SXSW Music Festival FAQ
1) I need a South by Southwest wristband. How do I get one?
Just go to one of the locations where they're on sale — Waterloo Records and Encore Movies and Music — to purchase. Wristbands currently cost $130 with a limit of four per person. They won't remain at that price, though. On March 9, or when the batch of 2,000 wristbands set aside at the $130 price range have been sold, the price of each wristband increases to $150 each, with the maximum purchase remaining four per person.UPDATE
Wristbands for the 2005 South by Southwest Music Festival are temporarily sold out, SXSW officials said on March 2.
Festival spokeswoman Elizabeth Derzco said that the increasingly popular event has, in years past, temporarily stopped selling the wristbands and resumed selling them during the festival, but confirmed this is earliest the sales hiatus has ever taken place.
A limited number of wristbands will go on sale March 16, the start of the four-day music festival, at $150 each.
2) That seems a little steep. Can I get into a show without a wristband?
It's possible. You'll have to jockey in line with the 6,000 wristband wearers, not to mention the badge holders (those guys get in first), but if there's room in the club and you can pay the cover charge, they'll let you in. This means if you're hoping to see a show everyone wants to go to — whether it's Elvis Costello or the Trachtenburg Family Slideshow Players — be prepared to show up early, wait in line, then be disappointed when you don't get in.
Still, don't let those odds dissuade you. You stand a good chance of getting into a fair number of shows. Just have more than one band picked at any given time, and wear comfy walking/standing shoes.
3) So if I have a wristband, I'll be able to get into every show?
Not necessarily. Wristbands don't guarantee entry into sold-out shows, what they do guarantee is that you won't have to pay a cover charge to get into a SXSW Music venue. Even wristband-wearers get left standing outside some of the really popular shows
4) What if I buy a badge? What are my chances of getting into every show I want?
Better than if you only have a wristband, that's for sure. There is a pecking order to SXSW music shows, official or otherwise, and it goes like this: Platinum Badge ($810), Music only badge ($545), wristband, and finally folks waiting in line to pay the club's cover charge (which varies on the venue, the night and the act).
On the upside, if you do register for the conference and get a badge, you'll also get:
- The SXSW swag bag
- Admittance to the SXSW music trade show, conference panels and keynote speeches
- The SXSW registrant directory
- Envied by all your pals
FAQs
SXSW Film Festival FAQ
1) What's a Film Pass and what does it get me?
Much like Music Festival wristbands, Film Passes do not guarantee admission to SXSW Festival Theaters, rather they guarantee you won't be charged admission at festival screens during the run of South by Southwest.
Theaters have capacity limits and age policies. SXSW Film registrants will be given priority access over Film Pass holders, and Film Pass holders will be given priority access over single admissions.
2) So how do I get a Film Pass?
They can be purchased at Waterloo Video in person as long as they last. They cannot be reserved in advance. A limited number of single admission tickets are available at most venues about 15 minutes before the scheduled screening.
3) How much do Film Passes cost?
They'll set you back $58. This price includes tax and all service charges.
4) What about a Film Badge? What will that get me?
For $275 a SXSW Film Badge gets you access to:
- All SXSW Film Festival events (subject only to theater capacity
- All SXSW Film Conference events
- More than 80 regional and national companies exhibiting in the three-day iF! (Interactive / Film) Trade Show & Exhibition
- A Big Bag filled with soundtracks, film magazines and a program book with registrant directory
5) Where can I buy a Film Badge?
Online at sxsw.com.
6) What are the dates of the Film Festival?
From Friday, March 11 through Saturday, March 19, 2005.FAQs
SXSW Film Festival FAQ
1) How much does it cost to attend?
You can register online (or in person) for $275. For a little more scratch you can get a "gold" badge, which gets you into both Interactive and Film events. These go for $475.
2) I'm a student. Little help?
Sure. For $175 you can get into all the Interactive and Film events. But be prepared to prove you're an actively enrolled student. Bring a student ID plus some sort of document attesting you're bona fide.
3) Let's say I want to spend even less... say, nothing. Any chance I can catch something?
The opening night presentation, "Ducking Bullets and Blowing Up Barriers: The Indie Development of 'Alien Hominid,'" is open to the general public. Other than that... nope, you're going to have to cough up the dough.
4) Will I need a map to get around?
Probably not. Just about everything official happens within the confines of the Austin Convention Center. The biggest exception is the Web Awards Ceremony, and that's at the Hilton across the street.
5) Last year seemed to be all about politics and blogging. Is it gonna be the same way this year?
Yes and no. Blogging will likely continue to be the most overheard word at the conference, but — this not being an election year — there probably won't be quite the obsession with Republicans and Democrats as last year's affair. That said, the featured guest list includes both Wonkette (Ana Marie Cox) and liberal talk show host Al Franken, so a certain amount of politics are bound to creep into the discussion.
6) When is all this happening?
The Interactive Festival opens March 11 and runs through March 15.