Kitty Cat's Mischief: SXSW Day 3:: Myspace Secret Show

I can say with confidence that Day 3 was my favorite of all the days/nights out at SXSW. Partially because of the excitement surrounding the fact that I actually got into the Kid Cudi Secret Myspace show, and also because the rumors about him being at SXSW I had read earlier in the week before I left were true! Finally a music festival rumor that was true and no Daft Punk was not there, damn it! I have been diggin' on Kid Cudi quite a bit lately and I was beyond stoked on this party. Free boose and the coolest peeps around. I was stoked. I really wanted to take some pics of Cudi on my SLR, however, the marketing director of Myspace (whom is a absolute doll!!) politely asked me not and I kindly obliged. I got some I phone snaps though... Check out the story below.

After taking in some of hip hop's most legendary acts the night before, we were ready for some rock. At 6:45pm the line at The Belmont was already wrapped around the block! We embraced the chaos and joined the diverse line of young hipsters, indie rockers, and some dedicated mature folks. A young girl with worn leather boots declared she was there to see "Surfer Blood"; an older woman in the media line said she was there for The Flaming Lips. Even though it would be hours before The Flaming Lips played, dedicated fans were arriving early.

We made a short pit stop to get our hair primped by the glam squad at the Bed Head beauty station, then mingled our way outside to the patio and caught Guards. Their sound (a mix of indy-rock and pop) really caught our attention. It was a pleasant new discovery, the magic of any large music festival - finding an awesome band that you never heard of before and being swept off your feet.

Shortly after being wooed by Guards, Surfer Blood took the stage. With their young fresh faces, the lead singer and band members reminded us of kids from high school. I just heard about Surfer Blood and was bummed to miss their sold-out show at Muddy Waters, so we were pleased to have a second chance to see them live at SXSW. Originally, it was the name that hooked me, but their sound kept us at The Belmont until their set was over. The Florida band just signed with Warner Bros. records and are on the brink of stardom. The lead singer John Paul Pitts made sure to not take himself too seriously and came out on stage with a painted on cat nose and whiskers. John-Paul dropped a scream that added a definite edge to their indy-rock vibe.

Although we were dying to stay for The Flaming Lips, word was out on a secret Kid Cudi show. The rumor was true and the only way to get guaranteed access was through a new Myspace account and an RSVP, which we had attempted to try earlier in the day but didn't make it on the list because it was a first come first serve basis. Our impression was that Myspace is very serious about re-branding and staying focused on music to differentiate themselves in social media. We headed to the secret location, Austin's Coppertank Events Center an hour early to try to get in.

We waited in line with our badges and were able to get ourselves into the show. The venue was perfect with enough space to walk around and dance, flat screens everywhere showing the action on stage and in the front row. Myspace sprung for an open bar all night long for those lucky enough to get in.

Rapper and producer, Hit-Boy got the crowd going with his clique and boasted about signing Audio Push and claimed he only "messes with the best" after proclaiming he is “One of the coldest motherf**kers” and gave proof by spinning his top hits that he has produced including songs such as Kanye West and Jay-Z's "Ni--as in Paris," A$AP Rocky's "Goldie," Kanye West's "Cold," Kendrick Lamar's "Backseat Freestyle," and more. Cudi came out shortly after and played such hits as Man On The Moon, Marijuana, Day N Night, and Just What I Am. He intensified fan anticipation when he revealed his new album's special guests: A$AP Rocky, RZA, Kendrick Lamar, Hit-Boy, Haim, King Chip (who came out to perform alongside Cudi for "Just What I Am"), Too $hort and "mother f**king Michael Bolton" will all appear on his 18 song studio album due to be released on April 23.

Shorty after Kid Cudi left the stage, Diplo came on set to close up the show. What a great way to end the night.

Written by Caterina Caligiuri and Helen Weaver