Is SXSW make or break for Gaga?

[pachinko 9,466]

Basically, yes.

[Sister 9,907]

No. It is just another performance and she is always good at that. I think the new single and video is though!

[SwagLikeLG 0]

No, it's not a huge important event. Like is it even televised?

[Dean Winchester 196]

Gaga's already made it though  

[Freddy Krueger 0]

No, I don't think anything this era is "make or break."

[Antidote 95]

No, just a normal appearance with a concert.

I think many fans hope that this will be the point from where on she will show herself more often again and talk about a new single, but that's not a make or break for her

[Nemo 3,968]

No, it's not a huge important event.

Yes, it is.

Like is it even televised?

That would be roughly equivalent to broadcasting the Olympics -- many events, multiple venues, spread out over a couple of weeks. Anyway, yes, Gaga's concert is going to televised (a couple weeks after the fact, but still). Other parts, I don't know. But if you think it's not a big deal, try #SXSW on Twitter, and see who's going.

[aquaprincess 23]

Hold up.  The first stage was one set up for the festival only. They moved her to be in an actual venue instead of a make shift stage set up for a few days only.  SXSW stage size doesn't have much to do with a performers "Popularity" as much as it does providing a group of attendees with an unforgettable experience. It's about the music, not the bling, in most cases.  Yes, 2,500 people is the capacity of Stubbs, and it's really one of the larger venues in Austin, until you skip to the places she would normally tour at that hold hundreds of thousands-those places are not used for performances like this during SXSW week. 

 

This isn't a festival like the ones you are used to.  This is the entire downtown of Austin participating at every possible venue, from museums to parks, to small bars to BBQ joints. It's an entire downtown taken over by more than 2,000 musical acts, on top of the other parts of SXSW like film. 

 

For those of you calling it a small, pointless festival, check yo'self with these facts: 

Twitter was introduced at SXSW

People discovered or broken into mainstream at SXSW: Hanson, John Mayer, James Blunt, Janelle Monae, Best Coast, The White Stripes, Veruca Salt, Polyphonic Spree

thousands of performances in just the music festival at more than 100 venues

 

What happens at South By heavily influences the music, film, TV, gaming and other cultures.  Just because you haven't heard of it doesn't mean that everyone and their Mama isn't here and it isn't influential for someone's career. 

 

 

That said, do I think the SXSW performance could make or break Gaga's career? No. Not any more than Bruce Springstien or Metallica or Public Enemy's careers were changed. It can definitely open up a new audience, bring a lot to the town/festival, but these acts are already huge-they are not gaining what most of the other performers in the festival are. 

 

However, Gaga's performance and speech will be highly judged and talked about because there hasn't been a woman key note speaker since the 1990's and she is the first pop culture icon to be in this position.  Many people want her to fail just because she's a woman in the pop industry and many music snobs automatically judge that to be worthless, judge it to be someone who is puppeteered by an industry.  So, though it may not make or break her, it will certainly be the talk of the festival, highly watched and scrutinized and could damage/improve how the general non-Gaga crazed public and industry looks at her. 

 

Gaga will do fine; she's a grade A performer and a stellar speech giver. I've got no worry for Gagz, I just need to get into this show!