Great Big Music Fest in Austin

SXSW is one of the biggest live music events in the world, lasting 5 day and showcasing over 1,500 acts. After my experience with a previous sxsw festival, I decided to keep my schedule open and my expectations almost nonexistent this year!

Last year I went through the list of bands to play the festival, all of them, to see which bands I'd heard of and email the bands' publicists for interviews. This amounted to less than one per cent of them, still almost 100 bands. Sure this lengthy process got me interviews with Meat Puppets, Star F--king Hipsters, The Dollyrots and The Cute Lepers, but as for the others even most of my confirmed interviews were never organized right and no one was ever where they were supposed to be at any given time.

Not only that, but a couple of times I set my camera up and a random blowhole from the venue's management would show up and say that he was the one in charge of everything and needed to give consent for what I was doing. Even though I was busy I had to stop in the middle of everything to explain to Mr. Charles N. Charge what everyone associated with the band and show management already knew and was down for. I even got the 3rd degree from the hired help at the door sometimes. Every where I went, it seemed I got stopped by the Gestop-o!

This year I don't want to deal with their rules! I'm going to enjoy the music festival and then catch up with any of the bands I like outside on the streets!

Last year, I hardly had any chance to research the bios of the bands I was going to see because there were just too many of them! For instance I got an interview confirmed for a band called 'Star F--king Hipsters' from one of my favorite punk labels, Fat Wreck Chords. I was all prepared to ask how they met Fat Mike from NOFX and some other questions of that nature. I didn't even realize until after the interview was started that the singer was the same one from two of my favorite bands, Leftover Crack and Choking Victim! Not only that, but this LES Manhattan band showed up almost an hour later than scheduled for their own show! So fashionably late, right? Luckily, I still got my interview.

This year, I'm not trying to figure out who anyone is! I will probably ride up with a band called "Secret Society In Smaller Lies." It turns out I already know some of them from a band in Houma called "Walk Thru Walls". If I had read their name in a list a month ago I'd have had no idea who they were. However, that's why I give up. Of course I will be going to their show now that I know about it, but that was just dumb luck. I also know that Dax Riggs is playing and has a new record on the way, and that's from his own mouth, not from me doing 'research'.

Most but not all of the venues are right in the middle of the downtown area and in walking distance of each other. Last year my schedule was packed so tight that when I found out a venue was on the other side of town and I had to take a crowded bus there, it ruined a lot of my plans. In retrospect I was also regretful of spending so much money on a wristband since I seemed to be missing out on fun left and right!

This year shows on my 'to do list' are going to be few and far in between. I will spend most my time bar hopping on foot to and from free shows. I'll only pay the $10 cover if it's something I really want to see. I'm keeping it on the real underground style anyway. Who wants to see stuff like Metallica or AFI at sxsw when stuff like that has taken over everything else mainstream?

Last year I missed the Dead Milk Men because I had no idea they were playing! So much of sxsw is unofficial and last minute. (Oh yeah, they have plenty of rules once I show up and try to promote someone's band though!)

This year maybe I'll hear about the 'secret shows' before they happen instead of the day after! I've got a free ride and no wristband. My expectations are low. I can only be pleasantly surprised, I hope.

Last year I concentrated on being professional and was acting like a square. I had more maps, lists and schedules than I needed if I was supposed to stay sane.

This year I'm concentrating on getting drunk and partyin' it up with the bands! And I don't care how unprofessional I look. I don't get paid enough for this anyway! I can't wait for this year's sxsw!