POV: SXSW – mtvU Woodies

Contributing photographer John Davisson continues his trek across the Austin landscape known as SXSW, stopping in at the mtvU Woodies Awards on Thursday followed by a nightcap at the Hype Hotel.

Photo: John Davisson

Hosting the mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival at SXSW, Austin, Texas.

For Thursday, I decided to cover the mtvU Woodies Festival and Awards that would take up most of the day, starting at 2:00 and ending around 10:00.

I photographed there last year and I knew they would have a nice production, great lighting at night and tasty barbecue from Salt Lick for free. During the day, it would be easy to photograph with the daylight.

I made it in time for the first scheduled act but missed an act that played early. Before the award show part, I photographed Jake Bugg, Trinidad James, Atlas Genius, Travi$ Scott, Alt-J, Joey Bada$$, Timeflies, Pusha T, and HAIM. They were on two stages and music was almost nonstop. Most of the rap acts were on the MTV Jams Live stage, which was used to present awards in the evening.

Photo: John Davisson

mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

Photo: John Davisson

mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

My favorites were Jake Bugg, who plays with an Americana/folk-rock style and HAIM, who rocked out, including a rollicking cover of Fleetwood Mac’s classic “Oh Well.”

Travi$ Scott, a Houston rapper, brought out some guests (including T. I.) and ended his set by letting fans join him onstage. I think production was a bit freaked out because there were so many fans on the stage and when Joey Bada$$ tried the same thing, security put a stop to the stage invasion early.

Photo: John Davisson

mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

The evening had the big acts and nice stage lighting. Tegan and Sara played first and then joined MGK on the other stage as hosts and award presenters. Twenty One Pilots were next and played a great set, with Jos Dun, the drummer, doing a backflip off the keyboard and singer Tyler Joseph climbing the scaffolding and jumping off his keyboards.

Macklemore & Ryan Lewis, who also received the branching Woodie, played next and they had some guests. Zedd closed the festivities with a massive EDM set.

Photo: John Davisson

Performing at the mtvU Woodie Awards and Festival at SXSW in Austin, Texas.

After the Woodies, I caught the last 3 acts at the Hype Hotel presented by Taco Bell and had se free tacos there between acts. The Specials had just started (an hour late) when I got there and they were great fun. They had me moving to the beat when not photographing. MS MR were next and they were good synth pop.