SXSW Day 5:: Roaming 6th & JT

After spending a week in Austin, Helen and I got into a routine with the local juice spot down the street. Juicing has become one of my favorite past times and the recipes at Juice Land were to die for! Check them out here... MMM. After getting our morning juice and heading over to eat, we got our shit together and headed out to the festivities.  I knew it was going to be a long night because Justin Timberlake was playing the 3rd Secret Myspace Show at The Copper Tank and I didn't want to miss it.  I spent most of the afternoon fashion gazing, chatting with other festival goers and waiting in lines everywhere. What a cluster fuck. But it was worth it...  The thing about SXSW is that when a place hits capacity, there is no ins and no one comes out. It doesn't matter if you have a press pass or you are VIP. It is straight fire code. And bigger shows are harder to get into if you don't have a wristband or pass, so you need to get there at least an hour early. Things are also kind of spread apart within an approximate  3 mile radius so a lot of walking and pedi cabs are $10 per person. So it can be pricey and takes a couple of days to figure out. Glad I got it dialed and had the experience, but as compared to other festivals-  I like guaranteed admittance if you are paying more than $300 / ticket and a smaller area so you can get to every show you want to go to, like Outside Lands and Coachella. Best part of SXSW is the people, food, and the big acts in small venues. I really want to go back for Interactive and get more in touch with all the things that are going on in the middle of the day. Hope to go back to Austin again for SXSW! It was great!! Here are a couple of pics I snapped.

Juice Land

Personality

Bobbles everywhere, giving the place great character

6th Street at Dusk

Street Fashion on 6th

Fans waiting outside for JT

All sorts of people there, this outfit was quite the choice, props for pulling it off

These two were adorable, I can't tell you enough how much I love the bright green contrast with the purple!

Pre Going out selfie

Alysha Nett and I at Viceland

The cutest couple at Viceland!

Getting ready for JT with security, cops, and fences

The fashion at SXSW is amazing!

These girls were just so captivating, I loved how this photo turned out!!!

Reppin that FR3N3MY at SXSW 

Last but not least 

Justin Timberlake on the I Phone snap

Alysha and I again...

More at The Independent 
Thank you for checking out my blog xo

After spending a week in Austin, Helen and I got into a routine with the local juice spot down the street. Juicing has become one of my favorite past times and the recipes at Juice Land were to die for! Check them out here... MMM. After getting our morning juice and heading over to eat, we got our shit together and headed out to the festivities.  I knew it was going to be a long night because Justin Timberlake was playing the 3rd Secret Myspace Show at The Copper Tank and I didn't want to miss it.  I spent most of the afternoon fashion gazing, chatting with other festival goers and waiting in lines everywhere. What a cluster fuck. But it was worth it...  The thing about SXSW is that when a place hits capacity, there is no ins and no one comes out. It doesn't matter if you have a press pass or you are VIP. It is straight fire code. And bigger shows are harder to get into if you don't have a wristband or pass, so you need to get there at least an hour early. Things are also kind of spread apart within an approximate  3 mile radius so a lot of walking and pedi cabs are $10 per person. So it can be pricey and takes a couple of days to figure out. Glad I got it dialed and had the experience, but as compared to other festivals-  I like guaranteed admittance if you are paying more than $300 / ticket and a smaller area so you can get to every show you want to go to, like Outside Lands and Coachella. Best part of SXSW is the people, food, and the big acts in small venues. I really want to go back for Interactive and get more in touch with all the things that are going on in the middle of the day. Hope to go back to Austin again for SXSW! It was great!! Here are a couple of pics I snapped.

Juice Land

Personality

Bobbles everywhere, giving the place great character

6th Street at Dusk

Street Fashion on 6th

Fans waiting outside for JT

All sorts of people there, this outfit was quite the choice, props for pulling it off

These two were adorable, I can't tell you enough how much I love the bright green contrast with the purple!

Pre Going out selfie

Alysha Nett and I at Viceland

The cutest couple at Viceland!

Getting ready for JT with security, cops, and fences

The fashion at SXSW is amazing!

These girls were just so captivating, I loved how this photo turned out!!!

Reppin that FR3N3MY at SXSW 

Last but not least 

Justin Timberlake on the I Phone snap

Alysha and I again...

More at The Independent 
Thank you for checking out my blog xo

SXSW Day 4:: Eagles of Death Metal

The nights got longer and the writing started to slow down. Almost 6 days in Austin was quite the experience. I needed to get in a good Rock N Roll show and The Eagles of Death Metal did just that. The well versed lead singer Jesse Hughes captivated my attention with his swaying pelvis and tattoos. I have been a fan for a while now so I was super hyped to see them. Helen spotted Euro fashionista Alexa Chung in the  audience in the front row and we had a little blogger moment even though we both agreed we don't have a particular fancy for her style. We also made it over to Viceland, a set up I was happy to be at after hours of internet video watching. Enjoy the pics

Jesse Hughes

Helen and I at Viceland

#viceland

Charging stations are a must! Photo By Helen Weaver

Slow shutter speed heaven

Eagles of Death Metal

Having a moment ... Photo by Helen Weaver

How could my trip to Texas be complete without seeing a statue of good ol Willie?!

Check it out at The Santa Barbara Independent 

The nights got longer and the writing started to slow down. Almost 6 days in Austin was quite the experience. I needed to get in a good Rock N Roll show and The Eagles of Death Metal did just that. The well versed lead singer Jesse Hughes captivated my attention with his swaying pelvis and tattoos. I have been a fan for a while now so I was super hyped to see them. Helen spotted Euro fashionista Alexa Chung in the  audience in the front row and we had a little blogger moment even though we both agreed we don't have a particular fancy for her style. We also made it over to Viceland, a set up I was happy to be at after hours of internet video watching. Enjoy the pics

Jesse Hughes

Helen and I at Viceland

#viceland

Charging stations are a must! Photo By Helen Weaver

Slow shutter speed heaven

Eagles of Death Metal

Having a moment ... Photo by Helen Weaver

How could my trip to Texas be complete without seeing a statue of good ol Willie?!

Check it out at The Santa Barbara Independent 

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

More on The SB Independent 

Audio Push and Hit-Boy

Guards jamming out, stoked to find out about this band

Daft Punk posters in the streets of Austin. LOVE THIS PIC! It's going in my portfolio!

Surfer Blood cutie

Surfer Blood

Surfer Blood

CUDI!!

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

More on The SB Independent 

Audio Push and Hit-Boy

Guards jamming out, stoked to find out about this band

Daft Punk posters in the streets of Austin. LOVE THIS PIC! It's going in my portfolio!

Surfer Blood cutie

Surfer Blood

Surfer Blood

CUDI!!

SXSW Day 2:: Mr Toad's Wild Ride

Dead Prez closes their set with "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop"

The night started on what felt like Disneyland's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Our thick-calved pedi-driver (a former New York bicycle courier) weaved in and out of traffic, driving in circles cutting off cars in the middle of busy intersections. The turning radius on a pedi-cab is impressive. There are hundreds of music venues hosting SXSW events in downtown Austin so the trek from show to show can be a journey. 

We quickly arrived at Antone's, a musky venue blasting hip-hop music. We catch Hopsin, with his albino contacts he's suited for a creepy sideshow or maybe a walk on role in The Walking Dead. He belts out angry tunes slamming Eazy-E's wife's record label, Ruthless Records for not promoting him enough and "almost making him homeless" before he found the independent label Funk Volume.

Sky on a good one in a not so good way

Next up at Antone's was the main event, New York's Dead Prez. Self proclaimed revolutionary hip hop. They had a soulful vibe and their song "The Beauty Within" was pure poetry. The crowd roared and moshed to their song "It's bigger than Hip Hop." The highlight of Dead Prez' show was when band member stic.man brought his young son, Hwela Ibomu, onstage to play guitar riff covers of Marilyn Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Our next pedi-cab driver was able to exercize a little more restraint on the road, dropping us off safe and sound at Mohawk sponsored by House of Vans. We were disappointed to discover we had just missed Iggy Pop and the Stooges, FAIL. Sky Ferreira was setting up. Sky (a 20 year old pop singer-model-actress who can claim the late Michael Jackson as one of her mentors) was having an off night. She cried into the microphone between songs about her messing up lyrics and her voice being out, and was stumbling around stage. Halfway through her set, she burst into tears and abruptly exited the stage. 

Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang fame picked up the slack and had the place in a riot. He played all of the Wu-Tang favorites including my personal favorite Gravel Pit and loads more. Fans from all over were pleased, his place in hip-hop history was made clear to me that night. Wu-Tang fans really are dedicated. After a classic SXSW night, we headed home around 3:30am, still buzzing from the excitement of one of the largest music festival in The States.

By Helen Weaver & Caterina Caligiuri 

You can also check it out on The Santa Barbara Independent here 

Diana our resident Kitty 

Hopsin, gosh those eyes were creepy!

Hwela Ibomu ripping it on the guitar

Dead Prez

Sky at The House of Vans

Sky Ferreira

Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch from The Lox

Ghostface's fans love him!

xoxo

Dead Prez closes their set with "It's Bigger Than Hip Hop"

The night started on what felt like Disneyland's Mr. Toad's Wild Ride. Our thick-calved pedi-driver (a former New York bicycle courier) weaved in and out of traffic, driving in circles cutting off cars in the middle of busy intersections. The turning radius on a pedi-cab is impressive. There are hundreds of music venues hosting SXSW events in downtown Austin so the trek from show to show can be a journey. 

We quickly arrived at Antone's, a musky venue blasting hip-hop music. We catch Hopsin, with his albino contacts he's suited for a creepy sideshow or maybe a walk on role in The Walking Dead. He belts out angry tunes slamming Eazy-E's wife's record label, Ruthless Records for not promoting him enough and "almost making him homeless" before he found the independent label Funk Volume.

Sky on a good one in a not so good way

Next up at Antone's was the main event, New York's Dead Prez. Self proclaimed revolutionary hip hop. They had a soulful vibe and their song "The Beauty Within" was pure poetry. The crowd roared and moshed to their song "It's bigger than Hip Hop." The highlight of Dead Prez' show was when band member stic.man brought his young son, Hwela Ibomu, onstage to play guitar riff covers of Marilyn Manson's version of "Sweet Dreams" and Nirvana's "Smells Like Teen Spirit."

Our next pedi-cab driver was able to exercize a little more restraint on the road, dropping us off safe and sound at Mohawk sponsored by House of Vans. We were disappointed to discover we had just missed Iggy Pop and the Stooges, FAIL. Sky Ferreira was setting up. Sky (a 20 year old pop singer-model-actress who can claim the late Michael Jackson as one of her mentors) was having an off night. She cried into the microphone between songs about her messing up lyrics and her voice being out, and was stumbling around stage. Halfway through her set, she burst into tears and abruptly exited the stage. 

Ghostface Killah of Wu-Tang fame picked up the slack and had the place in a riot. He played all of the Wu-Tang favorites including my personal favorite Gravel Pit and loads more. Fans from all over were pleased, his place in hip-hop history was made clear to me that night. Wu-Tang fans really are dedicated. After a classic SXSW night, we headed home around 3:30am, still buzzing from the excitement of one of the largest music festival in The States.

By Helen Weaver & Caterina Caligiuri 

You can also check it out on The Santa Barbara Independent here 

Diana our resident Kitty 

Hopsin, gosh those eyes were creepy!

Hwela Ibomu ripping it on the guitar

Dead Prez

Sky at The House of Vans

Sky Ferreira

Ghostface Killah and Sheek Louch from The Lox

Ghostface's fans love him!

xoxo