SXSW To Feature Safety Changes

After a driver plowed through a barricade and into concertgoers during last year’s event, killing four people and injuring many others and leading to a spate of lawsuits, Austin officials and South by Southwest organizers looked into how to make this year’s festival safer.

With the 2015 gathering’s gaming and film portions already underway, SXSW’s centerpiece music events will kick off Tuesday under greater police scrutiny and with several new safety precautions in place. Among them are efforts to cut overcrowding at the hundreds of concerts, to reduce the amount of free alcohol given away and to move up the curfew in the self-described “Live Music Capital of the World.”

Even before last year’s crash, overcrowding concerns led to the cancellation of a Lady Gaga show on a gargantuan stage built to resemble a Doritos vending machine. Afterward, criticism only increased for the annual event, which started in 1987 as an obscure showcase for unsigned bands and is now derisively seen by some as a trendy spring break event run amok.

“I kind of think that on the ground, it’s not going to look different to most people,” co-founder Roland Swenson said of the changes implemented for this year’s event, where more than 2,100 bands are slated to perform. “Except a lot of thought will have been put into everything that happens.”

Snoop Dogg, rapper Ludacris and singer-songwriter Ryan Bingham are among the biggest acts on the schedule so far. But SXSW is also known for hosting surprise shows by the likes of Kanye West and Prince.

One of the most significant changes is the 25 percent cut in permits issued for downtown “pop up” events, which tend to offer free drinks and attract people who may not be able to get into the festival’s main shows. There will also be more police working, brighter downtown lighting, tougher security checks and stricter line management during the event.

Some promoters and concert organizers have described a slower embrace of SXSW this year, though not all blame last year’s deadly incident or the new safety policies put in place this year.

“I think generally what we’ve seen is that there’s less people interested in doing stuff this year than in years previous,” said Bobby Garza, general manager of Transmission Events. “I’m not really sure why that is.”

Authorities say last year’s crash occurred when a driver tried to flee from a police traffic stop by bursting through a barricade and down a street packed with festival-goers. Four people were killed and almost two-dozen were injured. The driver was charged with capital murder and is in jail.

There have been several victim lawsuits filed, alleging that safety should have been better at the event.

A report commissioned by the city found that access to free alcohol and overcrowded venues left Austin confronting “critical” public safety issues.

Swenson doesn’t expect smaller crowds after SXSW estimated that 376,000 people last year attended its full range of events. Doritos, one of the most visible brands at SXSW in recent years, isn’t returning, but Swenson said the overall number of major sponsors is about the same.

“Certainly the stakes are higher. We’re certainly being scrutinized by everyone, even more closely,” Swenson said.