March 20, 2007
SXSW 2007: Death of the Afterparty?
With no less than three of the biggest afterparties at this year's SXSW abruptly shut down, it's no wonder that we've been hearing all sorts of crazy conspiracy theories. But much as we'd love to blame this year's spate of buzzkilling closures on curmudgeonly old muckety-mucks, the evidence seems to point to something far less interesting: lack of permits.
At least that was the case with FactoryPeople's Thursday night rager, "La Chic Disco Boum," and the IHeartComix/Triple 5 Soul Friday night "Blow Out," both of which were shut down by fire marshals not long after they began. Vice Magazine's end-of-SXSW-orgy, on the other hand, succumbed under the collective weight of its hard-partying hipster clientèle -- literally, as pieces of the main balcony at the Elks Lodge collapsed. Miraculously, no one was injured.
It took only a few days for some hipster doofus in Brooklyn (Gawker: "obvs") to start peddling chunks of this "historic pile of rubble":
I returned to the scene later in the morning and retrieved pieces of this historic pile of rubble. Here is your chance to own a piece for yourself. I am pictured below retrieving the pieces from the scene, so you know they're real and authentic. Also comes with a copy of the most recent issue of Vice Magazine.
Read More:
[A Hipster Never Misses A Money-Making Opportunity]
Photo credits unknown
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hahaa, that's my little red bag in the picture. rubble missed the Apes & Androids van by INCHES!
It was much less treacherous than the flailing meat in front of the stage for Against Me.
It was just as well that it happened, they had stopped serving al-key-hall just moments before the edge of the deck collapsed. That would have been the real tragedy: rocking until 6am without stupid juice (aka pain go bye-bye juice).
Permits, we don't need no stinkin' permits.
Hey City Council,
Instead of using our tax dollars, more than $90,000 of them, to help out SXSW, how about granting sound ordinance and party permit reprieves. This would make SXSW happy, the fans happy, and the taxpayers happy.
I don't expect much though, since this doesn't involve spending money frivolously.
Sincerely,
Stew
there was an outdoor pure volume party at 7th and trinity that got shut down too. I agree with stew.
i wish apes & androids van would have been hit and undriveable (no gear smashed). i want them to have to stay here and play more shows.
Stew's been bitching about SXSW for a couple of weeks now....
You get out of it what you put into it - which is exactly what the city government realizes about the millions in revenue generated by SXSW.
Not to mention what those of us who've been enjoying the festival over the last two decades - this one was, like nearly every year, the best SXSW so far.
i was at both the factory people and the iheartcomix parties, and they were both shaping up to be the best times of the week before they got shut down. the iheartcomix party had some of the greatest tunes in town all at one place and they were serving monster+vodka in 20oz cups. Can't get much better than that.
Dude, Stew, $90,000 of waived fees is not the same as using our tax dollars.
I am tired of people complaining about the waived fees for SXSW. Austin has no merits on its own and SXSW would certainly relocate to Dallas without this money. Besides didn't everyone feel the $90,000 saved by SXSW trickling down on them during the fest. Reagan would be proud! Lastly, everyone knows, only *small* business should pay these fees not the big ones. C'mon people. Get with the program!
It's not like people are dying in Iraq and Dafur or our education, health care, and economic systems are completely going down the shitter.
Let's get riled up over $90k for an event that takes your mind off of reality.
Here's a novel idea: Don't vote for those city council members who gave SXSW the $90k if you really care that much.
Way to pick your causes folks!
The following was just posted on gawker.com comments section on the the original story.
I second kirker’s comments. I also live in that neighborhood, and while I did attend close to 2 dozen SXSW film, multimedia, and music events, I don’t want 1,000 hipsters in my neighborhood. They probably disturbed the transient camp under the Hwy 290 Bridge over Little Walnut Creek in addition to trashing Northeast Drive.
NYC scenesters beware; my Mama was born three blocks from Hell’s Kitchen and lettered in Field Hockey at Hunter High. I have Bamboo Quarterstaffs and a Kukuri, and my Mama taught me how to use it. Come knocking on my door or pissing/crapping/throwing up on my lawn and you will get a lesson in manners you will not forget.
The whole after party or parties being shut down for permits was ridiculous! The Iheartcomix party which took 6 months to plan was broken up for what....some permit nobody ever heard of? It doesnt make sense. I know for a fact there were other parties that did not have the same permit that the same fire marshall went to and did not shut them down.
The sxsw promoters probably targeted this party because it was better than any they can throw and had more sponsors. The amount of police that pulled up with sirens on and everything I thought someone had been shot. It would be impossible for anyone to hear that party there is nothing out there.
Who benefits when a party is shut down? Who would want to shut a party down?
The only logical answer is the organizers of sxsw. The Austin police could care less about a party in east austin as parties were held at the blue genie all weekend without the "permit"?????
this post really lacks some meat.
i was one of the people scheduled to play the mentioned i heart comix party later that night. we had all the permits we were TOLD we needed. the permit that parties were lacking was a new permit that no one was informed of when receiveing the other ones. this was gross negligence on the part of the city of austin.
also i have emails from a sxsw employee confirming they were calling in these parties to have them shut down.
sxsw really shot austin in the foot this time. i know for a fact that at least 2 venues will no longer continue hosting parties AT ALL after this and many labels/magazines/sponsors have said they will not be returning next year.
i imagine artists feel the same way. we had 400 people at our sxsw showcase and 3000 at our party. hmm wonder which one ill be excited to play.
instead of being the bullies of austin, sxsw should really figure out why the parties are so successful and work with them. i have played sxsw for 5 years and will not be playing again ever.
there is a much more interesting going on here than "a lack of permits"
oh yeah i forgot , specifics on the lacked permit are:
it is a new "public gathering permit" meaning if you have more than 49 people in one place you need to have one. the suprising thing is , it is not a safety permit.
we had alcohol permits, fire escape stuff in order, sound permits all the usual stuff. youd think theyd be prepared for a week like this. and we all would have been happy with a fine and someone onsite charging us for not having it but then writing the permit on site and allowing this to continue.
to my surprise the fire marshall said he did not know this was going on when we called him and seemed angry about it. maybe he knew how detrimental this really was to the city.
we learned that this new permit was aimed mostly at the 12th and chicone area to battle drug houses and clubs/bars they deemed necessary to "clean up".
"Dude, Stew, $90,000 of waived fees is not the same as using our tax dollars."
- Wrong, the city waived $90,000 in fees related to cops & barricades which SXSW was supposed to pay for but the city waived the fees...the cops still have to be paid...hmmm...where does that money come from now? THE TAXPAYERS!!!! = using our tax dollars.
"Don't vote for those city council members who gave SXSW the $90k if you really care that much."
-There is not one city council member which I voted for. The most powerful office in Austin, the city manager, is an unelectable office(which is bullshit!). The ability to vote the city council out of office doesn't give them the authority to do as they please until they are unelected.
Business subsidies have and continue to destroy Austin at the expense of you and me.
I can speak about the I heart comix and the vice parties, since they were both supposed to happen at our shop. When all hell broke loose Friday night and we were presented with no options about the DJ party going on, (despite the reasonable efforts we made to have a open, safe venue), I was forced to pull the plug on the Vice party Sat night at Blue Genie. According to the fire marshals, BGA space will never get a load card (occupancy rating) for more than 299 persons at any one time without some major renovations, including a fully automated sprinkler system, alarm system, automatic doors, and a laundry list of other stuff that we simply can't afford. Events is just a small part of what we do; we have hosted and produced dozens of events over the last eight years b/c they fit our personality. I'm afraid that this weekend gives us a pretty flat tire for ever doing anything like these events again.
Thanks to everyone who has been supportive of events at our shop; from Wolfmother, Toots & Maytals, Jim Jarmusch and many others, we've definitely had fun. Also a warning to anyone else to has a gallery, shop space, etc; please exercise caution when throwing parties, art openings, etc. - when the city comes down on you it lets in all sorts of entities that you are probably not ready for. AFD, APD, TABC, Code Enforcement, even the Health Dept.
I feel bad for I Heart Comix b/c they put so much work into the event (six months) and were devastated when they didn't even get an hour out of it. I found that crowd to be well behaved and ready to have a great time. It's really a bummer to have it shut down.
We also hired APD off duty police officers to assist with the evening thinking (falsely) that it would add an extra layer of legitimacy and protection should there be a problem. Without bad mouthing APD, I can say that ultimately they folded faster to AFD than Superman on laundry day and went from 'in the background security personnel' to heavies in clearing the space immediately.
All of this is FYI; I post this on Austinist because I trust them.
sxsw has peaked.
Two things: Yes the city ABUSED it's power to waive the city service fees to a FOR-PROFIT organization (really amazing considering that this what the city fees were DESIGNED FOR!!!) PAY FOR YOUR USE SXSW!!! These fees should ONLY be waived for NON-PROFIT organizations and holidays like Martin Luther King Day, Veteran's Day, charity runs,etc. Otherwise you and me are paying for a major company's use of those fees (and considering SXSW makes about 8 MILLION DOLLARS or so in profits I think they can afford it!)
Secondly, I know someone who works there and calling and reporting on any anti-SXSW party (day or night) to the authorities in hopes of shutting them down is EXACTLY what SXSW does to "protect" their event! Any band (of any major significance) who comes into town and does NOT play SXSW then SXSW gets vindictive and either calls the band management with threats (i.e. "Your band and label will NEVER play SXSW...EVER! kinda threat) or if the band is an "official" SXSW performing act then they are told that they can do record store in-stores but NOTHING else open to the public unless it is a PRIVATE PARTY!! Which means invitation ONLY! Now that pretty much kills all parties as most are "open" to anyone who shows up pending room. But this goes to show how PARANOID SXSW is! They will stop at nothing to make sure that any ANTI-SXSW party or showcase suffers as much as they can! (Which is most ironic seeming most of these parties are labels and bands showcasing at SXSW and these events just add to the overall festival icing, so to speak!)
So Austinites...this is your precious city dollars at work! Paying for a bunch of paranoid rich fucks to strangle any event besides theirs during that week of March! And the sad thing is everyone will forget about this next year and "praise" SXSW as a music lover's wet dream! All at the expense of the poor (really poor) musicians who struggle for attention during this monster event! Sad really...
i was told by a sxsw employee a month before the festival that they had formed a committee to find all non-sxsw events (internet, flyers, etc.) to have them shut down that week.
the i heart comix event was way cooler than anything sxsw can pull off.
expect more of the same next year...
wow. sx is a bunch of a-holes. what a shocker. the city slinging fines to help cover the $90,000 they gave to sx, similarly astounding.
what troubles me is a permit to assemble. isn't there something in the constitution about that?
does anyone know what this new permit says?
Everyone seems to know an "employee of sxsw" or have a friend that knows one. And, of course, that "employee of sxsw" is always conveniently aware of these evil nefarious committees and task forces out to ruin fun!
I don't believe that SXSW was out on some witchhunt for illegal parties and shows, because there were plenty of non sanctioned parties and shows that didn't get touched... and some of them were even listed by Lewis Black's newspaper in the day show listings!
And, I'd love to play to 4 or 40 people at a SXSW showcase. So maybe that guy who only played to 400 and doesn't want to come back can stay away. You're playing music, not curing cancer or teaching elementary school. You're doing something that's supposed to be fun and you're lucky you get to do that instead of being a garbageman in Iraq. Get over yourself.
You guys crack me up. Stew is citing an argument that has no validity. Guess what Stew, the parties are not affiliated with SXSW and not bringing in millions of dollars to the city. Why should they get the same treatement as SXSW?
As for people knowing people on the SXSW staff. Everyone in this town knows someone who is on that staff. If you don't think the neighbors were calling in the parites than you're an idiot. Try throwing one of that size this week and see if you get away with it. SXSW won't be calling you in this week.
As for labels and sponsors saying they are not coming back. LOL. 1. it's not up to the people who are here suring SXSW working for the decision makers and 2, there is no way they won't come to the 2nd largest music conference in the world. Way too much money to be made.
For the guy who said he had 300 ppl at the showcase - hmmmm, maybe you should be a better band? Just because there were 3000 at a party with free booze most likely means they weren't there for you. That was probably just 2600 more people who were eagerly awaiating you to get off the stage.
wow, we got some sweet apologists here.
first things first, i never said people were at the party to see me, in fact ill go ahead and say i know they werent cause that was really one of our first shows with that crowd. thats why it was important to us. we needed that show to set off the year as an introduction to us for that "scene" before our records come out.
i also wasnt complaining about 400 kids being at the sxsw show just saying if i had to choose between having one or the other, id go with the one thats free and brings way more people. hmm play to 4 people or 1500, thats a tough question. cmon people its just science. haha.
the party scene still brings in enormous revenue to the city or dont you think rock n roll rentals and music lab count when they rent out tons and tons of gear for all of them. not to mention revenue to venues like blue genie, emos, beauty bar etc who rent out their facilities for daytime or nighttime events?
the parties were not being randomly called in by neighbors. i know this because when afd showed up to our party he had a clipboard with a list of 70+ parties to visit. they said they had that list prepared for at least a week before sxsw.
I think we need an "Austinist interviews: AFD" or maybe just some pointed questions to Mr. Black. How bout it?
Again, you get out of SXSW what you put into it.
The city understands this, the festival-goers understand this, the only people who don't are those that have been whining about it for years.
90,000 in waived fees isn't even a drop in the bucket compared to the sales tax revenues alone that SXSW generates in any given year. Add in hotel room taxes, gasoline taxes, and SXSW has paid for that 90,000 probably a few times over.
You get out of it what you put into it - if all you have to offer is bitching and moaning, well, I doubt you'll ever be satisfied with anything.
festival goers and party goers are not mutualy exclusive. in fact up to this year i was a staunch defender of sxsw to the debbie downers of the festival. my first sxsw showcase put me on the big stage at emos playing in front of jello biafra and david byrne. that was huge moment for me in my life and i had sxsw to thank. but that year i also played a day party on the saturday and it was an amazing show too.
being from here the parties are very important to me. especially when the sxsw shows may sell out and there is no guest list. not everyone can afford wristbands and parties allow for locals and friends to see all the bands that may not come back for a while.
the shift in attitude is comparable to the music industries attitude to file sharing and mp3s. if sxsw would embrace the parties and try to find a way to make them work for them than everyone wins. but it has left a sour taste in a lot of companies,labels and bands mouths after this year. and it does indeed sadden me, for the past 5 years i have been proud to invite my friends to my city for the week and show them a great time. last week i felt nothing but embarassment.
I can completely believe SX organizers were behind this. They've been pretty open (albeit contradictory) about their dislike of unofficial SX events. What I don't understand is why? Every year we hear about how quickly wristbands and badges sold out, how more bands than ever are scheduled to play, etc. so why do they care what people are doing after 2am? At this point people are coming here as much for the parties as for the actual official festival, but wristband or not they're still bringing money into the city. Especially considering the tax breaks and incentives given by the city, SXSW should also benefit local businesses and organizations and not just the SWSX organizers. These parties have helped raise the profile of the festival and draw more people. Every year the parties are bigger and better, and every year you hear people say that year was the best SX so far. This competition has a mean-spirited feel that can only backfire on the people behind it. It smacks of greed and jealousy.
This festival is supposed to be about helping bands get exposure and find record deals, so why wouldn't they want to maximize that exposure while they're here and play as many parties as they can? Besides that there aren't enough wristbands and badges available for all the people who want them (not to mention they're increasingly difficult to afford) so why sabotage the free stuff and exclude those people? As many people as there in town during that week, I find it hard to believe that a couple of hundred people going to an after party is really having a negative effect on "official" events.
what about the day parties? SXSW doesn't seem to have the same problem with them. Record labels, clothing companies, and various other organizations had them on a daily basis providing the same opportunity for non-wristband or badge holders to see out of town acts. Not to embrace a form of paternalism, but maybe it isn't the worst thing in the world for all of our health and sanity to stop the party we began at noon at 2 AM? I don't think we should be embarrassed of austin because there are fewer places to do blow and hook up with wasted hipsters between the hours of 2:30 and 5 AM.
SXSW has a committee designed to "help" SXSW registrants put on a "private party" through them. They will "help" you design and find a place to have you party! Of course, this means you have lost control of your own party as now SXSW knows all and can say yeah or nay to the bands or talent who plays it. (SXSW has an off-site venue for "official" parties. It is the empty government building at the corner of E. 11th St next to CVS Pharmacy.) That was one of the sites for the "official" SXSW parties during the event! You would have to be a complete idiot to let SXSW "help" you design a party that was competing with their SXSW daytime convention center events or even the nighttime showcases! SXSW hates any and all parties that takes away the spotlight from them! They also research any band who is coming to town and if they are not playing SXSW they put the Soprano's Smackdown on the band's management or label! (This, of course, is only if the band is some significance to the music industry! SXSW IS NOT YOUR FRIEND!!!
I have one complaint about SXSW (actually I have dozens but let's get to those another time when I have more coffee and time to think!). If SXSW is going to personally CUFF the showcasing bands music wristband on their talented little hands (and I am assuming SXSW is overcompensating on the belief that some bands do obscene backroom deals with THEIR OWN WRISTBANDS which is their ONLY payment for performing and should be allowed to do what may with their payment!)...then those paranoid fucks at SXSW need to do the EXACT same thing to the SXSW CONSUMER and LOCK those wristbands on THEIR little hands at Waterloo Records with 1 wristband per person - ALL MUST BE PRESENT TO PURCHASE A SXSW WRISTBAND!! I believe if you are going to humiliate bands by making them ALL show up at Artist Check-in and cuff them on the spot with wristbands then FAIR IS FAIR! CUFF THE CONSUMER WHEN THEY PURCHASE THEIR WRISTBAND AT THE TIME OF PURCHASE!! This, I'm sure, will alleviate SXSW's problem of scalping and counterfeiting. By making ALL consumers be present when buying a SXSW wristband SXSW can personally CUFF each person and rest easy at night that everyone is playing by the rules! Fair is fair! Stop treating the SXSW musicians as dirty thieving little feral street urchins who can't be trusted to handle their OWN wristbands! Geez SXSW gets more paranoid as the years pass! Wake up! The more SXSW strangles their event with these paranoid bullshit rules is the day SXSW is going to lose COMPLETE control! Relax SXSW! No one is out to get you...just yet!
The parties being shut down is exactly what sxsw wanted....The promoters of these parties saying they are not coming back is exactly what sxsw wants anyway. I keep hearing well the city of Austin is going to suffer....I doubt it.
I was sick about the Iheartcomix party being shut down because I knew it took alot to plan. The party also happened to be a large party where many people would have been able to get in not to mention the performers that were coming in just for this party.
In the end though none of these promoters will have a party here next year and that is exactly what sxsw wants....
Weren't all of these parties shut down for viloations of one kind or another? Seems to me that if the laws had been obeyed, there would have been no issue. The day parties always seem to be in compliance, why can't the after parties do the same?
Sure Anon. Maybe if they'd jumped through all the hoops, but haven't we learned from Wayne's World 2 that sometimes the bureaucracy can be against you? Look at how much stuff they had to go through to put on WayneStock... all I'm sayin' is this: Wayne's World 2 is by far the superior film in the Wayne's World Franchise.
First off, I never said that the after-parties generate the revenue that SXSW inc does, that would be ignorant. I said a happy medium between not giving SXSW our taxdollars and appeasing SXSW or at least the festival-goers would be to allow later shows downtown (after 2am) and to permit "gatherings" without a permit during the week of SXSW.
Paying SXSW $90,000 is a drop in the bucket that didn't have to happen. SXSW wasn't going to leave if Austin didn't foot the bill. They weren't trying to entice or attract SXSW, they were just paying them off. $90,000 wasn't going to put SXSW in debt, it was only going to make their profit margins smaller. Judging from the most Austinists' distaste for SXSW, I think the Austinist should put on a rival festival during the same week, hey who knows? it could eventually kick SXSW's ass.
Anon-first of all that is the point,parties were shut down for permits that nobody knew about. Iheartocmix had plenty of permits and everywhere they went they were told they had all the permits needed until the party starts and police come out of everywhere sirens blazing and all. It was pretty ridiculous actually. The crowd there just wanted to have a good time and you could tell by the fact they everyone left there were no protesting or anything. It wasnt like the blue genie was right down the street either it was a good distance for people to get there.
The day parties are a non issue because let's face it not that many people go to them. They do not pull in the kind of sponsors or crowd that a show at night can pull. I went to a few day parties that had free open bars and they were not crowded at all.
I heartcomix had so many sponsors they could have had their own sxsw which I think they should. I think they should have a f*ck sxsw festival at the same time.
i take these with a huge grain of salt but i have heard rumors that the red river association of clubs was talking about pulling out of sxsw. that would be amazing to have venues with permits already sorted to have parties at night during sxsw.
on the other hand it might be cool to see something like a multi day fun fun fun fest at barton springs during sxsw too. make it more like a coachella than a sxsw.
I just hate that there's no real journalism for our world. There's a swirl of rumors here, but I don't see so much as a comment from the Austinist about how they're going to do a follow up story and interview the promoters, the AFD, the building people, or anything. And we KNOW the Chronicle won't do anything more than a whiny op-ed from Louis Black and that the Austin-American Statesman is just kind of waiting around for the next Lance Armstrong event to happen because it has no idea that things like Vice Magazine really exist.
Personally, I'd like to know the real story. I remember when the Austinist posted about that 49 Up permit a few months ago and I thought it was directed at frat parties but still got nervous about the next party I'd have at my house. Is that really what it was? And why didn't the I Heart Comix people know about it?
Did SXSW really call in the parties, or are we all just assuming they're bad because they're a big organization? I'm sure it'd be hard to get the higher-ups to admit that they worked closely with the police to end as many hipsters fun late-nights as possible, but couldn't there be a way to chase the story up through the rank and file?
I stood next to so many hipsters with music blogs at shows last week, but I didn't meet one hipster journalist. If someone would be like Gorilla Vs. Bear but for hipster facts instead of just opinions about indie bands, that would be really cool.
Why would the Red River clubs pull out of SXSW?
Quite a number of them make 20% or more of their yearly revenue during SXSW.
I overheard the Fire Marshall who was working at Mowhawk (the club was required to have one on site the entire weekend) tell another group of people that the Mowhawk estimated 30% of this year's revenue would come just from the SXSW day and night time shows. 30%! You don't think having a line out the door for the Secretly Canadian showcase on Thursday night is a reason for the clubs to stay with SXSW?
I know Beerland was in a similar boat a few years ago; I don't know if they still are (maybe business is better) but Randall repeatedly stated the smoking ban would put him out of business in 30 seconds or less, so clearly he likes the revenue from SXSW to keep him afloat.
And Room 710 and Red Eyed Fly are often desolate wastelands for most of the week/weekends when its not SXSW.
I think only Emos has the clout to pull out, and I'm positive Frank and Graham love the lines out the door all day and night and the $4 PBR prices.
Some clubs need the networking that SXSW provides. Ie, a decent touring band with fans plays Room 710 during SXSW and when they come back to Austin, they contact Room 710 for their next show. That helps elevate Room 710 from a local venue to one that touring bands want to play.
I just don't see the benefit of pulling out, unless all the club owners are really that philosophically opposed to SXSW's practices.
yeah, i'd love to see some veronica mars action from the austinist. hipsters need answers too!
the most simple question is really why didnt iheartcomix about the permit when applying and being approved for all others?
youd think when you go to the city and apply for one permit theyd ask, "what kind of event are you planning" and then give you a printout of everything necessary to comply with all laws.
not leave you to make stabs in the dark and cross your fingers night of.
really its that simple cant we just get a sheet spelling out everything you need to do? i find it grossly negligent on the part of the city that these dots cannot be connected. if your going to implement a set of permits, you have to follow through with a method for people to understand them and be able to apply for them.
@mightybest: right on
@Stan: I would think that as long as they still had outside sponsored parties (a la I Heart Comix etc) they could most definitely make their money in terms of alcohol sales, no? (I will readily admit I have no idea how much of a kickback they get from SXSW so I'm not taking that into account and I also have no idea how the inner workings of the Red River club scene operate) Say they do some block party style thing like Fado does for St. Patty's Day. Charge whoever wants to come in a seemingly reasonable cover and then have access to the bars and the booze and the bands. Could that work? A look at some of the bands that were playing the free night parties shows that there is name cache to attract people. Of course, you then run then run the risk of finding out that the FREE booze is what attracts a lot of the people...
So I guess a question to the masses then - would you still have gone to the I Heart Comix party if there was a ten dollar cover and reasonably priced drinks?
(full discloure first: not sure if i said this earlier, but i may be a bit biased and more pissed being that i am signed to iheartcomix)
that being said, that fact that it was a freeparty is what drew 9000 rsvp's for sure. however i know tons of people that would have easily paid 10 bucks to see that lineup. (definitly 1500 which would have filled the venue) seriously how often do texans get a chance to see para one (france), boys noize(germany), simian mobile disco (uk), diplo, spankrock etc etc etc etc all in one night. that shit doesnt happen here.
i would have paid 20 bucks for that night. even if i hadnt been playing, that would have been my night of the year.
I wonder what the laws are about free booze in a TABC licensed establishment. From my dealings with Red River (and other) clubs, I've always gathered that its not actually allowed to give away booze to 21+ people, nor is it allowed to advertise your absurd drink specials specifically.
Ie, Treasure Island used to advertise on the radio about 25 cent sunday night drafts. But now they can only say "Beer Specials" very vaguely.
Ie #2, A band can't advertise that there will be free beer or shots at their show, but they can say they are sponsored by Jager and let people connect the dots.
All the above is what I've always been told by a variety of bookers and people who run clubs. It could all be lies and misunderstandings to cover their asses too.
As for paying to go to the party, sure I guess if the party had good bands. I don't even know who was at the iheartcomix party. I spend all my energy between 11am and 2am and then pass out. The late night shit isn't my thing any more, just like all the goddamned 1980s wannabe hipsters at the Levis Fort weren't my thing. I don't get it and I don't want to get it.
Finally, regarding the city fucking up on telling you what permits. That's how Austin is. They're not good at explaining the rules and permits for just about anything from construction to parties to where you can put your trashcan.
Just to clarify: the IHC party didn't actually START at two. Doors were at nine (someone please correct me if I'm wrong) and it was scheduled to go until 5 AM, making it both a totally viable focus point for a regular nighttime activity AND a great place to hang if you still had energy after 14+ hours of fun.
@Stan - yes TABC has cracked down on what advertising they can do to promote specials/happy hours, etc. A lot of bar/club owners have taken it to the extreme the other direction in order to be safe. I don't think anyone wants to risk losing their license but I think a happy medium can be found. I think I kinda see where you're going with bringing it up but might need a little more clarification if you don't mind.
Cory said: "the most simple question is really why didnt iheartcomix about the permit when applying and being approved for all others?
youd think when you go to the city and apply for one permit theyd ask, "what kind of event are you planning" and then give you a printout of everything necessary to comply with all laws."
Obviously, you've never dealt with a goverment bureaucracy. It is never one stop shopping, ever. And the person you're talking to at TABC will have no idea what is required by APD; that person will have no idea what is required by AFD; and so on.
I second Mightybest's request for a full hipster inquiry. Austinist, this is your chance to win the hipster Pulitzer. Go get!
"Obviously, you've never dealt with a goverment bureaucracy. It is never one stop shopping, ever. And the person you're talking to at TABC will have no idea what is required by APD; that person will have no idea what is required by AFD; and so on."
If you're throwing an event of such magnitude, this is why it is wise to hire a lawyer. Sure, you might have to pay $200 for an hour of his time but it is obviously the best way to navigate the cumbersome bureaucracy that is event planning. An events-planning lawyer will know what permits you need and the proper method for submitting them and make sure the information on them is as the law requires.
A well sponsored party really has no excuse for not doing this basic sanity check. I would never trust what some low paid government clerk says when it comes to permits, especially when multiple agencies are involved.
Live and learn...
Hmmm. Parties busted mainly=small venues not rated for the capacities that were in attendance. Parties not busted = venues that were. That's a hard equation to master mr. wizard. I for one was at several non-sx parties that had cops and afd at them and nothing happened. I'm fairly certain they were parties that SX would have rather not had going on, but they still did and weren't shut down. I know that
From what I have learned the ONE thing that SXSW is afraid of is if ALL the club owners get together and discuss what each one gets in revenue from SXSW (i.e.: room rental,sound system/soundman rental, extra security etc.), and find out how diverse the pay from SXSW is! The playing field is so NOT level! From the few owners I have talked to - each one gets a different deal(sometimes really unfair deals!) Now as far as any of the Red River clubs banding together to do their own event or private shows - they are by far the ones with the most power in this town as they are truly some of the few clubs who do music 365 days a year and understand how it works for them. (The theory that they NEED SXSW is bullshit!) The only clubs who probably really get a large percentage of sales from SXSW are the crappy little shot bars that do limited business during the year and this may improve their foot traffic but none of the bands who play there during SXSW are ever coming back to tour specifically to play at crap venues like Dirty Dog or Blind Pig Pub in the future. Most booking agents will stick to the Emo's, Stubbs, Beerland route before playing Austin's atypical Frat bars! If the main Red River clubs decided to do an Anti-SXSW Festival during SXSW they would make as much if not more and would charge a decent cover charge so the bands who play get PAID for their performance! And the people who payed $600.00 for a SXSW Badge would STILL PAY for a cool label showcase or band on top of the price they paid for their Badge (CMJ in New York is a good example: people buy a badge and STILL have to pay entrance into showcases as the clubs will only allow an alloted amount of badges into the showcase and then they start charging cover! AND THIS IS THE NORM!! No one complains!SXSW has finally "jumped the shark" in my opinion! They have strangled their event to the point the negative backlash is now at an all time high! I am all for the Red River Fest to begin! Let's all talk to our favorite music venue and push this! Even if it doesn't pan out at least the club owners will finally realize how much POWER they have OVER SXSW! Without the clubs...SXSW is nothing!
Let's use more exclamation points!!!!! Yes!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
OK! Stan! Your an ass!!!! Enough exclamation marks for ya?!!!!!!!!!!
Just to clarify a few things:
I was a major part of putting together the IHC party on friday. We in fact had a lawyer who looked over all the plans the city council told us we needed,we had a full security staff, off duty police, and TABC certified bar staff. We went to great lengths to ensure we were in accordance of Austin law. It is a shame that our party got shut down for a permit we were totally unaware existed. Futhermore, we brought all the performers out to Austin to show the people there that we at IHC have a simple goal of bringing good music to people who normally wouldn't get a chance to see these artists. We didn't make one red cent off the party and never intended to. Thanks to the gener