For those of you who missed out on the ridiculous comment thread from earlier this week, we'll catch you up: when SXSW wristbands came out on Monday, one of our writers managed to snap a photo of SXSW co-creator and Austin Chronicle editor Louis Black standing guard outside Waterloo Records as Austinites waited in line. The resulting comments from our simple Snapshots post turned into a veritable shitstorm of vitriol, as dozens of readers piped in to deride or defend any or all of the following:
A) Louis Black
B) SXSW
C) Austin
D) Scalpers
E) Penguins
Black responded the next day with his own comment, dripping with sarcasm as he shared some rather, uhh, indelible imagery:
You guys really do nail me. Every ugly word is true. Nick Barbaro and I live in a multi-million dollar Westlake mansion where we wander around all day in our slippers thinking how we can screw Austinites out of even more money. The house is all white -- white walls, white furniture, white art but our slippers are red. There is no music because we hate music! ... I am a bad guy and calling me an egotistical close minded jackass doesn't begin to describe what a pig I am. I'm only in it for the money, money, money! I wasn't rubbing my hands with glee, I was rubbing my balls which I use like an abacus to count that money.
Naturally, you guys went wild.
In today's Page Two, Black takes time to respond to some of the allegations made, sans testicle talk, including whether SXSW received funding from the city of Austin, and just how many cheap shows are actually available during the festival:
One of the things I've affirmed, as I expected, is that I'm pretty much a villain – a role I was born to play. Now, I would point out that many of the things attributed to me are actually the creative contribution or under the control of others, but in this context it would just look like I was trying to shift the blame.
Austinist recommends you take a look for yourself below.
[Page Two: Scratching the Surface]
Photo by science!alex on flickr
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Apparently Mr. Black's response shut all of the sxsw haters up. I couldn't imagine spending my spring break any other way than at SXSW. Austin will always have its fair share of conspiracy theorists, but at the end of the day, people need to realize that SXSW is a business and a music industry event, not a weeklong ACL festival. However like ACL, if there are shows you want to see, you have to leave some early to get to others before they fill up. Boo fucking hoo. The concentration of amazing shows in a period of days along with free booze and bbq totally offsets the cost of a wristband.
Regardless of how you feel about Louis Black, that comment thread is going to be one the best things to happen to Austinist in a while thanks to LB's free publicity. Congrats!
Ditto Tron's comments. SXSW is by far one of the best and well run music festivals there is. The mere fact that they have allowed the public to be involved in almost every aspect (provided you choose to participate)is amazing. When else can joe public sit down in this town or anywhere and ask the Beastie Boys or other huge music icons any questions they want?
I always cringe when the haters come out - it shows an ugly and selfish side to a lot of people who consider themselves "Austin" - but if you truly know what it is to be Austin, then you know to embrace the things that make this one of the best cities in the world. What other city do people flock to from all over to hang out and eat Spam, celebrate a donkey's birthday or attend 2 of the largest and most sucessful music events in the world? Stop whining and enjoy these things while they're still here.
Black wrote:I wasn't rubbing my hands with glee, I was rubbing my balls which I use like an abacus to count that money.
Oh, man! Louis Black can count in Base 2. He is a true Austinite and a Secret Computer Master Programmer!!
The upside to the internet, blogs etc, is that the common man has a voice uncommonly loud with which to voice opinions and attempt to influence others.
The downside to the internet, blogs etc, is that dumb fucking idiots with nothing better to do have a voice uncommonly loud with which to voice opinions and attempt to influence others.
Hatin' on the haters...
The upside to the internet, blogs etc, is that the common man has a voice uncommonly loud with which to voice opinions and attempt to influence others.
The downside to the internet, blogs etc, is that dumb fucking idiots with nothing better to do have a voice uncommonly loud with which to voice opinions and attempt to influence others.
Hatin' on the haters...
Well, I love SXSW, but that doesn't make Louis Black any less of a self-important windbag. Just sayin'.
yes, craig, the means of production are now in the hands of the proletariat, often the dumb, whiny proletariat. long live marx.
or something.
i'm going to bed
Well, I love SXSW, but that doesn't make Louis Black any less of a self-important windbag. Just sayin'.
I'm just getting a kick at some of the SXSW haters having a field day with Louis Black's balls on the Chronicle blog "The Chronic". You HAVE to check some of the clever "ball" jokes going on at Mr. Black's expense not to mention his red faced responses! This is too much fun! Keep it up SXSW haters! I have never laughed so much from reader's blogging rants from you folks. This shit just gets better every year! I'd buy a SXSW wristband just to see Louis Black vs SXSW Haters smackdown...too much fun!
Penguin scalpers are alright in my book.
Especially penquin scalpers from Austin who hate Louis Black's balls AND SXSW! Lovely!
Y'all can all label me as a hater, but you have to admit that SXSW has commodified the citizenry of Austin as a free (albeit willing) source of labor for the festival. SXSW hasn't made any attempt to mitigate the precipituous escalation in the cost of wristbands while, in comparison, the cost of badges has climbed only marginally over the last decade, gradually placing the larger burden for funding on the segment less able to afford it. And while there may not be abatements offered by the city to the festival, even Black would have to admit that the festival unduly bears on city services in a way that affects the manner in which those services are offered to the local populace.
And what do we get in return? More money for the local economy, yes, which may or may not go towards Intel building style incentives. How about doing something for the little guy that has to deal directly with the traffic nightmares, filth, debauchery and general headaches caused by a huge influx of visitors to our fair burg?
Fine. I'm a whiner. Flame away.
Bookish,
What the hell are you talking about?
How has SXSW commodified the citizenry of Austin as a free source of labor?
Music Badges cheapest price (and, one would assume, the more expensive prices as well -- but I don't know last year's price schedule) increased $50 this year from $375 to $425. That's a pretty big percentage increase on starting price... especially since the wristband price was $130 last year and $130 this year.
The burden is placed less and less on people who can't afford it (allegedly the people buying wristbands according to you) because while the price of wristbands has doubled in the past decade, fewer and fewer wristbands are sold. If my math is correct, the income from wristbands stays about fixed and the income from other sources (badges, corporate sponsorships, etc) is increasing.
What kind of kickbacks do you want to help with your inconvenience and traffic? The vast majority of Austin works not in the downtown area, much less in the 10 block radius truly affected by SXSW. Even less of Austin lives downtown. In fact, most Austin folks could probably avoid SXSW traffic and other issues completely if they chose to do so. What other services (if you want to call less traffic a "service") are disrupted? The cab system? That's not a city service. The police? The fire department? Is your trash not picked up on it's scheduled day because of SXSW?
You keep saying "you have to admit...", but you haven't made a compelling argument for admitting anything.
I have a solution for the people who want to be compensated for the inconvenience of having to put up with SXSW: Austin buys them a one way bus pass to a city that never has a week long music festival. Once you're ensconced in Dallas, Houston, Waco, Oklahoma City, or wherever, you'll never again have to suffer the rank indignity of a week of thousands of promising bands from all over the world, free day shows, free parties with booze and bbq, and live music pouring out of every possible venue in town.
Having lived in several of those cities, I can guarantee that you'll find a utopia in which you'll never be disturbed by the nightmares of something like SXSW, and you can't be charged $130 (the horror!) if you were to choose to attend five days of continuous shows if they don't exist.
Stan,
I'm referring to the commodification of those volunteers that do a good portion of the work for SXSW in exchange for wristbands. I just think there would be ways that SXSW could contribute directly towards the local workforce in the same way that the IRS hires temps each year to help with the influx of work rather than using the (again willing) citizenry. It would show a concern that isn't outwardly evident.
I attended my first SXSW in 1992, and at the time wristbands were, I believe, $35, with badges in the $170 range. Compare the percentage rises based on those numbers.
Again, refer to the percentage rises in the costs associated with the different options for SXSW to see who, contextual to the past, is footing a greater share of the bill.
I don't think using a derogatory term like "kickbacks" adds to the discourse, but that's your choice. I would be willing to bet that my fellow colleagues (roughly 30,000) who work at UT, as well as the tens of thousands that work at the Capitol, the City, and the other various downtown offices might not give one shit about what affects your "majority" of Austin. We are, however, a substantial portion of the workforce in the city, and are annually inconvenienced by the hassles created by SXSW (can reconstitute the extra time I sit in traffic?). Oh, and I live close enough to downtown (as do many on the north side of 78704) to be highly inconvenienced throughout the entire week and both weekends of the conference.
The services degradations come in the form of delayed energy services, EMT, fire and police, of which I have first-hand experience, so unless you've had an emergency that was exacerbated by the minions of the conference, I ask that you keep your juvenile snark about waste services to yourself.
Last time I checked, the majority of the SXSW convention craziness happens when UT is on spring break which is hardly a coincidence. Take your paid vacation.
If you want to claim that a portion of Austin (UT employees and state employees) don't care about what affects the majority of Austin, that's your choice. Why should SXSW care about your even smaller percentage then? You're asking SXSW to look out for you and yours, but you don't "give one shit" about what actually does (or does not) affect the rest of the populace apparently.
As for the volunteers, if you volunteer for 80 hours, you get a platinum badge which runs about $800. That's $10 an hour, which is not unreasonable. That conversion rate is almost the same for wristbands, film badges, etc (less hours = less pay). How much does the IRS pay a temp per hour exactly?
Yes, Josh, I'll move out of the city I love to prove your inane point. Thanks for your contribution to the discussion.
We would all be compensated for the hassle of hearing you bitch about a great music festival if you did leave, Bookish. And that was your point, right? You want "something for the little guy" who has to deal with a little extra traffic for 5 days. I'll buy you a bus ticket to Houston right now. You won't be troubled by any weeklong festivals there, I promise.
Brilliant, Stan. I'll use my limited vacation time (employees don't get Spring Break, FYI) to escape the dregs of a profit-driven music conference. Good idea. Thanks.
I care deeply about what affects the various populations of Austin, but since you're arguing that SXSW DOESN'T affect those working/living outside the downtown corridor, that's kind of a straw argument.
That platinum badge doesn't put food on the table. And it doesn't contribute to payroll taxes which increase local tax revenues that, in turn, fund social programs.
So, Josh, I guess you have absolutely nothing in Austin to complain about. It's a perfect "utopia" where everything is fine and dandy. Toll roads, development over the aquifer, sprawl, public dollars for corporate incentive, traffic, etc. are all peachy. Because by your logic, if anyone sees something wrong with the city, they should just shut up and get out. Or should that apply only to the people who disagree with you on a given issue?
BTW, you can log off this site if my words are hassling you. Or you can just not read my posts. Those are realistic solutions to a problem.
What do you care Bookish? I heard you were moving out of town. Excellent. One less person bitching about how annoying everything is, and how much better it used to be. By god this place started going downhill when they tore down the Armadillo by god. Fine. Move the F away already.
Look, when you make claims like that SXSW isn't at least a temporary disruption for people working in or near and/or living in or near downtown, you're just pitching softballs to people like "bookish", because it's obviously untrue.
I live north of campus and even up here - there are minor disruptions. I don't mind; I don't drive much and enjoy being able to see some free shows; but that doesn't change the fact that it IS an inconvenience, especially to the old farts living up here who drive everywhere despite being this central.
For the people living a block or three off South Congress, of course, the minor disruptions become a lot less minor. Arguing that the disruptions don't exist just shows you're a dumbass. Better to argue the fact that "hey, this is part of being in Austin; find a way to turn it into a positive".
Bookish,
If SXSW couldn't get enough people to do the work with payment via platinum badges, there would be cash payments.
By paying students or younger professionals with $800 badges, it means that $800 saved on the badge goes towards rent, food, new shoes, whatever. The money still finds its way into the system and I don't even believe in trickle down economics.
And, no, when I lived up north (183 and Braker) and south (Slaughter) where a large percentage of Austinites live, the hassle of SXSW was barely noticable. I could get to Best Buy and my Arboretum office without any hassle. I suppose it sucked a bit when I lived down south and I tried to take I-35 north, but those downtown areas on 35 and Mopac ALWAYS sucked.
Do people bitch this much about the ROT Biker Rally, the Texas Relays, and the goddamned Pecan Street Festival too? Those all cause some pretty fucked up traffic around downtown Austin.
Oy, with the poodles already!
Yes, if you have a major event in a city, people are going to see some inconveniences: UT Football home games, the Rodeo, NCAA Basketball, NCAA Baseball, the many walks and marathons, the Biker Rally, ACL Fest, and yes, SXSW. Events impact cities. The trade-off is usually an influx of money and prestige and media coverage -- all of which tends to improve the quality of life for the Austin region. Some of these events are larger than other. In the case of SXSW, it is pretty large. Which is why they do it doing Sprink Break, so that a good chunk of the population is out of town. Preserve the balance somewhat. It's still crowded, and it is still busy, but it's not as bad as it could be if they held the event in say September or October.
And what's wrong with using volunteer labor? It's volunteering. Nobody is conscripted into it. The labor force isn't being forced to work for free. They are choosing to help out in exchange for a perk. In a lot of ways, it makes far more sense to save up some money and just buy a badge or wristband, but a whole lot of people come back into the volunteer pool each year because they really love putting on a festival like SXSW. What's wrong with that? Why would you want SXSW to become more like a common business (it is a business, yes I know, but it is at least a business with Austin style)? Pay the volunteers wages, raise the prices on all the badges and wristbands, and make it more corporate? I thought that is what people were railing against? High prices and how much of a business it really is?
I guess if you hate it so, that would be a way to kill it -- make it what you hate so that it is easier to rally opposition to it. Fortunately, I don't think that's going to happen anytime soon.
Most people want to treat sxsw as a music festival for the people when it is actually for industry people. At what point did it change and who is to blame is a whole other issue. This festival is clearly not what it started out to be...
That being said what it has become is an amazing festival and even without a wrist band or a badge I have had never had any problems at all.
SXSW like most things are what you make of it.....
I was told by a singer of a band that sxsw was like playing in front of penguins. I was quoting him and at the time I had no idea what he meant until last year and another singer told me the same thing.....that basically it's like playing in front of suits because everyone just stands there.
Keep Austin a Town Full of Whiny Pussies
I have to agree with Bookish...SXSW ABUSES volunteers. These guys make more money than God and they use impressionable college age kids with dreams of "making it in the Movie or Music Business". Bullshit! This is so typical of a corporation. I compare this to if say Apple Computers with a volunteer workforce and saying "hey thanks guys for making us a billion dollars...here's a t-shirt and some Bar-B-Que for your effort. And don't forget to put this on your resume as it will look good!" So when these kids go to jobs interviews at some film or music production company and the recruiter goes: "So son, what did you do at SXSW? Well sir, I moved a bunch of boxes around and uhhh...oh yeah, I showed Neil Young where the bathrooms were? Really! Your HIRED!" Come on! You want something to look good on your resume, voluteer for some hospice or the Salvation Army...but SXSW? Come SXSW pay these kids a decent wage and let them decide if the want to buy a wristband of badge! And before all you haters come down on me...yes I volunteered once with some friends and it was the WORST abuse I have suffered in a non-paying role! SXSW makes enough money to pay these people, but I don't think that is going to happen as I have heard they don't even PAY their staff very well (this includes the Austin Chronicle as SXSW is their bloated baby!)
"I have to agree with Bookish...SXSW ABUSES volunteers."
No one is forced to be a volunteer. I did it once, and found that it wasn't particularly hard work, but since I had to do it during the fest itself, it took me away from getting to see the shows I wanted to see.
To actually consider working for payment (a badge) "abuse" is one of the silliest takes on the whole thing I've seen yet.
The haters are grasping at straws - because just two short weeks from today the rest of us will be enjoying the best-run, most fun, craziest week of live music anyone could ask for.
No one is forced to volunteer and a lot of the people that do so know very well what they are getting themselves into--being bitched around for a week, maybe getting a peak at a free show/movie/panel, being bitched some more and in the end, you get to put it on a resume.
Sounds like almost every volunteer/internship experience i've heard of, some fun, mostly bitch-work and the you get to use it as a resume padder.
Bob Dobbs! Gee, how far has SXSW shoved their banner up your ass. You act like some idiot in a Micky Mouse outfit dancing at Disneyland! Calm down! It's just another week in Austin only with a few more shittier bands (than Austin already has!)) from New York and more assholes from Los Angeles eyeballing a permanent move here. Do me a favor, next time you wanna dance in a clown outfit for some lame festival - go to Burning Man. At least you will have more drugs to abuse than those your are already on!
Gotta love the hater arguments. Volunteers are forced to work? I must have a different definition of volunteer. Commoditization? You're right, its just the week long music festival in every other city. Traffic jams. Yeah, again you're right. The marathon, Relays, Film Festival, NCAA tournament - none of those create traffic jams. And what about Pecan Street. They shut down the main road through downtown twife a year, no problems there? And Bookish, what does SXSW have to do with sprawl or McMansions?
Seriously, anyone who claims SXSW is bad for Austin in any way is an idiot. I'm sure Louis is funneling all the proceeds of SXSW directly to the lobbyist who support toll raods and probably directly into Perry's personal bank account too right. Damn you ppl are idiots.
Hey Steven, you can rant all you want - those of us who can be rational about such things don't take bitter children like you very seriously.
In the end, its a music festival - if you're motivated enough, you can get in for free, cheap, or if you've got the money you can pay for it. Or you can sit around and whine about it.
As far as SXSW "shoving their banner up my ass", well if that's what you call ten great years, getting to see everyone from Tom Waits to Robert Fripp, from the Flaming Lips to the Klezmatics, meeting kindred music-loving souls from all over the world, and getting to play for an audience of those same people multiple times in a week, then sure, Stevie, I've got their banner up my ass.
Sure beats all that sand in your vagina.
I'm fine with my choice, but you sure seem ate up over your own.
"I'm referring to the commodification of those volunteers that do a good portion of the work for SXSW in exchange for wristbands. I just think there would be ways that SXSW could contribute directly towards the local workforce in the same way that the IRS hires temps each year to help with the influx of work rather than using the (again willing) citizenry. It would show a concern that isn't outwardly evident."
"SXSW ABUSES volunteers. These guys make more money than God and they use impressionable college age kids with dreams of "making it in the Movie or Music Business". Bullshit! This is so typical of a corporation. I compare this to if say Apple Computers with a volunteer workforce and saying "hey thanks guys for making us a billion dollars...here's a t-shirt and some Bar-B-Que for your effort. And don't forget to put this on your resume as it will look good!"
"SXSW makes enough money to pay these people, but I don't think that is going to happen as I have heard they don't even PAY their staff very well (this includes the Austin Chronicle as SXSW is their bloated baby!)"
?????
You people are f'ing high. Are you really comparing SXSW to huge multi-billion dollar corporations like APPLE? Or multi-billion $ gov't agencies like the IRS??? If you think SXSW brings in billions of dollars/ year, you are CONFUSED.
Not to mention the fact that none of you seem to grasp how festivals work, in regards to volunteers. Since this is what I do, let me enlighten you. All festivals pay their short term help in passes, tickets, admission & food. SXSW is far from alone in this regard. And, as someone else pointed out, SXSW vols are compensated approx $10/ hour in goods. That's better than average for this kind of gig!
Some of you people need a reality check.
Again, Bluebird you say SXSW pays volunteers $10 and hour in "goods" but why not just pay them $10 an hour and let them "decide" if they want to purchase their overpriced "goods" or pay rent. Might be surprised at who chooses what option if they are in fact paid for their time. And as far as comparing SXSW to Apple...it was and "analogy"! It's apples and oranges, my friend, the POINT was someone is making a lot of money using a volunteer workforce when they could indeed help out the community of Austin by providing temp work for those who could use the money. Nothing wrong with a business making money except they way they do business seems a little one-sided! As far as a reality check, my little bluebird, yours seems to have flown away!
Let's be honest SXSW DOES abuse it's volunteers by asking them to "work" and excessive amount of time to "acheive" a badge or wristband. As someone who has volunteered for Austin City Limits Festival, they only require you to "volunteer" 4 hours a day for all three days of the festival and then you can get into the event for free. I volunteered for SXSW once and they require you to basically quit your job to volunteer for them to achieve basically the same thing - entrance into the event. So screw SXSW! If I decide to give anyone my FREE time then I will choose ACL Festival as they at least ask for a reasonable amount of "volunteer" time to enjoy their event. And they have a better managed and FAR better talent than SXSW. Most of SXSW is ALL FILLER. In other words it ain't nothin but a Twinkie. Looks good on the outside but it's mosty cream filling!
allyouf.... - you are the person we talk about when we say that there are those who don't understand SXSW. SX is not about big name bands and mega shows with the radio hit of the day. Its about unsigned bands and giving talented bands who normally get no exposure a venue to get in front of people they normally could not get in front of. Also, the volunteer concept for SXSW is not for ppl with jobs, its for people who really enjoy music and can not afford to pay $700 for a badge. Instead the CHOOSE to partcipate as a VOLUNTEER and are provided with compensation. If they want $10 to pay rent, go get another job, volunteering for SXSW isn't something people do to get by. ACL is an entirely different festival with an entirely different purpose so you can not compare the two.
Steven,
Why would you compare apples and oranges and expect anyone to take that comparison seriously?
You are still confused about how festivals like this work. No way could SXSW or Midem or CMJ or any other festival of it's like (and, btw, those are the conferences most similar to SXSW, NOT ACL or Coachella or some such) afford to pay it's temp staff $10/ hour! It's ludicrous. Such an undertaking would be cost prohibitive in and of itself. That's why it's a TRADE. I don't think you've ever run a profitable business...
And, btw, geezus christ, I'm not a capitalist at heart (I'm such a socialist, lol), but this IS America... why do some people begrudge people like Louis Black their meager wealth? These kinds of things are not charity. If YOU had busted your ass for over TWENTY years to make a badass conference that is one of the most well-respected in the industry, and the 2nd largest in the WORLD... I think you'd enjoy the financial security you earned.
Fuck the haters.
Actually Bluebird, the problem is SXSW is sprawling all over Austin which is in turn creating a problem finding quality volunteers. At what point do you sacrifice quality of service to get the quantity of venues and bands. I already know SXSW has a hard time getting "qualified" soundmen to work the event. (I have SEEN this first hand. They can't find enough people who KNOW how to mic a drumkit or an acoustic guitar properly! (I even saw some University music students push a soundguy away in order to do the job correctly!) This seems very unprofessional since a lot of these bands come from so far away to put on a show (and if my sources are correct, these bands ONLY get 40 minutes to play which really doesn't allow for incompetent soundmen much less even less competent volunteers!) So again, it seems to me that paying for quality work equals a more professional event. Lending itself to immature college age kids on Spring Break does not make a lot of sense if you want repeat business! I again say: SXSW PAY FOR YOUR WORKFORCE!! DIVEE UP THAT DOUGH AND STOP USING PEOPLE TO ENRICH YOUR POCKETS WITHOUT PROPER PAY! Then maybe you will receive more praise than complaints (especially from me!). I have never seen (and this INCLUDES CMJ, Austin City Limits, Bumbershoot, or any orhter event get LESS qualified workforce in order to cut back on payroll. THAT is the point of running a business! You are going to have a serious chunk of your profits taken by payroll! It's the way you do business.! Stop ABUSING volunteers for your RICH LIFESTYLE!
I live in Philadelphia. If you guys in Austin are done with the SxSW Festival, can we have it?