AMLI Kicks Off SXSW in Style | AMLI Residential

Last week, dozens of AMLI apartment residents from around the Austin area gathered to celebrate the commencement of the 28th Annual South by Southwest (SXSW) music and film extravaganza. In traditional Austinesque fashion, this SXSW Kickoff event was described as “very casual, low-key” by AMLI Downtown Community Manager, Jacob Allen.

The Venue

The SXSW Kickoff 2014 was held at HandleBar, a downtown Austin neighborhood bar with an old-school vibe and an extensive beer selection. The venue meshed seamlessly with the event’s low-key atmosphere and was the perfect size for its attendance of between 50 and 75 guests.

Entertainment

Just 17-years-old, Maddie Socha is an extremely talented musician and writer who was born and raised in Austin. With her repertoire of songs and gaggle of musical instruments, she entertained the crowd at the event for about an hour and a half. The event was catered by The Hatter Tea Company, a local event planning and catering legend. Snacks and treats included sun-dried tomato-feta cheese pastry cups, horseradish roast beef pinwheels, a vegan cheese platter with fruits and crackers, and lavender cupcakes. The first 30 residents to arrive received a complimentary beverage of their choosing, and HandleBar provided Tito’s vodka drinks for AMLI residents throughout the event. A gift card drawing was held, making some randomly selected residents rich in retail dollars. Obviously enjoying themselves, many residents lingered at Handlebar after the SXSW Kickoff ended.

AMLI Involvement

The SXSW Kickoff was, by-and-large, an AMLI affair. Dozens of residents from seven luxury apartments in the Austin area turned up, with AMLI Eastside, AMLI South Shore, and AMLI Downtown boasting the highest rates of attendance. AMLI 300, and AMLI on 2nd also had some representation.

Only the Beginning

As its name and date suggest, the SXSW Kickoff was only the beginning of a 10-day music, film, and interactive media festival that is larger and more laudable than any event of its kind. SXSW is well underway now, but there are still a few days left of the music festival. Broken Bells, ZEDD, B.o.B., ZEALE, Tennis, Cut Copy, American Authors, and Snoop Dogg are just a sample of the hundreds of musical artists that will perform this weekend.

Did you attend the SXSW Kickoff or have you managed to make it to any of this year’s SXSW showcases? Share your SXSW 2014 highlights by commenting below.