So SXSW is on! And it sure is in full effect. The outtatowners, the badges, the free stuff, the music, the food, the cameras, the long lines, the celebrities…Well, I am trying to keep up with all that the best I can and here are some of things I’ve learned so far:
- Having to RSVP to an event is just a way for the organizers to get your e-mail. They won’t check it at the door. Can you imagine having the doorguy look through a list every 3 seconds for hundreds of people? Unless the event is private or you’re part of an exclusive group of people in which case you get specific perks like free beer, you’re just giving your information away. It is a great way to create a buzz because people feel special when they send an e-mail with their names on the list like “oohh I am on a VIP list“. Calm down. You’re not. 1,000 RSVPs does not make 1,000 people VIP. On the contrary, if 999 other people did the same thing you did, how does that make you special? And FYI, RSVP stands for a French phrase “Répondez, S’il Vous Plaît” which means “please reply“. I just thought I’d throw that out there.
- Get to the party early! You can spend hours waiting in line and waste your time while you could be checking something else out. Most places have a full line-up of various artists so it’s safer to show up early and stay there than try to hop around. The 1-in/1-out policy at the door turns into effect within 45 minutes and after that you may be lucky.
- This one somewhat goes against the previous point. During SXSW it’s everyone for themselves. The reason why some lines that go around the block don’t seem to move much is because people are cutting at the door. I’ve actually worked my way into the Questlove show at Scoot Inn like that. It was 1-in/1-out rule was in effect and it is not like people actually stood in a straight line like school kids before class. There’s just a mass of people standing by the door. As people walk out of the venue, just shimmy your way closer to the door. Some doorguys can catch you though so be careful. Truthfully, I don’t think they’re paid to express a sense of justice. You may feel guilty for cutting the line in front of other people but the feeling goes away really fast as soon as you step inside and enjoy a good show. Others may tell you later: “Wow. Lucky you. Why didn’t I think of that“.
- You can even work your way into an badge-only event. I didn’t believe that actually was possible. Diplo was at the Power Plant on Monday. The security guy actually kept saying “have your SXSW badge out!” Luckily he wasn’t the one checking for badges and once we got passed him, we were in. Try it out. You never know.
- If you plan on being out all day and all night, pack a change of clothes. It’s starting to get warmer in Austin plus you’re walking all over
town, you end up playing ping-pong at an daytime event, you eat food from street vendors because you’re in a hurry, you rub on people who were not blessed with the common sense of using deodorant and who’ve been outside and/or sweating much longer than you have. Trust me, a fresh shirt and some AXE spray go a long way. - People will never refuse a sticker. I’ve been going around giving those out like bread to pigeons. Actually, one bartender dude refused but he didn’t look he was having a good time. Free goodies will always attract people.
- Always carry your business cards. I know that’s a no-brainer but when someone talks to you about his/her venture for more than 3 minutes and then says “oh I don’t have a business card but you can find me on Facebook“, it’s hard to take him/her seriously.
- From my experience, I’ve noticed that in Austin, celebrities are pretty approachable, especially artists. After a show or just in the streets, you can walk up to them to say hi, no problem. I have yet to see a bunch of bodyguards surrounding a celebrity or anybody get searched just for an autograph. I’m sure they are out there so far they’ve seem pretty laid back. I never thought I’d get to chill with Questlove from The Roots after his show and talk about where to find the best BBQ in Austin. I also got to have a 2 minute conversation with DJ Premier from the legendary Gangstarr (R.I.P. Guru) about my personal experience with Hip Hop growing up in France. Sometimes, a simple “hey just wanted to tell you that your show was dope” and a handshake is enough. Of course, you don’t want to be that guy who just harasses the artist for a picture with your phone while he’s taking a piss.
- Last but not least, there’s no way you’ll be able to cover the entire festival so you have to pick your battles or you’ll end up in the hospital with the overdose of coffee, Red Bull and 5 Hour Energy. You may not be used to walking so much, eating junk food on your way to a show or skipping a meal. Well, when the music conference starts on Wednesday, it’s going to be insane so make sure you get your rest.