SXSW is seriously the craziest place you can ever go where music is involved. You definitely wouldn’t want to be a non music lover or suffer from claustrophobia as it’s music and people everywhere, 24/7
Here are a few essential tips I learned from my time in Austin that may come in handy should you ever make the trek.
#1 - Buy A Music Badge
Having a badge doesn’t guarantee you entry to venues, its based on capacity, but it gets you to the front of the line and entry most of the time.
#2 - Be Careful of Free Pour Spirits
This lesson I learned on the second night here, the bartenders just keep pouring alcohol until there is a little bit left for the soft drink, this might seem fun, until you experience a hangover that I did.
#3 - Eating
This is a fundamental human need, but because there is so much on all the time, you just forget, or the lines are just too long that you just continue to have a liquid diet (not ideal)
#4 - Food Trucks
When you do eat, eat at the many food truck around Austin, some of the best food is made in them (seriously the best TACOS i have ever had were from a food truck)
#5 - Wear Practical Footwear
There is a whole lot of walking involved at SXSW, especially between venues (or staying 2 miles out of the city like me)
#6 - Do Your Research
Because of the amount of people and bands playing, organisation is the key to see who you want to see
#7 - Don’t Be Disappointed If You Miss Out
You can’t make everything, so just be open minded about it.
#8 - Expect to Wait in Lines
Due to the magnitude of people, there is lines for everything (usually) so preparation and getting to venues early is key.
#9 - Keep Updated
Massive artists are announcing shows at SXSW everyday, for example Prince and Justin Timberlake have both announced showcases at the eleventh hour.
#10 - Be Prepared For HUGE Drunk Crowds
Everyone is drinking and seeing bands, so when your on 6th St at 2am, be prepared for an overhaul of extremely drunk people.
There’s plenty more to learn on the streets and in the bars of Austin but I wouldn’t want to spoiler alert your whole experience so take these 10 tips and head to SXSW in 2014 and find out the rest for yourself, you won’t regret it.
-Trent Rosser
