March 21, 2007
An Open Letter from FactoryPeople: We Love You Austin and SXSW, But You’re Freaking Us Out
The following is a letter written by Le and Thomas Popov, owners of South Congress boutique FactoryPeople.
As life-long independent music lovers and long-time Austinites (at least one of has lived here since 1989), we have come to love mid-March when the SXSW Music Festival brings Austin to life. After the events of this year's fest, it’s unlikely we’ll ever feel the same affection for SXSW. On Thursday, March 15th, an inspector of the City of Austin’s Fire Marshal’s Office shut down the FactoryPeople after-party within an hour of the doors opening. He held in his hand a list of 19 other events he would visit that night. Friday night saw a rumoured 26 parties targeted while Saturday saw even more confusion.
bad taste in their mouths."
In the three years that we have had our S. Congress retail store open, we have hosted numerous parties the largest during SXSW and ACL Fest. We have always gone out of our way to create a safe environment that is also law abiding. As such, we employ two off-duty APD officers to monitor such things as crowd control, noise levels, as well as to provide a level of service to our guests like flagging taxis at the end of the night (which we sometimes pay for if the guests have had too much to drink and can’t afford the fare). Two weeks before our most recent event, Officer Tankaksinanukij set up a time to visit us and discuss details. On the day of the event, two other officers stopped by get more information as well. We were never asked once if we were in possession of the public assembly permit. This new ordinance was news not only to us, but to the very professional and informed officers that we hired for our event. Would we have known about this new ordinance if we had been in communication with the Fire Department? We’re not so confident.
Los Angeles based label-head and promoter Franki Chan made multiple trips to Austin organizing his official SXSW showcase and two after-parties. The fire inspector visited the site of one event numerous times last week and never discussed the ordinance nor did he ever request a copy of any permits (with full understanding of the large-scale event that was going to take place there). The night after our event was shut down, Franki’s party was too for the same reason – lack of permit.
We might have been two of the biggest events to be shut down, but we weren’t the only ones. Parties in conference rooms, outdoor venues, established party spaces and downtown clubs were all affected. The Fire Inspector had direct orders to shut these parties down, not for safety issues, but for non-compliance to a mystery ordinance. Visitors from all over the world who descend upon Austin every year for the music festival were left wondering, what is going on?
While the organizers of SXSW would like to believe that these guests come only to buy a wristband and attend their officially sanctioned events, the city and people of Austin know better. They come to eat great Tex-Mex, shop on S. Congress, enjoy world-class hotels and see great bands during daytime and after-hours parties. A lot of record label executives, booking agents, bands, sponsors and music lovers left Austin with a bad taste in their mouths.
Unfortunately for Austin, they are now looking to spend their money at other festivals next year. CMJ, WMC, Coachella, Art Basel, Fashion Week and Sundance will all happily provide alternatives. Every party that was shut down affected not only the locals who staffed it but also the sponsors, bands and labels that organized it. FactoryPeople will not risk the relationships that we work so hard to build on another event being shut down by the City of Austin. Nor will we lose another dollar (and yes, we lost a lot) on an event that we worked on for over six months only to be shut down in just one hour.
One would hope that a festival built on the premise of connecting independent bands and major record labels would see the benefit of positive evolution. Without the unofficial events that are thrown during SXSW, many of the bands who come would suffer financially. They depend on being able to play multiple parties not only for exposure but also for income. The reason [that] the Sundance Film Festival is the force that it is and is many times more important than the SXSW Film Festival is the peripheral parties and events that compliment it. The networking that goes on during these events is one of the main reasons for attendance. Ironically enough, FactoryPeople also hosted the after-party for the “Billy The Kid” premiere which won the Best Documentary award during the SXSW Film Fest. Interestingly, that party was not shut down.
SXSW has sustained a reputation for being imperial and difficult to deal with for years. Whether it’s delaying the 2007 band roster for several weeks or filing multi-million dollar lawsuits for copyright infringement against small companies or appearing to be involved in the shutting down of unofficial events, these are not the actions of people who claim “SXSW is what it is, and we do our best to stay out of its way.” SXSW has not kept secret their frustration with non-sanctioned events. Well-documented efforts on their behalf to shut down private parties and alternative SXSW events were carried out by the Fire Marshal as far back as 1994. Unfortunately, in lieu of open communication, conspiracy theories will abound.
We have enjoyed SXSW as participants for years, well before we opened our shop. And quite frankly, for a shop that bills itself as one that “sells clothes to listen to music in,” we probably wouldn’t have opened in Austin had it not been for its music-loving reputation. As business owners, we see first-hand the benefits that SXSW brings to Austin.
This year the City of Austin became an official sponsor of SXSW and waived close to $100,000 in fees for permits, street closures and manpower. Why they choose to support some businesses and actively penalize others disappoints us greatly. In some instances, the Fire Department allowed events to continue this year as long as a department official was on site at $120 per hour. Mayor Wynn even got involved in keeping one business open. Obviously none of these offers were made to us (and others) as we would have taken them.
Ultimately, FactoryPeople didn’t obtain the permits and we accept full responsibility. We’ve returned all sponsorship checks and apologized to all who were affected. It’s a mistake we won’t make again. We do, however, have the right to know why this happened.
Someone compiled the list of parties. Someone targeted music-related events during the SXSW Music Festival. We have the right to know who and why. FactoryPeople is filing a freedom of information request for access to any records detailing the communications between SXSW, The City Council, The City of Austin, the Fire Department, and Lt. James Hoad of the Austin Fire Department.
If you were affected by any of the above, please email thepartysover@factorypeople.com.
Love,
Thomas and Le Popov
FactoryPeople
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Thank you, Factory People, for being open. And the filing for paperwork is awesome and should make this into the real media story it deserves to be.
If only SXSW would be honest and open, too, then the conspiracy theories could stop swirling and we could all work together to make mid-March an awesome time to be in Austin for people with and without wristbands and badges. How would more good times hurt SXSW, anyway?
Please send this letter to the Mayor and City Council. Request a hearing. The Council passed this dumb ordinance, and only by applying political pressure will it change.
Great way for SXSW to say thank you for the $100,000 in taxpayer charity/bribes they received this year.
Austin and its culture are part of what make SXSW the draw that it is and the producers of SXSW have shown that they are perfectly capable of holding the event without taxpayer funded charity/bribes.
Yet the producers of SXSW cried and whined that didn't receive any special treatment and finally they do and this is what we get. Great job SXSW and City Council. Bravo!
...and the plot thickens..
nice investigative work. well written argument. good luck with that.
reminds me of the rave crackdown a few years ago... except hipsters are way more annoying.
I keep forgetting, do people come here for the music or to party all night with their powderfingers?
FUCK YES, THANK YOU. I have been talking to people all week about this, and I am so glad that someone is actually trying to do something about it. DON'T LET UP!!! Good Work!!!
I would recommend forwarding this to Rose Reyes from ACVB as well.
Methinks Factory People are getting a little paranoid. Basically they are alleging SXSW runs the Fire Marshall's office. Apparently SXSW told their Fire Marshall lackeys to close down their party and all other non-official SXSW events.
If SXSW didn't have their own problems with Fire Marshall's office, I might buy into this. However, the Fire Marshall almost closed down two SXSW stages the day before SXSW started (the Mohawk - who had to pay for a round the clock on-site fire marshall presence). I know I saw the fire marshalls out a lot this week, patrolling official SXSW clubs, checking on capacity and other violations.
Any veteran of SXSW or clubowner can attest to fire marshalls shutting down a show, or making part of the crowd leave or otherwise creating long lines at the door as they adjust club load capacities to what they think is safe. Basically they are doing their job, whether it's popular or not.
"Someone compiled the list of parties." Uh, yeah. It frankly wasn't hard this year for anyone to get a list of all the parties and free shows. Austinist, Donewaiting, Showlist Austin etc, all had such lists online. I suspect the Fire Marshall's office has internet access now.
Officer: Do you know why I'm here?
FactoryPeople: Because you got beat up in high school?
Officer: No. It's because you're having too much fun.
FactoryPeople: Ooopps!
I fully support Factory People and many others who are offering alternatives to SXSW. While I appreciate and respect the nature of SXSW, I think it is important to offer Austin locals and visiting music fans a variety of options during this festival. SXSW would do well not to inhibit or "compete" with the so-called "unsanctioned" events. It diminishes their standing in the music community and increases the likelihood that more unsanctioned events will develop. Props and much respect to Thomas and Le for expressing their dissatisfaction here.
well, boo-hoo to the uber-hip factory people. boo-hoo. as i see it, their parties are for the chic druggies and a lot of knuckle heads who have very little to contribute to the music scene/world. if factory people are so involved with the music scene, how is it that they don't seem to do anything but host parties for the cooler-than-kools and sell expensive clothes that austin musicians don't buy. i think they contribute to the problem of dumb shits gathering together and making trouble.
give it a rest. your store could close next week and no one would be crying except for the local coke dealers.
Not to rain on the anti-SXSW parade, but didn't Austinist write up an article on this ordinance last year? I remember it being in the t.v. news and in the newspapers/blogs as frat houses felt it to be unfair (at that time people were all for it saying that frat parties were out of control and created dangerous situations with that many people in one place not built for it....hmmmm).
On top of that - when throwing a large event (more than 50 people) in a public place. I would use common sense to say that there has to be some kind of assembly permit, just like rallies and other demonstartions/protests/events in this town. I personally ignored it last year when I had a party at my place, but I did know it existed and a lot of my guests joked about me having it as well.
Okay - time for the $600 torn jeans hipster attack....
As an event organizer the first thing I do is check with officials to determine what, if any, permits I might need to host an event. It would never occur to me that an event, even during SXSW, could be held without obtaining permits first. SXSW surely has a slew of permits for the events they sponsor.
The Factory People party and other unofficial parties are tag-alongs to the real event. It is not SXSW's responsibility to educate or inform such hosts.
Sounds like Factory People has breached the contracts they had with sponsers and are looking for a scapegoate.
It was a witch hunt. Nothing less. The code/permit thing just changed and if you were not aware on your own behalf no one was going to tell you.
Its a terrible feeling, but its going to get worse. Every party/venue needs to come out about this and really let the council know what happened.
Don't hold back, fight the power.
1. Every douchebag scenester within a 50-mile radius of downtown had a copy of the ubiquitous "free list," with all of the afterparties listed. Shit, I saw these girls who had it laminated, in a folder - profesh. Point is, anyone and their mom had knowledge of them, so the Factory Peeps may be a little paranoid.
2. I don't put anything past SXSW, though - especially with HUGE day & after party talent like Redman, Diplo, Snow Patrol, and the Melvins all coming here, but not playing the fest. It looks like some got fished away from SXSW, and I'd be pissed too.
3. People are jerking off naked in Factory People's changing room.
i know of at least 3 venues who had issues with either their liquor/beer licences or fire marshals and permits last week. like--out of nowhere. the mohawk was the only place that was having official sxsw showcases (that i have heard of) that had this problem.
i know that scoot inn had their liquor licence yanked on wednesday...so they had to set up a separate "booze" tent as a catering licence, i believe. it wasn't a problem for the rest of the week, but i know it was apparently dramatic when the fire marshals/tabc strolled in to shut down their *gasp* late night show that conflicted with other sxsw showcases. nope, they didn't come do this in the daytime--they waited until evening to do it! creekside also was hosting unofficial free night shows on their back deck and were harassed by fire marshals for having too many people on the back deck, even though there were not even that many people there!
i know that the two bands that stayed with me who have been coming here for the past 4 years, have told me that they will not return because their labels don't want to come back to sxsw anymore. they're not very band-friendly at all. treating the band members like criminals and cuffing them with their wristbands and then not even paying them to do the show. these are musicians! how the hell do you think these "independent" artists who you say the festival is FOR can afford to get down here? they also made it nearly impossible for load-ins and outs of clubs, giving no parking passes and sometimes making bands load in 3 blocks away from their showcase venue! as for me, i'll never go to another official sxsw showcase again.
It was a witch hunt. Nothing less. The code/permit thing just changed and if you were not aware on your own behalf no one was going to tell you.
Yes. It just changed. Like 6 months ago. And was cleverly hidden on FOX News and Austinist.com.
If you're throwing a party and spending 6 months to plan it, spend 2 hours and research all the laws and permits. Or hire someone to do it for you.
There is a daily texan page from october (can't post url here for some reason)
Which states that AFD and others are becoming more efficient about cracking down on parties that are not properly filed with permits. Presumably this means they are actually paying attention to what is happening around town and then checking to see if the permits are filed. Lord knows we don't want 600 hipsters to die in a fire.
*gasp* They are doing their job! Obviously a conspiracy by the evil sxsw overlords.
Seriously guys, if you're throwing a massive party, call someone who is experienced in the permit process. It isn't the city that looks stupid when you get shut down for not having some permit, its you the party-thrower.
That's funny for being so in the "know" they were shut down for not knowing the law. ignorance is not an excuse. And I personally attended some great parties such as the playboy party that left a great taste in my mouth. and you know what? It wasn't shut down to my knowledge. (I left at 4.)
Maybe you should trying branding your store a little better and maybe you wouldn't have so much backlash from your own community!
Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or
*******the right of the people peaceably to assemble,******
and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.
'nuff said.
Awwww, poor little hipsters didn't get to drink their little fuzzy navels and bubble teas on the roof of Factory People because of nasty old city fire marshalls, who just want to ruin it for everyone.
Now you coke snorting little snots know how I felt when I got kicked out of one of FP's soirees beause I didn't look like one of "their people," i.e. the sort of schmuck who would pay $300 for a "vintage" Foghot T-shirt. As far as I'm concerned, the Popovs can take their New York attitude back to NY.
From my imperial position I noticed that this is a pretty amazing document in that there are really only two completely true statements. :
#1 "Ultimately, FactoryPeople didn’t obtain the permits and we accept full responsibility"
We have to wonder how you've lived in Austin all this time and were unaware of how many times the Austin Fire Department has cracked down on venues at all times of the year and have shut down or delayed SXSW shows. The first thing SXSW does when we get a new venue for a show or party is find out if the Fire Department is going to let us have an event there, and how many people we can admit. The assembly permit is not new. You ask "Would we have known about this new ordinance if we had been in communication with the Fire Department?" It's a stunning admission that you didn't even bother to check on what permits are required by the Fire Marshals to hold a safe, public, advertised event.
#2 "Someone compiled the list of parties."
Yes, the Austinist, Done Waiting, Showlist, the Austin American Statesman and numerous other blogs worked overtime compiling lists, maps, schedules of as many parties as they could. When are these bloggers going to take some responsibility for all the times they wrote "the free parties give away beer" which put these parties on the radar of the same agencies who scrupulously monitor SXSW events?
You make reference to "well-documented efforts on [SXSW's] behalf to shut down private parties and alternative SXSW events were carried out by the Fire Marshal as far back as 1994." Please name one "well-documented effort" and cite your supporting evidence.
When this accusation started spreading this week we looked into it and could only find seven parties that were affected out of the literally hundreds held last week. Four parties shut down early due to lack of load cards and fire inspections. One party shut down because part of a balcony collapsed. Two parties ended at 2am instead of their advertised 4am end times. Maybe there were more, but we don't know because we were a little busy last week with our own event.
But consider this: if "SXSW has sustained a reputation for being imperial and difficult to deal with for years" why would we have waited until 2007 to close down events we supposedly don't like? If we have this much power, and wanted to shut down parties, then why would we have stopped at seven?
Come to think of it, your first statement isn't really completely true. Factory People posted this to blame SXSW, not to take responsibility for their mistakes. Having looked at the long list of corporate sponsors on the Factory People website (Including Yaris-SXSW!!) I understand your need to find a way placate the sponsors who lost a lot of money on your party.
Roland Swenson, SXSW
Uh, yeah right - don't expect the Chronicle to write a story. Mr. Black and the City of Austin are cozy. I can't believe a FOR PROFIT like SXSW was given a break on city fees. It's criminal. Shame, shame....
It's obvious that too many people are letting their personal prejudice towards a specific business (or perhaps their unannounced affiliation with certain commercial entities--anyone know Louis Black's most recent Austinist nom de guerre?) cloud their judgement in evaluating the merits of this particular heavy-handed enforcement of a RIDICULOUS ordinance.
Believe it or not, the Austinist and the Daily Texan (and Fox News for that matter) do not have any sort of wide readership outside of their very specific audiences. It seems to me that if a Fire Inspector were "doing his job," he would have let whoever he was inspecting know about Austin's new permit requirement for large parties, instead of letting agents of the state close down a private party on private property. I have had first hand experience trying to navigate the miasma of Austin's arcane permitting process one month after learning about this new permit requirement. Apparently no one at City Hall knows what the fuck is going on, so I have nothing but sympathy for those who lost not just a party, but substansial amounts of money as well...
But the largest issue is that this ordinance is just another in a long line of measures slowly chipping away at citizen's rights to peaceably assemble in a time and place of their choosing, without the fear of intervention/intimidation by the powers that be. In what way is it EVER the business of the police/fire department/dog catchers whether I have 5, 50, or 500 (one can dream) friends at my house or business? Does factory people need a permit if 50 people decide to show up and start shopping during the day?
Don't get me wrong, I think that there is a need for fire inspections/spot checks to make sure of unblocked fire exits/ capacity violations, etc, but what right does a government entity have to require a permit for a gathering of people in a venue that has already been approved for holding a far larger population?
It's interesting how Roland Swenson of SXSW prefaced his post with "From my imperial position" in an attempt to be sarcastic or joking --yet, his entire post was actually pretty condescending towards people who actually hold real grievances.
Another example of how SXSW has become extremely disconnected from the true feelings of Austinites.
Same exact story, new scene, different businesses... same small town government of Austin, Texas.
This is the exact same thing that happened to the Rave and DJ scene of the late 90's. Ask Coy West or Noah Balch.
It's funny because after it was all said and done via internet posts, on television, and in court. The city effectively ended that scene in Austin.
This is the end of the afterparty for the second time.
See you in 6 years.
The sooner we all accept that SXSW is The Establishment, the sooner we'll all get along.
*** removed for violating comment policy ***
Anon,
Yes, we did post about this ordinance back in September...
www.austinist.com/archives/2006/09/07/party_safety_no_longer_an_oxymoron.php
all the people who are ragging on Factory People need to understand that this isn't just about Factory People or it's clothes or it's parties or the people that go to the parties.
FINALLY SOMEONE WOULD SPEAK UP!!!!
F*CK SXSW
This past sxsw was ridiculous! Thomas needs to understand though the whole sponsors and everything leaving sxsw is exactly what the organizers of sxsw want. Iheartcomix had 17 sponsors for one party. The police came in there so fast it was dangerous with sirens blaring what the hell were they doing???
The same year the city decides to give sxsw a break the same year a record number of parties are busted??????
This is not just about Factory People....quit whining that you cant get into one of their parties. This has nothing to do with that. The Iheartcomix party was open to everyone and was on it's way to being one of the best if not the best party all week.
"In what way is it EVER the business of the police/fire department/dog catchers whether I have 5, 50, or 500 (one can dream) friends at my house or business? Does factory people need a permit if 50 people decide to show up and start shopping during the day?"
You answered your own question with: "I think that there is a need for fire inspections/spot checks to make sure of unblocked fire exits/ capacity violations". FactoryPeople probably is load carded for over 50 so your example isn't relevant.
Your house probably isn't designed for holding 100 people. The elks lodge balcony that collasped was built for 100 but had more than that on it.
"but what right does a government entity have to require a permit for a gathering of people in a venue that has already been approved for holding a far larger population?"
Check out Supreme Court case Hague v. CIO. Most parties aren't going to fall under the accepted definition of what the right to assemble entails.
To sum it up for you, it has to be somewhat political in nature or deal with "national issues". The original idea behind the right of assembly was the right to assemble in order to petition the government for redress. Not for 600 drunk hipsters to congregate. This is why assembly permit requirements have been constitutional for decades.
So, your parties just need a "Bush Sucks" rally component, provided it meets all the fire codes.
SO ROLAND
EXACTLY. I Heart Comix had a 17 sponsors, and hot bands from all over the world - few or none of which were playing the festival. If the organizers lured any of those bands from SXSW, they should have know they were fishing in troubled waters - i.e., dot yr fucking i's and dot those t's. You go agains't the king, you best not miss.
Same for Factory People. As Roland points out, they fucking admit they didn't get their permit, and didn't even bother contacting the AFD. Case fuckin' closed - what more do you want?
SO ROLAND ARE YOU DENYING THAT SXSW HAD INVOLVEMENT IN THESE PARTIES BEING SHUT DOWN?
I AM FINDING IT HARD TO BELIEVE JUST FOR THE SIMPLE FACT OF WHAT PARTIES WERE SHUT DOWN AND WHAT PARTIES WERE NOT. IHEARTOMIX WAS SENT A CEASE AND DESIST LETTER FROM SXSW THE PREVIOUS YEAR FOR HAVING SXSW ON A FLYER FOR A DAY PARTY AT THE BEAUTY BAR. THIS PARTY ALSO HAD 17 SPONSORS WHICH I AM SURE YOU GUYS WERE CRYING ABOUT!
17 sponsors and not a one thought to use some of that money to get a lawyer to make sure everything was tight and legit?
Dumb doesn't begin to describe. So what do the sponsors think of this? When do the lawsuits begin?
First Louis and now Roland?! Is that the jingling of a chain mail vest I hear?! Uh oh, watch out, he swings a pretty mean bat...
Why does everyone else get to be total jerk ass' but when Roland acts slightly annoyed at people hacking at his knees he's suddenly the jerk?! The general douchebaggery around here is staggering.
I'm fairly amazed at all of the crying around here. I heard from so many people that this year was the best SXSW in a while. Both from people who attended and just people who partied at non-sxsw events during the fest. I am totally opposed to any government subsidy of corporations. Though I'd prefer that someone who actually backs up the name of LMCoTW rather than a someone who's just hear to take resources. SXSW brought in way more than that money in hotel/motel taxes with their registrants. I don't understand the hatred, I wish someone could explain it other than just saying how horrible SXSW is without anything but hearsay.
Well Aaron...SXSW just brings out the general douchebaggery in ALL of us!! They must really be pissed if Louis Black and Roland Swenson climb out of their dark offices and take a swing at all the public critics! This is what they do...monitor any bad press about SXSW an then try to sue,blame,mislead,cheat,abuse and generally screw the Austin public! Remember...according to Brent Grulke...THEY DON"Y CATER TO THE GENERAL PUBLIC!!! This is an industry event! (Which brings the question...why does SXSW care about what ANY of us are saying...we AREN'T the industry...makes ya think...do WE have more power over SXSW than we realize? Let's explore this as they are starting to show some "chinks in their armor"! Love it!
you know, i am loving this new era of music blogs...it really shows how much power the people can have over corporate events or people who think that they can dictate the rules! fuckin great! you should all be proud of "waking the sleeping giant" called roland swenson!!! fuckin' sweet!
Hey Roland! Are you guys still in town? I thought you guys at SXSW would be sitting on a beach somewhere in Mexico with your millions of scammed dollars from the Austin public and sipping Penis Coladas! What's up? Need to cover your ass before you fly outta town? Ha!
Well Billy...When tons of people start piling on and telling people how evil people are and how they climb out of dark places they come out and give their names and set the record straight. I didn't see him threatening to sue anyone. Sounded like he just pointed out what seemed like fairly pertinent facts. But I'm sure you know better.
Aaron,
"The general douchebaggery around here is staggering...I'm fairly amazed at all of the crying around here."
When you say "here" you must be referring to the entire city Austin, right? Surely you don't mean austinist.com--these arguements are not exclusive to this website, it has merely provided a venue. I've had these same sort of discussions outside of my computer.
I can guarantee you these are the same Austinites that read the Chronicle and Statesman, or the same Austinites that attended free shows or parties, or the same Austinites that bought tickets, wristbands and badges. These are the voices of Austin, not just here at the Austinist.
Anon,
I guarantee that the vast vast vast majority of Austin couldn't give a shit less about the iheartcomix party or any other party.
I guarantee that the vast vast vast majority of Austinites and out of towners who attended ANY SXSW event had a great time.
I guarantee that all these voices you are hearing complain (here and outside of your computer) are in such a tiny minority that it doesn't matter.
If you can make guarantees based on your own conjecture, so can I.
FactoryPeople and these other parties did not have the proper permits. People advertised the shit out of events that could only hold 1/10th the number of RSVPs. People put all the party info and bragged about free booze on the internet. If the city decided to crack down on what was definitely illegal (capacity violations, alcohol for minors, permit violations, etc), bully for them.
Iheartcomix, Factory People, and whomever planned the Elks Lodge fiasco should be happy the party ended without someone dying or being injured.
A man was beaten to death on 7th street on March 10th coming home from the bars. You don't think that couldn't have happened at one of these overcrowded parties fueled by free alcohol and drugs?
I consider FactoryPeople lucky that they don't have blood on their hands.
In all sincerity, can Roland, Aaron or anyone else present a compelling argument as to why exactly SXSW should be subsidized by tax dollars? As has been pointed out, the festival has succeeded in the past without this special treatment and now that it is even more successul seems even less to need this apparent taxpayer funded corporate charity. The culture of this city and its people are part of what make Austin successful and it seems like a slap in the face to ask to be shown special treatment and waive the permits and fees that are the cost of doing business in this town. Other local businesses have to pay these, why should SXSW be exempt?
I pointed out that I don't think any private entity should get any direct tax relief or subsidy. Though if the COA chooses to trade income due for sponsorship they are at least getting something. I am not privy to the inner workings of the deal. How about the sweetheart deal between ACL and Zilker? Free grass? That's good payment.
As for all the fee waivers everyone's so up in arms about, where the fuck were you when Samsung got some $58 million in waivers and abatements? Or Intel, before shitting out the shell we just barely demolished? All you yahoos up in arms (Kelso included), talking about how the other civic events the city sponsors like Cinco de Mayo or MLK day parades are non-profit, are barking up the wrong fucking tree. Sire, SXSW got like $90,000, but that's in exchange for $40 million in tourist revenue. That;s only shit like hotel tax, booze and such. Factor in shopping, travel, the army of Kinkos and flyering, indie-rock day labor like roadies, and maybe even one or two lucky Austin bands landing a deal - not to mention other conventions SXSW attracts, like the instrument maker's conference, and you're probably hovering just under $100 million, in the holistic picture. All from a local, homegrown business.
It's not a fucking parade or 10K, but look at what it brought in!
Are you people seriously crying about Factory People's lost revenue? They had 6 months to plan this party and only lost money on the event because they didn't have the required permits.
Go cry into one of your $200 pair of underwear and shut the fuck up!
There is a conspiracy to shut down anyone or anything not dumping money into the black/grulke machine. Long live the revolution.
All of the companies like Factory People who use SXSW to try to gain their own exposure are extremely unethical if you ask me. SXSW is the BEST thing Austin has going for it. Actually, I think that if it weren't for SXSW, Austin would be a hillbilly college town like San Marcos. You all who bash SXSW are complete fools. I am a business owner and SXSW brings more money and exposure to Austin then you realize. I am grateful for the fest and all of you should be too. Shame on Le Popov for being a leech and for accusing SXSW for shutting her party down. If I was them, I would sue her dumb ass for making false statements. Boycott Factory People!!!!