SXSW - The Festival for Rich People

I'm into music, and I thought I might check out the SXSW festivities when they were in town, but I'm not $600 into music.

I didn't know it was an 'industry event' - maybe that's how people afford it - their companies pay?

Students have a discount for the film and interactive stuff - which nobody really cares about. People want to rock and roll - not click our mice and watch tv in the dark. Listen, rss feeds and dark French cinema have their places in this world, but would you really want to mess with either when your favorite band is ripping the roof off the vanue next door?

I guess the high cost is partially artificial, but partially driven by demand. The organizers, I suspect, did not want to make it too obvious that only rich people could attend, so they just set the price at some high pricepoint - making sure none of us rabble could afford to go see our favorite bands. And this way, music insiders (have you ever met any? talk about losers...) could go see the best, new up-and-coming bands in an intimate setting. Nice for them, I guess.

This post could mark my entry into the anti-SXSW movement here in town (if there even is one). I find these prices so outrageous that I'm thinking there must be an 'anti-' movement, we'll find out.

There is some kind of cheaper wristband situation I heard about. They sell them to us poor people a week or two before the festival starts, for $130 a piece if you are a local, or $160 if you are from out of town or something. You stand in some godforsaken line for a few hours in the Texas sun and hand over your wad of cash, and you have the privilege of getting a wristband. Then, you can show up at some venue, wait for all the rich people to show up and go in, and then if there is still room, you can finally go in. You are not guaranteed entry at all. You might not get into any show you want to see at all.