Like everyone else who stayed in Wisconsin over spring break, I wished I could be somewhere else. But instead of dreaming of suntan lotion, piña coladas and beaches, I was fantasizing about jackass bartenders, malfunctioning amps and hearing damage. That's right—the South by Southwest music festival. As I enviously scrolled through a prominent music blogger's rundown of the festival, however, I saw the pictures of the ""surprise"" guest performance at Stubb's on Friday night. Underneath a giant ""Guitar Hero: Metallica"" logo, James Hetfield announced, ""We're a young band from Norway, and we want to get signed.""
I'm still not sure how to react. I mean, SXSW is no longer the untapped mine of unsigned and unknown talents that it started out as. But I would still hope that there is some separation from the established pillars of mainstream music. The show was packed, and there are some glowing reviews of it. Unsurprisingly, there are also people hailing this as the ""end of SXSW."" From my experience, I don't think a Metallica show fits the festival's target audience, but Stubb's obviously didn't have any problems getting people through the door.
Maybe the more important question is why Metallica would do this. For a band with Metallica's clout, history and fanbase, why play a small show at an ""indie"" music festival? Hell, there was a giant video game logo displayed to remind everybody that they were not just another unsigned band from Norway. What about SXSW appeals to Metallica?
I was at SXSW a few years ago with a friend who knew about music, the city of Austin and how to get the most out of a night. After three days, I was completely in love with Austin. It was the perfect atmosphere for the music. The energy drink promoters were balanced by the hippies, with their anti-festival music fest. The artists were accessible. The venues had character and originality, and when all else failed, you could find a great concert just by walking around.
But the one common theme while I was at SXSW was great music. Sure, there were corporate-sponsored shows and label showcases. There were long lines and annoying fanboys. You had to deal with the old guys in suits, and you had to move to see around Tommy Lee and his giant bodyguards. But the whole time, you were hearing amazing, unbelievable music.
I think that Metallica, and perhaps mainstream music in general, is searching for a way to duplicate that combination of great music and great atmosphere. They are trying to find a way back to a place where live music belonged in the back rooms of dive bars. Where you attracted new listeners not by iPod commercials or weeklong gigs on Letterman, but by playing a damn good show.
I've been to Austin during SXSW. I've been to Stubb's. I've gotten flipped off by the bartenders at Emo's. I've had my picture taken with Leslie on Sixth Street. Downtown Austin can be a phenomenal experience, especially for this one weekend in March. But the music industry needs to realize that the atmosphere is just a byproduct, not the main goal. The main goal has to be making great music. And if the mainstream realizes that there is something about the atmosphere that makes SXSW a great experience, good for them. I just hope they haven't sucked the soul out of that ""something"" before I get a chance to go back. Maybe they already have.
Tell Dale why Austin is the worst city in the United States at dpmundt@wisc.edu
