New sound permit deadlines for SXSW

AUSTIN (KXAN) - South by Southwest dealt with some major growing pains last year. Thousands of people stormed the gates at Auditorium Shores to watch the Strokes .

Then at Stubb's BBQ , a big piece of unauthorized camera jib equipment collapsed, sending four people to the hospital.

There was also a small riot outside Beauty Bar that forced police to use stun guns and pepper spray on a crowd outside a reunion show for Canadian punk band "Death from Above 1979."

Incidents like those are what the city of Austin is hoping to prevent when the festival begins in less than two months.

Sound checks were under way Wednesday afternoon at The White Horse on Comal Street in East Austin.

"We kind of center around bluegrass, country, we also have jazz on Sundays," said Denis O'Donnell.

The honky tonk opened just a month ago -- but in plenty of time to get permits for this year's SXSW.
 
"We're going to secure a whole lot of parties, we have a wonderful big movie screen back there so hopefully we'll be able to contribute to some of the film part of the festival," said O'Donnell.
 
This year, venues seeking a 24-hour sound permit must submit applications 21 days before their events. Those seeking a multi-day permit must submit applications 30 days before their events.
   
"No one wants regulation or anything like that and I think these things are a common sense approach to an event that continues to grow year after year," said Brad Spies, chairman of Austin Music Commission .
 
Like last year, part of the sound permit application process includes a Temporary Event Impact Plan that will include details about anticipated attendance numbers, parking availability, expected traffic issues, security and emergency services that may need to be on standby.

"This is really just a way for the city to kind of get everything set and look at what's going to be happening during SXSW and allocate their resources accordingly," said Spies.

It's not the same, set -up-shop-anywhere kind of music festival like it was when it first began. And that's fine with O'Donnell, who doesn't mind the earlier permitting process to keep SXSW safe.

"When some of the issues are stuff like capacity, overcrowding -- we saw some of those problems like at Auditorium Shores -- I think it's something everybody in the city needs to take a little more seriously. We really want to make this festival as safe and as great as it can be," he said.

The Music Office and Office of Special Events must approve all impact plans before permits are issued. Last year police estimated at least 200,000 attended SXSW events. Organizers say that number will likely be higher this year.

An open house for permitting questions will take place on Jan. 19 at the former Austin City Limits studio in the Communications Building on The University of Texas campus, 2504 Whitis Ave.