here is another article in the other paper about some of the other bands that went and played sxsw

http://www.theotherpaper.com/entertainm ... 963f4.html

funny... i still think of lydia as the little synth player in that all-girl garage band.
i played with them like 6 yrs ago or something.
i was in talks with her about our band playing as her backing band but that was short lived. guess she had other ideas.

i wish i could've checked out lydia loveless, lo-pan and more columbus stuff but sxsw is so hectic.[/quote]
Executing a plan of ANY kind is a huge accomplishment down there. I've pretty much given up on seeing bands if I'm not on a bill with them...it's chaos to wade through the sea of humanity.[/quote]

lol.

[/quote]The Josh Kracjik Band has been around for awhile...they have played comfest several times & he did a cowtown round show at Rumba with Lydia not too long ago. I realize he didnt apply for the We Are Columbus showcase...but I'll bet he would have been receptive to an invitation.[/quote]


Ok. i thought i recognized the dude on the TV but... i've seen a lot of bands.
it's not too late to put him on the bill for next year? go for it.

seriously.

the kickstart will probably bump to 6k next season.

I actually am a pretty big fan of Kickstarter, to be honest.

Without it, I wouldn't have the latest album by The Black Swans on vinyl.

a fundraiser to go out of town? I thought that's what band funds were for. I hope there wasn't any grant money given to this. It's absurd, the whole idea.

I never liked the process of getting bands into SXSW or CMJ, in fact all the bands I worked with were asked to play but they also worked very hard to get into a position to do so (i.e. they went out of town and played to ten people or less sometimes, slept on couches and stuffed mailers).

I also don't think bands "make it" by playing these festivals, certainly not band I know locally or nationally got someone else to put out their record by playing in front of insiders at a cramped bar in NY or Austin.

My advice to anyone, NEVER pay money to get your band to play somewhere.
-Bela

there is a video of zero star performing @ the Project Blowed Showcase in this post

http://www.donewaiting.com/2012/03/24/2 ... -vacation/

as well as photos of sundown, fly union, and the unholy two

Bela'$ dead on. you don't "make it" ju$t by playing thi$ $tupid fe$tival. you "make it" by doing $hit load$ of $how$ and burning up the road earning fan$ and re$pect.
write $ome good tune$, play $ome good gig$ and eventually you get $igned and make ton$ of Dough. Playing on the out$kirt$ of $x$w a$ an uninvited, made up event $eem$ like $hamele$$ de$peration. if y'all really want to make a $pla$h, rent the bar the week AFTER $x$w. you'll be the only remaining event in town. oh wait... all the record exec$ will be gone. but we don't really care about them anyway$. right?
hell man, get a kick$tarter going to fund a whole "we are columbu$" tour!

I'm thinking about maybe doing a spin-off event called We Are Austin. This will be a Columbus Music Festival. To be considered you'll need a $20 entry fee for Beerfest. This gets you into the official We Are Austin Beerfest Bracket. You will be seeded. A band like the Cheater Slicks would get seeded high and draw some band who drinks wine coolers and smokes a little weed when they are feeling crazy, for example. Your band will go head to head with the other bands beer for beer in an official Beerfest drink-off (where can you get those boots?). Whoever loses has to play for the next 10 minutes. The winner for the night who wins the most rounds (the band who drinks faster and plays less) advances. The finalists will play We Are Austin in Columbus during SXSW; three nights of Beerfest and rock and roll. For extra credit, bands play the same set list of a Columbus band who is actually performing at SXSW.