SxSW05 (1 Viewer)

[wrafter]

Anyone planning to go to Austin in 2005 for the SxSW event?

Best time to book event tixs and accomm is now.

If any of you folk are heading along, get in contact, it might be beneficial to share notes on costs, best routes, best accomm and so on.

 

[ostrichsyndrome]

hows this for a start... bands aren't entitled to apply for financial assistance to the arts council of ireland as... their words... it's reserved for 'individuals' attending the showcase.

That means if you wanna go, IMRO will help you with promotion and publicity, but you and your band will have to pay for everything to go over.
here's an idea (flights to austin 800, backline rental $100 a day, at least, van rental $100 a day minimum, accomodation, depends on number in your band, food... etc. etc. etc.

i was told by the organisers to budget 1500 per person for the trip, 5 days... i know its about showcasing talent, but how much are you willing to spend.

 

[nlgbbbblth]

Anyone planning to go to Austin in 2005 for the SxSW event?

Best time to book event tixs and accomm is now.

If any of you folk are heading along, get in contact, it might be beneficial to share notes on costs, best routes, best accomm and so on.

I'm planning another Austin trip in 2005 and would like to coincide with this if possible.
have dates been finalised etc?

 

[AnimalFlares]

Yeah they have bee, checkout : www.sxsw.com for details. Its expensive to go over as a band. A singer songwriter would have it easier!. Apparently you could get away with $1,000 per member but then you have to pay for promotion on top of that. Its really hard to get that sort of money when your unsigned and unmanaged!

 

[wrafter]

I've sourced flights for EUR400 (To Houston) from London, return. I've been told it can be sourced cheaper and am making enquiries

Hostel accomm (and other cheap accomm) is still available.

I'm coming at this from the perspective of a music fan, not performer, so ticket for access to all music events - across the board - is currently $345, cheaper now because it's earlier. More expensive later.

Music related dates are March 16th to 20th.

nlgbbbblth - you definitely going?
ostrichsyndrome - and you?

 

[ostrichsyndrome]

I've sourced flights for EUR400 (To Houston) from London, return. I've been told it can be sourced cheaper and am making enquiries

Hostel accomm (and other cheap accomm) is still available.

I'm coming at this from the perspective of a music fan, not performer, so ticket for access to all music events - across the board - is currently $345, cheaper now because it's earlier. More expensive later.

Music related dates are March 16th to 20th.

nlgbbbblth - you definitely going?
ostrichsyndrome - and you?

I'm working on getting the band over, other grants etc. that we may be eligible to apply for on the grounds of our musical difference...

it's quite simply not worth it going over to it as a music fan because all the bands are playing at the same time, the city is massive and you'll get to see lots of bands that aren't any good and a few that might be. then again judging by reports from last year it was mental...

i'll be making my mind up in thenext week or so

 

[wrafter]

Look - I'm a US virgin. Want to visit. An SxSW is a great excuse to do so. Plus, I'll throw a few onemorego flyers into the suitcase and give myself a purpose. I think a music lover's gotta see SxSW at least once in their life... no? ;-)

 

[nlgbbbblth]

nlgbbbblth - you definitely going?

We are most likely going to Austin next year - wife's sister lives there - but not sure exactly when - as we have to co-ordinate simultaneous leave etc
Would hope to go around that time but being honest won't be able to say for definite till probably after Christmas - as I am moving job locations next month and have no idea what/when I can take holidays in 2005

 

[Ex-User (250)]

don't go expecting anything to happen for your band unless you have someone doing a huge amount of groundwork for you... a LOT of work. it's pretty huge and you can end up playing a crappy bar to no one. *cough*. that's what happened to us and the rednecks. if you have no one working on your behalf, you'd be be happy just going to play and checking out some cool bands and a holiday. it's an expensive holiday though. we went. we saw some amazing bands (borwn whornet, hella, etc.) but if it was over again, no fucking way.

 

[ostrichsyndrome]

don't go expecting anything to happen for your band unless you have someone doing a huge amount of groundwork for you... a LOT of work. it's pretty huge and you can end up playing a crappy bar to no one. *cough*. that's what happened to us and the rednecks. if you have no one working on your behalf, you'd be be happy just going to play and checking out some cool bands and a holiday. it's an expensive holiday though. we went. we saw some amazing bands (borwn whornet, hella, etc.) but if it was over again, no fucking way.

basically the way this works is if you apply as a band, then you get fucked over, first of all by sxsw who hire a bunch of teenage high school kids to listen through demos and decide first if your band should play and second where you should play. that's how come you ended up playing to no one. second of all, you get fucked by IMRO who focus all their promotion money on songwriters, after all thats what they do. so here's some tips for avoiding getting fucked over.

1. have only one member of your band registered with IMRO, the main songwriter, apply for aid to the arts council and IMRO, then submit as that person, plus band. this way your entitled to arts council money and promotion from IMRO.

2. dont send an album over, take your most commercially viable songs (sell out corporate whore bitch that i am) put together a cd of these and send that over.

3. contact all the promoters you can in and around the area, just to get your name out, they wont give you gigs cos sxsw forbid gigs outside the festival for 5 days.

4. post stuff on sxsw forums and other texas based undergorund forums about yourself.

5. start saving now. if you have any contacts of US bands in the area try and get in touch with them and ask them for some backing, and or a lend of gear and a van for a few days.

6. if any of your irish band buddies are going, try and pool together your resources. if you are playing different days, try and get a deal on backline gear etc.

in spite of all this, and the expense there's no guarantees. some bands do well out of it but most dont.

 

[cassette/tape]

whats the final date for entries?

 

[ostrichsyndrome]

whats the final date for entries?

it's all on the site www.sxsw.com
it's cheaper before october 29 from what i know.