Bran Van 3000 and the Babysitter Rule
South by Southwest is a surreal spectacle in a lot of ways, and it's fascinating to watch the way relentless buzz makes people stand in line for things they probably wouldn't bother with otherwise. A few years back, a band called Bran Van 3000 was putting out a record, and its SXSW showcase attracted a line outside that stretched for blocks. I remember thinking, "These guys wouldn't sell out a coffeehouse in Madison." I mean, there was nothing wrong with Bran Van 3000, but let's not get carried away, you know? Should you really skip something you know you like, just because you'd miss something people are talking about?
That dilemma affects virtually everyone at SXSW every year, and it brings to mind an ongoing debate I've had with my dear friend and fellow NPR blogger Neda Ulaby. She and I have engaged in a few philosophical discussions about how to approach the festival -- okay, we drank beer and talked about what bands we wanted to see -- and we follow virtually opposite guidelines. She only wanted to check out things she'd never seen before, whereas I refused to pass up stuff I knew I already loved. She was looking for illuminating angles and ways to tell a story, and I followed "The Babysitter Rule," wherein I wouldn't skip a show I'd hire a sitter for at home.
Both approaches are understandable given our respective circumstances: Neda is a gifted reporter who loves to view subjects from many perspectives over time, while I'm an obsessive fanboy recluse who spends far more time wolfing Cheetos Puffs, shelving CDs, and watching The Amazing Race after the kids go to bed than he spends exploring the D.C. nightlife. Both of us found a lot of what we were looking for -- Neda gathered stories and I bought a Bloodhag T-shirt -- while rarely seeing shows in the same place at the same time.
Sampling hundreds of recordings in preparation for SXSW made me think a lot about the endless diversity of music, musicians, and music fans today. There's a saying that goes, "90 percent of everything is crap," but it's fascinating to see how that 90 percent is different for each individual. One of the joys of SXSW lies in its ability to provide a different experience and different epiphanies for each music fan. I only hope that this blog -- not to mention the dozens of live sessions we've streamed with the aid of NPR member stations -- has been a worthwhile reflection of what readers would want to get out of the festival. If not, there's always 2008, right?
11:42 PM ET | 03-18-2007 | permalink
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