Shaka

[brandx]

To add insult to injury, the BoDeans are now located out of Austin instead of Milwaukee.

You mean what's left of the Bodeans.

[🏀]

Well if you want to plop down close to $1000 for 6 days of music maybe or $2000 for the whole venue.

They aren't even close to comparable events. SXSW is more like a convention of events.  Summerfest has many more bigger name acts, South by southwest is mainly up and comers, which is ok  but not the same.

BTW Stones opening Summerfest on the 6-23 announced this morning

Money is not a factor when it comes to a quality of festival, and aside from this year (which Summerfest has really stepped up) SXSW has a extremely higher quality lineup.

Summerfest is a regional event, SXSW is a global event.

[79Warrior]

Yeah, SXSW is better than Summerfest and it's not even debatable.

SXSW is certainly getting bigger every year. Summerfest was an early pioneer of the festival scene, but so many more have come along. Cochella, Outsidelands, Bonnaroo etc.

[MU82]

Which is why there are so many posts mentioning the beautiful women in Austin.

Made me crack up. Thanks.

[JakeBarnes]

Money is not a factor when it comes to a quality of festival, and aside from this year (which Summerfest has really stepped up) SXSW has a extremely higher quality lineup.

Summerfest is a regional event, SXSW is a global event.

SXSW also isn't just a music festival--it's a huge tech startup and business atmosphere as well. Lots of meetings and seminars.

[hairy worthen]

SXSW also isn't just a music festival--it's a huge tech startup and business atmosphere as well. Lots of meetings and seminars.

Exactly that's why it's not comparable.

The affordability of summerfest is what makes it great. I bet there aren't many 19 year olds that can afford sxsw but they can come to summerfest every night. Yes ptm the cost does matter. Summerfest is a community sponsored event that is accessible to almost everyone and the acts are first rate and have been

[LAZER]

Exactly that's why it's not comparable.

The affordability of summerfest is what makes it great. I bet there aren't many 19 year olds that can afford sxsw but they can come to summerfest every night. Yes ptm the cost does matter. Summerfest is a community sponsored event that is accessible to almost everyone and the acts are first rate and have been

I think most SXSW shows are free, I think access to the popular shows is the big problem.  Austin also has ACL and Fun, Fun, Fun fest on top of SXSW.  There aren't many (if any) cities that can compete with Austin's live music scene.

[wadesworld]

Exactly that's why it's not comparable.

The affordability of summerfest is what makes it great. I bet there aren't many 16-19 year olds that can afford sxsw but they can come to summerfest every night and walk around sloshed and/or high. Yes ptm the cost does matter. Summerfest is a community sponsored event that is accessible to almost everyone and the acts are first rate and have been

Fixed it for you.

Summerfest...meh.  If there is someone really worth seeing then yes, it is great to have in MKE.  But I would never go just to walk around and catch some music without planning on seeing someone specific.

[VegasWarrior77]

I think most SXSW shows are free, I think access to the popular shows is the big problem.  Austin also has ACL and Fun, Fun, Fun fest on top of SXSW.  There aren't many (if any) cities that can compete with Austin's live music scene.

That's why Austin is called the "live music capitol of the USA".  Las Vegas can compete with anyone but most often it is not cheap.

[chapman]

But I would never go just to walk around and catch some music without planning on seeing someone specific.

And most of the time it's so congested you can't walk around.

[Galway Eagle]

Fixed it for you.

Summerfest...meh.  If there is someone really worth seeing then yes, it is great to have in MKE.  But I would never go just to walk around and catch some music without planning on seeing someone specific.

Maybe you're just too old to do that anymore? But after five years at MU (there every summer) I can say that even when there was nobody I really knew me and some buddies would go just to walk around and meet people, check out the vendors etc.  

[🏀]

Exactly that's why it's not comparable.

The affordability of summerfest is what makes it great. I bet there aren't many 19 year olds that can afford sxsw but they can come to summerfest every night. Yes ptm the cost does matter. Summerfest is a community sponsored event that is accessible to almost everyone and the acts are first rate and have been

I agree with you, except for 'First Rate', there's a lot of crap at Summerfest.

[brewcity77]

Love how the Shaka thread has turned into Summerfest v SXSW. Classic 

[muwar2003]

Why does the replies to a topic get so off base so many times.  Please stick to the topic!!!!!

[damuts222]

I agree with you, except for 'First Rate', there's a lot of crap at Summerfest.

Couldn't agree more.

[JoeSmith1721]

I agree with you, except for 'First Rate', there's a lot of crap at Summerfest.

There's a lot of crap at every large music festival. Summerfest has tons of first rate acts and is easily one of the best festivals in the country considering the price, quality of artists, location, etc.

[Galway Eagle]

I agree with you, except for 'First Rate', there's a lot of crap at Summerfest.

First rate to you may not necessarily be first rate to younger generations.  I can name plenty of first rate acts in their respective genres. 

First rate in Rap: Kendrick Lamar, schoolboy Q, Public enemy, lupe fiasco

First rate country: F.G.L. Keith urban, Zac Brown... (theres tons there this year not going through them all)

First rate rock: Stones, Kings of Leon, Linkin Park, Kongos, Jane's Addiction, Sublime, Isley brothers,

Then theres first rate soul like aloe blacc, first rate irish like gaelic storm and flogging molly, first rate jam bands like phillip phillips, trampled by turtles. 

[hairy worthen]

Why does the replies to a topic get so off base so many times.  Please stick to the topic!!!!!

And get off your damn lawn!!!

[Marquette_g]

Fixed it for you.

Summerfest...meh.  If there is someone really worth seeing then yes, it is great to have in MKE.  But I would never go just to walk around and catch some music without planning on seeing someone specific.

This is exactly the opposite way that I've found to have fun at Summerfest.  Summerfest is a great place to drink beer, people watch and listen to music.  If you really want to see someone it is nightmare bc of the picnic table scene.  Not caring who is playing makes Summerfest a blast, not the other way around in my opinion.

[Marquette_g]

I agree with you, except for 'First Rate', there's a lot of crap at Summerfest.

Given that your avatar is a reference to a 1991 SNL skit, I'm curious as to which band/s you'd like to see that hasn't been there recently?  They have gotten some very selective talent as of late.

Granted they don't get everyone, but I think if you were to look at last summer's lineup they would certainly classify as "first rate."

[hairy worthen]

Exactly that's why it's not comparable.

The affordability of summerfest is what makes it great. I bet there aren't many 16-19 year olds that can afford sxsw but they can come to summerfest every night and walk around sloshed and/or high. Yes ptm the cost does matter. Summerfest is a community sponsored event that is accessible to almost everyone and the acts are first rate and have been

Fixed it for you.

Summerfest...meh.  If there is someone really worth seeing then yes, it is great to have in MKE.  But I would never go just to walk around and catch some music without planning on seeing someone specific.

Well then there's that. Except you forgot walking around half naked.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Shortly after the Red Rock casino opened (on our western beltway) a few years ago they opened a Saltlick restaurant  there.  I never ate there but one of my friends, who is a "foodie", did and said it was horrible.  The restaurant closed after a short run.  Not doubting Saltlick in TX is good.  Sometimes you can't duplicate the original.

My wife and I visited Austin a few years ago and loved it.  We flew into Dallas to visit friends and then drove to Austin and eventually San Antonio to meet other friends.  Happened to stop in Lockhart and had BBQ @ Smitty's. Excellent!  Looked like there were other good BBQ joints there too.

Not Saltlick. That chain is terrible. The Salt Lick. Basically a barn in Driftwood, TX that serves the best brisket this side of the Mississippi.

[brandx]

This is exactly the opposite way that I've found to have fun at Summerfest.  Summerfest is a great place to drink beer, people watch and listen to music.  If you really want to see someone it is nightmare bc of the picnic table scene.  Not caring who is playing makes Summerfest a blast, not the other way around in my opinion.

+1000

[frozena pizza]

Milwaukee is not defined by Summerfest just like Austin is not defined by SXSW.  No one would move to a city because of that.  However, the lineup for Summerfest this year is excellent and that remains a great event.

Austin was underrated for so long that it is now overrated.  It's lost a lot of its medium-sized Texas charm and turned into a big city without a lot of big city amenities.  I personally have multiple friends that have left Austin largely because of this.  Having lived in Dallas for 3 years, I'd rather be there than Austin in a heartbeat.  Although given the state of the oil industry right now I'm glad I don't live in Texas.

[T-Bone]

Not Saltlick. That chain is terrible. The Salt Lick. Basically a barn in Driftwood, TX that serves the best brisket this side of the Mississippi.

Amen.  The Austin airport has an outpost that is decent.  You're having good BBQ, but not great BBQ.  
Drive down to Driftwood and you'll be saying "Amen" as well.

And while you're down there go over to Jester King brewery.  Bring the family.  I was amazed at how sprawling this place was and the number of people there.  This is just a part of the property.  It's huge.  


If they wanted Shaka, they'd make a Shaka Saison.