This year’s SXSW music conference was long, loud and lurky. We did not sleep much nor did we eat much. We were too busy bee-boppin’ around venues, visiting friends and sponsoring events. Of the many shows and parties we attended our favorite of the week would have to be the ‘Best In Show’ showcase at Trailer Space Records. Located next door to East Side Pies and across the street from Ideal Soul Mart, this beautiful record shop played host to hundreds of all-ages music fans and more than 30 musical guests, (including Thee Oh Sees, La Sera, King Tuff, Strange Boys, Vomettes and White Mystery). Thanks to the efforts of organizers Jonathan Harry Weinberg, Col. Abe, Volar Records and Trailer Space owner Spot, the party struck just the right balance between a raw DIY punk show and a simple neighborly visit with friends.

As for MWTX 5—WOW!!! Transmission Entertainment, FYF Fest Productions and the East Side Drive-In definitely pulled it off again. It was a joy to participate for the fourth year in a row in an event so consistently fun, friendly, and energetic. Over 55,000 people rsvp’d on mwtxparty.com, (of which more than 20,000 attended the all-day party), making it once more the largest unofficial event of the entire music conference. We’d like to extend a huge thank you to Rosa, Johnny, Brendan, Graham and Max at Transmission Entertainment, and to Sean, Phil, Mike and Kate at FYF Fest Productions.

Vice Late Night ran 12 midnight to 4AM on the final night of the conference. Harsh tokes for tired folks. After a 12-hour day spent shooting photos in the hot hot sun, doling out a few thousand Incase Slider Cases for iPhone 4, and watching a zillion bands at MWTX and Trailer Space we were reasonably certain we might not make it to the brutal end. But thanks to Thee Oh Sees, OFF!, and Odd Future we certainly did. In true Vice fashion the party was a bewildering mess held in a blown out vacant bank building. Booming sound, rumpled fashions on crumpled hipsters, dim lighting, happy cops and a few hundred friends… Classic. It was a great (albeit exhausting) late night lurk. Thanks again to Shanon Kelley and Stewart Stone, you are like angel babies in our arms. We couldn’t have done it without you.

Performances by OFF!, Thee Oh Sees and Odd Future. Bring ear plugs and a quadruple espresso. You’ll DEFINITELY need both. And maybe a pillow. The first 250 maniacs through the door will receive Incase Slider Cases for iPhone 4 (AT&T and Verizon compatible). We look forward to seeing you there!

1. MWTX is FREE! Which means you’ll have enough loot left over to stuff your face at any of the mind blowing restaurants up and down E. 6th Street.
2. MWTX is all-ages, which means everyone (even kids!) can watch Big Freedia and Thee Oh Sees.
3. MWTX is outdoors, which means you’ll absorb Vitamin D through your eyeballs all day long.
4. MWTX happens at the East Side Drive-In directly across the street from Progress Coffee, (makers of arguably the best espresso in all of Austin, Texas).
5. MWTX is mellow. Stretch out, bring a blanket and sunscreen, and maybe a book and some earplugs. People watch. Pick up on fashion tips. Meet your future ex-boyfriend or girlfriend. Basically, relax and live a little.
6. MWTX brings together a mess of good bands and a pile of great people. With 24 performing artists and an estimated 10K attendees, you’ll wanna stick around for the whole thing.
7. MWTX5 RECYCLABLE TOTE BAGS! This year we’re teaming up with our friends at Altamont to create a limited edition 100% cotton canvas tote bag made especially for MWTX 5. Carry your groceries and school books, or maybe your pile of guitar cables and effects pedals.
   The first 500 folks to arrive at MWTX will receive these bags FREE!

We look forward to seeing you there.

On the off-chance you happen to attend this year’s SXSW music conference in Austin, TX, please do yourself a favor and pop into Trailer Space Records. On March 17-19th, during the hours of 1PM-to-8PM, Jonathan Harry Weinberg (Cold Showers & I Hate Rock n’ Roll), Volar Records and Col. Abe are throwing another free SXSW party. If you were there for last year’s event then you know this is great news.

With almost 30 bands spanning three days… this year’s party is quickly shaping up to be one of the best DIY events of the entire week. In addition to helping with the event production (back line anyone?), Incase will be on hand gifting a variety of Slider Cases for your iPhone 4 (yes, Verizon and AT&T compatible) and doling out cheap hot pink earplugs. Trust us, you’ll want both. And water. You’ll definitely want water. We look forward to seeing you next week!

We’re very happy to report our sponsorship of the 4th Annual Mess With Texas Party during the SXSW music conference proved to be one of the most anticipated, best attended events of the weekend. *[Man, that was a long sentence, sorry].

FYF Fest Productions and Transmission Entertainment did it again. Located on a massive three-tiered vacant lot on the central east side of Austin, the festival offered two large stages and more than 40 performing artists, (including highlights Man Man, Frightened Rabbit, OFF!, Brazos, White Denim, Billy Bragg, YACHT, F*cked Up, Big Freedia, and The Soft Pack).

On Saturday night, the legendary, deeply disgusting GWAR closed out the festival in front of an audience of nearly 7,500 smiling, vaguely terrified people. Yes, GWAR. From F*cked Up’s hardcore anthems into AWK’s inspirational party jams into GWAR’s 2,000 gallons of fake blood, you really couldn’t ask for a better mess of talented weirdos to close out the festival.

Was the venue comfortable? Not so much. Just a whole lotta open space cluttered with very dirty dirt, sharp rocks, and dead grass. But it didn’t matter because there were loads of food & drink vendors, and an abundance of opulent porta-potties. Was the weather nice? Not at all. But again, it didn’t matter.

Despite sunburns on Wednesday, thunderstorms on Thursday, sideways rain on Friday, and bitter 30-degree temperatures all Sunday, the festival remained an inspired, upbeat, and often hilarious experience. From new lurkers like Avi Buffalo and Ume to beloved heroes like Billy Bragg and Andrew WK, MWTx showcased a huge variety of independent artists from across the musical spectrum.

Flanked by Progress Coffee across the street (THANK GOD!) and East Side Showroom one block north, as well as close to shows at Shangri-La, Miss Bea’s, and the No Age afterparty at 5th & Brushy, MWTx was ground zero for just about everything worth experiencing at this year’s conference.

As an official sponsor of this unofficial party, we were proud to help produce this year’s MWTx. It was a labor of love and friendship all the way. Thanks again to all of the staff, security, patrons and performers, we hope to see all of you again next year. Check the MWTX 4 Party photos on Flickr.

For the past few years MWTX has taken place in Downtown Austin’s beautiful Waterloo Park. This year, however, MWTX is moving to 1001 E. Sixth Street to accommodate the party’s two-day run. With more than 40 bands, two stages, and 7,500 patrons per day, MWTX is quickly shaping up to be the biggest and best FREE ALL-AGES OUTDOOR MUSIC EVENT of the entire week.

Located just five blocks from the Convention Center, here’s the short list of what you’ll find at this year’s MWTX Party:

• Free Admission
• Free Bike Valet
• Free Incase Snap & Slider Cases for iPhone
• Delicious Smoothies
• Glorious Shade
• Cheap Beer & Booze
• Gourmet Hot Dogs c/o Frank Grocery
• Food Vendors (BBQ! Vegan Burritos! Churros!)
• No lines to get in
• All-Ages & Open to the Public
• Benefit fundraiser for Marbridge.org

While so many other conference attendees will be stuck lurking in dank clubs, waving laminates, and begging for overpriced water… if you know what’s good for you, you’ll be frolicking footloose and fancy free with us as we watch GWAR (not kidding), Andrew WK, F*cked Up, BILLY BRAGG, Yacht, OFF! (featuring members of Circle Jerks, Red Kross, & Earthless), Neon Indian, The Soft Pack, Crystal Antlers, Avi Buffalo, and Big Freedia “The Queen of New Orleans Bounce,” and others as they kick it outside BLASTING JOYFUL NOISE throughout the weekend.

Via the Incase grabbelton bins, we’ll be on hand with lots of free product for your iPhone & MacBook. Yes, FREE. No hard sells, no blah blah blah…. Just you, MWTX, and Incase having a fine time in the sun. We hope to see you there!

*A portion of our MWTX sponsorship funds to benefit the Marbridge. Established in 1953, Marbridge works to protect and improve the safety, well-being, and happiness of adults with cognitive challenges.

FYF Fest Productions, FUN FUN FUN Fest & Incase Present: MWTX Party
Friday & Saturday, March 19 & 20th, 2010
FREE! ALL AGES!
12-9PM

Oh SXSW, how I love and hate thee. Even a week after the spectacle of it all, the shockwaves still reverberaaaaaate. Allergies? The flu? Exhaustion and insomnia? Pale tongue? Cognitive dissonance? Joint aches? Flat feet? Back pain? Random groaning sounds? Almost total disorientation 24-hours a day? Maybe all the above.

All I know is this— my time in Texas during SXSW was a blur of bands, BBQ and body odor, which is exactly how it always is. This time, however, the morning after arriving home from four days in the bright heat of Austin, I awoke with the most awful illness I’ve experienced in years. Were it not for my reddish, sunburned complexion and lurker beard, I’d certainly look like a sallow, yellow zombie even as I type this now. No sleep, very little food and terribly too much music good and bad… this is the common refrain of most music conference attendees, especially of those returning from SXSW.

Read the rest of this report on our MySpace page and view more photos on our Flickr stream.

Head’s up! Very soon Sean Carlson’s FYeahFest Productions and Austin’s Transmission Entertainment are again teaming up to bring you the third installment of SXSW’s favorite outdoor music event— Mess With Texas 3.

As presenting sponsor of Mess With Texas 3, Incase will be on hand doling out loads of free iPhone Sliders & iPod hard cases from our onsite gifting bins. Get one for yourself, hell, get two! And then give a third to your neighbor!

More info about the event can be found on our MySpace Blog.