SXSWorld
Issue link: https://sxsw.uberflip.com/i/654465
2 0 S X S W o r l d | F I L M / I A M A R C H 2 0 1 6 | S X S W. C O M Today, SXSW hosts large outdoor shows at Auditorium Shores Park on the SXSW Outdoor Stage at Lady Bird Lake, but in the mid-90s, the corner of 6th and Brazos was the site of SXSW's free outdoor stage. 20 years ago (3/14/96 to be exact), Iggy Pop performed. Steve Chaney, the site's stage manager, still remembers it well … While we were setting up gear, a couple of guys ambled onstage. One was Iggy's manager, whom I'd met earlier, and the other, unmistakable even in sweats and a floppy hat, was The Man Himself! He strolled up to me: "You running the show?" "Uh, yeah, Iggy, my name's Steve." He said, "Call me Jim," and shook my hand. He walked to the front of the stage, looked over the lip, turned to me and said, "No barricade?" I froze. 3 0 Y E A R S O F S X S W IGGY POP 2 0 0 3 2 0 0 5 2 0 0 4 Littie Richard G A R Y M I L L E R Billy Idol Elvis Costello Interview Franz Ferdinand 6TH AND BRAZOS Daniel Lanois C H A R L I E F O N V I L L E I had no budget for a barricade, and how was I go- ing to rent one and get it in place in three hours? Then he said, "Cool, can I talk to the light man?" Turns out he hated barricades. He likes to be able to get right in his fan's faces, to touch them and let them touch him. He wanted to talk to the light man so the first few rows could be lit, and he could see the crowd's faces. I spent the rest of the afternoon setting up and sound- checking with Iggy's crew. They were a colorful bunch, es- pecially his guitar techs/onstage bouncers, two burly New York Italians who ran a guitar store when not on the road with Iggy. They had some special requirements. For instance, the rider called for four vocal mics, even though nobody sang backup. "That's in case he breaks 'em ..." Also, local crew got some unusual assignments. Mine was to stand onstage next to one of the P.A. speaker stacks: "If he decides to go up, your job is to keep the speakers from falling over." After the second band finished, my crew and I headed to Iggy's dressing room, a small converted conference room, to escort him to the stage. I could hear "clump-clump- clump-BANG! clump-clump-clump-BANG!" sounds coming from inside. The road manager said, "Jim ain't ready yet. It'll be just a minute." I couldn't resist sticking my head in the door. Iggy was running the length of the room, leaping into the air, and pushing himself back from the wall with his hands, some kind of flying push-up. I quickly retreated. Iggy emerged a minute later, looked at me and asked if it was a good crowd. C H A R L I E F O N V I L L E Lyle Lovett 2 0 S X S W o r l d | F I L M / I A M A R C H 2 0 1 6 | S X S W. C O M C O U R T E S Y O F A R T S + L A B O R