Fader Fort

Fader was great this year. The crowds seemed to be a LOT less than the last couple years. I waited in a 5 minute line to get my wrist band and then just walked right in. They were doing drink tokens this year which I think also helped keep the crowd moving through by preventing free loaders from hanging around all day just to drink. Got to try out Oculus Rift which was pretty sweet. Converse was there with a whole studio set up to turn your kicks into art. I really wanted to partake in that but unfortunately they weren’t selling any shoes there which I think was a huge missed opportunity. Apparently they had people around town handing out free coupons for shoes but I wasn’t lucky enough to snag one. After a couple Tennessee Mules I got down with some Chi’lantro kimchi fries which was the perfect sxsw food this year.
Had a great time. Can’t wait for next year!

This was hands down my favorite part of SXSW! Free, on the east side, lots of beer, lots of music. I just love saying «Fader Fort».
I almost don’t want to write a review to keep this more secretive… for the know crowd… but I’m out of country and have to miss SXSW 2014 :(so screw it!
You have to sign up/​register online first. Start searching Fader Fort early in the year to figure out when that happens. It reminds me a lot of getting early bird tickets for ACL. It happens quick. You can also register/​sign up friends too. Next step is getting your bracelet — you have to show up, no one can pick up for friends.
The day we picked up our bands, we came a couple hours early and there was a line down the street. I actually didn’t mind waiting in line… it was in the middle of a sunny work day, and they were passing out lolli pops… you get to meet some pretty cool hipsters in line also. Go to the bathroom on your way to the line, and don’t drink any fluids.
So now we had a place to go if we needed a place to hover until the bigger headliners go on at night on 6^th.
Fader Fort is a large cordoned-​off area with booths, food tents, a large building with converse and dell sponsored booths, and of course, the HUGE Fader music tent.
The bar had Budweiser talls, and free mixed drinks (I want to say screw drivers or something… maybe redbull vodkas?) There were a ton of portapotties inside.
One warning: we walked right in around 2pm, at 5pm, we left without being able to see the line… holy dogsh*t it was a mile long! So remember to get there early, get your drinks down, and either stay or if you leave dont expect to come back easily.
I’m already looking forward to Fader Fort 2015!

Had a freaking blast! Luckily I didn’t have to stand in line, with that being said. network, network, network before next SXSW and RSVP for everything. You can thank me later

every time i’m at the fader fort, i feel like i’ve walked right into that «go forth» ad campaign that levi’s had. Its a really fun interactive venue, and i love that its outside. I run into a lot of pretentious people here, thats the only negative. It seems to draw all the douchiest hipsters together.
GREAT bands play here though and the food is always scrumptious.

The Fader Fort is an oasis in the SXSW desert. One of THE best free parties the music festival has to offer and it is luxurious to the MAX. Wristband pickup is a bear, but once you get inside, it’s lavishly decked out with tons of amazing stations with freeness oozing from the inside out.
I was just there this 2011 SXSW and the event hosted by Fiat was SWAG-​O-​MATIC.
— Local Austin Salon — free haircuts and manicures — totally got a trim and rocked a fresh hairstyle after several hours of sweaty music festivalin’
— New Era Caps — take as many free photos as you want in their photo booth with their amazing fitteds. Do something amazing and take your hats home. Copped 2 of their 59Fiftys and some fun snapshots.
–Converse — VIP area for special guests and music artists, but don’t think for a second they didn’t come around and pass out free t-​shirts to the common people!
— Amy’s Icecream — passed around hors d’œuvre style
— Cotton Candy and Popcorn station — Carnival style, short lines
— Pepsi softdrinks — Sponsored in part by Pepsi, you couldn’t walk more than 2 inches without a huge case of sodas for the taking.
— Computer lounge with free computer access and printing — print out your pass for the Perez Party later that night there!
— OPEN BARS — several locales set up by the main stage and entrance stocked with beer and liquor and mixers for you to libate and imbibe to your heart’s content.
— Amazing music acts — all day long under a covered tent so you can enjoy from afar or right up by the stage with shade and some limited bleacher seating.
Easily the most relaxing way to get your music festival on. Freebies were so abundant that there was in no way a mob scene of people jumping in on free items. A total oasis in the heat and a great way to come to a show early and stay all day long!

Awesome way to spend time between showcases at SXSW. Hipster quotient is high, wish there were more food options.

You say you can’t actually get in to the official SXSW showcases with your low-​end-​of-​the-​totem-​pole wristband? You say the badges are too expensive and the snooty doormen are too mean to let you in? You say the venue is too crowded and you can’t see the stage?
How about a cool event with no-​cost beverages, tons o’ swag, and 4 days of music? Oh, did I mention it’s all free?
This «unofficial» SXSW event just had its 9^th year, and I can’t keep this little secret to myself any more. The Levi’s FADER Fort is one of my favorite music happenings every year, like a mini-​ACL Fest, except the tickets and beer don’t cost a dime, there’s plenty of shady resting spots, and I can get directly in front of the stage any time I feel like it. They always showcase some great acts I’ve never heard of from a range of up & coming pop/​rock/​hip-​hop/​Americana artists (like MIA and Amy Winehouse before anyone knew who they were), as well as a few surprise appearances by classics (Lou Reed in 2007, Kanye West in 2009, Bone Thugs N Harmony in 2010). My favorites from this year were Chico Mann (very catchy electro-​afrofunk) and Yelawolf (an Alabama version of Eminem with a much more gracious stage persona).
Here’s the deal: you must get on the FADER e-​mail list, text list, or FB fan list so that you’ll get the announcement when the RSVP system is open. Respond by email immediately and get on the list. About a week before UT’s Spring Break, you’ll get an email telling you where & when to get wristbands (usually the Tuesday of SXSW week); show up early on the first day and get your wristbands (FYI, your +1 must be there to pick-​up in person, too). Then all you have to do is show up Wed-​Sat after 1pm to hang out and listen to music while soaking up free libations until the last act leaves the stage around 9 or 10pm. Then you can shuffle down the street to one of the many other venues offering free music and smile as you realize that some of the best things in life really are still free (if you are 21 or older).
P. S. The weekday afternoons and early evenings are definitely the best times to come if crowds give you anxiety. By 5pm on Saturday, the place is packed and it’s a chore getting through the drink or port-​o-​john lines. I have secrets for getting around these little snags, too, but you’ll have to discover those for yourself, young grasshopper.