IS IN INGLICH, EL DIRECTOR This was my band, White Lung’s, first time playing SXSW. My agents insisted. Agents are all about “buzz.” It’s their job. I get it. It’s also the job of me as the creative, the musician, to hate on all this “buzz” and just care about the art. The tug of war between publicists, managers, record labels, booking agents, and the “talent” has always existed. Things always become contentious when capital is involved. When we arrived in Austin, I took one look around at the dirty streets and drunk people running around in even drunker circles and texted my friend, “I made a mistake. I don’t want to be here.” The girl in the hotdog hat and Daisy Dukes is what sent me over. I thought I’d be playing for people who did not care. Why was I busting my butt playing three showcases a day for people like this? But soon, that feeling faded. I focused on what I had to do, which was play great rock shows and entertain crowds while letting all my anger channel through a microphone. I take my job seriously, even if it is just standing on a stage and challenging every person staring back at me. I am a performer and I like doing it. I want to be here. Music festivals are annoying. All musicians have to say we hate them. The most fashionable thing at SXSW was hating SXSW. It would be uncool if we liked being at SXSW. But this is exactly why Smith’s sentiment makes me roll my eyes. Anyone who has done their research (and by research I mean spoken to one other band who has attended SXSW) should know that this is an industry festival meant to showcase bands to potential business suitors. Of course there are no sound checks. Of course the sets are 15 minutes. You know
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