Best week of my life!! I always wanted to live in Austin and attend SXSW and this year I made it a reality. Everything I hoped for and more! The whole city just comes alive with pop ups, activations, live concerts, comedy shows, block parties, and more fun, all in addition to the actual official SXSW conference. I attended the full conference with the platinum badge which was incredible. I was able to attend 16 sessions and scoot around town from hotel ballroom to hotel ballroom for 7 days straight. Since I live nearby, I scooted to my starting point each day and never dealt with traffic or parking. So many roads are closed and there are detours, so I really recommend ubering/walking etc. There are so many fun things happening and how cool to have 300k people in town where we are lucky enough to live! SO many great local businesses partner with big brands, and it really was a dream event to attend. Can't wait for next year! read more

SXSW Festival - Festivals Near Me

Before moving to Austin, I'd been to SXSW a couple of times and wow has it changed over the years. It's definitely much more mainstream and so "Hollywood" now. With that said, we had an enjoyable time this year walking around and soaking up a lot of the free events. read more

SXSW Festival - Festivals Near Me

See all

This is specifically for the Film & TV festival. Unless you spend $1,000+ you can kiss any hope of getting in goodbye. I waited in line for Death of a Unicorn both days in the secondary line. Bith days I was thr very first person in line. Both days I got there before the volunteer managers got there. Both days I waited 4+ hours. Both days I was turned away because people who had primary line access that showed up 15 minutes before it started got in. If you're getting in the secondary line, don't even bother wasting your time. read more

If you have been to SXSW and did not find it enjoyable, you're doing it wrong. If you have not been to SXSW, you're still doing it wrong. SXSW has something for everyone invested in the fine arts and education. There are 5 badges: EDU, Interactive, Music, Film & TV, and Platinum (all access excluding EDU). For me in particular, I'm big on Film & TV. Not many people realize this, but with the Film & TV badge, this also gives you access to comedy shows! The fine print that's often overlooked: just because you have a badge, does not guarantee you'll get into the event. It only gives you primary access to enter before the others. For example, let's say I want to watch the new film that's being premiered. I have a Film & TV or Platinum Badge. This would mean, I get entry before the Music badge holders. Music badge holders would get secondary access and would have to wait until all primary (Film & TV or Platinum) badgeholders enter. The entry process is pretty tricky and requires a ton of patience, and by ton, I mean a titanic ship's worth. Bag policies: varies by VENUE, look at the venue website for guidance, otherwise, you'll be wasting even more time to wait in line Parking: Don't do it. The entire city is reserved/blocked, would suggest rideshare! read more

See all

Every year I see amazing bands and try new products. For those that cannot afford the expensive badges, there are so many unofficial shows that just need your presence to support them. And many times there are free drinks and sometimes food! read more

For sure I am still a newbie when it comes to all things SXSW despite having experienced some parts of SXSW for the past 3 yrs (2017, 2018, 2019) BUT even being a newbie I for sure have picked up a few helpful tips that have helped me experience the awesomeness of SXSW on a budget & have had some really fun times! I'm talking FREE DAY DRINKING peeps :), along with FREE music shows and FREE crawfish, just to name a few! Since sharing is caring here are a few of my "Helpful Tips" and "FYIs" for checking out SXSW here in our super friendly and of course kinda weird Austin, TX...(you're welcome and can thank me later ;) Helpful Tips: -SXSW GUEST PASS: You don't have to buy a SXSW wristband to enjoy SXSW instead make sure you sign up for a SXSW Guest Pass, which is free to do so & there are soooo many free events you can get into just with the Guest Pass. Keep in mind you do have to rsvp to the events & many of them do have a capacity limit. You also will get sent daily emails on what events are happening..these emails are so helpful! One of the free events I always rsvp to is the 3 Day lineup held at the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake. I really like going to this one because they have different musicians/bands lined up for 3 days straight & there are lots of vendors onsite that are giving away free goodies..I mean who doesn't love free sh%t! This year, 2019 there were vendors who were giving samples of wine away..Sparkling Ice was another vendor that gave out full size bottles out & so many others. And the Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake is one of the venues that is for all ages so you can bring your kiddos or teenagers with you. Now let's talk about music..at this venue I've seen a Prince tribute band..that was fun! This year 2019 I got to see Jamie N Commons and X Ambassadors! Both very talented and soooo SEXY! Shhh, don't tell my hubby. ;) Helpful Tip: when going to this Outdoor Stage bring a blanket and then claim your spot kind of to the front of the stage because once the music starts there will be LOTS of people but no worries if you can't get to the front of the stage this venue has huge tv screens so you can see all the live action no matter where you are. -RSVP FOR FREE EVENTS WITH DO512 and EVENTBRITE: both the DO512 app and the Eventbrite app are great apps to use that will show all the SXSW events that are going on and let you know if you can get in with your SXSW Guest Pass. Make sure to rsvp to any events that you may be interested in because some events do get full and won't let you rsvp once that limit is reached. Using these apps I've won 2 FREE spots to get into Do512 Private Lounge sessions which included getting to experience awesome bands playing in a very intimate venue, free open bar..yep, day drinking at its finest! And food provided! I was literally in SXSW heaven!! FYIs: -This FYI is kinda a duh..but I figured I would still include it for any out of towners (not sure if that is a word ) but any-who, our Austin traffic sucks big hairy toes during normal day to day times so during SXSW craziness our traffic sucks big hairy toes that have fungus on them so make sure to plan ahead & there are plenty of ride-share options to use but if you do go the Uber or Lyft route keep in mind there is a surcharge in the price because it is SXSW. You can also hop on the Metro Rail which I've done previously & is really fast to get where I'm going & you don't have to sit in the funky traffic. SXSW for sure can seem very intimidating for someone whose never been but with some planning ahead & being flexible to go wherever the SXSW wind may take you for sure you will find some awesome SXSW events to check out! Oh, and my last FYI (For Your Information) is YES, we know how AWESOME-SAUCE we Austinites are :) and how GREAT our Austin city is but NO YOU ARE NOT ALLOWED to move here because we have a new city motto that would give you bad juju if you went against this motto.."Welcome to Austin, don't move here." I mean you don't want bad juju do you? ;) Hope this info helps & here's to seeing you at next years SXSW! -Rebecca read more

SXSW Festival - Repping Yelp at SXSW 2019 - Festivals Near Me

Returning after a 2 year miss was kinda disappointing. Even the crowds were different with ease through the streets and events being not so entertaining. Most of our usual dive bars still had the ambience feel but lacked the hospitality. Safety isn't in numbers and practical guidelines during our recovering times still needs to be in place. It was good seeing more Austin enforcement out and streets better contained. Looking forward to next year bringing back old memories along with making better state virus free new ones. read more

SXSW Festival - One of the safest engaging rickshaw drivers. Need a fast lyft around the SXSW 2022 events give him a ring. - Festivals Near Me

Fun and educational! Free! Two amazing concerts including Italian Street scene photo op! Food critic and chef presentation! Found amazing local olive oil! read more

Always nothing less than amazing. The only ones qualified to give this less than 4 stars are angels who just came out of heaven. #Facts! read more

SXSW Festival - This year was better than last, and next year is on track to be amazing... #EventsLikeFineWine #BetterWithTime - Festivals Near Me

Totally enjoyed my experience at South by Southwest. It was my first time going to this music festival. It was really crowded which I loved, they offered great concerts and amazing food options. Food trucks are on every corner so plenty of options to try out. I went for the free concerts and really enjoyed the experience. I'm from Dallas but I truly wish I was from Austin because it's such a beautiful city and there are so many fun things to do and food to try. read more

See all

I have no doubt that for the movers and shakers of Silicon Valley and Hollywood that fly in with their private Jets and get whisked away by a limo to their private parties, this is a wonderful event. I'm sure that this is also a lot of fun for those who are sent by their companies here with their company credit card and exclusive industry badges, this is a total blast and it helps them promote their app, new Hulu series (blessed is the fruit), or whatever. I ran into a lot of them too. Hell, I'm even sure people who shell out 800 bucks for a badge to see bands and movies that they can see for $50 any other time will also have fun. This review however is for none of that and just a guy visiting for half the day to see what the fuss was about with no stinking badges. Could such a cheapskate also have fun? (short answer, yes) I really liked the vibe of the city from the start. I visit Austin often and there was definitely a huge presence in South Congress. Every shop, bar, and taco stand was super crowded with lines of people with badges and I'm not even sure what was going on in Austin Hotel's pool but it looked fun with lots of beautiful people enjoying the sun. It really seemed like a lot of people loved standing in lines though. All the restaurants had lines. I went to the Long Center and they had lines for people with different badges. What were they in line for? It could have been the Texas HS shorts or something. Was it worth paying for a badge and standing out in the heat for an hour? Perhaps they can chime in with their own review, but I guess you really have to plan on staying here for the whole week to really get the full experience and can afford to take time to stand in lines. Speaking of lines, there were even more lines once I started to make my way towards downtown and walked by Maiko Sushi. Was there a special event or were they just hungry? They would REALLY have to be hungry if they were willing to stand in such a long line and there 3 officers standing outside guarding the line so it must have been really good sushi. Once I reached 6th street, I was expecting all the bars to be jam packed but they weren't. All the usual bars without special events had employees acting like carnival barkers to try to get people to come in. The bars were empty until you'd get to one with a special SxSW event and again, there would be a long line of people standing out waiting. This was really the theme everywhere I went. The Paramount had a long line for the film festival and a little paparazzi area set up. Despite not having much if any plans however, it was just a fun people watching event. There were people promoting their non-profit causes, people in cosplay, and people from all walks of life from all around the world there to mingle with. I met a couple from Italy who were also doing photography and now we all follow each other on Instagram. Police have a huge presence there and with that many people there you have a sense of security but don't be dumb and watch out for pick pockets and scammers. During my walk, I was approached by 2 people who looked "normal" starting a conversation and then saying they were from out of town and needed some money to get back home which is the oldest trick in the book so be smart. I felt a lot more safe than my other visits and really enjoyed taking pictures of people and places so even on the cheapskate tour, I had fun. Would I pay for a badge? Probably not but if I ever got my hands on one or there was something I really wanted to see and could just pay for that, I probably would. Just remember to plan for your transportation ahead of time and also hydrate. I come there enough to know where to park, etc. but if you're not familiar with Austin, don't take a chance at your car getting towed or otherwise getting stranded. They have shuttles as well but their range was pretty limited and more to take you from event to event rather than event to hotel. They have city buses too. read more

No refunds for any reason. Do not buy a badge! I have attended it once or twice many years ago, paid by my employer at the time. I would not pay for it myself. Especially post COVID most of the presenters are either not marquee names and/or their content is readily available on YouTube. I am specifically referring to the interactive portion of the conference. read more

South by South West, or SXSW is a world-class festival for people who are trying to get ahead in the music, tech, video game, art, or educational fields. The nearly month long festival happens in and around downtown Austin every Spring Break, mid march. Each different area has a week to themselves, with lectures, presentations, interactive demonstrations, Q&A sessions, and all kinds of cool stuff happening. This is the place to catch all kinds of famous people. I won't name drop, but the list of celebrities that come out here is pretty astounding. The best way to navigate everything going on out here is by cell phone and Twitter. Twitter is an Austin-based tech company after all. If you go on the Austin Chronicle and Do512 websites beforehand, you can find out about all the parties with free beer and swag, and RSVP. Just because you're on the RSVP list doesn't mean you're in to any of the numerous parties going on across town. Now, I've never actually gotten an armband or badge for SXSW. They're incredibly expensive, and really just meant for record execs and film producers and such. I have more interest in the general interest acts. But this is where the upcoming artists come to perform to try and get signed on a record label. If you just cruise down Sixth Street during SXSW, you'll hear tons of live bands, and people just hand out CDs of mix tapes and promos of their bands. Many people out there bring their entourage, and perform on the street corners. It's an amazing sight to see, all the diverse musicians from all over the world coming to show their chops. I always take a big bag for all the free swag I get at SXSW! My fav SXSW event is the video game expo that they have at the Convention Center. They show off all the latest game technologies, allowing attendees to just pick up a controller and play. Virtual Reality games have been the showstoppers at recent SXSW tech events. They also have an arcade room full of retro video games, all free. Your best bet is playing all the newest, latest games and skipping the retro ones. The SXSW concert art show that is also in the Convention Center is always amazing. Vendors from across the globe come in and sell weird art and posters from rock concerts. There's always a diverse display of wild and trippy art in various media. SXSW is best navigated by bike, since it's spread all over downtown and the eastside of Austin, and the city often closes off streets for all the booths, vendors, concerts and attractions that are available. Other than that, I'd take a ride share. It's unpredictable because of all the road closures. read more

The Good: :: it's here in town so that's good for people who live in austin! :: plethora of free shows to see. :: diversity of shows. something for everyone, i promise you that :: plethora of free parties with free booze flowing and sometimes even free food The Bad: :: really need to have a badge to get into the gold shows. however, badges are $$$$$$ :: plethora of free shows to see. you can easily get overwhelmed by the # of offerings. to get the most out of sxsw, you should really take time and do your homework :: the logistics. since it's shows going on all over town, the chances of you seeing all you want to see are hit-or-miss unless all you want to see is downtown. i'd recommend the locals get around via scooter (i do every year and it's gold) or bike. :: long long lines to get into very popular shows. blah. :: having to rsvp for some free parties when it doesn't even freaking MATTER. they only make you rsvp so they can get your information and sell it to marketing companies or spam you later. i guess that is the price for free booze The Ugly: :: ALL. THE. F@CK&*G. HIPSTERS. ENOUGH OF YOUR STUPID OUTFITS, YOUR HORRIBLE TIGHTS, YOUR DISGUSTING BALLET FLATS, YOUR SKINNY JEANS, YOUR WOVEN HEADBANDS, YOUR IRONICALLY BAD HAIRSTYLES. i wanted to mow through the throngs of hipsters with a bulldozer and smush them all Would I go back? Because I am a glutton for punishment, I probably will next year. What the hell is WRONG WITH ME. This event is SOMEWHAT/BARELY in. read more

SXSW attempts to be all things to all people and succeeds at none of them. It is a film fest, it is a music fest , it is an interactive fest, it is unlike any other fest anywhere... and that's because it really isn't a fest at all. I've gone to lots of festivals and my friends in bands have played at lots of festivals. We all agree this is the worst "festival" we've ever been to! This is just a huge cluster frappe with all sorts of lame hipsters running all over the place like chickens with their heads cut off. Yeah, yeah, yeah I know there are some free shows and other "free" stuff but the cost in time WAITING in line and dealing with the hipsters or having to engage in some type of flash mob is way too high a cost to enjoy any of them. Private events for invite only or badge holders take up lots of venues making it really challenging to know where you can and can't do things. FYI most bands have to PAY to come to this festival so you end up with a lot of really crappy bands. If this is what is "cool" these days than I'm real glad to not be trendy, hip, and cool! No thanks SXSW we just aren't compatible and I will stick with French Quarter Fest if I need an awesome FREE festival. read more

As a filmmaker, i can share this is not a filmmaker's festival--it's a money making scam. The passes are ridiculously overpriced and actually don't guarantee you get in to see the films. Prepare to spend over $1600 on a film pass and then to stand in lines in hot Texas sun and still not get into films. read more

Organization and an external phone charger is key for SX goers! I've never been one to splurge on a badge, here are my pro-tips on how to do SX with minimal monetary funds: Sign up for RSVPster! You will be flooded with e-mails with this system RSVPing you to all the free events. Go through the slew of e-mails at least every 5 days to avoid being overwhelmed. Find your favorite venue and go more than once! If you love the space and style, make it a homebase. Don't want to pay for food or drink all week while being cultured in SX? With a little extra planning, you can totally pull this off... trust me. Be prepared to splurge on parking (had to pay 40 bones one day) but I URGE all friends to use cabs! The hub of the festival is at the Convention Center. Come, meet extremely passionate and cool people from all over the world! I'm partial to the Buffalo Lounge that showcases all of Oklahoma's greatest film, interactive and musical geniuses. RSVP for their showcases and I'll see you there! read more

I love SXSW. I have been lucky enough to get out and about during the festival at some time every year I have been here. Some people complain about the amount of people that is brings to the city and other complain about parking, but I say who cares and don't do it. You have to learn to embrace the festival and how get around in it. So no personal cars - don't do it. Leave your car at home or walk or Uber or Lyft or ride the bus! I love meeting and seeing people from all over the globe and they get to come to my city and experience the awesomeness of it. Now there are so many parts of SXSW too and they are all great. The main pieces are the film, interactive and music. Here is another secret I will share .... I have never bought a badge. I usually do not plan where I am going either. During the day there is so much free stuff to go see and do! Literally every place in a 2 mile radius of downtown turns into a venue, something cool to see or somewhere to hang our during the festival. If you have a chance to experience SXSW - I totally recommend it! I will continue to embrace it as long as we have it in our city. read more

See all

Interactive 2010, where to begin. Maybe with the fact that I left most panels thinking "that was really unorganized, boring, chaotic and left me with little to no takeaway. Tell me something I didn't know!" Take a talk today I went to entitled "Social Media Strategy Oh Wait What Now". The description listed that we'll be talking about social media strategy and how they can apply to businesses. The room filled up quickly, three nerdy dudes sat up front and bored me for an hour. They talked about their half baked idea to launch their Twitter app and one of the three didn't say a word the entire time. They didn't create a novel concept, they had no concept! I left the entire process with what I came for -- a deeper understanding of strategically what I am going to do -- but for as vaunted as it as of a conference you'd think every talk would be a conversation of Yoda proportions. A couple key learnings: - Arrive early to every talk you want to go to. - Have back ups. - Know who is presenting and go to the speakers you know and want to see. The speaker makes or breaks the talk. - Read the big 100 page book they give you. Go to the category of talks that apply to you. The rest will waste your time. - Take naps. Your liver and general being will thank you. read more

See all

SXSW 2008 - virgin voyage for me hosted a trainhopper on my couch from canada, met the girl who picked her up on the road girl basically has a PhD in indie music. team up with said girl for all three days. used showlistaustin to find out all the good free shows and cover shows. Managed to see Vampire Weekend, Shout Out Louds, MGMT, Kate Nash, Sara Bareilles, She & Him, Meiko, Ingrid Michaelson, Yeasayer, DeVotchKa, Sea Wolf, Jen Leksman, Bon Iver, Le Loup, and many others for only $35 total. Met so many awesome people during the shows, totally changed my musical tastes. Managed to retain a big Super Mario pinata from some electronic show at Thirsty Nickel. It stares at me at night sometimes and makes me nervous. Said PhD in indie music managed to somehow purchase a $14 ice cream concoction at Amy's. Trainhopper girl not seen for 2-3 days, finally showed up on my doorstep sat night at 3:30 am. Good times. read more

2013 Update: 20x2 show was, as usual, a blast. Almost fell on my head by missing a step at Elysium. but in my defense I had started drinking bloody mary's at about 11 a.m. at The Bungalow, and by the time the 7 pm 20x2 show began, I was well into my cups. Watched fellow Yelper Steve B do a fantastic job moderating a discussion with Nate Silver, and marveled at the fanboys On a day of threatening rain, I hung out at The Bungalow, Backspace, BD Rileys, Bull McCabe's and Elysium. Not too shabby for a geriatric. The following weekend we went our annual Tx Music Magazine party at Scholz Garten on a beautiful Friday afternoon listening to The Trishas, El Tule and more; then hung out on South Congress on Saturday. Drinks with friends for awhile at the Guero's garden, then over to SXSJ to listen to Phosphorescent (great) and The Heartless Bastards (awesome). Great festival, yeah its huge and a pain to park, but its one of the great things about Austin. read more

Icing on the cake this year was when the lady running the press line for Long Shot would not allow Paul Scheer (who is in the movie) to walk the line with his wife June Diane Raphael (also in it). He wasn't allowed on the Line ultimately. Paul was incredibly nice about it as the lady rudely demanded that he walk away, June was pissed. Get your stuff together. Know who your guests are. Treat them well. Podunk festival. read more

No refund after covid and missed the cut off date to reschedule for a future year (there should not be a cutoff date). Crooked!

So, it's about to be SXSW time again, which means it's time to prepare not for the music festival, but for the free parties. Ready? Go. 1. RSVP for everything free 2. Show up early to get a wristband if you need one 3. Put all your RSVPs in a spreadsheet, organized by day 4. Highlight your spreadsheet, organized by priority/availability of free food 5. Print out your spreadsheet (your phone is going to die at some point) 6. Take time off from work and go to the SXSW day parties like a champ. 7. Get lots of sleep. Pace yourself. Be nice. 8. That's it. Have fun! This works for the music parties, less so for everything else. Get a badge if you can! read more

These people are unscrupulous. I paid for a $1,250 badge for the 2020 event. The event gets canceled because of the virus and they refuse to refund my money. They point to their no refund policy, that does not contemplate the festival canceling. The policy was intended for people asking for refunds, not the event being canceled by the promoters. Where I come from, we call people that take your money and provide nothing in return, thieves. It will be a cold day in hell when I travel to Austin to attend this festival. The city of Austin should be ashamed, as to how they are handling the cancellation and taking people's money. read more

Ah, South by... Never have I ever seen such ridiculous collections of trend-whoring douchebaggery than during the time you're in town. First the sideburn-and-wide-rimmed-glasses explosion that comes in followed shortly by the cracked out skinny-jean-wearing band crowd, none of whom seem to be able to understand stop lights. Good to know that individualism has gotten so widespread. Pro: free shows with free booze and free food. Pro: The SXSW shows have lots of bands you might not otherwise see Con: ...if you have a badge, arrive three hours early, or wait in line long enough. Pro: Some cool movies get shown. Con: ...some of them suck pretty hard, too. Pro: If the convention center were suddenly sucked into a vortex during sxsw, the overall pretentiousness of America would drop by 14.2%. Con: This hasn't happened yet. Pro: There are some cool events you can go see during the non-music part. Con: There's a crapload more invite/badge only things that go on and take over otherwise fun places to go hang out. Pro/Con: 6th is completely packed. SXSW does do one thing really well. It demonstrates the lack of suitable infrastructure that Austin has to house larger conferences. If you really love live music, or film or interactive, then it's probably a good place for you. Just learn what those flashing signs at the corners of streets mean before you walk in front of a moving car. read more

We didn't have badges so we just went to see the human parade of interesting people. We were not disappointed in the least. There were interesting things and people everywhere we looked. The event was well coordinated and even with the large volume of people it felt like things were under control at all times. We really enjoyed it and plan on going back later this week. read more

SXSW Festival - Festivals Near Me

You know, 3 or 4 yrs ago, I'd rate this festival a 5. Now, it only gets a 3. It's grown too large and is getting more corporate now. When I first came to SXSW in 2009, it was still large but relatively small. The interactive/digital portion of the festival was fun and I got to meet a bunch of great people at the parties afterward. Fast forward to today. Sessions are jam packed. Parties are difficult to get into. Clubs/bars are stuffed like sardines and you can't really get to know anyone. It's changed a lot. Everyone is out for the money grab and it's kind of lost it's intimacy for me....it's becoming more like a standard corporate conference. Of course the film and music portion of the conference is still solid and if I could give 3.5 Stars, I would because of those portions. I'd come back again for the music & film portions, but will probably pass on the interactive/digital part of the festival. Return Factor - 65% read more

Best week of my life (what I remember of it) every year. And no, I've never had a badge or a wristband. And yes, I've gotten into everything I've ever wanted to see. (well, except Scissor Sisters this year, but that's because I was too wasted on free booze to remember until long after the doors opened.) If you don't like SXSW, you need to get the stick out of your butt. If you think you spend a lot of money on shows and booze during it every year, you are doing it WRONG. ... although the questions at the bottom just reminded me - STOP BRINGING YOUR KIDS TO SXSW. Especially kids in STROLLERS. What is the point? When I see an adult pushing a stroller down 6th with a toddler struggling to tag along behind him all I can think is that the guy doesn't actually want to see any shows and is just hoping his kids get kidnapped so he can have his sweet, sweet freedom back. read more

Now I can only comment on the music portion of SXSW, also know as one of the greatest weeks in human history for any music lover. Each year this wonderful city is transformed into a complete mad house. Chaos reigns supreme starting on Wednesday and doesn't really end until early Sunday morning. The vibe and excitement that SXSW brings to the city is amazing and is easily the most thrilling time of the year. Now why after all these great compliments would I only give the festival FOUR stars, vice FIVE? Well that's easy, it's a corporate crap nightmare. For the last four years I have run my own showcases shunning the "Sanctioned" event status and without question my events have always been far more successful than the "Sanctioned" crap they usually throw at you. Anyone who has spent any time at SXSW knows that the non-"Sanctioned" shows that take place around the city are always the best and even better....THEY ARE FREE. By becoming a "Sanctioned" event you instantly cut out the most important part of any show, THE FANS, because now people have to pay HUNDREDS of dollars just to see a show. It's outrageous. I have never bought a "pass" and never will yet I have never had a problem getting into any show I want. To think that they charge people up to $600 just to go to shows is absolutely insane. SXSW the CONCEPT and what it brings to the city by way of people and fun is FIVE STARS. SXSW the company is TWO STARS. It is very frustrating for any artist who has to play the actual SXSW showcases, schedules are always late, messed up, venues can be really shoddy, and the shows usually suck pretty bad unless you are already an established band. But hey if you are an established band they WHY play SXSW? Oh and did I mention that IF you are putting on your own event and going to go through SXSW you STILL have to have THEM sign off on your bands and you may or MAY NOT get them to play your event!! In other words, your bands have to PAY to register so that SXSW can make more money. I though this was about music? Don't get me wrong, SXSW is my hands down FAVORITE time of the year. All my bands and friends come to town, we throw one hell of a show, we have a great time and we get to do it all in the name of music. Now if only SXSW themselves could figure out that music is more important than $600 badges, bad scheduling and random bands playing your venue. If anything I highly recommend avoiding buying "badges" and worthless "wristbands" and stick to the killer shows on Sixth Street that are FREE and the always impressive secret shows that come about. read more

I attended SXSW for the first time this year, and the festival exceeded my already high expectations. I was there for a few days (I think that is as much sensory overload as I can handle), and had a fantastic time. Every major company and brand seem to have a presence. It is a fantastic way to learn about marketing and experiential branding. You don't even need a wristband, as there are so many free events (and you can register for a free SXSW guest pass to attend some of the sessions). read more

SXSW Festival - Festivals Near Me

Ode to sxsw: I love thee for the free beers and I get to see all my best peers I admire yee for the bbq but I do hate waiting in long queues It's my favorite time of year and I am so glad it is here We are locals who love our town we really know how to get down! read more

There are two sides to this review: the side that enjoys the music, movies, celebrities, and all around celebration of expressive mediums. That side loves SXSW for everything that it is and ever will be.... ... but then there's the side that lives in Austin and has to deal with the insane traffic and several extra thousand individuals that cruise in but leave their driving abilities at home. Let's begin with the Smeagol (yep I totally just went there) side: I LOVE SXSW and what it does for the city of Austin. They call us the Third Coast, and that is because alongside Los Angeles and New York City, we are the next up-and-coming location for film and music growth. For someone like myself who has always had a hankering to work within the film industry, this is huge and an awesome opportunity. (Not all of us can pack up everything and go to L.A.) And so, every spring, South by Southwest rolls in - along with countless movie directors, producers, music artists, actors, editors, designers, you name it -- and they celebrate film and music with a bang. I used to work downtown RIGHT next to the Paramount theater, and so I was always antsy to see who would roll up for the next premiere. I had the privilege of seeing Brian Wilson (yep, THE Beach Boy), Robert Duvall, John Cusack, and Elijah Wood (who is quite possibly one of the most wonderful people that I have ever had the pleasure to meet). Badges to get into the screenings are expensive, but sometimes just the energy itself is enough to enjoy. One day I'll get a badge, dang it! Okay.. the Gollum side: SXSW hurts us. It hurts Austin something fierce, only because we simply do not have the road space to accommodate all of the guests. This past year the city mayor actually told private businesses to consider allowing employees to either: A) work from home on South By's opening day, or B) just not work that day at all and stay home and off the highways so that we all don't crumble on top of each other. I say wow. I unfortunately didn't get to stay home. I traveled into the Austin-area ground zero. I got a little dusty, kinda scuffed up, but I emerged victorious in the end. But, honestly and seriously, the only negative thing that I can think of is just the road conditions. It really is a GREAT festival, and I always look forward to not only seeing which guests will arrive each year, but watching my fellow Austinites kick back and rub shoulders with people from all over, uniting over good times, great music, and wonderful films. read more

SXSW has to be one of my all time favorite events. And I only go for the free shows. My friend and I usually spend a long weekend in town bouncing around catching as many bands as we can. Drinking beers all along the way. I'm not from Austin, but every time I visit I wish I was. One year I'm going to actually buy tickets and spend the entire week there. Until then hope to see you guys in March! read more

Tip for locals: VOLUNTEER, for either the film or music portion (not sure how Interactive Media works). Forty hours of your work time gets you in to where you want to go, whether it's schlepping VIPs around or helping bands set up. And lots of perks abound as you work the festival. The volunteer process is a scene at the Convention Center about 6 weeks (?) prior, so prepare to wait in line and get through the entire library on your Ipod. But once you get through your forty hours of work, the city is ALL YOURS.... read more

SXSW- How could you not have fun?! I suppose if you hate music (or more specifically, indie music) I could maybe understand. But, I have had some freakin awesome times at SXSW! My only complaint would be the transportation to and from downtown and the fact that the traffic on 35 is terrible (even more so than normal!) and that it can take quite awhile to eat at any restaurant in the city. But, come on people, it's a trade-off for how much fun you'll be having. And you'll be so drunk that you won't even notice that you haven't eaten. Besides many of the venues have free food. I've never even paid for a wristband and I have managed to see quite a lot of great shows. I may pay for a wristband this year so I can see the bands I really, really want to. Anyways, I love ACL also but I think SXSW is a little less chaotic and you don't have to be in a big dust field all day and night like at ACL. read more

Helllllllll yeeeeeeaaaah! This is one of my favorite annual events. If you're a creative of some sort thats in the software/internet industry, the film industry, or the music industry (or a little combination) - you should get yo ass down here STAT. It's got more than enough "work" content through sessions to make this an expense claim to keep your boss/accountant happy, the ability to bump into one of your industry's celebrities (and maybe connect /fraternize and do business with), and lots of free stuff (schwag, delicious BBQ food, and drinks) given here. Tips: - Carry ID if you plan on drinking/partying - Install foursquare (sorry yelp but theres no equivalent features for it yet) on your phone and use it (share and you shall receive) - Bring an almost empty suitcase (trust me on this - you'll be bringing back stuff) - Bring a spare phone battery (or battery pack) and carry your charger. Bring a power board or extra power and you also get to make lots of new friends ;) - Sleep on the plane (you're not gonna get too much sleep here) - 9am sessions are a myth (unless you are staying downtown.. even then don't count on them) - Book your accommodation early (as in a year in advance.. seriously) - Stay healthy as possible. Drink in moderation (1 glass of water per alcoholic drink rule). Make sure you don't eat too much junk. - What happens at SXSW doesn't stay at SXSW. It will be on the interwebz. read more

Nothing's perfect, but by my take there are several things that I've always enjoyed about SXSW. As one who takes in healthy portions of all three conferences, I'd be remiss not to mention the big ideas that are floating around the Interactive conference, the indie films of repute that make the Film conference fun, and the 1300+ bands that wash through town annually. Sure, it's crowded and like most oases (oasises?) it makes some of the locals fussy...but you can't beat the memorable experiences that you might find when you open yourself up to the possibilities within. That's within the conference, and just perhaps, within you. read more

Having attended SXSW since 1995, I have to say that 2010 was one of my least favorite years. If I compared SXSW 2010 to the rest of the year & types of fun music-related options - it would definitely be the winner. But when I compare it to all past years of attendance, this year was somewhat disappointing and frustrating. Our badges were not cheap, nor was our hotel. But we never mind shelling out extra cash this time of year b/c the rewards are so great. But THIS year for some reason -- things were seemingly just not as organized as past years. Perhaps the festival has grown too much? I just know that even with badges AND schedules, as well as RSVPs, we were unable to attend a significant amount of shows due to mis-information or not being let in (even though badges should have priority & we were showing up early). Granted I have to note we DID have fun. SXSW is STILL an amazing experience. We just felt like we had to do a TON of work & scheduling just to even attempt to check out certain bands this year, & it felt like the odds were against us. I believe this is the first time since 1995 that I EVER remember bands actually playing late, or at a completely different time than they were scheduled to play. This was frustrating. I will close with again my feelings that SXSW is still something I would encourage others to attend. And I, myself, will be back. But we may take a year off for 2010 simply b/c 2010 wore us out a bit. Perhaps a year off will provide some perspective. Highlights of 2010: Fanfarlo, Best Coast, The Antlers, Miniature Tigers, Saint Motel, Bird of Youth, Rogue Wave, Frightened Rabbit, and the photo boots at the Fader Fort & the IFC Crossroads house. read more

4.75 stars. To an extent, SxSw is a microcosm of the city of Austin and how it has changed. Before Austin was a food truck mecca with outlandish overpriced clothing stores and neighborhoods with shortened names, it was just a town full of artists and innovators who moved to a city that encouraged the idea of their free expression. Similarly, SxSw morphed from a creative outlet for undiscovered bands into its present state where those bands are still present, but they are overshadowed by a horde of major performances so vast in number that entire blocks of the city are essentially shut down for the festival. None of this necessarily makes SxSw a bad thing. It only means that it has evolved. You'll see that the majority of negative reviews are from people who currently reside in Austin. This is to be expected. If you don't live there, the very existence of this festival won't interrupt your life for a period of two weeks. And there are other perceived slights, such as the difficulty and expense for procuring badges and wristbands (which is actually far worse for those of us who no longer live in Austin), the long wait times for certain shows, and, of course, the numerous corporate sponsors who certain folks believe shake the very authenticity of the art to its knees. Here is what I think: it's all worth it and i wish SxSw was in my current city. SouthBites brought food trucks and chefs from across the country to your town, you have over a thousand artists coming to your city who perform on multiple nights, and for many day shows, you are able to get in for free or for a nominal charge. There are numerous unofficial parties where you can win a bunch of awesome items (a friend of mine won so much free stuff he essentially paid for his wrist band). You can make friends and get into some great shows. In my case, I was able to attend a couple of conferences and complete some required training for free within my profession which usually costs hundreds of dollars. There are an extraordinary amount of surprise artists and guests throughout the week. The city that I used to call home for many years is showered with love and attention. In short, I'm all for SxSw. In my mind, it's a unique event showcasing all the best elements of the city of Austin (innovation, culinary, musical). While there will always be detractors from anything that reaches a critical mass of popularity, this is an exceptionally well-run event especially considering its enormous scope. read more