You get dropped into a two-show day where you’re juggling festival chaos, a paramedic emergency during set change, and a mysteriously mudded-out bass that turns out to be a rogue low‑pass filter at 90 Hz, all while keeping the gig on the rails because you Always Be Performing.
Then you pivot into first‑timer survival tactics for attending SXSW: locking in reservations weeks out, over‑planning so you can gleefully abandon those plans, and treating the whole thing as a marathon and a sprint while your calendar app becomes your best friend…and your worst enemy.
Throughout it all, you’re thinking like a pro: dialing in efficient monitor setups for festival stages, dealing with sketchy solder joints on a microphone (or is that a mic cable issue?), staying sane amid SXSW security, and never underestimating the power of great brisket, BBQ, and a solid spot to reset your brain. You’ll also get the practical stuff no one tells you: what to wear, why you always keep your badge on you, and how finding a seasoned SXSW Sherpa can save your week (and your feet) before you ever hit your first line.
From Festival Gigs to SXSW: Essential Survival Tips for Musicians and Attendees
- 00:00:00 Gig Gab 523 – Monday, March 2nd, 2026
- March 2nd: International Rescue Cat Day
- Guest co-host: Lisa Hamilton
- 00:01:41 Two Show Day for Dave
- First gig, Bitter Pill – Festival
- And there was a paramedic
- Bitter Pill: It’s Rock and Roll… It’s Rockabilly… It’s Blues… I don’t know!
- First gig, Bitter Pill – Festival
- 00:10:43 Second gig – somehow the bass got a low-pass filter set at 90hZ!
- Problem solved, gig a success!
- 00:18:23 SPONSOR: Gusto. Get three months free when you run your first payroll when you start at https://gusto.com/giggab
- 00:20:00 Attending SXSW for the first time
- 00:25:45 Learning how to manage SXSW
- 00:27:30 SXXpress passes become Reservations
- And now they’re 3-weeks out instead of 2 days!
- 00:33:21 Reserving things in advance
- 00:37:25 It’s all about planning in advance
- And then throwing away your plans and making a series of Sophie’s Choices
- 00:39:24 It’s a marathon…and a sprint
- 00:39:42 Managing the Calendar
- 00:43:39 With the App
- 00:48:43 Managing your monitor needs with efficiency at festival gigs
- 00:52:51 Security at SXSW
- 00:58:15 Luke Warm Solder Joint on the Microphone
- 00:58:57 Eat good food!
- Brisket and BBQ
- Eastside Cafe in Austin
- 01:01:11 What should I wear?
- 01:06:36 Find a SXSW Sherpa!
- 01:07:58 Finding your badge?
- 01:08:59 Always have your badge with you
- 01:11:38 Gig Gab 523 Outtro
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