MATT DRISCOLL: WHAT IS SXSW? >>>

My second full day of SXSW is just starting, and I'm moving significantly slower today than yesterday. Fifteen beers over 12 hours can do that to you.  Plus, it's 90 degrees in Austin today, which is enough to slow any cotton-mouthed scribe to a crawl.

Admittedly, this is my first SXSW.  I've heard plenty of stories, but as for firsthand experience yesterday was the first I've seen. Realizing that many of you back home in lovely Tacoma are in the same boat, an overview may be in order.

The first SXSW was held in 1987, designed as a vehicle to shine a spotlight on Austin's diverse and robust music scene. It has certainly worked.  This year's festival has drawn thousands and thousands of people from all around the world. Of course there are bands, but that's just the tip of the iceberg.  Music industry folks of all shapes and sizes converge on Austin for SXSW, which is what makes the festival the highest public money making event the Austin economy has. The dollar driven ripples of SXSW are astounding, and the boom stretches far and wide. Even the bilingual IHOP next to my hotel rakes in the money during SXSW. I know for a fact they've gotten at least twenty bucks from me.

SXSW engulfs downtown Austin.  Music pours out of every bar and alley, and people flood the streets â€" many of which are shut down for the event. Those with enough importance, money, or lucky enough to have a boss willing to pop for such things, are all wearing SXSW badges.  The badge is what gets all us industry folks into shows before commoners. It can make you feel guilty if you think about it, so I've chosen to stay drunk.  There's a big gap between average music fans at SXSW and industry types.  The festival is designed for industry types, which often leaves average fans out of luck.  Thus was the case last night for the Body of War show at Stubb's.  A line of badge holders wrapped around two city blocks for a chance to see Serj Tankian from System of a Down, Tom Morello, Kimya Dawson, Ben Harper, Billy Bragg and others play acoustic anti-war songs and promote Body of War the movie â€" the story of Tomas Young, who was injured serving in Iraq and has come home to speak out about the injustices of the war.  Eddie Vedder played a large part in crafting the film's soundtrack, and rumors ran amok in line last night that Pearl Jam's frontman would be making a special appearance (he didn't). 

An equally long line of badge-less fans waited for all of us with badges to make it inside before being allowed in â€" for a $25 cover. Though I was inside Stubbs clasping a Lone Star beer between my hands, my guess is not all who lined up got in.

The show, for all intents and purposes, was memorable more for the lineup than the music.  The impressive list of performers took turns busting out acoustic based anti-war tunes, giving the evening a grass roots folk vibe that was enjoyable, but musically somewhat average. The evening's highlight came when Morello invited everyone on stage for a rendition of Woody Guthrie's "This Land is Your Land."

Shortly, I'll be headed back downtown for more music, lines of badge holders, and beer. It's nice feeling important, but it helps to keep the truth in perspective. SXSW is an industry frenzy, and just because you're in the industry doesn't make your shit smell like roses.  I'm just a scribe from Tacoma trying my best to take it all in and keep my head above the madness. It's a daunting task.