Badges vs wristbands vs cover charge vs RSVP

This question comes up every year, “what’s the difference between a badge and a wristband, and what do I need to get into what shows?”

Badges are aimed at music industry people. However, anyone can purchase one, they are just much more expensive than wristbands. A badge will get you into any official SXSW Music evening showcase or daytime panel. It will also get you in to any official SXSW Music day party, provided you RSVP if necessary. This is all subject to a first come, first served policy. If a venue is full, nothing will get you in.

Wristbands are aimed at music fans who don’t want to go to panels or see the vendors. They will get you into the official evening showcases, but there is a hierarchy in place (explained below).

Neither badges or wristbands are generally required to get in to unofficial day parties. You may have to RSVP to get on the list though. Use the links below to find info on these parties.

When an official evening showcase venue is busy, a entry hierarchy is in place. Badges get first priority. Then wristbands, then people willing to pay a cover charge. If you turn up with a badge and the venue is not full (and there are no other badges queuing to get in), you will have first priority. If you turn up with a wristband, you will get in once any queue of badge holders have been let in, assuming the venue is still not full.

If you turn up to pay a cover charge to see a popular band, you’re probably out of luck, unless you turn up before the venue open and are prepared to stand around for a very long time.

If you have a wristband and want to see a popular band, we suggest arriving as early in the evening as possible, even if that band is not playing till late. You may still have to queue to get in for a while.

If you want to see a ‘buzz’ band (like Vampire Weekend in 2008), even with a badge and standing in line for 30 minutes, it is unlikely you will get in to that venue. If you really need to see that band, turn up as early as you can and watch the bands on before them.

Most importantly, have lots of back up plans. There will be bands you can’t get in to see, whether you have a badge or wristband or neither. Don’t spend hours waiting in line – ditch your first plan and head off to see a different band. It’ll probably be more fun and the gigs are everywhere.

Useful Links

• Official Music Site
• Austin360.com Music Coverage
• Austinist has plenty of coverage
• Twitter search for SXSW
• Flickr photos tagged SXSWmusic
• Delicious links tagged SXSWmusic
• NME coverage
• DO 512 – local events site
• SXSW Baby! guide to SXSW Music
• Out The Other – Guide to SXSW on the cheap
• FuckThisSouthByUp
• Oh My Rockness SXSW Edition
• RedGorilla Music Fest runs concurrently with SXSW
• Ustream will be streaming live events
• NPR Coverage
• imeem guide to SXSW music

Tools

• SXSW Tastekeeper – this handy tool maches up the official band list with biogs, Last.fm, Flickr and Youtube. Very handy.
• SXSW Music Player plays tracks by many of the showcasing artists
• SCHED helps you sort out your hectic schedule of day parties, showcases, and anything else that’s going on.
• Torrent of all the publicly available mp3s for showcasing artists
• Do512 guide to SXSW bands

(Badge photo by young and with it. Wristband photo by this is not april.)