SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/1092541
SXSW.COM | M A R C H 1 4 , 2 0 1 9 | SXS W O R L D 3 1 as well as a less likely locale in early 2019 — Australia. To pull off such ambitious events, they team with local promoters who can help with boots-on-the-ground logistics. It's similar to the Electric Daisy Carnival model, and although their attendance is roughly half of EDC Vegas' staggering 150K capacity, they're still selling out wherever they go, often within 24 hours. Naturally the superstar lineups draw most of the attention, but as the brand grows, the overall fes- tival experience becomes more important. As a single-genre festival, there's a certain unity to the fanbase that allows Rolling Loud's activations to really hit home. Social media helps build reputation, and that means staying true to hip-hop attitude. "We're cocky and not afraid to say things that a young person from Miami might say. The Rolling Loud account doesn't hesitate to retweet you and make fun of you," says Cherif. "If you said something about ticket price, we might retweet you and say to stay home and watch the live stream." For budding promoters looking to start their own festivals, Cherif's advice is to gain as much experience as you can before dipping into such an ambitious pro- duction. That means throwing events in small rooms, 300-capacity clubs, outdoor venues where you have to build a stage, clubs that have in-house security, and those that don't — just so you can see the difference in bringing your own. And more importantly, don't give up. "The best advice I could give myself back then would be to just keep doing it. You'll run into problems and fix them." Check out the Rolling Loud official SXSW showcase on Saturday night at Mohawk Outdoor (912 Red River St.). Tariq Cherif will be part of "The Hip Hop Bubble That Popped Culture" Music Industry & Culture Track session Thursday, March 14 at 3:30pm. Get more info at schedule.sxsw.com and SXSW GO. "When we first had Travis Scott, he didn't even have an album out. But we've also always had the underground guys ..."