I’m so tired

I remember reading a few years ago on Metafilter that tons of people who had gone to SXSWi came home sick. They jokingly called it SxSARS. After going to SXSW for the first time I understand. Only this week have I felt back to my normal self and not so affected by my lack-of-sleep hangover.

You can read all of The Press’ coverage on the Village Voice’s collective SXSW blog. Here’s my Thursday recap, Friday recap, Saturday recap and my favorite showcase.

Favorite WTF moment: CLH and I went plebian-style. We had no badges and no wristbands* so we had to wait in line for 45 minutes at a one-in/one-out show where the headliners were Ray Davies and Roky Erickson with Okkervil River, all the while big shots with credentials got to walk right on in. A chatty Australian guy was in line in front of us and was being super entertaining and friendly so when I noticed he had a wristband I pointed out to him that he should just go on in. Half an hour later he was getting tossed out by security, along with another dude who was kicking the air like a girl, presumably for being a drunk doofus. CLH and I then tried sheepishly to disassociate ourselves from him, as if we’d be judged for having a 10-minute conversation with a stranger in line.

That wasn’t the WTF moment though. Finally we got in and the place was packed. Davies had just started playing so we tried to push our way through the crowd to the middle. Now, we aren’t assholes. We weren’t trying to rush the stage or anything, just get a decent viewing spot. We ended up settling in the middle, about halfway between the front and the back of the venue. When we stopped, this middle-aged guy next to us with a badge around his neck was using his hands to kind of shoo us away. I had Hearos in and couldn’t hear what the guy was saying so I asked “WHAT?” I still couldn’t hear him so I took the Hearos out. “What? What? WHAT?” He looked agitated, but I though he was just trying to yell over the music until I realized what he was saying:

“Who do you think you are?! You can’t just walk right in here and stand here. Go find your own place to stand. Fuck off!”

I see this is the first concert you’ve ever attended, sir. Umm… yes I can. That’s what people DO at shows. It’s general admission, dude. Just ‘cuz you dropped $700 on some laminated paper doesn’t mean you don’t have to commune with the oi polloi here in the pit.

Then he kind of like moved all around to give himself a 1-foot protective barrier of space, which was the funniest part of all. And then, about 30 minutes into the 2-hour show, he and his Affliction-clad female companion left, and I took his spot.

*But we did have kick-ass VIP access to the VVM party, and thus, free tacos and open bar.