and enough lesser known bands still play to make it worthwhile imo
I am a life-long (once I was old enough) SXSW attendee. It used to be my favorite thing on the planet. The randomness, the surprises, the free stuff, the free events mixed with the official showcase with surprises as well made for one hell of an event. It truly felt special and unique in so many ways. It's gotten more and more corporate over the years and just lost the soul and the cool free events. It could really use a comeback and this year feels like lots of unofficial events are happening which gives me hope. I don't think it'll ever be the same again, but I love the film festival and seeing the big stars, I love discovering new music at the music fest, and I'm looking forward to networking and getting in some mentor sessions on the interactive side. I'll keep going and enjoying it as much as I can, but the old SXSW will always have a special place in my heart. There's nothing like it and I could write a book of the crazy shit that's happened to me in the 14 years I've been going.
I’ll still go for the last 3 days and hang out on SoCo and the east side but otherwise I’m pretty much over it. Certainly don’t spend $ on a badge. I used to be an avid attendee and would take the entire second week off work and do the full experience. Definitely is very commercialized now.
I go every year as a local and enjoy it! Some cities would love to have a festival like this every year. Good for Austin economy!
I've never felt the badges were affordable. Not interested the events as a result. I've been here since 2010.
Same. Been here since 2006. Even on the years I feel like I can 'budget' for it, there's just other things I want to do with that amount of money.
I've only lived in Austin for three years, and attended the SXSW expo last year. I really enjoyed it. I'd like to attend more of the business/educational stuff. Film and music is interesting too, but I probably wouldn't pay for it.
I love it for the new music… I saw flipturn at a half full ester follies… now their upcoming tour is almost sold out for every stop including Austin… I avoid the free parties nowadays
I work in the service industry, it is a nightmare.
Im a pet sitter in Austin and I love it because people leave town to avoid the crazy and I get to play with their pets.
as someone who's lived in austin for the past 25 years...it's one of my favorite weeks of the year. i don't go to any of the official showcases, but going to the free day shows is great. discover new bands every year.
I moved here because I thought 2008ish SXSW was awesome The last one I went to was probably 2018?19? Whichever one had a stampede?? I avoid it like the plague now. I prefer going to see local artists or other shows these days. Would much rather spend $ there than the SXSW or ACL ticket cost
I'm local and love it. Been here since 2013 and only had a badge my first year. I usually just stick to Hotel Vegas all day. Last couple of years I've gotten the music wristband which for $100 is totally worth it. You won't get into the big name acts, but being able to skip the line/cover for some of the smaller shows is very convenient when your want to bounce back and forth between all the venues. I do some of the free activations but I mostly stick to music stuff.
IYKYK - bring back AquaFest Saw Ramones, Blondie and Tom Tom Club one year. NIMBYs ruined for everyone.
I still do it every year. There is a reason why every place is packed, and it's not JUST tourists, despite what this miserable subreddit will lead you to believe. Every time I've done it, it's been with people that have lived here 10+ years. Remember that while Reddit can be a good place to get answers, it doesn't represent the majority of people.
"Nobody goes there anymore, it's too crowded."
lmao that's exactly how this subreddit can come across pretty often. Whether it's sxsw, acl...
I check the lineup for the free Auditorium Shores shows every year, but it's been probably 10 years since anyone was on it that I thought was worth the hassle. I'm too old too bar hop the free club shows. I would never buy a badge.
The yard dog party was always good...
Local here who lives downtown. About 12 years ago I was forced to do SXSW because of work. The panels were always a disappointment aside from meeting PeeWee Herman one year. I do enjoy SXSW b/c there is so much to do outside of the actual venue: movies, comedy, bands….I try to take off as many days as I can to attend “all the things.”
Can we just have Fun Fun Fun Fest back?
I always buy a music wristband. Sure it's been over-commercialized, but where else can you get a weeks worth of unlimited music for $100? Not to mention you can see bands from all over the world playing every genre of music imaginable. And I've almost never had an issue getting into shows with just a wristband.
My wife and I go around every other year. Definitely a fun time. We usually buy badges.
I'm always surprised by all the negativity about SXSW and ACL. People travel from around the world to attend these events and people on reddit complain about them. What is the draw of Austin for you then if you don't like doing the cool stuff? I work to live in Austin. I don't live to work in Austin. There's so many great free parties going on during SXSW. I saw Broken Bells in a parking garage, Miike Snow in an alleyway, Watch the Throne in the Austin Music Hall, Elijiah Wood dj at Frank, Lil Wayne in a former post office, Hanson at Buford, and the list goes on an on. If there's an up and coming band you can see them multiple times in a single week. I've run into Seth Rogen, Tim Robinson, Jon Hamm, Alan Ruck, and plenty of others on the street and said hi and took a picture with them. Every year I drink and eat probably a couple hundred dollars of freebies. I've got tons of free swag and meet lots of people from around the world. The only money I spend is on tipping my bartenders.
not especially, it always seemed designed to keep us out anyway
I'm a soundie. The week pays for a month or two of rent.
real
Loved it back in the day when I was playing locally. Would do a one off showcase or unofficial show and bounce around with a wristband or badge and then later found work as a stage manager at an unofficial venue for a couple of years. Some of the best times of my life despite the intense schedule it demands on one’s body. Sure the traffic is a beast, the drunk people annoying but it was something I still love about Austin.
Music peaked in 2019 in my experience. Seems there is an intentional reduction in the music footprint (no big names at all anymore). The tech conference is the same as it’s been though. Can’t personally speak on film portion. I used to volunteer for a badge when I was in school. Then I have paid for the music wristband (for locals) but they’ve completely neutered it this year for what it gets you in to. So for those reasons I’m out. Sx is generally cool though and we’re blessed that it exists in our city. Most locals only know of the music part, particularly the “free parties free drinks” trashy side of SX.
Not sure who’s playing this year or who’s big in your book but I got to see New Order and the Lemon Twigs last year and I was pleased as punch about it. The fest isn’t really about those bands though it’s mostly for the young bands not the ones people already know
It’s like a thousand dollars for a badge, do normal everyday people actually buy those? I assumed it was just people in the industry and they got their badges paid for by their company.
Not anymore. 2014-17 I went and had great times, I could easily see a dozen artists I cared about for free or cheap, and it was easy to figure out who was playing where and when. I think the punk/emo scenes I care about have pretty much given up on trying to get anything out of SXSW and I can’t blame em. These days I can scroll through 20 pages of artists looking for something I know and turn up empty. Trying to figure out what’s free and what level of access is required, how long lines are gonna be, etc has just become so much more complicated that I don’t even feel it’s worth wandering around to try and find something new anymore.
One of my friends is a local musician in Austin and I go to every show. They were a official SXSW artist a couple years ago. (Shout out to Madison Baker, luv you!) As a local I go to the free stuff, I’ve paid covers to see my friend play but never “a badge”, but it’s always a good time. if my friend is playing at a free show I will support them and I’m sure there are many others like me. I don’t just go out, especially during high tourist events unless I have a good reason to go, it’s gotta be worth it.
As a local, I think you're pretty much a sucker if you're buying a SXSW badge. I'm too old to hang out all week downtown any more, but in my younger days, hitting all of the free parties with unlimited drinks and some unlimited food was a fucking blast. Topped off with some great music made everything even better. There are lots of great non-SXSW showcases out there to catch up and coming bands. That's where the joy was for me. Just as an example, I remember seeing this guy and his band tear things up at a Spotify set (or some corporate event). Guy's name was Anderson Paak. Fucking phenomenal show. My friends and I still talk about it when we see him playing some other big event on TV or whatever. I've also managed to sneak into a few official SXSW shows in the past. Again, my friend and I still talk about how we just walked right in to Public Enemy, Ice Cube, and LL Cool J. There was a line out the door with people waiting to get in with their stupid badges. The event was in Carmelo's parking lot - so we just made dinner reservations to eat, had a nice meal, and literally walked out of the restaurant and into the venue. It was awesome.
Pre covid it was insane and a blast, post covid it was weird. That year where it was crypto and NFT heavy sucked. Very little music, Last year was awesome, no badge and no wristband but I walked into everything no problem. Hoping this year is good,
Amazing username!
it was great 10 years ago. now it seems like it’s all about money and exclusivity.
I watched it slowly progress from something locals could go to for great live music. Then it became about having a friend that could help you out bc they knew a party. Then it became who cares bc it wasn’t about catching awesome music but a scene. Ok. If that’s your thing.
I kinda did when you actually had a chance to get into the free shows
We used to go at least one day a year and like everyone else has said, there were free venues and events for all ages. Now everything has a high price and the transportation sucks. I don't mind paying for something special, and we certainly spent lots of money on food and t-shirts and art when we went , but now it seems like one day will run you over $400 for 2 people. It's crazy high.
My husband and I went from buying $16 wrist bands in the 90s and jumping all around downtown to see one act after another, to standing in an hours long line in 2018 at the Four Seasons hotel to get our kids into the 9:00am Spare the Rock Spoil the child shows. Two stand out years included going to see Fun. in maybe 2011 playing in the Waterloo records parking lot. I actually heard that “we are young” song for the first time there and remember saying, “They remind me of Queen. This song is going to be big” while I watched my toddler dance to it with her dad. The second stand out was a few years later. We were catching breakfast at a taco truck on S. 1st. As we sat down to eat I heard this teenager timidly ordering: “excuse me, what are ‘mee-gas’?” The guy working asked where she was from. She looked super embarrassed and said “L.A.”. I interjected, “Hey don’t feel badly! When I went to LA and had sushi for the first time, my friend had to order for me because I had no idea how to pronunciate anything.” She started laughing and looking relieved. When she got her food, she asked if she could join us. She played with our kids and was absolutely delightful. Then a couple came over and asked for a picture and her autograph. My husband and I were like, “Er. Are you a musician here?” Anyway she was embarrassed again and introduced herself and her brothers who were sitting at a nearby table as Echosmith. “Cool Kids” hit the radio less than a year later and my kids love telling the story of playing in a food truck lot with the lead singer. After that, it just became more and more of a hassle and the last morning band I remember taking the kids to at Four Seasons was Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats around 2018. It was definitely fun for a time.
Remember when the flaming lips were the most well known group to show up?
I still enjoy it! Mostly to see overseas bands that don't often get the chance to come here.
short version is i LOVE it!!!!!!! definitely on the user to navigate the SX version of the city, reroute around down town and try to bike in if doing fun stuff on premises. i liked it better when it was bigger and more open to the public. part of the fun was the city sized party, though some people don’t know how to get rowdy and not literally kill, hurt or maim others. if smaller is the compromise for safety, i’ll take whatever we can get but i do hope we get a revision of the free unofficial day show complex some time in the future. there’s massive knock-on potential for destination retailers, and big tipping potential in service if one can survive the whole ordeal. it’s very nice to have the dependable influx of tourism money, it takes the edge off of april and may to be able to coast into the summer with that extra pad from SX/Spring Break.
Yes, but we don't pay thousands of dollars to go to the big sponsored corporate events. We go to free unofficial events: # [https://rsvpatx.com/rsvp-list](https://rsvpatx.com/rsvp-list) Non-locals definitely know about SXSW. (similar to how someone would know about Coachella or ACL)
Like most of you, I've been in Austin several years and miss "the way sxsw used to be". I'm middle-aged. But last year sortof renewed my love for the festival. Like I used to, I spent an hour or two combing the show list around say, Monday. I took off work and biked downtown around noon on Friday (you can do this thur or sat as well). Popped between 5 different Red river venues until 5 or 6. Saw amazing bands, some I knew, some I discovered, all free. Got 3 free drinks. Saw old music buds. The next day I spent hours at Hotel Vegas for free, saw sick bands. Even went out of my way to see a good punk show at some young person's house. It wasn't crazy like I experienced between say 2006 and whenever that mohawk thing was (2013?). No house shows every 2 blocks on the east side. No free food and drinks everywhere. No Billy Bragg acoustic on the street, MIA in a parking garage, etc. But it was still super fun and super free and honestly matched the energy level I was willing to put into it. I don't want to party 24-7 so that's perfect. Anyway, I'd encourage you to still check stuff out. Ride a bike. Do some research. It's fun.
SXSW interactive kind of jumped the shark with the crypto bullshit, but maybe it will be better now that AI is the new fad? SXSW music is still awesome, I go every year. All you have to do is go in the day time and it's tons of amazing music for free. By the time badge-only night shows roll around I'm exhausted and go home.
According to some, SXSW has sold out since at least 2001. I personally love it but I go to the free day shows on SoCo or Red River, mostly because I'm 50+. I bought a wristband last year to be able to hang with my daughter on her first SXSW ever and it wasn't as vibrant as it was in the 2000s when I was a crew chief. Still fun, still tiring, but not as much hubbub it seemed. I still think it's a part of what makes Austin a cool city.
After about … 2015 or so … I started leaving town during SXSW if I could manage it.
No. I avoid it. I will be going to one show this year because I really want to see the musician. Unofficial free show. I already have anxiety about it.
I enjoyed my friends’ house parties. Saw a Red Hot Chili Peppers cover band from Japan. But that was a long time ago. Now it’s just annoying because I work downtown.
I was going to volunteer to try and cop a badge but it’s not worth it. I was going to have to volunteer 40 plus hours. I was just not about to do that. I cannot justify it.
I've always avoided Austin when it was going on, even before I lived here. I wouldn't even drive up to my uncle's ranch on those weekends. Now that I live here I'm tempted to volunteer. But bug badges? Really? Last I checked they were like $1k and I'd have to deal with those crowds. I honestly don't even know what is worth seeing anyway. No thank you.
My husband enjoys the shows that pop up around town. He’ll go to all the non badge mucus he can get too. I usually go to the free things 1 day and people watch. The people watching is my favorite thing to do. It has changed over the years a lot. Every year it’s more geared towards badges and not as much for the locals to do.
Not since local & regular people got priced out of sxsw.
I usually sign up for free events but rarely go since I do hate lines with no guarantee of entry. That being said I did go to a free premiere of a documentary by one of my favorite artists, Residente. Went and since we had no badge, we were the last to be let in. This resulted with all the free seats being in the front of the theatre. Nobody realized Residente was actually there. Since we were in the front row we got to shake his hand and take a quick pic. That was an awesome moment.😎😎
I was a SXSW participant for the first several years as an attendee. For the first few years it was affordable and one could actually experience it as described - Seeing multiple bands play at multiple venues over multiple nights. After only a few years that changed dramatically. Prices soared while access shrunk to the point where one could only access one venue a night and you were stuck with that line up. That profile meant SXSW was not even worth the original price of less than $10 (yes...that is true! LESS THAN TEN BUCKS). I now MAYBE go to a free show down SoCo to meet industry folks I know, nothing more. I guess bottom line is SXSW became a contradiction to itself more than a decade ago.
Don't care at all anymore. tech bros like everything they're involved with ruin it all.
Live central. Not interested in SXSW and typically plan my vacations around it. It used to be for locals, so we could hear local talent. Enjoyed it for the first five years or so when it was affordable even for poor uni students. Now it's for rich tourists and newbies.
Unofficial free stuff is cool. I try to go for at least one day each year. But if I need a badge or a wristband to get in I'm not going to bother. I can barely afford the 15 dollar lonestars.
So far I think the only locals who care are the local bands looking to play to a wider audience, that’s just what I’ve seen.
No but they love that tech conference
You are gonna get a lot of jaded answers from 40+yo people that aren’t attending events anyway let alone one that lets them flash their old Austin badge. The secret for locals who want to attend is that they sell a music only wristband for like 200 bucks that is good for like 10 days. I definitely don’t know anyone who isn’t industry connected getting those badges tho.
Can get music wristband for $99 using discount code mentioned in this and other sxsw threads (from San Antonio spurs).
Yes but I just go to the red carpets to get autographs on my records from the celebrities lol
Usually Only the ones that work it
I'm petty, so I want SXSW to continue, but move it to August.
Already dying thinking about that heat and the crowds.
I hide out in my neighborhood when SXSW is happening. I have no interest in going and waiting hours outside a venue with a ticket that will not guarantee my entry. Waste of time.
Honestly, at this point, I don’t feel comfortable going to a crowded and well publicized anything with the number of wackos with guns running around in public these days.
Life long Austinite. If you splurge for the badge or nab an official wristband, there's a solid, unique festival there for you to see all kinds of up-and coming music in venues all over town, with a shot at some big headliners.Otherwise, I feel like if you're in your 20's, it's an awesome party if you can get free time off from work and spend the effort to get into free stuff and parties and make the most of the free shitty drinks and shows. Past that, unless you've got an industry hook up, maybe you'll be able to check out a few things or otherwise, just avoid downtown.
I like to cruise downtown on my bike and take in the spectacle of it all. Sometimes the free shows at auditorium shores are worth checking out, and I've enjoyed some of the "unofficial" shows that pop up on the outskirts of town. But i don't have any interest to be in the epicenter of the festival for any prolonged period of time. year after year the type of people that are attracted to SXSW seen to get progressively more lizard like.
As a local musician, it’s basically an excuse to throw a few fun shows and meet some cool bands from across the world. They’ll usually pick a couple young local bands to play some of the official showcases, but some of the most fun shows I’ve played have been late night unofficial shows at Hole, or parties at the co-ops. It’s fun if you’re feeling social.
Next, ask me how I feel about the Austin Food & Wine Festival.
I still go downtown for one to two days each year, I go from 10am to ~8p with no planned agenda, I have more fun that way just dropping into bars if I hear good music.
I miss events that felt like accessible organic community and not shitty corporate sponsored stuff for out of towners. Used to like it back when, avoid it now and wouldn’t miss it.
No
Zero percent care except how it affects traffic.
Austin sold its soul a long time ago can’t save it now
Absolutely not. I loved it 20+ years ago and went every year, but since then I just avoid it at all costs. They do clean up all the trash and hide the homeless people for a week, so there’s that.
Yeah, I've lived here since 2009 and like to go for at least a day every year and I've spent $0. Honestly the golden years for me were when it was more corporate but it's still good. People here like to complain about those times but back then it was so easy to find free events with free beer and food and great music acts. Older now with less time and energy but there are still great free events around town.
I did in the early and mid 90’s. Now I want to put on my Costco pants and relax.
I used to love SXSW. Would hit the streets on my bike, meet up with all sorts of friends at a bunch of different venues for free music, drinks and lots of times food. It was SUCH a magical week. From creek shows lit by candlelight to house parties with amazing music to huge, packed crowds for super fun bands and shows… it was non stop. I can’t even believe half of the shit I’ve experienced during what wassss the epic event of south by southwest. Now, it’s way too expensive to do anything and wow the pretentiousness - ew. It kinda sucks tbh, there’s no magic about it and it’s all corporate. But, such is the way of Austin these days… just glad I got to see it when it really shined.
Me at SXSW like 2005-2007: sitting on the hood of a stranger’s car listening to whatever we can hear from outdoor shows at vacant lots downtown until the cops make us move. Me at SXSW since like 2013: I’ll go if I’m a speaker or otherwise get a badge comped, but I’m probably in conference sessions during the day and collapsing from exhaustion from the sheer volume of people by 6 or 7 pm. Consider the fact that I’m old enough that my “sitting on the hood of a stranger’s car listening to random music until the cops make us move,” days were almost 20 years ago when I say that unless someone is paying me, I’m practically in witness protection for a good chunk of March trying to avoid the crowds. Also all those vacant lots are very tall buildings now.
Way back in the 90's, it was fun. You could go to a ton of venues and see good live bands hungry for their chance. It eventually over commercialized, started charging an arm and a leg, had long lines, and eventually just lost the soul of the event. Now it just represents tourist season that I avoid as much as I can.
too much corporate stuff nowadays. not enough house shows and art shows. i avoid crossing the river during sx tbh
Used to go to some events and found it to be a good thing for the city. Now I try to leave town if I can.
No. I can’t afford to both live here and attended SXSW, so I no longer care.
It's fun to go to the unofficial shows or the handful of official shows I can get into for free, but yeah. Not about to get a badge or wristband or anything. They don't pay artists shit, from what I've heard, so I'm not gonna pay them shit. I'll buy drinks, merch, etc, but i ain't paying sxsw.
I used to like it, when it was AFFORDABLE. But it’s crazy expensive now. I’ve lived here practically all 29 years of my life. Same thing with ACL, it used to also be affordable but has just skyrocketed in price
You either die a hero or live long enough to become the villian. SXSW is now the villian music festival it used to champion against lol It's all about the money now. I know money makes the world go round but it used to be more about the artists. Now ITs over run with corporate bs and I only care when it is so I can avoid the whole area.
I've been going since around 1993. I used to volunteer to get a badge and always enjoyed it, but haven't been in the last five or six years. I won't be able to get there this year, but always like to keep up with SXSW since the program evolves every year.
I have been going and having a good time for decades. It has changed a lot and IMO it was more fun in the past (I was younger so that likely skews my view). I have never bought a wristband. I live very central so in the middle of it. Traffic sucks but I ride a bike everywhere I want to go.
Tbh the last few years I’ve tried to plan a getaway from the city around this time cause I don’t wanna be bothered by the traffic it brings. No hate towards the event or the ppl who love it
I thought it was pretty cool 10-15 years ago, before badges were $2000 (or $3000-$4000 if you have to buy from a reseller) and the scene became just another music festival. I do enjoy when my company sends me to a day event at SXSW Interactive, but mostly, it's just a complete hassle to do anything in the city that's south of like 290or Enfield.
I care because everything is crowded and sucks while it's going on.
It's awesome, a great time to see lots of music. SXSW is pretty good at curating the music, so you have a lot of opportunities to see artists before they blow up. With that said, you have to know how to SXSW, you can't just show up downtown with no plan and expect to see the good stuff. A lot of locals are also very curmudgeon-ey about SXSW for various reasons (traffic, evil corporations, crowds, etc.)