Quote:
Originally Posted by pyramider
No one really cares about sxsw, except the city of Austin.
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Oh cool, a flame war! I could say stuff like "FU, you don't know what you're talking about." But that would just fan the fire. I'm not going to defent SXSW. The only time it was worth going was when it truly was only Austin that cared about it.
The original intent and purpose of SXSW was to showcase unkonwn bands so music producers could come and listen to look for the next big thing. It was scheduled during Spring Break because the bars on 6th street (not the one now, but the 6th street it used to be) would be empty so they gladly embraced the idea.
The organizers also had an almost limitless supply of free labor because the students that didn't leave town could volunteer and were allowed into any of the venues for free. It's not the same anymore.
Similar to Mardi Gras, the local folks avoid downtown during SXSW because it has gotten rediculously big and obnoxous. It has become a Spring Break destination for college kids because of the free beer and the megastars that are showcased now. The organizers sold out to corporate greed and oversell their badges that can cost upwards of $800. I miss old Austin. So in the end, no, it's not only Austin that cares about SXSW, but I wish it was. Cheers!