ACL Festival is more mainstream bands. Most indie fans probably have heard of 90% of the bands that headline the festival or are the main performers. SXSW is much smaller, obscure bands where even ardent indie fans might only know 20% of the bands performing. SXSW you get a much better variety of music. You have everything from indie rock, to blues, country, metal, electronica, rap and international. If you aren't a fan of bigger artists in general, I would suggest SXSW in that you can experience a much more eclectic sample of music. Houston Free Press is actually getting to be at the level of ACL these days. In general I don't like those big outdoor festivals like ACL, Free Press, Coachella, Lollapalooza where you just stand in the sun or rain or mud all day. Usually the sight lines are poor and you can't really hear the music that well since there are so many people in front of you. I've noticed most people attend those very large festivals just to hang out and not even listen to the music. On a cost basis, SXSW provides the best overall value as wristbands range from 165-190 USD depending on when and where you buy it.
I did the crowdfunding panel with Gordon Walton on Saturday...5:30pm... Even met a Clutchfan - Rashmon there. DD
His new album is really good. What all did he perform? I really like this track: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/D2Y5_K-GN9E" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>
I ran into and talked with Heems a bit at a Funny or Die party. I honestly didn't know who he was, but my friend did. He's a cool dude. When my friend took a photo with him he said, "Act like we're best friends bro, so you can get some p***y from this pic."
He played about 7 tracks in his 35 minute set, but then got booted off the stage because he went over time. It was just him on stage with his Iphone. He played mostly stuff from his new Eat Pray Thug album. And also Soup Boys which is one of my all time fav Heems tracks: <iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/Hz2zPByzYW0" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe> I noticed a big difference from his visit this time as a solo artist vs when he came to SXSW a few years ago as Das Racist. He was a lot more professional and took his music much more seriously. When he performed as Das Racist he seemed literally drunk at every show and about an hour late performing every time. I talked to him a bit after the show about his time at Stuy High School in NYC and also about one of our mutual comedian friends. A really personable guy and one of the nicer people I spoke to during the week. Heems is a really smart guy (he went to Weslayan, studied economics and worked in finance) but plays this really opposite persona on stage.
That's cool, man. I just remember he gave my travel blog some love a few years back. I don't post a whole lot anymore, but I remember waking up one morning and noticing I had ~2,000 new Tumblr followers lol.
I'm sorry, but as an old geezer that requires a guitar, bass, & drum, or at the very least a tambourine to qualify as music, this just cracks me up. Did he hold up the iPhone to the mike and lip -synch to his album? DD was every bit the legend in real life that he is on this board, it was a pleasure meeting him. Nice guy.
I was watching something I thought was damn funny SXSW 2015 comedians show in Austin (not sure where at) airing on I think on Showtime in the 1 AM-ish hour this morning. Man, I was howling laughing at some of that stuff. I'll tell you one joke that I kept rewinding so I could watch the comedian tell it again. It went something like: Just the way he told it and the content...I was busting out laughing my azz off at 1 am in the morning when I should have been trying to get some sleep. There were some good comedians on, chicks included. I needed a good laugh and got one. I recommend you look for a repeat airing and give it a watch. That was some funny sh_t.
It was great meeting you too, every time I have met someone from Clutchfans it has been a great experience....I love this place. DD
