if you're in to live music SXSW is the place to be! austin, texas is a realm for live music period, but when SXSW rolls around each year, it's on an entirely different level. SXSW has been around for quarter of a century this year and it's one of the most anticipated, well known conferences for people who make music & those who love it to join forces and network. not only do artists come from around the US, but all across the world and no genre is excluded. this is a great opportunity to expand your music palette and witness talented people command a crowd's attention. you never know, the show you just rocked out at could be featuring the next big artist.
there are hundreds of shows that are being held on a single day in every bar, lounge, club, restaurant, inside, outside, nook and cranny etc., in and around downtown austin, from sun up to sun down *whew!*. it's a jam packed week and it's impossible to go to everything, but well worth the try to see all
that you can. what's great about SXSW is that the majority of the shows are FREE! you basically have to be alert three weeks before to see when the schedules start dropping, for the who, what, when, where, how's, and then RSVP to the shows and after parties. if some shows do charge, it's usually a relatively good price to see more than one artist perform. the key is to show up to the free and paid events early enough to claim your spot. i have already RSVP'd to over 25 events and/or parties (s/o to shay). at the end of the day, it's about the experience you have, which in my book, is well worth it. there might be someone playing a guitar in the middle of 6th street, to some one spitting a verse over a beat playing off their iphone. you might miss a few shows, but you are bound to leave with a handful of burned cds and flyers to other shows/parties you didn't even know were going down.
the most important showcase i will be in attendance to, is the one rappers i know (RIK) will be presenting. my brother aka FWMJ founded his brand RIK in houston, almost 6 years ago in hopes to shine a light on unknown and underground artists, solely off hard work and donations. he has successfully spotlighted artists that he finds to be important and worth taking a listen to, such as the foreign exchange, illmind, H.I.S.D., the luv bugs, jay electronica, k-otix, little brother, black milk, and many more. it's fair to say that FWMJ & RIK are a force to be reckoned with and his voice/taste is well respected by others. i am very proud of him and happy to see his brand grow in the direction that it is. i will be working the event so be sure to come see this ossim lineup + me, buy some official RIK merch (support!!!), get in a picture or two for nostalgia's sake, get a drink (cause it will be st. patty's day after all), and grab a famous coconut creme cupcake while they last! this showcase has already reached capacity before the lineup was even announced, so make sure you show up early; you won't want to miss this unofficial showcase!
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