DIIV and Foxygen: SXSW Meltdowns and Rants
SXSW is more interesting than usual this year. First there was this fantastic rant by DIIV frontman Zachary Cole Smith:
“Hi Austin. Fuck SXSW. There… I said it.
Here, the music comes last. 5 minute set-up, no sound check, 15 minute set. The ‘music’ element is all a front, it’s the first thing to be compromised. Corporate money everywhere but in the hands of the artists, at what is really just a glorified corporate networking party. Drunk corporate goons and other industry vampires and cocaine. Everyone is drunk, being cool. ‘Official’ bureaucracy and all their mindless rules. Branding, branding, branding. It’s bullshit… sorry.”
And now the lead singer of Foxygen is having his turn. After announcing to the crowd that he was exhausted and that his voice was shot, a few people in the crowd began heckling him. Then this happened:
We can’t wait to see who freaks out next.
these are such nice bands hmm they must really be tired i thought there was enough kale chips in austin to –o nevermind. there’s nothing less threatening than a foxygen singer with his panties in a knot
Awe poor artists. Life is so tough being a rock star.
To every musician complaining about how SXSW treats you as unimportant and disposable: We only do that because you are.
While you, Lance Hunter, are important and necessary. Oh wait…
…guessing every musician playing SXSW is more important/relevant then the drone typing with the name Lance Hunter…
[...] (At least there were no homeless dudes with wifi hotspots this year, though.) There’s been talk online that 2013 seemed to represent something of a tipping point as far as bands’ experiences of [...]
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