If so, are you in a band that's going to play there, or are you just going to check out bands?

 

BTW, what does everyone here think of SXSW?  I've never been to it, but from what I've heard, it's very much a corporate sponsored event, and I'm just wondering if anyone here has a problem with that.  No, I'm not trying to start an argument; this is just one of my "idle curiosity" type questions.

 

BTW, the Cynics will be there:)  However, I don't know if Get Hip is going to do a big showcase.

Yep, Columbus still has at least one but they closed down the one I used to work at that had been there since 1929. If anyone does go to SXSW don't miss my buds the Unholy Two, they'll put your brain in a camel clutch.

MikeL said:

There used to be a couple, but they were closed years ago.  But who knows, maybe they'll come back.  Until then, I'll just have to settle for the frozen White Castle burgers that are sold at Giant Eagle.

 

BTW, Columbus, OH, still has a White Castle.

I was considering going with a friend but I have too much stuff going on around that time. Also, there are only 4 bands I'd care to see anyways.

ggplant will be there.

I got free passes from work, but the list of bands is mind-boggling.

recommendations?

re: goner twitter, guess I'll check some sites of labels I like and see what's happening or not happening.

My friend out there says he usually goes to "fuck by fuckwest."

 

SXSW can be amazing and cheap if you know where to go.  Just don't ever wander down 6th street!!!! its a big joke. Usually about a week before SXSW the mess with texas party will release an awesome line up for a free fest. and almost every night there are free bridge shows. Go adventure, visit the spider house, thursday thee oh sees are playing for free.

There used to be a couple, but they were closed years ago.  But who knows, maybe they'll come back.  Until then, I'll just have to settle for the frozen White Castle burgers that are sold at Giant Eagle.

 

BTW, Columbus, OH, still has a White Castle.

No White Castles in Pittsburgh? Man, that city IS the PITTS! Haha.

I thought maybe you were referring to how gentrified and expensive the city has become over the years.  That's the complaint I usually hear.  That's cool that you met Joey:)

Dana V. Hatch said:

Well I dig the Apple too, what I meant is it's not as hospitable to bands as Austin where everything happens in one big area that's safe to wander around in at all hours. The clubs in NYC are mostly isolated from each other and in bad neighborhoods so you can't have the street party vibe there like you get at SXSW. I met Joey Ramone at Brownie's once!

MikeL said:

LOL!  I'm sorry to hear about the "cheap-ass hippies" who never shared their weed with you, Dana, but the way you worded that really cracked me up.  I'll take your word for it about the lack of industry exposure. 

 

And NYC may not be what it used to be, but I still enjoyed my visits there.  If nothing else, I love going to the top of the Empire State Building (Yes, I know that's "touristy," but I love the view), eating at White Castle (We don't have any here in Pittsburgh), hanging out at Manitoba's, visiting John Varvato's (the rock'n'roll boutique that opened where CBGBs used to be), strolling down St. Mark's Place, browsing the St. Mark's Book Store, walking around Times Square after dark (Yes, I know, "touristy," but I still like to do it), and occasionally meeting a legendary rock'n'roll figure, such as Roberta Bayley, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Bob Gruen, and Kim Fowley.  If nothing else, I love soaking up all the history in that city. 

Dana V. Hatch said:

As with CMJ, I'd advise bands who go down there to try and have a good time and have no illusions about industry exposure. Label scouts don't exist. Pretty much, a bunch of unknown or slightly known bands pay to play down there and the money is used to host big parties for established rock stars and major label scum. Still way better than CMJ just 'cause Austin's a cooler place than NYC. My band went down and had fun in 06 but there was crappy music everywhere you went and no one at the High Times-sponsored Stoner Rock bash offered me a toke of anything, those cheap-ass hippies!

Well I dig the Apple too, what I meant is it's not as hospitable to bands as Austin where everything happens in one big area that's safe to wander around in at all hours. The clubs in NYC are mostly isolated from each other and in bad neighborhoods so you can't have the street party vibe there like you get at SXSW. I met Joey Ramone at Brownie's once!

MikeL said:

LOL!  I'm sorry to hear about the "cheap-ass hippies" who never shared their weed with you, Dana, but the way you worded that really cracked me up.  I'll take your word for it about the lack of industry exposure. 

 

And NYC may not be what it used to be, but I still enjoyed my visits there.  If nothing else, I love going to the top of the Empire State Building (Yes, I know that's "touristy," but I love the view), eating at White Castle (We don't have any here in Pittsburgh), hanging out at Manitoba's, visiting John Varvato's (the rock'n'roll boutique that opened where CBGBs used to be), strolling down St. Mark's Place, browsing the St. Mark's Book Store, walking around Times Square after dark (Yes, I know, "touristy," but I still like to do it), and occasionally meeting a legendary rock'n'roll figure, such as Roberta Bayley, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Bob Gruen, and Kim Fowley.  If nothing else, I love soaking up all the history in that city. 

Dana V. Hatch said:

As with CMJ, I'd advise bands who go down there to try and have a good time and have no illusions about industry exposure. Label scouts don't exist. Pretty much, a bunch of unknown or slightly known bands pay to play down there and the money is used to host big parties for established rock stars and major label scum. Still way better than CMJ just 'cause Austin's a cooler place than NYC. My band went down and had fun in 06 but there was crappy music everywhere you went and no one at the High Times-sponsored Stoner Rock bash offered me a toke of anything, those cheap-ass hippies!

LOL!  I'm sorry to hear about the "cheap-ass hippies" who never shared their weed with you, Dana, but the way you worded that really cracked me up.  I'll take your word for it about the lack of industry exposure. 

 

And NYC may not be what it used to be, but I still enjoyed my visits there.  If nothing else, I love going to the top of the Empire State Building (Yes, I know that's "touristy," but I love the view), eating at White Castle (We don't have any here in Pittsburgh), hanging out at Manitoba's, visiting John Varvato's (the rock'n'roll boutique that opened where CBGBs used to be), strolling down St. Mark's Place, browsing the St. Mark's Book Store, walking around Times Square after dark (Yes, I know, "touristy," but I still like to do it), and occasionally meeting a legendary rock'n'roll figure, such as Roberta Bayley, Handsome Dick Manitoba, Bob Gruen, and Kim Fowley.  If nothing else, I love soaking up all the history in that city. 

Dana V. Hatch said:

As with CMJ, I'd advise bands who go down there to try and have a good time and have no illusions about industry exposure. Label scouts don't exist. Pretty much, a bunch of unknown or slightly known bands pay to play down there and the money is used to host big parties for established rock stars and major label scum. Still way better than CMJ just 'cause Austin's a cooler place than NYC. My band went down and had fun in 06 but there was crappy music everywhere you went and no one at the High Times-sponsored Stoner Rock bash offered me a toke of anything, those cheap-ass hippies!

As with CMJ, I'd advise bands who go down there to try and have a good time and have no illusions about industry exposure. Label scouts don't exist. Pretty much, a bunch of unknown or slightly known bands pay to play down there and the money is used to host big parties for established rock stars and major label scum. Still way better than CMJ just 'cause Austin's a cooler place than NYC. My band went down and had fun in 06 but there was crappy music everywhere you went and no one at the High Times-sponsored Stoner Rock bash offered me a toke of anything, those cheap-ass hippies!

Im not going...too expensive.  Im gonna see Ty Segall tonight, 3-1-2011, in St Augustine FL.  at Ring of Fire near Flagler College.  Its going to be rad!!!

Nope! Never been.

Have you ever been to SXSW?  Do you have any memories you want to share?

 

I never really paid attention to SXSW until 2007, when Get Hip did their first showcase down there (At least that's the first one that I'm aware of).  A bunch of other Pittsburgh bands played at SXSW at that same time, including one of my favorites, Black Tie Revue.  City Paper, our local arts and entertainment weekly, sent some writers down to Austin that year to cover the local angle of the event.  The Takeover UK played there the following year, and the Cynics have been playing there every year since.

 

kopper said:

I'm not going, but I saw this on Twitter, posted by Goner Records:

Goner @ SXSW - Fri 3/18 @ Beerland w/ Ty Segall, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, John Wesley Coleman, Overnight Lows, Limes, Harlan T Bobo

I'm not going, but I saw this on Twitter, posted by Goner Records:

Goner @ SXSW - Fri 3/18 @ Beerland w/ Ty Segall, Quintron & Miss Pussycat, John Wesley Coleman, Overnight Lows, Limes, Harlan T Bobo