SXSW 2010 Part 1

Well the music portion of SXSW officially starts Thursday (or is is Wednesday night...hard to differentiate).

I LOVE SXSW!!! Austin has 2 amazing music festivals each year, below are my reasons why I love SXSW sooooo much more than ACL:

disclaimer: I do love both and love what they bring to Austin...I have been to ACL every year since 2003 and had some great times there. (there is nothing more amazing than seeing the bike rack at ACL in person). But if I had to choose, I am definitely a SXSW girl.

ACL vs. SXSW

Austin City Limits Music Festival (ACL)

Annual three-day music festival at Zilker Perk. The Festival brings together more than 130 bands on eight stages, including rock, country, folk, indie, Americana, hip-hop, reggae, and bluegrass, and attracts a crowd of more than 65,000 visitors each day.

South by Southwest (SXSW)

One of the largest music festivals in the country, with more than 1,400 performers playing in more than 80 venues around Austin over four days in March. SXSW is the highest revenue-producing special event for the Austin economy, with an estimated economic impact of at least $110 million in 2008.

Why I prefer SXSW:

1) You can pick and choose anywhere you want to go in the whole city and not be stuck in one HOT, DIRTY park all day.

2) ACL seems very rushed to me...maybe it is the September heat, but I just don't like hauling ass from stage to stage in 100+ degree weather, drinking $5 beers and pouring ice water over my face just to stay cool and hydrated. (dirt + water = mud...not cute)

3) You're not going to find a free party at ACL unless you know someone. (Thank God for Gils stepmom Karen who helped get me by the past years!) Meanwhile, during SXSW, the unofficial parties are everywhere!!

4) At SXSW you can actually look cute and don't have to dress like a freakin' hippie and come home dirtier than Lindsay Lohan and Matthew McConaughey's love child. (flashback to the dust storm of 2005... I got to see Oasis...but there was seriously MUD coming off of me when I got in the shower...dirtiest I have ever been {disgusting I know, but I still wouldn't take it back}).

Be back tomorrow with the lowdown on some awesome SXSW events.